The Werewolf Whisperer (3 page)

“Where do you think he went? Do you think I killed him?”

“I don’t know Josiah; you pierced his neck real good. Just like humans, none of us are entirely sure what happens to Mani when they die.”

“So no one knows where they go when they disappear?” I asked.

“There are rumors the same way there are with mortals. There are tales of an afterlife: Mani given a second chance, a rebirth, even a chance at being mortal again. But there are not enough facts about it. No one really knows what happens for sure.”

“So, when a vampire dies, they just disappear?”

“Yes. Otherwise there would be dead vampires everywhere. By now humans would have had a field day on the autopsies.”

“Is that what happened to Tommy. Is that what happens to the Carni?”

“Actually, no. The Carni are as close to humans as you can get. Mani history goes back as far as 10,000 years ago. While Carni history is 500 years young.”

“How’s that?” I had been under the impression that werewolves and vampires were manifested at the same time.

“Mani believe that Carni are an inferior species. Werewolves believe in a lot of myth and untruths.”

“Why do they do that?”

“It’s a way to justify giant mistakes they have made so they can be at peace with it.” Lena’s soft voice filled the room. I could see her desperately trying to answer my questions when she had questions of her own.

“I know about wanting to feel a sense of peace. For two weeks I’ve tried to find my inner peace.”

Her lips twitched into a semi-smile. I listened and she continued.   “The blurring lines of truths and fiction have forced them to live so far outside the Triat’s will. Mani believe that Carni have forgotten what their purpose is and they are no better than savages.”

“Purpose… I’ve been trying to figure that one out for two weeks. What is our purpose, Lena?”

Well, you were chosen by the Triat even before you were a Mani. Josiah, there is something greater out there – something amazing.

“What was amazing was my other life; my human life.”

“Yeah but think about it this way, we are wiser than the average living species. We have a window to the world. People live and then die, and in the course of living, they know nothing. Perfect ignorant bliss.” She smiled at me.

“You have a way of making this sound . . . almost glamorous.”

“Maybe it is glamorous Josiah. You’ve been given a gift. Don’t turn your back on the possibilities.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

I needed to know more about werewolves, and unfortunately, I needed to know about them fast. “Do Carni become stronger once they are turned from Tandra to Carni?”

Lena thought for a moment. “Not like the Mani,” she said.                     “They might get a tad stronger and quicker, but nothing close to what occurs in a Mani’s body after its transformation.

“Mani become much stronger?” I asked.

“Put it this way Josiah, I could barely hurt a mouse when I was mortal. The other night I was holding that frat boy Ronnie down like he was a kindergartner.”

I laughed. “So, I basically turned you into a bad ass.”

Lena shook her head at me. “Yeah you did Josiah Reign, and never forget that.”  Lena then smiled brightly at me. It was the first time in a long time I had seen her smile like that.  She was radiant.  She had little dimples and frankly, my heart melted.

“So what happens when they turn into a full blown werewolf?” I asked.

Lena’s smile turned serious. “When a Carni turns into a werewolf it can hold its own against a Mani.  Most of the time they are stronger. But Mani can fight with cognitive thought. While werewolves are like wild lions that just want to tear through their prey.  There’s not much thought to it.”

“What about the full moon? Is that a myth, or is it real?”

“Oh it’s real.  Too real.  It is then, and only then, they turn from Carni to werewolf.”

“So your everyday Carni, walking around is just slightly stronger than a human?”

“Yup.” Lena stared at me with wonder. “Why are you asking so many questions?”

“One more question,” I said. “Why would any Carni ever fight a Mani in a one on one fight?”

“Oh, they do when it’s a full moon.”

I looked up in the sky. It was a half moon. Why the hell would the bartender want to fight me if he knew I was a Mani and would be stronger? He must have thought, he could easily take me. I was still getting zero respect. I guessed being anointed the ‘Chosen One’ didn’t mean I was looked at as a bad ass.

“What’s going on Josiah? Why are you asking so many questions about the Carni?”

“Tommy disappeared from the hospital, so I’m thinking he is still alive. If he is, I need to find him.”

“He is alive, Josiah.”

I nearly fell to the ground. “What? He is? How do you know?”

