7th story, An American Werewolf in Denver by Sparrow, part two
Title: An American Werewolf in Denver
Author: Sparrow
Fandom: Magnificent Seven: ATF and An American Werewolf in London/Paris
Characters: JD Dunne, Casey Wells, Maddie Stokes, Kate Stokes, Del Spivak, Garber, Kirkland, Chris Larabee, Nathan Jackson, Ezra Standish, Josiah Sanchez, Buck Wilmington, Vin Tanner and various OC characters
Rating: 14A
Disclaimer: I do not own Magnificent Seven: ATF and An American Werewolf in London/Paris. Any poems or songs used in this fanfic belong to their respective creators.
Word Count: 23, 256 words
Warnings: Secondary Character death, mentions of off screen sex (het), minor wolf dominance/submission in human form, captives held in chains, a woman roughed around in an interrogation room, OC Character death, some slight graphic descriptions of gore
Summary: JD Dunne undergoes some changes when attacked by a strange creature on a full moon night. Confused about what’s happening to him, can he trust Team Seven to help him through it all? Or will outside influences turn him against his friends and brothers.
Author’s Note: I just wanna say a huge thanks to bookaddict43 for the last minute step in as my beta and also being my artist! Yay! Written for the first Magnificent Seven Big Bang, this was a challenge and a half to get this all written out and I just want to say thank you for the encouragement and support of my friends while I was getting this out - you know who you are. I hope all my warnings are appropriate and if you feel I’ve missed anything, feel free to point it out and I’ll be happy to add it to the list. :) Enjoy!
“Ah-ah!” Buck wiggled a finger in JD’s finger. “You know I love you in a totally platonic brother kind of way kid, but if you finish that sentence, injured or not, your ass will be in a sling.”
JD pouted and wiggled more under the covers.
“That’s better. Night kid.”
“Night, Buck,” JD whispered as he burrowed into the warmth.
Shutting the light off, Buck was about to close the door when JD’s voice stopped him. “And Buck - thanks.”
Buck smiled back. “Anytime, kid.”
~~~
Vin sighed as he took a long pull from the bottle of beer in his hand.
This whole situation with JD and Casey, he didn’t know what to feel. Disbelief, sadness, grief and most of all, anger.
Anger that Casey was taken from JD so soon and that JD had to go through the process of losing a loved one - again.
It was nearly midnight when a knock on his door startled him out of his thoughts.
Frowning, he wondered who it could be. The boys knew they were welcomed in, anytime and they usually called ahead. So this was someone unexpected.
Setting his drink aside as he got up and off of his couch, he slowly padded his way to the apartment door in bare feet.
Grabbing the sawed off shotgun from the umbrella stand to the right of the door, he peered through peep hole.
It was a piece of his past, coming back apparently.
Unlocking the chain and the deadbolt, but still keeping a hand on the shotgun, he slowly opened the door a couple of inches.
“Hello, Kate,” Vin drawled.
Kate Stokes stood in front of the doorway, dressed in ragged jeans, boots, a tank top and a flannel jacket that had seen better days. A cowboy hat completed her look as Vin finished his exam, ignoring the gun tucked in the sidearm.
“Is this pleasure or business?” Vin asked, straight to the point. “And where’s Maddie?”
“It’s business, Vin,” Kate replied back. “And the business is about Maddie.”
Vin swore softly.
He met the two sisters a couple of years before he joined the ATF and just after he got out of the Army and took up bounty hunting.
At the time, they had joined up on a few hunts and he felt an attraction to Kate, but she was devoted to her sister, so he left.
It didn’t help that Maddie was a few French fries short of a happy meal, but if you ever mentioned that in front of Kate, you better be prepared to get a few broken fingers and a black eye. And that was Kate being nice.
“Can I come in or do you want to continue making sure I’m not dangerous,” Kate stated.
“You always were dangerous, Kate,” Vin replied back.
Ice blue eyes glared at Vin. “Still am.”
Vin snorted. “No argument here. C’mon in.”
“Thank you.”
Kate followed Vin into the apartment and he closed the door behind her. Heading back over to the couch, he grabbed his beer as he sat down and laid the shotgun over his leg.
“Bet that took some effort.”
“Fuck you, Tanner,” Kate swore at Vin. “You mad at me or somethin’?”
“Why you come here now, Kate?” Vin asked, almost hissing the answer out. “Why now? After all this time?”
“I told you, business and Maddie,” Kate growled out.
Vin thought he saw a flash of amber in her eyes, but he shook his head. It was probably a trick of the light.
“What she done now?”
“That’s not important, I just need your help in getting her back,” Kate huffed out angrily. “I’d do it myself, but there’s too many.”
“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s goin’ on, Kate,” Vin said.
Kate’s body trembled with tension, hands clenching and unclenching. And then everything seemed to pour of her and she slumped. “You ever heard of a man called Del Spivak?”
“That name sounds familiar.”
And did it ever, it was one of the names Team Seven had manage to get, thanks to Ezra’s connections, in their current case about gun runners that hit places just before the full moon. If things held true, there would be a scheduled hit about two or three days next week.
“Well, he’s got Maddie.”
“Shit,” Vin eloquently summed up. “How’d that happen?”
“We got stupid and our information was wrong,” Kate explained. “In all of the confusion, he managed to grab Maddie and he’s holding her against me.”
“Why? What do you have on him?” Vin asked.
“Information that could take him down if given to the right people,” Kate replied back.
Vin chuckled. “I see, I’m just being used for my connections to the ATF.”
“You help me set-up a meeting with your boss and I want promises that Maddie goes with me, no matter what,” Kate laid out.
“I can setup the meetin’, Kate, but I ain’t makin’ no promises,” Vin acknowledged. “I don’t have that kind of pull.”
“But your boss does,” Kate insisted.
“He’s just a simple man, Kate; he does what he needs to do, to get the job done.”
Kate chuckled. “And I don’t believe you. I have my information about what you need for that gun running group and your boss can promise me my sister, otherwise, no deal.”
“And I could hold you for obstruction of justice.”
“Maybe, but they’re going to hit again soon and after the full moon, they disappear into another city, this is your best shot at getting them now,” Kate explained. “Take it or leave it.”
Vin sighed. “I’m gonna have to call him and see what can be arranged.”
“You do that,” Kate said, a frosty tone colouring her voice. Reaching into her jacket pocket, she pulled out a card. “My information so you can reach me when we come to an - understanding.”
Taking the card, Vin tucked it into his jeans pocket and saluted Kate with his beer bottle. “I think you know your way out.”
Nodding at the request, Kate walked over to the apartment door and opened it. Pausing slightly, she turned so she was facing Vin. “Beyond the circumstances, it was good to see you again, Vin.”
Vin scoffed. “You hurt me deeply, Kate, so I wish I could say the same.”
Blue eyes soften slightly, before they turned hard and Kate walked out of the apartment, closing the door behind her.
Sighing, Vin drained the rest of his beer as he pulled out the card with Kate’s information. Turning it over in his hands as he set aside the bottle, he grabbed his cordless phone and dialled a number.
After a few rings, a gruff voice answered. “Larabee, here.”
“Hey cowboy, I think I might have a break in that gun runnin’ case of ours,” Vin stated and settled in to explain the situation to Chris.
~~~
JD sighed for what felt like the millionth time as he viciously scrubbed a dirty plane clean. His arm was now free of the sling, but he was told not to put too much stress on it.
Setting the plate aside to dry, he stared out of the window that over looked the little patch of grass in between buildings.
His thoughts then turned to Casey and that night. The night his life completely changed. JD thought Casey would finish veterinary school and during that time they’d move in together. They’d buy a house, have kids and grow old together.
They’d die together on the same day.
Shaking his head to clear himself from those kinds of thoughts, the kind of dreams he’d never have with Casey ever again, he turned back to the dishes.
“I’m sorry we can’t share those things anymore, JD.”
JD didn’t turn around. “Go away.”
“I can’t, JD,” Casey whispered back. “Not until you kill the werewolf that killed me.”
“You are not real and there is no such thing as werewolves.”
“Yes, there is,” Casey insisted. “How else can you explain me? Only werewolves can see their kills and the kills that other werewolves did.”
“A result of post traumatic stress and watching you being killed in front of me,” JD replied back as he dried his hands
Then JD felt something cold past through his shoulder. “You, you, you stubborn headed idiot! For someone so incredibly smart, you sometimes can be a dumb ass!”
“Casey?” JD whispered as he turned around, only to smack his face into Buck’s chest.
“All right there, kiddo?” Buck asked, concerned for his friend.
JD rubbed his nose. “Yeah, sorry...thought I heard something.”
Buck frowned slightly. “Like what?”
“Don’t worry about it, Buck.”
Opening his mouth to reply, Buck then closed his mouth, thinking better of it. JD was pretty much up and down with his moods lately and he had very good reason to be, so Buck dropped the subject for now.
“How about we dry these dishes and put them away?”
You could see the relief on JD’s face as the subject was dropped and the two quickly got to work.
The cutlery was just being put away when Buck’s cell phone rang. Grumbling under his breath, Buck saw it was Chris and shot a worried glance to JD before opening his phone to talk.
“Wilmington, here.”
“Buck, I know you’re taking care of JD there, but we got a break in the case and you need to come in.”
“C’mon Chris,” Buck argued. “You’ve all been doing fine without me there the past couple of weeks.”
“We need everyone in on this, I’d ask JD to come in to, but he’s not cleared for duty yet. I really am sorry, Buck.”
Click. And then silence on the other end.
Glaring at the phone as he snapped it shut and swore under his breath.
“Need to go in, huh, Buck?” JD asked as he approached Buck.
“I’m sorry kiddo,” Buck apologized. “Apparently there’s a break in the current case and Chris is calling me in.”
“But not me,” JD mentioned gloomily.
Shit! Buck thought. “He would’ve called you in too, but you’re not cleared for duty yet, JD. You witnessed something horrible and you’re still injured.” He pointed at JD’s shoulder.
“You mean you think I can’t handle it and you want to keep the kid out of the way,” JD angrily stated.
“That’s not what I said, JD!” Buck retorted back. “And it wasn’t what I meant.”
“Whatever, Buck,” JD sighed and turned back to the dishes. Angrily tossing them into the drawers and cabinets.
Running a hand over his face, Buck grumbled under his breath, grabbed his wallet, keys and stuffed his cell into his cell holder on his belt buckle. He walked out of the condo.
