Mari Miniatt's Blog, page 6

#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 10 Part 2

Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.

Teodor jumped and aimed for the Hag's neck with his teeth. But she was gone, dispersed by the wind as it roared by the bar. Teodor howled in disappointment. He heard stray dogs take up his howl. Good, he thought, they can look for her too.

He turned back around, kicking the door shut with his back paw. His clothing was in shreds, but he didn't care. That damn Hag showed up here and tried to kill the children. That bitch, he thought.

Teodor turned back to his human. Bilge came up to the door, holding the shot gun in the crook of his arm.

"You alright?" He asked Teodor.

Teodor nodded.

"You're a bit naked."

Teodor looked down. He pulled up what remained of his pants. "Sorry."

He glanced at Amanda, she had turned her attention back to Gunner. Trucker bit his fingernails, hiding behind Amanda.

Teodor held out his other hand to Bilge. "Thanks for not shooting me."

"It wouldn't have worked anyway." Bilge said, taking Teodor's hand. "I don't have any silver."

Teodor chuckled. They shook. Bilge looked out the window. "I thought it was her, but I wasn't certain."

"You knew about the Hag?"

Bilge nodded. "It would have been an insult to my family if I didn't."

Amanda looked up. "Can I move him somewhere warmer?"

"Yeah," Bilge nodded. "Let's get that boy into my apartment. I got an electric blanket."

Amanda nodded. "That would be good."

She picked up Gunner. Teodor watched Bilge's face. Normally a woman the size and build of Amanda would not have been able to pick up a nearly full grown teenager. But Amanda had been strong before she became a werewolf. Teodor grinned at the look of slight shock on Bilge's face.

"Are all of you that strong?" he asked.

Teodor laughed. "Actually, Amanda here is a Midwestern farmer's daughter. She's used to throwing hay bales around."

Bilge chuckled. "I have heard stories about farmer's daughters, but..."

"Guys, please." Amanda said, sharply.

Bilge chuckled and ran to the back of the bar. Amanda followed, leaving Teodor and Trucker alone.

Trucker looked up at Teodor. "That was so cool."

Teodor raised an eyebrow. "That was?"

"Yeah, you looked so mean."

Teodor chuckled. "Look, I have to find some pants."

"I don't think Amanda minds."

"Yeah, but I am freezing my ass off." He walked by Trucker and tossed Trucker's hair.

Trucker laughed.

Teodor went to the back of the bar. Bilge ran down the stairs. He threw a pair of sweat pants at Teodor.

"Just don't rip them out." He said.

Teodor changed behind the bar. Bilge put the shotgun back in its compartment next to the wine bottles.

"I have to ask you," Teodor said, as he tied the cord on the pants. "How did you know about the Hag?"

Bilge leaned on one of his knees, opening small locked cabinet behind the bar. "I saw her when I was a child. As soon as all the same things started to happen around here. I knew she was back."

He opened the cabinet. Inside there were shotgun shells, a few trimmed twigs, a couple of small bags, and baggies of herbs and seeds. Bilge threw the empty shot gun shells in the cabinet and locked it up.

"I have always been prepared," he said.

"What was all that?" Teodor asked.

"Trinkets. Weapons," Bilge said getting up. "Stuff to fight off the real nasties."

"But not werewolves?"

"Why? I have never had an issue with your kind."

"Then you haven't met many of us."

Bilge shrugged. "Perhaps. You are the first."

"Then you lucked out."

Trucker climbed on a stool. "Is Gunner gonna be okay?" He asked.

Teodor nodded. "Yeah, Amanda is amazing."

"Is she a nurse?" Bilge asked.

"Was."

Bilge opened a can of soda for Trucker. "Here you go," He said to Trucker. Then to Teodor. "So what are we going to do?"

"About what?"

"About you and your girlfriend," Bilge said. "I'm not going to have issues during full moons, am I?"

"It doesn't work that way."

"Too bad, I thought the next full moon we could hunt down that bitch hag."

"What is she?"

Trucker looked up. "Yeah."

Bilge poured himself an orange juice. "My dad would have called her Black Annis, but Black Annis does not leave Leicestershire. Over the years I have found out she doesn't have just one name." Bilge leaned against the bar. "I was six or seven, when I saw her. A friend of mine ran away from home. I found him by the old Strake's Canal. As we were talking, she came."

Bilge took a long drink. "She ripped his skin off in front of me."

Teodor glanced at Trucker. Trucker's face was one of the best poker faces Teodor had ever seen. He concentrated on drinking his soda, acting as if he had not heard anything.

