Uriah
“Fuck it. I’ll do it. I’ll call every vampire in the tri-state area and we can go back in there and finish them off, U.” Kale paced back and forth anxiously on the cabin porch as he spit-balled ideas. “Just say the word.”
“Look, bruv,” put his hand on his bandmate’s shoulder, “I don’t want anyone else getting hurt, you included . And I sure as hell don’t want to start a war between vampires and werewolves. You saw what happened with those Underworld movies.”
“Yeah,” acknowledged Julian as he took a swig from a flask. “Too many terrible sequels.”
“And here we are being buddy-buddy with two werewolves straight from their pack,” Kale threw his arms up in the air, continuing to ramble. “Who thought that was a good idea?”
“Werewolves are just like vampires,” sighed, grabbing the pre-roll placed atop his right ear and lighting it. “They aren’t good, they aren’t bad. It’s the human inside that chooses their path.”
“You’re kidding me!” shouted Kale.
Julian took the joint from and smoked from it. “Kale, don’t start with this again.”
huffed. “What’s he on about, anyway, Jules?”
“You want the real answer?” Julian asked before handing the pre-roll back. hesitated before nodding. “He thinks you’ve grown soft since you and Pruitt Mondamin are, you know, a thing.”
took another puff of his own, holding the joint out until Kale took it. “Look, Big K, we just need to relax and clear our heads. We’re all gonna smoke some weed and have a nice little group chat.”
The front door opened as Quinn, Griff, and Darcy stepped out to join the trio. Darcy’s hands remained bound and he was blindfolded, but his gag had been removed. Griff guided his fellow witch to a nearby bench before assuring him that his bindings were just a safety precaution.
“My apologies for eavesdropping, Mr. Black, but that sounds like a good idea,” said a freshly showered Quinn. “And hope you don’t mind. Was just stealing someone’s much less blood-stained shirt.”
“You look good in my clothes,” acknowledged with a friendly wink. “But don’t get any bright ideas, roomie.”
Quinn patted on the back, leaning over to acknowledge Kale and Julian. “Guys, I’m sorry about the others. We’re going to get them back.”
“Or kill whoever did ‘em in,” Kale seethed through gritted teeth. Quinn shrugged as he considered it.
“We’ve got the witches and the vampires here,” began Griff. “Where’s the werewolves?”
“Right here,” came the voice of Magnus. He and Fen appeared from the path through the forest, both shirtless but in the process of dressing. “Just making sure we weren’t being followed out here.”
“Everyone must be back at the manor,” added Fen as the werewolves reached the porch.
“I’m Griff Kyler.” Griff held out his hand. “I live in Mystic Hollow and go to Mystic Hollow University.”
“Ah, Haven’s date. Sorry we didn’t get the chance to meet yet.” Magnus shook his hand. “I’m Magnus Every; werewolf, defensive linebacker for Moonhaven University, and self-professed Swiftie.”
“I’m his partner, Fenrir Phillips, but call me Fen.” Griff shook his hand, too. “We are both part of the Dark Moon clan—the werewolf pack that runs the fraternity—but we had no hand in the chaos that unfolded tonight.”
“And we’re just supposed to believe that? Right,” Kale hissed.
“No,” Magnus chimed in, holding his hands up as though he had nothing to hide. “But I believe we did get you out of the manor alive.”
“Yes. You both saved us all more than once,” Quinn acknowledged, looking from Magnus to Fen with a friendly face. “Your friend Haven did, too.”
“Thanks for keepin’ this brood safe, big guy,” patted Magnus on the back. “Clearly, you all have met my bandmates, Kale Constantine and Julian Jimenez. Jules, K, Griff—Fen here is the one who recommended us for the gig. I’ve met him before. Got some good intuition, that one does.”
The vampire thought back to his chance encounter with Fen at a local department store not long ago. He gave Griff a quick squeeze as he telepathically shared more with him. ? He’s the one that helped me pick out my apology flowers for you the night of the homecoming massacre, pipsqueak.?
Griff nodded.
“When we had a last-minute cancellation, I knew I recalled meeting at least one other local band that could fill in,” Fen said with a smile as he gave a pat on the shoulder. “While also, of course, providing some much needed eye candy.”
“Now, I already saw the big man’s special wolf power when he saved us,” began as he turned from Magnus to Fen. “What’s yours, then?”
