The Lure of the Pack (25 page)

“Ha!” The last thing Lana Franke expected as a reply was a
hearty laugh. Von Kurst leaned over and kissed her lips, his tongue sliding
into her mouth. Eagerly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and welcomed the
kiss. It was long and deep, but not emotional. “So, you think the lone one threatens
our existence?” Von Kurst’s gaze pierced Lana’s, seemingly demanding an answer.

“Yes, I think he does. Ever since you have sensed him he has
been a constant thorn in your flesh.”

“A thorn my dear Lana, that is about to be trampled on!”
Smiling defiantly, Von Kurst lay back on the pillow as Lana leaned over him,
her hand running slowly down his muscular, hairy chest.

“I can still have him, can’t I? You promised me!”

“Of course you can Lana. He is yours, as of tonight!”

Lana was pleased, her thoughts racing as she visualised the
various forms of medical torment she had been preparing for her new patient. “I
want to milk you” she whispered, her smile as tantalising as ever.

“Oh?”

Gently, smoothly, she slid her right hand down to Von
Kurst’s loins and wrapped her fingers around his penis. He sighed, his hips
bucking slightly as she began kneading his foreskin back and forth. She
giggled. “I want you to enjoy this.” There was no reply, just a grunt as Von
Kurst closed his eyes, savouring the touch of his ex mistress’s gentle rhythm.
She started to work faster, her tongue licking her lips as she lowered her head
to his. “I’ve brought the scalpel,” she whispered, close to his ear, “and the
sedative, a large dose.” Von Kurst panted heavily as Lana continued her lascivious
rhythms, her hand squeezing ever tighter.

“Good…”

“Have you prepared the serum?”

“Yes, you will have ample…supplies,” his hips bucked again.

“Wonderful, relax…just relax!” He did so as her rhythm grew
in intensity. Then came the climax, his seed exploding over her hand and his
stomach. “Just a little more” she whispered, “come on, I want every little
drop.” She ran her tongue down his face, tasting his sweat. He moaned, now
constantly. “There, oh…wonderful!” Von Kurst lay panting on the bed as Lana
licked his seed from her fingers. She smiled and whispered, “I’m going to make
him pay!”

“What?” Von Kurst still reeled from his pleasurable climax
as Lana’s statement suddenly hit home.

“Yes, I’ve decided…in fact I decided last night, when I was
piercing you and you showed no response. You were cold Otto! You showed me
then, that our love has finished. It’s not just Helga, is it? I know you love
Helga, and I understand how you must join with Helga…to strengthen the Were.”

Von Kurst’s eyes narrowed. What is she up to, he thought?

Again, Lana lowered her head to his and began to gently
nibble his ear lobe. She whispered again, “I still love you Otto, even though
you don’t love me anymore.”

“Lana…”

She ceased the gentle biting, “yes my love.”

“You…have never loved me!” Von Kurst pushed his ex mistress
away, “you have only ever loved…yourself!” Wait for the explosion he thought,
the fit of childish rage, the harsh words.

“I don’t know how you can say that, Otto.”

Unexpectedly, there was no fit of rage, no harsh words, just
that look in her eyes thought Von Kurst, that devilish look of torment that had
captivated his sexual appetite for so many years.

“It’s his fault, isn’t it? This fucking lone one! So, he
will pay…dearly!”

Von Kurst smiled, a sinister smile. “I am intrigued Lana,
have you been planning the interrogation of the lone one?” Even after his
sensuous climax, the very thought of his nemesis undergoing ‘treatment’ on Lana
Franke’s operating table brought about the beginnings of another erection.

“Oh yes! I’ll make him talk for you Otto. I’ll find out
everything about him and then I’ll experiment on him, for days, weeks,
months…I’LL TORTURE HIM, INTO INSANITY!” With her voice rising in a demented
rapture, Lana clapped her hands together and giggled, like a spoilt schoolgirl
receiving a large present. “And all my work will be recorded, just for you,
time and time again.” Fitfully, Lana threw her arms around Von Kurst and kissed
him, “I’m not letting you go Otto, I’m not letting Helga have you. You’re my
life, I need to be with you, my work will be for you, to prove my love for you.
I’M NOT LETTING YOU GO!”

“Lana…”

She released him suddenly and sat up, her eyes distant, a
look of utter despair marring her beautiful face. Von Kurst watched, disturbed
as the woman next to him wrapped her arms around herself and began to rock back
and forth. He reached for her, squeezing her arms tightly as he shook her.
“LANA,” he shouted, “STOP IT!”

