As we enter a new year, I find myself in a sort of flux. As the coming year has the potential to be something different. Life is changing gears for me and my family. And with it…maybe I can gain some fresh focus on my writing. And yes, get the second Howling Moon novel out. It’s on top of my list to get it out this year. There has been some issues with getting it out the past couple years, part of it, maybe even a lot of it is I’ve gotten in my own way and haven’t pushed myself as much as I should. Some of it has been my focus, i’ve not focused on my writing as much as I should. Another part writer’s block…i’ve had issues whenever i’ve sat down to try an get some writing done. Or even some editing. And has gotten no where.
So here is something to start the new year off with for those who are following me. It’s the rough opening of Howling Moon 2. Enjoy.
Also. For those who may be interested, Howling Moon’s price on Amazon for the kindle edition has dropped. Check it out.
Spoilers. There are spoilers ahead for book one. Warning for language as well.
Happy New Year.
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Chapter One
It all flashed before her eyes, the night of the attack. The night Emily Meyer’s life changed forever. The thought of it alone took her breath away, she was so helpless as the wolf stalked and attacked her. The first painful seizure, she knew there was something terribly wrong with her own body from that first gut wrenching pain tore through her. The helplessness of it as she fought her attacker only to realize he hadn’t been alone. To the moment she saw one of her best friends murdered. It all brought her to this moment, whipping the fogged-up mirror clean not recognizing the woman looking back at her. Hiding in the middle of nowhere. Away from her parents, away from Ashley. Lost to the person she once was. A distorted image in a cracked and dirty mirror, but the haggard glass surface wasn’t at fault. Blood shot eyes, near as red as her hair surrounded by dark circles swollen from exhaustion. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a rested hour sleep that wasn’t the result of pure fatigue. It was no wonder the cashier gave her such a revolting glare. She’d likely already called the police to report a suspected robbery. Emily’s lips were chapped, no makeup, she couldn’t remember the last time she had worn any or had a descent hot shower. The night she and Ashley went to the club maybe, what felt like years was only a couple of months. Her skin was brittle and dry. She needed a shower, a long hot shower. Just the thought of it sent her into a daze. She missed the small comforts of life now more than ever.
The crash of knocks broke her daydream. “Come on,” an unhappy female voice called from the other side of the old metal door. Emily heard the breathing of the angry woman on the other side.
“Give me a couple more minutes,” Emily pleaded.
Emily grabbed the scissors and chopped at her tangled hair, it was a mess and had gone too long without proper care. She knew how badly it was turning out with each strand falling into the rusted sink. But the hacked locks looked better than the tangled web it was moment before. “Bitch.” She heard the mumbled expletive from the other side of the door. The other person had barely said it as a whisper but with Emily’s enhanced hearing she might as well been yelling into a bull horn. Emily smiled. So much about her new life she hated, the enhanced senses were not one of them. It only took a couple minutes to cut her way through it, it looked worse now than before. At least having it cut off at her shoulders was more manageable.
Three big knocks came, louder and more forceful than before. The smell of oil and sweat drifted into the room causing as much panic in the pit of Emily’s stomach as the crashes on the metal surface. “Hurry up,” a male voice yelled. There were no pleasantries in his tone, only anger. Emily swiftly pushed all the loose hair from her shoulders into the sink. The large sweatshirt pulled down over her head, keeping the hood up. Despite her own smell, it still had Colin’s scent imbedded in it. Each time giving her a smile and each time it broke her heart all over again.
Emily grabbed the worn duffel bag at her foot before sliding the lock on the door, it came open instantly from the other side. The man leaned against the edge barely enough room for her to squeeze past. He smelled. His clothing matched his scent, covered in dirt and oil, likely worked as a mechanic, the smell of grease filled her dulling all her other senses. She still didn’t have control. It was always one or the other she had yet to be able to push one sense to the side for another.
The girl smelled different, she stepped into Emily’s path, as she tried to navigate past the brute. She could smell his sweat on her skin and in her hair but there was a sweet lavender smell as well. “God, you reek,” she held her hand over her mouth and nose. Emily knew this she also wondered if the woman noticed how her boyfriend smelled or if she just wanted to be rude to her. Emily lowered her head keeping her eyes from making contact. She heard the girl speak again, same small whisper. “Trash. What’s the world coming to?”
Emily quickly grabbed the couple of bottles of water, a few snacks rushing to the counter. She had been in there longer than she thought, the sun was starting to go down. She rushed to get past a couple of men as they approached the counter. She watched the cashier ring her stuff up trying to ignore the heavy breathing and muffled laugh of the two men who had settled in behind her. She could see their reflection in the window, they were in football jerseys barely old enough to buy the beer in their arms, and they ogled her, looking her up and down. She knew how she looked. The thought they might be into her still made her feel uneasy. She pulled at the back of the sweatshirt down on her jeans. “Don’t do that baby, you’ve got a fine ass,” one of the men stated.
“Makes up for the crack whore smell,” the other said laughing. She could see the two of them bump fists to celebrate his vulgarity. “Bet if I had a pill bottle and shook it, you’d come runnin’.”
Emily gritted her teeth. The two of them were no older than twenty, she saw the disgusted look on the cashier’s face as she took her money careful not to let their skin connect. It wasn’t directed at the two men either. Emily focused, seeing her own distorted reflection in the glass, it looked so different with her tangled shoulder length hair. The cashier handed her the money back, careful not to touch her still, the young woman sneered not even trying in her swift motion dropping the money into Emily’s palm. Emily’s anger grew, she felt the wolf deep down in her stomach. It was dark now, it was sudden, and the wolf had more control when the sun was down.
His hands were cold on her waist, “I bet you clean up real nice.” She felt the first man’s hot breath on the back of her neck. She pushed forcefully off the counter turning landing on top of him with enlarged canines just missing the soft of his exposed neck as her jaws snapped fiercely. Emily felt the wolf’s anger. It matched her own at the unwelcome touch of a stranger. She could smell the blood pulsating through his veins, and she wanted to rip his throat open.
“What the fuck,” the other man questioned quickly moving away falling over a display of chips, scattering debris all around the store in the process.
Emily could smell the man under her, he had soiled himself. She smiled, wanted to laugh but all that came was a huff of breath as she snarled. Her heart raced she was enjoying the fear she put into the men who thought they were so much better than her.
“John…her teeth….” The couple from the bathroom was on the other side of her having rushed to check out the commotion. She could smell their fear, hear their hearts race, the guy even stopped breathing at the sight of her. The brute of a man who was so threatening to her a moment earlier was a heartbeat from running and she wanted him to. The wolf wanted him to chase him down. But she couldn’t let that happen.
Emily jumped to her feet, pulling the hood down. She grabbed her things from the counter before rushing out the door. “Damn it,” she muttered.
Emily rushed past the vehicles out from across the road not looking either direction and into the wilderness. She ran, fast as she possibly could, heart racing with each padding of her worn out shoes on wet ground. The wolf wanted to run. With each quick step, she took she wanted to go faster. The wolf wanted to go faster. She stumbled stepping on a dead log tumbling to the ground. She screamed. This was her life now. Her few possessions spilled from the duffel bag, scattered with the unhealthy snack and water on the ground around her. She rested back on her knees starring up at the moon and attempted to scream. But what she released with her anger was a howl, wildlife around her running in terror as her voice deepened. She leaned forward. “No,” she growled looking at her longer fingernails and disjointed knuckles. She would not let it out. She took long deep breathes; the shaking stopped upon standing. Quick to gather all her things before walking away at a calmer more controlled pace.
—— End scene.
Steven Paul Watson, Author 