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Therian Dreaming II

Chapter Sixteen

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

1st May 2023

All Rights Reserved.

His eyes wide, the Vet stared up at the dripping fangs, his whole body white as the shirt he wore.

“Woah... Easy!” He whispered fearfully. “I'm...not going to tell anyone, please... Kelsie...Kelsie, that's your name... I'm not an enemy Kelsie, please! I don't...want to hurt anyone – I want to tell you...”

Kelsie's jaws went as wide as they could, her body quivering with fear and rage. Her mind could see nothing but mental images, fangs in his throat, hot, iron-tasting blood spurting – biting down... harder...”

“Kelsie...” Come a weak moan from the bedroom. “Please, my beloved! Do not... do this... I beg of you.”

Kelsie's jaws snapped shut a hands breadth away from the human's throat, her eyes swirling as they went from that almost pure black, back to their normal brown – then widened as she snapped her head around and stared at Fawnie, who stood behind her on quivering legs.

“Fawnie...” Kelsie shuddered, then leaped off the vet and ran to her daughter, protectively nuzzling and licking her.

Gasping, the vet used his sleeves to wipe away the saliva, shivering as he did so.

“Kelsie...” He began.

Kelsie's body trembled, then she turned and glared at him, pinning her ears back like an angry cat would, her lips curling back before she turned about and started back towards him, her pelt rippling.

“My love...please!” Pete gurgled, as he struggled and got to his knees, then tumbled off the bed and landed with a loud thud and a cry of pain.

“Please...” Pleaded the man, scrabbling backward until he hit the wall. “You're all in danger – terrible danger... They're sending a Were...”

He shrieked as Kelsie charged, standing over him, her jaws snapping at his nose.

“WHO IS...”

Pete dragged himself upright, biting the edge of the bed with his fangs and teeth, until he could stand, before spitting it out and trembling.

“Kelsie...please – back...away - “

Kelsie growled, her nape hackles rising as her eyes swirled back into that dark, coal coloration.

“Answer me...” Come a low, menacing snarl from deep down in her chest. “Tell me now – or I'll eat your heart raw...”

“Hunter's – they know where you are... I was contacted - “

“BY WHO?” Kelsie growled louder.

“I... don't know his name – they use codes... I mean – code words, like Alpha and Beta and...”

Pete frowned, shaking his head as he cautiously took a step, then another, his legs threatening to collapse under him with each hoof step. “Kelsie, please! Let me....”

“NO!” Kelsie snapped at Pete, turning her full attention back on the helpless human before her. “He's working with them...”

“I'm...” Squealed the Vet. “My name is Patrick, Patrick Sullivan – I swear on my life, I'm not! Please, please don't kill me... I speak the truth – I don't know how, but they've...”

“Speak faster – my patience for your lies wears thin - “ Kelsie seethed, her ears flattening.

Fawnie wailed, her bleating cries loud and piercing.

“Kelsie, if you won't listen - “ Pete shuddered and took another step. “Please, do not do this... If they're...really coming – sending a...what's a - “

“He's lying to save his own miserable life!” Kelsie suddenly screamed, then snapped at the human again – even closer, her jaws and gums dripping saliva onto the floor.

“I'm not, I swear! I – a contact, reached out to me – an insider... They're bringing the Wolf...two days – please, I'm telling the truth...”

Fawnie squealed in a high-pitched, terrified wail that shattered Kelsie's anger like a cloven hoof on spring-thaw ice.

Turning away, Kelsie nuzzled her fawn and led Fawnie outside, throwing a savage look back over her shoulder at the human, her glance unmistakable – touch Pete – and he'd not get a chance to scream...

*

“Sorry about - “ Pete shuddered, then slumped to his knees, his back legs folding as he lay down – trembling.

“When did you...” Patrick asked, trembling and scooting away from the saliva puddle, staring fearfully at it.

“Turn?” Pete sighed, shaking his head and one leaf-like ear flicking. “Only last night... Now, please – I can't hold her off – please, I beg of you, tell me everything – I mean it! Kelsie's...not herself – anymore...”

Patrick swallowed fearfully, glancing down the hall, before he looked back at the Piebald deer who stared back at him.

“A contact – called Omega, with the Hunters – he called me – warned me to warn you... oh gods, this is so hard... A... a Werewolf – they captured a Werewolf, I don't know where...”

“They're a myth, a legend - “ Pete sighed. “He lied to you...”

“They're not a fucking myth; or a legend! In two days – it will feel pretty fucking real to you too!” Patrick suddenly burst out, then gasped and slapped his hands to his face, turning even paler.

Pete frowned, something in the man's voice and his scent, reached deep inside him, and he felt the hot, bitter anger flare like white phosphorous inside him as his own inner Therian's attention shot skywards.

What do you know? Pete turned mentally towards it. Tell me, please...

Images, terrible, frightening images, fangs and claws like razors – screams of Therian Deer as they were butchered not for sustenance – for cruel, malicious delighted cruelty...

