NOTICE:: Sorry this one took longer.

Chapter 6

The Culprit

The drive continued all glad they where almost home. Daphne was hurriedly looking through the spell book. Scooby's head rested on the back seat as he looked at Shaggy and Velma in the back of the van. Shaggy was staring at Velma... who was staring at herself. Scooby watched her expression change as she examined her dark brown fur and claws. Scooby looked to Shaggy... who looked like he was fighting back a smile... or laugh.

"I'm.. ugly. I mean I wasn't exactly gorgeous before... but.... I'm furry." Velma had finally spoken.

"Your not ugly... just fuzzy." said Shaggy, tilting his head to look at her, "Hey... you have a fluffier tail than me."

"That's something positive," said Velma sarcasticly.

"Oh... that stinks." said Daphne from the front seat.

"What?" asked both quickly, Scooby was finding this mildly interesting.

"Well ohm... the reversal spell for both... can't be read for sic hours after the initial incantation.." Daphne gave a half smile and swung to look back out the window.

"I'm stuck looking like a werewolf for six hours. This is a night... hey Shaggy." said Velma, trying to cover up her previous statement.

"Nightmare?" asked Shaggy, "Pff, at least your like, a calm werewolf."

"Yeah.." she bit her lip, she was going to stop talking before she said something else.

Shaggy slumped against the back of the van door and sighed. He froze and looked at Velma, she was sniffing him. It was odd, but no more weirder than when he'd done it. Now Scooby was fully paying attention, and had a bag of popcorn as he did so. Daphne had jumped in to the back seat to watch them as well.

"Hi." said Shaggy to no one in particular.

"Oh! Sorry Shag..." Velma sat back against the van looking out the window.

"It's okay," Shaggy sighed and froze... the smell was back only worse.

Shaggy turned and looked out the other window, trying to count trees or something.. anything to distract him. The images where a lot stronger than before, he hadn't planned on this, a human scent was one thing, but another werewolf was twice as strong. He looked at Scooby, who seemed to be more interested in what might happen than actually helping him focus on something else. Daphne's head rested on her arms as she peered over the seat. He looked over at Velma, her position mirrored his... crap... she could sense it too. He looked at Fred, who was driving, his mind on the road.

"Fred... we need to stop the car..." said Shaggy quickly.

"What? It's broad daylight, you can hold it for five minutes." said Fred.

"Fred, I NEED to get out now." Shaggy's mind was whirling with the smells.

"Four minutes and we'll be home." said Fred.

"FRED, STOP THIS DAMN VAN!" Shaggy snapped, his voice was more of a growl than a yell, inhuman, causing the van to come to a screeching stop.

--------

They arrived home in ten minutes, after Shaggy and Velma got a breather. Fred had kept an eye on Shaggy a lot closer, allowing Daphne to drive home. It had been a little easier with Fred next to him, his cologne helping mask the scent. But at one point the smell had made him just as tense as Velma's had, but for an entirely different reason than had been for Velma. Thankfully, he'd actually managed to control himself. Dinner was awkward, Velma watching the clock the whole time, there was still a lot of time left.

Scooby walked into the backyard where Velma sat on the grass. She wasn't like Shaggy, hers was a simple spell, more controllable than his mixed one. Scooby sat next to her and looked at the half moon in the sky. Her tail was wagging, Scooby was happy about her and Shaggy having tails... it made them more readable than simple scents they gave off. All humans should have such tails, it would be a simpler world. He looked up at Velma as she scratched his head gently with her sharp claws. He followed her quizzical gaze to the back door.

"Scooby... did Shaggy do that before we left?" asked Velma, indicating to the broken screen door.

"R'I ron't rink ro." said Scooby, looking at the slash in it.

"Huh... come on, we need to talk to the others... something's not right." said Velma, "Does something smell different to you?"

"Rinda." said Scooby, getting up and sniffing the grass.

In the house, Shaggy was having the same issue. He hadn't remembered trashing his room so much before they left... but maybe. He looked in the yard, Velma was sitting in the lawn with Scooby. As he tossed some clothes into his hamper, he thought about opening the window and howling, just to see if she could control that urge. He opened it, but stopped, something smelt different. Familiar, but out of place. Almost like a sugary smell... bubblegum... but he didn't remember having any in his room. He saw movement in the yard, and saw Velma stand up and sniff the air... she smelt it too. He laughed, she looked cute when her nose wiggled. He shook his head and headed downstairs... the smell was still there, but less potent. He blindly sniffed, closing his eyes, letting the smell become stronger. He could hear Daphne and Fred talking in the living room. The screen door slide open, and the bubblegum smell picked up, and suddenly his nose bumped into another nose.

