7 comments/ 6566 views/ 11 favorites Mystic Vice - Hunter's Moon By: MyNaughtyFantasies Mystic Vice – Hunter's Moon It was looking like tonight was going to be the same old routine. Its ten to midnight and my colleagues and I are walking down the overgrown driveway of an old farm house. It was immediately obvious something was up. There's no reason for twenty something cars to be parked at an old, abandoned farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, unless it was something illegal. We can already hear the music blaring from inside, rattling the old timber walls, masking our approach. Colorful flashes of light issued from the windows, giving the old building a psychedelic impression. The only other light was from the moon, the hunter's moon. Many supernatural creatures are in tune with the phases of the moon and whenever there is a full moon, there's a party, much to our dismay. This goes double for when it's the harvest and hunter's moon. The moon is so bright and huge that it makes just about every kind night creature want to come out and paint the town red. This party was really kicking too. We could practically hear the music from the road. This really was a great spot for this kind of out of the way party. I doubt many people even knew this old farm house was out here, so far from the city limits. We would have to add it to our list of special interests. I hugged myself beneath my jacket. It was unusually cold for this time of year, the chill of winter setting in early. We walked quietly down the path, keeping an eye on the house and the surrounding woods. Just because people were having a good time inside, doesn't mean that there wasn't anything dangerous going on. To my left was Marissa, the department's resident brownnose. We didn't get along famously, but she did know her stuff and she never backed from a challenge, so I did like working with her in the field, just not in the office. She was maybe was half a head taller than me and her straight blonde hair was glowing in the moonlight. To my right was Hector, our resident "funny man". He ragged on everyone, but in a good-natured sort of way, I think. He was average height and lean and his red hair formed a slight widow's peak. He looked like he was a cold as I was. Leading the charge was Deacon, our resident action hero. Deacon lived and breathed the job. He was always the first person on the frontlines and the first to back you up when you needed it. He could be a little standoffish, but I always got the impression his heart was in the right place. Of course he was also the reason I was out here, freezing my well proportioned tookus off. Deacon received a tip earlier this evening after a bust. The perp squealed after he was caught selling Morpheus Strips and told him about this party. The standard operation for a bust of this scale requires the entire squad to be present. We bust in the place, make a bunch of noise and let the party goers scurry out while we arrest the dealers and big time users. You can always spot them, everyone else is running and they're the ones scooping everything into bags. Pretty standard. There is always risk involved with these sorts of things, but we enchanted up before we even started down the path. Like I said, routine. We didn't even get a chance to stop for coffee. We knew the tip was legit once we saw that the party had some muscle, one ogre and a barely competent warlock watching the road. That may have caused some trouble for the regular authorities, but not the Benandantis. One quick enchantment left them asleep and tied up at the entrance to the access roads. We reached the property and each of us stealthily moved into our standard positions, at least one agent per entrance. Deacon stayed put at the front door, and the rest of us disappeared into the gloom, turning our radios on. "Agent two, are you in position?" called Deacon, his voice scratchy. "Agent two, backdoor," answered Marissa. "Agent three, are you in position?" asked Deacon. "Agent three, here at the side door," answered a bored man's voice. Hector. "Agent four, are you in position?" "Agent four, basement door," I answered, standing fifteen feet away from a set of old, slanted basement doors, in the houses overgrown backyard. The party was raging inside, completely ignorant of our presence. Deacon called over the radio again. "On my mark-" Two shots rang out, sharp and clear over the dance music. "What was-?!" BOOM! An explosion rocked the building, knocking me flat on my ass. Chunks of wood and glass flew over my head. Dust and smoke filled the yard, obscuring the house. It got in my mouth and nose, making me hack and cough. I blew some of it away with a quick spell, while trying to call the other Benandantis, but I couldn't get through. Everyone was trying to use it at once, turning everything into a jumbled mess. I didn't see Marissa. What just happened?! A wave of blind and disorientated partygoers came pouring out of the house, coughing and screaming. I couldn't even tell if they were human or not for all the dust. There was no point to chasing them down. I just hoped none of them were hurt. I rushed over to where Marissa was stationed, slashing my wand through the air, trying to clear a path through the dense cloud. She wasn't anywhere to be found. I could hear her voice in random burst over the radio. She must be inside. I rushed in. Inside the house is chaos. My feet crunched on the glass and who knows what else. I could barely see anything. The party lights flashed wildly through the smoke, disorienting me more than helping. Everything is a mess. Comatose partygoers are lying all over the place amidst all of the broken furniture and other debris. Potion bottles have spilled and mixed, creating random effects along the way. The place reeked of spilled alcohol and mustiness. The heavy beat of the music is still coming from random spots. People are crying for help and rushing for the doors, grabbing their friends and belongings. I just want to find my squad mates. I want them to be ok. "Ballando Vento!" cried Hector. The dust blew away in the kitchen, making it a little easier to make my way around. "You see anything Fitzgerald?" asked Hector, twisting in circles, scanning the room. "Just a load of dazed people and a lot of property damage. It looks like most of them will be alright..." I answered, walking over to Hector, wand at the ready. "You find the shooter?" called Marissa, carefully stepping over a minefield of spilled alcohol and broken bottles. Oh thank the Goddess. "Not yet," I answered. "I think I found the victim," said Hector. Hector was standing in a small hallway, off to the side of the kitchen. On the floor was a woman, about mid-twenties, laying face down on the ground, head cocked to the side. She had dyed red hair and was wearing a matching red top and miniskirt. She wasn't wearing any underwear. Blood was pooling beneath her, staining the musty carpet. There were two bullet holes right through the center of her chest. There was no saving her now, she was dead as soon as the first shot hit. She was also a werewolf. A thin layer of fur covered her from head to toe and her nails and teeth were long and sharp, strong enough to tear through a wooden door if she wanted. Along with all that she had the build of an Olympic athlete. She must have undergone the change pretty quickly; the