Forging Day (Crucible of Change Book 1) (25 page)

Vivian pointed at me. “Excuse me. This is a closed meeting. I’ll have to ask the two of you to leave.”

“I don’t think so. One, it’s a public park, and two, I want to participate in the watch program. Are you turning down help? Do you speak for the entire community?”

Her eyes burned crimson, but she maintained her polite smile. “All watch members were required to attend training provided by the police department. Unless you can show that you attended the training, you can’t participate.”

Before I could say something unpardonably rude, Sharon spoke up. “I’ll vouch for both of them. You know I’m with the department. I haven’t been assigned a group yet. I can patrol with them and fill them in as we go.”

“Very well,” Vivian gritted out. “Far be it from me to refuse help from the community.”

They had an easel with an overhead map of the park. Four red Xs were numbered and placed on the map. They were all in areas heavy with trees, and all but the first one were fairly close to the main path. They kind of circled counterclockwise around the park. I really didn’t like seeing all of these murders happening so close to home, especially since they seemed to be moving in our direction.

Vivian added a transparent overlay. It showed numbered dashed lines in different colors. She looked at Udell and he handed her a marker. She made some minor adjustments to the patrol zones. “New group, you’re taking over for group six. They asked for a break. You’re here.” She pointed at the zone that included the playground on the west side of the park.

We spent a little time as each group reported in. Udell wrote down all of the notes about suspicious individuals and activities. Before she sent us out to patrol, Vivian reminded us, “You are not vigilantes. Watch. Observe. Remember everything you can. We will report all suspicious activities to our police liaison, Officer Webster.”

Officer Webster raised his hand and waved. “Group one, as always, do not approach the Botanic Garden borders. Assume all birds are dangerous and to be avoided.”

The former group six members came over to us. All three were blue-haired Elves. The tallest one spoke up. “Good luck. I hate that route. It always smells like dirty diapers and peanut butter. Hey guys, LAN party?” They walked off, planning their evening of fun.

“We’re in group one,” said John. “I hate those damn birds. They’re like freaking miniature hand grenades.”

“Yeah. Beep, beep, boom,” Henry added glumly.

“Be careful out there,” I told them. “See you all back at the house.”

Group five was in the adjacent area, in the northwest corner of the park. They showed us the edge of our patrol zone and told us the marker for the south edge of our area. That edge turned out to be just a bit north of the house. At least we’d be close to home when we finished for the night.

Sharon went over what we were supposed to be looking for—blood, unusual damage to anything, obvious drag marks—basically any signs of a struggle. One whistle at the top of the hour meant all was well. Two blasts meant send help. Three blasts meant call 911.

“Anything else?”

“That covers the basics.” There were lights, but she still got out her flashlight.

I said, “Just don’t point that in my direction. I have amazing night vision these days, but not if it’s too bright.”

I about jumped out of my skin when the first series of whistles sounded. “Crap!”

Sharon listened intently. “That was nine. All is well on the patrols.” Finally we heard a tenth whistle. “And there’s Vivian’s group.”

It was full dark now. We were circling back toward the playground area when I heard something off, at the edge of my hearing. “Stop,” I whispered. “Do you guys hear that?”

“Hear what?” Leo whispered back.

“Shhh. Let me listen.” I turned my head toward the sound and focused. Someone was breathing hard and I heard wet, slapping noises. I could just make out muffled moans. “Oh, gross. I think someone is actually having sex at the playground.”

Sharon’s eyes got huge and she took off at a dead run. Leo and I bolted after her.

The first thing I saw was the woman. She was naked, and her wrists were bound to the monkey bars. Her head hung down and her bare feet barely skimmed the ground. Blood ran freely from deep gashes and there was a pool on the ground beneath her. Something large and furry moved out from behind her, leaving no doubt about the sounds I’d heard. Its muzzle was wet with blood and it was unquestionably male. The creature raked his talons across her exposed belly, but she just hung there, barely breathing. He gave her a shove to set her swinging before swaggering toward us.

Leo was already firing as Sharon drew her gun. The wolf man laughed and just kept coming. The bullets passed through him like smoke and pinged off the equipment behind him.

I blew my whistle again and again.
Where was everyone else?