"She came after me," Bilge said. "But my dad showed up. That scared her."

The wind hit the building harder now. The creeks and noises started to sound like the Hag came back. Teodor shivered, but not from the cold.

"She wants children that are alone," Teodor said.

Bilge nodded. "Easier to get."

Trucker put down his soda. "Your Dad chased her away?"

Bilge shrugged. "The shells were filled with rock salt. The only thing that seems to hurt her."

Teodor tilted his head. "Really?"

Bilge nodded.

Amanda walked into the bar. "He's asleep and his temperature is rising," She said as she sat down next to Trucker. "And those scratches aren't deep."

She pointed to Bilge. "And you frightened me."

"Sorry about that," Bilge said. "You really thought I was going to shoot some of my favorite employees."

Teodor reached over and took Amanda's hand. "Most of the time when guns are pointed towards us, we get shot."

"Same here," Bilge joked.

Trucker yawned.

Bilge nodded. "Yeah looks like we are going to have a sleep over tonight."

Trucker laid his head down on the bar. Teodor smiled. "One big sleep over."

Bilge finished his orange juice. "I'll lock up, you take him upstairs."

#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 10 Part 1

Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.

Winter came to stay, a few days later, announcing it's presence with a storm. The wind came first. The type of wind that buildings shook. The sleet and ice came next, covering the roads with a thin enough layer of ice to make walking more like skating.

Amanda and Teodor were safely inside The Pit. Trucker had also sought shelter there. Bilge kept the place open, but did not expect anyone to come. Instead, he sat at one of the tables watching the TV above the bar. Amanda cooked a frozen pizza in the small pizza oven. Teodor was teaching Trucker how to play cribbage.

"Okay, you have to count your points," Teodor said, pointing at Trucker's cards.

"Hey Trucker," Bilge said from his table. "Don't let him skunk you."

"Skunk?" Trucker asked.

"Don't worry about it," Teodor said.

Amanda brought over the hot pizza, she placed it on the table with a few paper plates. She sat down next to Trucker. "Eat."

He grabbed a piece of pizza. "You guys not eating?" he asked, stuffing his mouth full.

Amanda shook her head. Teodor moved his peg on the board. The picture on TV above the bar, began to fade out, then went snowy. Bilge got up and moved the antenna around, before giving up.

"Damn weather," he said. "You got a place to stay tonight, Trucker?"

Trucker shook his head.

Teodor glanced out the window. The bar's windows were high up and very small, but even these were getting covered with snow. "We are almost ready to move into our apartment. We may have to stay there tonight, you could join us."

Trucker stuffed another piece of pizza in his mouth. "Sure."

The station on the TV started to come back in. Bilge grabbed an orange juice from the bar and went back to his table. "That would be a good idea," he said sitting down.

The door flew opened, pushed open by the wind. On the other side stood Gunner. He was not dressed for the weather, just a T-shirt and his pants on. He looked around the room wildly.

"Help me!" His cry, almost drowned out by the wind.

Trucker sat frozen, pizza slice halfway to his mouth. Bilge jumped over the bar and slammed the door shut behind Gunner. "Kid, you okay?"

Amanda ran to his side. She felt Gunner's face. "Bilge get me some thick blankets, now." She used her nurse voice. The command surprised Bilge. He jumped and ran to the back of the bar.

Teodor grabbed his jacket off the chair and wrapped it around Gunner's shoulders. Amanda checked Gunner's fingers.

"Gun... Can you touch your nose?"

Gunner looked at her oddly. But when he tried, his finger missed his nose and hit his cheek.

Amanda glanced up at Teodor. "His lips and fingers are blue, he's got hypothermia."

Trucker walked over to Teodor. "What's that?" he asked pointing to Gunner's side.

Teodor looked down. Gunner's shirt, on his left side, had been stained with blood. Amanda lifted the shirt up. There were four long cuts on his side. Just the size that the Hag would have left.

"Trucker, get me some towels from behind the bar," Amanda said.

Trucker ran. Teodor went to one of the windows. He craned his head to look out. The snow blew so hard Teodor could not make out the cars parked next to the bar, let alone the other side of the street.

"I hope these are enough," Bilge said behind Teodor.

Teodor pressed his face against the window pane. A small crack along the edge of the glass let a small breeze come through. He sniffed the air, all he could smell was the snow. He glanced back at Amanda, she used the towels to stop the bleeding. He turned his head back to the window. The Hag's face was in the window. She laughed.

