Evil forces are spreading across the land. Fang and Blue Eyes have marshaled every resource at their disposal to face the marauding threat - a far greater threat then they realize. But first there is the matter of the ambush laid for them.
Janet outlined her plan and Charles nodded understanding. "It's dangerous, but may be our only chance. If we don't come out they'll come looking for us and would find us soon enough. We're cornered in here."
Janet strapped on her pistol and he shifted to Fang and slipped out quietly, creeping along the hillside, keeping downwind from them while he could smell them plainly.
She carried his clothes as she struck out towards the car and when she was close enough threw down the clothes, drew her pistol and made a dash for the vehicle, using her remote key to unlock the doors. The cats, monetarily startled by the chirp of the door locks, turned toward her as she emerged from the underbrush, and the closest sprang at her. She emptied her gun into him and tried to get in at least a couple of head shots. The cat swiped at her, catching her across the face before falling back, emporarily still. The other two started toward her but Fang leaped out of hiding and his jaws crushed a leg of one cat.
Fang's diversion gave Janet just enough time to slip into the car, pull the door shut and grab her shotgun from the back seat before the third cat slammed into the car, snarling. The car rocked under the impact, but she momentarily had a clear shot and blasted through the glass of the driver's window at the head of the attacker.
While two cats were out of action and Fang occupied the third she grabbed a machete, jumped out of the car and swung hard, severing the head of the first one she had shot, just as he had healed enough to stagger to his feet to renew his attack. The one she had blasted seemed to be dead but she took no chances and swung at that neck as well. Just then she became aware of another vehicle and stole a look behind her to see a park ranger truck pull up and two rangers emerge with guns drawn. One ran toward Janet, standing over a fallen cat. "Are you okay?"
While Janet was occupied removing heads the wolf tossed the other cat and lunged for the throat. Seeing the ranger approach with a gun the wolf dashed off. Soon Charles charged down the hill, yanked the passenger door open and pulled out an axe. With one mighty blow he ended the dazed third cat.
Janet and Charles leaned against the car breathing hard and the rangers holstered their weapons.
"We heard gunshots. It's not hunting season so we figured something illegal was going on."
Charles said "Glad you arrived when you did. You distracted them enough for us to kill them. They attacked us as we were coming back to our car. I just chased a wolf."
"I saw it, too. And why were you here?"
Charles pulled out a card and handed it to them. "We were on a bit of working vacation. I teach at Cornell and do a lot of work in the Adirondacks, studying predators. Thought to study what things are like in this neck of the woods. This was a first, I must say. It was like they were stalking us."
One of the rangers walked around examining the dead cats. "What the hell is this?"
Charles and Janet were horrified to notice that the last cat to be dispatched had begun to shift. The paws already started to show evidence of fingers and toes.
Charles shook his head. "I don't understand what is going on here, although I've seen something similar over in New York. It's almost like they're...well shit, that's ridiculous."
"You think there's something supernatural here?"
"I hate to give theories like that any credence, but, as a wildlife biologist, I know of no rational explanation. They all sure had sharp claws and teeth when they attacked us and were intent on using them. It is curious that three large cats would be found here. I'm not aware of cats like this in Michigan."
"We've never seen anything like this before, either."
"If you have a vet school they'll have a lab. Maybe you can send the carcasses there for examination. They may find something to explain it. Although if you do send them, as a precaution, keep the heads and bodies separate. Legend has it that supernatural beings can heal, so you want them to stay dead."
***
After driving back over the Mackinac Bridge they stopped for the night, sharing a room. Janet undressed and stood before Charles. "I liked what we did in the den. I thought it would be painful, but you were slow and gentle and I've never experienced what I felt then. I want to feel that again."
Charles picked her up and kissed her before laying her on the bed while he finished undressing. She reached out to touch the massive erection, wrapping both hands around it.
He laughed "You don't have to do anything to get me ready but I'd better make sure you are." With his head buried between her legs he reached a hand up to massage a breast. His talented tongue quickly had Janet squirming. When he felt his tongue coated with her wetness he pulled her to the edge of the bed and spread her legs. "It's hard to believe that you can take this. You look so tight."
"I want it."
Before entering, Charles rubbed his penis between her labia until it was well coated. He watched her face as he proceeded slowly, stopping when he sensed discomfort. He felt the limit of her vagina, but she urged him deeper until he was fully sheathed.
"I can't believe what this feels like. I've never been fully inside a woman until you. I've never felt wet warmth envelop the length of me like this. Oh, that feels good."
"I can't believe how deep you are. The pressure is unbelievable. Now I want to feel you move."
Long slow strokes gave him sensations that he had never before experienced, and she moaned out loud. Within minutes all thoughts of slow and easy went out the window as he pumped furiously and she arched to meet him. He bent his head to suck on a nipple and she raked his back as she convulsed in climax. The pulsing of her vagina set him off and he unleashed a torrent into her, pumping hard until he was spent.
After he withdrew he pulled the covers up over them and crushed her to him in an embrace. She stroked his face and they fell asleep.
In the morning they resumed their return journey. Just outside Detroit Charles slapped his head. "Oh shit. Classes start tomorrow. I've never missed the beginning of classes. I don't know if we can get there in time even if we drove all night."
Janet thought a moment and then took out her phone and handed it to him. "Here. Dial my grandparents. They're on speed dial. Bluetooth will put us on the car speaker."
Janet filled Gertrude and Henry in on the results of their trip and assured them that they had seen Gray and he was safe. When she explained Charles' situation Henry laughed. "You know I look for any excuse to fly. Let me look at some maps and see if I can find a place up ahead where I can meet you."
In Ohio GPS took them to the general aviation airstrip Henry had directed them to. A small four-seater Cessna sat beside the runway with the engine running. Charles hopped aboard and Janet watched the small plane take off, headed for another airstrip not far from Cornell. Her grandfather waved as the plane sped down the runway.
Janet made it to her grandparent's house and told Gertrude more details.
"I don't know what's going on, Grandma. It's like every evil creature has gathered around and met somewhere in or near Glacier Park. Now they've broken into groups and are spreading out over the US and Canada, although they do seem to have a leader bringing a number of them east. Word has apparently gone out to pack leaders all over to gather their packs and be ready. I discovered that Charles is actually a pack leader for New York and most of New England."
"We've received word of the movement and are preparing for whatever comes our way. You be careful."
"Just a couple of months ago I was merely an artist prowling around for nighttime scenes. Now I'm in the middle of something more important than art. Thanks for all your help. I'm good at shifting whenever I want and my sense of...things happening around me...gets sharper all the time. There was one wolf we met, Shadow, who has acute sense ability and also the ability to travel so quietly as to be almost invisible. There are so many others - Lightning is super fast, River is a strong swimmer. I could take all day to describe them all."