JD swore as a piece of silverware flipped out of the cutlery drawer from his angry tossing. Bending over to grab it, JD hissed in pain as it burnt the palm of his hand. Running over to the sink and turning on the water, he placed his reddening hand under the cool liquid.
“What the hell?” JD whispered aloud. Glancing back down at the offending piece of cutlery, he grabbed a nearby towel and picked the item up.
Turning it over, he slowly pressed a finger against the flat edge of utensil.
“AH!” JD yelled out in pain as the silver burned his finger.
Bringing his finger up to his mouth to nurse, he dropped the silverware back into the cutlery drawer and returned the towel back in its original spot.
“What is going on?” JD wondered. And then he remembered the conversations with ‘Casey’ and how he was ‘turning’ into a werewolf.
A feeling of dread filled JD’s being.
Was it true? Was he really turning into a werewolf? It would explain his new found allergy to silver. JD pondered.
Taking in deep gulping breaths of air, he grabbed his wallet, keys and cell phone. Locking the door behind him, JD left the condo.
It was literally a pain in his shoulder to drive his bike, but JD just breathed through the pain and soon, he found himself in front of the cemetery where Casey was buried.
He had gotten the details from Buck during one of his visits. They had held the funeral while he was in his coma and this was the first bit of spare time that JD had, without one of the others hovering over him to come visit.
Parking his bike in the parking lot, his boots make crunching noises on the gravel path as he headed towards the back near a big oak tree.
As he approached the grave site, he could make out the gravestone and the writing chiselled on it.
‘Casey Anne Wells
B. June 03, 1987 - D. September 23, 2010
Was loved and loved’
Sitting crossed legged in front of the grave, JD ignored the dampness soaking his jeans.
“Hey Casey,” JD began. “Sorry I haven’t been by yet to see you. Coma and all.” There was a long pull of silence as the leaves from the tree danced in the wind. “I keep seeing you all over the place and sometimes you talk to me. You tell me crazy things, things like I’m now a werewolf and - I’m not sure what to believe,” JD sighed. “I feel like I’m going crazy, seeing you, burning my hand on a piece of silver wear and my sense of smell and hearing...it’s really batshit crazy, Case and I don’t know what to do.”
A whimper escaped from JD’s lips. “I really miss you and love you, Casey.” Tears trailed down his cheeks and he furiously wiped them away with the sleeve of his jacket. “Now would be a good time to show up if you’re really there.”
When no one showed, JD sniffed loudly, the slight crying making his nose all runny. Standing up, he turned around and stopped.
“Hi.”
“Hello.”
It was the nurse from the hospital, except she wasn’t dressed in uniform. Her curly hair was still up, but her scrubs had been exchanged for jeans, flannel and a pair of sturdy boots.
“Visiting someone?” The woman inquired.
“My fiancée, she died in the attack which put me in my coma,” JD explained. He didn’t know why, but he felt drawn to this woman. Something about her pulled at JD.
“That’s her, JD!” Casey yelled in his ear. “That’s the werewolf that killed me and infected you! KILL HER!! Set us free!”
JD flinched at the loud sound.
The woman looked at JD in concern. “Everything all right?” She then placed her hand on his forehead to feel for a fever.
To JD, the touch felt like heaven and he leaned into it as his eyes fluttered close.
“What are you doing, JD?” Casey hissed at him. “Get rid of her!”
“Shut up, Casey,” JD mumbled and then frowned when the hand left his forehead and his eyes opened.
“Well, you don’t feel like you have a fever,” the woman said.
“Well, that’s good I suppose,” JD mumbled. “Not to sound rude, but what are you doing out here, ma’am?”
“Oh, don’t ma’am me,” the woman laughed. “I’m not that old.”
JD felt some heat creep up on his cheeks. “Sorry.”
“Call me, Maddie,” Maddie said, holding out her hand. “Maddie Stokes.”
Shaking the hand, JD replied back. “JD Dunne.”
“Well, JD as to what I’m doing out here, I’m visiting an old friend,” Maddie answered as she gestured to a nearby headstone.
He couldn’t make out the name on the headstone, but he offered his condolences the same. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Yours as well,” Maddie replied back, gesturing to Casey’s grave behind him.
“What are you doing, chatting her up; you should be killing her, JD!” Casey protested and tried to hit JD in the shoulder. But all that happened was her hand going through his shoulder and causing him to shiver as he did his best to ignore this figment of his imagination.
“Are you sure you’re feeling alright there?” Maddie asked in concern.
At this question, JD faltered. “I’m, I’m not sure anymore. I just feel completely lost and I don’t know what to do anymore.” He shivered slightly as Casey continued trying to hit him in the shoulder. “And I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this, you’re a completely stranger to me and here I am, opening up.”
“Maybe it’s because I’m a stranger you can open up,” Maddie offered.
“Maybe.”
“It’s all right to talk about it, JD, whatever happened to you, you’ll get past it,” Maddie said.
“Didn’t my chart say what kind of ‘traumatic experience’ I went through?” JD bitterly stated.
“No, just what kind of injuries you came in with,” Maddie offered. “But there were rumours you were attacked by some kind of wolf creature.”
“Yeah and it was her,” Casey spat out. “Do something, JD! Just don’t stand there like a useless lump on a log!”
“WILL YOU JUST FUCKING SHUT UP, CASEY!” JD yelled at her, eyes flashing amber.
Maddie’s face looked triumphant at that proclamation.
JD’s eyes kept their amber glow as he moaned and then placed his hands into his head. “What’s happening to me?”
“Something wonderful, JD,” Maddie stated. Removing a bandana from her pocket, she placed it over her mouth and pulled out a long plant chain from her jean pocket. She quickly tossed it over JD’s head.
Startled at the action, JD couldn’t help but inhale the smell coming off of the plant. Stumbling slightly, he dropped to the ground listless, eyes unseeing, but still glowing slightly with their unusual amber colour.
Two people suddenly appeared next to Maddie’s side.
The weasel looking one spoke. “This the one, Maddie?”
“Yes,” Maddie growled at the man, securing her bandana over her mouth. “Remember not to inhale the wolf bane fumes; it’ll knock you out like poor widdle JD there.”
“We know, Mad Miss Maddie,” The taller one spoke.
“Shut it, Garber,” Kate snarled at the man, her own eyes flashing amber. “And help Kirkland there.”
Grumbling under their breath, the two secured their bandana’s around their faces, picked JD up and carried him to a pick-up truck where they dumped him into the back. Maddie climbed in after him and brought his head so it was resting on her lap.
“Soon, you’ll be completely mine, JD,” Maddie whispered and started to pet JD’s hair.
Kirkland started the truck and the trio with their package quickly sped away from the cemetery.
~~~
Buck was not in a good mood when he walked into Team Seven’s office space. Dumping his jacket onto his chair, he grabbed his mug and headed over to the coffee machine.
Pouring himself a cup, black, he drank it down quickly.
“Something vexing you, Mr. Wilmington?” Ezra asked from behind Buck’s shoulder.
“Got into a fight JD and now he’s pissed at me,” Buck muttered as he poured himself another cup of coffee. “He’s also kind of pissed at not being able to come in either.”
“I fear, our young friend most likely feels a need to be useful after what happened,” Ezra stated. “I know I would if I was in his position.”
Buck sighed. “Yeah, me too.”
“Come Buck, Mr. Tanner has apparently found us a lead in the form of a young lady friend of his.”
That stopped Buck short. “Vin has a lady friend? Here?”
Ezra chuckled. “An ‘old flame’ if I’m lead to believe the glances between the two.”
“Well then, this meeting just got a mite more interesting,” Buck grinned.
~~~
The first look of Kate Stokes as she introduced herself, reminded Buck of a Valkyrie he’d seen in pictures.
A warrior woman with ice in her eyes.
She also looked like she’d rip your throat out if you looked at her the wrong way. Pushing the foreboding feeling away, Buck sat in a chair in the conference room and got ready to listen about this ‘break’ they got in the case.
Once all of Team Seven, minus JD, were ready, Chris gestured at Vin to begin.
“Folks, this is Kate Stokes, we used to run together with her sister Maddie when I did bounty hunting, before joinin’ up with everyone here,” Vin explained. “Kate here has some information regardin’ our current case.” Vin gestured at Kate. “Kate?”
“Del Spivak is the man you’re lookin’ for,” Kate bluntly stated. “He’s the one runnin’ the group of your gun runners. He’s dangerous and usually runs a crew of up to 10 people, male and female, to do his jobs.”
She tossed a thick folder in Chris’s direction, held together with a couple of thick elastics.
“This is all I have on him and his operations and his crew.”
“How did you get all of that information?” Nathan asked. “And why come to us?”
“Lots of research, hunting and hard work,” Kate replied. “I’m damn good at following a trail.”
“Yet, you come to us to help catch your prey,” Ezra pointed out. “As my esteemed colleague pointed out, why come to us?”
“Tell them, Kate,” Vin said.
Kate glared at him and then exhaled out of her nose. “Because Del there has my sister.” Her fist clenched. “And I can’t do this by myself. I did some research before asking Vin for help on this and your team has a good success rate in catching criminals.”
“That may be, ma’am,” Chris said as he leafed through the folder. “But we’ll need to check your research and make sure it’s all valid.”
“It’s valid,” Kate said through gritted teeth. “I was very through.”
Chris just glared at her. “And this may be the information we’re looking for, but I will not risk my team on a suicide run just to rescue your sister.”
Kate’s blue eyes went wide.
“You’re using us and Vin for that purpose, I know that much and I know there’s something more,” Chris said. “We’ll be conducting our own surveillance to make sure everything matches up.”
“He’ll know you’re there and then he’ll kill you!” Kate spat at Chris.
“He can try,” Chris replied back. “We thank you for the information you’ve provided, Mrs. Stokes and we’ll keep on this case in a consultant position, but if you try and interfere...” Chris glared at her and there was a hint of teeth showing. “And I’ll have you up on charges of obstruction so fast and in a jail cell you’ll never see your sister again.”
Taking a step back, Kate gulped slightly. She had never felt a more alpha presence in someone other than her Grandfather.
“Understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” Chris grunted out. He then slid the folder over to Buck. “See what you can make of that and then start some surveillance. We’ll see if we can integrate someone into the group.”
Kate opened her mouth to protest but was silenced by Vin lightly pinching her arm and a quiet ‘shush’.