muscle had stretched and torn her clothes. This must not of been her first change. Some of the lore about werewolves is true, but there are a few things that most people don't know about them. One is that they can change anytime, but it's hard to suppress it during the full moon if they don't want or need to transform. The other is that after their first change, when they change they become stronger and more bestial, but they don't transform into wolves or half wolf creatures. Their first transformation though, that's the scary one. That's the one all of the legends are written about. The first time a werewolf changes, they turn into a half human, half wolf creature. They become a wild animal, their instincts screaming at them to satisfy all of their base desires with the strength of half a dozen men to help. A werewolf undergoing their first transformation is a terrifying thing that only a few have witnessed and lived to tell the story. Some small part of me has always wanted to see the change, but I count myself lucky that I haven't. "Who is she?" asked Marissa, more to herself than the group. "Gloria Stern," answered Deacon, walking up to us. He was carrying his gnomish pistol instead of his wand. "She's not from around here. She was originally in a pack registered in Wilmington Delaware, but was thrown out six months ago. She had a nasty habit of converting people without the pack's, or our, authorization. After the second one, she was officially denounced. Our chapter started keeping a close eye on her as soon as she came across the state line." I walked past her and began inspecting the other rooms, wand at the ready, looking for any victims or the shooter. "Like we don't have enough to take care of. Its going to be a nightmare to try and collect any usable evidence in all of this chaos," complained Marissa, looking over her shoulder. "We have bigger problems than that," I said. The rest of my squad mates traipsed down the hall towards me and I pointed into one of the bedrooms. Lying on the bed was a young man, Asian, wearing a half-torn button down shirt and pair of black slacks and boxer briefs pulled down around his ankles. He was hugging his torso and groaning in pain, oblivious to our arrival. On his collar bone were four fresh puncture marks, slowly leaking blood. We were all thinking the same thing, that Gloria Stern's fangs would fit those punctures perfectly. "Do you think he was the one who shot her?" I asked, trying to spot the weapon. "Maybe," answered Marissa. "But unless those bullets were silver, she shouldn't be dead." "Right..." I muttered absently. "I'm going to give him a hand. Watch my back." I tucked my wand away and stepped into the room. "Sir, look at me," I said to him, putting a hand on his good shoulder. He didn't respond. His eyes were half rolled up, pain lines etched on his face. "He's not doing so hot," I said, not taking my eyes off of him. You just never know with these supernatural cases. "We need to get him out of here. Someone give me a hand." Hector walked over and gently lifted him up and I pulled his pants back up and closed his shirt. At least the guy could preserve his dignity. "You know this guy Deacon?" asked Hector, laying the victim back down on the bed. Deacon didn't answer. He was lost in thought, staring at the middle space while massaging his chin. "Deacon?" said Marissa. "Hmm? Oh sorry. No, I don't know him," he finally answered. "There's something weird about all of this." "What do you mean?" I asked. "This whole set up. The party, the explosion, the dead werewolf. This seems... planned," he mused. "This was a setup." "Do you really think so?" I asked. "Think about it Victoria," he said, turning to face the bulk of the disaster. "A party this size, right on the Hunter's moon and none of the big players in town here, not even the faeries." I got up and looked out the door at the main part of the house. He was right. None of the regular dealers and pushers seemed to be here. All of the illegal goods I could see were pretty pedestrian, mostly weed and alcohol. In our line of business, you tend to see the same groups and faces at events like these. Opportunists love events parties like this. Their noticeable enough to draw in a crowd of people looking for a "good time", but quiet enough to escape the notice of the authorities. Unless someone squeals that is. This was a big party. Someone on our list should have been here, or at least their product. They weren't. "Someone wanted to make sure Gloria Stern was going to be here." "Who do you think it was?" asked Marissa, taking notes. "Ex-pack mate, someone she owed money to," he shrugged. "We're just going to have to do some digging." "We should get a move on then. The sooner we finish up here, the sooner we can get moving. This guy needs help," stated Marissa, indicating the man on the bed. An hour later we had the remainder of the partygoers in custody and along with whatever evidence we could peel off the floor. The clock was ticking on our bite victim and we got him out to Hector's car as quickly as we could. Luckily he was still unconscious. "Victoria, go with Hector," said Marissa. "He's going to need all the help he can get if that guy starts to change." "No problem. Call us the second you have anything," I said climbing into the front seat. Hector and I watched Deacon and Marissa step into his car and than drive off before we left. Without all of the hustle and bustle, it was suddenly very lonely here. It was at least an hour's drive back to the chapter house, even at this hour. Hector and I piled into his car and quietly discussed the case. It wasn't long before our passenger began to rouse. "What's going on? Where am I?" asked the young man, still coming out of it. "Shh, shh. Stay calm. We found you hurt at the party. We're taking you somewhere to get checked out," I said, turning back to face him. "Who are you?" he asked. "We're with the authorities. What's your name?" asked Hector. "Oh, uh, Jin. Jin Ookami," he answered, rubbing his shoulder. "Ok Jin, can you tell us what happened? Anything you can remember," I inquired. "I was at the party, just hanging out and drinking, when this woman comes over and starts chatting me up. She smelled really good, like she had on expensive perfume. We flirted for a while and had some drinks. She was flirting with me a lot actually. I think she was already drunk when she came up to me. We went into the back, into one of the bedrooms and... uhhh..." he stopped, looking embarrassed. "It's ok Jin. We've heard it all before," I said, trying to be consoling. "We started to fool around. She got on top of me and was really aggressive, like really rough. I don't really remember anything else, it's still kinda hazy. Something happened to her... It was like she started to get bigger and-and like bulkier. She kept making all these crazy noises. I was half worried someone was going to come in. I couldn't see her too well in the dark but she looked a little different too. I think she must have been on something. I, uh, I wasn't doing anything but drinking by the way." "You're not under arrest Jin, we just need your statement," said Hector, catching his eye in the rear-view mirror. "Like the lady said, we're going to get you some help." "Tell us the rest of what happened," I said. He took a moment to collect his thoughts and than