I stuck my tongue out. "If this is the only perk to being a werewolf than I want a refund."
Orion sniffed his own fingers and furrowed his brow. "The scent isn't on my fingers."
I arched an eyebrow. "Then what is?"
He took another sniff and recoiled. His lips curled back in disgust. "Wolf's bane."
"Like the stuff you gave me last night?" I guessed.
Orion clutched his head and grimaced. "Unfortunately, yes. I-" He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I think-" He slumped over the wheel of the car.
"Orion!" I yelped. I clutched his shoulders and shook him. He didn't open his eyes. "Huntley? Sour? Come on!" I gave him another shake, but he was out. I sat back in my seat and threw up my hands. "Well, shit."
I stepped out and around the car to the driver's side. It wasn't easy dragging his limp body out of the driver's seat and around the car to my former place.
"You need to. . .lose some weight," I gasped as I shoved my shoulder against him and pushed him back into the car.
I hopped into the driver's seat. A bitter scent floated across my nose. My head swam. I shook my head and pulled the car back onto the road. "Come on, Trixie, you gotta snap out of it. . ." I whispered to myself as I drove down the main street.
My pep-talk didn't disperse the lingering odor of the wolf's bane. I reached the motel parking lot and coasted into the space in front of the office. My mind was hazy as I slipped out and stumbled toward the door. The door opened and Troy hurried toward me. I tripped over the pavement and he caught me in his arms.
"Come on. Let's get you inside," he told me as he half-dragged me towards the door.
He hefted me inside and lay me against the front wall. I pushed away his arms and pointed a shaking finger at the door. "Orion. He's-"
Troy nodded. "I know. I'll get to him in a moment. Just let me make you comfortable."
There were two mugs on the counter. He took one and knelt beside me. He tilted my head back and tipped some of the concoction into my mouth. I choked and sputtered on the bitter flavor. He set the mug down and stood.
"I'll be right back."
He slipped out the door. I coughed a few more times, but I felt better. The haze cleared a little and I felt my strength returning. The bell above the door rang and Troy came in dragging Orion behind him. The motel manager seated Orion beside me, and the contents of the second mug was given to my compatriot.
Orion coughed and turned his face away. His eyes fluttered open and fell on our friend. He weakly grinned up at Troy. "A sore sight for eyes. . ."
Troy smiled and set the mug down beside Orion. "And a close call for you both."
"What-" Orion tried to sit up, but he swayed and clutched his head.
Troy put his hands on Orion's shoulders. "Your lovely companion drove you here after you lost consciousness." He lifted Orion's right hand in both of his and studied the fingers. "It smells like a mild dose of wolf's bane was rubbed into your palm. Not a deadly amount, to be sure, but enough that even with your immunity you would have been out for quite a while if you hadn't gotten to me." He pulled out a rag from his back pocket, dipped one corner in Orion's mug, and rubbed the liquid over his palm. "There. That should take away the scent."
I arched an eyebrow. "His immunity?"
Troy smiled and nodded. "Orion carries with him a dose of wolf's bane in his back pocket. The constant dose of lingering bane scent has made Orion more immune than most werewolves."
I wrinkled my nose. "Then how come I didn't drop like him?"
"Your body is still changing, and only at the last stage do you develop the weaknesses of a werewolf," he explained.
Orion set his hand against his chest and furrowed his brow. "I don't understand how that got on there."
Troy's eyes flickered up to his face. "Don't you?"
My eyes widened and I whipped my head to the men. "The chief! He shook your hand!"
Orion frowned. "But why would he do that?"
Troy smiled and stood. "I believe that is what you must find out." He grabbed Orion's hands and pulled him to his feet. "Now up and out. A short nap and you should be fine."
Orion swayed from side-to-side and shook his head. "Y-yeah, thanks, Troy."
Troy shook his head. "Don't mention it. I wouldn't want all the town drunks coming here when they want a wall to lean on." He helped me to my feet and winked at me. "For you, however, I wouldn't mind a bit of thanks."
I patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks."
He sighed and shrugged. "An old man can dream."
I grasped Orion's left arm and helped him outside. The midday sun peaked out from behind the gray clouds and warmed us as we made our way to the car. I put Orion in the passenger seat and slid behind the wheel.
I glanced at Orion. "You sure you're feeling okay?"
He sunk down in his seat and nodded. "Yeah, I just need that nap Troy talked about."
"Not just yet." I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "We've got some talking to do."
I drove us back to his house and helped him inside to the couch. He settled on the cushion with a groan and leaned back.
I plopped down beside him and looked him over. "You need anything before the interrogation begins?"
He wearily smiled and shook his head. "I prefer to take my shots without chasers."
I crossed my legs and turned to face him. "How often has the police chief tried to knock you out?"
He sighed. "This is the first attempt. I did have someone swing a crowbar at me once, though." He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "Or was it a dead chicken? My mind still isn't working."
I cringed. "Let's go with the crowbar. So I'm guessing this hunting stuff you do isn't generally this dangerous?"
He shrugged. "Depends on the job. Sometimes I had to hunt rogue were-bears or were-rabbits, but I was usually prepared for them. This, though-" he raised his right hand and pursed his lips, "-I wasn't prepared for this."
I blinked at him. "Were-rabbits?"
"Another of the were type in the town."
"Ah. So how long have you known the chief? Is he a new addition like me?"
He shook his head. "No, not a new addition." He smiled and cradled his head in his hand. "He and I were in the same classes in school and used to play tricks on the teachers. They called us the Terrorizing Two."
I folded my arms and pursed my lips. "So you don't know why he'd have it out for you?"
Orion turned to me with a frown. "What's that supposed to mean?"
I sighed. "Only that if you'd been driving at any fast speed, or just happen to be walking across the street, you might have been stretched out on a stretcher right now. After all, that scent didn't have a timer set for when it would go off."
Orion winced. "I suppose you're right."
"Of course I'm right. I'm the hero, remember?" I teased him. My smile slipped off my face when I saw his downcast expression. "Maybe it's not as bad as it looks?"
He stared at the floor and shook his head. "I don't know."
I leaned over and took one of his hands in mine. He looked up and blinked at me. I smiled at him. "Whatever's happening around here, we'll find out, right, Sidekick?"
He grinned. "Yeah, but-" A yawn interrupted him, and when he finished his eyes were half-closed. He leaned back and closed his eyes. "But after that nap."
I sighed and leaned my head against the back of the couch. If you couldn't question them, join them.
16
A knock on the door brought me out of a peaceful, dream-less sleep. Voices floated through the house. My eyes flickered open, and I sat up and looked around. The couch cushion beside me was empty. The faint sound of voices drifted from the front door. I leaned forward and caught sight of Orion's back at the door. In front of him stood a young woman I'd never met. She was about sixteen with long reddish hair and a stripe of orange down both her cheeks. Her eyes sported the strange feline contacts that were perennially popular with kids her age. H
er dark complexion bespoke a mixed heritage of Western and Indian origins. A sweet scent of spice flowed from her clothes and hair.
"She just thought you would want to know." She looked past Orion at me and cringed.
Orion half-turned and smiled at me. "Sleeping Beauty has finally awakened. Trixie, there's somebody I'd like you to meet."
I walked over to the pair and Orion gestured to the young girl. "Trixie Lyal, this is Jasmine Tipu."
Jasmine smiled and bowed her head to me. "Please call me Jazz. Everyone else does."
I smiled and held out my hand. "Then call me Trixie."
We shook hands and Jazz turned to Orion. "I really have to be going."
He nodded. "Send my thanks along when you see her again."
Jazz bowed her head and hurried down the path. The late-afternoon sun reflected off her red hair and showed off a few orange strands. Orion shut the door and turned to me.
I nodded at the closed door. "So who's the 'she' she was talking about?"
He grinned at me. "Jealous?"
I folded my arms and smiled sweetly at him. "That depends."
