Read Online Full Moon Rising - 02 by Heath Stallcup - Free Book Online

tissue and blood samples, and then froze her in a solid block of ice that he realized his mistake.  He didn’t use silver.  A silver bullet would have corrected everything, all at once.  He could have gone back to his old life, except, without his wife and daughter, he had no life.  Hunting monsters had become his life now.
    Matt punched some keys on his computer and a screen popped up.  He entered his authorization code and a video feed showed the same girl, still frozen in the same block of ice.  Ev ery now and then, water would mist over the block to replace the ice that evaporated off of it.  But she could still be seen.  The water so pure, she appeared encased behind a slightly foggy piece of glass.
    The instruments recorded no respiration, no heartbeat.  Why wasn’t she dead?  He looked at the brainwave readout.  There were lines, but they slowly rose and lowered over so much time you’d have to look over period of hours to notice it.  If this is movement, it’s slow movement.  He watched her again.  In his mind, he could still see her eyes.  Her beautiful eyes.  He could see her shift and those eyes…those enchanting beautiful eyes shifted with her into a wolf.   Perhaps the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on.  But…this…thing, this monster had killed his wife.  She had transformed his life into a living hell.  It had to be put down.  He pulled his sidearm in that darkened alley and he shot it.  Right in the face.  Right between those beautiful, enchanting eyes.
    And he felt a pang of regret.  Every time he thought about it, he felt it.  And to this day he didn’t know what disturbed him more…the regret he felt for shooting her or the increase in pain he felt every time he relived it.
    So he did what he always did.  He tried to stop thinking about it.  Mitchell clicked off the video feed and closed the lid on the laptop.  There was enough pain in his life.  He didn’t need to be adding more.
     

 
    5
     
    Damien stepped quickly toward Paul’s chamber.  The guards made no move to stop him this time.  However, rather than barge in, he requested permission to enter.  The smaller guard simply nodded and pushed the door open for him.  Much simpler. He thought to himself.  Perhaps now they realize that I have some pull around here.
    He stepped within the inner chamber and lowered his eyes.  Paul was seated at his high back chair, reminding Damien of a king sitting on his throne.  He had a brandy snifter of blood in one hand, and an old book in another, a fire going in his faux fireplace.  “Master, I come bearing news of the Beastia.” 
    “Come, spread the good news.” Paul said, rising from his chair. He set the book at a side table and placed the goblet of blood beside it.  “Tell me what you’ve learned.”
    He rose quickly and approached him, almost giddy that they finally found something that could lead them to them.  “We found a wolf, here in D.C. who used to work security for a family off the coast of Texas.”
    Paul waited for Damien to go on, but apparently he didn’t catch on.  “And?” 
    “Oh!  And he said that the wolves who work there are actually ‘gifted’ wolves, meaning that they’re…”
    “I know what they are.  Please, get to the point.” Foster said, becoming agitated.
    “Well, anyway, the gifted wolves, they are all family, but they aren’t enough to provide everything for the Beastia familia, so they hire in other wolves from time to time.”  He said.  “It’s supposed to be pretty nice there, too.  Nice weather, beautiful beaches, a forest to run and hunt in, good hours, horses, too…”
    “Get to the point, Damien!” Paul exclaimed, losing patience.
    “Yes, master.”  He cowered.  “The wolf said that their Beastia Master was a vampire named Thorn.  A Rufus Thorn…”
    “Thorn?” Foster asked.  “Are you certain he said Thorn?” 
    “Yes, master, Thorn.  Why?  Do you know