plunged ahead. "I can't really remember all that well, sorry. She was on top of me and kept kissing me and licking my neck, and I mean licking it a lot. Then pain," he winced, rubbing his collarbone. "I think she bit me or scratched me or something. After that, I can't really remember. I think I was passing out. The last thing I remember was a loud sound, like a whump, and then I was here in the car." His story made sense. When werewolves are in heat, they release a fair amount of pheromones. I'm willing to bet there was more than a few pairs of eyes latched on to Gloria at that party. And if what Jin was saying was true, the ex-pack mate theory held up. She had illegally initiated someone, and someone did something about it. Of course, I didn't believe his whole story. Once Marybeth had a chance to check him out, we'll be able to find out if he was up to anything else besides sloppy make outs and drinking. "How are you feeling now?" Asked Hector, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. "My shoulder hurts like hell and I'm pretty hungry," answered Jin, grimacing. "This may sound strange, but bear with us," I said. "How does everything smell right now?" Jin scrunched up his face in confusion, but once I gave him a serious look, he closed his eyes and took two quick sniffs. "The car smells normal I guess, like it's broken in, but cleaned recently. There's some kind of fast food bag in the front seat. I can smell the grease from the burger patty and the ketchup and mustard. You use anti-dandruff shampoo and Irish Spring soap and the lady uses some kind of fruity stuff on her hair and body wash. I can smell anti-freeze somewhere and something kind of sharp and acrid with it." "I keep the anti-freeze and road flares in the trunk," commented Hector, flashing me a knowing look. He pressed further down on the accelerator. "How-how could I have known all of that?" asked Jin more to himself. He absently rubbed his bite mark. "The woman you were with tonight, Gloria Stern, we believe she had something and may have passed it on to you," I explained calmly. Jin's eyes widened. "I'm sick?!" he blurted out, beginning to fret. "Oh God, I caught something from that stupid party! I knew I shouldn't have gone..." "Hey hey," I said gently. "You don't have to worry Jin. It isn't fatal and you should be perfectly fine. Like I said, we're going to get you some help." I took his hand and he held onto it like he was going to get torn away any second. His skin was burning hot. It was important that we try and keep him calm right now. The more agitated he became, the quicker the change would come. We needed to get back to the chapter house as quickly as possible. "Who are you people anyway?" he asked. "I could tell you that," said Hector, doing his best Tom Cruise impression. "But than I would have to-" His phone started ringing. He quickly pulled it out and answered it, back to business. "Hector here. Whoa, whoa Deacon calm down. I can barely understan-... what? Who's hurt? Marissa?!... What do you mean "he's after yo-"?!" The car started shuddering and jerked violently to the left. My head was smacked against the passenger side window with a meaty "thwack". Lights exploded in my eyes. Something slammed into the back of my seat. Hector was trying to keep the car under control. He was yelling. The tires screeched. The car smashed into something. When did I start screaming? It took me a moment to come to my senses. The car had stopped. The only light was from one head light and the street lights running into the distance. Yelling came from the cell phone on the floor. What happened? What was going on? Breathe Victoria, breathe. My head was throbbing and my vision was a bit blurry. Hector was next to me, groaning. He didn't look that bad considering. I looked in the back seat. Jin was half on the floor half on the seat, but he didn't look any worse for wear. Someone was yelling something. It was Hector. We needed to get out of the "...car! Come on, lets move!" he yelled. That snapped me back to reality. I pushed open the door to the car and scrambled out. The car had slammed into a metal pole. The front end was a mess. I scurried around to the other side of the car to help Hector with Jin. "Keep low," hissed Hector, scanning the road. I took a quick look around. There wasn't anything on this road except trees and closed up shops. We were barely within the city limits. When I looked back at the car, I saw what happened. The right side of the front of the car had slammed into a poll, shattering the headlight and who knows what else. This was no accident. The left front tire was in tatters, shredded from a blowout. There was no way that could of happened from the crash. Someone, or something, had blown the tire out. "We need to get out of here," I whispered, helping Hector slide Jin out of the car. Jin's breath was coming out in sharp bursts and I wasn't sure if it was from the crash, or the change coming. I didn't like either choice. Mystic Vice - Hunter's Moon Something appeared in the road. It was standing near streetlight, watching us intently, less than a hundred yards away. My heart froze when I saw it and a flutter of fear ran up my spine. It was the size and shape of a lean dog, but that's where the comparisons ended. Its body looked like it was made from solid shadow, with two pale and bright grey orbs for eyes. All I could see, was the front half of its body. Its back half was under the direct light, making it completely invisible. I could just barely make it out. "Shadow hound," I whispered. "What?!" blurted Hector, following my gaze. "Oh shit..." The shadow hound took off in a flash, running straight for us, wailing a creepy parody of a canine's howl. Hector and I flashed each other a quick look, then looked down at Jin. He was looking pale. "Jin, how are you feeling?" I asked insistently. "So... hungry," he moaned, grabbing his stomach. "Good enough. C'mon, we need to make a break for it," "Wha...?" "Now!" I said, getting underneath him and holding him up by his shoulder. Hector mirrored me. Jin whipped his head around in the direction of the howl. "Fuochi D'artificio!" cried Hector, pointing his wand into the road. A bright commit of energy flew from the tip and slammed into the ground, not far from the shadow hound. There was a colorful explosion that lit up the night in a kaleidoscope of sound and color. More comets flew from the wand, each explosion sent a shower of sparks into the air and I could feel the deep "whumps" of each one as Jin and I trotted through the empty streets, trying to find somewhere to hide. I looked over my shoulder. The shadow hound was barely visible amongst all of the chaos, looking disoriented and confused. The spell had done the trick. It couldn't find us in the cacophony of light and sound that was coming from Hector's fireworks spell. Best part of it was, if people didn't take notice of the crash, they definitely would with the fireworks. It bought us some time. Hector caught up with us a moment later, just as I found exactly what we needed. On the corner of the next street was a twenty-four hour greasy spoon. I nodded my head towards it and the three of us made our way over to it as quickly as we could. A bout a thousand years later we made it to the front door of Duke's Pitstop. Once inside, we all breathed a sigh of relief. I hadn't realized