"What the hell is that?" Bilge shouted.

Trucker screamed.

The Hag smiled, her black teeth glisten in the neon light coming from the window. Teodor growled. He slammed his hand against wall next to the window. He could feel himself change and he didn't want to stop. Teodor felt his teeth and face lengthen. His claw dug deep furrows as he clawed at the wall.

"Teodor!" Amanda yelled.

Teodor spun around. Trucker hid behind Amanda. Bilge's face was white. Teodor did not have time to worry about their reactions. He spun back around and snarled at the Hag.

She grinned at him, with her sharp, black teeth. The Hag raised her hand and clawed at the window. The high screeching noise her black fingernails made across the glass, made Teodor howl. He heard Amanda scream behind him, but he didn't turn around to see why.

"Open the door," Bilge yelled.

Teodor tilted his head. He caught a glimpse of the shot gun in Bilge's hand.

"Don't shoot him!" Trucker yelled.

"Not him." Bilge yelled. "Her."

Teodor yanked the door open. The Hag screamed and billowed in on the wind. Teodor rolled to the side. The explosion of the both shotgun shells rang in his ears. The Hag looked down at her torso in surprise. She screamed something in a guttural sounding language. To Teodor's surprise Bilge answered her, in Scottish. Teodor heard the click of the shotgun and another round fired into the Hag.

The Hag screamed. Teodor growled at her. He noticed a strange belt around her waist. It looked like a collection of tanned leather hides. Then he realized it was skins, the skins of the children she had killed.

Interview with Sasha.

I do not have any information on this picture. But it could  be a picture of Sasha.


Welcome can you tell us about yourself?
My name is Sasha. I am a vampire.

You look young. How old were you when you died?
Seventeen.

How did it happen?
It is not a nice story. I got my first job on a whaling vessel. We left port. A day later one of the other sailors attacked me. I was stabbed. they buried me at sea.

 I don't understand. How did that make you a vampire?
The attack didn't, except to kill me. You see, I had seen my mother die when she was thrown from a horse. That night, she sat up. So when I died, I opened my eyes underwater and knew what happened.


You were a vampire?
Yes, I had to get the tarp off. It wasn't until I hit the surface I realized I had become a vampire in water. It has given me certain advantages.

Like what?
The folklore that we cannot cross running water? I live in the water. I like to hang around busy harbors. It is easy to find victims, drunks are my favorite.

You are Steopa's grandson, correct?
One of them.

Why are you in the novel?
I felt my grandfather became injured. I had to see what happened.

Do other vampires know about you?
No, I try to keep myself a secret. Outside of my family, very few vampires view me with trust.


There must not be a lot of food in the water?
That is why I stay around the coasts and in the rivers. When I do have to come out of the water. I like the larger cities. I have no trouble finding food then. Women like me, that helps.

What do you think of the events of the book?
It was nice to see Grandfather again. I like Rebecka too. But those hunters, and those legions. I hated them.

Anything else you want people to know?
I have heard about the deaths in La Crosse, WI along the river. That was not me. I have not traveled the Mississippi.

A theme song for Sasha.

#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 9 Part 2

Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.

Trucker's eyes went wide, then he bolted. Teodor rant after him. "Hey!" He grabbed Trucker by his shoulder.

Trucker tried to shake his way out of Teodor's grip. Teodor would not let go.

"Trucker. Stop running."

Trucker did stop, he pulled at Teodor's hand. "I knew it was you two. I saw you."

"What did you see?" Teodor asked.

"You two are werewolves," Trucker said.

Teodor let Trucker go. The boy did not sound frightened. "How do you know?"

"I saw you guys change. In the woods, the day after you chased me for the records. I was there."

"You saw us?" Teodor asked. Amanda and him had done more that night than change into their human forms.

"Yeah, I stay there when it's not too cold. And you two come in followed by those dogs..." his voice trailed off.

Amanda walked up to Teodor. She looked at Trucker. "Aren't you frightened?"

Trucker shook his head. "No."

"That's very brave of you."

Trucker scoffed. "I've seen The Woman, two werewolves aren't as scary as she is"

"So why'd you run now?" Teodor asked.

"I didn't know what you would do."

"Fair enough."

Amanda lowered herself to Trucker's eye level. "Can you keep a secret?"

Trucker tilted his head. "Depends."

Amanda glanced back at Teodor. "Are you going to tell the other kids about us?"

Trucker shook his head. "They won't believe me."

"Good, because we don't want the kids any more frightened than they are."

