Blaze was already geared up while I was still strapping on armor. She wore her tactical vest with a side-holstered pistol instead of her usual shoulder rig. The setup gave her a lean, dangerous look under the living room light.

  “Will? You think the Werewolf is heading here? Why?”

  “Because there may be traces of the book and knife on me and in my van. I’ll bet it’ll have the MINION tag on it too,” I said.

  “I’m not taking that bet. I think you’re right. Does this mean we’re…or you’re…going to keep getting attacked?”

  “Until we find out what’s behind this and stop it…yeah, I think so.”

  Her voice softened, but the edge in it was sharp. “How do we stop whatever it is when we don’t know what or where it is?”

  “No clue. All I’ve got points back toward NeedLess. Carlos said the first sighting was in that direction. Wild Bill was out there. We may have to check everyone who went through there and everyone still living nearby. I don’t know how, short of REVEAL STATS on everybody, but there has to be more tying it to that place.”

  She tightened a side strap on her vest. “I’ll talk to the sheriff in the morning. Or… tomorrow, after the dungeon run.”

  [William of Brinsford:] [Carlos Torres] [Carlos, do you have an update on where the thing is? Blaze and I are geared up.]

  [Carlos Torres:] [William of Brinsford] [Nothing new. We’ve got cars out looking. No new sightings.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Carlos Torres] [I’m thinking it’s heading toward us, or specifically me.]

  [Carlos Torres:] [William of Brinsford] [That’s what we’ve been thinking. There are a few cars in your area. We’ll track it, but Sheriff Harper said if it’s heading for you, not to engage unless it’s attacking. The Sheriff’s on his way, he’s working late.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Carlos Torres] [Thanks. I’ll let you know when I see it.]

  Blaze glanced at the clock on the wall. “Will…it’s almost nine. The other guild’s setting up across the street. Should we warn them?”

  “Do it. If Ryan and Meg aren’t out there, get them. We’ll need more backup and more Healers. I’ll be ready in a minute.”

  When I finished strapping down gear, I checked something on my phone. Tonight was the full Flower Moon…the May moon, when everything was blooming. It had risen a couple hours ago and still hung huge and bright in the sky. It wouldn’t set in time to help us. All we could do was keep people alive until morning.

  Outside, the night smelled of flowers, the sweetness clashing with the exhaust of a passing truck. Tension tightened my body. The feeling I’d get just before the Marshal called out, “Lay on!”.

  Blaze and I caught the tail end of the neighborhood spawn: Shaman, Goblins, Kobolds. The 19th & Fox guild had them down in under a minute. They’d gotten fast, confident. Falstaff tanked the line, shield up, giving crisp commands.

  “Falstaff!” I called across the street. “Did Blaze tell you we’ve got a major problem heading right at us?”

  He shook his head, breath puffing in the cool night. “No. I could tell she had something to say, but she didn’t cut into the fight.”

  When I glanced back, Blaze was at the Whitfields’ front door, talking quickly with them.

  “We’ve got a Werewolf in coming,” I told Falstaff. “Police are tracking it. I don’t know all the details, but it’s in the Game Rules now under Monsters. Bad news for anyone under Level 3 unless they’re ranged.”

  I lowered my voice. “Bites and claws are really bad news. A bite might turn you into one…and we don’t know how to turn anyone back. Worse, it might put you under the control of whoever created it.”

  “Shit, that’s bad.” Falstaff muttered. He turned to his party. “Will says we got a Werewolf inbound. Follow his lead, but don’t fight it unless you’re ranged. Magic only. Mage shields up, stay behind cover. Support, not frontline.”

  Blaze returned with the Whitfields close behind. That gave us two Healers now…Megan, and Falstaff’s mother Mary Flanagan…and three Level 3 casters. The Holden couple for MANA and Ice, and Seldon Wong, the WOOD Mage. Add Ryan’s Level 4 Lightning spells, and Blaze and I being Fire and MANA Mages, and the lineup was better than most guilds I’d seen.

  The low growl of an engine pulled my attention. A police cruiser rolled into the lot, headlights flaring against the Speedy building. Carlos stepped out, and immediately hauled SWAT gear from his trunk. Shield over his back, shotgun slung, AR-15 in hand…he looked like he was walking into war.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  I waved to him to join us.

  He jogged over. “Just got a location. Last seen at 15th and Fox, heading north. A car’s trailing it from a distance. Others are moving to block streets. Sheriff says to watch our fire. We don’t want stray rounds hitting people’s houses. We absolutely don’t want to do that.”

  “Right. Agreed.” I told Carlos and pointed toward the Speedy building looming a ghostly, grayish white against the moonlit night and streetlights. “If we can funnel it against that building, nothing gets past us. Question is, do we try to take it alive, or just kill it?”

  “Alive and unconscious is always better. Can we do it?” Blaze asked.

  “I don’t know. We can try. Ingrid’s inbound, so are ambulances. Let them through. If you see a pickup with an Ogre in the back, let it pass.”

  Carlos cracked a quick grin. “Roger that. Nobody wants to block Bhaarrt anyway.”

  “I’ll tell Ingrid to come in from East 19th.”

  That’s when the eerie howl came, from the southwest, long and shivering, echoing off the houses. It drew every eye toward the dark stretch of neighborhood beyond.