just how tense I really was until we made it to safety. It felt like a vice grip was finally letting go of my heart. Hector gave Jin his jacket. It covered up the torn shirt and dried blood, making sure we didn't have to deal with any awkward questions. He was still looking pretty worse for wear. We needed to get him some food. The place had a small crowd of truckers and travelers tiredly sipping coffee and eating gravy soaked diner food. No one paid us any real attention after we walked in. We quickly went over to one of the booths in the back, one that gave us a pretty good view of the surrounding area. I cast one final look outside before sitting down. There was a man out there, watching us, just outside the light coming from the diner. I couldn't make out what he looked like, but his body language screamed danger and patience to me. The shadow hound padded up to him and the two of them melted away into the night. A chill ran down my spine. I didn't like this. "What'll it be?" asked the waiter, an exhausted looking kid in his early twenties. "Three cups of coffee and three burgers," I ordered, not even bothering to look at the menu. He jotted it down and walked away. "... Yeah, right off highway six. Duke's, back booth. See you in ten," said Hector, hanging up. "Deacon?" I asked. Hector nodded. "He'll be here soon." "Thank the goddess." The food came and Hector and I pushed our plates over to Jin. As soon as the plates hit the tabletop, he dug straight into it, "wolfing" it all down. Heh. The next ten minutes passed like ten years, but finally Deacon arrived. He looked cold and tense, checking every window as he walked through the greasy spoon. Typically he was a rock and not like this. That didn't bode well. He slid into the booth next to Hector, still watching the outside. "Deacon, what happened?" whispered Hector. "Where's Marissa?" "With Dr. Fairweather," he explained, finally turning towards them. "What happened man?" asked Hector, trying to keep his voice down. "It was a trap," explained Deacon. "We followed the trail through the woods and it lead us to a small clearing. Before we realized what was going on, there was another explosion. I got lucky, Marissa didn't." "Is she alright?" I asked. There was a lump in my throat when I said it. "Sprained wrist and some cuts and bruises. She'll be alright, but she's out of commission for tonight," he finished, looking upset. I knew Deacon pretty well. He was worried about our colleague and he was beating himself up pretty bad about her getting hurt on his watch. "We've got to call in the other Benandantis then," I whispered. "Can't. They're busy mopping up all the partygoers. Apparently the ones that got away have been causing a fair amount of chaos. Fires, violence, you name it. This whole thing stinks," snarled Deacon. "This sounds..." began Hector. "... planned. This whole thing is one big operation," I finished, thinking to myself. The pieces all fit. The party, the explosions, the traps. Everything. "Who do you think is behind it?" asked Hector. "I know exactly who's behind it," declared Deacon. "Edgar Blackwell." Hector let out a long whistle and leaned back against the booth, looking more worried. I was confused. "Who is this guy?" I asked. "Edgar Blackwell is a supernatural big game and bounty hunter. He's a vanilla human; no supernatural abilities or magic. He does seem to possess an extensive knowledge of all things that go bump in the night and uses all sorts of pacts, talismans and magical gadgets to score his targets. Once he gets fixated on something, he doesn't let up. Real nasty piece of work. Deacon's thrown down with him a few times," explained Hector, pointing his chin at Deacon. Deacon's only response was an annoyed snort. "Was he after girl then and just wanted us out of the way?" asked Hector more to himself. "Maybe, but he had the chance to take Marissa and I out permanently if he wanted to do that," stated Deacon, rubbing his chin. "Big game..." I said, thinking. "How big are we talking?" "Vampire elders, shapeshifters, think he bagged a lamia once. Anything really dangerous," muttered Deacon, sipping Jin's coffee. I pondered what he said and looked over at Jin. A horrible realization came to me and my heart started pounding. "He wasn't after Gloria, she was just a tool," I whispered. We all looked at Jin. He was watching the three of us with a haunted look in his eyes. "He's hunting me," he said, going pale. "He wants to kill me." I put my hand on Jin's and he squeezed my fingers gently. He was scared. We all were. "What was your name again?" asked Deacon. "Jin. Jin Ookami." "Jin, I need you to be completely honest with us. Did you have any contact from Blackwell before tonight? Talk to him? See him following you around?" asked Deacon. "No!" answered Jin, shaking his head. "I've never even heard of him." "Have you noticed anything strange going on?" "Not really." "Ok, this is very important that you answer us honestly. What were you doing at that party?" "Umm... well," Jin mumbled before trailing off. "It's alright Jin, we're here to help. We'll be lenient if you tell us anything illegal," I explained. "Promise?" he asked, looking sheepish. I nodded. "I was there to pick up some Morpheus strips. My sister is a practitioner and she gave me some a few weeks ago. I asked around and someone told me I could get some at the party. As soon as I showed up, that Gloria woman started flirting with me and one thing lead to another..." "Ok," said Deacon. "He must be after you because of the bite then," said Deacon thoughtfully. "She was a werewolf, wasn't she?" asked Jin. His hands were shaking. "Yes, Gloria Stern was a werewolf," I answered. "She passed that onto you now, and we're going to take you somewhere to get some help." "Exactly. We need to get out of here," said Hector, scanning the windows. "Can't go to the chapter house," said Deacon. "Why not?" I asked, turning towards him. "Too far away. Blackwell will be all over us by then. We've already spent too much time in here as it is. We'll have to go to the safe house on Rose Ave. That's about twenty minutes away," he explained. The Benandantis have a number of safe houses in the city for just such an emergency. They're stocked with food, supplies both magical and mundane and are covered with enchantments. From the outside, it seems to all but the most powerful practitioners and mythological creatures like a normal house. On the inside though, it can keep a team of Benandantis in fighting shape for a week before needing to restock. "We've got to make a break for your car then," stated Hector, leaving a handful of bills on the table. "He has probably already set a trap," said Deacon, getting anxious. I looked around the room, trying to figure out someway of getting us out of here safely. My eyes finally settled on a small red box attached to the wall. Perfect. "Do any of you have a disguise potion?" I asked. My colleagues just shook their heads. "My potion bag was in my car," said Hector with a wry grin. "Fresh out of everything. Used the last of my stash dealing with a couple of gargoyles yesterday," explained Deacon. I stuck my hand into my Bag of Tricks and pulled out a disguise potion. With four people using the bottle, there would only be enough to make a minor change in each of us. It would have to do. "Here, everyone take a sip," I whispered, taking