Becoming Wolf - Sequel to 'Staying Human'

The Plan Part Two

Winston eyed the Magic shop for a while from a distance. He watched as customers went in and out, some were inside the shop for a few minutes others for longer and he wondered how much money she took from them for the spells that would work or how many pointless herbs and lies she sold to people for a couple of quid or more.

He began to make his way over to the shop when the open sign on the door changed to closed.

A bell attached to the door chimed as he entered which was quickly followed by a female voice shouting, "I am sorry but we're closed."

She stopped in her tracks when her eyes met his and her breathing began to quicken.

"You are here! I thought you had changed your mind." She said as she nervously wiped her hands on her apron.

"After all these years of working together Mae why ever would you think that? Or were you secretly hoping I had?

Mae vigorously shook her head, "no, no of course not, it's just that you're late and normally you are always on time."

"Yeah, well I was hungry so I stopped to eat."

Winston really admired himself and he wanted to show, those that thought they were in charge, that he was not a vampire who was going to pay to eat. He had drained the first person he had seen on the way to Mae's shop and left the body right in the middle of the street for the police to find. He had really wanted to be there when they found it but this wolf was currently more important.

"You have to be careful here, times are changing. I hope you hid the body or they will be out looking for you."

Winston glared at her because he knew it made her uncomfortable. Imagine a powerful witch being scared of a vampire, he liked it and he intended to keep it that way.

"I was not for your information. Firstly I don't care what happens when they find the body and secondly I am not here for mindless chit-chat. Tell me have you begun?"

She began to stammer a response but Winston interrupted her.

"I guess that is a no! Have you even spoken to her?" He wanted to squeeze her throat until she stopped breathing. He had just one problem, he needed her.

Mae again shook her head but this time it was slowly and she shrunk back as Winston neared her because she knew what he was capable of.

"Explain to me why," he sneered as he leant into her face.

Mae began to babble.

The wolf in question was only just seven years old and it was still the summer holidays so she had been unable to approach her. She had been busy making the herbs to halt the wolf's transition but she was unable to continue as she lacked one particular component.

"Which is what?" Winston spat at her as he grabbed her neck.

Mae was desperate to show she was not afraid of him so she pushed him away.

"Concocting special herbs requires special magic so I need payment if you want me to continue."

Winston snarled at her.

Mae willed her heart not to accelerate as she hated seeing the smug look on his face when it did. Yes she was frightened of him and she hated him but he was the oldest vampire she knew and she needed the power held within his blood if she was to regain all of hers back.

When she first met him she was immediately attracted to him but then who wouldn't be

"Come this way." She beckoned him.

"Fine," Winston snapped as he followed her into the kitchen. He watched her as she placed her familiar jar on the counter and took a sharp knife from the drawer. She held out her hand and as Winston placed his hand in hers she quickly slit his wrist and smiled as his blood began to drip into the jar.

"I see you have more tattoos."

"I get one after every virgin or witch I drain." He replied sarcastically wondering what she actually did with his blood.

"Funny," she replied as she again slit his wrist as the previous wound had now healed over.

"Do you mix my blood with the herbs or do you drink it?"

"Both," she replied as she eyed him. She had been a little shocked at his appearance this time. Normally he was polished to perfection but he currently looked very dishevelled and smelt as if he had been sleeping rough.

"I have." Winston said on hearing her thoughts.

Mae furrowed her brow as Winston began to explain. Hackney had changed since his last visit and his usual haunts had closed down. As he was required to stay here for some years he was unable to influence local hotels for a free room as eventually, as the years passed, they would remember him.

"Why don't you stay with Jeremiah?"

"He is in Panama, the Order are still chasing him and plus I do not need any distractions or anyone to know I am here yet. I want this particular wolf and the less people that know of my plans until I take her the better."

"You can sleep here if you need too," she answered.

Winston looked at the tatty worn out couch, the dust around the place and the smell of her herbs and the other concoctions she kept in various jars around the room and he shook his head, "I think it is best you and I have minimal contact. I don't need any connections made."

There was not a chance he would stay here with her. She was annoying and he did not fully trust her, he always felt as if she was hiding something. He secretly wanted to burn her alive because the thought irritated him that much. In fact when this was all over he promised himself that he would.

Mae laughed, "What happened to the 'I am an invincible vampire' attitude.

"It's still here but I am not a stupid vampire either. You told me we have to work within the power of seven. Seven is too young to take her and I don't want to baby sit a moaning stroppy teenager therefore I have to wait until she is twenty one and so therefore I need to lay low. I need to watch those around her, figure out who may become my obstacles and who I can use to my advantage. You need to isolate her, you need to make hate what she is and fear what she will become and she needs to be able to digest my blood, so work on that because when I finally force her drink straight from my vein I want her to think I can control her. I need her to fear me and I need everyone that cares for her gone so you do your job and I will do mine."

Mae starred back at him open mouthed.

"I need this wolf do you think this will be a problem for you? That look on your face tells me it may. If you are bullshitting me Mae you will regret it."

"No, no of course I am not and I can do this. She will be eating out of your hand by the time I finish with her. You don't have to stay I can call you when she is ready."

She was somewhat desperate to for to leave.

"Do you not listen, I am staying and remember she is your problem and those around her are mine."

Mae shook her head, "If you intend to stay here the whole time then you will need somewhere to live."

"I know."

"You could try Peter Mason's place. He used to rent out rooms."

"Not for quite some time though has he?"

"I am sure Peter Mason will give you a room, you are persuasive enough and even if he does say no you could always give him a little push."

They both slyly grinned at each other then and laughed Winston knew exactly what she meant.

Mae's stomach was doing summersaults this was the first time the vampire had revealed so much to her, he almost sounded desperate and she wanted to know why, plus she still needed his blood. The more he gave her the more powerful she would become and when she was fully recovered she had a big surprise planned for this paranoid psychotic vampire who refused to even tell her his name.