  “OK…if we can trap and tranq it, we will. If it’s a choice between the Werewolf and any of us? It dies,” I said, my voice carrying.

  “Falstaff, keep your party together. I’ll take Ryan, Megan, and Carlos into mine. Blaze, send the joins. 19th, your job is to funnel it into the lot here. Goal is to trap it. If we do, layer your shields inside mine. Sara, keep your MANA shield just inside of mine and refresh as needed. Expect yours to drop first.”

  "This way my outer shield will last and protect everyone longer.”

  I pulled a 25-point rechargeable Mana Battery from my pouch and pressed it into Sara’s left hand. “Save it for when you’re tapped out. Don’t waste it.”

  She nodded, the wand I’d made for her a few days ago ready in her other hand.

  “Everyone!” I shouted, sweeping my gaze across the gathered line. “If it breaks out and chases you…protect yourself and run. Shields if you’ve got them, block if you don’t. It’s looking for me, not you. I’ve still got traces of something it wants. But it’s not getting it. The thing’s a long way away from here.”

  For a moment, it felt like we were one raid…neighbors, guildmates, cops, all tied together under the full moon.

  Another howl, closer this time. An ambulance eased in, lights flashing. “Carlos...tell them to kill the flashers. Headlights only.”

  “On it,” He said and ran over to them.

  The 19th & Fox party waited on the sidewalk on my side of the street. The howl was closer. I think it had scented its prey. The ambulance’s lights stopped flashing. It’s headlights were pointed at the building.

  Inhaling a deep breath of the night air, it smelled nice. Flowers had been blooming for a few weeks. So had the tree down the street. Calling this full moon the Flower Moon fits very well. It would have been peaceful, almost beautiful, if not for the knot of dread tightening in my stomach.

  [Carlos Torres:] [William of Brinsford] [The guys tailing it say it avoids light. Ducks away if headlights hit it.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Carlos Torres] [Got it. See if they can herd it with their cars. Lights on and off. Push it toward the street, not between houses.]

  [Carlos Torres:] [William of Brinsford] [Too late. It went between some houses. Trailing car’s not sure where it is.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Carlos Torres] [Then you call it if you spot it. You’re the designated spotter.]

  Something clicked in my head. “Carlos, your gear’s all regular.” A quick DISPLAY STATS confirmed it. “Turn this way.”

  He looked over, surprised, then squared up to me.

  I laid quick enchants on it. A +2 DEFENSE on his shield and vest, +2 ATTACK on his rifle and shotgun. “I’ve got a Poor Sword if you want it. I can buff it too.”

  “No thanks. Got two already.” He summoned one with a flicker.

  I added a +2 ATTACK enchant anyway. “Good. You’ll hit harder if it closes.”

  It disappeared back into his INVENTORY.

  “Glad to see you’ve been doing a few spawns.”

  He nodded. “Thanks. I’m still relying on guns. Got bonuses with them.”

  “That’s fine. Use what you’re best at.”

  Another howl cut the night, closer…too close. The sound crawled down my spine. I still couldn’t see it.

  Then we heard the third howl. This one was even closer.

  I scanned the houses opposite us. Between two, a pair of red eyes gleamed low to the ground, watching, sniffing. Bigger than a wolf, crouched in the shadows.

  “I see it!” Carlos pointed. “Between the two houses next to the pizza place!”

  I cast a quick TRANSFER MANA from the Ley Line, topping off. Not everyone could, but SandB had the spell. She’d hold longer than I expected.

  “I’ll tell her that after the fight’s over unless she remembers me talking about it.”

  Then the Werewolf slid into view, slinking off the grass into the parking area next to the building. Its massive shoulders hunched. Its eyes locked on me. It didn’t move further...just stared, gauging. Then it lifted its snout and loosed another howl, a sound that rattled windows and pushed people a step back.

  The flashing lights of another ambulance washed over its fur. I heard more cars arriving as well.

  “Carlos,” I asked without taking my eyes off it, “animal control have tranq guns strong enough for this?”

  “For a dog or maybe a horse, sure. This thing? I don’t know. Why?”

  “Might be a way to drop it without killing it. Or at least slow it.”

  “I’ll call them, but it’ll take time.” He was already keying his radio.

  “I know. If it hasn’t hurt anyone yet, I don’t want to kill it unless we have to. Werewolves weren’t in the Rules until tonight. Not that I ever saw.”

  He radioed the dispatcher, and I heard him say we needed them here an hour ago.

  The beast padded closer, cautious but not afraid. REVEAL STATS tagged it: Level 3 Werewolf. MINION. Name: John James Everett.

  “Level 3 Werewolf!” I shouted for all to hear. “MINION. The name’s John James Everett. Try to keep him alive so we can find out how. Spread that name…anyone who knows him, tell us.”

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUQiUFZ5RDw

  I have a channel. (John.Malkin.Writer) if you want to ask questions, make suggestions, or just talk about the story, come join it. You can go directly to the channel. It is a never expires link. In case it doesn't work, you can always contact me for a current join request.

  My is now open for anyone who wants to read ahead. $5.00 US for 5 days ahead and $10.00 US for 15 days ahead. That’s each month.