a sip and handing the bottle to Jin. In the corner of my eye, I could see my black hair changing to red. "I'm going to pull the fire alarm and we'll rush out with everyone else." Everyone did as they were told. With my heart pounding already, I stood up and padded over to the fire alarm trying my hardest to look nonchalant. I grabbed the lever and pulled down swiftly. The alarm blared throughout the diner, making the other patrons look up in confusion. Some of them made a mad dash for the door and we followed suit. It was eerily still when we got outside. The other people jogged off to their vehicles, grumbling, and we slowly made our way over to Deacon's sedan, trying to look inconspicuous. I tried to keep my eyes everywhere; watching every shadow, checking every corner. This place was primarily a truck stop and there were a lot of semis parked here over night. There were a hundred places Blackwell could be hiding. It was then that I noticed the camera. There was a security camera mounted to the wall of the diner. Well, I say mounted, but currently it was dangling off the side of the building, holding on by a single wire. I turned and looked around again. There was another one mounted not too far away, also smashed. If they were fine, both would have been pointing in the direction of Deacon's car. Oh no. "Guys-" Something lunged out of the light and sank its fangs into Deacon's shoulder. He screamed in pain and tried to pull the creature off himself, but his hands just pressed into it like it was made of sand. Deacon fell hard onto the concrete and the shadow hound rode the fall down with him, fangs locked on his shoulder. Nearby patrons screamed and dashed for their cars, fearing an attack. "NO!" cried Hector, whipping out his wand. "Anima Stiletto!" A thin blade of ivory light sprang from Hector's wand and imbedded itself into the creature's side. It howled in pain, a strange, undulating sound, then tore the blade out with its teeth. Hector whipped his wand up, raising the dagger from the ground and the shadow hound quickly retreated into the light. I pulled out my wand, waiting for it to make its move again. "Deacon," I quietly called out. "Are you al-" Out of the corner of my eye I saw something the size of a soda can sail through the air. "Ballando Vento!" I cried, whipping my wand around. The gust of wind sent the object back behind a Semi. There was a loud bang and a flash of light and a moment later I heard a man cursing. It had to be Blackwell. I ran up to a semi close by, waiting to make my move. Hector joined me a second later. "Deacon alright?" I whispered, not looking at him. "Yeah. He's got that massive gun of his out. If that thing show's up again, it'll regret it." "That's a relief," I said, letting my breath out slowly. My hands were shaking. "How do you-" "Ah! Hsssss!" The two of us whipped our heads around. Jin was sitting against Deacon's car, holding his chest. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. "You take him, I'll see if I can get Blackwell," offered Hector. I nodded my head and dashed across the parking lot to Jin's side. "What's wrong?" I asked quickly, once I had gotten behind cover. "Urrggghh! It hurts! It hurts!" he winced. I pulled out his collar and took a look. Veins were bulging out all around the bite. As I watched, his muscles swelled tightly against his skin. Hair was blossoming out slowly across his chest. I swallowed loudly, the change was starting. "Here," I said, grabbing a potion out of my bag of tricks. "Drink this. It'll slow down the change down and ease the pain a bit." Jin snatched the thumb-sized bottle out of my hand and downed it in one gulp. The swelling slowed and his breathing evened out. I wasn't going to kid myself though, this was a temporary fix. We needed to end this quick. Hector disappeared behind a row of semis just as I heard the faint sounds of sirens in the distance. Keeping an eye on the lights, I crab walked over to Deacon. "Let me see it," I said. "Don't worry about me," wheezed Deacon. He had his hand over a blood stain on his chest. "Give me the keys to your car. I need to get you and Jin in there now," I said, frantically digging through his pockets. "Leave me here. The fire department will be here any minute. They know me at this point," he chuckled. It sounded pained. "I've got to get everyone out of here," I declared, pulling the keys out of his coat pocket. "Leave me and get the kid to safety," said Deacon, his voice deathly serious. He fixed me with a hard look. "If he changes now, who knows how many people will get hurt. Get him to the safe house Fitzgerald," he ordered, reloading his revolver. I gave his good shoulder a tight squeeze and then hurried back to Jin. I heard three loud whumps and Hector came dashing around the side of one of the semis with the shadow hound half a step behind him. "C'mon, c'mon!" I called out to him, helping Jin get into the back seat. I jumped into the front seat and threw open the passenger side door. Hector jumped in, and quickly closed the door. The shadow hound slammed into the glass, thrashing at the window and snarling at us. Its pale moon-like eyes were wild and furious. I got the car moving and quickly peeled out of the parking lot, tires screeching on the pavement. I looked in the mirror and watched as the fire department pulled in. A figure stepped out from behind the row of semis. A second later the glass of the driver side mirror exploded apart and there was a jagged hole in the plastic. "He won't be able to do any real damage with a pistol at this range," said Hector, panting heavily. He had his head turned back, watching the scene. "Too far now. We're in the clear." "Not yet," I said and Hector knew exactly what I was talking about. In the back, Jin was lying across the seats, rolling back and forth in pain. I could see beads of sweat run down his forehead and his muscles beginning to become more defined. The two of us drove in silence, the only noise in the car was the occasional groans from Jin and the sound of the tires on the road. My mind was racing with second guesses and possibilities. Did we do everything right? Was Deacon ok? Was Marissa? Were we going to make it? Can we stop this monster in time? We drove past an industrial park into a small residential area. I was about to turn onto rose street when Hector stopped me. "Don't make the turn. Pull over here," said Hector, breaking the silence. "Why?" I asked, slowing the car. "Blackwell is probably following us, fucking somehow. I don't want him to know where the safe house is. Pull over here," he said, pointing. I pulled the car over and kept it running. "What do you think we should do? I don't want to sit here for too long," I explained. "Here's what we'll do," he said looking tense. "You're going to grab Jin and make a break for the safe house. I'm going to create a distraction and make sure you guys get there safely." "What?! Hector, are you nuts?! You could be killed!" I yelled. I was white knuckled from gripping the steering wheel so hard. "Look, if Blackwell finds out where the safe house is, he'll do everything he can to destroy it. It can handle some punishment, but not from a lot of mundane things. He sees us heading in there, its game over. Plus we need to get Jin in there and in restraints as soon as possible or a lot of people are going to get hurt. I'll get