Just another day for Jan, a veterinary technician on the brink of some well-deserved vacation time. That is, until Lucky shows up...

“Where’d this guy come from?” Jan asked, eyeing a huge black dog lying on the exam table. Her training took over, forcing her into action with the doctor.

“I don’t know.” The doctor shrugged. “The receptionists brought him on a stretcher. He’s in pretty bad shape.”

Jan glanced up at Doctor Everett with skepticism as she started shaving around a wound on the dog’s side. Her stomach twist in anger.

“Nice bullet wound,” Everett replied nonchalantly. “Let’s roll him over.”

Jan put the clippers onto the counter a little harder than she wanted. The plastic smacked the table, causing the dog to startle awake.

“Sorry, buddy,” Jan mumbled. She caught the dog’s head before it slammed into the table, its eyes open in horror. Jan gazed into them for a moment. Feeling a sudden sense of uneasiness, she glanced back up at Everett.

“Over, Jan.”

“Uh, yeah,” she replied, “But, I think I want a muzzle first.”

Everett sighed. “Suit yourself.” He walked away, returning with one of the nylon muzzles the hospital kept in reserve for their special patients. “Looks like you win yourself a party hat, son.”

Jan held the dog’s head still while Everett snapped the muzzle into place, assuring them both some safety while they rolled him over for examination.

The buzz of the clippers vibrated into the air, producing an irritated rumbling growl from the dog. Jan winced. No exit wound. Somewhere in this animal’s abdomen, was the slug. An x-ray would tell for sure.

Jan met Everett’s sparked expression and fell into emergency mode alongside him. The doctor was notorious for his nonchalant attitude until the chips were not only down, but had virtually shattered all over the place. At that point, he’d get the led out of his ass and put everything into motion. She couldn’t help but admire him for that.

Holding off a vein in the dog’s front leg, she watched as Everett slid the needle through the skin like a knife through butter. The catheter flashed red as it filled with the animal’s blood, letting them both know the needle was where it needed to be. Everett pulled the needle free, leaving the catheter behind as he began securing its position with tape. In mere moments, the dog was hooked to a dripping bag of fluids.

A quick x-ray picture later proved the bullet theory. Everett left Jan’s side to grab drugs from the control cabinet as she hooked the dog to the ECG and pulse oximeter, readying him for surgery. A quick check on its blood pressure let her know for certain that the dog was in shock, as if its pale color and low temperature wasn’t enough of an observation.

Everett returned with a couple of liquid-filled syringes in hand as Jan heard him barking orders at another technician. She studied the dog one more time. If she were to guess the dog’s breed, she’d be at a loss. It resembled a Shepard in size but its face had wolf-like qualities. She suppressed that thought immediately. Treating wolves or wolf hybrids was an illegal act in the eyes of the state. She watched Everett work quickly, grabbing an endo-trache tube that would allow the animal to breath properly while under anesthesia. Obviously, her observation had gone unnoticed by Everett.

Shepard. Let’s just go with Shepard.

“It’s okay, boy,” Jan reassured the dog as Everett gave the sedative. It struggled under her firm hand. “We’re here to help you. Just let the drugs have their way.”

The dog let out a low grow, lifting its head, meeting Jan’s gaze. She shivered as the uneasiness she sensed before made mince meat of her spine. The chills popped out all over her skin and her mouth ran dry as the dog lost consciousness.

“Come on, Jan. I need to tube this guy. We’re running out of time.”

Jan shook off the feeling and forced herself back into tech mode.

Just do your job. Just do your job.

In less than twenty minutes, the doctor was able to locate the bullet and stop the bleeding which was so severe that the dog would need a transfusion. Glancing out the window to the treatment area, Jan saw another doctor and tech taking control of that need. A huge yellow lab lay sedate on an exam table while being drained of much needed blood.

Jan watched the rise and fall of her patient’s chest, monitoring every beeping machine in the room for what seemed like hours. Finally, Everett took the staple gun from Jan’s hand as he finished up. He smiled. “What? Since when are you queasy about this type of thing?”

“It’s not the blood.” Jan heard the muffled thump of the staples propelled out of the stapler and into the animal’s skin. She glanced up to see Everett grinning through his mask. His eyes smiled, a dead give away.

“The bullet?”

She shook her head. Pulling the mask from her face, she switched off the gas, letting the dog breath pure oxygen.

“What then?”

Jan watched him collect the messy instruments for cleaning. She cleaned the blood from the dog with peroxide, not bothering to answer him.

“Jan?”

She heard the irritation in his voice. “I don’t know. I don’t know how to explain it. The dog just gives me the willies, that’s all.”

Everett laughed. “The dog’s fine. Didn’t bite anyone. Didn’t do anything I wouldn’t have done if I had a bullet ricocheting through my insides.”

“I know.”

Jan let the conversation go as Everett helped her move the huge canine to an open cage for recovery. The doctor left her side and Jan shivered. The thought of being left alone with this animal wasn’t exactly comforting.

The IV machine dripped steadily, giving life-saving blood and fluids to the animal. She tapped the corner of its eye for responsiveness and jumped as the dog responded, blinking. Jan readied herself for a quick getaway out of the cage when the need arose. The last thing she needed was a trip to the emergency room tonight.

A gasp and swallow from the black canine let her know that he was waking. She opened his mouth, revealing rows of sharp, white porcelain teeth and pulled the endo-trache tube, taking her leave. The dog coughed and spat as she closed the cage door. Its drug-induced gaze met hers.

“Damn it,” she mumbled, feeling the creep-out sensation crawling on her again. “Stop it already.” She turned her attention back to her duty of patient comfort. “You’re going to be all right, big boy. You’ll heal right up.”

“Sure he will.” Jan twisted around to see Everett standing behind her, arms crossed over his chest. “I’m just that good.”

Jan rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t think much of himself,” she whispered to the dog, “but he did do a nice job.”

“He’s a lucky guy. That bullet should have killed him.”

“So, what? Call him Lucky?”

“For the time being,” Everett said. “A dog like this belongs to someone, though, best not get too attached.”

Jan shuddered. “Don’t worry about that.”

“Do you mind staying with him? I need to check out my wife’s new wallpaper job. She’s determined to make me like home improvement, whether I want to or not. I’ll have my cell on if you need anything.”

Jan glanced down at her watch. Eight-thirty. The hospital closed for business at six. Everyone else had gone home, except for her and Everett.

“Fine. Go. Become a responsible home owner. I’ll stay here, all by myself, with this creepy dog.”

He laughed. “Don’t let your imagination run away with you, okay?”

Jan shrugged, frowning as her abandonment swelled.

“And have a nice vacation,” he added.

“Yeah. Yeah. Get, if you’re going.”

She sighed, hearing the door close in the quiet of the empty hospital. For the first time in a week, the place was nearly empty, minus Lucky, of course. She took another glance at his listless body and went to the desk across the room. She might as well do a little computer work while Lucky took the rest of his transfusion and woke up. Grabbing a cup of coffee, she settled behind the screen, putting supply invoices into the inventory program, a tireless task (but somebody had to do it, right?).

A grumble in the cage let her know that the anesthesia was wearing off. Peeking her head into the small room of hospital cages, she saw him loll his head to the side, widening his eyes to get a better look at her. Jan swallowed. The color of his iris was a little unusual, a light tan with flecks of copper. It sent another round of paranoia through her. She turned and walked back to the safety of her computer.

“Get a grip, Jan. It’s just a dog. It’s doped up and in a cage. You’re fine. Stop freaking. Just get through the night and in the morning, you’re on vacation. A whole week of sunbathing and margaritas.”

Lucky growled again and Jan’s heart skipped a beat.

“Focus,” she reminded herself as she took another sip of coffee.

Hours came and went as she alternated between the computer and her patient. Occasionally, Lucky would gaze drunkenly at her, giving her a new set of willies before he flopped back down into unconsciousness. The tick of the clock made her look up once more. Six. She got up and stretched. The morning team would be straggling in soon. She opted for a bathroom break. Checking in on Lucky, who was snoring soundly, she went to use the facilities.

Jan sighed at her tired reflection in the bathroom mirror. She was suffering from twelve-hour shift hair and tired eyes. Normally, she wouldn’t have been caught dead in the hospital this late, but since Lucky decided to visit and Everett decided wall paper was more important than doctor duty, she was stuck. Running her hands under the cool water, she splashed a couple of handfuls in her face, patting it dry and glancing up at the mirror.

No better. Still the tired, old me.

Opening the door, she meandered back to her computer. The annoying beeping sound of an occluded line filled her ears. IV pumps were notorious for announcing occlusion. Mumbling to herself, she went to Lucky’s cage. He was sitting up, groggily staring at her as she fiddled with the line. She pressed the start button, hoping she’d fixed the problem, only to be disappointed. The beeping continued. Shutting it off. She knelt down and peered into the cage. Lucky’s arm was bent inward, producing the occlusion.

