The dog days are not over. They’re never over.
The police signals and yells of the officers were so loud and blinding. Grace barely could concentrate, shaking his head and feeling a grime on his face. The metal scent filled the corridors, mixing traces of different people and their sweat. Something dropped somewhere and the sound alone was sending white spots in his vision. How did things get so loud? Why on Earth it could trip him off his feet? The heartbeat and his ragged breathing were slowly overriding the noise, making it hard to navigate the building. It was dangerous, he needed to get out. He really should’ve control himself better…
The blood on his tongue was still warm. And no matter how much he swallowed, he couldn’t get rid on the taste. The distraction was a luxury he couldn’t afford, yet he still felt the urge to stop, to take another bite. And another. And another. And ano-
No. He had to move. The classroom was just a few turns away. He needed to get there, now!
Something in his bones cracked and Grace had to stop for a second. Shivering and panting heavily he pulled at his tie, loosening it and listening. His hearing was still too sensitive, but he needed it. Needed to catch the sound of their heartbeats. Because he already have their scents. He will be able to find them, but right now, he needed to know if they still were in the building. He had to kill them. They hurt his pups.
He walked slowly, dragging one foot, as his knee was still healing. But when he reached the door he had to swallow the growl, had to stop the ache in his teeth. He needed to act smarter. He needed to make sure the kid will be safe. So he bangs his head against the door, allowing his weight pull him down. Hitting the floor isn’t scary if half of your body is already in pain. But the noise had worth it. It got the attention he needed.
Combat boots moved surely, he felt the vibration and saw the moving shadow, even if the angle wasn’t too comfortable for that.
«Who’s that?» the man asked, his voice muffled by the mask.
«One of the teachers. Get rid of him,» the other one answered, while the radio noises were screeching next to him. Ryland couldn’t see from his place.
When he was yanked by his collar, it took an immense self-control to pretend being limp. He had to act smart. He allowed this brute to pull him aside, allowed him to shove him into the wall before acting. He pushed himself up with one hand while the other grabbed the man by the front of his tactical gear. Before he had the chance to pull the trigger or yell, his throat met Ryland’s fangs and his fury. It was brutal and fast, a sudden strike he perfected as a teen. Good old times…
Grace moved next before the body even hit the floor. He entered the classroom silently, using the darkness to his advantage. The blinds were pulled down, the lights off and the man stood near one of Grace’s kids with a gun to their head while fumbling with the transmitter. The boy at the aim was crying, but after seeing his teacher… No, Grace wasn’t surprised to see how this kid started hiccupping hysterically. However, he didn’t care at the moment. All that mattered was an urge to chew that fucking hand off.
«Erik? You finished?» the man asked, without turning around. «What’s taking you so long?»
The answer never came and Ryland wasn’t planning on revealing himself so early.
The man waited another ten seconds, before cursing and turning around to face the door. He froze the second he saw Grace, the gun flew up to the teacher’s forehead level instantly.
«What the fuck?!» he yelled, pulling the trigger, not expecting Ryland to be fast enough to move aside with a growl. «Get back!»
Grace didn’t bother with an answer. He growled again, hearing how the boy took the chance and crawled back, away from the danger. That gave him an opening he gladly took, crossing the distance in three wide strides, while the man fired in panic. One bullet hit his shoulder, but it didn’t stop Ryland. Just made him angrier. It wasn’t silver, he will be fine.
The man tried to back away, tried to scream and reach for the knife, but what a mere human can do against a furious beast? Not so much, especially when a beast was protective of his pups. This guy didn’t stand a chance, facing his fate in Grace's hands and teeth. This time he didn’t had the strength to suppress the shiver. He felt the change of his balance, heard the bone crack and smelled the fear of that kid in the corner. However, he didn’t let go of the man, tearing his neck and shaking him like a ragdoll, snapping his muscles and feeling that sweet tang of metal. He wanted more, needed more, craved more, yearned for more...
More, more, more, more,more more moremore more moremoremoremoremore
The thing that stopped him was a whimper. A child’s cry, terrified out of his mind and shaken by the sight. Grace felt a cold shiver down his spine, as he let go of the body, shaking off the remnants and torn pieces of the clothes he had. With a whine he lowered his head, moving carefully around the overthrown tables, his flank hurt a little, but he didn’t care.
Slowly and carefully he walked towards the kid, as the boy tried to hide in panic, screaming and clinging to the bookshelf behind him. Grace wanted to show the kid that it’s okay, it’s all fine. He didn’t have to fear. But had no chance to say it. Had no way to deliver his words. So he simply laid down of the floor, front paws serving as a means to hide his blood covered muzzle. It didn’t help much, but at least the boy wasn’t crawling away anymore. This way he will be safe enough until police will find them here.
Court knew the smell even before he entered the building. Blood always left the brightest trace that could exist, marking the way the prey used to run away. This time around there were several of those.
Corridors looked like a set for horror movies. Poor lightning from broken lamps, mess left by people running in panic and blood, traces of shooting. A lot of it. By some places Court stopped, taking a deep breath, reading the events that happened here by smell. One shot at the knee, one to the head. A torn wound at hand and one killed shooter. Court didn’t need the tape from video cameras, he already knew where and how the terrorists met their end, where Grace took the bullet for others and where someone was injured even despite his best efforts.
The police outside still was twiddling their thumbs and Court wasn’t sure how long the fake report would keep them away, so he had to hurry. He walked the way Ryland took, following the trace of smell and inner feeling of being close to one of his own. He saw how the events unfold, saw the mistakes Grace did and saw how armed men were running away for their lives. It was a messy work, but Ryland was never taught how to do it, so Court wasn’t holding it against him.
By the door lied a man with a torn throat, one of Grace’s favorite moves. But Court didn’t linger, entering the room as he was greeted by growl and a sight of bared fangs.
Ryland looked bad. Too many injuries even for him, the fur was matted and covered with dirt and filth. But the moment he realize who came in, he looked shocked. The boy behind him froze in panic, wide eyed and sobbing. A pup.
«Oh, Ry-ry, what a mess you made…» Court lowered to one knee, opening his arms for a wolf to come closer. It was his duty as an older brother to clean this up.
Because dog days are not over. There’re never over.
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