He arched an eyebrow. "On what?"
"On whether we're in an alternate reality."
He swept me into his arms and pressed a long, passionate kiss against my lips. We came away gasping for air and a blush accentuated my cheeks.
He looked down at me with that mischievous grin of his. "Did that teleport us to that alternate reality?"
I snorted. "That depends. Does it rain donuts here or just water?"
He righted me and shrugged. "Does it matter?"
I nodded. "A lot. I might not like this reality if all we get is rain."
He pursed his lips and glanced at the door. "Speaking of rain, Jazz brought us some wet news from Mab. Chief Orso was attacked an hour ago by an unknown assailant. He's at the hospital, and the whole town is locked up in their houses. If Orso wanted to keep everyone from knowing there was someone loose out there he made a big mistake."
I winced and set a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I mean, I know he's your friend."
Orion shrugged. "It's fine. At least he's not hurt too badly."
"Any way we can talk to him?"
He shook his head. "No. He's on Sickness watch, so nobody but the doctor's can get in to see him."
I pursed my lips. "So what now?"
Orion nodded at the door. "Jazz told me he was attacked responding to a call in the woods." He grasped my hand and grinned. "As long as you haven't washed your hand we should be able to follow any scent that might match the fur we found."
I arched an eyebrow. "Jazz told you a lot in a short time."
He smiled. "She has a way with words."
"And a strange fashion sense."
He pursed his lips. "That isn't exactly her choice. When she experienced her first transformation parts of her body never reverted back."
I furrowed my brow. "Does that happen often?"
Orion shook his head. "Very rarely until the last five years or so."
I glanced out the tall window beside the front door. "This sleepy little town has a lot of problems."
He grabbed our coats, tossed them over his arm and took hold of my hand. "Let's go see if we can dig some more up."
We climbed into my car with Orion at the helm and drove down the road. The slushy streets were deserted. The sleds lay abandoned on the hill.
I turned away from the lonely sight and to Orion. "So how long does it take the Sickness to take effect?"
He shook his head. "It's different for everybody. Sometimes it's a few minutes, sometimes a few days. That's why Orso's being watched."
"Can the Sickness actually kill someone? I mean, not with the sick person doing the killing," I asked him.
He nodded. "If the illness progresses far enough, it could kill the person who's infected."
I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. "You know, this place is starting to make a live broadcast from Detroit look safe." I glanced out the window and watched as we left town and headed up the hill toward the Blessing Tree. "Where exactly are we going, anyway? Not to an on-site interview, I hope."
Orion shook his head as we rounded the corner and passed the road to the tree. "Nope, just to the scene of the crime. We'll soon find out if it was our mysterious friend who attacked Orso, or if we have a new problem."
Orion drove for two miles before he pulled off the side of the road onto a squishy dirt spot. We stepped out and he nodded at a pair of ruts like those that led to the tree. "That's where we need to go."
I squinted at the faint road. All the snow was melted, but the water hadn't soaked into the ground, leaving a mess of marshland and puddles. The trees of the forest stood thick on either side, and the brush was even thicker. The darkening of day stretched their shadows over the road and created a cavernous effect that made chills run down my spine.
A snort escaped my lips. "Of course it is."
Orion led the way down the road. We walked for a mile before we reached a small, circular meadow. The trees parted and on either side were small fire pits made from large stones.
I gestured at the pits. "Don't tell me. This is where everyone convenes with nature."
Orion smiled and shook his head. "Not quite." He knelt on the ground and brushed his hand over the road. "More than the chief has been here. There are four recent sets of tire prints on the road."
I knelt beside him and looked over the imprints. "Damn. And me without my camera."
He lifted his smiling eyes to me and tapped the side of his nose. "No need for that. Just use your nose."
I sniffed the air and wrinkled my nose. "Smells like pine needles." I raised my hand and stuck out my tongue. "And dead wet chicken."
"Here, let me smell that." He grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand under his nose. I blushed as his skin brushed against mine.