“Chris, I was wondering if I can bring, JD into this,” Buck asked. “Kid’s going stir crazy and needs something to do.”
Here, Chris’s eyes softened. “I’m sorry, Buck, but no. Until he gets cleared back for duty, I can’t let him work any cases. As much as I want to, the department is keeping a close eye on this, especially after the last incident.”
“I always did wonder what happened to those chickens,” Josiah pondered aloud.
The rest of the group chuckled at that, but it left Kate wondering who JD was. Her research into the group said there were seven members and only six was present.
Maybe something happened to their other member? Kate thought privately and then voiced it aloud. “Who’s JD?”
“Our wayward member of the team,” Josiah answered.
“So, why isn’t he here, helping out?” Kate asked.
“He was injured in that creature attack a couple of weeks ago and he lost someone close to him,” Nathan said bluntly.
Kate knew about that creature attack, she also had some insight that the others didn’t - it was a werewolf. In fact, she was pretty sure it was one of Del Spivak’s people; they were a pack that gave werewolves like her, a bad name. She just wasn’t sure which one it was that had attacked the couple she read about in the paper. There hadn’t been a chance to check out the attack site yet.
“Sorry for his loss then,” Kate muttered and then turned thoughtful. “Was he bit by the creature?”
“Why do you want to know that?” Nathan asked her. Mistrust across his face.
“Just curious, got attacked by some large creature once, never did figure out what it was,” Kate lied. “Had to go through a whole spectrum of antibiotics the doctor prescribed me.”
Nathan frowned but nodded. “He did get bit, but he’s doing a lot better now, physically.”
Crap, he’s infected. Kate thought furiously. This just got more complicated.
The other’s quickly descended into chatter as Vin watched Kate.
There’s somethin’ she’s not tellin’ us and hearin’ ‘bout JD getting attacked has her spooked. Vin contemplated. I’ll bring this up with Chris.
“All right people, this is going to be a large operation with numerous tasks,” Chris began. “Buck and Josiah, I want you two working surveillance as soon as the information that was given to us by Kate here, is confirmed. So that means a late night, men. Josiah, I want profiles as detailed as possible about Spivak’s crew. Nathan, I want you working with Buck and Josiah in a rotating order of who’s in the van. Draw up a schedule for everyone in pairs of two,” Then Chris looked at Vin, Kate and Ezra. “Ezra, you know the drill. Vin, you and Kate will do a little bit of scouting to make sure they’re still in the same place and I want updated maps of the land. Once that’s done, Kate, you’ll liaison between Vin and Josiah there.”
Satisfied with the roles everyone was assigned, Chris caught Vin’s nod and nodded back to the sniper. The two quickly holed up in Chris’s office as the others went to work.
“She’s hidin’ somthin’ cowboy,” Vin stated. “I just don’t know what.”
Chris nodded. “Keep a close eye on her, Vin. Once you find out what she’s hiding...”
“I’ll let you know, ASAP, Chris,” Vin promised.
~~~
Maddie eyed the newest acquisition she had acquired.
JD Dunne. ATF Agent. And the newest werewolf to her and Del’s pack.
It would take some time, but he’d come around, especially after his first full moon and he had his taste of human flesh.
Nostril’s flared as she took in the scent that entered the room. “Del.”
“Maddie,” Del replied back as he went over to the bed that JD was chained to. “So this is your newest plaything.”
It was a cabin-like setting with sparse furniture and a small kitchen. JD was chained to the bed, cross-eagled style, with padded cuffs. He had been stripped down to his underwear and the wolf bane plant chain was still around his neck, keeping him docile and quiet. Eyes wide open, glowing amber and unaware.
Huge amounts of wolfs bane were deadly to a werewolf, but in small amounts, it did little else then act as a sedative. Good for controlling new werewolves.
Del’s hand trailed over the scarred flesh of JD’s shoulder and then lifted the small leather pouch that had been placed over JD’s head.
“Salt?”
“He has annoying ghost with him,” Maddie snorted as she toyed with her own leather pouch. “Probably that stupid bitch of a fiancée of his I killed. Figured it couldn’t hurt so he couldn’t listen to her anymore.” Her grin turned feral. “Just me.”
“Who knew that keeping salt in a pouch would keep the ghosts away.” Chuckling, Del touched his own small leather salt pouch around his neck. “What would we do without these wonderful inventions of yours?”
“Probably go insane,” Maddie chuckled and pulled Del close to her.
“Hmm,” Del hummed and soon the two were kissing.
After a few minutes of passionate kissing, Maddie pulled away.
“Such a frigid little ice queen,” Del all but purred at her. “Like your sister.”
“Don’t you bring my sister into this!” Maddie yelled at him.
“Temper, temper, Maddie.”
“Get out of here, Del,” Maddie growled at him. Eyes flashing amber.
Chuckling, Del left the cabin.
Making her way over, Maddie started to methodically pet JD’s hair. “Don’t worry, JD. I’ll take care of you, way better than the others,” a crazy look entered her eyes. “You won’t ever betray me.”
Humming a mindless tune, Maddie Stokes continued to pet her newest plaything.
“You’re all mine, JD, all mine.”
~~~
Floating.
That was the best sensation that JD could describe his current position.
Floating. In the dark. He couldn’t see anything.
Buck? Chris? Vin? Nathan? Josiah? Ezra? Anyone? Is there anyone there?
A low growl answered JD’s cries in this darkness and then, there was a light. Just a small dot of light in the distance.
Trying to get away from the growling, JD tried to go towards the light, but it kept getting further and further away.
Come back! Please!
Something gripped his shoulder and he was spun around. His world exploded into light and he was suddenly face to face with a large type of dog or wolf in a white room. JD wasn’t sure.
But it had dark black fur, glowing amber eyes and teeth as large as his pinkie. He could see the back legs tense and then it sprang forward.
Yelping aloud in alarm, JD was stunned as the impact he expected didn’t occur as the creature went right into his body. Hands quickly roamed over his chest and stomach area as he spun around looking for where the wolf went.
That’s when the pain hit.
Hands clutched both of his sides as he down to his knees, head bowed almost straight to the floor.
“Oh God!” JD moaned.
Then a cracking sound rung in his ears, as he sat up, he brought a hand up to eye level and watched as the fingers elongated and changed shape.
JD screamed in pain as his bones painfully rearranged, his entire body shifted in length and hair grew everywhere. Clothes were ripped off with new sharp nails and the young, boyish face started to slowly elongate and push out from its natural structure. Ears grew pointed and up as the hair grew over his face.
It was a painful transformation and when it was all done, there stood the black creature in place of JD.
It lifted its head up, eyes glowing amber and howled.
“AHHHHHH!” JD cried out as he tried to sit up. The forced of the padded cuffs attached to chains brought him back down to the bed as he tried to see if he was still human.
“Wha -?” JD started to ask aloud as he looked around the room. There was a kitchen off to the side, a couple pieces of furniture and the bed he was currently lying on. Glancing at the padded cuff that encircled his hand, he gave it an experimental tug as he glanced backwards and saw it was bolted into the wall. He tried the same thing with his leg and no success.
He had been stripped down to his underwear and there was a faint smell of something in the air. Whatever it was, it was making him hungry.
Seeing no one around, he tried the direct approach. “Hello? Anyone there?”
Tugging on his restraints once again, JD huffed when realizing he wouldn’t be getting anywhere until someone came into the room.
It was here his brain kicked into higher gear and the questions rolled through his head. Who had him? Why? What could they possibly want with him? Did it have something to do with the case the rest of the team was working on? JD just didn’t know, he could only hope someone would come in soon so he could get some answers.
Soft footfalls outside the cabin caught JD’s attention and he could only wonder who it was and how he was hearing footsteps outside. They sounded like someone was stomping loudly on a hard floor.
The door handle slowly turned and then swung open.
Maddie entered the room, with red liquid inside a large plastic cup clasped in her hand as she kicked the door closed with her foot.
“Maddie? What are you doing here? Never mind that, help me out of these!” JD moved an arm and the chain rattled behind him.
“I’m sorry, JD, but I can’t do that,” Maddie said, smiling.
“Maddie?” JD questioned. This wasn’t the nurse or the woman he had met. He couldn’t describe it, but there was something in her eyes that scared him.
She removed a straw from her back pocket and placed it in the red liquid as she walked up towards him. Sitting next to him, she pushed the drink towards him. “Drink, you’ll feel better.”
It did smell really good to JD, but he needed answers first.
As if reading his mind, Maddie talked first. “I promise to answer all of your questions as long as you drink first.” She took a sip of it and then pushed it towards him. “See, it’s not drugged.”
Hazel eyes narrowed in distrust, but JD inched his head forward, captured the straw between his lips and began to drink greedily.
The flavour surprised JD; it tasted wonderful and magnificent at the same time. It was like the best food he had ever tasted was magnified by ten and had exploded in his mouth.
He finished the liquid off quickly.
Smacking and licking his lips clean of the liquid, JD levelled Maddie with a look, a look perfected of watching Chris Larabee glare over the years.
Placing the cup to the ground, Maddie laid a hand on JD’s face and gently stroked him along the cheek. “I’ve killed men for looking at me like that.”
“You’re the one who kidnapped me and are keeping me here,” JD stated.
“Guilty.”
“Why?”
“Because you are now part of my pack,” Maddie said.
“What?”
“You’re a werewolf now, JD,” Maddie told JD. “The werewolf that attacked you and your fiancée was a part of my pack, but he went rogue. Mad with bloodlust. We’ve put him down since then.”
“You’re lying,” JD whispered.
“Hasn’t your sense of smell and hearing increased? Maybe seeing your dead fiancée?” Maddie questioned JD. “That’s what happens to people killed by our kind. They become ghosts. It’s unfortunate, but they become obsessed with killing werewolves, any kind of werewolves just to have a taste of revenge,” she lied. She then gestured at the leather pouch around JD’s neck. “It’s filled with salt. It has purifying properties and will keep her away for now. Just while you get your head straightened out.”
Tears prickled JD’s eyes and he sucked in choking, gulping breaths of air. “No.” Came the whisper of denial.
“Yes,” Maddie hissed with delight and straddled JD’s lap.
Running her hands over his body as he tried to squirm away from her touch. “Just relax, JD. Relax.”
“NO!” He bucked up, trying to dislodge Maddie from his body. His thoughts going to dark places of what she could do to him.
