《The Shadowhelm Wolves (The Moonlight Chronicles Book 1)》 Chapter One: A Case of Lupine Proportions ¡°The meanest dog you''ll ever meet, he ain''t the hound dog in the street. He bares some teeth and tears some skin, but brother, that''s the worst of him. The dog you really gotta dread is the one that howls inside your head. It''s him who¡¯s howling drives men mad, and a mind to its undoing.¡± ~ Hadestown Rain pounded on the dingy, lightly dusted window of a small detective''s office and while Detective Brynn Frost waited for the storm to pass, she decided to review a case file that had been thrust at her by one of the lieutenants. The exact words of the said lieutenant, who went by the name Jackson Harding, had been - ''You like weird cases, Frost. This one should pique your interest.'' Harding hadn¡¯t been wrong, but there was something about this case that just didn''t sit right with Brynn. Something felt off. The file folder and her own mind were quite contradictory. The little voice in her head was practically shrieking ''Something doesn''t feel right, Brynn. Stop reading, go back and forget about this case!'' But of course, Brynn wasn''t one to ever give up. She had always been the follow-your-gut type. At that moment, her gut was telling her to go to Pennsylvania and solve this mystery already. The folder that Lieutenant Harding had so brashly shoved at her talked of a string of murders had taken place in Shadowhelm - some Pennsylvanian town that she''d never heard of in the thirty years of living in the good ole U.S.A. Reportedly, people from several cities in several states - including Brynn''s own hometown and current stomping grounds of Austin, Texas - had either gone missing or had been found dead after finding their way to Shadowhelm. Those found dead had varying degrees of wounds, ranging from lacerations to a missing appendage or limb. Brynn sighed and called up her partner, Austin PD''s medical examiner, to explain the situation before-hand, as she scurried through the three flights of stairs to his lab. When she got there, his face lit up in his customary goofy smile, as if he''d just won the lottery or an all-inclusive cruise. As she rounded the corner, she heard him exclaim, "Is it Christmas? This is the best damn gift I''ve ever gotten!"If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ''Glad he''s happy,'' Brynn thought as she chuckled. "No, Rex, it isn''t Christmas. I''m guessing you saw the file, and that''s why you''re happy?" Rex Snow, the medical examiner for the Austin Police Department and Brynn''s partner-in-crime (or rather, solving crimes) was a blond-haired, blue-eyed dreamboat of a man. But what was Brynn thinking? He was way out of her league, even by Texan standards, or Southern standards in general. She knew that they''d always just be friends, as Rex was only attracted to men - not that it mattered to Brynn, though. Rex¡¯s voice caused Brynn to snap out of her reverie, "Hey, Brynn, are ya okay? You spaced out for a sec there." He looked concerned, his brows mashed together. He genuinely had a heart of gold, Brynn thought to herself before replying. "I''m fine, but thank you for your concern," she smiled and took a look at the copy of the file that Harding had no doubt faxed to Rex. ''Damn that guy,'' she cursed. Did he think she was incapable of filling in her own partner? Whatever the case, it wasn''t worth her time worrying about it. Rex smiled again. "You''re welcome," he said before turning to the desktop computer. "Look at this, Brynn," he said, "this is the most beautiful thing I''ve ever seen." He motioned to the image of a blood spatter that was on the computer screen. "It''s like a Rorschach test, but darker." Brynn rolled her eyes and sighed. "You''re so dorky, Rex," she said while chuckling. "But you''ve got that classic Southern charm, so you get bonus points.¡± Rex just laughed. "Glad to know ya think that, Brynn. Means a lot, y''know?" He flashed a grin that showed teeth white as fresh-fallen snow. Dang, was it infectious, because Brynn herself found her smiling along with him. "Anyway, we should get back to the, uh, the case," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I''m gettin'' this really weird feeling that ya wanna check it out in person." A smirk played on Brynn''s lips. "You know me well, Dr. Tyrannosaurus," she teased. "Of course I wanna go check it out; how else am I gonna know what''s going on in this Shadowhelm place? Rex shivered a bit, but not from the cold. "Not gonna lie, Brynn, that sounds spooky as hell. But you''ll obviously need me to examine the bodies." "As far as I''m concerned, you''re the best at it," she replied, nodding. "It''s getting late; I should probably head home, and so should you. Our best bet is to leave in the morning. If we split driving fifty-fifty, it should work out to about eleven hours each, minus any stops we have to make." Rex nodded. "I''ll get us some coffee in the