"You seem like you are nice werewolves."

Teodor nodded. If it had been Teodor's family that Trucker had seen, Trucker would be a meal now. "Nicer than most."

Trucker glanced in the direction of the old work house. "I gotta get back." He turned to run, but stopped and came back. "Do you guys get fleas?"

Amanda giggled. Teodor nodded. "Yeah, we can get fleas."

Trucker laughed then turned around and ran off. Amanda glanced at Teodor. She smiled. "There is a great kid under all the tough guy act."

"You're falling in love with him aren't you?" Teodor asked.

"Well, he is a good kid. What type of parents would let a kid like him run away?"

Teodor took her hand. "There are some people in the world that should not be parents. Take mine for example."

She thought for a moment, biting her bottom lip. "But you never ran away."

"Oh, I would have," he said. "But Father also paid the werewolf hunters well. I would have been on the next list, if I would have left."

"He would have killed you?"

"Hell, he tried himself three times."

She looked shocked. Teodor tried to giver her a small reassuring smile. "Some of us are lucky enough to have parents that love and care for us. Some of us have to deal with real horrible people. Unfortunately, that means kids like Trucker feel safer on the streets."

Amanda shook her head. "If I find out they hurt him-"

"No, hurting them won't do anything. Best thing for Trucker now is for us to help him."

"Which means we have to find The Woman."

Teodor nodded. "Yeah, we have to figure out how to kill a hag."

#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 9 Part 1

Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.


Even before the chldren came to the door. Teodor could sense something was wrong. He pawed at the door. A moment later the door opened. One of the older girls petted Amanda's head as they passed.

Teodor smelled fear. It wasn't the same fear that he had smelt the night the old woman had attacked. He shook his head. Old woman was not a good description, hag fit her better.

As Amanda and him entered the old cafeteria, he noticed that the younger children had made their beds in the middle of the room. The older children were off to one side, huddled in a circle. Teodor padded over to Gunner. He laid down beside him. It gave him a great view of the conversation.

"Are you sure none of you saw Jazz today?" Gunner asked.

A girl in a pink shirt and snarled ponytails bit her nails. "I did."

"Where?" Gunner asked.

"Over by the river," she said. "Talking to those other kids."

"The River Rats?"

The girl nodded. "I asked him later why'd he go over there. He said they had some jobs for him."

Teodor watched Gunner's face. His face went still as he clenched his jaw. "We have nothing to do with those kids. If Jazz comes back, he will have to apologize."

"What if they do have jobs for us?" The girl asked.

Tache took in a sharp breath. "They work for some nasty people."

Gunner stared at the girl. "The last girl that went over to them for a job, ended up in a movie. Not a movie you would want to show your friends."

A black haired girl nodded. "She killed herself afterwards."

The blond girl suddenly found her feet interesting. Gunner reached over and scratched behind Teodor's ears.

"Anyone seen the Woman?" he whispered.

All of the children in the circle shook their heads. Gunner looked at Teodor. "I think the dogs help," he said. "But if they are really wolves. We can't tame them."

The black haired girl spoke. "I heard that she took a boy in Konakove, two nights ago. Reached right in to where he was staying and pulled him out."

"For real?" Tashe asked.

She nodded. "They only found some blood."

Gunner stopped scratching Teodor's head and reached behind him to pull out the baseball bat. "We need to find more weapons. In case she comes back."

"I told you I could get a gun," A red headed boy said.

"No guns," Gunner said. "The River Rat's use those and we are better then them."

"Besides," Tashe said. "The only one of us that got away from her was Trucker. And he knocked a table into her."

Gunner whistled. "Trucker, come here!"

Trucker had been playing with Amanda. He stood up and walked over to the circle. Gunner patted the floor beside him. Trucker sat down, giving Teodor a strange look as he did so.

"What happened that night the Woman chased you?" Gunner asked.

"She ripped my jacket," Trucker said. "I ran through an outdoor cafe. Knocked over a table as I ran. She screamed and stopped chasing me."

"What was on the table?" Gunner asked.

Trucker shrugged. "I'm not sure, Ketchup bottle, mustard, salt and pepper shakers."

"Maybe she doesn't like mustard," the red headed boy said.

"Wooden bats do shit," Gunner said. He tapped his metal bat in his other hand a few times. "Joe had a wooden bat."

Trucker shrugged. "The table was metal."

Gunner thought for a long time. He stood up. "Alright, tomorrow we find as many weapons we can get our hands on that are metal."

