Lycanthrope Ch. 01

"I can see that," he smiled, "Good-looking car like this shouldn't be sassing you."

"A good-looking car isn't worth shit when it won't fucking start," she shook her head.

"Give it another try," Travis said.

Catalina turned the key again. Once more the engine tried to turn over. After half a minute of grinding and fruitless spinning, the engine died. With a frustrated laugh, the doctor gave up and tossed her keys into the passenger side seat.

"I can give you a lift home," Travis offered, "It wouldn't be a problem."

Catalina hesitated for a moment and then said, "I- yes, that would be fine."

"Leave your keys with Mom or Dad," he opened the door for her, "I'll check it out in the morning and then bring it over to you. Besides, you've got no chains on your tires and the snow isn't going to let up."

Catalina shivered and hugged her jacket to her body, "Okay."

"Let's go," he smiled, motioning to his truck.

***

A thick fog curled through the night as Travis drove Catalina home. Only the ghostly presence of brightly burning lights, secure over the driveways of homes set back far off the winding road and hidden by the thick growth of trees cast any illumination. The world had turned white in a matter of only a half hour as fat flakes of snow blanketed the ground. The rhythmic dance of the wiper blades across the windshield and the rolling rumble of the chains against blacktop was both comforting and distracting for Travis as he navigated the road, doing his best not think of Catalina and certainly not to think of the kiss they had shared.

"I feel as though I've done something wrong," Catalina said after a while, unable to look at Travis.

"No," Travis shook his head, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I shouldn't have kissed you," she said quietly.

"You regretting it?"

Catalina almost said she did, but then stopped herself. She hadn't regretted it. Not one little bit. In fact, it was the most exciting and wonderful experience she could recall having in a long time. That single kiss had aroused something deep inside her, a passionate need even more intense than the simple sexual frustrations plaguing her every day. This new need was raw and hot, a monstrously powerful instinct that desired above all else fulfillment. She looked at Travis, her heart throbbing and her sex becoming torturously slick again, "I don't regret it, Travis."

"That's good," he smiled, "Neither do I."

"Really?"

"As I recall," Travis peered out the window into the storm, "I kissed you. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't mean it."

Catalina smiled, "It was a nice kiss."

"Don't worry," he put his hand on her leg and squeezed, "It was a fantastic kiss... and a fantastic dance."

Catalina suppressed a sensual grin, "Maybe we'll have to finish that kiss sometime?"

"As long as we finish the dance too," Travis replied.

She couldn't believe this handsome young man was talking to her like this. What's more she couldn't believe that she was actually talking to him in this manner. It all felt so alien and yet so completely natural and safe. There was something reassuring about the way Travis carried himself, something honest in his shyness and quiet reserve. How many men would have just left it at a kiss without demanding more? How many men would have waited for Catalina to make the next move?

'Not many,' she thought.

"Can I ask a personal question?" he asked as water and slush sprayed up from a huge puddle in the middle of the road, dowsing the windshield and doors.

"Sure." Here comes the big sex question...

"Why veterinarian medicine?"

"Oh," she shrugged, scooting a little closer to him and stretching one arm out over the back of the seat, letting her hand fall loosely at his left shoulder, "Just lucky I guess. My dad wanted me to be a medical doctor, but I like animals more than I like people."

"Yeah?"

"Animals don't carry the same bullshit we do," Catalina said, "They don't hurt for the sake of hurting. I think maybe they're easier to understand."

"That's true," Travis nodded, "I can't imagine any other profession where the patient can lick the doctor and not be sued."

"Or where the doctor can slip a muzzle on the patient when he gets unruly," she added.

Travis laughed at this. He said, "You know, a lot of people pay good money to get licked and muzzled."

Catalina chuckled, "Not around here they don't."

She realized that her fingers were tracing the back of his neck in slow, small circles. It was so natural and easy that she hadn't even noticed she was doing it until he shifted his weight and leaned back. After a moment of embarrassment, she felt her heart slow down a little and discovered that he wasn't shying away or looking at her strangely. Catalina was both frightened and comforted by the closeness and familiarity she shared with this man she hardly knew at all.

"You know," he said, "I've had a really good time with you tonight."

Through a blush she said, "Flattery, flattery..."