“Some have seen him.”

“Where is he?”

“No one knows where he stays, but he is definitely still alive.”

I had a growing excitement spreading through my body. If anyone could tell me how to defeat a Carni, it would be Tommy. The problem was I had no idea where he was staying either. He was obviously hiding out for his safety.

Lena could see my wheels turning in my head. “What is it Josiah? What’s going on?”

“I have a scheduled fight tonight with a Carni.”

Lena’s mouth literally opened and her eyes stared at me hard.  After a second of glaring she asked, “Where?”

“Some Ranch in Anaheim Hills.”

“You’re joking?”

“I wish I was. I hadn’t even been out in public for an hour and one of those assholes picked a fight with me. Why would he fight me? It’s not a full moon.”

“Because Carni are arrogant, Josiah. It is why Tommy fought Atticai and got his ass kicked. Carni’s think they run the show. To them, we are just Gothic freaks who worship the devil.

“We don’t worship the devil, do we?”

“Of course not. But that is what the Carni has reduced us to in their heads. They can’t explain how we are a more advanced race, so they just say our abilities are given to us from the Underworld.”

“Gothic freaks or not,” I said, “no one picks a fight with someone they know can kick their ass.”

“That’s the thing, Josiah. They don’t think you can kick their ass. It’s like they have a
jock
mentality. They can’t accept that the outcast freak-show can kick the captain of the football team’s ass.” Lena got up off the ground and sat next to me on the couch. “You know if you fight him, you cannot use any of your vampire powers as long as he’s not a werewolf?”

“Vampire powers? I don’t have any vampire powers.”

“You don’t know it, but you do. At this point, the only thing you need to worry about is not turning into the eagle. That will freak them out and they will probably think you’re Satan himself. If that happens it could get real ugly.”

“Nice,” I said sarcastically.  “I don’t even know how to fully control it. What if it happens by accident?”

“Don’t let it, Josiah. You have powers and abilities that no Mani before you has ever had or ever will again.  No one knows exactly what you’re capable of.  You probably have every gift that has ever been bestowed on the Mani and ones we still don’t know about.  So fight the guy straight up.  Don’t do anything out of the ordinary.”

“Let me ask you this,” I said. “Can I bite him?”

“Yes, because trust me that’s what he’ll try to do to you. You can fight him anyway you want, you just can’t use what they call “magic.”

“They seem to think I’m going to bring a sea of Mani with me to the ranch for back up.”

“You can’t show up there alone. Because they don’t always play fair.  They do have a strict rule of only fighting one on one. So you won’t have to worry about being jumped as long as you don’t use any of your special Mani abilities.”

“Do I have to go? I have nothing to prove to those guys.”

“Did one specific Carni challenge you?”

“Yes.”

“Did you accept?”

“Yes.” I stated.

“Then, guess what? You better go, or you will anger the Triat.”

“I don’t even know what or who the Triat is.” I said defiantly. “Is it God, or Mother Nature, what is it?”

“It’s all those things and more. It’s the balance. It’s the code we all live by.” Lena took my hand. “Josiah, you need to respect the Triat more than anything you have ever paid reverence to. If you listen, and open yourself up, the Triat will guide you.  You need to ask for guidance.”

“Seriously?  Ask for guidance?  You’re making it sound like a cult.”

“Don’t be skeptical.  You will not be alone tonight.  All of us will be there with you.  We’ll make sure everything goes down the way it should.”

I looked at Lena. She might have suddenly become tough, but I wanted her to have no part of tonight. “Look, I’m going to go alone. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

“You know you have a family now. We stick together.”

“Not tonight. Let me deal with this tonight.”

“Don’t be fucking macho. We’re going with you. What time is the fight?”

I looked at Lena and lied, “3:30 am.” I said. “Meet me there. I’m going to do a couple of things before I get there.”

“We’ll meet you a mile up at 3:15.”

“Who?” I asked.

“Everyone: Wyatt, Hector, Yari, and me.”

I didn’t think having just four people there was going to be very much help.  I might as well just go by myself.