"A gun's metal," The red head said.

"Shut up."

Teodor padded over to Amanda. She let some of the younger girls brush her hair. Teodor nudged her flank. Amanda rolled on to her feet. She stood up and shook out her fur. The girls moaned.

Trucker ran over to them with the can of dog food. Teodor tried not to gag. Amanda ate it without an issue. Teodor sniffed the food. When I left my family and had to pretend to be a dog those years, I got so sick of this, he thought.

Teodor lifted his head. Trucker sat on the floor watching them. He gave Teodor a smile. Teodor padded over to him and laid on the floor. Trucker petted Teodor.

Amanda lifted her head, licking her lips. Teodor whined and they went outside. They stayed in their wolf forms until they made it back to where they kept their clothing. A light snow fell. Amanda changed quickly, she shivered as she dressed.

Teodor took his time. He heard sounds in the woods that were not normal. Amanda sat on a log and watched him slowly dress.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Just some noises." Teodor whispered.

Amanda nodded. "I heard them too." Her eyes went wide. "Do you think it that woman?"

Teodor shook his head. "No, you can feel that hag in your bones, and I don't."

He put his shirt back on. Now Teodor recognized the sounds. Someone was trying to stand still, but couldn't. Teodor sniffed the air. All he could smell were the children.

Teodor finished dressing. He stood up and glanced back at the old building. He saw a shadow move. It was the size of one of the children. Teodor moved his head, to try to get a better look. He saw Trucker.

#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 8

Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.
Teodor found Steopain one of the old loading docks.
"We saw that thing," he said.
Steopa threwt down the section of conveyor belt. "Where?"
"Not far from here."
Steopa started to walk toward the door. Teodor stopped him. "I think it was Baba Yaga."
"What?"
"It was an old woman, she skinned the boy alive."
Amanda joined them. She nodded.
"You saw it, too?" Steopa asked.
Amanda nodded, again.
"That noise. At the work farm had to have been her fingers," Teodor said.
"It cannot be Baba Yaga." Steopa said.
"Then who was she?" Teodor asked.
"Not Baba Yaga."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because she is a myth."
"So are vampires," Teodor said.
Steopa stared at Teodor.
Teodor sighed. "Fine, it was Muma Padurii, her name is not important."
"But it was a woman?" Steopa asked.
Amanda nodded. "An old woman, she walked by us before we ran into Jazz."
"Then she changed," Teodor said. "Her eyes were white. Her teeth were black."
Steopa looked off into the distance for a moment, then shook his head. "Where did she go?"
"She just disappeared, there was no smell. I couldn't even follow Jazz's blood."
Steopa raised an eyebrow. "That is interesting."
"Oh, this is enough." Amanda said. "I have to see if the rest of those children."
"Amanda-"
"I have to see if they are alright.
"I want to know what that woman is."
"It's obvious you guys don't know, I'm going to the work farm."
She spun on her heels and walked away.
Teodor turned to stop her, then turned back to Steopa. "I...," he said.
"Go," Steopa said. "She is being foolish."
"She's not foolish."
"If you find that chicken leg cabin, you tell me."
Teodor ignored Steopa. He caught up with Amanda. Her face was red, her lips were pressed together and now were white. She growled.
"Amanda," He said as he came closer.
"You decided to come."
"Of course."
"He thought we were being stupid."
"No," Teodor said, taking her arm. "Because I jumped to conclusions and said it was Baba Yaga."
"Who is that?" Amanda asked.
"She is a witch. She travels through the countryside, looking for children to eat."
"Like a bogyman?" Amanda asked.
"She was more powerful. She could fly through the air, using her mortar and pestle. And her house moved too, it was on chicken legs."
Amanda giggled. "That sounds silly."
Teodor shook his head. "When she did find a place that her house would stay. The path to it was lined with the spines and the skulls of people she had killed. There were a few that approached her and got help. But more than likely she would kill you."
"Could she be real?"
"I hope not."
Amanda stopped walking after a few moments. "When I was younger, my family moved to Texas. One of my friends was this Hispanic girl. She told me about this woman that would drowned children. You could see her walking along the roads, looking for children. I think she was called La Llorona."
"Did she eat them?"
"We are not sure she ate Jazz," she said. "That woman would drown the children, because she thought they could stay with her. She lived in water." She waved her hands in the air. "All we saw, was her taking Jazz's skin. What if she is killing the kids for their skins?"
"That is still horrible."
"I know, but maybe there is another mythical woman that collected skins." Her shoulders sank. "Like it's going to help."
Teodor pulled her close. "It might. The people that were able to walk away from Baba Yaga had to be prepared."
Amanda nodded. "Let's see how the kids are doing."
Teodor agreed. They left the old base and hurried to the old work farm.