“IT’S ALL HIS FAULT,” she screamed, “I’VE LOST YOU, BECAUSE
OF HIM! I HATE HIM, I HATE HIM!”

“Red Haze to Control, do you copy?” Ash Piper, once again
dressed in his favourite ‘civvies’ of jeans, black tee shirt and a denim shirt,
adjusted the satellite Com-link around his throat. As usual, it lay just out of
sight, away from prying eyes. He listened carefully through the tiny receiver
in his right ear, smiling as he stood at his bedroom window. It was a
beautiful, sun-drenched morning and he was pleased with himself and his choice
of hotel. The Hotel Nikko Dusseldorf was very pleasant indeed.

“Receiving you loud and clear Red Haze, strength five.” Nick
Lucas’s voice sounded as hearty as ever.

“Just checking in Control, do you have any news for me?” It
was 08.15 and Piper felt thoroughly relaxed as shafts of sunlight cascaded through
the pleasantly decorated hotel bedroom’s large window, warming him.

“Not really Red Haze. We’re going to monitor activity around
VKE’s head office throughout the day. Your companions are already in position,
following instructions, so to speak!” Piper laughed! It was a typical comment
from Nick, CEATA’s joker he thought, but a clever, reliable friend. “It’s okay
for some people who get to stay in classy hotels; I presume you’re making the
most of it?”

Leisurely, Piper gazed out across Dusseldorf’s city skyline,
thinking of his evening meal in the hotel’s Teppan-Yaki Grill Room. “Oh yes
Control, last night’s Beef Teppan-Yaki, was quite delicious.”

“Oh…thanks a lot!” Piper could see Nick sitting at his
console, smiling, enjoying their warm-hearted banter with Jean-Paul sitting at
his side.

“Red Haze!” It was Colonel Mann’s voice.

“Go ahead, Control!”

“As per yesterday’s discussion, I suggest you make the most
of the day, including a recon on your host’s location.”

“No problem Control. I’ll keep in touch throughout the day
and run a final brief before I leave for tonight’s event. If you have anything
else to report, just let me know. Red Haze out!”

“Affirmative Red Haze. Enjoy your day!”

Oh I intend too, thought Piper. Now…it’s time for breakfast!

“Bescann is dead!”

“What!” The pleasantries had ceased, so too, the
congratulations on a job well done. Wilhelm Oratz sat rigid in his chair,
facing his close friend. “How…or need I ask?” he said, venomously.

“The lone one and his colleagues.” Otto Von Kurst did not
trouble to hide the look of loathing hatred on his face. “Claude took his own
life rather than be captured. You were preparing to leave for St Petersburg
when I found out. I couldn’t tell you until now!”

Oratz bowed his head in acceptance of his Fuhrer’s comments.
“Shit, so what now?” he asked.

Von Kurst’s face set like stone, “we still go ahead as
planned. This evening marks the turning point for our grand retribution my dear
friend. Tonight, we take the lone one and destroy both his and his colleague’s plans
to thwart us. No, we move on, Project Amen still continues.” Oratz fell silent
as a knock came from outside Von Kurst’s office. “Come in Helga,” the door
opened as Helga Zeist stepped in with a tray of coffee and biscuits, “as you
can see, our intrepid traveller has returned!”

Helga walked smartly over to where Oratz sat and placed the
tray on a small table next to him. “Wilhelm, it’s nice to see you again.”

Oratz nodded his head, “you too Helga.” His tone was
lifeless as usual, for Wilhelm Oratz had no liking for any woman in Otto Von
Kurst’s life, but at least he admitted to himself, Helga was far more palatable
than the other bitch! “So, where is Lana?” he asked.

“At my house, she will be joining us later for the cocktail
evening.”

“Does she know about Bescann?”

“Yes, I told her this morning.”

“And…?”

Von Kurst shrugged his shoulders, “as I have told you, Helga
and Lana…we move on, it’s as simple as that!”

Again, came another nod of the head as Oratz noticed Helga’s
gaze turning towards the briefcase at his side.

“Is that it?” she asked, an icy shiver running down her
spine.

“Yes, this is the briefcase.”

“I presume Vitali’s instructions regarding priming and
detonation were clear and precise?” asked Von Kurst.

“Absolutely! Once I have left Rome, I can prime and activate
the device from the Learjet. Detonation will then follow, two hours later.”

“Just as the dear old Pontiff begins his blessing, not that
he will have much to say!” Von Kurst’s evil leer said it all, thought Oratz.
The destruction of religion and a major civil war across Europe would begin
soon enough!