Growling as her eyes flashing amber, Maddie tilted her head up and howled to the ceiling, incisors growing a bit more pointed as she came nose to nose with JD.
Hazel eyes went wide at the change in Maddie’s face and something surged upwards inside of him, answering this challenge. His own eyes flashed amber and a rumbling sound filtered through his throat and to JD’s horror, he realized he was growling back.
The staring between the two continued on, until a whimper escaped from JD’s lips and found himself tilting his head upwards, exposing his neck.
An approving sound rumbled low in Maddie’s throat and she leaned forward. Fangs lightly scraping over JD’s throat and then she bit down.
A yipping sound of pain came from JD’s lips and his body went still. Licking the wound, Maddie petted JD’s hair as her slight wolfish features returned to human. “Good boy.”
Blinking and coming to, JD looked around. “What did you do?”
A smirk curled on Maddie’s lips. “You submitted to your alpha.”
Confusion played across JD’s face.
Lunging forward and snapping her teeth at JD, he found himself flinching and automatically tilting his head upwards in an offer of his submission.
Chuckling, Maddie removed herself from JD’s lap, picked up the cup and headed towards the door. Just before she left the cabin, Maddie called over her shoulder. “By the way, JD. That red liquid you guzzled pureed deer hearts.”
Exiting the cabin, JD’s breath came out in short breaths, almost panting.
“Guys,” JD whispered as a tear escaped from his eye. “I kind of need you to come save me, now would be good.”
~~~
It was late into the night when Buck got home.
There had been a lot to prepare and setup for the upcoming case. Vin and Kate had gone ahead to do some scouting of the area.
He didn’t know how JD got so much set up for survallience and communications, but watching Josiah organize what would be a long stake out in the van and getting his profiling done, he felt like he hadn’t done much except take notes and make sure the equipment was working.
The door to JD’s room was closed, but Buck was worried about his friend. He hadn’t call all day due to the amount of work he was given. Quietly opening the door, he peeked inside and saw there was no JD inside the room or in the bed.
“JD?” Buck called out.
Frowning, he checked the entire condo. JD’s jacket was gone and so were his keys. He’d gone somewhere.
Heading back outside, he checked the garage that was attached to the building and JD’s bike was gone.
Back inside the condo, Buck pulled out his cell phone and called JD. It went straight to voicemail. Dread formed in the pit of Buck’s stomach as he fired off a text, but it went unreplied for ten minutes.
JD was good about responding right away to Buck’s texts.
It was there, he knew something was wrong.
Where are you, JD? Buck frantically thought as he dialled a series of numbers to Chris’s cell.
On the second ring, Chris answered. “Larabee.”
“Chris, I can’t find, JD. I’ve tried his cell and his bike is missing,” Buck explained frantically.
“Buck, you better sit down.”
Sitting down, Buck listened.
“I was just about to call you; Vin just reported in with initial findings about Spivak’s group, they have JD.”
Eyes went wide and Buck felt himself slip off the chair. “What! Why?”
“We don’t know yet. All we know is is that they have him.”
“I’m coming over,” Buck said. “We need to get him back.”
“We will, Buck. Get some rest first, we’ll go over everything in the morning, integrate Ezra into their group sooner.”
“We need to do something now!” Buck roared into the phone. “Who knows what they’re doing to him!”
“Buck! We will get him back!”
Chris couldn’t see him, but Buck nodded. “All right, Chris.”
“Get some sleep and report in the office first thing in the morning, they’re not hurting him. We afford this time right now.”
Breathing in deeply as he shut his cell phone off, a tear escaped from Buck’s eye.
“We’re coming, JD, we’re coming.”
~~~
JD awoke with a gasp and looked around his surroundings. He had lost count how many times he’d woken up like this. Glancing at the covered window, he could make out some sort of light. So he knew it was day.
Glaring up at Maddie, bandana secured around her face as she tossed the wolfs bane plant chain into the metal garbage.
The wolfs bane plant had been made into a plant chain, most of the potent flowers picked off of it, but enough remained to render the subject helpless and in a trance like state. It was vulnerable to only werewolves in this form, but for any other human, it was harmless.
“Wakey-wakey, JD” Maddie cooed at him. “Eggs and breaky.”
JD turned his head to the side.
“Now, now, that’s no way to greet me.”
He didn’t know how long they’ve been at this, the plant chain made him loose complete track of time. They’ve could’ve been at it for hours or days. He just didn’t know.
“Why won’t you let me go?” JD asked.
Maddie smirked. “I know you, JD. I know your type of character, you are kind and gentle, but fierce in protecting what he thinks is his.” Here, she leaned over and undid one of the manacles and slowly brought his arm down, rubbing his shoulder into circulation. “You won’t want to hurt your friends. After your first transformation is over, you’ll be free to go.”
“How do I become human again?” JD asked Maddie, turning his head to face her.
“So you believe me now, about you being a werewolf?”
“I know that’s what you believe about me, but no, I don’t believe you,” JD said. “Maddie, you need to let me go. Kidnapping a federal officer is a federal offense. If you let me go now, I can put in a good word for you.”
“We keep having the same conversation here and my answer is never going to change,” Maddie said. “No, JD, I can’t let you go.”
Sighing, JD rotated his free arm to get feeling back in it.
“I can see this will take a practical demonstration. Maybe after this you’ll finally change your mind,” Maddie sighed aloud. Stripping out of her clothes, JD blushed slightly and looked away. Then a sound caught his ears and he turned his head to watch with wide eyes and a horrified look filled his face as he watched Maddie transformed.
Her form fluidly changed shape and within seconds there stood a pony sized wolf with fur the colour of dark honey, amber eyes glowing.
“No,” JD whispered in denial.
Maddie stood there, crouched on all fours as she curiously sniffed him from head to toe. After a few minutes of inspection, she swiped her large tongue over his face and fluidly changed back.
Bending over to pick up her clothes, she looked over shoulder with a look. “Believe me now?”
“Yes,” came the whispered reply.
“Oh, JD,” Maddie cooed at him. “It won’t be that bad, yes there will be pain. But your pack will be there to help you.” She undid the other manacle and helped him sit up. Scooting behind him, she slowly massaged his shoulders back into circulation. Satisfied, she undid his leg manacles.
“There we go, isn’t this much better?”
JD didn’t respond.
“Let’s get you out of those clothes and into something more appropriate for the outside.”
He felt like he was in a daze. His entire world as he knew it was shattered even further. Everything he was denying: the senses, the silver allergy and even the wolfs bane plant that rendered him unconscious. It was all true.
He, JD Dunne, was a werewolf.
Limbs were manipulated into clothing and he felt himself pulled into a standing position.
“You with me, JD?” Maddie asked him, a double meaning hidden in the question.
He couldn’t go to the others, not now. They were still on tip toes with him because of Casey. And now...now he was a freak of nature. JD thought as he pondered Maddie’s question. I should be able to trust them, but Maddie knows what’s happening to me. She can help me.
“Yeah, I’m with you, Maddie.”
Maddie shot him a feral grin as JD tilted his head back in acceptance and she nipped at his throat. “Time to be reintroduced to the outside world, JD.”
One foot was placed in front of the other as JD was led outside.
His world was filled with fresh smells and brightness. Camper trailers were positioned in a circle around the cabin as he looked around. There were some tents off to the side and the cabin behind him as he was led to the centre of this camp.
“Stay here, JD and don’t move,” Maddie whispered at him. She brought her fingers up to her mouth and a loud piercing whistle sounded in the air.
A group of people, no larger than ten people started to slowly exit the camper trailers and circled around him.
“This here is JD and he’s part of our pack now,” Maddie growled out at him. “Welcome him!”
He was slowly surrounded by the group of people as they sniffed him all over, pulling at his clothes.
They had no concept of personal space! JD thought wildly as a woman stuck her nose into his throat and inhaled deeply.
And then they left, satisfied with what they smelled.
JD was led off to the side, Maddie holding his hand as he was pulled along.
“We have lots to teach you before your first full moon,” Maddie explained. “I -“
“Earlier, you said my transformation would be filled with pain, but you changed so easily, why?” JD asked, interrupting Maddie.
Maddie growled low in her throat. She didn’t like being interrupted.
JD ducked his head at the growl. “Sorry.”
“Don’t ever interrupt me again,” Maddie ordered a wild look in her eyes. “And to answer your question it’s because I’m a born wolf and you are a bitten wolf. Born wolves transform without pain and can transform without the aid of the moon.” She held out her hand and JD watched as the fingers extended and went half human and half wolf. “See, I have total control.” Her hand changed back to normal. “Where as you, you are a bitten wolf and can only change with the moon. Oh your sense of smell and hearing is heightened. And when angry, your eyes will glow an amber colour, but that’s the extent of any physical transformation outside of the moon’s influence.” Here she brushed a hand down his face. “But during the moon, you’ll experience pain as you transform and you’ll become the wolf.”
Shivering, JD wrapped his arms around himself. “Oh.” He then looked up at Maddie. “Do we only transform one day or three days, ‘because I know the moon is only really full on one day of the month, but you can see it’s fullness for at least three days.”
Maddie laughed lightly. “Aren’t you just a curious pup, but to answer you, again, its three days, JD.”
They continued talking, question upon question being asked and answered in return. While JD was still subdued at his world being shaken again, the questions seemed to brighten him up more.
After nearly two hours of talking, Maddie sent JD off to the others to help with daily chores and headed back to the cabin.
The cabin had been a godsend and the previous owner had been taken care of quickly. Maddie licked her licked in remembrance.
“Now, doesn’t that look decadent,” Del nearly purred at her as he grabbed her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. “And what were you thinking about there.”
“My last good meal,” Maddie replied back.
Del chuckled. “And how is our newest pup?”
“Curious, he wants to know as much as he can before his first transformation.”
“Hmm, well it’ll either benefit us or backfire completely,” Del said and then twisted Maddie around so they were eye to eye. “I hope you aren’t getting too attached to him.”
Maddie scoffed. “I didn’t with the others, so why should I with him?”
“Good answer.” He crushed his lips against hers and then murmured in her ear. “I swear you’re almost part cat with each new play toy you want for every city we move to.”
She shrugged. “You told the others to tell their ‘tragic tales’ of their family members finding out and nearly killing them for being werewolves?” Maddie asked Del as she licked the pulse point at his neck.
“Of course,” Del said. “They know what to do.”
“Good.”
The two continued their dominance as clothes were stripped off and they tumbled into the bed.
