GLITTER GULCH

Chapter 10: Vicious Night

"Are they going to be okay? Huh, Mia, will they?"

"I sure hope so, Ulee." Mia sighed as she watched the wagon pull away with Sage and Ryo's unconscious forms in the back. She'd just met the two but somewhere deep in her heart she ached for them. Ulee managed to wave at Kento, who was driving the wagon in grim silence. Rowan and Cye were in the back hovering over their friends.

She watched them go and hugged Ulee close. What's going on around here? What happened? As long as Sage and Ryo were unconscious, they'd never know. The vicious claw marks all over Sage's body frightened her. She had never seen anything like them. No wolf or even bear would have mauled someone like that. An animal would have gone in for the kill, not slice its prey to death. And all of the marks suggested that the animal had pinned down Sage. She shivered.

Sage also had a death grip on his sword and short of breaking his hand, they weren't going to get him to let it go. His other hand bore a deep gash that looked like an imprint of his sword's blade. Even with his saber in his hand, they'd done their best to get everything bandaged. She hoped he would be all right.

Ryo's unresponsive state worried her the most. They couldn't find a scratch on him except for two puncture wounds in his neck and the blood they'd found caked on his inner thighs suggested "internal" injuries as Rowan mildly put it. Certainly the same creature didn't do that. So that meant two somethings or someones were out there. And what about Cye? At one point while the others were gone, Cye had simply fainted where he stood. She and Rosemary revived him a few minutes later and all he'd said was he'd felt ill. But he'd gone and sat staring fixedly out the window until the others came back.

"Come on, Ulee. Let's go back inside." She shrugged and was glad the guys had gone into town. Hopefully Doc Kaos would have the answers. The sun was going to come up soon, maybe it would bring a better day and a ray of hope for the wounded.

Mia squinted. Something big was coming up the front path. "White Blaze!" Ulee screamed and bounded toward the white tiger. Well more like gray. Blaze limped, one massive paw held before him. His fur looked matted and dirty. Oh, no, he's hurt!

"ULEE! DON'T!" But Mia was too late. Ulee had already thrown his arms around the tiger's neck. White Blaze just collapsed, Ulee tumbling on top of him.

"White Blaze?" Ulee bawled. "Mia!" Mia rushed forward, Rosemary at her heels.

Dais fell into his bed with a wounded sigh. The light from the sword had weakened him considerably. He'd had to kill and bleed a rabbit to make it back to the house. He cringed when his singed back touched the braided bedspread. What had happened? One minute he was sailing in euphoria and the next he was drowning in pain. How had the golden warrior dispelled him?

He wanted to bring the Indian back with him. He knew Talpa would be very pleased if he managed to find the one thing that Damon could not. Talpa had been searching for years for the blue-eyed Indian, Ryo Wildfire, and by dumb luck, he'd found him. It would be merely a stepping stone to the revenge he had in store for the black haired magician. He frowned.

He'd been unsuccessful in finding a way to reverse the curse. Granted, it had only been a day or two, but there didn't seem to be any written record of someone being able to turn anyone else into a vampire or werewolf unless he was one himself. And then it had to be done through a bite or bodily fluids.

He smiled. That would be something. What if he had the ability to turn the Indian? That would be sweet revenge. The Indian would be his to control for all eternity. Talpa would be powerless against him if he wanted Ryo Wildfire. He would be in control. He would be the one calling the shots. But first, he had to get rid of Damon. Damon apparently had power over him. He's the one who did this to me and he's going to be the first to die. If Ryo Wildfire turns into a vampire like myself, although I cannot hurt Damon through my direct connection to him, the Indian could because he's my disciple. Not Damon's. Right? Hmmm. Would it work? Would Wildfire turn?

He remembered stories of vampires, mostly European stories, and it seemed that more than one bite was necessary to turn someone. He chuckled. Not like that would be a problem. The Indian's blood was sweet and his ass was tight. He could stand a repeat performance of tonight. He might even show Wildfire his true form, instead of the semblance of the blonde cowboy, Sage. He smiled. I like this plan. But first…daylight's coming.

