Read Online Animal Behavior by Gabrielle Holly - Free Book Online
Authors: Gabrielle Holly
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X-ray machine into corner of the
exam room then helped Gwen down from the stainless steel table. He grinned when
her stomach growled. “You really are hungry!”
Even if there wasn’t much of a family resemblance, Gwen and
her late grandfather seemed to share a healthy appetite. Alex took a mental
inventory of the kitchen back at his house. He always stocked plenty of fresh
meat and there was beer in the fridge.
He’d take her back to his place, feed her then bring her
home. As he tidied up the exam room, Alex realized that he hadn’t been to back
to Chaney Acres since John’s death. He missed the old man. From the day they’d
met—three years ago—until the end, the late human consort had shown Alex
nothing but kindness.
* * * * *
Three Years Ago
The morning of Alex’s first full moon, Sergei brought him to
meet John Chaney. The old man lived in a rambling log home that looked as if it
had been added on to a half dozen times over the past century. It was warm and
welcoming with a huge stone fireplace in the central room, rich braided rugs
and overflowing bookshelves flanking the mantle. The old man himself was small
and soft spoken.
“I’ve brought you a pup,” Sergei said by way of introduction.
John shook the young veterinarian’s hand and Alex noted that
the fingers were knotted and bent with arthritis. “Pleased to meet you, Alex.
Sergei has told me about you. You weren’t bitten?”
Alex could only shake his head.
“Not many choose this life, but I suspect the process will
be about the same. You need to eat and hydrate. This week will be the most
difficult. It will get easier.”
“Week? I thought the whole werewolf thing only happened one
night a month.”
“Only in the movies,” John said. “In real life you’ll feel
the effects on the night of the full moon and a two or three days on either
side of it. We call it ‘moon week’.”
“‘In real life’,” Alex repeated and shook his head.
John winked and led Alex to the kitchen. The three sat around
the worn table and enjoyed huge portions of rare steak and runny eggs. Alex was
amazed at how much Chaney ate and wondered where the little man put it all.
Sergei kept Alex’s water glass full and urged him to drink past the point of
slaking his thirst. When Alex tried to wave him off, the Russian persisted. “You
will need your strength, friend.”
Alex began to worry at the men’s warnings and the somber
tone in their voices. He wanted to ask if there was any way they could stop
what was about to happen.
Sergei read the thought and shook his head. “There is no
stopping it, friend. You must endure the trial. The time will come when you
gain some control—never complete mastery—but some control.”
As the sun began to set, Sergei rose to leave. “I’ll collect
him in the morning.”
Alex felt his panic rise. “You’re leaving?”
“You are in good hands, Alex. I must face the moon by myself—as
you will have to one day.”
John bade his friend goodbye then crossed to the side table
near the front door, pulled a necklace from the drawer and slipped it over his
head. At the end of the heavy chain was a large silver amulet in the shape of
an inverted triangle with a spiral filling its center. “Come with me, son,”
John said.
The old man pocketed a flashlight, grabbed a shotgun from
the pegs above the fireplace, then hobbled out the front door and off the
porch. Alex followed with Bob trailing behind. “Tell your dog to stay here.”
It’s okay Bob. Wait here. I’ll be back in the morning, Alex telepathed to the dog. The Lab groaned and flopped down on the porch. John
slung the rifle over his shoulder and walked around the side of the cabin.
The men followed a narrow path into the woods and John
stopped at a tall, stacked stone wall. He pulled aside a bush and bowed to pass
through a low hidden archway. Alex paused and peered into the opening. John
flicked on his flashlight and swept the beam over the walls of
exam room then helped Gwen down from the stainless steel table. He grinned when
her stomach growled. “You really are hungry!”
Even if there wasn’t much of a family resemblance, Gwen and
her late grandfather seemed to share a healthy appetite. Alex took a mental
inventory of the kitchen back at his house. He always stocked plenty of fresh
meat and there was beer in the fridge.
He’d take her back to his place, feed her then bring her
home. As he tidied up the exam room, Alex realized that he hadn’t been to back
to Chaney Acres since John’s death. He missed the old man. From the day they’d
met—three years ago—until the end, the late human consort had shown Alex
nothing but kindness.
* * * * *
Three Years Ago
The morning of Alex’s first full moon, Sergei brought him to
meet John Chaney. The old man lived in a rambling log home that looked as if it
had been added on to a half dozen times over the past century. It was warm and
welcoming with a huge stone fireplace in the central room, rich braided rugs
and overflowing bookshelves flanking the mantle. The old man himself was small
and soft spoken.
“I’ve brought you a pup,” Sergei said by way of introduction.
John shook the young veterinarian’s hand and Alex noted that
the fingers were knotted and bent with arthritis. “Pleased to meet you, Alex.
Sergei has told me about you. You weren’t bitten?”
Alex could only shake his head.
“Not many choose this life, but I suspect the process will
be about the same. You need to eat and hydrate. This week will be the most
difficult. It will get easier.”
“Week? I thought the whole werewolf thing only happened one
night a month.”
“Only in the movies,” John said. “In real life you’ll feel
the effects on the night of the full moon and a two or three days on either
side of it. We call it ‘moon week’.”
“‘In real life’,” Alex repeated and shook his head.
John winked and led Alex to the kitchen. The three sat around
the worn table and enjoyed huge portions of rare steak and runny eggs. Alex was
amazed at how much Chaney ate and wondered where the little man put it all.
Sergei kept Alex’s water glass full and urged him to drink past the point of
slaking his thirst. When Alex tried to wave him off, the Russian persisted. “You
will need your strength, friend.”
Alex began to worry at the men’s warnings and the somber
tone in their voices. He wanted to ask if there was any way they could stop
what was about to happen.
Sergei read the thought and shook his head. “There is no
stopping it, friend. You must endure the trial. The time will come when you
gain some control—never complete mastery—but some control.”
As the sun began to set, Sergei rose to leave. “I’ll collect
him in the morning.”
Alex felt his panic rise. “You’re leaving?”
“You are in good hands, Alex. I must face the moon by myself—as
you will have to one day.”
John bade his friend goodbye then crossed to the side table
near the front door, pulled a necklace from the drawer and slipped it over his
head. At the end of the heavy chain was a large silver amulet in the shape of
an inverted triangle with a spiral filling its center. “Come with me, son,”
John said.
The old man pocketed a flashlight, grabbed a shotgun from
the pegs above the fireplace, then hobbled out the front door and off the
porch. Alex followed with Bob trailing behind. “Tell your dog to stay here.”
It’s okay Bob. Wait here. I’ll be back in the morning, Alex telepathed to the dog. The Lab groaned and flopped down on the porch. John
slung the rifle over his shoulder and walked around the side of the cabin.
The men followed a narrow path into the woods and John
stopped at a tall, stacked stone wall. He pulled aside a bush and bowed to pass
through a low hidden archway. Alex paused and peered into the opening. John
flicked on his flashlight and swept the beam over the walls of
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