“Okay, buddy. I need to have a look at your arm and I don’t trust you with a ten foot pole.”

She went for the muzzle.

“God, I don’t want to spend my vacation with stitches. So, please, make him behave.” Slowly opening the door, she knelt beside him. His eyes followed her every movement. For some reason, her gut instinct was screaming for her to use her flee response. She swallowed down her fear.

“Okay, we’re going to do this,” she told the dog, “and we’re both going to try not to flip out. Okay?” She felt her hand shake a little as she lifted the muzzle to the dog’s mouth.

Lucky pulled his head back as if to say “No, I don’t think so”.

Jan grit her teeth and took advantage of the lingering affects of the dog’s pain medication, slapping the muzzle on quickly.

Lucky whined and jumped back before she could secure the latch, slamming his rather large form into the back of the cage. His eyes lit up in panic and so did his body. Instead of backing up, he charged forward, waylaying Jan and pulling the IV pole and lines along with him. Jan fell flat on her back, rolling, barely missing the pole as it crashed to the floor beside her.

Getting to her feet, she whirled around to see Lucky standing across the room from her, eyes blazing, teeth bared and hackles up. Definitely not the poster child for post-anesthesia.

Jan fought the fleeting urge to vomit. The dog was huge and pissed. She had helped to save its ornery life and this was the thanks she was given. Her eyes fell to the blood that dripped steadily from the dog’s catheter to the floor.

“Dammit dog! We just put that blood in you!”

Lucky vocalized a low, threatening growl, making Jan back up a minute to regroup and calm down. Animals not only sensed anger, but fed off of it. This guy was going to have a feast if she didn’t get herself under control She glanced around, taking in her surroundings. All of the treatment room doors were closed, so if the dog decided to bolt, it was going no where. The only real problem right now was the catheter bleeding. Somehow, she needed to get it plugged.

Doubting Lucky would approve of her coming any where near him, she went for the next best thing.

“Stay, Lucky,” she mumbled. “What a good dog.”

Backing up further, she angled her body towards the desk where the telephone set waiting for her to scream for help right into Everett’s cell phone. Lucky growled again.

“Dog, if you bite me, I’ll make sure God knows all about and fries your ass for all eternity.”

Fumbling for the receiver, she quickly punched in Everett’s phone number, careful not to take her eyes off the angry canine. He slowly advanced toward her. A ring filled her ear. It repeated. Then a third. Click.

“This is Doctor Everett James. I’m sorry I missed your call. If this is a small animal emergency…”

Blah…blah…blah…

“Damn you, Everett,” Jan whispered, hopping onto the desk as Lucky advanced and the message rambled. Beep.

“Everett, small problem here has turned a little larger. I could use your help. Now!”

Lucky lunged at her. She threw the phone aside and jumped off the desk, landed hard and scrambled up, trying to make it to one of the closed doors. Lucky was too fast for her.

Jan screamed, slamming into the floor as the dog tackled her from behind. Twisting around, she thrust her fist into his side. The dog yelped and jumped back as she made contact with his wound. She straightened her body, only to have the dog pounce on her once more.

Lucky’s fiery eyes burnt into her terrified gaze. This was it, this was how she was going to die, at the paws of some psychotic stray. Jan muffled another scream as the dog bowed its head, taking in her scent. Its saliva dripped, landing on her neck and sliding along her skin. She raised her hand to the dog’s side once more, thrusting the heel deep into the wound.

Its body tensed as it yelped, refusing to budge from her. She tried again. The dog whined. The shrill sound deepening and lengthening as the animal shuddered under her next blow.

“Get off of me,” she commanded.

The dog growled and then screamed, sending a jolt of fear through her. Jan joined in, pinching her eyes shut as she anticipated the dog’s teeth sinking into her throat.

The screaming stopped. No pain in her throat where she would have expected it. Gasping, she opened her eyes and let out another wail. Simmering in the face of a man were Lucky’s tan and copper flecked eyes, just inches from her face. Jan recalled her self-defense class quickly and pulled her knee up hard into the guy’s groin. Lucky, or who-ever-the-hell he was, rolled off of her, groaning in the acute agony she had inflicted on him.

She was on her feet before she could stop herself, scrambling to the other side of the room.

“Jan, stop…”

She froze, turning to see him on hands and knees, his face wet with perspiration, his hair straggling onto his shoulders. Raising his head, Jan’s gaze went from his eyes down to his mouth that still sported rather large canine teeth. She bolted to the door.

“Please…” He groaned.

Jan opened the door, looking back. Though horrified, it was like a train wreck. He looked up, the oversized teeth gone.

“Who are you?”

He stood, slowly. His naked form drenched in perspiration, a bandage on his side just below the ribs.

“What are you?”

Leaning on the counter, across the room, he reined in control. Jan watched his breathing slow to a more normal rate.

“Max.”

“Okay, Max. What are you?”

He glanced down, suddenly noticing his lack of attire and backed around the counter for modesty’s sake.

Jan closed the door and folded her arms over her chest. He didn’t look too threatening right at the moment, not unless you were a prude or something. She had worked on an ambulance for a few years before turning to animal medicine, for goodness sake. The sight of naked bodies were part of the price you paid to help people. So, prude, she was not. She watched him pull the catheter out and stop the blood with his thumb.

“I asked you a question,” she reminded him.

“I heard you and I’d love to answer it, but…”

Jan walked over to him, keeping the counter between them.

“Oh, come on. You never saw a werewolf movie. Give me a break, Max. I hardly believe you’re that naïve.”

Max chuckled, giving the counter the once over to keep from meeting her eyes again. “I don’t believe in werewolves.”

Jan laughed. “Two minutes ago, you were a slobbering piece of work with sharp teeth. Trust me, that’s what you were. How long have you been doing this and who’d you piss off to get shot?”

Max glared up at her, trapped more by modesty than anything else. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

“Really? Cause I just spent an entire night taking care of your sorry behind. I think you do.”

Max lowered his eyes. “Thank you for helping me. I can’t give you any more than that.”

Jan gritted her teeth. She was never used to giving in, not this close. This was probably the strangest thing that had ever happened to her, it had taken at ten years off of her life and, by God, he owed her an explanation. She left the room for a second, returning with scrubs and a pair of shoes.

“Put these on,” she told him.

He slid the clothes on in silence.

“Better? Good. Now, talk.”

“I can’t. I know that’s lame, but I just can’t. I need to go.”

Jan sighed. Her boss was going to pitch a fit when he saw that his patient had bolted. Best not be here when he does. She grabbed her purse, pulling out a set of car keys.

“Can I drop you somewhere?”

He swallowed and paused. “The pound?”

Jan met his eyes and laughed. “Yeah, okay, dog boy. What’s it matter anyway, right? In ten hours I’m going to be sipping sweet alcohol goodness on the beach.”

Outside, the sun was just barely peeking over the horizon. Jan opened the door to her blue Toyota Tacoma and let him inside. She started the engine, letting it purr for a moment, before shifting it into gear and steering it onto the highway. She met his curious gaze.

“The pound, right? For real? That’s where you want to go?”

He nodded.

“You’re not much for conversations, are you?”

Max shrugged. “Sit, stay, roll over, play dead--I’m good at that one.”

Jan glided the truck into a parking space in front of the local pound. Max opened the door and turned to her.

“I won’t forget your help.”

“As long as you don’t try to tear my throat out again, I’ll be happy.”

Max shook his head. “I wasn’t trying to--I just didn’t want you to poke me again.”

“I wouldn’t have. I was just trying to fix your IV.”

He paled. “No needles ever, okay? That’s how I got into this mess.”

Jan tried to say something more, but he cut her off, jumping out of the cab and slamming the door. He threw his hand up and disappeared behind the building. She sat, contemplating the next move of animal lover.

“You really need a vacation, Jan. Get the heck out of here and make it happen. Let him do whatever the heck he does and you go sunbathe.”

She glanced down at her watch and pulled the airline ticket out of her glove box. Two hours and her plane would be flying high to paradise. She glanced up at the building once more. Sighing, she switched the engine off, hating herself for having the nerve to care.

“Shit. I think I hate dogs today.”

Jan slammed the door to the Tacoma and grimaced. She was tired, frustrated, and curious all at the same time. Until now, her life had consisted of the basic hum-drum that fueled her day-to-day living. Staring at the building in front of her, she reminded herself that curiosity was responsible for having killed the cat. And she, like it, could very possibly become one life short of pulling out unscathed. It was a risk she was willing to take.