[ part one][ part two][ part three]
Author: Sparrow
Fandom: Magnificent Seven: ATF and An American Werewolf in London/Paris
Characters: JD Dunne, Casey Wells, Maddie Stokes, Kate Stokes, Del Spivak, Garber, Kirkland, Chris Larabee, Nathan Jackson, Ezra Standish, Josiah Sanchez, Buck Wilmington, Vin Tanner and various OC characters
Rating: 14A
Disclaimer: I do not own Magnificent Seven: ATF and An American Werewolf in London/Paris. Any poems or songs used in this fanfic belong to their respective creators.
Word Count: 23, 256 words
Warnings: Secondary Character death, mentions of off screen sex (het), minor wolf dominance/submission in human form, captives held in chains, a woman roughed around in an interrogation room, OC Character death, some slight graphic descriptions of gore
Summary: JD Dunne undergoes some changes when attacked by a strange creature on a full moon night. Confused about what’s happening to him, can he trust Team Seven to help him through it all? Or will outside influences turn him against his friends and brothers.
Author’s Note: I just wanna say a huge thanks to bookaddict43 for the last minute step in as my beta and also being my artist! Yay! Written for the first Magnificent Seven Big Bang, this was a challenge and a half to get this all written out and I just want to say thank you for the encouragement and support of my friends while I was getting this out - you know who you are. I hope all my warnings are appropriate and if you feel I’ve missed anything, feel free to point it out and I’ll be happy to add it to the list. :) Enjoy!
“Ah-ah!” Buck wiggled a finger in JD’s finger. “You know I love you in a totally platonic brother kind of way kid, but if you finish that sentence, injured or not, your ass will be in a sling.”
JD pouted and wiggled more under the covers.
“That’s better. Night kid.”
“Night, Buck,” JD whispered as he burrowed into the warmth.
Shutting the light off, Buck was about to close the door when JD’s voice stopped him. “And Buck - thanks.”
Buck smiled back. “Anytime, kid.”
~~~
Vin sighed as he took a long pull from the bottle of beer in his hand.
This whole situation with JD and Casey, he didn’t know what to feel. Disbelief, sadness, grief and most of all, anger.
Anger that Casey was taken from JD so soon and that JD had to go through the process of losing a loved one - again.
It was nearly midnight when a knock on his door startled him out of his thoughts.
Frowning, he wondered who it could be. The boys knew they were welcomed in, anytime and they usually called ahead. So this was someone unexpected.
Setting his drink aside as he got up and off of his couch, he slowly padded his way to the apartment door in bare feet.
Grabbing the sawed off shotgun from the umbrella stand to the right of the door, he peered through peep hole.
It was a piece of his past, coming back apparently.
Unlocking the chain and the deadbolt, but still keeping a hand on the shotgun, he slowly opened the door a couple of inches.
“Hello, Kate,” Vin drawled.
Kate Stokes stood in front of the doorway, dressed in ragged jeans, boots, a tank top and a flannel jacket that had seen better days. A cowboy hat completed her look as Vin finished his exam, ignoring the gun tucked in the sidearm.
“Is this pleasure or business?” Vin asked, straight to the point. “And where’s Maddie?”
“It’s business, Vin,” Kate replied back. “And the business is about Maddie.”
Vin swore softly.
He met the two sisters a couple of years before he joined the ATF and just after he got out of the Army and took up bounty hunting.
At the time, they had joined up on a few hunts and he felt an attraction to Kate, but she was devoted to her sister, so he left.
It didn’t help that Maddie was a few French fries short of a happy meal, but if you ever mentioned that in front of Kate, you better be prepared to get a few broken fingers and a black eye. And that was Kate being nice.
“Can I come in or do you want to continue making sure I’m not dangerous,” Kate stated.
“You always were dangerous, Kate,” Vin replied back.
Ice blue eyes glared at Vin. “Still am.”
Vin snorted. “No argument here. C’mon in.”
“Thank you.”
Kate followed Vin into the apartment and he closed the door behind her. Heading back over to the couch, he grabbed his beer as he sat down and laid the shotgun over his leg.
“Bet that took some effort.”
“Fuck you, Tanner,” Kate swore at Vin. “You mad at me or somethin’?”
“Why you come here now, Kate?” Vin asked, almost hissing the answer out. “Why now? After all this time?”
“I told you, business and Maddie,” Kate growled out.
Vin thought he saw a flash of amber in her eyes, but he shook his head. It was probably a trick of the light.
“What she done now?”
“That’s not important, I just need your help in getting her back,” Kate huffed out angrily. “I’d do it myself, but there’s too many.”
“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s goin’ on, Kate,” Vin said.
Kate’s body trembled with tension, hands clenching and unclenching. And then everything seemed to pour of her and she slumped. “You ever heard of a man called Del Spivak?”
“That name sounds familiar.”
And did it ever, it was one of the names Team Seven had manage to get, thanks to Ezra’s connections, in their current case about gun runners that hit places just before the full moon. If things held true, there would be a scheduled hit about two or three days next week.
“Well, he’s got Maddie.”
“Shit,” Vin eloquently summed up. “How’d that happen?”
“We got stupid and our information was wrong,” Kate explained. “In all of the confusion, he managed to grab Maddie and he’s holding her against me.”
“Why? What do you have on him?” Vin asked.
“Information that could take him down if given to the right people,” Kate replied back.
Vin chuckled. “I see, I’m just being used for my connections to the ATF.”
“You help me set-up a meeting with your boss and I want promises that Maddie goes with me, no matter what,” Kate laid out.
“I can setup the meetin’, Kate, but I ain’t makin’ no promises,” Vin acknowledged. “I don’t have that kind of pull.”
“But your boss does,” Kate insisted.
“He’s just a simple man, Kate; he does what he needs to do, to get the job done.”
Kate chuckled. “And I don’t believe you. I have my information about what you need for that gun running group and your boss can promise me my sister, otherwise, no deal.”
“And I could hold you for obstruction of justice.”
“Maybe, but they’re going to hit again soon and after the full moon, they disappear into another city, this is your best shot at getting them now,” Kate explained. “Take it or leave it.”
Vin sighed. “I’m gonna have to call him and see what can be arranged.”
“You do that,” Kate said, a frosty tone colouring her voice. Reaching into her jacket pocket, she pulled out a card. “My information so you can reach me when we come to an - understanding.”
Taking the card, Vin tucked it into his jeans pocket and saluted Kate with his beer bottle. “I think you know your way out.”
Nodding at the request, Kate walked over to the apartment door and opened it. Pausing slightly, she turned so she was facing Vin. “Beyond the circumstances, it was good to see you again, Vin.”
Vin scoffed. “You hurt me deeply, Kate, so I wish I could say the same.”
Blue eyes soften slightly, before they turned hard and Kate walked out of the apartment, closing the door behind her.
Sighing, Vin drained the rest of his beer as he pulled out the card with Kate’s information. Turning it over in his hands as he set aside the bottle, he grabbed his cordless phone and dialled a number.
After a few rings, a gruff voice answered. “Larabee, here.”
“Hey cowboy, I think I might have a break in that gun runnin’ case of ours,” Vin stated and settled in to explain the situation to Chris.
~~~
JD sighed for what felt like the millionth time as he viciously scrubbed a dirty plane clean. His arm was now free of the sling, but he was told not to put too much stress on it.
Setting the plate aside to dry, he stared out of the window that over looked the little patch of grass in between buildings.
His thoughts then turned to Casey and that night. The night his life completely changed. JD thought Casey would finish veterinary school and during that time they’d move in together. They’d buy a house, have kids and grow old together.
They’d die together on the same day.
Shaking his head to clear himself from those kinds of thoughts, the kind of dreams he’d never have with Casey ever again, he turned back to the dishes.
“I’m sorry we can’t share those things anymore, JD.”
JD didn’t turn around. “Go away.”
“I can’t, JD,” Casey whispered back. “Not until you kill the werewolf that killed me.”
“You are not real and there is no such thing as werewolves.”
“Yes, there is,” Casey insisted. “How else can you explain me? Only werewolves can see their kills and the kills that other werewolves did.”
“A result of post traumatic stress and watching you being killed in front of me,” JD replied back as he dried his hands
Then JD felt something cold past through his shoulder. “You, you, you stubborn headed idiot! For someone so incredibly smart, you sometimes can be a dumb ass!”
“Casey?” JD whispered as he turned around, only to smack his face into Buck’s chest.
“All right there, kiddo?” Buck asked, concerned for his friend.
JD rubbed his nose. “Yeah, sorry...thought I heard something.”
Buck frowned slightly. “Like what?”
“Don’t worry about it, Buck.”
Opening his mouth to reply, Buck then closed his mouth, thinking better of it. JD was pretty much up and down with his moods lately and he had very good reason to be, so Buck dropped the subject for now.
“How about we dry these dishes and put them away?”
You could see the relief on JD’s face as the subject was dropped and the two quickly got to work.
The cutlery was just being put away when Buck’s cell phone rang. Grumbling under his breath, Buck saw it was Chris and shot a worried glance to JD before opening his phone to talk.
“Wilmington, here.”
“Buck, I know you’re taking care of JD there, but we got a break in the case and you need to come in.”
“C’mon Chris,” Buck argued. “You’ve all been doing fine without me there the past couple of weeks.”
“We need everyone in on this, I’d ask JD to come in to, but he’s not cleared for duty yet. I really am sorry, Buck.”
Click. And then silence on the other end.
Glaring at the phone as he snapped it shut and swore under his breath.
“Need to go in, huh, Buck?” JD asked as he approached Buck.
“I’m sorry kiddo,” Buck apologized. “Apparently there’s a break in the current case and Chris is calling me in.”
“But not me,” JD mentioned gloomily.
Shit! Buck thought. “He would’ve called you in too, but you’re not cleared for duty yet, JD. You witnessed something horrible and you’re still injured.” He pointed at JD’s shoulder.
“You mean you think I can’t handle it and you want to keep the kid out of the way,” JD angrily stated.
“That’s not what I said, JD!” Buck retorted back. “And it wasn’t what I meant.”
“Whatever, Buck,” JD sighed and turned back to the dishes. Angrily tossing them into the drawers and cabinets.
Running a hand over his face, Buck grumbled under his breath, grabbed his wallet, keys and stuffed his cell into his cell holder on his belt buckle. He walked out of the condo.
