Hair in All The Wrong Places (17 page)

Colin couldn't decide whether she was sad or angry or a dynamic mixture of the two.

“Answer me!” demanded Becca.

I'm going to call that angry.

“If I could get a word in edgewise, I'd be happy to start answering your questions,” said Colin, smiling. Becca offered a reluctant smile in return.

“Colin, you're a werewolf.”

“Yes.”

“Did you … did you kill Sam Bale?”

Now it was Colin's turn to be angry. Bad enough wondering if he was a killer without the girl he liked thinking it too. “Oh, come on, Becca! Do you really th—”

“It's a legitimate question. I just found out the guy I've been crushing on is a werewolf!”

“I just found out that the girl I've been crushing on is a … what are you anyway?”

He could feel and smell the anger return.

“I'm a necromancer!”

“You fall asleep a lot?”

Her anger subsided a little.

“That's narcolepsy.”

“So you … ?”

“I bring people back from the dead. And I can heal almost any sort of injury.”

“Creepy.”

“Says the dog boy?”

Ha! Good one.

“Zombie queen!”

“Go find a ball. We can play fetch.”

“So do you and Satan hang out?”

“Now I know why you always smell like wet dog.”

Colin couldn't think of a good comeback. So he chose the obvious thing to do in such an awkward situation with the girl of your dreams.

Colin kissed her.

It was a passionate first-time kiss with a limited amount of drool. Colin rated it a ten, but he really didn't have anything else to compare it to.

Becca looked a little confused. Or was she happy?

“What? Did I do it wrong? Was it the wrong time? I thought we had a bit of a thing going there and I saw an opportunity and I may have been panicking a little. To be honest, I'm panicking again now and—”

Becca kissed Colin.

It was better this time, less drool.

“Wow,” said Colin.

His skin was tingling again, but he felt in control. For the moment, at least. “Did you say you've been crushing on me?” Colin suddenly remembered. “Since when?”

Becca shrugged. “Since a while. I don't break into everyone's house in the middle of the night, ya know?”

“Wow,” repeated Colin.

“What?”

“Well, it's just a funny thought. I mean, getting bit by a werewolf and worrying that I may have eaten a classmate while being hunted by your father, well, it may have been the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Becca smiled, the rest of her anger subsiding. “So you didn't kill Sam Bale?”

“I'm almost 95% sure that I didn't. Everything was a bit of a blur the night I was bitten. Silas didn't kill him either. He came here to hunt the other werewolf in town.”

“And who is the other werewolf?”

“We haven't figured it out yet. Although, all this time you've known about all of this. Elkwood, the wolf attack. Everything! You knew there was a werewolf in town, and you still took us out to that crime scene. Do you have a death wish?”

“My powers emerged at a young age; I guess death doesn't scare me like it does other people. I've literally seen the other side.”

“What's it like?”

“It's all rainbow-colored and smells like freshly baked cookies.”

“Seriously?”

“No, not even close.”

They both laughed.

“Becca, where are they taking Silas?”

“They'll take him to the compound. It's the old army base beyond the forest. They hold the more volatile subjects up there while they study their behavior.”

“We have to go get him. He's not a bad werewolf. He's
the balance! He's the one who keeps the bad werewolves at bay. It's some sort of life mission of his.”

“Colin, I'm all for breaking your werewolf daddy out of the top-secret government base guarded by trained soldiers who carry very high-powered weaponry and are reinforced with magic.”

“But?”

“No but.” Becca smiled that smile that Colin loved.

“How do we get there?”

“I could ride you?” suggested Becca, her face flushing. “Would that be weird? Honestly, that just slipped out. I mean, you could change and then I could … just kill me now. Bite my head off or something.”

Colin laughed. “I don't know where I'm going. You'll need to direct me.”

“I can do that.”

There was an element of risk. Silas had said they could track werewolves in their wolf form but then, there was no other fast way to the base. Colin hoped they were too preoccupied with Silas to worry about him. He kicked off his shoes, and stripped down to his underwear.

“Would you, uh, would you mind turning around?” said Colin.

Becca snapped around quickly. “Sorry!”

“It's just that this is only the second time I've changed, and I really don't think it's something you'll want to see. There's a lot of stretching and bones clicking. It's actually kinda gross. Oh, and can you bring my clothes? I'll need something to wear once we're up there.”

Becca nodded.

“Okay. Here we go.”

Colin wasn't sure where to start. He had voluntarily brought on a change from werewolf to human, but he'd only done it the other way once and it wasn't by choice. Reaching out with his mind, he searched for Silas but couldn't find him anywhere.

Silas, are you out there?

Nothing.

C'mon, Colin. Think wolfy thoughts!

It didn't work.

Becca had collected all his clothes and folded them neatly into a bundle. “How's it going over there?” said Becca.

“It's not. I don't know how to do this. I must be the worst werewolf in history.”

“How did you change the first time?”

“I was overcome with a strong emotion.”

“What emotion?”

Crap.

“It's hard to explain.”

“What's hard to explain?”

“Shh,” said Colin.

Something was moving in front of the school. Colin could hear light footsteps. Then the faint crackle of a radio.

“Oh no.”

“What?”

“Good evening, Mr. Strauss,” said the booming voice of Principal Hebert.

Lights flicked on from several different directions. Focused on his change, Colin hadn't heard the team of agents or guards or whatever they were until it was too
late. He was also suddenly very aware that he was only wearing his underwear.

Colin quickly counted ten different lights, each one mounted to a rifle and trained on Colin. He could hear Becca's heart begin to race. Fortunately, he could hear everyone else's heartbeats, and they were fast. These men were nervous. Colin tried to not take too much joy in the potentially dangerous situation, but it made him feel kind of good. These people were afraid of him.

