Jekyll & Hyde Inc.

“I’ve never munched on a mind before. Could use some salt.”

And then she broke off, because the werewolf was straightening up again. The skull had already repaired itself, and the yellow eyes were sharp and clear. Tina threw her handful of brains aside, and moved quickly to stand beside Daniel.

“I say we get out our guns and fill him full of silver.”

“Good idea,” said Daniel. “Unfortunately, we never did get around to loading them.”

“There’s always something . . . ” said Tina. “If you have any other ideas, I’m ready to listen.”

“I’ll draw my knife. While he’s focused on that you get in behind him and restrain him, and I’ll stab him in the heart.”

“I can hear you, you know,” said the werewolf. Its voice was a low growl, and sounded nothing like Nigel. “You even try to stick me and I’ll bite your hand off.”

Daniel’s skin crawled at the sound of an animal talking like a man, but he made himself smile easily at the massive creature.

“I’m going to cut your heart out, Nigel. If you still have one.”

He drew the knife from its hidden scabbard in one swift movement, and the werewolf went for him. The bared teeth had almost closed on Daniel’s face when Tina jumped the werewolf from behind. Her weight almost drove the creature to its knees, and while it was caught off-balance she slipped an arm around its throat and pulled back hard. The werewolf bucked and reared, trying to throw her off, but she clung on grimly, tightening her hold until the werewolf’s head was forced up. The beast raked at Tina’s arm with its claws, and blood spurted. She hissed with pain, but wouldn’t loosen her grip. And then Daniel stepped forward and pressed the tip of his silver knife against the taut skin just below the werewolf’s breastbone. The huge creature held very still.

“You know the touch of silver, don’t you, Nigel?” said Daniel.

“Stab him!” said Tina. “I can’t hold him forever!”

But Daniel was looking into the yellow eyes of the werewolf. He thought he saw someone he knew looking back.

“Do it!” yelled Tina. “If he gets away he’ll warn the others.”

“You’re still in there, Nigel,” said Daniel, holding the werewolf’s eyes with his own. “Remember the man you used to be. Think of how much the wolf has taken from you. All the things that defined who and what you were. A gentleman of the old school. Don’t let the wolf make you nothing but an animal, grubbing around in the guts of your latest kill. Please, let me help you. Let me free you from the curse of the werewolf.”

Suddenly the wolf was gone, and Tina had her arm around the throat of a man.

“Just do it,” said Nigel.

Daniel stabbed his old friend through the heart, and the light went out of Nigel’s eyes. Daniel jerked the blade back, and Nigel slumped in Tina’s grasp. She let him collapse to the alley floor, and then stepped back and nodded slowly to Daniel.

“That was a brave thing you did.”

“It was a brave thing he did,” said Daniel. “Are you hurt?”

Tina didn’t even glance at her arm. “Werewolves aren’t the only ones that heal quickly.”

“This war has been very hard on my friends,” said Daniel. “Oscar, Paul, and now Nigel.”

“You still have me,” said Tina.

“And you have me,” said Daniel.

They shared a smile.

“The alpha wolves won’t appear till the moon’s out,” said Daniel. “We’ve got time for a few drinks first.”

“Or a lot of drinks.”

“Even better.”

Tina looked at him steadily. “When all the alpha wolves are dead, are we going to kill Edward?”

“Why not?” said Daniel. “I promised him I’d kill all the monsters.”

“What will we do, once he’s dead?” said Tina. “When all the monsters are gone?”

“We’ll think of something,” said Daniel.

They left Nigel’s body lying in the alleyway, and went looking for a bar to drink in and wreck. Until it was time to go to Elstree Park and hunt wolves.

Night fell over London. The full moon did its best to shine through the pollution, its light cold and distant as a broken promise. A bitter wind blew from out of the east, pushing the clouds around. Traffic still roared in the city streets, but it was only a murmur deep in the heart of Elstree Park. Daniel and Tina quietly made their way through a copse of trees that bordered on an open clearing. They hadn’t passed a single other person so far, as though everyone else had stayed away because they could sense something bad was loose in the night. Edward had been right about that.

Daniel and Tina moved on through the copse, sticking to the deepest and darkest of the shadows. The whole place was eerily silent, as though they’d crossed over into another world. Parks usually had a tame feel to them—of nature brought under control, to provide a safe setting for people to relax in. Somewhere they could sit and rest, picnic and sunbathe. But on this night, Elstree Park felt very different. As though just the presence of the alpha wolves had made it a wild place, where nature still followed the old ways . . . red in tooth and claw.

“The wolves are right ahead,” Daniel said quietly. “Listen—you can hear them.”