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you?” he asked
mischievously.
    I quirked an eyebrow at his
playfulness. “Coach? Broke lately, Luka? Not enough halflings
running around in the woods for the Lycanthrope to pay you
decently? Should I sell some of my clothes to pay for my ticket? We
could always have a garage sale.”
    He chuckled. “Well, you know how much
baby formula sells for these days. We could probably hawk Micah’s
and make a pretty penny.”
    “Oh?” I asked noncommittally. I
gestured toward Micah. “And what would my son eat, pray
tell?”
    His smile never wavered. “You did say
he loves Rachel.”
    I laughed. “I don’t think she’s quite
his taste. She’s lactose intolerant.”
    “Oh,” he said knowingly. “You’re
right—not enough calcium. And I don’t want him to get spoiled by
such easily-caught dinner—her being knock-kneed and
all.”
    “Slightly crooked,” I growled
playfully.
    He shrugged. “Whichever. She would
probably still taste like soy.” He made a face and I laughed. “No
Lycanthrope in history has ever been a vegetarian—not a good time
to start. It’d probably mean civil war.”
    “You’re insane,” I said, completely
smitten and amused by him again.
    “Yes, I know, but you like
it.”
    I nodded. “I must say that I prefer you
like this.”
    He smiled gently, sadly almost. “I will
try harder in Mexico, Emily. The longer I am with you, the easier
it is to remember my old self. It is hard to be happy without your
best friend around.”
    “That’s good,” I said, trying to keep
his mind off Will. “I had worried that it was your old age making
you forget your old self,” I quipped. “It just creeps up on you
like that, you know. First you’re forgetting yourself, then gumming
your food, then wearing diapers and speaking in one syllable
words.”
    He grinned. “Well at least Micah and I
will have something to talk about.”
    I laughed at the image and hugged him.
He seemed surprised, but did not push me away. His arms came around
me and his body felt completely relaxed against mine. Only his
tight grip betrayed his waning composure.
    “I missed you,” I said into the folds
of his shirt.
    He kissed my hair. Something dropped in
my stomach.
    “Me, too, Em. Me, too.”
    We stayed locked to each other for some
time, but nothing happened, I swear. We needed that moment of
absolute forgiveness. That easiness had to be reestablished between
us so that Mexico, and thereby the Lycanthrope, would not break us
apart. Tomorrow we would go united to face them, and Luka would
protect and vouch for me. Everything would go as planned for me.
Nothing could stop it now.

    The Lycanti
    Shame crept over me later that day. I
watched as the others buried the bones, wiped their faces and hands
of the blood, and lounged in complete satiation. Josh walked among
them, laughing and teasing, lighthearted and proud of the
successful slaughter of the caged humans. He stopped and chatted
briefly with Layla and Xavier; Sam’s face went completely white,
but I was so caught up in my memories of earlier that I did not
bother to listen to their conversation.
    He finally approached me with no notice
of my snarled emotions. He was too enraptured in his own. “We are
traveling tomorrow, Emily,” he said with a smile. “Today we’ll
rest, but tomorrow we’ll be running the whole way.”
    Curiosity instantly gripped me, but I
remained silent. I had not forgotten the slap.
    He continued with noting my sullenness.
Instead, his eyes drifted to fantasy as he spoke. “To Alaska. The
beautiful, remote state where we can hunt freely and no one will be
missed, because life is dangerous anyway and stray people are lost
all the time.”
    A jolt of adrenaline and fear shot
through me. He seemed to notice me for the first time as his eyes
took in my surprise.
    He smiled, all teeth visible. “And if
you are thinking of running away, don’t. I will kill you.” The
pause between his words was almost indiscernible. “Now come with
me. I