Her tone was dismissive, but inside she was relishing every moment of his attention.

"At the risk of sounding desperate and sappy," he added, "You were the most beautiful woman in the house tonight."

"Oh go on," she laughed.

Travis smiled.

"Seriously," she nudged him, "Go on... tell me more."

"I'm telling you," he said, "You were turning a lot of heads tonight."

"Well," she looked down at her free hand, resting neatly in her lap, "I don't know about that."

"I do and I can say th-"

A frame-thundering impact sounded off, followed by a tremendous lurch and thrust forward as something big and heavy struck the front end of the truck. Their seatbelts pulled tight, the shoulder harness of Catalina's belt digging into the skin of her chest and neck. She screamed as the truck suddenly swerved to the right. Catalina's heart jumped into her throat under the sound of squealing tires, struggling to find purchase against the wet, slushy blacktop. Travis worked the wheel over, trying to regain control of the vehicle as sleet caught the light of headlamps and then collided with the windshield.

"Jesus!" he shouted, his foot slammed down hard on the brake pedal.

The truck screeched to a halt as steam and smoke from the burned rubber rose around the windows. Their momentum ceased, the cab rocking back and forth warily on the shocks, the two finally allows themselves to breath. The rumble of the engine suddenly came back into Catalina's range of hearing, as though she had muted the world around her and was now turning the volume back up. She could hear the rapid heaving of her lungs, her breaths short and ragged.

"What the fuck?" Travis whispered.

"What happened?"

"We hit something," he breathed and looked into his rearview mirror and then the side mirrors, "We gotta get off the road."

He swung the truck around and pulled to the shoulder. Catalina looked out the windshield and realized that they had turned completely around in the skid. The road sign a few feet ahead was welcoming them back into Breystaff as opposed to letting them know that they were leaving it. She took a deep, cleansing breath as Travis put the truck in park and switched on the hazard lights.

"There's a flashlight in the glove box," he said to her as he unbuckled his seat belt, "Grab it."

She opened the compartment and pulled the large, black flashlight out. As she handed it to him, she asked, "What did we hit?"

'Please not a person, please not a person...' Travis thought desperately. He said, "Let's go find out."

Snow frosted them instantly as they stepped out of the truck and slammed the doors. Catalina shivered, a thin layer of sheer pantyhose between her legs and the frigid night air. She gingerly navigated the mess of slush covering the road, her high heels never meant for winter action.

She looked around the front of the truck and stopped, her eyes wide in the headlights. The bumper, grill and hood were partially pushed in from the impact, giving the truck a dilapidated, inverted snarl. Travis shined his light on the damage, searching for any indication of what they had smashed into. He shook his head, "You see anything?"

Catalina looked at the front end of the truck, "Aside from a big dent? No."

"No blood or fur," he sighed.

"Maybe the snow washed it off?"

"Maybe..."

White ice was falling even harder now as they left the truck and walked down the shoulder of the road, the hazard and headlights blaring behind them. Snow and wet gravel crunched under their feet as they slowly searched the ground ahead of the truck for the mystery obstacle, the small pool of illumination from Travis's flashlight waving back and forth systematically. The high heels Catalina wore made her wish she had thought to bring a pair of galoshes with her. As they left the brightness of the headlights she spotted something in the snow out of the corner of her eye.

"Look," she pointed and knelt down. Catalina touched a dark patch of discolored snow. Holding up two fingers she revealed a thick red liquid. She said, "Blood..."

"Oh fuck," Travis muttered and then looked down the road, "Hello!?"

No one answered.

"Hello!?"

The sky lit up quietly, offering a brief view of the frozen world around them. The lightning revealed the glazed evergreen trees lining the road and the shoulder, turning what was once familiar into something twisted and removed from everything she thought normal. In the eerie light, the snowy world seemed cold and hostile like some ghostly reflection of what it should have been.

"Lightning in a snow storm," Travis muttered.

Catalina looked down to her side and saw more blood stained snow, along with large distortions in the fresh pack. It looked as though whatever they had hit had rolled away in the impact. She followed the depressions in the snow, her toes beginning to tingle from the ice and cool air. There was one larger blotch of blood and then she saw it lying half submerged in the drainage ditch that ran the length of the road.