Leo was big, and this creature towered over him. It grabbed the gun from Leo’s hand with a crack of bone. In one powerful move, the wolf man grabbed Leo and threw him across the playground like a giant rag doll.

He grabbed Sharon next, not even bothering to take her gun. I thought he was going to break her neck. Instead he bit deeply into her shoulder and cast her aside.

I turned to run, still whistling, but he caught me before I had cleared three steps. He flipped me onto my back, and a talon opened my shirt from collar to waist, leaving a bloody stripe. He yanked the torn shirt aside, exposing me and leaving bloody claw marks on my breasts. It was two heartbeats before the pain hit. He leaned over me, and I smelled his fetid breath before I felt the touch of his fangs. I screamed, knowing he was going to tear out my throat, but then he jerked back, howling in rage. Smoke came from his muzzle and my little silver anvil glowed bright blue.

“Crom!” I summoned my will and threw fire. The flaming orb hit him hard enough that it knocked him back a few feet, and I smelled burning fur. He roared and kept right on coming. I scuttled backward. He should have caught me, but it felt like he was playing with me, letting me think I might get away. I thought about those bluebirds, and the bloody remains of that boy, a lifetime ago. I cocked back my arm and a small feathered body filled my palm. I threw as hard as I could at my stalker. There was a
Beep. Beep. BOOM!
and suddenly I was airborne.

When I opened my eyes, there were flashing lights everywhere and my ears were ringing. “Leo! Where’s my brother? Sharon?” I tried to get up, but too many arms restrained me. “Leo!” Something burned in my arm, and after that I couldn’t keep my eyes open.

* * * *

Everything was white and the light was blinding when I opened my eyes again. It was definitely a hospital. Everything hurt too much for it to be heaven.

“Leo?” I croaked out. “Where’s Leo?”

“Nurse! She’s awake!” Kat swam into view—two of her and then three. My stomach was doing backflips.

“Gonna be sick.”

She pulled back my hair and held the basin for me. If that wasn’t true love, I don’t know what is.

“Hey,” I whispered, “you came back.”

“Of course I did,” she said, and kissed me on the forehead. “Nothing and no one can keep us apart.”

Leo limped into sight. His hand was in a cast and he was using a cane. “I’m okay, sis. Calm down or they’re going to give you more sleepy juice.”

I fell back onto the bed while Kat wiped my face with a cool cloth. “Oh gods, I hurt. Is Sharon okay? And that girl? Did I get him?”

Kat and Leo looked at each other a long minute. Leo said, “Sharon is okay for now, but he bit her, so there’s been some discussion on whether or not she’s going to turn at the full moon. No one really knows. Supposedly they’re contacting someone at the CDC. Cordie would know that. The girl?” He just shook his head. “She was too hurt by the time we found her.” His face got all tight. “They said she wouldn’t have made it, even if she hadn’t gotten hit by a stray bullet. I hit that bastard center mass. There shouldn’t have been any stray bullets!”

“You didn’t miss, Leo. They went right through him. I saw it. You still haven’t said what happened to the wolf-man.”

“He got away. There was enough blood on the ground that you had to have hurt him, but he ran off before anyone else got there.”

Tears burned their way down my cheeks. That monster was still out there. “All my practice didn’t do shit, did it?”

“Yes it did. You did enough damage to chase him off. You lived to fight another day. That’s something.”

One of the doctors came in, with Cordie right on his heels. “I told you, she didn’t get bitten,” she said. “You are not putting her on a hold-and-observe until after the full moon.”

The doctor glared at her. “She’s not going anywhere until I’m satisfied she wasn’t bitten. That’s the rule. Argue with your boss if you don’t like it.”

He tried to get everyone to leave the room, but I wasn’t having it. “You take my family away,” I hissed, “and I’m going to get medieval on your ass!”

He poked and prodded at me long enough that I pictured him taking a bluebird to the face. “Fine,” he said when he finished. “She wasn’t bitten, but she still has a concussion and she needs stitches. She needs to be admitted for observation.”

“No, I want to go home. No stitches. Kat, we need Berto.”

“He should be here any time now. Let me check the waiting room.” She put my hand in Cordie’s and hustled out of the room.