With an aggravated sigh, she marched down the sidewalk to the front door of the animal shelter and froze. Her jaw dropped. Through the glass door, she saw a receptionist dangling a foot and a half off of the ground. A very pissed off man in borrowed scrubs held him airborne. Jan threw the door open and bolted inside.

“Max, no!” she screamed. “Put him down!”

Max’s tan, copper-flecked eyes widened at the sight of her, his snarl fading into thin line as he dropped the guy to the floor.

The receptionist landed on his butt with a THUD, getting up quickly and scampering backwards against the desk. “Neanderthal!” the receptionist shouted shrilly, smoothing out his rumpled collar. “Like I would allow you to adopt one of our beautiful canines!”

“I’m not here to adopt,” Max growled. Literally. “I’m here to take my dog home.”

Jan shivered. The warning caused her to tense and back up a step. She clenched her fist, making herself stay put. “Okay, everybody, just take a deep breath. Let’s not do anything that any of us would regret.” She glowered at Max, more plea than command.

The receptionist stared at her. “Who the hell do you think you are? Ghandi? I’m not letting this animal anywhere near one of our dogs.”

Another growl from Max produced a sneer on his handsome face. He looked like he would pounce on the receptionist-guy any minute if this entire scene didn’t go his way. Best defuse the situation before it goes down in flames.

“Okay, now hang on. This is the pound, not canine Club Med. You have to let him check to see if his dog is here. And by the way, even dead, Ghandi’s in a better mood than I am right now.”

The receptionist let out a hissing sigh and shook his head. “Well, I really don’t think that this beast is a suitable owner for…”

Jan felt the hair on the back of her neck raise, a sign that she was becoming too sleep deprived for a civilized conversation. “Let him check for his damned dog now.” she commanded.

Keeping plenty of space between himself and Max, the guy huffed at the reality of his job and ushered both of them through the front lobby and down the hall to the kennels. Dogs barked and growled ferociously, more so than Jan had ever seen dogs do before. Shrill whines reverberated against the concrete floors and walls and Jan paled as she saw a Doberman plaster itself against the back of the run, urinating in fear. Jan glanced back to see Max shrug.

“See,” the receptionist pointed out, “even the dogs don’t like him.”

Jan rolled her eyes, following their leader through the maze of cages. They stopped at the end of a line, in front of a run that held a small black terrier. Standing on his hind legs with his paws on the cage and bobbed tail wagging, the dog barked happily, lolling its tongue to the side of its mouth. She turned to Max who looked like a little boy who’d just opened the best birthday present ever.

“That’s him,” he replied, grinning.

“This is your dog?” the receptionist asked.

Max nodded.

The receptionist sighed, opening the cage and pulling the little guy out. “Well, it is the only one not crapping himself just seeing you.”

Jan watched watch the dog exchange hands. The little guy licked Max’s chin, happy to see his owner again.

“Okay, so how much does he owe?” she asked, hoping to sum this little problem up quick enough to satisfy her curiosity and still make her plane to paradise.

Jan shelled out the money and corralled dog and owner into the Tacoma before the receptionist could come to his senses and call the authorities. “I cannot believe what the county is charging these days,” she grumbled, eyeing the little terrier who proceeded to make himself comfortable beside Max. “At those prices, he better be a relative of yours.”

Max smiled apologetically at her. “You didn’t have to…I could have done it myself…”

Jan steered the truck onto the road. “And gone to prison,” she interrupted. “From what I hear, it’s a little worse than the pound. So, can I drop you somewhere? A place where you won’t get into anymore trouble, maybe?”

Max shrugged and gazed out the window. “Anywhere.”

He looked terrible. His face, though handsome, reeked of fatigue. Pale and in desperate need of a shower, he was the poster child stray. The terrier licked Jan’s arm a couple of times, begging for attention. She scratched his ear lightly and sighed. “Do you have a place to stay?”

“Me or the dog?” Max asked.

Jan laughed. “Either of you.”

He threw her a tired grin. “Neither of us. But--.”

“No buts. This is what I do for a living.” Jan steered the Tacoma home. I need to get a new job.



Jan’s answering machine blinked angrily with mounding messages. She ignored it. They were probably all from the hospital anyway, wondering what in the hell happened overnight. Right now, she had absolutely no answers, only questions that could possibly give her a seventy-two hour stay in a mental facility. So she opted to stay recluse with the events, at least for the moment.

A couple hours of sleep left Jan just as tired as when she laid down. The phone rang, giving her just enough motivation to get up. “Hullo,” she mumbled into the receiver.

“Jan? This is Everett. Look, I’m sorry to bother you--shouldn’t you be on your way to the islands right now?”

“Missed my flight.”

“Oh. We’ve been trying to reach you for hours. Figured you’d already left. Anyway, any idea what happened to the stray?”

Jan refocused her eyes, letting the events of the night run over her once more. “Uh, I don’t know. He isn’t there?”

“Nope. Cage was empty when I came in this morning.”

“I don’t know what to tell you. I left just before the morning guys came in. Uh, Lucky was up and alert when I left.” Not necessarily a lie.

She heard him sigh. “He must have broke out a little after that. Well, that’s not all. I guess the owners stopped by this morning to claim him.”

Owners?

“And, well, they weren’t too happy when I told them he was missing. Ah, well, don’t worry about it. If you don’t know anything about it, then you just don’t anything about it. I’ll do some checking and see what I can find out. Have a nice vacation.”

“Yeah.” She hung up the phone.

In the living room, on the couch, Max lay partially exposed beneath an open sleeping bag; his broad shoulders, muscular back and the upper portion of his buttocks were uncovered for all to see. Jan shifted her eyes, too shy to invade his privacy any further and too timid to cover him up. The terrier lay at Max’s feet. It raised its head and yawned, watching her curiously as she made her way to the kitchen.

The clock on the coffee pot flashed a quarter to twelve in angry red numbers. Ignoring its protest, she forced it to make the tantalizing brew anyway. In moments, the aroma of fresh coffee pulled Max off the couch and into the kitchen. The terrier stayed put, snuggling a little deeper into the sleeping bag.

“Afternoon,” Jan replied, handing him a cup.

He took it gratefully and collapsed on a kitchen stool at the breakfast bar, nursing the cup’s contents like mother’s milk. Jan lifted her own cup to her lips and studied him for a moment. He didn’t look a day older than twenty-five and she had to admit he was definitely easy on the eyes. He caught her stare.

She blushed. “Um, my boss, Everett, said your owners came by this morning looking for you.”

Max clenched his jaw, trying to cover his emotion by taking another drink from the cup. Jan took the bar stool next him.

“By nature I’m not usually a prying person. I’m mostly a to-each-his-own kinda gal, but--”

“But you’ve decided to make me an exception.”

His words stung her. “Well, yeah, I guess. But you have to admit, your situation is a little strange.”

“Did I mention I didn’t really ask for your help?”

“No.” She bit back the desire to flip him off. “It was implied.”

He grimaced, setting the cup aside. “I think it’s time I get going.”

The little terrier perked up its ears and jumped off the couch, padding into the kitchen in anticipation of its master’s words. Max got up, pulling on a tee shirt over the sweats Jan had given him.

“Leave the clothes,” Jan replied, gazing at him.

He arched his brow.

“I mean it. If you want to be Mister Independent, you can do it in the buff.”

He hesitated, glowering at her.

“Or you can keep the clothes,” she continued, “and tell me what the hell’s going on.”

He shifted uncomfortably as if he were weighing his options.

She grinned. “The sheriff frowns on public nudity at high noon, by the way.”

“You’re ruthless,” he growled.

She shrugged. “Sit or strip, buddy. It’s your choice. Not like I’m twisting your arm or anything.”

He sat down, defeated. “You get two questions, that’s it.”

She hid her satisfaction beneath growing concern. “What are you? And--owners?”

Max stared through her. “Pick two more.”

Jan crossed her arms over her chest, waiting.

Max matched her stubborness for a moment, then gave in. “Name’s Max, human, well, seventy-five percent of the time anyway. And I don’t have owners, just people who plan on making a bad day even worse. Now, can I keep the clothes?”

Jan nodded, grabbing a box of cereal and a couple of bowls. She tossed Max a spoon and took one for herself as she slid his bowl over to him. The terrier barked enthusiastically, wagging its stumpy tail, gazing up at her with pleading eyes. She got up and pulled a couple of slices of turkey out of the refrigerator, laying them on the floor beside a bowl of water. The dog gobbled up the meat without chewing and lapped at the water. “What’s your dog’s name?” she asked, sitting back down to pour herself breakfast.

“That’s three questions,” Max replied.

She tilted her head and flashed him a look of warning. Max shrugged. “He’s a dog. He doesn’t have a name.”