“From what I can see, Vitali and his friends have made an
excellent job of copying your original briefcase.”

“Vitali has made an excellent job of everything we asked of
him Otto, you know that!”

“Indeed, and I presume he is happy with our plan for
payment?”

“Yes!”

Von Kurst slowly nodded his head, “good, so how is my
fellow, Russian Were?”

“He is fine and sends his warmest regards, to both yourself
and Helga.”

“I presume you told him of my annoyance at his stupidity…?”

“In Rostov,” interrupted Oratz, “oh yes Otto, I told him.”

“Good, and how did he reply?”

For a few seconds Oratz fell silent, his thoughts racing
back to the tense dinner and conversation in St Petersburg. “Vitali realised how
foolish he had been! Now, he only hunts when he has to.”

“Yes, and…what else did he say?” The look in Otto Von
Kurst’s eyes made Wilhelm Oratz begin to sweat.

“You won’t like what he told me, Otto!”

“Try me!” Von Kurst’s fists were beginning to clench.

“During the hunt…in Rostov…”

“Go on…”

“He was filmed, by a TASS news team!” Oratz’s heart beat
heavily. He was sweating, his birthmark itching, the loud crashing of fists on
his Fuhrer’s desk suddenly making him jump!

“THE FUCKING IDIOT,” yelled Von Kurst.

“He said there is nothing to worry about Otto, he killed the
camera team.”

“AND WHAT PRAY TELL, HAPPENED TO THE FUCKING FILM? I PRESUME
HE DESTROYED IT?”

“I…I…”

Von Kurst growled, so too, did Helga, “YOU DON’T FUCKING
KNOW, DO YOU WILHELM? THAT’S BECAUSE HE DIDN’T TELL YOU…SHIT!” Again, another
crashing of fists on the desk made Oratz jump.

“If the film got to the authorities…?” Helga looked gravely
concerned, her now bloodshot gaze focused on her lover. “Otto, they will have
evidence of our existence! The lone one and his team,” she faltered, “what if
they may have seen…”

“I know, I FUCKING KNOW!” Von Kurst roared with anger, “MY
FATHER AND I ALWAYS TOLD VITALI TO STAY IN THE SHADOWS WHEN HUNTING, TO NEVER
GIVE MERE HUMANS ANY OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE OUR EXISTENCE. NOW, BECAUSE OF HIS
FUCKING STUPIDITY AND ARROGANCE, THEY MAY WELL HAVE EVIDENCE…”

Helga quickly arose from her chair and stood behind Von
Kurst, her hands gently massaging his shoulders, “calm down Otto, calm down!”

If there was one thing that always frightened Wilhelm Oratz,
it was seeing his closest friend in a fit of rage, a rage that only the Were
could produce. “The rest of the meeting went well,” he continued, “so too, the
visit to the new site and the television appearances.” Don’t mention Vitali’s
self imposed god like status, he thought, at least for the moment. Change the
subject, quickly!

“I know,” whispered Von Kurst, Helga’s massaging returning
him to a tolerable level of calm, “I watched you on various news channels. My
apologies Wilhelm, you did an excellent job in St Petersburg, I did not mean to
vent my wrath on you. It is Vitali who has angered me.”

Oratz breathed a heavy sigh of relief and scratched his
birthmark, “it’s no problem Otto. Incidentally, Vitali knows of Helga, he has heard
her calling.”

Momentarily Helga ceased her massaging. “Oh,” she said, her
look penetrating, “I am intrigued Wilhelm, what else did Vitali say?”

Oh fuck thought Oratz, now what have I said? “He senses
great power in you Helga, you are to become the Were’s alpha female, he knows
this.”

“Oh…and what else?”

“Yes Wilhelm,” whispered Von Kurst, “what else?”

Oratz swallowed heavily, “he says you must begin hunting
again Otto. If you do not, you will become weak.”

“And Vitali is right my dear friend. I must and will begin
the hunt again…and far sooner than you think!”

Ash Piper had forgotten just how much he loved Germany. Even
from his childhood days, when his English father, Cornelius Piper lectured at
Bonn University and his German mother, Marguerite, wrote freelance for various
educational establishments, he had felt a bond with the country. But so too,
his love for Great Britain was just as strong. The two countries had played
such an important part in his childhood and teen years. It was only when the Piper
family had moved to England, after his father gained a senior lecturer’s
position at Bath University, that his life in Germany was left behind, with the
young Ashley attending college, then university, studying languages and
military history. Subsequently, with a craving for action and adventure
coursing through his veins he had joined the British Parachute Regiment, much
to the annoyance of his mother and father.