Officer Perpello frowned, but saluted Celo and left the room. As he walked down the aisle I noticed a familiar figure in the front seat closest to the right side of the aisle. It was Vincent. He, too, was bound by the silver straps and his chin lay against his chest.
"Vincent! Vincent!" I yelled.
"We should awaken him, shouldn't we?" Celo commented.
Celo strode over to Vincent and knelt in front of him. He cupped one of Vincent's cheeks in his palm and leaned close to his ear. I watched his lips move, but no words reached me.
Vincent started awake and looked around himself in a daze. His eyes fell on me and widened.
"Leila!" he shouted. He strained against his bonds, but they held as strong as mine. Vincent whipped his head to Celo and his eyes narrowed. "Let her go!"
Celo stood and shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, humans aren't allowed in Celatum, and she knows far too much to be allowed to leave. That means she must become one of us through the Changing."
Vincent furrowed his brow. "The 'Changing?'"
Celo turned to the audience and swept his hand over the large crowd. The last few stragglers grabbed the remaining seats. The room was packed and all waited for the horrors to begin.
"The Changing is a great honor. She will be given an ancient lineage of blood, my blood. There are few left who can trace descent from the Prime Wolves, but I am one of them," Celo called out.
I looked from one impassive face to another. No one moved. No one mocked the insanity with a laugh. They were dolls, puppets to his strings, and right then he demanded they remained seated.
"What the hell are you all doing? Let us go! Stop him!" I shouted at the puppets.
Celo turned to face me. A wide smile graced his lips and he chuckled. "They are my children, and good children never disobey their father."
"You're insane," I snapped.
"Then I will be able to welcome you to the asylum in only a few moments," he commented as he picked up the knife. The blade reflected the bright lights above me as he turned to me. "The procedure is very simple. I will give your blood to mine and, if you survive the transformation, you will be one of us."
My eyes widened. "Survive? What the hell are you talking about?"
"Leave her alone!" Vincent yelled.
"Patience, my brother. She will be one of us soon," Celo called to him. He stepped up to the pedestal and turned my arm over so the inside lay up. His dark eyes swept over me and his slimy grin spread across his pale lips. "You see, the transformation into a werewolf is quite hard on the body. Many people don't survive. Those with a strong enough body and soul are those granted the gift."
"I'd rather exchange this gift for a credit card," I snapped.
He chuckled and lowered the blade to my arm. "You will make an interesting addition to our small community."
I squirmed, but his hand pinned my arm to the pedestal. My eyes canned the room. There was no help from the audience. I couldn't be one of those monsters, those puppets. I had to stall him.
"What if. . .what if I told you we killed your mom?" I challenged him.
He froze. The blade hovered over my flesh. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized my face. "What was that?"
"I said Vincent and I killed your parents," I repeated.
He pressed his lips so tightly together that the skin broke. A slim thread of blood pooled onto his chin. "You lie."
"She put that curse on me because I killed your father, and then Vincent killed her," I told him. I gave him a hollow smirk. For all my bravado my hands shook. I balled them into fists. "Now do you want to make me a werewolf?"
Celo raised the knife close to his face. His reflection was an ugly distortion of the rage that grew on his features.
"You. . .you killed my mother and my father?" he growled. He raised his voice and the audience shrank from the noise. "You murderers! You don't deserve my gift! You don't deserve to live!"
"Don't touch her!" Vincent growled.
Vincent strained against his bonds. He twisted and turned, and for his efforts he was cut and chafed. Blood trickled down his arms as the fabric bit into his flesh.
Celo grasped the knife handle in both hands and pointed the blade over my heart. His wide, wild eyes glared down at me with unfathomable hatred. "You will die, and this traitor to our race will follow you!"
"No!"
CHAPTER 9
Vincent's roar echoed around the room. He pulled his arms apart and snapped the straps. The thick bands of fabric flew in all directions and hit many in the audience. Some of the straps fell onto his empty seat.
A blur of movement shoved Celo aside. He crashed into the exterior wall. The impact left an imprint of his body in the sheet rock. He crumpled to the floor and lay still. Chaos erupted inside the room. Some in the audience rushed to Celo's side, but others stampeded towards the exit. People shouted and screamed.