Jan scratched the top of the terrier’s head. “You can’t be serious. I mean, how do you call him?”

“I don’t,” he replied. “He just understands me.”

Jan paused, watching him dive into the bowl like he hadn’t eaten in a week. He met her gaze and broke away, eyes back to the cereal. “You can call him Jones.”

Jan widened her eyes. “Jones? He looks more like a Cuddles to me.”

The dog whined and shifted its gaze to Max. Max shook his head. “He hates that name. It’s Jones or nothing.”

She glanced from dog to owner, puzzled.

He flashed her a superior grin. “Oh, and by the way, he thinks you’re cute,” Max replied. “If he had fingers, he’d scratch the top of your head.”

“Nice,” she replied, eyeing the dog warily, “really nice.”

The phone rang, breaking the tension. Jan answered it. “Hello?”

“This is Jephry from the animal shelter.”

Jan recognized the voice of the receptionist immediately, turning to see Max tilt his head as if he were trying to listen in. She turned her head, lowering her voice for privacy. “Uh, hi, Jephry. How did you get this number?”

“I recognized you from the veterinarian’s office. Doctor Everett’s secretary gave me your number. Anyway, the reason I’m calling is that the dog you picked up this morning belongs to someone else. The real owners are here now. They have papers and everything. You need to have your psychotic little friend bring the dog back. If you’re not here in ten minutes, I’m giving them your address.”

The THUMP of a bar stool hitting the floor got her attention and she turned to see Max scooping up Jones and heading for the door. Jan slammed the receiver on its base and went after him. He spun around, eyes wild.

She held up her hands in a peaceful gesture. “Just hang on a minute. Okay?”

Max stood silent with Jones in his arms, hand on the knob.

“Level with me,” Jan said. “Who are these people and what do they want with you and Jones anyway?”

“You know the IRS?”

Jan shifted, flashing him a look of skepticism. “The Internal Revenue Service?”

He nodded. She rolled her eyes, annoyed.

“No, seriously. I’d kill for a visit with them right now.”

“Look,” Jan said, “you’re barefoot and they’ll catch you for sure if you run.”

“Then let me borrow the truck.”

“Like hell.” She stared at the carpet for a second. “Just hang on and let me get some clothes on.” Disappearing into her room, she put on fresh jeans and a tee shirt. She returned to the front room to see him waiting eagerly for her. Sliding into a pair of shoes and grabbing her purse, she followed him out to the Tacoma.

In moments, the engine rumbled to a purr. She pulled the truck out into the street and headed out of town.

“Max, I’ve got a week of vacation. That’s it. So, whatever’s going on with you needs to be solved by then. Everett will fire my ass if I’m not back when I’m supposed to be. Got it?”

Jones let out a muffled woof and propped his front paws on the back of the seat, peering out the window. Max studied the side mirror. “You need to speed this thing up a little bit.”

“What? Why?” Jan glanced up at her rearview mirror to see an authentic yellow Volkswagen Beetle puttering along behind them. The front of the little car sported a decal of a huge daisy on its hood. It just looked cute. “You can’t be serious! Those are your owners?” Jan balanced her gaze between the road and the mirror to steel a better look into the car. All she saw was what looked like an old lady with a bee hive. “You’re running from that little old woman driving the flower-mobile behind us?”

Max shook his head and smirked. “What can I say? Beehives scare me. Now step on it or I’m driving this thing.”

Jan pressed the accelerator and the Tacoma shot forward. She weaved around a garbage truck, leaving the beetle to putter all by itself. “You’re a werewolf,” she grumbled. “Werewolves don’t have driver’s licenses. Besides, where would you put your wallet--under your tongue maybe?”

Jones yapped enthusiastically, plopping on his backside.

“Shut up,” Max mumbled. “No one asked for your input.” He shot Jan sober look. “And I told you, I’m not a werewolf.”

Jan veered the Tacoma onto the interstate. If outrunning the Beehive lady was all she needed to do to keep Max and Jones safe, then this whole thing would be a piece of cake. “Max, I’m not an idiot. I know a werewolf when I see--”

“Really? How often have you seen one?” Max hissed. “Really, I want to know. Do you just see them running in packs around the park or something? Cause if you do, I’d really enjoy seeing that myself.”

“Okay, so I haven’t ever laid eyes on one in person.”

“Werewolves fluctuate with the lunar changes, Jan. They’re monsters a couple times a month. They attack whatever moves and they never remember one scrap of it when the sun comes up. And, they’re…not…real. Why do you think Hollywood drools all over them?”

Jan shrugged. “Fine. So if you’re not a werewolf, what are you?”


Max grimaced. “I thought we covered this already.”

“Yeah, but--” She jolted in her seat as something bumped the back of the truck, her head smacked the side window. The Tacoma swerved and Max grabbed the wheel, steering it back under control.

“Change places with me,” he ordered, unbuckling his seatbelt and scooting towards her as he lifted Jones and set him on the other side.

“No,” she retorted. She glanced up at her rearview. The beetle was directly behind them. Obviously, the little beehive lady had every intention of repeating the ram. “This is my truck, damn it! I’m driving.”

Max glared at her. “Then drive before I throw you out of that seat.”

Jan slammed her foot on the gas peddle. “I’d like to see you try, dog boy.”

The truck swerved at the increase in speed and Jan cursed, knowing full well that high speeds and her driving skills mixed like oil and water. She gritted her teeth and tried to focus. The side of her head stung like hell, but she wasn’t about to turn her brand new truck over to this shaggy lunatic, no matter how good looking he happened to be or how good he smelled or how close he was to her right at the moment.

“Jan, I really don’t want to die today. Maybe tomorrow, but not today. So, could you please try not to over correct?”

She flipped him off.

“All fingers on the wheel,” he retorted. “You can cuss me later.”

Jan glanced at the rearview. The beetle had vanished. “Where’d she go?”

“Take this exit.”

Jan veered the truck onto the ramp, allowing it to rumble along another highway for quite some time before Max directed her to a Days Inn parking lot. “Any chance she’ll pop out of nowhere again?” she asked, shutting the engine off.

Max shook his head, pointing to the sinking sun in the horizon. “Not tonight. She’s scared of the dark.”

Jan rolled her eyes and followed Max and Jones into the hotel lobby, rubbing her throbbing head as she went. I could have been on the beach right now, sipping margaritas and basking in the tropical sun, but no, I chose to be all good Samaritan and now I’m just too stupid and too stubborn to give him some money and run.

Climbing into the shower, she allowed Max the privilege of waiting for room service. If she was paying for the room, which she was, then by God, she’d be first to shower. Pulling on her clothes, she grumbled at herself for not having the sense to pack a bag. Jones yapped fiercely, scratching at the bathroom door.

“Wait a minute, Jones. I’m almost finished.” She ran her fingers through her damp hair and gave her reflection one last reassuring look.

A deep growl penetrated the door, too deep to belong to Jones and her reflection flashed a look of panic as she threw open the door. The little terrier barked feverishly at the night from the safety of the empty room. Max was no where to be seen.

Bolting out of the hotel room into the parking lot, Jan felt panic surge within her. Both forms of Max had been swallowed up in the darkness, leaving her alone with rows of vacated vehicles. Behind her, Jones whined. Jan glanced down at the little terrier who met her gaze with worried eyes.

“You knew this could happen, didn’t you?” she asked him.

Jones gave her a muffled woof and shook his entire body from head to toe. When he finished, he plopped down onto the asphalt beside her, waiting for her next move.

She sighed. “Okay, so I’d go after him, but I’ve got no idea where he went. Plus, if I find him in his furry uniform, what do I do then? He tried to kill me last time.”

Jones tilted his head at her.

Jan rolled her eyes. “Yes, he did. I don’t care what he told you. Besides, he seems a little fuzzy when it comes down to recalling facts.”

The dog whined again.

“Oh, for real!” She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring down at Jones. “Like you know where he went.”

He gave a sharp yap, jumping back onto all fours, as he pranced around her with excitement. Jan stood stalk, studying the dog for a moment.

“You do know, don’t you? But, how?”

Jones stopped in front of her and sat down. Jan ran back into the hotel room, grabbed her keys and purse and returned without a word. Unlocking the Tacoma, she lifted Jones into the seat and followed in behind the wheel.

“Bark if I’m going in the right direction,” she ordered, starting the engine and putting the truck into motion.

She paused at the lot entrance, pointing to the left. Nothing. She pointed to the right and Jones gave a bark. “Good boy.”

Down the highway, Jones yapped again. She started to protest, but saw a tiny road to the left coming up. The truck turned in gracefully and Jan started to pat herself on the back for not flipping it over, but that thought was trashed when she hit a huge pot hole that jarred poor Jones out onto the floorboard. The dog yelped as he hit the glove compartment on the way down. She slowed the truck.