#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 7

Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.
When Teodor told Steopa that they would have a new place in a few weeks, Steopa's expression did not change. "If that's what you need to do."
Over the next few weeks they got their new apartment ready. Bilge paid for all the fixtures, but they still had to pay for the paint and carpets. Teodor and Amanda were having fun. At night, they would go to the work farm. Nothing happened for weeks. The kids enjoyed having them around. Teodor and Amanda did the loyal dog routine for them.
The kids would play with them, and rough up their hair. But Teodor didn't mind and he could tell Amanda loved it. Gunner always had food for them. That was the only thing Teodor didn't like, the kids would give up some of their food to feed the "Wolfy-dogs".
Their new place wasn't quite livable, yet. so they would still have to sleep at the base. They walked back to Steopa's, taking the back alleys.
"Do you think we will have the place ready by Thanksgiving?" Amanda asked.
"When's that?"
"Two weeks."
"Maybe. Why?"
"I would love to cook a real Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, stuffing, and potatoes, and everything."
Teodor chuckled. "That sounds like too much for us."
"Well, for us and Bilge, and Trucker."
Teodor shrugged. He tried to listen for any dogs. But he wasn't hearing the normal communications about who bested who, what new dogs there were, and other such nonsense. He wasn't hearing anything.
The wind picked up, blowing hard as they crossed a street to an alley on the other side. An old woman walked down the road. She held on to her hat with one hand. The other grasped around the collar of her jacket. She swayed with the wind.
Teodor and Amanda ducked into the alleyway. The old woman continued down the street.
"Was she drunk?" Amanda asked.
Teodor shook his head. "I didn't smell any on her," he said. "I didn't smell anything."
"You're right-"
"You guys got any change." Said a shivering voice, behind them.
Teodor turned. One of the boys from the work farm sat by the garbage cans. The one called Jazz. He hadn't even lifted his head when he asked for the money.
Amanda dug in her purse. She pulled out a dollar and bent down to hand it to Jazz. Jazz looked up for a moment. Both of his eyes were black and blue.
"What happened?" Amanda asked.
Jazz's bottom lip bled from the cut.
"I fell down," He said.
Amanda shook her head, "It looks like someone beat you up, Ja.."
Teodor hit her foot with his.
"Ja...junior," she said. "We could take you to the hospital."

Jazz chuckled. "No, thank you. This aint the worst."
He stood up, pocketing the dollar. "Thanks lady, but I can take care of myself."
He zipped up his jacket. Teodor smelled blood on him. There was a dark, moist, patch along his side. Jazz began to walk to the mouth of the alley.
"Hey wait up" Teodor called after Jazz. "Who stabbed you?"
Jazz glanced back, but ran a way with a limp. He held onto the side of his body with the wound with his hand. Teodor ran after him.
The old woman walked toward Jazz. Teodor picked up speed. Jazz zigged around the old woman, she reached out.
Her hand stretched, her fingers curling over Jazz's shoulder. Her fingernails dug into his flesh. She threw Jazz to the ground. Teodor skidded to stop. He felt it, every part of him that was a wolf wanted to attack. She grinned. Her teeth looked like multiple daggers. She jumped on Jazz, growling. Her skin turned dark blue as her eyes turned white.
Amanda ran past Teodor. She ripped her clothes off, throwing her shirt to the ground. She howled. The old woman turned. She raised her hand. Her black and pointed fingernails elongated. The woman struck Amanda as she jumped. The blow sent Amanda backwards. She yelped in pain.
Teodor got between Amanda and the woman. She brought her hand back and struck Teodor. The blow felt as if he had been struck by a truck. He hit a set of concrete steps. He yelped in pain and landed over on his back. He rolled and crawled until he could stand.
The old women picked up Jazz. She ran her long black fingernails down his chest. Jazz screamed. She sliced his skin open, then flipped him over.
Amanda turned into the hybrid form and jumped over a car, howling. The old woman de-gloved Jazz in one pull. She picked up his corpse with one hand and threw it over her back. Then she smiled at Teodor and disappeared. Teodor ran over to the spot were Jazz had been killed. Blood covered the ground. No smell, except for Jazz's blood. He heard Amanda cry. He padded over to her.
"Why?" Amanda asked.
Teodor changed back, stretching as he did. "She's hunting those children."
"What was it?"
"I am not sure," He said. When I was young, there was a name, a name I havn't heard since I was a child. "It can't be."
"Tell me."
"I have to speak to Steopa."
She threw on her shirt. "Why?"
"Just trust me."
"She looked like a normal old lady."
"We look like normal humans, too." Teodor said.
Amanda shook her head. "But we don't hunt humans."
Teodor sighed. "We could. It's only because we have decided not to, that we don't hunt humans. But meat is meat."
"That is horrid," she said.
"But it's the truth." He put his arm around Amanda.
She sighed and put her head on his shoulder. "Alright, lets talk to Steopa."