his attention and then circle back to the house when I can." "Hector, don't try to be some idiot hero," I pleaded. Hector opened the door and sprinted out of the car. "Hector!" I yelled. "Asshole! Jin! Get up, we need to make a run for it right now!" "Ugh!" he groaned sitting up. I hopped out of the car and helped him get out before we took off through the backyards of the sleeping neighborhood. Behind me, I could see a big red circle of magical energy glowed to life and various creatures began appearing inside of it. I knew they were an illusion from the start. Hector's good, but not that good. It might just work on Blackwell though. Hopefully. We snuck through the yards as quietly as we could, keeping a look out for anything strange. My heart was thundering in my ears. I felt so exposed out in the open like this, especially with my colleagues gone. Jin had no problem keeping up with me, but he was still panting hard. His eyes had a strange light to them, like a part of him was enjoying the chase. His wolf instincts were starting to show. I was running out of time. Finally we made it to the safe house. It was a modest two story home and on the outside it looked like nothing special. We hurried up to the back door and I waved my wand in front of the door knob and said the password: "Walpurgisnacht." The door unlocked with a soft click and once we were inside, I slammed the door. Locking it was the besting feeling I had all night. I pressed my head against the door, taking a moment to get control over myself. Some of the tension eased out of me, but I knew this wasn't over. I tried to tell myself that Hector would be fine, but I just couldn't believe it, not with the night we've been having. I turned to face my next problem. "C'mon Jin, we need to get you secured," I said, hurrying him along. I walked him to the backroom where we kept the occasional prisoner. Benandantis don't often keep prisoners, typically we transfer them over to the Majin, but once in a while someone or something comes into our custody that needs to be restrained or kept prisoner for a while, so we have places like this. The room was painted a rich scarlet and there were silver magic circles inlayed into every surface including the floor and ceiling. A series of chains ending with shackles hung down from the walls. I had never had to use them before. I knew they were strong enough to hold a regular werewolf, but I didn't know if it could hold one going through their first change. I sincerely hoped it did. Mystic Vice - Hunter's Moon "Jin, I'm going to have to restrain you now," I said to him, trying to be gentle and firm. He didn't respond, he just kept staring into the middle space. "Jin, I need to restrain you now," I said more firmly, putting my hand on his arm. He grabbed my wrist and my breath caught in my throat. He squeezed, but not hard enough to hurt me. "Jin?" I tried, hoping I wasn't too late. "Sorry," he said, his voice hoarse. "We need to do this quick. I want to get out of here really bad." He walked over to the one of the chains and clasped the shackle around his wrist. I walked over and did the next shackle, locking him in. I let out a slow breath and backed away. He gave me a grateful smile and I watched as the brown in his eyes shifted to gold. I left the room and locked the door behind me. Please Goddess, let those chains hold. I pulled out my out my cell phone and called the chapter house. "Townsend Beach chapter house," came a man's voice. "Bill? Its Victoria," I said quickly. Bill was the processor at night. "Victoria? Where are you?" he asked quickly. "I'm in the safe house. The bite victim has been secured," I answered. "Fan-fucking-tastic!" he cheered. "Have you heard from Hector?" I asked, fear twisting my stomach into knots. "He just called us a few minutes ago. He's holed up in someone's basement right now. He's hurt but he should be alright," he explained, trying to not sound so tense. "Good, good," I added absently. "When can I expect reinforcements?" "Sorry Victoria, not any time soon. It's just you in the safe house right now." "What?! Why?!" This wasn't good. "All the other agents are currently dealing with all the escaped people from that party you broke up. They started going crazy about an hour ago and it's been chaos across the city. All other agents are trying to put out the fires," he said. Probably literally in some cases. "Oh Goddess... what are my orders then?" I asked, knowing what he was going to say. "The Chapter Master wants you to stay put until morning. We should be able to get someone over there in the next few hours, some time after dawn." It felt like my stomach dropped out. Dawn. That was still a few hours away. Blackwell was still out there, somewhere, hunting us down and I was stuck, caged up with one of the supernatural world's most notorious monsters. It took me a long moment to answer him. "Under... Understood. I'll call you back if anything changes," I said. "Good luck Victoria," said Bill. "Thanks," I said and then hung up. Hours. It would hours before anyone arrived. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a pear out of the refrigerator. I tore into it while pacing through the house, checking all the safety precautions. I knew ahead of time they were in perfect working order, but I needed to do something. Just sitting here would have driven me insane. It took me all of fifteen minutes to check everything in the house, look out every window twice and consider how screwed I was forty seven times. I didn't see anything suspicious, except for a teenager trying to sneak back in, no doubt after a night of partying. Oh how I wish to have such a simple problem like that right now. I would have trade places with him in a second. "Victoria?" Jin called from the backroom. His voice sounded rough but still human. I took a deep, centering breath, and went to the backroom. Jin was on his knees, hanging limply from the chains. His head was hung low. "Are you alright?" I asked, opening the door all the way. Jin looked up at me. He was sweating and he had a groggy look on his face. "Water," he groaned absently. "Water." I left, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and returned. Tentatively kneeling in front of him, I undid the cap and put the bottle to his lips. Jin drank greedily, like he was dying of thirst. He moaned lasciviously as he swallowed each mouthful. There was a sensual edge to it that wouldn't have escaped anyone's notice. I grabbed a cloth out of a set of drawers and dabbed at his forehead, wiping the excess sweat off his forehead. His skin was hot to the touch, he must have been burning up. Jin watched me with a hungry look in his eyes. I couldn't read his intent and it made my pulse flutter. When a person is going through the change, their animalistic instincts take over. They crave everything a wolf does, food, water, the hunt. And sex. With the way Jin was watching me, I couldn't tell if he was sizing me up as prey or as a potential mate. It was an intense look, one that bored straight into me. I've seen men leer and gawk at me before and there was always an element of base desire in it, like some part of them was losing control of their composure. It made them seem lecherous and skeevy. The way Jin was looking at me wasn't like that, not like that at all. His entire focus was on me and nothing else. It was clear