The next few moments were a vision of speed. A shadow fell over me and tore the straps from around me. Strong arms picked me up and flew me down the aisle. Some of the attendants jumped in our path, but they were swatted aside. Many crashed into the walls. Others were thrown into the ceiling.
I was carried through the lobby and out into the dark streets. A moonlit night greeted us and cast its haunting light over the whole of my world. By its beams I glimpsed the face of my rescuer. Vincent. And yet not, there was something wrong with him. Gone were the brilliant emerald colors of his eyes. He looked over the town with a white, empty gaze. His lips were curled back in a feral snarl.
"Vincent?" I whispered.
The spell was broken. His eyes widened and reverted back to their original emerald color. He stumbled and stopped in the middle of the road. My companion looked around with a wide, confused gaze.
"What happened? How'd we get out here?" he asked me.
"You happened," I told him as he set me down. "You shoved Celo into a wall and got us out of there."
He blinked at me. "I did?"
I frowned and studied his face. "Don't you remember anything?"
He shook his head. "No. I just remember sitting in the chair and Celo standing over you with that knife. I knew I couldn't let him hurt you, but I couldn't break those ropes. And then-" he shrugged. "We're out here."
Movement caught my attention. I swept my eyes over the surrounding area and pursed my lips. "Reminisces later. We have company."
Vincent followed my gaze. The audience from the hall had followed us outside. Several of the people paused and tilted back their heads. A haunting howl floated from their lips and echoed over the clear night sky. The full moon cast its light on the nightmare around us.
Their numbers swelled as those who remained in their houses joined their ranks. They surrounded us on all sides and closed in. I fumbled for my gun. The holster and gun were gone.
"Damn it. . ." I mumbled. "Vincent, you have-" I glanced at him. My eyes widened.
Vincent clutched at his arm. The sleeve of his coat was pulled back and I watched as his flesh and muscles pulsed like a heartbeat. He dropped to his knees and cradled his arm against his chest. His head was bent and he clenched his teeth.
"What's. . .what's happening to me?" he choked out.
"You're denying your heritage," a voice spoke up. The audience parted and Celo strode out of them. Blood poured down one side of his face and his clothes were torn, but he still held the knife. He stopped a yard from Vincent and sneered down at him. "Your body wishes to transform, but you refuse to obey its commands. As I said, you are a traitor to your kind, Vincent Mortale, and there is only one punishment for traitors." Celo raised the knife and swung it downward to stab Vincent in the neck.
My heart beat stilled. I stretched out my hand towards Vincent. "No!"
Vincent's other hand shot up. His fingers wrapped around Celo's wrist and arrested his downward swing. Celo glared at him and pushed against him, but his arm wouldn't move. Vincent sat as still as a statue with his head bent down.
"What. . .what's happening? How can you do this to one who is a descendant of a Prime?" he growled. Vincent raised his head. Celo's eyes widened. He shook his head. "No, it can't be. You're a-"
Vincent flung Celo aside. The audience caught him and set him on his feet, but Celo stood there with his mouth agape. Vincent stood and stretched out his arms on either side of him. My hand flew to my mouth as Vincent's body changed.
Dark-gray fur sprouted from his flesh and he grew another foot in height. His fingers lengthened and his nails sharpened into white claws. A snout pushed out from his face and filled with long, sharp teeth. His ears stretched back and ended in sharp points. He tilted his head to one side and I glimpsed the pale white eyes of my dreams.
Now I had my proof, but there was no joy in this discovery. Warm tears slid down my cheeks and I slowly shook my head.
"No. . ." I whispered.
Vincent tilted back his head and let loose a loud, terrible howl. The storefront windows and streetlights shattered. Glass reigned down on the pristine sidewalks. The townspeople clapped their hands over their ears and screamed in pain. Celo winced, but held firm until the howl died away.
"A Prime that is a traitor?" he snarled. He turned to his puppets. "Kill the traitor!"