“Mr. Strauss,” said Principal Hebert, who was also carrying a rifle, “you were sighted at the town hall meeting this evening. And now here you are, practically naked behind the school with Ms. Emerson. Quite unexpected.”

“We're … we're dating,” tried Colin lamely.

“Mr. Strauss, would you mind explaining why you were at the town hall tonight, why you suddenly have muscles, and why you …never mind. Let's just get to the point. Are you, Colin Strauss, a werewolf?”

Colin laughed uncomfortably. “Me? A werewolf?”

Say no, say no, say no, say no.

“Yes,” said Colin, “yes, I am.”

It wasn't some macho move to suddenly admit to what he was, it was actually nothing like that. Colin simply didn't feel ashamed. Being a werewolf gave him a certain amount of power, and frankly, he loved it. An even bigger thrill ran through him when several of the men with guns took a short step backward at his declaration.

“I really thought you were joking when you told me you were late because you had stolen a car and seen a giant wolf creature in your shower. It never occurred to
me that plain old Colin Strauss was a killer.”

“Woah, now wait a moment, Mr. Hebert,” said Colin. “I didn't kill Sam Bale.”

“That remains to be seen.”

“I'll take it from here, Hebert, you great buffoon,” said the tiny figure of Colin's grandmother as she pushed her way past two agents with guns and walked straight past Principal Hebert.

“Grandmother,” said Colin.

The blind woman stopped a few feet in front of Colin.

“Mrs. Strauss—” tried Principal Hebert.

“Oh, shut your trap and let me do my job! Now listen here, boy. I'm going to read your mind. And we'll see exactly what's going on up there in that sad excuse you call a brain.”

So this was how they had found Colin, his grandmother had tipped them off. He had never despised the woman more than he did at that very moment.

Oh, calm your feisty little mind down!

It was his grandmother's voice, in his head.

Can you hear me?

Yes, and you can hear me. Now listen carefully to me, my boy. I know moving here hasn't been easy for you. Now that you can see Elkwood for what it is, I expect you can understand why I wasn't thrilled when your parents decided to send you here. It's a dangerous place, and these idiots with the guns don't know any better. They're fumbling around catching creatures and monsters and all sorts of other things they don't understand.

Grandmother, I didn't kill Sam Bale.

I know that, you great fool. I'm in your mind, and I see everything. Now, one day you and I will have a long talk about stealing cars and sneaking out at night, but today is not that day. Tell me, do you know who killed the Bale boy?

No. Silas and I have been trying to figure it out. All we know is that it wasn't either of us.

And this Silas, he's a good werewolf. I can see it in your mind. You and the Emerson girl were going to go after him?

He's innocent. He's the one that came here to catch the werewolf that killed Sam Bale. Whatever they're going to do with him up at that base, he doesn't deserve it.

I'm going to buy you some time. You need to turn yourself into that thing, and you and the girl go and free that man. I may work for these idiots, but I don't approve of their methods, nor do I like people pointing guns at my grandson. Even if he is rude. Interesting. But rude.

Colin couldn't help himself; he was smiling inside. He glanced back to see Becca slowly backing a few feet away.

I tried to change. I couldn't do it.

Try harder.

That's it? That's your advice? Aren't you a witch or something? I would have thought you being a witch would give you, I don't know, some sort of ancient wisdom?

Oh, I'm not just a witch …

Colin's grandmother smiled. It was a ghastly picture to behold. Colin had never seen it happen. The creases in her face must have felt terribly unnatural to bend into such a position.

… I'm a very powerful witch.

Lightning tore across the night sky. The ground began to shake and thunder boomed from the heavens.

“What are you doing?” said Principal Hebert. “Keep your weapons on the boy.”

A few of the men lost their footing as the earth moved beneath them, lightning striking in rapid succession around the school. Several others dropped their guns and headed for cover.

“Stop this right now!” demanded Principal Hebert. But it was clear that Colin's grandmother had no intention of stopping.

A wind began to roar around the school, and Colin dropped to the ground to keep from being knocked off his feet.

“I said stop this right now, Beatrice!” Principal Hebert's voice was lost to the wind. A tornado erupted where he stood and threw him across the ground. He regained his footing and screamed into his radio mic. “Take the boy down. Take him now!”

Even though most of the men had fled, Colin clearly heard several weapons being loaded through the chaotic storm.

Now, Colin. Do it now!

Colin took the fear of being shot, the fear of the storm raging around him, and the fear he'd always felt for his grandmother and pushed them together inside him. The creature within began to wake, but it wasn't happening fast enough!

A gun fired, the
zing
of a tranquilizer dart whizzing past his ear, and that was the final much-needed push.
The wolf inside him sensed the danger and erupted like a string of explosions. Instead of his skin tingling, Colin experienced a brief, sharp pain, bones quickly snapping into place and muscles expanding as claws flicked out of his fingers and toes. Hair exploded from his body while his mouth extended into a snout and his teeth grew. In a split second, he was a werewolf again, and he felt the power surge through him. It felt amazing. He growled loudly.

Colin paused a brief moment to truly look at his grandmother. This not so frail lady was the guardian of the entire town. She kept it all a secret by never allowing the sun to shine in Elkwood. She was hiding the town from the rest of the world.

Gran, what about you?

Don't be a baby. I can take care of myself.

Another shot fired and Colin quickly ducked and growled. He turned, grabbed Becca who had been holding onto one of the school picnic tables to keep from being blown over, and threw her onto his back as he dropped onto all fours. “Hold on,” Colin tried to say, but it came out as more of a growl.

Hold on,
he thought instead. Becca gripped two handfuls of the thick hair on Colin's back as he accelerated into the night. The ground flew beneath him as he cleared the football field in seconds, leaving the school, the men who were shooting at him, and his all-powerful witch of a grandmother behind.