JD swore as a piece of silverware flipped out of the cutlery drawer from his angry tossing. Bending over to grab it, JD hissed in pain as it burnt the palm of his hand. Running over to the sink and turning on the water, he placed his reddening hand under the cool liquid.
“What the hell?” JD whispered aloud. Glancing back down at the offending piece of cutlery, he grabbed a nearby towel and picked the item up.
Turning it over, he slowly pressed a finger against the flat edge of utensil.
“AH!” JD yelled out in pain as the silver burned his finger.
Bringing his finger up to his mouth to nurse, he dropped the silverware back into the cutlery drawer and returned the towel back in its original spot.
“What is going on?” JD wondered. And then he remembered the conversations with ‘Casey’ and how he was ‘turning’ into a werewolf.
A feeling of dread filled JD’s being.
Was it true? Was he really turning into a werewolf? It would explain his new found allergy to silver. JD pondered.
Taking in deep gulping breaths of air, he grabbed his wallet, keys and cell phone. Locking the door behind him, JD left the condo.
It was literally a pain in his shoulder to drive his bike, but JD just breathed through the pain and soon, he found himself in front of the cemetery where Casey was buried.
He had gotten the details from Buck during one of his visits. They had held the funeral while he was in his coma and this was the first bit of spare time that JD had, without one of the others hovering over him to come visit.
Parking his bike in the parking lot, his boots make crunching noises on the gravel path as he headed towards the back near a big oak tree.
As he approached the grave site, he could make out the gravestone and the writing chiselled on it.
‘Casey Anne Wells
B. June 03, 1987 - D. September 23, 2010
Was loved and loved’
Sitting crossed legged in front of the grave, JD ignored the dampness soaking his jeans.
“Hey Casey,” JD began. “Sorry I haven’t been by yet to see you. Coma and all.” There was a long pull of silence as the leaves from the tree danced in the wind. “I keep seeing you all over the place and sometimes you talk to me. You tell me crazy things, things like I’m now a werewolf and - I’m not sure what to believe,” JD sighed. “I feel like I’m going crazy, seeing you, burning my hand on a piece of silver wear and my sense of smell and hearing...it’s really batshit crazy, Case and I don’t know what to do.”
A whimper escaped from JD’s lips. “I really miss you and love you, Casey.” Tears trailed down his cheeks and he furiously wiped them away with the sleeve of his jacket. “Now would be a good time to show up if you’re really there.”
When no one showed, JD sniffed loudly, the slight crying making his nose all runny. Standing up, he turned around and stopped.
“Hi.”
“Hello.”
It was the nurse from the hospital, except she wasn’t dressed in uniform. Her curly hair was still up, but her scrubs had been exchanged for jeans, flannel and a pair of sturdy boots.
“Visiting someone?” The woman inquired.
“My fiancée, she died in the attack which put me in my coma,” JD explained. He didn’t know why, but he felt drawn to this woman. Something about her pulled at JD.
“That’s her, JD!” Casey yelled in his ear. “That’s the werewolf that killed me and infected you! KILL HER!! Set us free!”
JD flinched at the loud sound.
The woman looked at JD in concern. “Everything all right?” She then placed her hand on his forehead to feel for a fever.
To JD, the touch felt like heaven and he leaned into it as his eyes fluttered close.
“What are you doing, JD?” Casey hissed at him. “Get rid of her!”
“Shut up, Casey,” JD mumbled and then frowned when the hand left his forehead and his eyes opened.
“Well, you don’t feel like you have a fever,” the woman said.
“Well, that’s good I suppose,” JD mumbled. “Not to sound rude, but what are you doing out here, ma’am?”
“Oh, don’t ma’am me,” the woman laughed. “I’m not that old.”
JD felt some heat creep up on his cheeks. “Sorry.”
“Call me, Maddie,” Maddie said, holding out her hand. “Maddie Stokes.”
Shaking the hand, JD replied back. “JD Dunne.”
“Well, JD as to what I’m doing out here, I’m visiting an old friend,” Maddie answered as she gestured to a nearby headstone.
He couldn’t make out the name on the headstone, but he offered his condolences the same. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Yours as well,” Maddie replied back, gesturing to Casey’s grave behind him.
“What are you doing, chatting her up; you should be killing her, JD!” Casey protested and tried to hit JD in the shoulder. But all that happened was her hand going through his shoulder and causing him to shiver as he did his best to ignore this figment of his imagination.
“Are you sure you’re feeling alright there?” Maddie asked in concern.
At this question, JD faltered. “I’m, I’m not sure anymore. I just feel completely lost and I don’t know what to do anymore.” He shivered slightly as Casey continued trying to hit him in the shoulder. “And I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this, you’re a completely stranger to me and here I am, opening up.”
“Maybe it’s because I’m a stranger you can open up,” Maddie offered.
“Maybe.”
“It’s all right to talk about it, JD, whatever happened to you, you’ll get past it,” Maddie said.
“Didn’t my chart say what kind of ‘traumatic experience’ I went through?” JD bitterly stated.
“No, just what kind of injuries you came in with,” Maddie offered. “But there were rumours you were attacked by some kind of wolf creature.”
“Yeah and it was her,” Casey spat out. “Do something, JD! Just don’t stand there like a useless lump on a log!”
“WILL YOU JUST FUCKING SHUT UP, CASEY!” JD yelled at her, eyes flashing amber.
Maddie’s face looked triumphant at that proclamation.
JD’s eyes kept their amber glow as he moaned and then placed his hands into his head. “What’s happening to me?”
“Something wonderful, JD,” Maddie stated. Removing a bandana from her pocket, she placed it over her mouth and pulled out a long plant chain from her jean pocket. She quickly tossed it over JD’s head.
Startled at the action, JD couldn’t help but inhale the smell coming off of the plant. Stumbling slightly, he dropped to the ground listless, eyes unseeing, but still glowing slightly with their unusual amber colour.
Two people suddenly appeared next to Maddie’s side.
The weasel looking one spoke. “This the one, Maddie?”
“Yes,” Maddie growled at the man, securing her bandana over her mouth. “Remember not to inhale the wolf bane fumes; it’ll knock you out like poor widdle JD there.”
“We know, Mad Miss Maddie,” The taller one spoke.
“Shut it, Garber,” Kate snarled at the man, her own eyes flashing amber. “And help Kirkland there.”
Grumbling under their breath, the two secured their bandana’s around their faces, picked JD up and carried him to a pick-up truck where they dumped him into the back. Maddie climbed in after him and brought his head so it was resting on her lap.
“Soon, you’ll be completely mine, JD,” Maddie whispered and started to pet JD’s hair.
Kirkland started the truck and the trio with their package quickly sped away from the cemetery.
~~~
Buck was not in a good mood when he walked into Team Seven’s office space. Dumping his jacket onto his chair, he grabbed his mug and headed over to the coffee machine.
Pouring himself a cup, black, he drank it down quickly.
“Something vexing you, Mr. Wilmington?” Ezra asked from behind Buck’s shoulder.
“Got into a fight JD and now he’s pissed at me,” Buck muttered as he poured himself another cup of coffee. “He’s also kind of pissed at not being able to come in either.”
“I fear, our young friend most likely feels a need to be useful after what happened,” Ezra stated. “I know I would if I was in his position.”
Buck sighed. “Yeah, me too.”
“Come Buck, Mr. Tanner has apparently found us a lead in the form of a young lady friend of his.”
That stopped Buck short. “Vin has a lady friend? Here?”
Ezra chuckled. “An ‘old flame’ if I’m lead to believe the glances between the two.”
“Well then, this meeting just got a mite more interesting,” Buck grinned.
~~~
The first look of Kate Stokes as she introduced herself, reminded Buck of a Valkyrie he’d seen in pictures.
A warrior woman with ice in her eyes.
She also looked like she’d rip your throat out if you looked at her the wrong way. Pushing the foreboding feeling away, Buck sat in a chair in the conference room and got ready to listen about this ‘break’ they got in the case.
Once all of Team Seven, minus JD, were ready, Chris gestured at Vin to begin.
“Folks, this is Kate Stokes, we used to run together with her sister Maddie when I did bounty hunting, before joinin’ up with everyone here,” Vin explained. “Kate here has some information regardin’ our current case.” Vin gestured at Kate. “Kate?”
“Del Spivak is the man you’re lookin’ for,” Kate bluntly stated. “He’s the one runnin’ the group of your gun runners. He’s dangerous and usually runs a crew of up to 10 people, male and female, to do his jobs.”
She tossed a thick folder in Chris’s direction, held together with a couple of thick elastics.
“This is all I have on him and his operations and his crew.”
“How did you get all of that information?” Nathan asked. “And why come to us?”
“Lots of research, hunting and hard work,” Kate replied. “I’m damn good at following a trail.”
“Yet, you come to us to help catch your prey,” Ezra pointed out. “As my esteemed colleague pointed out, why come to us?”
“Tell them, Kate,” Vin said.
Kate glared at him and then exhaled out of her nose. “Because Del there has my sister.” Her fist clenched. “And I can’t do this by myself. I did some research before asking Vin for help on this and your team has a good success rate in catching criminals.”
“That may be, ma’am,” Chris said as he leafed through the folder. “But we’ll need to check your research and make sure it’s all valid.”
“It’s valid,” Kate said through gritted teeth. “I was very through.”
Chris just glared at her. “And this may be the information we’re looking for, but I will not risk my team on a suicide run just to rescue your sister.”
Kate’s blue eyes went wide.
“You’re using us and Vin for that purpose, I know that much and I know there’s something more,” Chris said. “We’ll be conducting our own surveillance to make sure everything matches up.”
“He’ll know you’re there and then he’ll kill you!” Kate spat at Chris.
“He can try,” Chris replied back. “We thank you for the information you’ve provided, Mrs. Stokes and we’ll keep on this case in a consultant position, but if you try and interfere...” Chris glared at her and there was a hint of teeth showing. “And I’ll have you up on charges of obstruction so fast and in a jail cell you’ll never see your sister again.”
Taking a step back, Kate gulped slightly. She had never felt a more alpha presence in someone other than her Grandfather.
“Understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” Chris grunted out. He then slid the folder over to Buck. “See what you can make of that and then start some surveillance. We’ll see if we can integrate someone into the group.”
Kate opened her mouth to protest but was silenced by Vin lightly pinching her arm and a quiet ‘shush’.