mornin'' on my way in and then meet you back here." With that, they parted ways, intent on continuing in the morning. Chapter Two: Into the Unknown I can hear you but I won''t Some look for trouble while others don''t There''s a thousand reasons I should go about my day And ignore your whispers which I wish would go away, oh Into the Unknown - Idina Menzel Rex woke up bright and early at 6 AM the next day, ready to visit this enigmatic town called Shadowhelm. Just as he had promised Brynn last night, he first stopped by a local coffee house to get some early morning brew to prepare them for the long day ahead. Being one of Brynn''s best friends (actually, her only friend, as she had confided in him before) he knew exactly her preference in caffeinated drinks. While he preferred a simple Caffe mocha, Brynn liked a caramel macchiato first thing in the morning. As was almost always the norm with the morning coffee run - to clarify, he only ever got coffee for Brynn and himself - it was rather uneventful, to say the least. Being a regular customer, he knew better than to arrive late so the drive-through line wasn''t terribly long. But even then, the task could be successfully completed only after about half an hour of waiting. Once done, he settled back into his truck and after driving just a little further, he was ready to pull into the building that belonged to their precinct. What he heard when he entered - albeit through a closed office door - was not what he expected. "Chief, please just hear me out for a minute. I was honestly just trying to help. I gave the case to her because I knew she could handle it. And besides, it''s the kind of case she likes, so-" He could hear Harding so very pathetically trying to plead his case to their boss, Police Chief Dante Lopez, a bearded, rough-around-the-edges Latino who had zero time and tolerance for nonsense. The chief interrupted before he could finish, however. "So you shoved it at her without any regard to her feelings about it? I see. Now tell me, Harding, exactly how you expect to have any say in this if you simply keep shoving things at people like you''re some sort of benevolent deity? In case you''ve forgotten, I am the one in charge of this precinct, not you." Though Rex couldn''t really see it, he was sure that Lieutenant Harding was looking at the police chief in shock. "Sir, I promise it''s not like that. I only gave it to her because I know she likes really weird cases." He responded to the chewing-out with a half-smile, mostly because he was afraid that this man would hand his ass to him. Knowing Chief Lopez, that was a given unless you did your job right. It was at this point that Rex decided to interrupt with a knock on the door. Seconds later, Chief Lopez responded in his booming voice. "Come in!" Credit had to be given where credit was due; the man was quick as a whip when it came to responding to things. Rex didn¡¯t have to be told twice and with another knock, he swung the door open "Sorry to bother you, Chief, but I was wondering if Detective Frost was in yet. I think we all know how she gets when she''s lacking in the caffeine department, and, as any sensible Southern gentleman would, I took it upon myself to try to fix that." Chief Lopez stroked his beard as he looked at Rex for a moment while in thought, "I saw her come in earlier and head straight down to your department quarters. She seemed panicked." His gaze remained on Rex the entire time he spoke, and the young man got a better sense of the situation. This, he knew, meant that Brynn was panicking over something. Rex simply nodded in response, "Thank you, sir. I''ll go check on her right away." In no time, he was running as fast as his legs could carry him - which, admittedly, was pretty fast for a guy that spent a lot of time hunched over the bodies of the deceased. Hell, if you asked him to perform a craniotomy, he¡¯d do it under the right pretense, but ask him to run a marathon and you¡¯d be saying ¡®Jesus take the wheel¡¯ and praying he made it out alive. About five minutes later, a very out-of-breath Rex stood at the doorway of his laboratory space. After catching a second wind, he looked up to see Brynn, and he found himself smiling as he went up to her, coffee in hand. He quickly made sure the coffee was still hot and sighed. Good thing it was still warm or Brynn wouldn¡¯t be happy at all. It had taken a little bit of time, but Re finally managed to make it, handing Brynn her hot caffeinated beverage. The young woman looked at him with a smile, taking it. ¡°Rex, you darling, you remembered,¡± she spoke over his shoulder while she gave him a hug. Rex was careful to hold his own coffee far enough so that the hot liquid won¡¯t spill on her. He watched her shoulders sink in relaxation when she took the first sip And he sighed, knowing that this was a positive sign Unfortunately, though, the good mood didn¡¯t last for long, as soon a loud scream - evidently coming from the top of the stairs - rang through the basement. Rex found himself smirking when he heard growling along with Lieutenant Jackson Harding¡¯s familiar voice. ¡°Someone tell this damn dog to chill out!