“Jeez! Jones, I’m so sorry. I didn’t even see it!”

The dog fired an annoyed gaze in her direction and jumped back onto his spot on the seat. Jan apologized again and resumed driving, this time more cautiously.

The narrow road soon gave way to gravel, which eventually lent itself to dirt. The truck maneuvered with little effort on all three. She smiled at her brief glimmer of wisdom to have purchased the truck instead of the convertible. Jones yapped again and Jan found her turn.

Off to the right, her headlights lit against the siding of an old barn. She braked five feet from the entrance and killed the engine.

“Okay, now what? If he is here, what am I supposed to do? I didn’t bring a net, much less a tranquilizer gun.”

The little terrier cocked his ears and turned his head towards the driver’s side window, eyes roaming for anything useful. Jan followed his stalled gaze to the shadowy form prowling on all fours towards the truck. Max. Jones bounded onto her lap, attacking the window with a full-force round of scratching and ferocious barking. She felt a lump of fear catch in her throat as she heard the deep, threatening growl break over Jones’s shrill voice.

“Now what?” she breathed, pulling the terrier away from the window. Her heart hammered in her chest as she forced herself to stay calm. “You’re safe right now. He can’t get inside the truck. Stalemate.”

Max moved into the beam of a small security light mounted above the barn door. His hackles were up and hind quarters down, much like a hyena. Jan forced herself to remember if his conformation had been like that at the hospital. Nothing registered.

Max turned and faced her, his eyes reflecting off of the lights, his lips pulled back revealing sharp teeth. Her stomach turned. What in the world had possessed her to believe she could do anything about this? Without a tranquilizer gun, there was no way she could get anywhere near this animal, much less think that she would actually be able to retrieve and confine it.

Jones growled beside her. She turned to see him standing in attack mode, ears back, hackles raised, teeth bared. For a small terrier, he certainly look fierce. Jan admired his courage. “I’m afraid he’ll chomp you like a squeaky toy, my friend. Best not get any ideas.”

A rumbling growl echoed through the night air and Jan turned her eyes back to Max who leapt onto the hood of the Tacoma, jarring the truck. Jan screamed before she could help herself. “Get a grip. He can’t get to you in here. Maybe all I need to do is keep him occupied long enough to--”

Her reasoning was cut short when she noticed something a little odd. Leaning forward to get a better look in the not-so-great lighting, she confirmed her suspicions. The wolf-like dog had no penis.

She gulped, leaning back and gripping the steering wheel. “Uh, Jones. I think this idea was really as stupid as it sounded when I agreed to it. That isn’t Max.”

The terrier ignored her, deciding to spend his barking at the animal on the hood instead. Jan started the engine.

The V6 rumbled, throwing the dog on the offensive. Claws scraped at the Tacoma’s windshield and saliva spattered the glass. Jan shivered, putting the truck into reverse.

“My good Samaritan act ends here, buddy,” she told the terrier. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I’m certainly not getting myself ripped in two for this. We can both tell Max we quit whenever he shows up at the hotel.”

Slamming the brake, she saw the dog waver. It readjusted its weight, and balanced itself out, refusing to be budged from its perch on the hood of the truck. Instead, her movement set off a round of barking. With a shaking hand, she shifted the Tacoma to drive and hit the gas pedal.

“Shit!” she screamed, slamming her foot on the brake and sending Jones sprawling to the floorboard again.

The flash of shadow had been so quick that she had almost missed it, but it had come, taking their attacker with it in a rage of teeth and claws. Jan shifted the truck into park and whirled around. To her left, both shadowy creatures battled on the ground, tearing into each other with rabid ferociousness.

“The other wolf is Max, isn’t it?”

Jones whined, clamoring onto her lap and watching the scene fold outside of the truck. Jan felt her adrenaline surge as the gnashing of teeth escalated.

“Oh, God. What am I supposed to do?”

With little thought, she leaned on the horn. It blared loudly, with little effect on the fight. Releasing the pressure, she heard a shrill whine emanating from one of the dueling pair. Then, total stillness. Jan’s heart thumped in her chest as she peered out the window to see what was left of Max.

A shadowy form limped towards the truck, jumping onto the bed. She turned to see Max--a quick study of his undercarriage acknowledged that the animal was indeed male--standing at the rear window, slowly wagging his tail. He gave a soft bark, meeting her eyes, and then collapsed. Jan maneuvered the truck around, using the headlights to find the other dog. A mound of bloody fur lay lifelessly on the ground. She watched it for a moment, detecting no rise and fall of the chest area.

“It’s dead,” she mumbled, turning to Jones who had propped himself on his hind legs to gaze out the back window. “Max killed her.”

Jones whined.

“I know, bud,” she offered, scratching the top of the terrier’s head. “Let’s get him out of here. Okay?”

#

Everett met me in the treatment room of the hospital. “Jan, how’d you find him?”

She shoved Jones into a small cage in the hospital ward. He yapped furiously at her as she turned her attention back to Max who lay injured on the exam table. She shrugged, deciding quickly that telling the entire truth right now might not go in her favor. “I just couldn’t let him go missing,” I replied. “Decided I’d try and find him.”

“What the hell happened to him this time?”

“Dog fight,” she admitted. “Caught him in the act.”

Everett gazed down at the black dog as he listened to its heart with a stethoscope. “Maybe we should consider neutering this guy.”

Jan’s heart skipped a beat, frantically thinking that Max would probably not appreciate the gesture when he morphed back into his human form. “Uh, maybe not. I mean, you don’t have the owner’s permission to do that, remember?”

He gave me a reassuring smile. “Take it easy. They left a number when they called. Watch him for a minute and I’ll give them a ring. I’m sure they won’t mind though. Last time I talked to them, they were pretty liberal with his care. I’m sure they’ll be all for castration.”

Max opened his eyes and growled as if on cue. Jan shot the dog a glare and went after Everett.

“Don’t call them.”

“What?”

“I mean it, Everett. Something’s going on with this dog. Something weird.”

“What are you talking about, Jan?”

She swallowed, forcing herself to stand firm but calm. “Look, you’re not going to believe me, but--” Should I tell him the truth? Is he going to believe one word I say? I laughed on the inside. I don’t even believe this! How the hell can I expect him to?

He raised his brows, waiting.

“But…I think he’s been stolen. I don’t think his owners are who they say they are.”

He gave me a furtive look. “Jan, if you’re attached to this dog, just say so.”

She shook her head. “Fine, okay? I’m attached. I’m all attached. Now, please listen to me. I’ve got a hunch that there’s more than meets the eye with this dog. So, I’m asking you to trust me. Please. You know me Everett. You know I wouldn’t do something like this unless I believed it was important.”

she watched him lean against the counter and cross his arms over his chest. “What do you want me to do, Jan?”

“I want you to fix him again. Send him home with me and let me take responsibility for what happens to him.”

“I can’t ethically do that. I have to alert the owners.”

She ran her fingers through her hair, forcing herself to think. “Scan him,” I blurted out. “See if he has a microchip. If he doesn’t, than that doesn’t necessarily mean that he belongs to them.”

Everett stood quietly for a moment. His eyes darted from her to Max and then back to her again. “Fine. Get me the reader. But if this dog’s chipped, I’m calling.”

Her leapt against her breastbone as she ran the reader in a snakelike pattern all along Max’s back. Max never made a peep. She didn’t know whether he understood what neutering was or he was just too tired and hurt to put up a fight or the combination of both. Regardless, he let her do the task. She met Everett’s gaze with a smile. No beep. No chip.

He shrugged. “All right. So, we fix him up. You take him home and do what?”

“I’ll find the real owner.”

“Okay, but if you’re wrong about this--”

“You’ll fire me.”

He grinned. “No. I’ll make you work every Saturday from that moment until you retire.”

“Ugh!” She glared down at Max. Damn dog.



Everett closed the cage door. “I’ve given the dog enough Ace to keep an elephant down for the night. Do you want to keep him here or do you want me to help you back to your place?”

Jan studied Max for a moment. He looked like the dog version of the Frankenstein monster as he lay unconscious and completely harmless in the cage. She knew better. Max was more harmless when he was human Max, the dog version--sedate or not--was deadly.

“Jan?”

“Uh, I think we’ll just stay here for a little while, if that’s okay.”

Everett shrugged. “Suit yourself. Are you going to be all right if I go home for a few hours?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “Thanks. For everything.”

He smiled and threw her a polite nod. “It’s what I do.”