“Chris, I was wondering if I can bring, JD into this,” Buck asked. “Kid’s going stir crazy and needs something to do.”
Here, Chris’s eyes softened. “I’m sorry, Buck, but no. Until he gets cleared back for duty, I can’t let him work any cases. As much as I want to, the department is keeping a close eye on this, especially after the last incident.”
“I always did wonder what happened to those chickens,” Josiah pondered aloud.
The rest of the group chuckled at that, but it left Kate wondering who JD was. Her research into the group said there were seven members and only six was present.
Maybe something happened to their other member? Kate thought privately and then voiced it aloud. “Who’s JD?”
“Our wayward member of the team,” Josiah answered.
“So, why isn’t he here, helping out?” Kate asked.
“He was injured in that creature attack a couple of weeks ago and he lost someone close to him,” Nathan said bluntly.
Kate knew about that creature attack, she also had some insight that the others didn’t - it was a werewolf. In fact, she was pretty sure it was one of Del Spivak’s people; they were a pack that gave werewolves like her, a bad name. She just wasn’t sure which one it was that had attacked the couple she read about in the paper. There hadn’t been a chance to check out the attack site yet.
“Sorry for his loss then,” Kate muttered and then turned thoughtful. “Was he bit by the creature?”
“Why do you want to know that?” Nathan asked her. Mistrust across his face.
“Just curious, got attacked by some large creature once, never did figure out what it was,” Kate lied. “Had to go through a whole spectrum of antibiotics the doctor prescribed me.”
Nathan frowned but nodded. “He did get bit, but he’s doing a lot better now, physically.”
Crap, he’s infected. Kate thought furiously. This just got more complicated.
The other’s quickly descended into chatter as Vin watched Kate.
There’s somethin’ she’s not tellin’ us and hearin’ ‘bout JD getting attacked has her spooked. Vin contemplated. I’ll bring this up with Chris.
“All right people, this is going to be a large operation with numerous tasks,” Chris began. “Buck and Josiah, I want you two working surveillance as soon as the information that was given to us by Kate here, is confirmed. So that means a late night, men. Josiah, I want profiles as detailed as possible about Spivak’s crew. Nathan, I want you working with Buck and Josiah in a rotating order of who’s in the van. Draw up a schedule for everyone in pairs of two,” Then Chris looked at Vin, Kate and Ezra. “Ezra, you know the drill. Vin, you and Kate will do a little bit of scouting to make sure they’re still in the same place and I want updated maps of the land. Once that’s done, Kate, you’ll liaison between Vin and Josiah there.”
Satisfied with the roles everyone was assigned, Chris caught Vin’s nod and nodded back to the sniper. The two quickly holed up in Chris’s office as the others went to work.
“She’s hidin’ somthin’ cowboy,” Vin stated. “I just don’t know what.”
Chris nodded. “Keep a close eye on her, Vin. Once you find out what she’s hiding...”
“I’ll let you know, ASAP, Chris,” Vin promised.
~~~
Maddie eyed the newest acquisition she had acquired.
JD Dunne. ATF Agent. And the newest werewolf to her and Del’s pack.
It would take some time, but he’d come around, especially after his first full moon and he had his taste of human flesh.
Nostril’s flared as she took in the scent that entered the room. “Del.”
“Maddie,” Del replied back as he went over to the bed that JD was chained to. “So this is your newest plaything.”
It was a cabin-like setting with sparse furniture and a small kitchen. JD was chained to the bed, cross-eagled style, with padded cuffs. He had been stripped down to his underwear and the wolf bane plant chain was still around his neck, keeping him docile and quiet. Eyes wide open, glowing amber and unaware.
Huge amounts of wolfs bane were deadly to a werewolf, but in small amounts, it did little else then act as a sedative. Good for controlling new werewolves.
Del’s hand trailed over the scarred flesh of JD’s shoulder and then lifted the small leather pouch that had been placed over JD’s head.
“Salt?”
“He has annoying ghost with him,” Maddie snorted as she toyed with her own leather pouch. “Probably that stupid bitch of a fiancée of his I killed. Figured it couldn’t hurt so he couldn’t listen to her anymore.” Her grin turned feral. “Just me.”
“Who knew that keeping salt in a pouch would keep the ghosts away.” Chuckling, Del touched his own small leather salt pouch around his neck. “What would we do without these wonderful inventions of yours?”
“Probably go insane,” Maddie chuckled and pulled Del close to her.
“Hmm,” Del hummed and soon the two were kissing.
After a few minutes of passionate kissing, Maddie pulled away.
“Such a frigid little ice queen,” Del all but purred at her. “Like your sister.”
“Don’t you bring my sister into this!” Maddie yelled at him.
“Temper, temper, Maddie.”
“Get out of here, Del,” Maddie growled at him. Eyes flashing amber.
Chuckling, Del left the cabin.
Making her way over, Maddie started to methodically pet JD’s hair. “Don’t worry, JD. I’ll take care of you, way better than the others,” a crazy look entered her eyes. “You won’t ever betray me.”
Humming a mindless tune, Maddie Stokes continued to pet her newest plaything.
“You’re all mine, JD, all mine.”
~~~
Floating.
That was the best sensation that JD could describe his current position.
Floating. In the dark. He couldn’t see anything.
Buck? Chris? Vin? Nathan? Josiah? Ezra? Anyone? Is there anyone there?
A low growl answered JD’s cries in this darkness and then, there was a light. Just a small dot of light in the distance.
Trying to get away from the growling, JD tried to go towards the light, but it kept getting further and further away.
Come back! Please!
Something gripped his shoulder and he was spun around. His world exploded into light and he was suddenly face to face with a large type of dog or wolf in a white room. JD wasn’t sure.
But it had dark black fur, glowing amber eyes and teeth as large as his pinkie. He could see the back legs tense and then it sprang forward.
Yelping aloud in alarm, JD was stunned as the impact he expected didn’t occur as the creature went right into his body. Hands quickly roamed over his chest and stomach area as he spun around looking for where the wolf went.
That’s when the pain hit.
Hands clutched both of his sides as he down to his knees, head bowed almost straight to the floor.
“Oh God!” JD moaned.
Then a cracking sound rung in his ears, as he sat up, he brought a hand up to eye level and watched as the fingers elongated and changed shape.
JD screamed in pain as his bones painfully rearranged, his entire body shifted in length and hair grew everywhere. Clothes were ripped off with new sharp nails and the young, boyish face started to slowly elongate and push out from its natural structure. Ears grew pointed and up as the hair grew over his face.
It was a painful transformation and when it was all done, there stood the black creature in place of JD.
It lifted its head up, eyes glowing amber and howled.
“AHHHHHH!” JD cried out as he tried to sit up. The forced of the padded cuffs attached to chains brought him back down to the bed as he tried to see if he was still human.
“Wha -?” JD started to ask aloud as he looked around the room. There was a kitchen off to the side, a couple pieces of furniture and the bed he was currently lying on. Glancing at the padded cuff that encircled his hand, he gave it an experimental tug as he glanced backwards and saw it was bolted into the wall. He tried the same thing with his leg and no success.
He had been stripped down to his underwear and there was a faint smell of something in the air. Whatever it was, it was making him hungry.
Seeing no one around, he tried the direct approach. “Hello? Anyone there?”
Tugging on his restraints once again, JD huffed when realizing he wouldn’t be getting anywhere until someone came into the room.
It was here his brain kicked into higher gear and the questions rolled through his head. Who had him? Why? What could they possibly want with him? Did it have something to do with the case the rest of the team was working on? JD just didn’t know, he could only hope someone would come in soon so he could get some answers.
Soft footfalls outside the cabin caught JD’s attention and he could only wonder who it was and how he was hearing footsteps outside. They sounded like someone was stomping loudly on a hard floor.
The door handle slowly turned and then swung open.
Maddie entered the room, with red liquid inside a large plastic cup clasped in her hand as she kicked the door closed with her foot.
“Maddie? What are you doing here? Never mind that, help me out of these!” JD moved an arm and the chain rattled behind him.
“I’m sorry, JD, but I can’t do that,” Maddie said, smiling.
“Maddie?” JD questioned. This wasn’t the nurse or the woman he had met. He couldn’t describe it, but there was something in her eyes that scared him.
She removed a straw from her back pocket and placed it in the red liquid as she walked up towards him. Sitting next to him, she pushed the drink towards him. “Drink, you’ll feel better.”
It did smell really good to JD, but he needed answers first.
As if reading his mind, Maddie talked first. “I promise to answer all of your questions as long as you drink first.” She took a sip of it and then pushed it towards him. “See, it’s not drugged.”
Hazel eyes narrowed in distrust, but JD inched his head forward, captured the straw between his lips and began to drink greedily.
The flavour surprised JD; it tasted wonderful and magnificent at the same time. It was like the best food he had ever tasted was magnified by ten and had exploded in his mouth.
He finished the liquid off quickly.
Smacking and licking his lips clean of the liquid, JD levelled Maddie with a look, a look perfected of watching Chris Larabee glare over the years.
Placing the cup to the ground, Maddie laid a hand on JD’s face and gently stroked him along the cheek. “I’ve killed men for looking at me like that.”
“You’re the one who kidnapped me and are keeping me here,” JD stated.
“Guilty.”
“Why?”
“Because you are now part of my pack,” Maddie said.
“What?”
“You’re a werewolf now, JD,” Maddie told JD. “The werewolf that attacked you and your fiancée was a part of my pack, but he went rogue. Mad with bloodlust. We’ve put him down since then.”
“You’re lying,” JD whispered.
“Hasn’t your sense of smell and hearing increased? Maybe seeing your dead fiancée?” Maddie questioned JD. “That’s what happens to people killed by our kind. They become ghosts. It’s unfortunate, but they become obsessed with killing werewolves, any kind of werewolves just to have a taste of revenge,” she lied. She then gestured at the leather pouch around JD’s neck. “It’s filled with salt. It has purifying properties and will keep her away for now. Just while you get your head straightened out.”
Tears prickled JD’s eyes and he sucked in choking, gulping breaths of air. “No.” Came the whisper of denial.
“Yes,” Maddie hissed with delight and straddled JD’s lap.
Running her hands over his body as he tried to squirm away from her touch. “Just relax, JD. Relax.”
“NO!” He bucked up, trying to dislodge Maddie from his body. His thoughts going to dark places of what she could do to him.
Growling as her eyes flashing amber, Maddie tilted her head up and howled to the ceiling, incisors growing a bit more pointed as she came nose to nose with JD.