¡± Rex sighed, putting down his coffee on the counter. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go see what¡¯s goin¡¯ on,¡± he excused himself. With that, he walked away from the scene and down the stairs to When he saw the scene in its entirety, he saw none other than his own German Shepherd, Odin - who had been trained to double as a cadaver dog and a canine security system - snarling at the lieutenant, who was desperately tugging at the leash in attempts to pacify the dog.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Why the hell are you mad at me, you stupid mutt!?¡± he asked just as Rex rounded the corner. Rex wasn¡¯t taking any of that, of course. ¡°Harding, I swear to high heaven, if you kick my dog - because I know you¡¯re thinkin¡¯ it, so don¡¯t bother lyin¡¯ - I will report you to the chief for animal abuse.¡± He smirked and called Odin to his side. The dog took his own leash from Harding, huffing and going to heel at Rex¡¯s feet as his master had commanded. The lieutenant glowered at Rex. ¡°Your dog is a monster, Snow. I didn¡¯t do a damn thing and he attacked me.¡± Rex frowned. ¡°I find that to be quite doubtful, especially considering that I heard your conversation with the chief. You¡¯ve gotten really good at lying through your teeth, Jackson. But as for Odin here, he doesn''t attack people for no reason, much less give ¡®em a warning snarl. You¡¯re damn lucky that¡¯s all you got.¡± Brynn sighed and stepped out of the lab and positioned herself in between the two men, shaking her head. ¡°Tread carefully, Lieutenant, or you¡¯ll suffer from more than just a bruised ego.¡± She maintained a neutral expression as she took Odin¡¯s leash from the canine, who obediently gave it to her as he already had absolute trust in her. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I forgot about this cutie. We¡¯re definitely gonna need a sniffer dog if we¡¯re gonna solve this case.¡± Rex rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, ¡°She makes a damn good point. Thanks for bringin¡¯ Odin by, Lieutenant.¡± Rex then resigned himself to what Brynn suggested and preferred to stay in the green, even after she¡¯d had a sip or two of coffee. About an hour later, they had almost finished preparing themselves for their excursion and were done with packing everything necessary into the back of Rex¡¯s truck, a silver Ford F-150, the duo was on the road to Shadowhelm. Brynn was the first to take the wheel and they had just turned onto the highway when Brynn¡¯s cell phone rang from inside the console. Ring, ring, ring! It wasn¡¯t out of the ordinary for her to get a phone call while driving, though she usually waited until she made a pit stop before even considering picking it up. This time, though, she motioned for Rex to answer since he was sitting in the passenger seat. Rex took the cue and picked up the phone, tapping on the green ¡®talk¡¯ icon. ¡°Hello?¡± he asked, confused as to who - from an unknown number, no less - would be calling Brynn. Odin perked up in the backseat. ¡°It¡¯s alright, boy, no need to worry¡± Rex reassured the canine, who then settled down obediently. The speaker at the other end chuckled. ¡°A dog whisperer, are you?¡± he asked. ¡°Though judging by the masculine voice, you¡¯re not Detective Brynn Frost,¡± he continued. ¡°Good observation sir. I am not Detective Frost, but I do work with her. She¡¯s driving right now, but I can put the phone on speaker if you will give me a second.¡± Rex replied and kept the phone on the headboard. Brynn, at this point, leaned over to speak to the mysterious caller, her eyes remaining transfixed on the road. ¡°How can we help you, sir? But before I forget, and before we go any further, we do need an ID, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± she spoke. The caller didn¡¯t seem surprised, so much as he was dumbfounded. ¡°Ah, right! My apologies, Detective. My name is Wulfric Blackthorne. I suppose you could say I¡¯m the metaphorical¡­ oh, what¡¯s the word¡­ alpha male here in Shadowhelm. I heard through the grapevine that you solve unorthodox cases. This, I can assure you, is exactly that - unorthodox and borderline paranormal.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Blackthorne. Now, would you mind describing this unorthodox... thing in more detail? It¡¯ll help if we - that is to say, my partner and I - have a clearer understanding of the situation at hand. All we¡¯ve got right now is a case file that shows enough blood and gore to make my partner as giddy as a kid on Christmas morning.¡± She smirked at Rex, who only chuckled in response. There was a short pause before Wulfric responded, ¡°Please feel free to call me Wulfric. I find that it makes interactions less tense if people know they can refer to me simply by my first name.