STAND BACK
CHAPTER TEN-BITTEN
Mr. Kent pulled onto the Luthor property and then shut off the engine. They pushed open their doors and climbed out, closing them behind them.
They began walking into the mansion and up to the 2nd floor where Lex's office was.
The office was silent and lifeless. The only reminder of what happened there was the broken window.
Mr. Kent looked around.
"Okay. Did any of you see where she landed outside?" Mr. Kent asked.
They shook their head.
"Let's start in the backyard,"
So they left the house and began searching the backyard.
Clark scanned the ground and then found something.
"Hey, guys, I found something," Clark said as he crouched down beside the object.
Lex and Mr. Kent came over and also crouched down beside him.
It was a large paw print. But what was strange is that it was like a footprint. Deeply embedded in the mud.
"That's impossible," Lex said. "Liz isn't that big of a wolf. I mean she's the normal size of a North American Gray wolf. This looks like a bear."
Clark and Mr. Kent looked at each other.
"There's a second set. Look," Mr. Kent said pointing to a few inches beside the large paw print.
There was a series of smaller prints, normal looking prints.
"Those are Liz's," Clark said.
"They all head west," Lex said as they all followed the prints direction with their eyes.
"Right to…."
"The Kent farm,"
Martha was feeding the cattle. It had begun getting dark now. Clouds moved over a full moon briefly hiding it.
She heard a noise in the barn and put down the large bag of feed.
She pulled off her thick leather gloves and placed them on the fence. She began walking toward the barn.
The barn was silent and dark except for a few streaks of light coming from the moonlight.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" she called carefully stepping into the barn. The lower stalls held the horses and cattle.
The horses were oddly spooked and shifting in their stalls.
Martha stepped over to a beautiful blood bay mare with a blaze and four white socks named Belle. Belle's eyes were showing the whites and her ears were pinned back.
She shifted sideways in her stall.
"Easy, girl," Martha said softly. "What's wrong, huh? Why are you so scared?"
Martha looked around the barn, scanning every inch of it.
Suddenly, a pair of golden eyes peered down at her from the loft where Clark usually hung out. Martha froze as the eyes stepped into the light and she could see the full animal.
She raised a hand to her mouth in horror and surprise.
Jonathan drove like a madman back to the farm.
"Whatever this thing is, I can tell it weighs more than a bear or perhaps the same weight," Lex said. "From those footprints it looks to weigh around 300 pounds or more."
"What's going on?" Clark asked. "Is this another werewolf?"
"I think so," Jonathan replied. "Something we haven't seen before and this person might just very well be the culprit behind blackmailing Elizabeth."
"But if this person is a werewolf himself or herself, why blackmail Liz?" Lex asked leaning forward in the space between the front passenger and driver's seat. Clark was sitting in the passenger seat with Jonathan driving.
"That I don't know," Jonathan replied turning sharply right causing Clark to bump into his door and Lex slid off the seat completely.
"Let's just pray that we get there on time,"
Martha could not believe the size of this animal.
It was about the size of a bear and gray with white mixed through the fur.
The ears had long fur growing on the tips and the snout was longer and thinner. White canines and incisors gleamed in the light. The eyes were a jaundice/gold color and a tail swung back and forth menacingly at Martha.
It was a wolf. Martha was sure of it. But it didn't appear to be a normal wolf.
The wolf's ears pinned back and it snarled down at Martha.
Martha began backing up slowly out of the barn. The wolf's eyes followed every movement she made and then it jumped down from the loft.
The wolf began taking several steps toward her as she backed up. It wanted to attack. Anger and rage could be seen in its eyes.
Jonathan turned left onto the Kents driveway. Dirt was kicked up by the rear tires and floated around the car engulfing it in a 'dirt force field'.
Finally, Jonathan put the truck in 'park' and shut off the engine.
Lex, Clark and Jonathan pushed open their doors and stepped out of the truck.
Clark narrowed his eyes and immediately x-rayed the farm.
In the barn, he could see a human skeleton standing and an inhuman one slowly approaching the human.
"The barn," Clark said urgently.
They all hurried toward the barn.
Martha looked up as Clark, Lex and Jonathan appeared at the barn entrance.
"Don't move," Clark replied as he slowly took a step toward Martha.
Martha was frozen in her place.
She had tears forming in her eyes.
Suddenly, the wolf's head snapped toward Clark.
Clark stopped walking and froze in his tracks.
The wolf snarled at Clark. The eyes were locked on him.