“They call it the paws of premonition,” Fen said with a smile. “I know, sounds goofy. But I have visions that show me the future, but also sometimes the past. Heightened intuition, too, I suppose. Sometimes I can just read a person. Think I was the only one in our fraternity that was born a werewolf, so my powers have had a lot of time to—shall we say—evolve.”
“Any reading on me, then?” asked, handing the joint to Fen. Taking a quick hit, Fen’s body went limp and he shook. “Huh. Guess that answers my question.”
Magnus grabbed up Fen, placing him next to Darcy as the group watched with wide eyes. Quinn used his reflexes to grab the joint before it touched the ground, taking it in between his lips before coughing out smoke.
“Sorry, that happens sometimes,” Magnus said with an uneasy smile.
“Looks like you need some of this, too,” said Quinn, handing the pre-roll to Magnus. Magnus nodded and quickly took a hit, coughing as he held it out for the next taker.
Griff was next to try the joint. His lungs expanded rapidly as he coughed up a fit, clouds of smoke billowing out of his mouth.
“Now, you ,” Griff tapped Darcy on the shoulder. “Do you smoke weed?”
“Do you?” Darcy asked, moving his head around as if to make eye contact.
“First timer, actually,” Griff giggled, his eyes turning red. “Here, let me.” He held the pre-roll to Darcy’s lips until he inhaled.
Fen’s eyes popped open and he stood back up. “Excellent strain, vampire,” he said with a smile.
“Jogged your little wolf powers, did it?” asked, taking a drink from Julian’s flask.
Magnus rubbed Fen’s shoulders. “Anything good, babe?”
“About me?” asked.
“I’m feeling unusually honest, so yes. Do forgive me.” Fen nodded, looking to as his cheeks turned rosy. “Griff here is your lover, and you are both lovers to the wolf they call Pruitt Mondamin, the First Werewolf. You are the First Vampire. You’re left-handed, traditionally afraid of commitment, nine inches erect, and you used to sleep with a stuffed rabbit named Bun Bun until— well, until last month.”
With that, Fen and Quinn burst into laughter.
Griff chuckled before putting his hand over his mouth. “Surprisingly accurate.”
“Stuffed animal aside, that’s some competition,” Darcy grumbled under his breath.
looked to Griff, his mouth agape, before Julian nudged him. “You’ve got to be kidding me, U.”
“Come on, man,” sighed defeatedly, his hands hitting his sides.
“I mean, I did not expect that. Bun Bun?” Julian laughed, clearly stoned.
“Oh, oh! Now, do me,” Quinn teased, standing in front of Fen.
“Hold on,” Magnus interrupted. “Fen’s parlor tricks are great, but I think we all need to get on the same page as to what’s happening at Dark Moon Manor, the consequences, and how to stop it.”
“Pruitt,” Griff let out a sad sigh, his head drooping. “Is he okay?”
“Infected like the rest of them, I’m afraid,” Fen replied, pulling a pair of glasses from his pocket and holding them up. “But that means they’ll keep him alive.”
took the spectacles and placed them on Griff, pressing a kiss on his boyfriend’s nose before he adjusted the frames to rest on it. “And my other bandmates?”
Fen hesitated.
“I’m afraid that even without whatever is influencing—or rather controlling the pack, vampires have a bad reputation amongst werewolves,” Magnus said solemnly, hanging his head. “We can’t be sure, but I’m willing to bet that?—”
“Don’t,” Kale briskly interrupted.
“All right. So, let me get this straight,” began Griff. “Luna Dark Moon is not only the newest university president at my school. She’s also the Queen of Wolves and a werewolf with the power of, um…”
“ Parasitic bite, I suppose,” Fen nodded. “This allows her to control the bodies and enter the minds of those she’s bit or scratched. It also works that way with anyone she’s already infected.”
“Right,” added Griff. “From what intel I gathered from Haven, she likely scratched him enough for whatever it is to enter his bloodstream—and in turn, Haven bit and infected Pruitt.”
“It explains why Haven would attack anyone in the first place, I suppose,” said Magnus, his eyes wandering to meet Griff’s. “He’s normally one of the good guys.”
Quinn scratched his chin. “How does one stop a new host from being controlled? From being infected?”
“Let me guess. We go to the werewolf who started it all and do this,” chimed in , placing his hands around his neck and making a sound effect to imply death.
“Exactly and only that,” Fen acknowledged.
“And what is the Era of the Lycan stuff she was talking about, anyway?” asked Griff.