“Sounds like a plan.” There was no way I was going to have Lena go tonight. “I better go,” I said. It was nearing midnight, and if I was going to fight someone I needed to at least prepare myself the way I did a mixed martial arts fight. I needed to go to my gym.

After I left Lena, I transitioned into the eagle. I didn’t have a car and walking to my old gym would take entirely too long. I could feel myself growing stronger, and sleeker with this art of flying. The wind alone was exhilarating.

When I arrived at the gym, I noticed the second floor window was open. I challenged myself and flew into the small opening. I made it unscathed, but landed hard into the concrete of the gym, and rolled into the wall like a ton of bricks. I was dizzy and disoriented, but I found the strength to turn back into my Mani form.  .

The gym was dark, but there was an eerie glow came from a street light outside. I searched high and low; it was empty. It had been a long strange night so far, and I thought I should stretch and mediate to make sure I was ready. I warmed up like I would before any fight. I worked out my legs, punched the big bag and let my heavy emotions dictate my moves. Tears ran down my face. I swung over and over as if every punch were the pendulum to turn back time—to take it all back.  “Leave some for the fight.” A faceless voice said from a dark area of the gym.

“Who is that?”  I called out

“You cannot expect to beat a werewolf if you exhaust yourself before you actually fight.”

“Who are you?” I said again.

There was a man sitting in a chair in the dark. “I’m Mr. fucking Myagi.”

Holyshit. I knew who it was. Karate Kid was our favorite movie growing up.

“Tommy!” I yelled.

Tommy turned on the lamp beside his chair.  “In the flesh.”

“Or should I call you Kyro?”

“Kyro is dead. I will forever be Tommy.” Tommy was still pretty scratched and bruised. It had been a couple of weeks, and his scars still looked fresh.

“Are you alive?”

“You mean am I some kind of Carni ghost that has come back to haunt you?” Tommy laughed. “No. I’m alive. I’m as alive as you used to be. What the hell happened to you?”

“You must smell it. The Carni at the bar did.”

“Josiah, you have no idea how many times I almost told you the truth. I couldn’t. So what happened? Did you go willingly or unwillingly?” Tommy was obviously asking if I had chosen to be Mani or was it forced upon me.

“I didn’t choose it. That choice was definitely out of my hands. That’s not the worst of it.”

“What’s the worst of it?”

“I don’t know what you know about Mani lore, but apparently—”

“You’re the Chosen One. I know, Josiah.”

“How do you know?”

“Your hawk friend might have had something to do with it.”

“Yari, you’ve spoken to Yari? When?”

“The last thing I remember was this beautiful redheaded woman dropping me off in front of the emergency room.               Before she left I asked her name. She said Yari.”

“Did you know a Mani was saving you?”

“I didn’t know much of anything. This ten-foot tall motherfucker kicked the crap out of me not even an hour after we had our MMA match. The guy looked like a freaking scarecrow.”

“His name is Atticai.” I said.

“I knew who he was.”

“And you fought him anyway?”

“Why not? Who was he to tell me what the rules were?”

“Apparently he was the judge, jury, and executioner.”  I said.

“He was only the judge and jury. Goliath was the executioner.”

“Who the hell is Goliath?”

“He is another 7 foot beast, but he’s not a twig like Atticai. He weighs almost 500 pounds.”

“So I take it that
Goliath
wasn’t his birth name.”

“It’s the only name that fits.”

“After your friend Atticai was done with me–”

“Trust me, he’s not my friend.”

“Anyway, I had the pleasure of getting my ass kicked further by Goliath.”

“That doesn’t make any sense that Carni do that to their own people.”

“We know the score if we challenge a Mani and lose.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. What a backwards way of dealing with shit. They should tend to you. That is what Mani would do.”

“Nobody said Carni’s were rocket scientists.” Tommy got up and walked toward me. He grabbed a pair of trainer’s gloves and motioned for me to get into the ring with him. He still looked fit.

I made my way through the ropes, and met Tommy in the middle of the ring.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about.” Tommy gave me the motion to punch his hand.  I threw a right cross and our gloves popped. “Good shot, Josiah.” I continue to do combinations that Tommy and I had worked on in the past. “You know Josiah, that seven foot bean pole was actually fighting in your honor.”