"Shit," she gasped and jumped back, grabbing Travis's arm tightly. Muted thunder rumbled heavily a few moments later as the lightning ceased and all was dark again save for the flashing lights from the truck and small flashlight.

"Look!" she hissed and pointed.

Travis swung his light around and jumped back himself, a small yelp escaping his throat. Whatever it was, it was at least the size of a grown bear. Matted dark fur dotted with snow bristled off the hulking creature. Curiosity overpowered her fear as she peered down at the animal, inching closer and closer. She tentatively hunkered down at the edge of the ditch and could now hear labored breathing bubbling in the water.

"What is that?" Travis squinted as he knelt down beside her, "Looks like an ape."

"I'm not sure," Catalina shook her head, "I've never seen anything like it before."

"Thank God it wasn't human," he said.

"Definitely not a bear," she muttered and took the flashlight from Travis, shining it down into the ditch. Muddy brown water had submerged most of the creature save for it's broad torso and unusual head. Twigs and snow clung to thick black fur, as it's powerful barrel chest rose and fell.

"Looks like a dog," Travis whispered and the wrinkled his nose, "Smells like one too."

As impossible as it seemed, Catalina couldn't argue. She shined the light on the head of the strange creature. A powerful snout, like that of a Doberman Pinscher was partially upturned towards the sky. The muzzle was dotted flecks of thick crimson blood and pulled away from the most wicked set of teeth Catalina had ever seen. Set further back on the skull was a set of ears that could only be described as pointedly canine. They were drooped over and limp, but she had no doubt they could prick up at a moment's notice.

"It definitely looks like a dog," she said more to herself than anyone, "But that's impossible."

"Actually," Travis tilted his head to one side, "It looks more like a wolf now that I can see it better."

"This is fucking weird," Catalina wiped the melting snow off her glasses and sat them back on the bridge of her nose.

"Really weird," Travis nodded. His eyes followed the muscular form of the creature's neck down to its broad right shoulder. Cut into the hard muscles of the backside was a serious gash. The skin was split wide and pink, smeared with blood and raw to the elements. Snow turned pink and then red as it landed on the oozing wound. Travis could see thin curls and streams of blood wafting in the water around the creature.

It twitched in a small spasm, causing them both to jump. It was as alien as a Martian in some H.G. Wells novel, and yet so familiar. But it was the sounds the beast was making that set it apart from anything Travis or Catalina had ever known before. The rasp of it breathing and the bubbling of filthy water around its bloody snout made Travis's skin rise into gooseflesh. With each breath came a strong, wild growl that sounded like a cross between the threat of a lion, the rage of a bear and the warning of a wolf. There was feral anger, a deeply rooted heat in the low growls emitting from its throat.

"We need to get it in to the clinic," Catalina said.

Travis laughed. "Yeah right."

"I'm serious," she looked at him, "This animal will die if we don't."

"Cat," he put a hand on her shoulder, "We don't even know what the hell this thing is. I say we drive to the sheriff's office and have them come deal with I, preferably with tranquilizers."

"I can't do that," she said.

"It could be dangerous," he insisted, "Have you ever seen anything like this before?"

"No," she conceded, "But all the more reason to help. It's a one of a kind."

"It's a nice idea," Travis said and got up off his haunches, "But no. A wounded animal is a dangerous animal. You know that."

"Travis-" she began.

"Cat, please come on," Travis motioned for her as he walked away.

"It's moving," she said, her voice strained and weak.

"I mean it, come-" Travis paused in his tracks, slowly looking back at her as another flash of lightning seared across the sky, "What?"

Catalina slowly rose to her feet, backing up as the electricity in the sky revealed the world to her again in skeletal nightlight. The creature was indeed moving, the powerful arms flexing and releasing as it struggled to stand on its feet. In another bolt of lightning she saw the legs rise out of the water. They were the hind legs of every canine she had ever seen at the clinic, in a book, on the street or on television. Only these legs were more bulky, stronger and meaner looking. They looked almost human, despite the animalistic design.

"Step back," Travis whispered, "Now, Cat."