“You may as well let us treat you,” said the doctor, “because the police aren’t letting you go anywhere until they’ve had a chance to question you, and I’m not clearing you for that until you’re treated. Keep getting in my way and the lot of you can go to the waiting room.”

I saw Berto in the doorway, followed by Kat and a hassled looking nurse. “Family only,” the nurse snapped.

“He’s my cousin, and she’s my wife.”

The nurse threw up her hands. “Fine—but there are still too many bodies in this room. Pick two.”

“We’ll be back in Leo’s room,” said Cordie. “The police want to question him, too. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can go home.”

“Look, doctor, I can’t let you do anything until I’ve had a chance to pray with my cousin. It’s against my religion.”

“You have five minutes.” As he left, I heard, “I do not have time for this shit, and it’s not even the full moon yet.”

“Hey, cousin Berto. We’ve got to stop meeting this way.”

“Olivia, why is it always you? I think you were reborn as a certified trouble magnet.”

He crossed himself and kissed my forehead. As he said a quiet prayer, his hands trailed golden fire, first fixing my head, and then the other punctures and slashes. “There you go, sweet thing. Good as new.”

From the door, I heard, “Oh sweet Jesus!” and saw the nurse crossing herself.

Berto ignored it, but casually suggested, “I think you can take out the IV now. She doesn’t need it.”

“How did you do that?”

“I didn’t. God did. Now can you help with this IV?”

“I’m getting the doctor!” She ran out of the room.

“Berto, thank you, but I think you’d better go before they try to bag and tag you.”

He kissed my check. “Good plan, my lovely. See you at home,” he said, and slipped out of the room.

* * * *

The doctor was demanding to know where my cousin Berto went when Lieutenant Clark arrived. “I’m sorry, doctor, but I don’t have a cousin Berto. I have no idea who you’re talking about. My brother and sister are around here somewhere. Just ask them.”

“Is she cleared or not?” demanded Lieutenant Clark. “I asked the nurse, and all she could do was babble about miracles and Jesus.”

The doctor looked at the large, not very happy, police officer, and probably performed the fastest exam in medical history. “She’s clear. I’ll send the nurse to pull the IV and bring her discharge papers.”

“Is Sharon okay?” I asked, before he could say anything.

“Officer Curtis is injured but is expected to recover.” His face softened a bit. “I know she’s your friend. We’re doing everything we can for her. That’s why we need to know everything you can tell us about the attack.”

I squeezed Kat’s hand for dear life as I walked him back through the evening. I had to repeat the magic parts several times before he was willing to move on.

“How are you so sure?” he asked. “It was full dark and two of the lights were broken out.”

“Since the Change, I see better at night than in broad daylight. I don’t have an explanation for it.”

“I have what I need for now. I’m going to authorize them to release you and your brother, but I’m asking that you remain available and neither of you leaves town.”

“I’m not going anywhere, but Leo is on call. If his commanding officer calls him back, he has to go.”

“Fine. I understand. Here’s my card. Make sure he checks in with me first if that happens.”

“Thanks. Can I see Sharon before we go?”

“Sorry. It’s family only right now. But I promise to tell her you wanted to see her.”

Werewolves Aren’t Sexy

Hospitals never change. It still took forever to get that IV removed and get the paperwork to let me and Leo go home. We both had the dubious pleasure of wearing those disposable hospital scrubs, since they’d confiscated our clothes for evidence.

Cordie drove us home—Leo up front with her, and Kat cuddling in the back with me. The streets were mostly deserted at this predawn hour. Most people were asleep, but not our group. There were a number of lights shining from our house when we got there.

My plan at this point was to just stay up anyway. I didn’t want to close my eyes. I knew that girl would be waiting in my nightmares.

“Have a seat, big bro,” said Berto the second we got inside. “We need to get that cast off and fix your hand.” They’d obviously had time to prepare, because supplies were already laid out on the kitchen table.

Leo gave Berto a long look. “How are you proposing to fix my hand?”

“Through prayer,” said Berto.

“He healed me, Leo—more than once.”

Berto waggled his eyebrows at Leo. “Relax, handsome. I’ll be gentle.”