Chapter Nine
It was owned by some unknown man named Jeff Houston, he'd come
from Texas, but his roots were firmly planted in South Africa; that was from
were his mother and father, and their mothers and fathers had come from.
And so, he treated them with respect. He was tall, well, at least taller
than the average, and his eyes were always bright, shining with joy of
life.
But Jeff had a secret.
When the smiling man named Jeff Houston bent down
with a bowl in his hands all animals in the pound came as quickly as if he
had called for them.
He was the one and only owner of the pound, he took care of
all the starving and wounded, often bleeding, creatures that he laid his
eyes on. He didn't care weather they were dogs or not, he'd take any animal
in a poor condition.
And when they were better, he'd give them away to suitable
owners or petstores. Unfortunately these days he very seldom saw healthy
animals, so his smile vanished as a pitch black wolfhound came limping towards
him on this beautiful Monday.
"Hey, boy," he said and ruffled the dogs hair between the ears.
"What happened to you?"
The dog stared into his eyes and the fire that burned there
made him snatch his hand back immediately.
Oh, please.
"What kind of a dog r'ya really?"
I need to speak with you, Hunter
"With me? Hey, listen-"
Hunter! It's me!
Jeff's smile faded away.
"Wrath?"
Could we go someplace else? The greyhound looked over
its shoulder and then back at him. This is important.
"I-I'm really very sorry," Hunter stammered. "I-I-I didn't
know."
Of course you didn't know. The dog licked his hand.
Please? I'd like to change back now.
"Oh! Oh, yea, sure."
He opened the door to the pounds small kitchen and when Jeff
had drawn the curtains Wrath finally changed and the young Were couldn't
suppress a gasp. His leaders presence was overwhelming, silver hair wild
as a mane. Hunter fell to his knees without thinking.
"Oh, come on now!" Wrath smiled and swirled his eyes at the
ceiling. "That was a long time ago, friend. You're the leader now, remember?"
He bent down and dragged the astonished young one up on his
feet. They looked at eachother for a long time and suddenly they both began
to laugh simultaneously. They hugged and laughed even wilder, scaring one
of the ginger cats up onto the fridge.
"God, it's been a long time, Wrath!"
"A long time indeed. I've missed you. Missed you all."
"Well, we've been doing as good as we could without you and
Grey," Hunter said with a blush. "How is the girl by the way?"
"Just as good as always. And how about you, Hunter? Anyone
caught you yet?"
"Nah, I'm still free. But, you know, sometimes the bed gets
all empty, you feel alone. You don't mind me borrowing your gal for a
night?"
"Hey! Watch your tongue, mister," Wrath laughed and took down
the ginger cat, stroking its fur gently.
"Well..?"
"No!"
Hunter sighed with a wry smile.
"Oh well, I almost thought so."
They continued their smalltalk for almost an hour, Jeff showing
Wrath his pound and introducing him to the animals. Such a long time since
they met, they had a lot to go through. Finally, the two settled down in
the yard to talk.
"I came," Wrath begun, "because I needed to inform you and
the others about some serious trouble heading this way. I think," he swallowed,
"I think Shatter is back."
Hunter rose.
"What d'ya mean he's back? You killed him! We all saw that!"
"I'm not too sure about that," Wrath murmured and lowered his
head. "But that's not all. You know how I've tried to protect the
ShadowHunters?"
Jeff nodded sternly. The others had firmly objected to such
a thing, trying to save the only thing able to destroy them. And so Wrath
had left, willingly, to be exiled with his companion Gray. Together they
had saved two of the Ritters from their sire.
"Well, the one in this century isn't really aware of his powers.
His predecessor died when the talisman was saved again, he had no time to
teach the new one anything! So, Gray and I am very close to him, actually,
we live with him."
A smile formed on Hunters lips.
"Not that way! Anyway, this ShadowHunter have had nightmares,
they stopped for a time, but now they've begun again. They are really the
thoughts of Shatter, threats and ravagings, but Gabriel, that's his name,
doesn't realize this."
"So? Why do you tell me this?" Hunter asked and stroked the
ginger cat in Wrath's lap.
"Because I made a little blunder."
He unwounded the bandages and showed his hand and arm to the
young Were
"I touched the talisman briefly. In front of Gabriel. Now it
looks like this."
Hunter's mouth was agape and his words were spoken with clear
hardship.
"That... was... stupid, Wrath."
"I know. So I'm dying. I presume you know the rhyme."
"Yes."
"And now his sidekick Grace is asking questions. I took the
memory from Gabriel, but... There's no guarantee that I can keep up this
for much longer."
A tear fell to the dusty ground.
"It hurts me, Hunter, more than you can imagine."
Jeff laid his arm around his friend's shoulders and pulled
him closer, letting him cry with his hearts content.
"Why don't you two come back, Wrath." he whispered, "You and
Gray are still welcome, you know. Stay with us the last time."
"How?" Wrath sobbed. "How could I ever leave Gabriel? He trusts
me, Hunter."
Jeff said nothing, simply hugged his former packleader and
watched the sunset.
