Wolves and Men

Their Alpha stood up and nodded to Katherine, William, and Charles. The three took off running at a sprint towards the fenced off construction area. Nicolas fell in behind Aceso as everyone but Nicolas was now in werewolf form. Nicolas wrapped the back pack that he had been carrying around his back and chased after Aceso. William, Katherine, and Charles were approaching the site head on, while Aceso led Nicolas on a sweeping arc to reach the far side of the construction site.

William was on all fours as were the other two with him. He could smell the stink as it was carried faintly with the wind from the west. They approached fast. The fence guarding the construction site was chain link with a wrap of barb wire over the top. He could start to pick out details in the darkness.

The unfinished project girders jutted up from the ground like bones of some long dead animal that gleamed white against the gentle moon light. There were containers to the far side of the compound and various vehicles parked nearby. A cement mixer was sitting close to the fence that they were running toward.

He could start to see cross beams that bridged the vertical girders. It was very early in the construction process; some of the girders were wrapped with cement molds, ready to hold the wet substance till it hardened. On those cross beams he saw a few shapes that could be the vampires Nicolas had mentioned.

The three did not hesitate at the fence, but instead they launched themselves into the air, clearly sailing over the fence and barb wire. Then they skidded to a halt. The shapes that William had seen on the cross beams were in fact people, then the two jumped down from their places and landed as easily as cats on the hard ground. They began walking toward the newcomers immediately as they were joined by a third who moved away from some crates. And if that wasn’t enough proof, the rancid smell of death and blood hovered around them like moths around a flame. He scanned the rest of the yard looking for the other two but they hadn’t, as yet, decided to show themselves. Something about these vampires were familiar, but he couldn’t remember why or where he may have seen them.

“Well, well, looks like he wasn’t mistaken at all was he?” said the front man for the vampire group.

“He’s going to be insufferable for the next few days, you know that right?” asked a woman to his left.

“I can’t say I blame him,” The front man said, “of all the schemes he has come up with over the last few months this had to be the most out there. I kept giving him shit about it. Now…I guess I’m going to have to pay up.”

“Man, I told you not to bet against Kenneth. That dude has an eerie sixth sense about these things. If it wasn’t for him, I probably would have been dead a long time ago…and stayed dead. You hear what I’m saying?”

On hearing the name of Kenneth, William immediately tensed. He hadn’t heard the name in a while, but he still remembered that night the two met for the first time in that strip club. Even with Ansuya and Alexiares there, he was so full of confidence, and later when he admitted that it was he who had sent those ‘people’ after him in his forest. He couldn’t keep his hackles from rising and a snarl from splitting his lips.

“Oh, look Brian; I think you made one of them mad. He looks so cute standing there with his fists all balled up like that,” the girl said with a smile full of mirth.

It was then that William’s memory clicked and he remembered where he had seen these three before. These vampires were with Kenneth on that rooftop where Ansuya was taken.

That memory caused him to flood his body with adrenaline and his werewolf body pulsed with strength and energy. He wanted nothing more at that moment than to crush the skulls of each and every one of them.

Katherine made a small motion with her middle claw on her right side. This was completely hidden from the vampires’ view, but William saw it perfectly and forced his body to stop producing its rage enhancing adrenaline. He calmed down almost immediately.

Charles stepped forward and with a very low, showman like, bow he introduced himself. “Greetings, my name is Charles and these are my pack mates. We have come on behalf of our Elders to see what exactly your kind is doing here and what your interests could possibly be with those wolves you have caged behind you.”

“My, what a polite little doggy,” The female said. “If you’re really good I think I might take you home with me. Would you like that little doggy? Huh? Would you like to come home with me?” She said this last in a childish voice with a mock smile plastered on her face.

William caught the faintest change in the air around him. He recognized the scents. Charles was sending out pheromones and other scents towards the vampires. Charles had become pretty adept at doing this over the last year. He wasn’t as good as Ansuya was, but then again Ansuya was a lot older and she had way more experience.

The vampires stood there, William and his pack mates hadn’t moved, both sides facing off against the other. Nothing was said for a few moments.

“So, what does a large, powerful, and incredibly influential group of vampires want with a lousy spit of land on the outskirts of a small city like Monterey?” Charles tone was equal parts ingratiating, and humble, and inquiring in all the right amounts. Charles was pretty impressive in his own right.

“To train our dogs,” The woman answered easily.

The lead vampire shot her a look, “Don’t tell them anything, they’re guessing.”

Charles ignored the comment from the lead male and focused on the woman who had spoken, “and by dogs I assume you mean the wolves in the cages behind you?” asked Charles nonchalantly.

“Yes, and they are such good doggies now that Kenneth showed us how to train them.”

The lead vamp gripped his head and yelled out at the female speaker, “GODDAMMIT RACHEL!! Will you keep your fucking mouth shut?!”