he wanted me in the most carnal way, a dangerous and primal way, and it both frightened and excited me. He held my gaze like I was in a trance as I wiped away the remaining sweat from his cheeks, working my way down the slope of his neck. I could feel myself getting turned on. My pulse was racing and I was scared out of my wits and even though it was crazy, I wanted a good banging more than anything else. The tension had been mounting for hours now and I wasn't going to get a break for a long time. The stress and fear were twisting me in knots. I needed some kind of release. I needed it ba- Jin was kissing my wrist slowly, running his tongue over the sensitive skin. My breath caught in my throat but I didn't pull away. He never broke his gaze as he tenderly sampled the taste of my skin. I swallowed hard. It felt good. It felt really good. I worried my lower lip, fretting. This was stupid, I shouldn't be doing this. Jin could change any minute and Blackwell was still at large and I'm scared out of my mind and I want this guy's cock so bad I could scream! Ugh! What am I doing?! I should get out of here right now. Just get up and walk it off, or meditate or touch myself or something. Just not stay here. Jin kissed my palm and I dropped the cloth. He slowly dipped my index finger into his mouth and sucked on it. A feeling of warmth filled me. He definitely knew how to use his tongue. I looked away, trying to clear my thoughts. I caught a glance of his bulge. It was pressing hard against the front of his pants. Don't do this Victoria. It's too dangerous. Don't do this. Don't. "Don't tell anyone," I whispered. Jin lunged forward, mashing his lips against mine. His kiss was hungry, demanding and filled with passion. I wrapped my arms around his head and returned the kiss in earnest. All of the fear and tension flowed away, rapidly being replaced with carnal need; the need to be touched, the need to scream, the need to fuck. I grabbed his hair and forced his head into my cleavage, moaning gratefully as he gave my chest a luxuriant tongue bath. I worked a hand between us and massaged his rigid cock through the fabric of his pants. He started panting as I toyed with him slowly, drawing it out. It was probably a bad idea to tease a werewolf, but in for a penny and all that. I pulled down the front of my dress and bra, exposing my breasts in all their glory. Jin greedily began suckling on my nipples, running his tongue across them and gently gnawing on my sensitive buds. I was playing a dangerous game, but the danger only heightened the enjoyment. I pressed his head against my breast, never wanting to let go. "I want you. Now," growled Jin and I was ready to oblige. I quickly undid his belt and pants, tugging them down. His cock sprang up and I ran my fingers delicately over the skin. Jin lolled his head back and growled sensually. It spurred me on. I stood up, turning my back to him, and slowly bent over, sliding my panties down. I heard the chains creak forward and Jin's tongue slowly ran up the length of my cooch. It sent a delicious shiver up my spine. Oh, bad dog. I flashed him a wicked smile and got on all fours, backing up against him. Jin's chest was heaving and his arms were straining against the chains. Goddess I love watching a man struggle. They do it so well. "I'm all yours," I cooed, guiding him to my pussy. Jin pushed into me, burying his full length inside me in one long, drawn out shove. I let out a blissful squeal and laid my head down against the floor, soaking up the pleasure. Jin pumped in and out of me with primal urgency, panting away. I rocked my hips, meeting each of his thrusts with one of my own. The room was filled with a sounds of our cries and flesh impacting flesh. He fucked me hard and wild and I was grateful for every second of it. A hot ball of pressure was building up inside me, signaling me that I was going to cum soon and cum hard. I was so wrapped up with what I was happening that I wasn't paying attention to Jin until it was too late. His thrusts were getting harder and soon he was literally hammering into me. I turned my head back and my eyes went wide with fright. Hair was erupting across Jin's body. His nails had turned black and were beginning to grow longer. And sharper. Right in front of me his jaw started to extend outward with a sickening crack and his teeth began to elongate into tiny ivory daggers. The change. It was happening right now. Oh shit. Panicking, I tried to get up when I heard the sound of wood creaking. Jin let out a furious snarl and slowly swung his arms forward, tearing one of the chains loose from the wall! He wrapped the free arm around my waist, pulling me hard against him. I struggled to free myself, but I couldn't, he was too strong. His body was hard with muscle and larger and wider than before. It wasn't the only thing getting larger either. I could feel his cock growing inside of me, becoming wider and changing shape. I had never felt anything like it before. He continued to fuck me with the same desperate need as before, stretching me out, sending me to new heights of ecstasy. With another snarl of protest, he tore out the other chain and fell forward onto all fours. Jin was gone now, replaced by this monster and I was trapped beneath his bulk that was only growing larger and more powerful. He fucked me like the animal he was, no matter how much I begged him for mercy. Thank the Goddess I used my protection enchantment earlier. It hurt and felt amazing at the same time. The terror was fueling my arousal something fierce and I took his punishment, moaning like a bitch in heat. I don't remember how many times I came as he ravished me. It was like one long train of orgasms that wracked my body and mind. Sweat was running down my forehead and I could barely hold myself up. Jin kept plowing ahead, spurred on by my cries of pain and pleasure. His panting had long ago been replaced with snarls and I could feel him tensing up inside of me. With a wild howl, Jin thrust forward, cumming inside of me. I felt his monstrous cock twitch deep inside me again and again as he filled my sore pussy to the brim. I fell forward, exhausted as Jin finally pulled out of me. I laid on the floor for a long moment, trying to work up the strength to move. Then I heard him snarl. My eyes opened wide and fear gripped me again. I quickly scrambled onto all fours and backed away against the wall. Jin was watching me, crouching, his huge monstrous form taking up one entire wall. He had the same intense look in his eyes. I quickly started rummaging through the draw for something, anything to defend myself with when he sat forward, coming face-to-face with me. I froze, terrified out of my mind. This was it. End of the story. I was done. Jin gently nuzzled my cheek with his muzzle and licked my ear. It was a tender and intimate gesture. I lifted a shaky hand and slowly caressed his snout. He leaned into the gesture and laid down in front of me, looking relaxed and content. I sat there, dumbfounded. It looked like I was going to be ok after all. I've been warned a hundred times about how dangerous werewolves are, especially during their first change, but Jin seemed pretty docile at the moment. I got up and got myself cleaned up, trying to process what just happened. There have been a handful of people who have survived contact with a werewolf