He lay there trying hard not to move. Movement grated his extremely sensitive skin. I'm so tired. Maybe I'll get to sleep soon.

As his mind began drifting off to sleep, he became aware of another sound in the room. A harsh ragged breathing. He let his eyes scan the darkness, his new night vision working in even his blinded eye. He could barely make out a crumpled form in the corner of the room. The creature. Or better yet, Cale. Something must have happened to him as well. Dais felt he needed to go check on Cale, but his body wouldn't respond. He closed his eyes. "Cale?" The ragged breathing stopped. "Cale? Are you all right?" Dais could no longer make out any sound in the room. "Cale?" He sat up on the bed. The corner was empty. Where…?

Something struck him full force on the chest, knocking him backward onto the bed. He screamed as claws punctured his arms, pinning them down. "C…Cale?" A large, wolf-like creature held him down, teeth bared and patches of human skin showing through its fur. He cringed as the creature's foul breath assaulted his nostrils. Spittle and drool leaked from Cale's half-formed mouth. The transformation was in the middle of reversing. Cale would be back to normal in a few minutes. He just had to keep himself alive by keeping the beast at bay for a few more minutes.

Dais was held captive by Cale's eyes. The only part on him that stayed fully human. The pain and agony mirrored in his dark eyes. There was a loud crack! and part of Cale's snout reshaped itself into human form. The claws in Dais' arm dug deeper. But Dais didn't bleed. He couldn't bleed. Another crack! and the other half of Cale's jaw settled back into place.

Cale's eyes saw Dais' stretched out underneath him. The pale skin made even whiter and more translucent by the "disease" that plagued him. A wicked grin spread across his twisted features and Dais cringed and made a feeble attempt to get away. Cale held him in place. "Cale…Don't. You don't want to do this." The half-man smiled and Dais watched, horrified, as Cale's shaft emerged from its sheath of thick, coarse hair and he shoved Dais' legs apart with his crooked legs. "Cale, wait until the transformation's finished… Please… Ugnh!"

Cale buried himself deep in Dais' body on the first thrust as he bit deep into Dais' shoulder. Dais cried out and tried to push the creature away. But Dais was weak and Cale was not human. The wiry hair on the creature's body felt like sandpaper against his burned and highly sensitive skin. He screamed as strips of skin were peeled away and his body was pounded from the inside. "Cale…" he managed to gasp. "It hurts. Please…" But the animal in Cale had taken over and he continued thrusting. Dais' hands tore at the sheets and his eyes rolled back into his head. He cried out once more and gave himself to the pain, passing into oblivion.

Cale continued thrusting into Dais' body, enjoying the heat from the friction. He howled as he came deep within Dais, and his skin encased the last of his bristly, needle-sharp hair. He collapsed onto the judge, his breathing quick and his heart rapidly beating.

"Dais?" he growled, his voice rough with disuse. "Dais, are you all right?" He rolled over and hoisted himself up on one elbow. He gasped. Dais was passed out, his hair clung to his face. His skin was cut and peeled away in places, singed in others. Cale tenderly touched his cheek. "Oh, god, Dais, what did I do to you?" He felt Dais' throat for a pulse, relieved when he felt the faint throbbing. His brow crinkled and he gently picked up the still form of his lover. He laid him on the fainting couch and got the water pitcher and basin from the dresser. Naked and sobbing, he slowly began to wash the unbleeding sores on Dais' skin.

When he was done, he gently placed Dais on the bed, covering him with a light sheet. He tenderly kissed Dais' forehead and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

The sun appeared over the horizon, blazing with a hateful vengeance. Cale watched the ball of fire and swore to himself. His hands clenched into fists of rage, he yelled at the sky. "DAMON! YOU BASTARD SON OF A BITCH! I WILL KILL YOU!" He sank to his knees and cried.