¡± There was another pause - a slightly longer one this time - before he continued. ¡°As for the occurrence in question, I found a body lying in a ditch near the entrance to the town. It looked like it had been ripped apart by a wild animal.¡± Odin whined at the mere sound of the carnage. Even as a cadaver dog, he did get visibly uncomfortable when push came to shove. Rex, being in the amazing dog parent that he was, reached into the back seat and scratched his canine companion¡¯s ear before replying. This time, it was Brynn¡¯s turn to listen as Rex spoke. ¡°Well, sir, that definitely does sound unorthodox. My name is Dr. Rex Snow, by the way. I¡¯m a medical examiner by trade and as such, I will be assisting Detective Frost with this case.¡± He paused briefly as if choosing his next words with the same delicate precision with which he handled each corpse that laid on his slab. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen so far, there''s more than one body that needs examining. There was a lot of blood visible in the photographs we received, and based on my judgment, it couldn¡¯t have come from just one person.¡± Brynn looked over at him with surprise. The lighthearted Rex who watched horror movies only to critique them and ¡°use them for research purposes¡± was now replaced by a serious man. Serious as the grave, some would say. It came through in everything from his voice to his methodical way of addressing the subject. ¡°We will be there as soon as we can, Wulfric. We''re nearly a day''s drive away so it will take a while but we will do our best to hurry. In the meantime, I need you to stay safe, keep an eye out for anything weird and let us know if you spot any more bodies poppin¡¯ up.¡± There was silence on the other end but after a moment passed, Wulfric spoke up again. ¡°Sounds good. If anything happens, I¡¯ll make a record of it and let you know. This kind of thing has never happened in my previous years of being the de facto head of this town, nor in any generation before.¡± With that, the line went dead as Wulfric hung up the phone. Brynn and Rex looked at each other, both their eyes were glistening with curiosity. This was definitely unlike anything they''d ever seen - or heard of - before. They discussed the case for a bit before Rex nodded off, taking over at the halfway point between Austin and Shadowhelm, allowing Brynn to do the same. Little did they know that a scene straight out of a Stephen King novel was waiting for them. Wulfric¡¯s witness statement was only the tip of the iceberg. Chapter Three: Don鈥檛 Let Sleeping Dogs Lie Chapter Three: Don¡¯t Let Sleeping Dogs Lie And the days keeps on worryin'' me There''s a hellhound on my trail, hellhound on my trail Hellhound on my trail ~Hellhound On My Trail, Robert Johnson After a long car ride that lasted for about 24 hours, the duo reached Shadowhelm. Both were bone-tired and just wanted to rest, to say the least. Just as they were pulling into town, they heard a loud slam! Rex looked back wearily from the driver¡¯s seat and remarked ¡°Well, whaddya know, a magic gate.¡± In his defense, he was tired and simply wanted to rest. ¡°We need to find Wulfric and talk to him. We got some information, but I feel like he didn¡¯t tell us everything he knows. Not that I find that suspicious, but people tend to talk more when they have someone in front of them rather than on the other end of the line,¡± Brynn suggested. ¡°Agreed,¡± Rex nodded, ¡°You talk to the guy and I¡¯ll have a little t¨ºte-¨¤-t¨ºte with the body he mentioned.¡± Brynn sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll need your help in talking to him, Rex. We¡¯re in this together, remember?¡± Rex nodded. This wasn¡¯t the first time something odd had turned up - well, it was the first time he¡¯d had to deal with something like this specifically. Soon, they were parking the vehicle in front of a large house, a sign that read ¡®Blackthorne Estate¡¯ when a scruffy-looking man approached the truck and knocked on the driver¡¯s side window. Rex reluctantly rolled down the window as Odin sat up, ready to protect his master. Rex had to admit, this wasn¡¯t exactly what he had expected, but it wasn¡¯t altogether unwelcome. The man breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the pair and their canine companion. ¡°Greetings, you two¡­ or rather, three. I¡¯m glad you got here safely,¡± he smiled. There was something about him that was just naturally welcoming, though neither Brynn nor Rex could quite put their finger on it. Brynn, a natural-born leader, was the first to address the man, ¡°As are we. You must be Wulfric.¡± The man nodded. ¡°I have to say, Miss Frost, you¡¯re quick as a whip when it comes to deductions. Then again, I do suppose that that is part of your job.¡± Brynn nodded. ¡°Yes sir, indeed.