A dozen people lunged forward to obey. Their bodies changed into small, brown werewolves like that of Glenna's husband. They leapt at Vincent, but he grabbed the leader by the collar and swung him into half the company. Vincent ducked and dodged the claws and fangs of the remaining six, and each in their turn received a punch and a toss that threw them to the far sides of the street.
Celo watched as the last puppet was flung away and turned to Vincent with a snarl. Vincent stood impassively with his back to me. "I may not be a Prime, but you will know the power of an Alpha."
Celo lunged at him and swung the knife. The moves were so quick I could only see the flash of the blade. Vincent stepped to the left and right, and dodged all the deadly cuts as though they were strikes by a child. Celo jumped back. He slouched and gasped for air. Sweat poured down his forehead and mingled with the blood.
"Damn. . .damn you," he choked out. He glanced over his shoulder at the townspeople and swung his blade arm towards Vincent. "All of us together now! We can defeat him if we work together!"
The last desperate charge shook the ground. The townspeople transformed and lunged at us. Both of us.
The wall of werewolves slammed into Vincent and swallowed him in a pile of bodies. I heard a growl behind me and spun around in time to dodge a swing by claws. My feet tripped over each other and I fell onto my rear. A shadow loomed above me. I looked up and saw it was Miss Ferox who stood above me. Her fancy clothes were torn by her transformation, and her beautiful face was distorted by her long brown snout.
Ferox grabbed me by the collar and lifted me off the ground so we were face-to-face. Her thick, heavy lips curled back in a snarl. My eyes widened as she tightened her grip on my neck. My windpipe strained under the pressure from her fingers.
"Die, human," she growled.
A roar erupted from the pile of werewolves and the top two-thirds of the pile was flung in all directions. Vincent's tall shadow rose from the few who remained. He marched forward and one-by-one tossed aside those who still clung to him.
Ferox's eyes widened and she stumbled back. Her hand opened and I dropped to the ground. Blessed air flowed back into my lungs as I rubbed my bruised neck. Ferox turned and tried to flee, but Vincent leapt forward and grabbed her by the back of her neck. He threw her across the road and turned to me. I shivered beneath those cold eyes.
Vincent walked over and knelt in front of me. His hand stretched out and cupped one of my cheeks. He tilted his head to one side and a soft rumble purred from his throat.
"Vincent?" I whispered.
He blinked at me. The white in his eyes changed back to the emerald-green I knew so well.
"L. . .Leila?" he recalled.
I smiled and nodded. More warm tears escaped my eyes.
Our touching moment didn't freeze the world. Ferox flew into a nearby power pole and dropped to the ground. The impact cracked the wood and sent the pole toppling onto the street. The busted lamp shattered into thousands of pieces atop the road. The stretch on the power lines was too much. The line between the main street and the rear residential block snapped. The line twisted and coiled like a snake, and sparks flew everywhere. The sparks landed on the dry lawns on the next block and lit the weeds aflame. The white picket fences were consumed by insatiable appetite of the fire.
"To the fire truck!" Officer Perpello yelled.
"No! First the intruders!" Celo insisted.
The officer turned to him and scowled. "Are you mad? We have to-" Celo swung his hand and decapitated the other werewolf's head.
The fire spread quickly from yard to yard. Nothing was neglected from its indiscriminate hunger. Building and tree and shrug were consumed, and soon the entirety of the town was in danger. The citizens gathered buckets and pales as others went for the truck. Most raced to and fro, unable to help and unwilling to flee. People yelled and chaos ruled.
I grasped one of Vincent's clawed hands and stood. "We have to get out of-behind you!"
Celo lunged from the chaos and swung the knife down. Vincent moved aside, but the knife embedded itself deep into his leg. He roared in fury and grabbed Celo by the neck. Vincent's eyes reverted to their pale gray color as he snarled in Celo's face. Celo tilted back his head and laughed. The sound of madness echoed and caused many of the townspeople to back away.
Vincent swung his arm backwards into Celo. His laughter was cut short as he flew back into the crowd who caught him. Vincent stood and stumbled towards the crowd, but I caught his arm. He spun around and snarled at me. I shrank from those teeth and released his arm.