#SampleSunday Chapter 17 - Patriarch

Again, only the first 300 or so words

Teodor unlocked the bike lock they had used to secure the basement door. The hunter had been tied to the wall in the darkest part of the basement. Steopa ducked as he went down the stairs. The hunter looked up, his mouth covered with duct tape. He opened his eyes wide, then lowered his head.

Silva sat on a table, studying the hunter. On the table next to her were bungee cords and duct tape. She looked over her shoulder as Steopa approached.

"He's talkative tonight," she said. "And speaking English too."

He walked up to the hunter and ripped the duct tape off the man's face. "Who told you about me?"

The hunter lowered his eyes. "If I tell you, I'm dead."

"You are dead already. Who is Simon?" Steopa asked.

The old hunter chuckled, but shook his head. "Trouble. That's what he is. We should have staked him, not worked for him. Half my crew has died."

"He is another vampire," Steopa said.

Silva cleaned her fingernails. "He was cursing that name earlier."

"Simon claims you killed his sister," the hunter said. "I think he is lying. He has another reason."

"I know." Steopa thought for a moment. "Did he say when or how I killed his sister?"

The hunter nodded. "You found her in Berlin."

Steopa growled. He motioned to Silva to leave the basement. She ran up the stairs. Steopa walked over to the hunter. He placed each of his hands on a side of the old man's head. His hands were large enough to cover the old man's face. Steopa leaned close.

"He is a liar. His sister disappeared last year. He has only been a vampire for a few weeks. Do you want to know the truth about me? I was attacked on my way home to see my wife. I had been fighting Napoleon's troops. I killed that blond blydischa after she tried to feed off me. Because of her I am a vampire."

Big Announcement

I AM DOING MY FIRST CONVENTION!!!

That's right folks, I have been invited to be a special guest at EmpireCon! I will be on a panel about self publishing, holding a book signing, and also do a couple of readings. A chapter from Fledgling and Killer. Maybe, if you are good. I will read the first chapter of Patriarch too.

EmpireCon is taking place in Sycacuse, NY on October 8-9, 2011 at the Crowne Plaza.
Here is what they say:


Central New York's new Sci-Fi & Fantasy convention debuts with a full weekend of events featuring:

Special GuestsPanels & WorkshopsVideo & Table Gaming - including Magic the Gathering Standard Constructed Tournament DCI sanctioned, Prizes pool based on attendanceMasquerade & CosplayLive PerformancesLive Fighting/Weapons DemosLive Action & Animation Screening Rooms (including Anime Pajama Party & Up All Night Horror)Dealer's Room (FREE & open to the public)LARPConSuite 


Saturday 10:00am - 10:00pm (select events to remain open after hours) 
Sunday 10:00am - 5:00pm 
General Admission: $20 Sat / $10 Sun / $25 Weekend 
Magic Tournament Entry: $25 Sun / $40 Weekend (includes con pass)
For more information contact EmpireCon@ymail.com or 315-491-0430


Full website at EmpireCon

Did you see the price there? Cheap for a con!

Its appropriate that I will be a special guest for the first time at a first time event. We will get through this together!

 I hope to see you there.

Heck if I wasn't a guest, I would be going for the LARPing.