Pete felt the gorge rise up his throat, forcing himself to swallow as he looked back at the Vet.

“I...believe you, I'm sorry - “ Pete choked and swallowed again. “A Were... how... I mean – I can barely stand! How am I supposed to...”

“Please don't tell Kelsie – I – may I...”

Danger, kill him, tear out his throat, we can smell it, on him, at his back...

Pete frowned, something elusive in his mind, before he blinked and shuddered, forcing the Therian within him back into quietness. Ever so carefully, Patrick reached behind him and pulled out a Glock pistol – holding it between two fingers up near the top.

With a shudder, Pete felt an ice-cold tremble ripple from the tip of his tail right to the top of his ears.

“Easy...please - “ Patrick whispered, ever so carefully reaching up and pressing the magazine release.

As it fell, he grabbed it and set it down, then racked the slide and ejected the loaded round – placing it in his back pocket. Turning the magazine around, he placed it where Pete could see it – and Pete felt his lips curl back, a low, threatening growl coming from his throat as he stared at the bright, silver-tipped rounds in the magazine.

“Easy...” Patrick shuddered, then put the now empty gun back in his holster, holding his palms out to show he was unarmed. “Yes, silver bullets – I can only guess – that thing...”

Pete's growl grew louder as his eyes went from brown to an almost pure black – the Therian leaping forwards protectively.

“Away...” Pete's voice was barely discernible, as he struggled to control the Therian that seethed and raged within him. “NOW...”

Hurriedly, Patrick put the magazine away in a pocket and shuddered.

“Done...please – please don't...”

Pete visibly shuddered, fighting the irrational, almost psychotic influence within him for several moments, before his eyes returned to their normal brown.

“Sorry...” Pete gasped, then shuddered. “I had no idea...”

Patrick shuddered, feeling the cold sweat that had covered his body chilling him. “I'm...not surprised – so, you've been...”

“Careful...” Pete whispered. “Yes...I was accidentally turned – a while ago, but it never...”

Pete looked down at himself, then back at the Veterinarian.

“Manifested?” Patrick suggested.

“A good as any word - “ Pete sighed. “I'm as weak as a newborn fawn – and about as dangerous...”

Gesturing at the puddle, Patrick swallowed and shook his head. “One drop of that, in a human's blood...”

Pete blinked, then looked, then back at the man again, his eyebrow-raising. “That...”

“Bad? Yes... you were probably... well, I imagine that Fawn didn't just... you know, appear under a cabbage leaf...”

Pete smiled weakly. “No...”

With a sigh, Patrick shook his head. “How...no, don't tell me, it's none of my business. Look, they're sending a Were after you – I've seen what one of those is capable of – my entire...”

Patrick swallowed as Pete's eyes went instantly almost pure black.

“I'm not with them anymore, I swear on my life!” Patrick stammered hurriedly. “I left them after...after...what happened...”

Pete's dewlaps began to curl backward slowly, exposing the glistening fangs.

“I swear – I...I saw...saw...Kelsie – a fawn...I never touched a hair on her head, I swear to the God's themselves – it was after that...that slaughter – I quit, I left, promising to never harm another animal in my life! I can not even bring myself to euthanize someone's beloved companion...”

“I should tear your fucking entrails out and eat them...” Pete's Therian snarled with his voice.

“I could have... told them, shown them... I didn't! I swear – doesn't that...mean something? I turned away from them – that...cruelty, that life...”

Pete's lips curled back even further, the Therian leaping to his cloven hooves and lowering its six tined antlered head, stepping closer until the tines pricked the trembling flesh beneath them – his eyes narrowed behind his lids into mere slits.

“I suggest...” Snarled the Therian. “You choose your next words...very carefully human... they very well could be your last...”

“I saved Kelsie, you hear me? I could have dragged her out – slit her throat and left her dead on the ground! I didn't, I saved her life... because I saw what they truly were – they are not mindless, savage, and cruel! I've been lied to for years! We knew where they were, I was an advanced scout, sent to watch them – I – saw – what they were really! Kind, gentle, loving creatures, who just wanted to live and let live – live their lives free and in peace... not to be hunted and slaughtered because of centuries of fear and misunderstanding!”

Pete's Therian held him down for a dozen drawn-out minutes; before he slowly stepped back and lifted his antlered head. With a shudder, Pete's eyes went back to their brown color.

“You'll never – ever – speak of this to Kelsie, I swear... a single word, I'll gladly offer your heart up to my beloved myself... Do you understand me?”

Patrick shuddered and nodded. “I swear, not a word...”

Pete shivered from ears to ankles, before he sighed softly. “How do we fight this... Were...”

Patrick pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he shuddered. “How? That's a damn good question... I got a few ideas – but we got to make a plan fast...”

Pete flicked an ear, glancing down the hallway; before he turned his half-lidded gaze on the human before him.

“I'm listening...”

TO BE CONTINUED...