Everett left and Jan paced the hospital, trying to decide what her next course of action should be. Sipping stale coffee and forcing herself to stay calm, she found herself dwelling on the dog Max killed at the barn. Was she just a dog or was she part human like Max? Had Max actually killed another human being? The thought sickened her and she set the cup of coffee down, repulsed.

She stopped her pace at Jones’s cage. He slept, a mound of black fur huddled partially under a thick blanket she had given him, peaceful. His muscles twitched every now and then, partly from the anesthesia wearing off and partly from the impending sunrise. Leaning against the hospital ward wall, she watched the rays of light rise up into the window across from the ward, bending to meet Max’s dark fur. His body stiffened, jerking in spasms, as his form twisted.

She watched the display silently as the fur on his body thinned, changing texture, as it transformed into human. His paws elongated, nails receding, as human hands and feet took their place. The wolf-like muzzle pulled inward, reforming a nose and mouth, giving him his handsome human quality. She swallowed as she saw the canine teeth slowly draw back under his lips. He was now human. A man lying in an animal’s cage.

Releasing the latch on the cage, Jan pulled the door open where she hung a pair of scrubs and then left to grab something to eat before her blood sugar level plummeted. She returned ten minutes later with a box of freshly glazed donuts from the bakery down the street. Jones picked up the smell immediately, yapping to be let out of the cage. Jan obliged, taking the dog outside to do his business first. When she came back in, she found Max sitting upright with the scrub pants on, still a little dazed from the Ace. The wounds Everett had pieced together were still evident on his neck, shoulders and rib cage. Jan glanced at the suture that held a one inch gash together on his cheek.

“You know, Everett wanted to neuter you last night.” She grinned, noticing the panicked look in his eyes. Handing Jones a donut, she passed one over to Max and then took one for herself. “I told him it was a bad idea.”

Max exhaled in one long blow. “Thanks.”

She took a bite of the warm donut and chewed thankfully. She swallowed. “Couple things you need to know. One, you fought with another dog last night. Was she like you or was she just another dog? And two, if she was human, you do realize that neutering is the least of your worries, right?”

“Black dog, like me?”

She nodded. “Down to the tee, minus the penis of course.”

He blushed. “She’s like me.”

“She’s dead.”

Max gazed up at her. “You saw her human form?”

Jan shook her head. “No. When we left, she was still a dog, but she wasn’t breathing.”

He crammed the rest of the donut into his mouth and got up, pulling the scrub top over his wounded torso. Grabbing another donut out of the box, he met her gaze. “Then she’s still alive. And that can’t be good. Take me back to the barn. I need to make sure.”

Jan scooped Jones up off the floor, following Max at a dead run to the door. She felt her body bump hard into his as he froze at the threshold. Jones yelped, struggling in her arms. Max stood aside so Jan could see the little old lady with the beehive blocking the way out, one hand clutched her oversized white handbag, while the other perched itself firmly on her bony hip.

“There you are!” she spat. “I’ve been looking all over God’s country for you.”

Max turned on his heels and headed the other way, pulling Jan along with him, but the little old woman managed to whack him in the head with her purse before he got too far. Jan whirled around to see him catch another thump of the white leather in the face. He reeled back, stumbling over a rolling stool and landed hard on the floor. The old woman turned her attention to Jan.

“Who are you?” she asked, touching the side of her huge beehive to make sure no hair was out of place.

“Jan. You?”

“Thelma Parks,” she replied, smiling politely. Her smiled faded as fast as it had appeared. “The dog is mine.”

“Which one?”

Thelma gave her a hard look. “Which one? Well, the dog of course!”

“Oh, the dog!” Jan laughed nervously, glancing down at Jones. “Is this your Mom, Jones?”

The little terrier eyed the conversation like a ping-pong match, looking apprehensive. Max got back up on his feet, glaring at the old woman.

“You must be on drugs, talking so foolishly,” Thelma replied, adjusting her bag. “I’d prefer not to be seen in such company. Come, Max. Enough of your folly. Let’s go home. Mummy will cook you breakfast.”

“Max is your dog?” Jan looked down at Jones who met her puzzled eyes. “Wait a minute. So, you know that Max is--”

“A dog? Of course dear, what did you think? I’m not senile, you simple thing.”

Jan grimaced. “I wouldn’t bet on that.”

“I’m not going with you,” Max mumbled.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Thelma said. “It’s time to go home now. Chop-chop.”

“Mrs. Parks,” Jan interrupted, “You do realize that Max is human, right? I mean, he’s a werewolf.”

Thelma laughed. “My dear, there are no such things as werewolves. Max is a dog. Plain and simple. Now, enough of this. Let’s go.”

Jan shook her head in disbelief. This woman was definitely one cart short of a grocery store. “Lady, he’s standing on two feet! He’s human. Look at him!”

Thelma peered in Max’s direction and grinned. The folds in her plump cheeks caused her eyes to wrinkle shut. “He does that trick for me all of the time. What a clever boy.” She stepped forward, tiptoed, and mussed Max’s hair with a withered hand.

Jan rolled her eyes. “This is insane. I can’t believe I’ve wasted my vacation with this mess. Max, tell her you’re a human being or, for God’s sake, tell her you’re a werewolf.”

Max shifted. “But I’m not.”

Jan groaned and put Jones down, exasperated. “Okay, then just tell her you’ll be home for dinner!”

“What she said,” Max replied.

“Oh good Lord,” Jan mumbled.

Thelma sighed. “I expect you back promptly at seven with no more fuss, young man. So, finish whatever business you have with this little tramp and hurry back.”

“Hey!”

Max held up his hand, silencing Jan. She watched in fury as Thelma waddle back out the way she’d came in. “Seven. Understand?” Thelma called out, never turning back.

Max ignored the elderly woman and turned to Jan. “The barn. Let’s go.”

Jan stood still, crossing her arms. “Not until you tell me what the hell is going on. Who is that old hag?”

Max gave her an appologetic look. “Look, I’ll tell you everything I know later, okay? Right now, I need to get to that barn. Are you with me?”

Jan sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I guess. We need to get out of here anyway. The staff will be coming in soon. Come on Jones.”

Climbing in the Tacoma, Jan started the engine. Her two compatriots seated themselves next to her, waiting patiently for her to put the truck into motion. Jan leaned over to pull her door closed, then stopped as the cold barrel of a gun pushed hard against the side of her head.

Jan felt a shiver slither down her spine as the cold steel of the pistol pressed deep into her temple. She closed her eyes tightly.

This is it. I’m going to die today.

Her body jerked sideways towards the passenger side, slamming her head into Max’s side as Jones jumped over her and out of sight barking furiously. A gunshot rang out and a whimper followed. Max threw his torso across her and grabbed the door and yanked it closed. Pulling his weight off of her, he shoved her up and threw the Tacoma into reverse. “Gas!”

Jan robotically shifted her foot to the accelerator, smashing it to the floorboard. The truck lurched backwards, throwing both of them forward with its momentum as it retreated off of the parking lot and into the grass.

Jan slammed on the breaks. “Oh, my God! Jones! We can’t just leave him.”

Max shoved the gearshift into drive. “Go!

Bullets thumped the side of the truck, one of them penetrating the door. Adrenaline kicked into her system and she barely felt the sharp pain that stabbed into her calf muscle. She gave the truck gas, swerving out into the road as the truck fishtailed a little before she recovered it. She glanced out the driver’s side window, catching sight of a dark-haired woman running towards a gray car Jan felt certain would pursue them.

Max twisted around, facing the windshield. “Jones is dead.”

“How do you know that? Maybe he’s just hurt. We’ve got to go back for him.”

“Trust me. I know.”

Her stomach clenched. “How the hell do you know that? Huh? Some sort of dog instinct or something?”

“That, and the fact she shot him in the head.” Max glared at the road before them, clenching and unclenching his hand. “Take the interstate. I think it’s safe to say we don’t have to go to the barn now. I found what I need to know.”

Jan shot him a glare, but did as she was told and sped down the ramp into the buzzing traffic. Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours as she maneuvered the Tacoma around anything in her path. Raindrops spotted her windshield. She flipped the wipers on in response and then sped them up when the drops began to fall heavier.

“Ease off. She’s gone for now.”

Heeding his command, she lifted the pressure off of the pedal.

“We lost her?”

He shrugged. “She’s sure to pick up the scent again when the rain stops.”

She glanced down at her leg. Blood soaked through her jeans as she felt the dull, thumping ache. “Who is she?”

“Brava.”

She flashed him an out-of-the-loop glare.

“I killed her father.” Max turned his gaze away from her, ashamed. “I caught him trying to rape her. I tore his throat out.”

“So why is she trying to kill you?”
“Maybe you didn’t hear me correctly. I killed her father.”

Jan grit her teeth as she maneuvered the truck around a semi. “I’m not deaf. I heard you. You killed her father, but you were trying to keep him from raping her. Looks to me that she would be a bit more thankful.”