Magnus and Fen looked at one another. “Well…” Magnus stuttered, his voice trailing off. “You want to go, or should I?”
“I was born into a family of werewolves, so I grew up with these stories,” said Fen. “That’s what they called a time of great peace for lycankind, long before usurpers like Dr. Dark Moon seized power.” He paused, the entire group hanging on his every word.
Kale cleared his throat. “And?”
Griff put a gentle hand on Kale’s shoulder as though to calm him. “Give him a minute.”
“The old legends say we will return to the Era of the Lycan when our rightful ruler takes the throne,” added Magnus. “Right, babe?”
Fen nodded. “Yes, sorry. I was trying to—trying to remember the little nursery rhyme that the elders taught us.” The werewolf furrowed his brows in frustration. “At full moon’s time… At full moon’s time…”
nearly jumped when—out of nowhere—Darcy spoke up. “At full moon’s time, a witch’s magic will complete the rite: Lycaon’s dagger for the Wolf with Two Powers; hellfire for the first werewolf to ever bite. With lycans howling to the plenilune, The King of Wolves—joined by his queen—will walk the night.”
Fen squeezed Magnus's hand, the worried look on his face enough to vouch for the authenticity of Darcy’s sudden rambling. “Th-that’s it.”
“Quite the kid’s nursery rhyme,” scoffed. “Real cozy and feel-good.”
“Yeah,” added Julian. “Right up there with Jack and Jill and Wheels on the Bus.”
“And the King of Wolves is, um, who, exactly?” Griff asked. “Sounds like the title of a book or movie.”
“He’s like me,” Quinn said, shaking his head in disbelief before looking to Griff. “Like Odessa.”
Griff swallowed hard. “ An Original Witch .”
“Small world,” began Quinn. “The hot gossip, as you young folk might say, was that he—Theodulf was his name—willingly turned into a werewolf. His powers were rooted in the earth, in nature. I guess Odessa didn’t like that—thought it made him too powerful. So?—”
“She killed him,” Fen interrupted.
Magnus held up a finger as though to say something. Instead, he quickly disappeared inside the cabin.
“Yes,” replied Quinn.
Fen spoke up again. “And before he died, he imparted his magic unto the First Werewolf, and in every wolf thereafter.”
“Huh,” began . “So, old pals of Pru, then?”
“If he even remembers,” added Griff.
Magnus reappeared with several bags of chips in his hands. He quickly handed one to Griff, another to Fen. The two tore them open and began munching away. Magnus also dug in as the rest of the group got comfy, each taking a seat on the edge of the porch or on one of several chairs. “Sorry,” he said with a smile. “Got the munchies.”
“All right, so they want to roast Pruitt like a marshmallow. We got that part,” said . “Now, who’s this Wolf with Two Powers bloke?”
“Again,” Griff said between bites, “sounds like a good book title.”
“No one knows,” replied Fen. “Also, marshmallows sound so good right now.”
“You know, Haven was muttering something about that back at the manor,” Griff suddenly remembered. “Could it be him?”
“Your guess is as good as ours,” answered Magnus. “His power is something we call healing paws, but he now carries the parasitic bite, even if it’s not his original gift.”
“But don’t they all now? I mean, all the infected?” Fen pondered. “So, all Dr. Dark Moon has got to do is get a witch, stab one of her minions with a special knife, and burn Pruitt alive, maybe?”
“Speaking of…” Quinn’s voice trailed off as he paced the length of the porch. “I was there when werewolves were created. I mean, not at the welcoming ceremony or anything, but around . Shouldn’t that mean Lycaon is just a Greek myth?”
“You could argue that Lycaon was a different kind of werewolf,” said Magnus. “Not to argue semantics, but as the story goes, he was turned into a wolf and unable to transform back.”
“All right, sure,” Quinn nodded. “Then how do we get his dagger? I mean, you know, not to stab anyone with. But to keep away from my evil new boss.”
His mouth full of snacks, Griff’s eyes grew wide. recognized this expression as the one his boyfriend often made when a lightbulb turned on somewhere in his head. Wiping his hands on his pants, the witch disappeared inside.
“Well, the full moon is tomorrow night, so I hope he’s onto something,” said Kale, his forehead creased in concern.
Griff reappeared with a large book in his hands.
“The Artemis Grimoire ,” Quinn instantly recognized the text they had recovered earlier. “Yes! That’s the one that belonged to Theodulf.”
“Theodulf will live again,” Darcy repeated over and over in a soft lull before giving way to humming.