"Shaggy?" Velma's eyes shot open.

"Like, sorry Velma. I smelt.."

"Bubblegum... yeah. I picked it up in the lawn." said Velma, rubbing her nose as they backed away, she half smiled.

"If you two are done nuzzling, care on filling us in on why you three are sniffing everything?" asked Fred, Daphne shoved her camera back in her purse and looked at the ground.

"Eww... Scooby. You have snot trails on the carpet." said Daphne.

"Rhat Ras Rhelma." said Scooby, quickly pointing.

"It was not!" said Velma, she shook her head, "All three of us picked up something that smelt odd."

"Like what?" asked Fred, walking over to where they stood sniffing the banister most.

"Like, can't you smell that man?" asked Shaggy.

"No I... can?" said Fred, he smelt it.. not as strong, but he could smell something sweet.

"It was stronger in my room, come on." said Shaggy, they headed up the stairs.

"Ew," said Daphne, "It's that cheap bubblegum cotton candy perfume."

"What?" asked Shaggy and Fred.

"Reah." said Scooby, sniffing it too the hamper that Shaggy'd been filling, he knocked it over.

Daphne picked up one of Shaggy's red t-shirts that he rarely he wore. A large hole was cut from it. It was apparent to all of them that whoever the spell caster was had returned for a little more backup for their voodoo doll. Daphne grabbed Velma's arm indicating to Shaggy's clock, Shaggy waved her off when she indicated him to follow. It was no use, he knew that it would be completely useless to try. Shaggy thought he was alone when he collapsed on his bed, but he heard a cough come from the door, where Fred stood.

"Shag, can I ask you something?" asked Fred from the the wall, keeping his distance.

"Shoot." said Shaggy, glad Fred wasn't in close smelling range.

"What do you see when you black out?" asked Fred.

"What?" asked Shaggy, he hadn't expected this.

"I read some of Velma's book and I think that the best way too control your thoughts about eating us, is too talk about it." said Fred with a confident smirk, "That's what I learned in Psychology in High School."

"Ohm.. well like, I guess its worth a shot." said Shaggy.

"So... Velma?" asked Fred, off handedly sitting in Shaggy's desk chair.

".... Daphne sent you." said Shaggy, with a low growl.

"No... kinda... Fine." sighed Fred, "Me."

"I don't know..." Shaggy said, but Fred let out a cough, "Like man... I feel sick for thinking it... and... urg... Okay, for any of you guys, the scents trigger certain aspects. Because of the timing.. Velma... her smell is like... WAY different.... I think you know from the jet."

"Yeah, I just wanted you to verify it." said Fred, smugly.

".... like, anyways." said Shaggy giving Fred a dirty look, "Well the rest of you.... you know when your hungry and you don't know why?"

"Yeah."

"It's like that man, but than your stomach starts to hurt and twist. Then I smell it... like a copper and salt... but like, not blood at first... just salty. Than the images come... and man are they horrible, they make me physically sick... example, the van. Then I black out, and the next thing I know I'm in mid-ponce or something... or in a trash can. Like, the first time I was a werewolf, it only lasted the first few hours, and like totally phased in and out in a controllable amount... but now... now I can taste the blood... the salt... the copper... Than the images, like man, the running. I feel the adrenalin pumping... like I'm there... and then... the tearing.. and the" Shaggy trailed off, Fred's brow rose.

"And?" Fred was nervous, Shaggy was staring at the ceiling in a daze, "Shag?"

".." Shaggy was breathing heavy, Fred slowly got up and slid to the door, watching Shaggy's eyes.

Scooby stood next to the now human Velma as Daphne put the spell book on the counter. He smelt panic of blood pressures upstairs. He shot up and looked up the steps, now realizing that Fred had stayed upstairs with an unstable werewolf. They heard a yell, but before any of them could move, Fred was running down the steps. At first they where all confsued, until Shaggy landed on the wooden stair beam with amazing agility, letting out a loud howl.

"MOMMY!" yelled Fred, running passed them, as Shaggy lept to the couch with ease and ran after him, hitting walls like a spider and knocking pictures down.

"What should we do?" asked Daphne, as they watched them run to the kitchen.

"Keep them inside. If they get outside. Fred's done for." said Velma, as they ran after them.

"FRED! STAY INSIDE!" yelled Daphne.

"WHAT!? AHHHH!" Fred did as told and doubled back around, sliding under a flying werewolf and booking it towards the girls.

Daphne had grabbed an umbrella and Velma held a whiffle bat from the random box they kept near the doorway. Both swung as Fred dove under them, but they missed Shaggy, who lept over it, pouncing on Fred as they rocketed towards the couch. Daphne screamed, Scooby whimpered, as the two men went out of view. Their was a tearing sound and Shaggy jumped up with a pillow in his mouth laughing.