Catalina nodded, the blood completely drained from her face. Thunder boomed again, this time like a shotgun blast warning from God. Her hands were shaking as the creature finally righted itself and stood. She jumped as another flash of lightning arced in the heavens. She could see the dark silhouette of a bushy, waterlogged tail between its legs. It asserted itself to a height that had to be over six feet tall, maybe seven. It's breathing was deeper now, more steady and yet far more angry.

"Holy shit," Catalina whispered as she and Travis stepped back towards the truck. Water had run into her coat and soaked her dress to her body as she eased away, chilling her to the bone. If it was some kind of wild dog no one had ever seen before now, she hoped the rules still applied to it as to other canines. She lowered her head and tried to make herself look less threatening. She stifled the impulse to run. A wild dog, a wolf would only give chase and kill her. She couldn't confirm what the fuck this thing was, but it looked like a wolf. That was enough for her.

'Werewolf,' she thought wildly as it began to turn and face them, 'It's a fucking werewolf...'

Feral green eyes regarded her coolly in the dark, as though trying to study her and figure her out. In the last reaches of the head lights, she could make out it's stocky build as it stepped out of the ditch and onto the road. Large, hairy paws tipped with huge claws planted against the pavement. That deep growling had come back, but now it was more direct and violent. Catalina thought of lions and savage creatures from some distant age when men wore animal skins and women were dragged around by their hair.

"Just play it cool," Catalina whispered, "Remember, he's the dominant one."

"Uh huh," Travis nodded, slowly turning and bracing himself for the journey to the door of his truck.

The creature hunched down.

Travis stopped as Catalina backed up next to him.

"He's going to jump," Travis whispered.

The creature watched them intently, licking its chops and maintaining its low growl.

"What's he waiting for?"

"Who cares?" Travis ushered her behind him, "Get into the truck."

"Don't be a hero, Travis," she hissed and pulled him back.

"Just get in the truck..."

"Both of us," Catalina tightened her grip on his jacket.

"Just move it," Travis hissed, his eyes unable to look away from the monster in the road before him.

And then the beast leapt at them. Only it was like no leap Travis had ever seen before. It was as though the thing had been shot from a cannon directly at them. With a loud roar that eclipsed the thunder overhead, it was airborne, slavering jaws open and teeth poised for the kill. Travis shoved Catalina back against the truck as the beast plowed into him, taking him off his feet. There was the sensation of freefalling and then the harsh reality of the windshield cracking under his backside. The air whistled out of his lungs as claws dug into his chest and then pulled.

"Fuck!" he wheezed and dug his fingers into the monster's pelt, pulling on its hair. The creature bellowed as Travis plunged his thumbs into its eyes. It pulled back, head jerked violently into a howl of pure agony as it released Travis from its grip.

Catalina came around from behind the truck, the shovel from the bed gripped in her hands. She swung at the creature's legs, her lips pulled back in a sneer of anger and fear. The spade connected and swept the monsters feet out from beneath it. It fell with a resounding thud and rolled off the hood. She brought the shovel down again on its skull as hard as she could. The metal spade made a comic *bong* sound, the impact reverberating through her arms and torso. The beast whipped around and faced her, the headlights catching the hate in its eyes the way camera might catch red eyes in family pictures.

"Go away!" she screamed and swung again. The beast dodged her attack and lunged forward. She braced herself for a devastating impact, but instead was only knocked to her left as it squeezed between her and the mangled front end of Travis's truck. She heard the fabric of her jacket tear as she was shoved backwards and into the road. The back of her head bounced off the pavement and she lay there, spread eagled for a moment.

"Cat?!" Travis shouted as he rolled off the hood, "Cat, are you okay?"

"Oh God," Catalina whispered, her eyes spinning in their sockets as snow lighted and melted on his face and chest. She would not have been surprised at all to see little birds and stars circling her head gaily as she sat up.

"Are you hurt?"

"Only my dignity," she winced as she touched the back of her head. As Travis put his hands on her arms and knelt to assist her, she could hear the creature trampling off into the woods. Branches snapped like gunshots and bushes rustled as it sped away from them into the shadows.

"Let's get the fuck outta here," he helped her up to her feet, "It could come back."

"Let's go to the clinic," she said as he escorted her to the truck, "We can take care of it there."

"But-"

"Just do it," she squeezed his hand, "Please."