#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 6 Part 2

Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.
Carol stopped the forklift. "Just put it in the office, Dad." She called out. "Bilge, you want to drive your truck up?"
Bilge nodded. He got up, "Wait for me."
Teodor sat back on the chair. Mr. Sansard came out of the office. "Your left hand."
Teodor glanced down. "What about it?"
"You have a claw."
Teodor glanced down again. Mr. Sansard had very good eyes. It was a family trait. His left thumb nail was thicker and longer than the rest of his nails. Even when he was changed, that claw was always slightly bigger.
"So?" Teodor said.
"I know what you are," Mr. Sansard said. He made the sign of the cross as he spoke. "You stay away from my family."
Teodor sighed. "I have no intention of harming your family."
Mr. Sansard made another sign of the cross. But he was thinking, Teodor could tell as the old man started to chew the inside of his cheek. "Do you only change at night?"
Teodor shook his head. Mr. Sansard did know his lore. The werewolves you had to really watch out for were the ones that could only change at night. They were the ones that could not control their hunger.
Mr. Sansard relaxed. "My Grandfather ran into one of those kind."
"I am not that kind." Teodor said. "But you will tell anyone?"
Mr. Sansard shook his head. "They won't believe me."
Bilge walked back into the warehouse. He waved Teodor over. Bilge lowered the gate to the back of his truck. When Teodor came closer, Bilge asked, "What did Mr. Sansard have to talk to you about?"
Teodor shook his head. "It was nothing."
"His mind has been going ever since his little stay in the hospital. So take what he says with a grain of salt, ya know what I mean?"
Teodor nodded, but he was certain that Mr. Sansard was in his right mind when he figured out what Teodor was. Not many people knew what to look for when they saw a werewolf in their human form. Teodor was both impressed and a bit frightened at the same time.
Bilge loaded the truck. Teodor jumped in the back of the bed and arranged the cases that Bilge handed him. It took them about a half an hour to load up the beer. Teodor jumped down. Bilge walked over to the office and paid. When he came back he was shaking his head.
"We should go," he said. "Carol is about to lose her mind."
Teodor wondered if that had to do with her father telling her that a werewolf was in the warehouse.
When they returned to the Pit, Amanda stood behind the bar, serving the two customers. Trucker sat at the bar as well, in front of him a coloring book and a large soda.
"Where'd you get that?" Bilge asked Trucker, as they brought in the first load.
"I got it for him." One of the customers said. He hair had been shaved on the sides of his head, leaving one long strip of hair.
Amanda smiled. "Trucker was bored."
The customer raised his beer mug. "And he looks like my brother, so what the hell."
Teodor shook his head and placed a case of beer behind the bar
After they unloaded the truck, Teodor sat down at a table with Amanda to take a break. "I ran into an old guy that recognized what I am."
She looked panicked. "Should we worry?"
"No, he's old," he said. "And he didn't seem too frightened of me. But Trucker followed us to the factory."
Amanda nodded. "I thought so, he's a sneaky little bastard."
Teodor chuckled. Bilge came over to the table.
"I have to show you both something," he said, leaning on his knuckles on the table.
They followed Bilge to the outside. He unlocked a side door that lead to a set of stairs going up. Bilge walked ahead. They made it to the first landing and he turned to continue upstairs. At the second landing, Bilge unlocked the door.
The door opened to an open wide space. Nothing inside but support columns. Except for a small room with a toliet, and a counter with a sink and range. The place was bare.
"If you want, you could fix this up," Bilge said. "I'll rent it to you for seventy-five a month."
Amanda stepped into the room. "Would you knock it off what we spend to fix it up, off the rent?" She asked.
"Yeah," Bilge said.
"What about utilities?" Amanda asked.
"I'll throw them in." Bilge said.
Amanda gave Teodor the look that told him, he better not say no.
"Well it's the best thing that came our way, yet." Teodor said.
"Of course it means I will take full advantage of you living up here." Bilge said. "You might not get many days off."
Amanda took Teodor's hand, "This is nicer than where we are staying." She whispered.
Teodor nodded.
A few hours later the bar was busy, but not full like it had been the night before. Teodor spent most of his time, cleaning up after the customers. When the late news came on, Amanda reached up and turned up the volume on the TV.
A reporter stood in front of an abandoned apartment building. "This is Laurie Johnston with a special report."
Teodor filled up the mop bucket to clean the men's room. He has only half listening to the report, until he heard Amanda gasp.
The reporter talked to a middle aged woman. "This is becoming a problem, not just because we are talking about children that should be at home, but because winter is coming." The middle aged woman said into the microphone. "It is very hard for an adult to survive the winter, let alone a young child."
Teodor turned the water off and listened.
"How many children do you estimate are living on the streets?" The reporter asked.
"It is a few hundred." The middle aged woman said. "But that amount is triple what it was last year."
"Any reason for that?"
"There could be many. But we think the main reason is last year the census was taken using only the information that the police could give us. This year we sent student social workers to the places were the children live."
"It's really heart breaking," The reporter said.
"Yes, Laurie it is."
Amanda glanced over at Teodor. She had tears welling in her eyes.