during their first change and now I was one of them. Maybe that was the secret, just fuck them and they'll be your best friend. "Let's add that one to the training manual," I laughed, still in a post-coital high. "You see a werewolf transforming, just fuck 'em. They'll pass right out!" Jin lifted up his head and snarled. I tensed up immediately expecting the worse, but he wasn't looking at me, he was looking at the kitchen window. I clambered up and made my way to the window, wary of what I would find. I pulled back the curtain and gasped with horror. Two of the houses on the block were on fire, their roofs a carpet of flames. Blackwell. He's trying to flush us out, that son of a bitch. I turned back around, trying to figure out what to do when I saw Jin. He was pacing nervously in the backroom, turning every which way. Of course. Jin's all instinct right now and any animal knows to stay as far away from fire as possible. "Jin, I know part of you is still in there. Please, calm down. The safe house is protected," I said as reassuringly as I could. I came out like a plea. He began to snarl and act more agitated. "Jin, you're safe, ok? You're safe," I said, gesturing with my hands. Outside there was a sudden flash of orange light. The house across the street had a pool of flame spreading across its garage. Jin took one look at it and ran, smashing through the door frame and out the glass kitchen door. "Jin!" I cried, running to the door. I briefly saw him leap over a fence before disappearing into the night. He was heading in the direction of the industrial park. I needed to find him before Blackwell or anyone else did. I grabbed my Bag of Tricks and started running after him, keeping to the shadows, wand at the ready. The industrial park loomed in front of me, grey and imposing in the dark. After a few minutes, I made it to the parking lot, my feet crunching on the gravel. I stopped and scanned the area. The whole property covered a couple of acres easily and it was mainly warehouses and shipping centers with a trucks and machinery sitting idle in the pre-dawn gloom. The whole place was a mess of long strange shadows and hazy light. Jin could be anywhere in here and worse, so could Blackwell. No doubt he had that hound of his on the lookout. I pressed on, moving as quietly as I could through the parking lot to the nearest set of buildings. It was so quiet, all I could hear were the sounds of my steps and my own breath. The exposure had me on edge. I tried to look everywhere at once and at that moment I could have heard a pin drop. It was terrifying. My mouth was dry. Crunch. I froze. That wasn't me. A moment later I heard two loud "whumps" followed by the "ting" of metal on metal. I bolted as fast as my legs would carry me and whipped my head around to see Blackwell taking aim with a pistol. He's shooting at me! Oh Goddess, he's going to kill me! I ran like a crazy person, darting in between cars and machinery, trying to escape my pursuer. He fired several more shots, grazing my shoulder, but thankfully nothing more than that. It hurt like hell, but I blocked out the pain, too scared to care at the moment. I kept moving, kept searching until I found one corner of the park that was filled with large pieces of earth moving equipment. It was dark and there were plenty of places to hide. I darted under a dump truck and did my absolute best to stop shaking and control my breathing. Moments later, I heard the steady beat of someone walking calmly across the gravel ground. "I have to say I'm impressed, little rabbit. You've given me a pretty good chase tonight. Not many have done that," he said, stalking through the equipment. His voice was a sardonic growl, rough and cold. He was laughing at me. "You can hide if you want, but it won't do you much good. In fact it'll only get on my nerves. I have some business to take care of and I can't have you interrupting it anymore," he said. I turned my head in the direction he was speaking from. He had stopped and I heard the sound of a magazine click into place followed by a gun being cocked. This guy was a lunatic. What was I going to do? "Seeing as I'm on a schedule," he drawled. "Let's speed this up." He said a word I didn't recognize and the shadow hound materialized up from the ground. My heart started beating wildly and I had to cover my mouth to hide the sound of my breathing. I might have been able to take on one of them, but not both! The shadow hound turned and started padding around the machinery, trying to find my scent. It wouldn't take him long to find me. I was shaking with fright. They were going to hunt me down like a wounded animal and that would be it. I had no back up, no one coming to my rescue and Jin was out there, somewhere, doing Goddess knows what. I was scared. I was more scared than I had ever been in my life. I wanted to be home, safe in my bed, not here. I was scared and cold and out in the open and hating this. And none of that mattered. This maniac had hurt my colleagues and has been trying to kill me all night. He already murdered one person and now he thinks I'll roll over and die because he has a spooky dog and a gun. I'm a fucking Benandanti and he thinks he can just intimidate me and hunt me down and I won't put up a fight?! Wrong. Dead wrong! You're mine, you son of a bitch! I rolled out from under the truck into a knee stand. "Here puppy puppy!" I cried, enraged. The shadow hound turned around a moment too slow, confused. He wasn't expecting his quarry to just jump out like that. His mistake. "Anima Stiletto!" The dagger of light slammed straight into creature's head, right between the eyes. It let out a sudden, mournful sound and then dissipated, leaving nothing behind but smoke. Instinctively I rolled again, and quickly got to my feet facing the opposite direction. Another bullet missed me by a hair. Edgar Blackwell stepped out of the shadows. He was a tall man dressed in a leather vest, maroon shirt and tan pants, all of which had a faded and worn look. Necklaces with various kinds of magical significance dangled from his neck. A rifle was slung over one shoulder and he had a pistol trained on me. When he stepped into the light, I got a better look at him. His skin was leathery, like it had been soaked in the sun ten hours a day. His hair was long, pale and brittle. He had a few faded scars on his face. But the eyes, those evil eyes. When Jin looked at me, it was with the eyes of a hunter. Focused, intelligent and dangerous. That wasn't the way Blackwell was looking at me. His gaze was cold, malicious and uncaring; the eyes of a killer. He had his pistol locked on me and I had my wand locked on him. "Not bad, little rabbit. You took out my dog. Gonna be expensive for me to replace," he sneered. "Bill me after you get out of Redgate, asshole," I said, not taking any of his garbage. "I'll say this one last time. You give me the wolf and I'll let you walk," he offered, staring down the barrel. "Why are you hunting him anyway? What's he to you?" I demanded. "The greatest damn trophy in my collection. It's damn near impossible to find werewolves during their first transformation. They can be so damn private, especially when it comes to filling out their ranks," answered Blackwell, adjusting his footing slightly. "He's a human being!" I cried, sickened. Concentrate Victoria, don't let him get you riled.