Wolfsbane and Mistletoe Page 0,8

until the moment your heart stops. You had better pray that it stops quickly. Then I am going to feed you to your own dogs. Mind you, the aconite in your bloodstream isn't going to do them any good, but that's the risk with fresh meat."

"You sick fuck!" shouted Lehrmann.

"You are going to be the death of the creatures you love most dearly in the world," said Taylor, squatting to see him better. "More than that pathetic lush who wasted herself on you."

Boss?

Lehrmann almost didn't sense it.

Boss?

Nicky? he thought.

There was a dissonance of thoughts, then Nicky hushed the others.

Me, Max, and some new dog, says he just got placed today.

Waldo.

"Mister Lehrmann, are you still with us?" asked Taylor.

Lehrmann moaned in pain.

"Not as strong as he thought," commented Edwards.

Boss, how many are there?

Four, thought Lehrmann.

We can take them. They left the door open.

No. They're armed.

Others will be here. One hour, maybe less.

I don't have an hour, thought Lehrmann.

The lock beeped and clicked, and the gate swung open. He tried to lurch forward, but neither leg was working.

"It's reached the lower spine, and it's working its way up," said Taylor. "Give him a few minutes. He can still swing those arms."

"Suits me fine," said Edwards. "I already got one bite tonight."

Too bad the gate was working so well, thought Lehrmann. If it had jammed, at least the other dogs would have been spared their last meal.

The other dogs.

Nicky, do you know where the switch to the cages is?

No. That was put in after I left.

I do, thought Waldo.

Can you reach it?

Outside the door, the Rottweiler and the German shepherd looked at the Doberman. He bared his teeth.

Taylor looked at his watch.

"We should start now," he said. "I don't want him to die without feeling it."

He looked down at the werewolf, who was breathing hard.

"Mister Lehrmann," he called. "Please don't struggle when we pick you up. You may be strong, but we outnumber you."

"Other way around," gasped Lehrmann.

Waldo shot across the arena, gathered himself, and leapt, crashing into the switch on the wall, then falling in a heap on the floor. The doors to the cages sprung open. There was a brief moment while everyone was silent and looking at each other.

"Playtime," said Lehrmann.

For all the pent-up rage and primal savagery of the pack, it was Arnie the dachshund who was the first out of his cage, baying and scampering on his short legs as hard as he could. The others took his cue and crashed into the room ahead of him. Of the four men, only Hidalgo managed to get a shot off before a pit bull clamped down on his wrist. The gun fell from his hand as he screamed.

A minute later, the hand fell from his arm.

The dogs piled on top of the four men, clawing and gouging whatever they could reach. Arnie, the last in, jumped as high as he could and sank his teeth into Taylor's thigh. The watcher, staggering under the weight of five dogs, uttered a piercing shriek, then fell.

Nicky came in, surveyed the scene, then came over to where Lehrmann lay on the floor. She looked into his eyes, then licked his paw.

"Nice to see you, too," he said. "Is everyone okay?"

Waldo's a little woozy from jumping into the wall. He's a good dog. I like him.

"Tell Max to get him home," he said. "Then help me get to the tool room."

She ran off, and he started to drag himself across the floor with his arms. Nicky came back, saw him, and gave a quick bark. Several of the larger dogs separated themselves from the carnage and ran to help. Together, they pushed the werewolf along the floor until he was inside the tool room. He tried to pull himself up, then collapsed.

Mona drove her Prius extremely carefully. She worried that she might be driving too carefully, a sure tip-off to any patrolling cop that she was anything but sober.

Somehow, she made it to the farm road without inflicting any damage. As she turned on to it, her headlights picked up a pair of dogs loping toward her. She stopped the car and stared. A German shepherd and a somewhat dazed Doberman looked back at her. The Doberman bared his teeth. Then she could have sworn that the German shepherd recognized her. He growled softly, and the two dogs resumed their journey past her.

She drove on until she reached the warehouse. The front door was open. A strange cargo van was parked in front. She