Max sighed. “Murdering one of our own is punishable by death. She is trying to carry out the sentence. I’m just not ready to let her.”

Jan sighed. What the hell had she gotten herself into? “So, now what? Does she plan on killing me as an accomplice?”

Max grunted an affirmative.

“But, that’s not fair. I’m not a part of any of this. I thought we just had problems with that old woman, not a vindictive grim reaper. What the hell? I knew I should have let you sit in that cage and rot while I went to the beach. Damn it!”

Max eyed her sympathetically, shifting his gaze down to her leg. “Pull over. You’re bleeding.”

“No shit. And there’s no way I’m stopping this truck.”

He tilted his head, raising a brow, a challenge she didn’t have the strength to rebel against right now. Reluctantly, she eased the truck onto the emergency lane, slowing it to a stop and putting it in park.

“Let me see your leg.”

She started to tell him off, but thought better of it. Instead, she twisted around, pulled up the bloody material, revealing her calf. He wiped away the blood with his shirt and examined the two circular wounds on either side of her leg before blood began dribbling down her leg again. The flesh around the wounds was already bruising.

“The bullet went strait through.” He ran his hands around her leg, pressing as he went. She winced and started to protest, but he stopped before she could get the words out. “Nothing’s broken. You’re lucky.” He ripped the shirt at one of the seams and wrapped it tightly around her leg to halt the bleeding. “That’ll hold you until I can get you to a hospital. Now, trade me places.”

Jan scowled at him.

He returned it with one of his own. “No arguments. I’m well aware it’s your truck.”

With a roll of her eyes, she scooted over to the passenger side, allowing him to slide under her and over to the other side. The motion sent a sizzling ripple of lust through her. Stifling the sensation, she snapped her seatbelt and glared at the man that took control of her truck.

Max grinned. “Every now and then, you need to let someone else drive, Miss Independent.”

“And what makes you think it should be some werewolf-wanna-be?”

He laughed. “Good one.”

“So, Brava is a relative?”

“Sort of. We’ve been betrothed since we were young.”

Jan shook her head in disbelief. “She’s your fiancé and she’s trying to kill you?” She laughed lightly. “When’s the wedding?”

He flipped his middle finger up at her, never taking his eyes off of the road. She laughed. “So, what now?”

“We need to get to a secluded spot before nightfall. Know any place?”

“Take the next exit,” Jan ordered.

Max obeyed and followed her directions until they pulled onto the gravel drive of a horse farm. “My boss’s brother owns this place. He’s out of town this week. ”

The truck stopped in front of a huge three story brick house. Jan got out, trying not to put too much weight on her left leg. She limped toward the door, bent down and lifted the doormat as she pulled out a key.

“People still do that?” Max asked. “That’s insane. Anybody could get in.”

Jan opened the door and pocketed the key. “Anybody just did.” Locating the bathroom, she rifled through the cabinets until she found a first aid kit, then went to work on her leg. Max checked on her after a few minutes, holding a huge sandwich in each hand. He offered her one. She waved him off. “I’ve lost my appetite. Must have been the near-death experiences I keep having with you.”

He shoved the sandwich at her. “Eat it. You’ll need your strength later.”

She took it, tearing off a bite and following him out into a sitting room. She flopped on the couch and propped her leg up. Max retreated for a moment, returning with a can of soda. “This is the only one in there. Hope you don’t mind drinking after me.”

She swallowed a bite of her sandwich and took the can. “As long as I’m not going to sprout a pair of fuzzy ears and a tail.” Not waiting for a reply, she gulped down a quarter of the contents and passed it back to him.

He grinned mischievously. “Well, there was that one time.”

“Funny.”

“Not very.”

“Tell me about your, uh…condition.”

He eyed her with a bored expression for a moment. “What do you want to know?”

“Well, do you have any control over it?”

“Kind of. Once I change, though, it takes a while before it wears off.”

“Until the sun rises, right?”

He shook his head. “Until the moon does.”

Jan stopped chewing, her brain refusing to direct her body to do anything more until it did the math. She nearly choked when it calculated the answer. “You’re telling me that you really are a dog and you just change into a human when the sun rises?”

He nodded, his eyebrows arched, his smile sympathetic to her pride. “You’d have figured it out soon enough.”

“And Brava really is a bitch?” She set the rest of the sandwich aside. Her insides too twisted to handle the food. “Are you cursed or something?”

Max got up and walked to the window across the room. He was silent for a moment as he stared at the horses grazing in the field beside the house. “It’s a blessing. Not a curse. Most creatures God has made only get to exist in one form. We get to live in two.”

“But how is that possible? I mean, humans have reason, animals have instinct. How do you deal with that?”

Touching the window with his index finger, he traced the outline of one of the horses, almost oblivious to her question. After a moment, he turned to her. “Jan, you live by both. Why do you think a pregnant mother goes on a cleaning frenzy before she gives birth? Why do you think love is always more abundant in the spring? I could go on and on.”

“Yeah, but that’s just--”

“Instinct,” he replied. “Man carries the ability to reason. Sure. But they still harbor instincts. Unfortunately, many of them chock it up to sound reasoning. It’s kind of a shame, really. Are you going to eat the rest of that or not?”

Jan glanced at the sandwich she’d abandoned and then up at Max. “You can have it. I’m not hungry. All this stuff is putting a damper on my appetite.”

He grinned, happily helping himself to her leftovers. She shuddered at the animal behavior. Although he handled the remainder of the sandwich like a human, his hunger forced him to gobble it as quickly as she would have expected Jones to do. A wave of nausea hit her. Poor Jones. He’d lost his life trying to protect her from Brava. Swallowing back her tears, she tried to focus on Max. “Do you enjoy being human?”

Max wiped the crumbs off of his mouth with the front of a shirt he’d found in one of the closets and shrugged. “Sometimes. I find that men think entirely too much.”

Jan entertained the fleeting thought of her ex-husband with a smirk. “Not all men.”

“Someone you want to talk about?”

She shook her head. This mess was complicated enough without dragging out her past tribulations. “What about Thelma? Where does she fit into your little tangled web?”

“She cares for me. Feeds me. Gives me a place to sleep. If you haven’t noticed, this gig doesn’t pay well to live by human standards.”

Jan laughed. “So, basically, you’re sponging off of her.”

“It’s a fair trade. A nice, warm bed for a canine companion.”

“Oh. I see. She supplies the provisions and you grace her with your presence.”

Max frowned. “Well, when you put it like that, of course it sounds horrible.”

“Max, whenever we get out of this situation. If, we get out of this situation. You need to grow up and start standing on your own two feet…or four. Anyway, what you’re doing to her isn’t right.”

“Spare me the lecture,” he replied. “And get some sleep.” He walked over to a Laz-e-boy and collapsed onto it, draping his legs over the side. “I’ll be over here if you need anything.”

Jan let the conversation lie when she saw Max shut his eyes, refusing to give her any attention. Leaning back on the arm of the couch, she tried to sleep. If Max was correct and Brava was still in pursuit, then she really was going to need her strength. She closed her eyes and finally let go.



She wasn’t certain how long she’d slept, but when she woke up, the room was dimmer. Her leg throbbed and she wished she’d been smart enough to have downed a Tylenol or two before conking out. Glancing at Max, she found him still sprawled over the Lay-z-boy, snoring softly. He must have been wiped. She wondered if his dual life required more energy than hers.

“No chance,” she mumbled to herself, getting up to throw a blanket over him. “He’s a man. Enough said.”

His eyes popped open.

Jan clutched the blanket to her and let out a yelp. “Don’t do that. You scared the crap out of me.”

He sat up straight, dime-sized pupils nearly overtaking his irises as he glared at the window. If he’d been in his dog form, she would have expected his huge Shepard ears to have perked. Instead, he inhaled, letting out a low, ominous growl. Jan felt her heart drop. Brava was here.

A horse neighed and Jan bolted to the window in time to catch it galloping along the wood-slat fence. Several equine blurs followed their leader at top speed. Their rears disappeared in the distance as the horses searched for an escape. A sick feeling overwhelmed her. The one thing she knew about horses was that if they were frightened enough, they’d make their own way out of the fence and her boss would have her hide. Fury filled her, sending her to the front door. “Damn it! She’s spooking the horses.”

Max beat her to it, slamming it shut in front of her. “Are you crazy? She’ll tear you apart!”

Jan pushed against him, wavering him only slightly. She glared up at him, meeting his eyes with determined ferocity. “Not if she hurts one more animal. She’s already killed Jones. I’m not going to give her a chance with the horses.”

He turned the lock without taking his eyes off of her. “And what? You going to lecture her to death? How do you plan on keeping her away from them?”