He closed his eyes and released me. A grin curled onto his lips as he stood. "Sometimes I don't know if you want to kiss me or kick me in the balls."
I stood and glared at him. "Maybe a little of both."
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me against his chest. "Let's try the first one."
Orion leaned down and captured my lips in a searing kiss. Lustful heat traveled up and down my body. I pressed my hands against his chest and pushed us to arm's length.
"I-I think we need to focus on the tire tracks," I told him. Orion looked down at me with eyes tinged with more yellow than was normal. I furrowed my brow and stepped away from him. "Are you okay?"
His chest moved up and down in faster and faster heartbeats. Fur sprouted over his face and his clothes stretched to make room for his bulging muscles. His face elongated into a thick snout and his hands at his sides flexed into long claws.
"What's going on? Why are you changing?" I asked him.
A lecherous grin slid onto his lips. My pulse quickened as I recognized the same lunatic look in his eyes as in the others afflicted with the Sickness.
I backed up and held up my hands. "Orion, listen to me. We can work things out. We can get you some help." He snarled at me. "Okay, so we'll skip the help, but you still don't have to eat me."
He trudged onward and I trudged backward until my back hit the trunk of a thick tree. Orion leapt at me. I swung around the tree and stumbled through the wet, slick brush. Orion got down on all four paws and raced after me. He caught me five yards into the woods.
We crashed onto the wet ground. I rolled over onto my back and looked up into his wild face. He slammed his hands down on either side of my head and leaned towards me. I shut my eyes and turned my face away. He leaned forward and brushed his muzzle against my neck. His warm breath wafted over my trembling flesh.
I felt a prick of carnal desire slip into my mind. My body broke out in a sweat as one of his clawed hands glided down my side. My pulse and breath quickened. I bit my lips to keep back a groan as his hand slid beneath my coat and shirt. His warm fingers caressed my skin and ignited within me a fir
e that hungered for his touch.
But now was not the time for eating. I shook my head to clear the lust-fog and looked around for something to get me out of this mess. I gasped when Orion brushed his hips against mine. His bulging need pressed against my left leg.
Something he said came back to me. He pulled his face away from my neck and looked down at me with those feral eyes. I smiled and shrugged. "Sorry."
I jerked up my knee. My kneecap connected with his swollen, sensitive balls. His eyes bulged and a high-pitched whimper escaped his lips. I grabbed his shoulders and slid him off me. He dropped to his side and curled into a tight ball.
I rolled around him so I faced his admirable butt. His fur covered most of the jeans, but I was able to see the back pockets. A bulge like a wallet pushed out the one on the right. I tried to slip my hand in, but his tight ass made that impossible. A low, dangerous growl told me he was recovering from my low-blow attack.
I grabbed the top of the pocket and pulled. The cloth tore downward, and out dropped a small leather wallet. A whiff of wolf's bane hit my nose. I snatched up the wallet and stumbled back as Orion spun around. He crouched on his feet with his hands on the ground in front of him and curled his lips back in a nasty snarl.
My fingers fumbled in the wallet as I weakly smiled at him. "No hard feelings, right?"
His eyes narrowed and he stalked toward me on all fours. I wrapped my fingers around a dry weed-like substance and tossed it into his face. He yelped and stumbled back. His hands furiously pawed at his face. The scent of wolf's bane invaded my nostrils. The world around me spun around. I fell back just as Orion, too, collapsed.
Then the world went black.
17
A faint beeping noise came to my ears. Bright lights pierced my eyelids. It was an effort to open them, and when I succeeded my vision was blurry. A white ceiling lay above me, and there was a tall blur on my right where I lay. I squinted and the world came into focus.
Orion sat beside me with a large window at his back that was covered by a thick curtain. On his left was a hospital machine with the red line bouncing up and down across the dark screen. Behind my head was a fluffy pillow, and draped over me was a clean sheet. The white walls finished off the depressingly sterile environment.
His eyes widened and he scooted his chair closer to my bed. I managed to give him a smile. "Hey," I croaked.