"Don't move son," Jonathan replied.
The wolf's jaws parted slowly exposing deadly white canines and incisors.
It snarled at Clark.
Ignoring Martha, the wolf now turned its attention to Clark.
"Easy Clark. Your powers are weak or gone. Be careful and don't get bitten," Jonathan said slowly.
Clark nodded and finally was able to step in front of Martha protectively.
A second wolf appeared. It was the black wolf. Elizabeth. The black wolf leapt in front of Clark and snarled at the other wolf.
The other wolf charged and knocked the black wolf out of the way. The black wolf was caught off guard and it scrambled to its feet as the other wolf clamped its jaws on Clark's hand. Clark felt warm blood flowing from four puncture wounds on the side of his hand. The black wolf snarled angrily and charged the other wolf. The gray wolf snarled/hissed at the black wolf before tearing from the barn.
Clark was clutching his hand with his left hand. Lex, Jonathan and Martha came over to him.
The black wolf trotted over to Clark and sat on her haunches.
"Where were you?" Clark hissed at the black wolf as Jonathan wrapped a handkerchief around Clark's hand.
"She can't understand you, Clark," Martha said softly.
"She knows what I'm saying," Clark said. "My mother could've been killed. Why'd it take so long for you to show up?"
Clark was angry at Elizabeth for taking her time to show up.
The black wolfs head tilted sideways for a bit.
"Clark, be thankful that no one was mauled to death or worse," Lex replied.
"Or worse? I'm now what she is," Clark said gesturing to the black wolf. "Hello? I was bitten."
The black wolf got to her feet and went to take a step toward Clark but Clark kicked at the wolf missing the head by inches.
"Clark," Jonathan scolded as he looked at Martha with shock. Even Lex was stunned.
"Keep her away from me," Clark growled as he allowed Jonathan to lead him into the house.
Once Clark and Jonathan were gone, Elizabeth changed back into her human form. Thankfully, the crystal hadn't glowed in a while. She was able to think for herself and clear her mind.
Lex turned his head while Martha helped Liz change into a pair of clothes. They always kept a spare set of clothes in the barn incase Elizabeth came into there to change.
"I'm so sorry," Elizabeth blurted out as tears formed in her eyes. "He's right. I should've been there a lot faster but…"
"But what?" Martha asked gently.
"But the crystal didn't stop glowing until five minutes before I sensed you were in trouble. Plus, I wasn't near the Luthor Mansion. I was a mile from it in front of a house with the name "Paris" on the mailbox,"
"You were still a wolf though but you were able to think clearly right?" Lex asked.
Elizabeth nodded as a tear slid down her cheek.
"This wasn't your fault," Martha replied as she wrapped an arm around Liz's shoulders and the three of them headed into the house.
Inside the house, Jonathan was putting an antiseptic on Clark's hand. Clark looked up at Elizabeth and glared at her.
Liz and Lex sat down at the kitchen table.
"So, you were able to enter the kitchen at the right time," Clark said stiffly.
"Clark, she has a good reason why she was late," Lex said.
"And what would that be? She was off with another wolf?" Clark asked.
Lex narrowed his eyes.
"No. The crystal around her neck didn't stop glowing until five minutes before she sensed something was wrong. Plus, she was a mile from my mansion in front of a strange house,"
For a moment, guilt filled Clark's eyes then the annoyance came back.
"She's not human. How would it take her that long to get here?"
"Clark," Martha scolded now.
Clearly, neither she nor Jonathan or Lex has seen Clark act like this toward Liz, or anyone for that matter.
Elizabeth slowly rose to her feet. Tears were glistening in her eyes now.
"Not human?" Elizabeth choked out. "I wouldn't be the one talking."
Sensing Liz was going to blow up at Clark, Martha thought quickly.
"Lex? Could you please help me with something in the barn?" Martha asked sweetly as she hurried over to Lex.
"Will she be okay?" Lex asked as Martha gently but firmly pulled him out of the house.
"Yep," Martha replied as both she and Lex vanished from ear shot.
"I'm as much as a human as you are. To think I helped keep your secret a secret," Elizabeth snarled. "And this is how you repay me by making me feel guilty over something that really wasn't my fault? Did you ever stop to think that I'm the victim here? I'm the one being blackmailed and at times when this crystal glows, and it stops, half the time I don't even know where I ended up or how I got there!"
Jonathan was silent. He wondered if the way Clark was acting was because of the bite wound. Especially since now he was changing as well.