She grit her teeth and bit back a slur.

“You stay in here and you’re safe. Okay? You go running out there like a mad woman waving a save-the-horses sign and she’ll kill you. It’s as simple as that.”

“So, I’ll beat her with the sign.”

He grinned, an expression that never met his feral eyes. “Gun shoots through sign. Kills you. Any questions?”

A horse neighed and Jan ran to the window, catching sight of the frantic herd as they made another pass alongside the house. “If anything happens to those horses, I’m just as dead. I think I’d rather face her than a pissed off Everett.”

“When the moon rises, she’ll have teeth and claws that will rip you apart.”

“If Everett’s brother loses a horse because of me, I’ll be dodging scalpel blades, buddy. So, don’t even try to play rational on my fear. Got it?”

“I mean it, Jan. I don’t want you hurt.”

She rolled her eyes, her memories of her ex-husband’s fake concern flooding her mind as she unlatched the lock and reached for the door knob. “Whatever.”

He grabbed her hand and squeezed, a sensation that sent her heart pounding. “I mean it. Please. This is my fight. Not yours. I don’t want you to pay for it.”

She sneered and jerked her hand from him. “You already passed me the tab. So, unless you plan on washing dishes for the rest of the night, looks like I’m going to have to contribute.”

“Stop being unreasonable.”

She met his glare with one of her own. “Stop telling me what to do.”

“Then, stop being so stubborn and listen.” He went to put his hand on her shoulder but she pulled away.

“You stop being so domineering. I’m not helpless.”

His jaw tensed. “And I’m not your ex-husband.”

Jan felt her breath catch in her throat. She swallowed, covering the barrage of emotions that wanted to charge through and demand to be felt. Tears burned her eyes wanting out. She blinked them back, forcing her humanity into submission.

“I’m not.” His voice softened, his jaw relaxing. He reached up and touched her cheek with his index finger, a motion that caused one of her tears to escape. He wiped it away. “It’s me, Max. Dog-boy. Remember? I don’t know what that guy did to you, but I’m not here to repeat it. Okay? I just want to get both of us out of this alive.”

She nodded, shifting away from him and the door to wipe her face with her hands. She cleared her throat. “What now?”

“I want you to stay in here for now. I’m going out, take a look around and see if she’s allowing herself to be seen. If I know Brava, she won’t give up anything more until she gets her form back.”

“No more guns?”

He shook his head. “Not likely.”

Jan whirled aside as a portion of the door and the wall adjacent to it flew in her direction. Shards of glass, metal and wood tore through the air like the storm-made missiles in cyclone, clipping her exposed skin. Max turned just in time to catch the debris face first and the gray car pushing all of it towards him. The huge, pre-gas war tank met his body with enough force to send him backwards, off his feet, careening into the coffee table behind him. The cherry wood collapsed, splintering and cracking to the floor beneath his weight. She gasped, spotting the blood on Max’s face. He groaned, rolling over on to all fours and pushing up to stand in front of Jan, his arms splayed out to keep her safely behind him. He wavered a little, but kept his balance. Jan held onto the back of his shirt to try and keep him steady. A gun cocked and Brava slid down the hood of the car, through the hole she’d made, and into Everett’s brother’s living room. She aimed the weapon at Max, raking her dark hair out of her angelic face with one hand.

He growled, deep and threatening.

“No more guns, huh?” Jan clenched her hand around his shirt. “I’m beginning to think you don’t know this girl as well as you thought you did.”

Max grunted in reply.

Brava smiled, revealing white teeth and a feral look in her eyes. “Vengeance adapts.”

“Fine,” he replied, stepping back. “Take your vengeance out on me. Just leave her out of it.”

Brava stepped to the side, moving with Max and Jan. She studied him for a moment as her eyes glinted in the bluish-white tinge of the moonlight. “You care for her. Don’t you?”

Max was silent, holding his position.

“A mere human bitch and you care for her?”

A flash of anger shot through Jan, setting her into motion. Max caught her before she had the chance to move in front of him. One of his hands clamped tight on her arm, pulling her into him.

“Stay with me, Jan. Don’t listen to her.”

Brava laughed, targeting Max’s chest. “It’s a shame, really. She should have never been involved.”

Max took a couple steps backward. Glass crunching under their shoes, grinding deep into the carpet. “So let her go.”

Laughter echoed off of the walls, creeping into her ears like a maddened cackle. Max’s hand squeezed her arm hard, nails too sharp to be human digging into her flesh as he yanked her back in one fluid motion, sending her off her feet into the next room. The gun went off, blasting a hole in the wall near Jan’s head. She ducked, darting back into the kitchen as the sound of Max’s growl turned deadly. She didn’t have to see him to know that he was turning back into himself, but she couldn’t help herself. Peeking around the corner, she saw Max fold over onto all fours, a dark coat of hair melting over his exposed flesh as his canine features tore through clothing not fit for a dog. She watched him leap towards Brava as she aimed the gun at him and pulled the trigger. The propulsion sending him backward.

Max yelped, landing hard on the hood of the car and slamming onto the floor, lifeless. Brava turned, spotting Jan. She smiled, her teeth much sharper than before, her eyes even more wild. Tossing the gun aside, Brava bent forward, molding herself gracefully into the black dog that Jan had seen before. A good shake shed her free of the clothing that hung over her. She let out a growl, her lip pulled back in a snarl.

Jan swallowed hard and backed up. “I knew I should have caught that plane. I knew it. I knew it.”

Brava leapt forward and Jan took off running into the kitchen and out the back door. Darkness littered the air, shading everything in its path. She bolted off the back deck and into the yard. The horses neighed in the background, but Jan could barely hear them over her own heart. She wanted to scream but the exertion from running demanded too much of her breath. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Brava gaining on her. It wouldn’t take the dog more than a second or two to catch up to her and then what?

So it doesn’t matter. She’s got you. One way or another. She wins.

Whipping around, Jan froze. Fists clenched. Lip snarled up, revealing her own teeth. Brava let out a wolf-like growl, thinning out into a hyena’s scream as she bounded at Jan, teeth bared, hunger revealed. A boom echoed in the air and Brava hit the ground, twisting and writhing as her body contorted into its human form.

Silence filled the air as a rifle cocked behind Jan. She turned to see Everette standing off to the side, aiming his weapon at the nude woman. Blood oozed from the side of Brava’s head, its color blackened by the moonlight.

“Damn dogs,” Everett grumbled, letting the rifle fall forward in his hand.

Jan met her boss’s eyes, shocked.

He gave her a slight smile. “I should have listened a little closer, Jan. These things plagued Nebraska about twenty years ago before an old native American friend of mine culled some of them out.”

Her eyes welled with tears and she took off past Everette into the house. “Oh God, Max! Everett, please tell me that you didn’t--”

Her words cut off as Max raised his head, panting. His ears perked at her voice. Jan ran to his side, pressing her hand against his wound. “Everett!”

He was at her side before she called for him again, his hands working fast to bandage the wound on the dog’s chest. “Get the car,” he ordered, “and help me load him in. He won’t live much longer if we don’t stop this bleeding.”

“If he turns human, it’s over.”

Everett frowned and tossed her his keys. “The truck. Now.”

Jan took his keys and ran for the truck, starting the engine and bringing it around the gray car at the front of the house. Throwing open the door to the backseat, she went inside and helped load Max.

 

Jan rolled her eyes as the little yellow beetle with the big flower on the hood put-putted into her drive two weeks later. An elderly woman with a huge beehive climbed out, shuffling along the sidewalk until she reached the front door. The doorbell rang and Jan let out a sigh, eyeing the little fluffy puppy in her arms before opening the door.

“Ms. Parks, it’s nice to see you again.”

Thelma smiled a false-toothy grin and clutched her big, white handbag. “That him?”

Jan nodded, handing the furry bundle to the frail old woman. “Are you sure you want one this big? He’ll outweigh you before long.”

“I like big dogs.”

Jan forced a polite smile. “Yeah, but he’ll be a handful.”

Thelma turned and lifted her hand in a make-shift wave. “Long as he don’t run away like that good-for-nothing Max, I don’t mind him taking up a little space.”

Jan watched her shuffle back out to her yellow bug with the puppy firmly tucked under one arm, never offering to wiggle free. “Uh, you’re welcome?”

Thelma nodded in her direction, climbed into the car with the pup and drove off. Jan watched silently as the yellow beetle disappeared into the distance. After a few minutes, she felt a cold, wet nose nuzzle against her hand. She glanced at Max who plopped down on his haunches happily watching his old owner drive away.

“What are you grinning at?” Jan asked with a scowl. “You saw the paper boy come. Now, go earn your keep.”