| Fiction | Jennifer Hairfield |
Wolf's Bane
Come on get a grip on yourself! Got to get out of here. I
can’t stay here. I’ll hurt someone if I don’t go now. But I
want to play tonight! It’s been so long. Please!
My ears perk up at the sound of her clicking heels. She’s
coming my way. Her pheromones are like Love Potion #9 to my
senses.
I do get to play tonight! Goodie! There’s still time to
get out of here! No! Tonight's for me you promised. These
parking garages are perfect for hunting.
I crouch down and hide in-between the cars as she
approaches. I can see my reflection in the paint job of the
white SUV to the right of me. I can also see my victim. My
metamorphosis slowly overtakes me. I lean patiently against
the black Mustang on my left as my hair and nails grow
longer. She passes by without even a glance my way.
Dumb woman! Doesn’t she know to always be alert and on
guard when walking around instead of digging through her
purse for her keys?
My legs lengthen along with my arms. I fall over to all
fours as my back gains muscle mass and rips my shirt.
Click, click, click. She’s getting farther away. Gotta
take my time with this, don’t want to make too much noise.
My thigh muscles bulge until I shred my pants with my claws.
Hair covers my entire body like a flood, and my face
elongates into something animalistic. Only my eyes look
somewhat human with intelligence and desire burning behind
them.
Click, click, click. She’s not too much farther from me.
I lick my lips or what is left of them with a long wolfish
tongue.
That feels so much better. No more constraints in that
human skin of mine. Come on, let’s go. We still have a
chance to leave. No! You promised me this. Don’t get
squeamish on me now. Get a grip and shut up!
I stretch my body, working all the kinks out of my familiar
form. A howl starts to crawl up my throat.
No, don’t howl! Swallow it back you don’t want to scare
her. If you lose her I’m in charge again.
I swallow the howl and peak around the SUV to see where she
is. She’s only five cars down. I creep down the row behind
her. So not to alert her I go slow and easy.
Easy does it, ol’ boy. Don’t go too fast. Just a little
bit closer and you have her. Are you helping me? You enjoy
the hunt as much as I do. You’re nuts! I...
My ears perk up at the sound of an echoing pair of shoes.
Shit! Okay got to speed this up.
I start to growl softly to get her attention. She turns her
head and lets out a little yelp when she sees me. I can feel
her fear radiating off her body in waves. She starts to run.
Fast food, why not.
I run after her. She turns the corner around a 4X4 truck.
Seconds later I follow around her at break-neck speed.
Something silverish catches the light. A sharp pain around
my neck starts.
What the hell!
I see a silver chain leading from me to the woman’s hand.
"Pick on weaker prey next time."
I hear a running echo of shoes come around the truck. “You
okay, ma’am? I heard a scream.”
“No, I’m fine. Just taking my dog for a walk.”
I look up at her as she smiles at the rent-a-cop and see her
fangs. I shake my furry head.
Dumb cop. You’re dead.
Just as I thought it, she lunged forward and sank her teeth
into his throat, drinking him dry with one hand still on me
and the other on him. She lets him go once she finishes her
fill of him.
Her hand wipes the blood from her lips. “Like I said before,
pick your victims better, Wolfie. Unfortunately for you, the
chance to try again won’t be coming your way ever again.”
That was two days ago.
Tonight she wakes up and does the usual routine, getting
fresh, makeup, the works, and then she’s out the door. She
pets me on my head before she leaves. The door opens hours
later. She walks in with a yellow bowl in her hand. I see
she went shopping too. “How are you this morning, Wolfie?
Making friends with everyone?” She sets the bowl in front of
me. “What do you think of your present?”
I look at her and growl softly, showing my teeth.
“Get used to it,” she says. She turns and walks out with a
fling of her hair.
The bowl had the name of "Spot" written on it. So…what’s
the rest of your stories?