Sitting in the sofa reading the book on lychantropes
wearily, Gray was fidgeting, nervously awaiting Wrath's homecoming. She was
anxious to hear what their old friend Hunter had to say, but there was also
the underlying fear how he would react when he heard what she'd told Grace.
Gabriel came in carrying a large pile of books, thereamong
many of his own, wearing a suitably good mood. He was actually whistling
some simply tune and Gray looked up, a small smile playing on her lips, but
she looked down into her book again. Polite manners from the eighteenth century
were hard to lay off. But nevertheless she coughed to make her presence
known.
Gabriel spun around, but the instant alarm left for relief
as quickly as a snap of the fingers. Gray kept her head down as if she hadn't
heard him, trying to suppress a laugh. Gabriel put down the remaining books
on the counter.
"Hi Gray." He said cheerily.
Finally she looked at him.
"Hello, Gabe. What are you doing?"
"Oh," he looked at his pile of novels. "Just putting new books
on the shelves."
"Running out of materials, are you?" she smiled.
"No, no." He spluttered a while. "Simply..."
"The shop is simply going well for a change." she finished
for him.
"Right."
"Any ideas on another book?"
"Nah, "The Brutal Beast" is still selling good, and besides,
nothing has happened."
He sat down beside her with a thud.
"Perhaps you don't have to write horror. Love stories are always
popular."
"Love?" Gabriel sounded stricken. "No! It'd turn Blake Backlash
into a..."
He silenced. Gray, with her flaming red hair, was looking oddly
at him. Their gazes met and locked.
"Why not?" she breathed as her face came closer to his.
"I don't think..." he begun, but her eyes... Luring.
"I think so."
Then, they kissed. Warm and with sudden passion. Gray laid
her arms around his neck, her flaring red hair clouding his vision.
There was a slam, like somebody being thrown into a wall, and
frightened they broke apart with a jolt, casting gazes filled with terror
at the door.
"It came from the outside," Gabriel said urgently, all passion
quite forgotten.
"A customer?" Gray trembled.
"No," He shook his head. We're closed."
They rose simultaneously, half ran to the door and slammed
it open, expecting the worst.
And it was the worst that met them.
"Gracie!" Gabriel shouted in horror and fell to his knees beside
her still form.
"Oh no..." Gray whispered as she laid her eyes on the bloody
mess that was Grace's face. "Oh no..."
The shattenjaeger instincts took over and Gabriels voice was
hard.
"Gray, call an ambulance. Quick!"
The Were was wearing an empty expression and she looked at
the sky.
Oh my God. He really is back.
"Gray?"
She snapped out of her thoughts partly.
"He's back, ShadowHunter."
"Who?"
"Shatter." Her voice shrank to a whisper.
I looked from the other side of the street, hidden
by a large car. My Gray was there, and so was my prey, both lured out by
my sacrificial of his partner.
No Wrath. I smiled.
Now was the time to strike.
Gray screamed, for it happened so fast. The great
animal suddenly was upon them, obfuscating her vision with black fur. She
felt a hard blow land on her head and she fell, partly blinded and dizzy.
Ebony fangs glinted in the light of the lamps outside when
the animal opened its jaws to bite. Gabriel swore and staggered backwards,
trying to fend himself with pathetic waves of his arms.
"Gabe!" Gray shouted hoarsely, "The talisman!"
Momentarily distracted, the beast hesitated, giving Gabriel
the opportunity he needed to bring forth the pendant.
It was glowing with a sickening yellow light and the animal
let out a short yelp. And Gray finally saw who it was. It was her teacher,
her Master, Shatter in his wolf form, the most powerful level of transformation
she had ever seen. Only he and Wrath had the wolf as their second nature,
the second part of their souls. She too could become the canine king of beasts,
but her second alteration was the one of the great cat, the cheetah. That
in itself was very rare, and they both called her a pride or jewel when among
others of their kind.
She cursed. She had been drifting away! But clearly for a moment
only.
The two was frozen in position, the talisman glowing and humming
in the hand of its owner, and Shatter, his golden eyes blazing like the evil
soul. It was only an instant they stood so, frozen in time, but it seemed
years.
And then he leapt, claws and teeth bared, black edge on edge
for the kill. And the talismans fire rising to meet him, struck his face
with a sizzle and the stench of burning hair.
The bloodchilling howl of fury and pain she would always remember,
but what would haunt her nightmares for centuries to come and make her wake
covered in sweat in the night was the sound when powerful jaws closed on
the talisman and the horrible shriek that emitted from the crack when it
shattered. Silver light burst in an instant and was gone as quick. Seven
shards fell to ground with the full rich plunks of pure gold.
She didn't remember how or when Shatter left. Her eyes were
locked on the destroyed magical item. It was still shining faintly and a
silver orb was hovering over the shards were dissolving into the damp
night.
Gray did not reach out to touch it, even though it was tempting,
for she knew better than to touch the soul of the shattenjaegers, but Gabriel
Knight could and he did.
She saw his eyes grow misty and distant for a second and then
the silver light was gone. And then Gray let herself slip into oblivion.