Chapter One
The sound of an egg shell cracking on the counter reached Kate's ears. The smell of bacon was inescapable. Not that anyone would ever want to. She need to get out of bed to reach the food and that was a problem. One that wasn't unsolvable but was uncomfortable. In lieu of getting dressed, she wrapped herself in the comforter and made her way to the kitchen. It would do if Martha or Alexis were here.
Richard's broad back blocked her view of the stove. His hair was messed up from sleep, and he had on his ratty old bathrobe. Music softly played, while he hummed along. His head nodding to the beat.
A tray table sat on the counter. It already had a vase with a single rose sitting on it. Now she could smell the coffee brewing too. She tugged the comforter a little closer, as to not step on it, briefly considered going back to bed to accept the breakfast in bed Richard had planed. But she pushed forward.
Richard swung around. "Kate. I was bringing you breakfast in bed!"
"I'm a big girl now. I can come to the table." Kate sat down on a stool at the breakfast bar.
"But I wanted to surprise you." Richard leaned in for a small peck on the lips.
Kate tasted his first cup of coffee. "I'm surprised. Look at me, being all surprised! It's very sweet."
Richard slid the bacon and eggs onto a plate. The plate landed in front of Kate, as he spun around to grab the silverware, and rose off the tray table.
"Mother is out of town on tour. Alexis is at the library studying for the day. What ever shall we fill our day doing?"
"We can play monopoly?" Kate said playfully, not intending to play any board games at all.
"I'm not in the mood for monopoly. I was thinking of something a lot more physical."
"Twister?" Kate opened her eyes wider, pretending to be innocent.
"Eat your food."
She didn't need to be told twice, as Kate eagerly dug in. So when her phone rang, she said "Beckett" around a mouth full of food.
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Coming into the apartment the first thing Castle noticed was the horrible wallpaper that obviously hadn't been updated this decade, or last. The green flowers and pink stripes clashed badly. Other than that, he was struck by the tasteful decor, including a few wolf statues by the door. The kitchen, just off the entryway, was neat and tidy, with the glasses and plates stacked on shelves rather than cupboards. The appliances appeared to be recently purchased. If the landlord was willing to spring for appliances, Castle thought, why oh why didn't he change the wallpaper?
In the living room, the dead woman lay in the middle of the floor, face up. Sofa on one side, TV and stand on the other. The only thing really recognizable was her face, arms and legs. Something big had ripped the poor woman's torso apart. Lanie crouched over her as Castle and Beckett approached.
"What have you got for me, Lanie?" asked Beckett. Crouching down next to Lanie, coffee in hand, she said, "This looks bad."
"We have a woman, late 20's. Possible werewolf attack. No liver temp, because no liver. But lividity would suggest a time of death anywhere from 10 to 2 am last night."
"How hard is it to cut a liver out of a body?"
"Not as hard as you would think, especially if neatness doesn't count."
"Any sign of where it might be?"
"Beside inside the belly of a werewolf? None yet."
"Tragically killed by her husband who broke his quarantine period to come make love to her. Real... Romeo and Juliette vibes to it," Castle said gesturing theatrically.
Ryan stepped forward, from behind Castle. "Her husband was bitten about three months ago. So he is a possible suspect. Neighbors said he had been here last night, and they heard sounds of a fight at about 11pm, but no one called 911."
Esposito continued, "She was found by her sister this morning when she didn't come to breakfast. The sister had a spare key, and when she found the body, called us."
Castle wanders away from the group by the body. He kept an ear on the conversation, but didn't feel he could contribute too much more. Beckett was just giving out instructions.
What had caught Castle's eye was a number of wolf figurines on a small sideboard by the front closet. Nine of them standing in a neat marching order. He picked up the last one. Turning it over in his hands, he thought about the woman who had such a collection and then her husband caught the virus. It was a strange bit of karma.
A small noise caught his attention from the closet. Without thinking too much about it, Castle put the figure down and opened the door. Inside was a large wolf with bright yellow eyes. He didn't even get the chance to swear before the wolf attacked.
It launched itself at Castle, tearing into his shoulder. Shots were fired over his head. The wolf tore off through the open door. Castle was left staring at the large flap of skin hanging down his now ruined shirt. Adrenaline masked the pain almost instantly.
"Don't let that wolf get away!" Beckett yelled at the uniforms standing outside the door. Ryan followed.
"I'll try to head it off," Esposito said as he darted out the window.
"Civilian down! I repeat civilian down! I need EMT's now. Castle, talk to me."
"Don't, Don't come near me!"
"I won't. Just stay calm."
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"Tell us if you develop any further symptoms. Here is your prescription. You can get it filled at the pharmacy on your way out. And here are your instructions, all printed out so you can refer back to it." Beckett walked in on the tail end of the doctor talking to Castle. She could see Martha standing next to his bed. The scent of antiseptic and hand sanitizer hung heavy in the air.
"Thank you, Doctor," Martha said as she took the papers from his hand, bypassing Castle entirely.
"I hope your day improves." The doctor nodded at Beckett on the way out the door.
Now that she was in the room, she could see the large bulky bandage wrapped around Castle's shoulder and upper chest, visible through the gray sweatshirt. His arm hung in a sling as a nurse helped him into an over sized sweatshirt.
"Hey, Beckett."
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I don't want to be here anymore." He grabbed his mother's hand to stabilize himself as he got out of the bed.
"We get you back home, and I can set you up on the couch and you can watch some movies-"
"No." Castle interrupts. "I can't sit and think."
"You're hurt!"
"I start thinking, I won't stop."
"Richard-"
"Mother, no. I am not going home."
"At least call your daughter. Alexis is worried about you."
"I will." Castle gave his mother a kiss on her cheek.
"Take it easy." Martha turned to Beckett. "Kate, make him take it easy. That shoulder will open again."
"I promise he will." Beckett shot Castle a look. "I have ways to make sure he complies."
"You are the only one able to make my wayward son do anything he doesn't want to. If you'll excuse me, I need to call a taxi." She gave Beckett the page of instruction as she walked out the door. "Don't forget to call Alexis."
Castle awkwardly tried to put his jacket on, but the sweatshirt was too large. Beckett took it from him. "So are you infected?"
As they walked down the off white halls, Castle relayed the information that the doctor had given him. Beckett didn't think he could go without talking any more than he could without breathing.
"There is no way to tell so soon after the bite. No test is sensitive enough to tell before the symptoms start to develop. Which starts two days to one week from infection. It starts with smells or sounds, normal average every day sounds and smells, bothering you. Then are the physical symptoms, if present in the virus strain. Heightened instincts are next. It takes one to two months for the final symptom." Castle didn't have to say the final symptom out loud. "I have a good chance of nothing happening at all. Only 1 percent of all bites go on to develop a full infection."
There was a pause as a group of five doctors and nurses ran past them to take care of an alarm going off at the other end of the hall.
"What happens to your shoulder if you aren't infected?"
"It's mostly surface damage, that will heal. I will need a few weeks of physical therapy to regain full motion, and there is always the chance of complications. What have you found out about the case?"
"The wolf that bit you got away from us. He had a head start and superior speed. But then a call came in about a naked man unconscious about two blocks from the vic's apartment. After he is let out of the hospital, Ryan and Esposito are going to bring him in for interrogation.
"I love you, and no matter what happens, I want you to know that I am here for you. Don't ever forget that."