Hazel eyes went wide at the change in Maddie’s face and something surged upwards inside of him, answering this challenge. His own eyes flashed amber and a rumbling sound filtered through his throat and to JD’s horror, he realized he was growling back.
The staring between the two continued on, until a whimper escaped from JD’s lips and found himself tilting his head upwards, exposing his neck.
An approving sound rumbled low in Maddie’s throat and she leaned forward. Fangs lightly scraping over JD’s throat and then she bit down.
A yipping sound of pain came from JD’s lips and his body went still. Licking the wound, Maddie petted JD’s hair as her slight wolfish features returned to human. “Good boy.”
Blinking and coming to, JD looked around. “What did you do?”
A smirk curled on Maddie’s lips. “You submitted to your alpha.”
Confusion played across JD’s face.
Lunging forward and snapping her teeth at JD, he found himself flinching and automatically tilting his head upwards in an offer of his submission.
Chuckling, Maddie removed herself from JD’s lap, picked up the cup and headed towards the door. Just before she left the cabin, Maddie called over her shoulder. “By the way, JD. That red liquid you guzzled pureed deer hearts.”
Exiting the cabin, JD’s breath came out in short breaths, almost panting.
“Guys,” JD whispered as a tear escaped from his eye. “I kind of need you to come save me, now would be good.”
~~~
It was late into the night when Buck got home.
There had been a lot to prepare and setup for the upcoming case. Vin and Kate had gone ahead to do some scouting of the area.
He didn’t know how JD got so much set up for survallience and communications, but watching Josiah organize what would be a long stake out in the van and getting his profiling done, he felt like he hadn’t done much except take notes and make sure the equipment was working.
The door to JD’s room was closed, but Buck was worried about his friend. He hadn’t call all day due to the amount of work he was given. Quietly opening the door, he peeked inside and saw there was no JD inside the room or in the bed.
“JD?” Buck called out.
Frowning, he checked the entire condo. JD’s jacket was gone and so were his keys. He’d gone somewhere.
Heading back outside, he checked the garage that was attached to the building and JD’s bike was gone.
Back inside the condo, Buck pulled out his cell phone and called JD. It went straight to voicemail. Dread formed in the pit of Buck’s stomach as he fired off a text, but it went unreplied for ten minutes.
JD was good about responding right away to Buck’s texts.
It was there, he knew something was wrong.
Where are you, JD? Buck frantically thought as he dialled a series of numbers to Chris’s cell.
On the second ring, Chris answered. “Larabee.”
“Chris, I can’t find, JD. I’ve tried his cell and his bike is missing,” Buck explained frantically.
“Buck, you better sit down.”
Sitting down, Buck listened.
“I was just about to call you; Vin just reported in with initial findings about Spivak’s group, they have JD.”
Eyes went wide and Buck felt himself slip off the chair. “What! Why?”
“We don’t know yet. All we know is is that they have him.”
“I’m coming over,” Buck said. “We need to get him back.”
“We will, Buck. Get some rest first, we’ll go over everything in the morning, integrate Ezra into their group sooner.”
“We need to do something now!” Buck roared into the phone. “Who knows what they’re doing to him!”
“Buck! We will get him back!”
Chris couldn’t see him, but Buck nodded. “All right, Chris.”
“Get some sleep and report in the office first thing in the morning, they’re not hurting him. We afford this time right now.”
Breathing in deeply as he shut his cell phone off, a tear escaped from Buck’s eye.
“We’re coming, JD, we’re coming.”
~~~
JD awoke with a gasp and looked around his surroundings. He had lost count how many times he’d woken up like this. Glancing at the covered window, he could make out some sort of light. So he knew it was day.
Glaring up at Maddie, bandana secured around her face as she tossed the wolfs bane plant chain into the metal garbage.
The wolfs bane plant had been made into a plant chain, most of the potent flowers picked off of it, but enough remained to render the subject helpless and in a trance like state. It was vulnerable to only werewolves in this form, but for any other human, it was harmless.
“Wakey-wakey, JD” Maddie cooed at him. “Eggs and breaky.”
JD turned his head to the side.
“Now, now, that’s no way to greet me.”
He didn’t know how long they’ve been at this, the plant chain made him loose complete track of time. They’ve could’ve been at it for hours or days. He just didn’t know.
“Why won’t you let me go?” JD asked.
Maddie smirked. “I know you, JD. I know your type of character, you are kind and gentle, but fierce in protecting what he thinks is his.” Here, she leaned over and undid one of the manacles and slowly brought his arm down, rubbing his shoulder into circulation. “You won’t want to hurt your friends. After your first transformation is over, you’ll be free to go.”
“How do I become human again?” JD asked Maddie, turning his head to face her.
“So you believe me now, about you being a werewolf?”
“I know that’s what you believe about me, but no, I don’t believe you,” JD said. “Maddie, you need to let me go. Kidnapping a federal officer is a federal offense. If you let me go now, I can put in a good word for you.”
“We keep having the same conversation here and my answer is never going to change,” Maddie said. “No, JD, I can’t let you go.”
Sighing, JD rotated his free arm to get feeling back in it.
“I can see this will take a practical demonstration. Maybe after this you’ll finally change your mind,” Maddie sighed aloud. Stripping out of her clothes, JD blushed slightly and looked away. Then a sound caught his ears and he turned his head to watch with wide eyes and a horrified look filled his face as he watched Maddie transformed.
Her form fluidly changed shape and within seconds there stood a pony sized wolf with fur the colour of dark honey, amber eyes glowing.
“No,” JD whispered in denial.
Maddie stood there, crouched on all fours as she curiously sniffed him from head to toe. After a few minutes of inspection, she swiped her large tongue over his face and fluidly changed back.
Bending over to pick up her clothes, she looked over shoulder with a look. “Believe me now?”
“Yes,” came the whispered reply.
“Oh, JD,” Maddie cooed at him. “It won’t be that bad, yes there will be pain. But your pack will be there to help you.” She undid the other manacle and helped him sit up. Scooting behind him, she slowly massaged his shoulders back into circulation. Satisfied, she undid his leg manacles.
“There we go, isn’t this much better?”
JD didn’t respond.
“Let’s get you out of those clothes and into something more appropriate for the outside.”
He felt like he was in a daze. His entire world as he knew it was shattered even further. Everything he was denying: the senses, the silver allergy and even the wolfs bane plant that rendered him unconscious. It was all true.
He, JD Dunne, was a werewolf.
Limbs were manipulated into clothing and he felt himself pulled into a standing position.
“You with me, JD?” Maddie asked him, a double meaning hidden in the question.
He couldn’t go to the others, not now. They were still on tip toes with him because of Casey. And now...now he was a freak of nature. JD thought as he pondered Maddie’s question. I should be able to trust them, but Maddie knows what’s happening to me. She can help me.
“Yeah, I’m with you, Maddie.”
Maddie shot him a feral grin as JD tilted his head back in acceptance and she nipped at his throat. “Time to be reintroduced to the outside world, JD.”
One foot was placed in front of the other as JD was led outside.
His world was filled with fresh smells and brightness. Camper trailers were positioned in a circle around the cabin as he looked around. There were some tents off to the side and the cabin behind him as he was led to the centre of this camp.
“Stay here, JD and don’t move,” Maddie whispered at him. She brought her fingers up to her mouth and a loud piercing whistle sounded in the air.
A group of people, no larger than ten people started to slowly exit the camper trailers and circled around him.
“This here is JD and he’s part of our pack now,” Maddie growled out at him. “Welcome him!”
He was slowly surrounded by the group of people as they sniffed him all over, pulling at his clothes.
They had no concept of personal space! JD thought wildly as a woman stuck her nose into his throat and inhaled deeply.
And then they left, satisfied with what they smelled.
JD was led off to the side, Maddie holding his hand as he was pulled along.
“We have lots to teach you before your first full moon,” Maddie explained. “I -“
“Earlier, you said my transformation would be filled with pain, but you changed so easily, why?” JD asked, interrupting Maddie.
Maddie growled low in her throat. She didn’t like being interrupted.
JD ducked his head at the growl. “Sorry.”
“Don’t ever interrupt me again,” Maddie ordered a wild look in her eyes. “And to answer your question it’s because I’m a born wolf and you are a bitten wolf. Born wolves transform without pain and can transform without the aid of the moon.” She held out her hand and JD watched as the fingers extended and went half human and half wolf. “See, I have total control.” Her hand changed back to normal. “Where as you, you are a bitten wolf and can only change with the moon. Oh your sense of smell and hearing is heightened. And when angry, your eyes will glow an amber colour, but that’s the extent of any physical transformation outside of the moon’s influence.” Here she brushed a hand down his face. “But during the moon, you’ll experience pain as you transform and you’ll become the wolf.”
Shivering, JD wrapped his arms around himself. “Oh.” He then looked up at Maddie. “Do we only transform one day or three days, ‘because I know the moon is only really full on one day of the month, but you can see it’s fullness for at least three days.”
Maddie laughed lightly. “Aren’t you just a curious pup, but to answer you, again, its three days, JD.”
They continued talking, question upon question being asked and answered in return. While JD was still subdued at his world being shaken again, the questions seemed to brighten him up more.
After nearly two hours of talking, Maddie sent JD off to the others to help with daily chores and headed back to the cabin.
The cabin had been a godsend and the previous owner had been taken care of quickly. Maddie licked her licked in remembrance.
“Now, doesn’t that look decadent,” Del nearly purred at her as he grabbed her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. “And what were you thinking about there.”
“My last good meal,” Maddie replied back.
Del chuckled. “And how is our newest pup?”
“Curious, he wants to know as much as he can before his first transformation.”
“Hmm, well it’ll either benefit us or backfire completely,” Del said and then twisted Maddie around so they were eye to eye. “I hope you aren’t getting too attached to him.”
Maddie scoffed. “I didn’t with the others, so why should I with him?”
“Good answer.” He crushed his lips against hers and then murmured in her ear. “I swear you’re almost part cat with each new play toy you want for every city we move to.”
She shrugged. “You told the others to tell their ‘tragic tales’ of their family members finding out and nearly killing them for being werewolves?” Maddie asked Del as she licked the pulse point at his neck.
“Of course,” Del said. “They know what to do.”
“Good.”
The two continued their dominance as clothes were stripped off and they tumbled into the bed.
[ part one][ part two][ part three]