“He gonna be okay, little witch?” asked, pointing to Darcy.
“Um,” Griff began with a shrug, “I hope so, but it appears he’s also infected.”
“Whoa,” the vampire exclaimed. ?Looks like all these new potential love interests might turn our harem into a wolf pack.?
Griff gave a playful nudge as he leaned into his embrace, then looked back to Quinn. “Think the book will tell us? You know, where to find the dagger?”
“I-I’m not sure if we can open it,” the professor stuttered, appearing too nervous to even take it in his hands.
“I’ve got an idea then,” said Griff, giving a peck on the cheek before taking a seat next to Darcy. He placed the bound witch’s hands on the cover of the grimoire. “Before Darcy turned into a little rhyming spy, he told me he felt drawn to this book.”
“Is it safe?” asked, a look of concern on his face.
“Oh, most definitely not,” replied Quinn.
Griff pulled the cover open, but the book closed just as quickly. He grabbed for Darcy’s hands, maneuvering them so they pushed up on the book cover. “Boom,” he said with a smile as the grimoire flipped open again, moving rapidly from page to page.
“Darcy—or whoever is controlling Darcy—I’d like to talk to you,” began Griff. “However, whatever you say must be the truth.”
“And why would I tell you anything, silly child?” Darcy replied, his tone sinister.
Griff hesitated, his mouth hanging open. ? Think that’s her, Ri? Think that’s Luna??
came closer, putting his hand on his lover’s shoulder. ?Be careful, little witch.?
“Because the weed we’ve all been smoking— Darcy included —was laced with the last bit of my truth serum. So whoever is in control of Darcy now must speak the truth. Where can I find the Dagger of King Lycaon? ”
“ You repulsive witch, ” Darcy hissed, the pages flipping as Griff held his possessed friend’s hands above the book.
“Answer the lad,” hissed .
Darcy chuckled as he landed on two blank pages. “In the very book before us.”
“This ain’t like the Bible I used to keep with the nice little square cut into the pages so I could hide my flask, Miss Dark Moon,” replied, his hands firmly on Darcy’s shoulders now. “Show us where we need to look or else.”
Suddenly, the flipping of the pages began again. “Whoa,” was all Griff could say when the pages stopped turning. “Hidden by Magic: A Glossary,” he read aloud.
“Is that all?” asked .
“Griffin, uh, maybe we should take Darcy back inside. You know, considering he’s a bit of a spy right now,” said Quinn as he looked from to Griff. “That is, unless you want to ask him more questions.”
“Where’s Pruitt?” asked, grabbing Darcy’s collar.
Darcy laughed. “Your serum will only work if Darcy—or his magic intuition—knows the answers. Darcy knows nothing.”
nodded his head, motioning to Julian and Kale. The two grabbed Darcy by his arms and hauled him inside the cabin. He kicked and screamed the whole way. “You know nothing, dirty witch. Your traitor of a wolf will soon rot in eternity!”
“So dramatic.” Griff rolled his eyes before reading from the text. “Those who ask for these magical totems shall receive them. Speak their names aloud and it will be.”
Fen took Darcy’s spot, peering over Griff’s shoulder. “Oh, what an absolute treat. Think having another werewolf by your side might help?”
Griff nodded.
Magnus smiled. “Fen’s the resident bookworm of the Dark Moon Boys.”
“Just be careful,” Quinn cautioned as he took the chair on the opposite side of Griff and scooted close. “You never know what something like this might unleash.”
“Yes, indeed,” said Fen, his hands tracing a long list of items written in a decorative sixteenth century script. “Like this one here, ooh! Scythe of Versipellis!”
The pages of the book lit up.
“Is that really happening?” Griff asked, his eyes now on Fen.
Fen, unsure of what to do next, reached forward into the page. His eyes widened as he pulled out the handle of a weapon.
“Well, wait, that’s not the one we need,” said Quinn. “Put it back in there for now.”
“ Really? ” Fen and Griff sassed the professor in unison, their faces sour.
As soon as they realized their shared reaction, the two turned to one another. “I knew I liked you,” Fen said with a smile as he pulled out the full length of the weapon.
“Dope scythe,” remarked Julian as he came back outside, a half-consumed blood bag in hand.
“Hey, save me some!” grumbled.
“This is the last one,” said Julian, a remark that earned him a punch to the shoulder by . “ Shit. I didn’t mean to be honest about that.”