Vincent froze. He blinked, and his humanity returned. A little of his fur shrank back into his face, and his snout wasn't so long.
"Leila," he gasped. He looked down at his clawed hands and his emerald-colored eyes widened. "What am I?"
I grabbed Vincent's arm and pulled him away from the crowd. "There's no time for that! We need to get out of here!"
"No one leaves! No one ever leaves!" Celo screamed. He turned to his puppets and pointed a finger at us. "Kill them! Kill them all!"
Some of the citizens skirted their insane leader and rushed us. Vincent wrapped his arm around my waist and pressed me against his side. I looked up into his face and my eyes widened. The emerald color in his eyes slipped into the abyss of white. He curled his lips back and snarled.
"Vincent!"
A horn blared.
CHAPTER 10
The normal sound amid such abnormal circumstances gave pause to our attackers. Headlights flashed over the crowd and an engine roared. The people at the rear of the crowd screamed, and I saw some of them fly up and over the hood of a car. A black sedan crashed through the mob and skidded to a stop between the citizens and where we stood. The driver's door faced us, and Bram leaned out the window.
"You getting in or staying here?" he snapped.
"Come on, Vincent, time to go," I ordered him.
I flung his arm over my shoulder and helped him limp to the passenger door. He climbed inside and I jumped in behind him.
"Hold on!" Bram shouted.
The kid slammed on the gas pedal and the car jumped forward. The crowd learned its lesson the first time and parted for the vehicle. Other werewolves, however, leapt onto the hood and top. Their claws scraped against the metal as Bram turned left and right to shake them. The screeching sound echoed in the car, and Vincent and I winced.
"Watch the paint job!" Bram yelled.
The window on Vincent's side was smashed in and a clawed hand swiped at Vincent. He grabbed the arm and pulled. There was a terrible screech and Vincent pulled in the entire arm. The rest of the body fell off the side of the car and was left in our exhaust.
Vincent looked from the severed arm to me. "Did I really just
do that?"
"Yes, but don't keep it as a souvenir! Throw it out!" I snapped.
Vincent tossed the arm out the window. The front windshield was covered by three werewolves. Bram turned on the wipes and swiped their faces. He grabbed something from the front passenger seat and tossed it at me. I caught the items and saw they were my holster and gun.
"You might need this!" Bram shouted.
"Where'd you find them?" I asked him.
"At the police station, now use it or drive!" he snapped.
I pulled the gun from the holster and dropped the leather. A werewolf stuck its face in my window. I greeted it with a face full of silver bullet. The creature screamed and dropped off the car. I leaned forward between the seats and pointed the gun at the three on the hood. The middle one was picked off with a single bullet. His face was burned by the silver and he rolled off the hood with his face a smoking mess. The other two werewolves got the hint and dropped off the car.
The rear windshield shattered and two werewolves climbed into the backseat. Vincent turned around and punched one in the face as he pulled his waist over the broken bits of glass. I heard the crunch of bone as its long snout caved in. The werewolf howled and clutched its face. The second intruder grappled with Vincent.
I aimed my gun at the pair. They flailed about. I couldn't get a clear shot.
"Shoot!" Vincent yelled.
"You're too close!" I argued.
"I trust you, now shoot!"
I fired off a shot. The bullet hit the werewolf in the arm. A wisp of smoke floated from the wound. He shoved Vincent against the door and turned to me. His eyes were narrow and he snarled.
Bram spun the wheel. The broken-faced werewolf slid out of the back of the car and rolled onto the road behind us. Everyone but Bram slammed into the right side of the car. I ended up in the front passenger seat with my legs stuck between the two front seats.
The intruder slammed into Vincent, and the force broke the door jamb. The door swung open and the pair disappeared out the hole.
"Vincent!" I screamed.
"Shut up with the screaming and get him back in here!" Bram ordered me.
I glanced between the wall of the car and the seat in which I lay. Vincent's clawed hand clung to the frame of the door while the other clung to the bottom of the broken window. His legs dragged the ground for a few seconds before he pulled himself partially into the car.