But still…Elizabeth looked like she was totally crushed and devastated by Clark's last comment. He had to agree with Liz. That was a little cruel and harsh.
If anyone should understand what Liz was going through it would be Clark.
Clark's eyes began changing. The guilt came through now more clearly and he was starting to seem like his old self again.
"I'm so sorry," Clark began looking upset.
"No. Saying sorry won't work," Elizabeth said as angry tears slid down her cheeks now. "I think what I saw was your true colors. That's how you really feel about me."
Now Clark was looking like he would be on the verge of tears.
"Elizabeth I'm really sorry. I had no idea what I was saying. It must've been the transition of the bite," Clark said.
Elizabeth looked at him. "I'm not Lana, Clark. Saying sorry won't get you back on my good list. Maybe Chloe and Lana were like that, but me, it will take a while before I even trust you. I think I might stay with Lex from now on. Apparently, I've overstayed my welcome here,"
"Please stay Liz," Jonathan said clearing his throat. "I've known Clark for 16 years. He never acted like that. It must've been the bite."
"Thank you, Mr. Kent," Elizabeth said her tone soft. "But I think it would be best."
Jonathan nodded and swallowed. He hated to see her go. He and Martha began thinking of Liz like a daughter.
Martha and Lex came back into the kitchen.
"Is everything okay?" Martha asked looking from Clark, to Jonathan, to Elizabeth.
"Thank you for everything, Martha," Elizabeth said softly. "But I think it would be best if I left and stayed with Lex for a while."
She came over and gave Martha and Jonathan a hug before heading upstairs to pack her stuff.
Martha was at a loss for words but didn't stop Liz. She made up her own mind.
Before Liz left, she paused and looked back at Jonathan and Martha.
"You two are good people," Elizabeth said softly. "I will miss you and it's only for a while. I will be back."
She looked at Clark. "Well, some of you are good," she added coldly before following Lex out of the house.
LUTHOR MANSION
Lex showed her a room across from his incase she needed anything. It was a large room with a canopy bed in it, expensive entertainment center, desk and nightstand.
The burgundy colored quilt added a nice touch to the whole room color. It was a white color with a rose colored carpet.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Lex asked. "I know you miss the Kents."
"I do," Elizabeth sighed. "But I need some time to myself too and I'm still mad at Clark."
Lex smiled. "When you're hungry, go down to the kitchen and my cook will make you whatever you want,"
Elizabeth smiled back. "Thanks,"
Lex nodded and headed into his office.
Elizabeth began unpacking her stuff and just curled up on the bed.
She began crying softly. She did miss the Kents terribly, but what Clark said made her angry. He of all people should understand what she was going through. She could tell no one else her secret. The only people that knew were the Kents and Lex. That was it.
Plus, she knew he missed Lana but he was also going with Chloe. Deep down Elizabeth realized that she was beginning to have feelings for Clark. Feelings she recognized were more than a best friend. But yet she also liked Lex. Elizabeth was confused at this point. She ended up crying herself to sleep right there on top of the covers.
KENT FARM.
Clark felt awful for what he said to Elizabeth. But he really had no idea what made him say that. Maybe it really was the bite that did it.
Either way, he hated having her out of his sight. He knew Lex would protect her and let nothing happen, but there was so much Lex could do without getting hurt himself. Clark sighed and just stared out the window of his loft in the barn.
He sensed someone coming up the stairs. He turned around. It was Pete.
"Hey Clark," Pete said brightly.
"Hi Pete," Clark said miserably.
"What's wrong?" Pete asked as he sat down on the chair.
"I'm at a fork in the road," Clark explained as he turned to his best friend and sat down across from him on the couch.
Pete watched him intently.
"On one hand, I'm with Chloe right?"
Pete nodded and waited for Clark to continue.
"On the other hand, I'm starting to have feelings for Elizabeth,"
Pete studied Clark.
"This is like it was with Lana," Pete said softly and quietly. "Clark, you're going to really have to sit down and decide who you want to be with more and who you want to remain just good friends with. I can't make that decision for you. You have to do it by yourself."
Clark sighed. "I know,"
"Listen, if it helps, both girls are great," Pete said. "I just came to tell you that Chloe was having a small party at her house tomorrow. She's invited Elizabeth and you."
Pete gave Clark's shoulder a squeeze before he got up and left. Clark couldn't tell Chloe that he was bitten but he might be able to tell Pete without revealing Elizabeth. The next thing to do was talk to Elizabeth about going to Chloe's party.