Toy Wolf

Chapter 5: Pizza, anyone?

I was suddenly dragged off the vampire to be pinned against the cage wall. The room was silent save the vampire cursing at me. After a glare from Candice, even he fell silent. Frank and Grins were smiling broadly. Everyone else looked stunned. The young man from before was staring at me with his mouth open.

My pants were horribly shredded; I hadn't had an explosive shift like that in a while. They hadn't had time to fall off, but they were doing very little in terms of modesty.

"Victor, Dominic, next time you two say Lupus is formidable, we'll believe you," said Dr. Bryce, stepping out of the crowd. "That fight was eighty-six seconds, for those who are curious. Back to work everyone. There will not be an encore."

There was some good-natured grumbling, but the room was cleared quickly. Candice opened the cage and escorted the vampire out of the room, leaving the men in suits, Frank and Grins and Dr. Bryce. Frank released me from the wall and pulled me out of the cell.

"Why didn't he kill the vamp?" Dr. Bryce asked. "He had plenty of time."

Frank shrugged. "He's always been mild-mannered," he said. "He's not like any werewolf we've seen before. He's more like a Labrador than a wolf."

"I'm not a dog," came out of my mouth before I stopped myself.

Horrified by my own words, I watched as Frank's eyes widened. Dr. Bryce peered at me with more scrutiny than before.

"You talk?" she inquired.

I nodded, wishing that I hadn't.

"And you understand everything I'm saying?" she pressed.

I nodded again. I knew that I had changed everything in four words and hated myself for it. The board members looked on with curiosity as Dr. Bryce turned to Grins.

"Your reports have always implied he was simple: the intelligence of a dog or small child."

"He has never spoken before," Grins replied. He gave me a sidelong glance and shook his head. "Never."

Dr. Bryce turned to me. "Explain."

"The collar shocked me when I spoke," I replied. "Ma'am."

I was so scared that I could feel my hands shaking. I clenched them into fists and kept my gaze low.

"You've had him for three months, and you never thought to consider the idea that he could talk?" Dr. Bryce demanded. "You know nothing about him!"

"Michael is the one who outfitted him with the collar, back in Denver," Frank protested. "He said that it kept him from shifting and howling. How were we to know?"

"But asking, like the scientists you claim to be," she growled. "I would like to run some of my own tests. I'll figure out what to do with you later. Thank you for the demonstration."

Frank and Grins bobbed their heads at her, and spared equal glares in my direction. I hadn't meant to get them in trouble. I felt very exposed in this large room in my torn pants and handcuffs. The two people who controlled everything about my life were angry with me. I didn't know this woman or the others with her.

She smiled at the group of men. "Sorry about that. We move forward two steps and back five sometimes. Do you have any questions?"

No one spoke for a moment, and then the young man stepped forward.

"Just one for the werewolf," he admitted. "And it's your original question, Dr. Bryce. Why didn't you kill the vampire?"

"He didn't deserve to die," I answered.