"I-I h.. ha..hate you." said Fred, still laying on the ground, panting.

"I had too... actually.. like I think your method worked.. but I wasn't giving you the satisfaction." said Shaggy, turning on the television.

"I really hate you, Shag." said Fred, standing up and clutching his chest, "I thought you where going to eat me.

"Nah... but it was tempting when I pined you. Like, nice swings by the way." he looked at the girls, both fuming, Scooby growled in annoyance.

"Sorry." chuckled Shaggy, 'Though it was dangerous and stupid...'

----

Later that evening Shaggy walked up the stairs, eager to try and get some sleep, his tail was limp. Fred was still mad at him, but everyone else had moved on. Fred would be okay by tomorrow.. hopefully. He had to admit though, in a sick twisted way, it'd been fun... very fun. He heard a crash from Velma's room and spun around, the door was half open. Velma had dropped a pile of books onto the floor.

"Crud." she began to pick them up and put them in a tote she kept under her bed.

"Velma, you need help?" asked Shaggy, causing her to jump.

"Uh... I guess. So long as you don't eat me," she joked with a smile.

'I wouldn't kill you..I'd....' Shaggy stopped his thoughts before they got carried away.

He walked into her room and put the books in the tote... he froze and looked at the cover of one... a werewolf book, a story... not a guide. He was about to read the back when Velma took it and tossed in the tote. He snorted, Velma's secret obsession ... oh the unjust irony. He caught the title of a couple, I love Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Wolf at the Door by Christine Warren and one that looked like... he'd look it up later.

"You have a lot of books on monster's like me.." he mumbled, her book fell from her hand.

"Your not a monster..." she looked upset as she put another book in the tote.

He rolled his eyes, her hand touched his in a reassuring manor as she stood up... the smell hit him. Shaggy snapped out of it again, his eyes adjusted to what was going on. His clawed hand was holding wrists, as his other was pinning something to the wall. He could hear heavy breathing, most likely out of fear. His urges had returned, he let the wrists go and backed away. He was nearly hyperventilating... he'd almost... as he hit the wall, Velma looked at him, bruises where already forming on her wrists, but otherwise she just looked deshevled. Shaggy could feel his heart aching, and the salty liquid begin to run down his fur. What if he hadn't broken out soon enough, would he had snapped into a horror scene? Shaggy ran to the door, the woods wheren't far from the house, just a few yards and he'd be scott free, and it was dark enough. But he needed to leave... he'd nearly .... Velma was looking at him, her eyes unreadable.. her scent unbalanced. He yanked the door open, but even with his fast speed his hearing made him halt.

"Shaggy, No!" Velma was halfway towards him, her face looked concerned.

"No? Velma... I have to go. Like, I could have... I could have..." his eyes burned.

"But you didn't.... now stop." said Velma, as Shaggy turned the doorknob.

"What if it happens again and I can't stop.... what if I attack you...." his voice was hallow, even in his ears.

"Shaggy. Stop it okay. You have more control than you think. Before it was your name that was triggering you to shift back, but you did it on your own this time." Velma walking towards him, her scent radiating.

"I don't think I should be by any of you.... especially you Velma.... your scent... its making the monster inside match the outside." Shaggy backed closer to the door.

"I'm not going to repeat myself. You are not a monster... your just... fuzzy." Velma was advancing on him.

"You say this now, but like, it'll be different if we can't find a way to change me back." Shaggy avoided her eyes, he didn't want to see her mind cringe in disgust at the idea.

"First of all, we'll find a way to change you back. Second, no. You could have a squid head and tentacles for arms and my opinion of you not being a monster wouldn't change." he was cornered now.

"Like, Don't lie Velms, its not like you." said Shaggy, still avoiding her eyes, images flashing in his head, they stopped as her hand touched his face, he looked at her.

"Your my best friend, and I love you. I would never lie to you..." she pulled him down to her level and kissed his black nose.

"Thanks Velma," Shaggy reluctantly smiled, a part of him wanting to believe her words, the other still not trusting them.

That night Shaggy thought about her words, if he could control himself... could he live like this? He thought back to the monster races, what would have been different had they been with him. Fred would have rode with him, simply because he was another racer. Daphne and Velma would have rigged up controls like Googie. Would he'd have won? If he hadn't at least he'd have them. As he looked out his window, it clicked. He shot up.... no way... but that was the only explanation.

TBC

Sooo... hmmm YAY! One chapter left :D OOo Random question!!! What if you where a human who got turned into a vampire and found out your lover was a werewolf... oh what now?