Fen brought the blade over to Magnus, the two studying its craftsmanship and sacred engravings as Griff and Quinn continued to read through the list.
“Okay, um, Let’s see. Dagger, dagger, dagger…” Griff mumbled as he perused the papyrus, his fingers moving down the list. “Is this it?”
Quinn leaned forward. “Um, Lykos of Athens.” The book once again illuminated a magical light. “Oh, damn. Should’ve put my reading glasses on. Drop it, Griffin.”
“Huh?” Griff asked. Quinn replied by pushing the book off of his lap, letting it fall to the floor as a small wolf cub jumped from the pages and into the cabin’s front yard.
“ Whoa, whoa, whoa ,” Fen quickly turned to face the wolf, scythe at the ready. “Good boy. Er, um, good Lykos of Athens.”
The wolf cub, identical to one they might see in the wild except for its unique coloring—jet black fur on his left side and white on the other, with a black ring around his right eye and a white ring around the other—cocked its head as though it understood.
“Oh, mercy,” Magnus gasped, his hand on his chest. “How adorable.”
Griff gave Quinn a dirty look as the two of them grabbed up the grimoire. “ My bad ,” Quinn shrugged, reaching immediately for the flask that now held out for him.
“Ah ha!” the youngest witch said with a beaming smile. “Found it, I think. Dagger of King Lycaon!” Reaching into the book, he pulled a glowing knife from its pages. Its handle was decorated with golden depictions of a man transforming into a wolf with Zeus looking down on him.
“Damn, are all those witch books like that?” asked . “Any extra weapons in there for me?”
“Well, actually—” began Griff.
“No, no, no!” Quinn shouted. “I think we’ve caused enough chaos with these three things.”
“But— ugh, fine,” pouted. “I’ll just bookmark this spot and wait until I lock the good doctor here back up in my basement.”
“There’s one more thing.” Griff tucked the weapon carefully into his pocket, then carried the book over to Magnus and Fen. “Can you two help me find something in the book?”
Fen shrugged, handing the scythe off to Magnus. He followed the young witch’s lead, letting Griff take his hand. “I sure as hell don’t want Luna, or Darcy, or whoever to know what we’re doing,” said Fen. “So, I’m happy to try.”
“Maybe a witch and a werewolf together can do this,” said Griff. “It is, after all, the book that belonged to?—”
“The Wolf Witch,” Fen replied with a nod.
“Let’s try this,” said Griff as they positioned their palms face down over the book. “I know we decided the only way to stop Luna’s control over everyone is to kill her, but right now we don’t have that option. Follow my lead. To bind a wolf’s power.”
“Bind a wolf’s power,” the two repeated together. A gust of wind blew through the forest, shaking the trees, but the book didn’t budge.
“Well, damn,” cursed Griff. They tried again and again, to no avail.
“Perhaps we can peruse through,” Fen said, turning a couple of pages. “Except there’s thousands of pages.”
’s voice snapped Griff out of his frustration. “I think your new puppy there has got something for you, little witch.” He looked down to see the whimpering Lykos at his feet.
“What is it?” Griff asked of the wolf before looking back to . “Do we have any dog food?”
“Here,” Fen said, taking the book out of Griff’s hands and kneeling next to Lykos. “What are we looking for here, buddy?”
Lykos placed a paw on the papyrus. , Fen, and Griff watched in awe as the text on the page shifted and moved, almost as though the wolf was rearranging the order of the pages. Like pieces of rice carried by water down a kitchen sink, new words fell into place.
“ It’s an elixir of some kind. Ingredients needed to temporarily block werewolf magic on any individual. Wolfsbane, belladonna, and a personal effect of the wolf enactor,” Griff read aloud before looking up. “Whoa, I think this is it!”
“Just what do you have in mind?” asked .
“If this works, I think we can brew up something to stop Pruitt and Darcy from being controlled,” Griff said excitedly, pulling out the small baggie Haven had given him back at the fraternity party and examining the chipped nail that belonged to Luna. “At least for a while.”
“Sounds like it might sting going down, but not a bad idea,” Magnus said, setting the scythe against the outside door frame of the cabin.
“Where’d you guys put Darcy?” Griff asked Julian before handing the grimoire off to Fen. He then retrieved the knife from his pocket.
“He’s upstairs,” replied the vampire. “Kale’s keeping an eye on him.”
“All right,” said Griff, running his fingers along the flat end of the dagger. “Let’s discuss our plan.”