¡± She got out of the vehicle first, followed by Rex and Odin. ¡°One thing you should know is that I am also one to get down to business as soon as possible. Rex and I are admittedly both tired from the drive, but we aren¡¯t letting that stop us.¡± She chuckled softly.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Well, that can¡¯t be the worst thing in the world,¡± Wulfric chuckled back and motioned for them to follow him inside. Wulfric led them to a crackling fireplace and Odin instantly curled up by the fire, while Brynn and Rex sat in comfy armchairs flanking it on either side. ¡°Oh, man, that is comfy¡­ better than a stiff truck seat any day of the week, I¡¯ll tell you that much.¡± Rex tried to sit up but couldn¡¯t help sinking into the chair as he felt his worries wash away even for a moment. He looked over at Wulfric. ¡°Do you understand medical jargon?¡± Wulfric sat down in a chair as well and shook his head, ¡°Not much. I do hate to take you out of your element, but the less jargon, the better. Unless your partner can translate, in which case you may use as much jargon as you like.¡± Rex nodded and leaned forward, clasping his hands together and setting his elbows on his knees before he spoke further, ¡°The pictures I saw were¡­ quite interesting, to say the least. Mostly dismembered limbs and the like, but I did see one case that resembles what you¡¯d told us you found. A body torn to pieces, though the face mostly remained untouched. Whatever is doing this goes for the gut - quite literally, as a matter of fact.¡± A small gasp reached their ears, accompanied by the clattering of a tea set or something similar. Wulfric looked up and saw his wife, Emilia, holding a tray of tea and dainties. ¡°Wulfric, you should have told me straight away that they were here,¡± she sighed and leaned forward to set the tray down. Wulfric reacted nonchalantly and simply chuckled. ¡°Well, you know me, I like to keep you on your toes.¡± He looked at Brynn and Rex and smiled proudly. ¡°Detective, Doctor¡­ this is my lovely wife Emilia. She¡¯s the current matriarch of House Blackthorne.¡± ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you both,¡± Emilia said before looking down at Odin as she sat next to her husband. ¡°Oh, and who is this cutie?¡± she asked. Odin, being a very well trained dog, looked up at Rex for the okay, Rex nodding and saying ¡°Go on, boy. Go say hi.¡± Odin got up and padded over to Emilia, laying his head in her lap now that she was sitting. The tiny woman chuckled softly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a good boy?¡± she remarked, looking up at Rex. ¡°Does he have a name?¡± she asked the medical examiner, who was sitting directly opposite her. Rex just smiled. ¡°Odin. I tried to convince Brynn here to get two parrots and name them Huginn and Muninn but that didn''t work,¡± he said, chuckling. ¡°Well, you certainly know your Norse mythology, sir,¡± Emilia went on to remark. ¡°Odin is the perfect name for a canine companion like this one.¡± Rex smiled - not entirely like the goofy one he had worn when he first saw the case files that lead them to this moment, but one like it - and chuckled, ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am. He¡¯s a good dog, I can assure you of that. He¡¯s not only my protector when I need it but also one of the best sniffer dogs on the force.¡± He smiled softly and looked at his canine companion, who was groaning in relaxation. Wulfric piped up after a moment of silence, ¡°Why don¡¯t we head upstairs after we finish our tea, and my wife and I can show you to your accommodation?¡± He smiled, just as a crack of thunder sounded before looking out the window. ¡°Doctor, I think it best to get your effects inside as soon as possible. As I understand it, you would have come with many important things?¡± Rex nodded, finishing his tea quick enough that it didn¡¯t look odd - or rude, for that matter - getting up to follow Wulfric outside to his truck. It didn''t take long for the two men to unload and bring everything inside. Rex smiled and followed Wulfric up a set of stairs. At the top was a long hallway with large rooms on either side. ¡°Pick whichever room you like. Or rooms, if that¡¯s more to your liking.¡± Rex chuckled and took his and Odin¡¯s belongings to one room while Brynn did the same for one of the rooms across the hall. Soon they were settled in their rooms and falling asleep, lulled by the call of Hypnos. Chapter Four: The Belly of the Beast Darkness falls across the land The midnight hour is close at hand Creatures crawl in search of blood To terrorize y''awl''s neighborhood And whosoever shall be found Without the soul for getting down Must stand and face the hounds of hell And rot inside a corpse''s shell ~Thriller, Michael Jackson When Brynn and Rex both woke up, it was around lunchtime. They had both needed the sleep, though, so one could definitely understand. When Rex looked at his phone, he saw that he had 6 missed calls. Against any regular person¡¯s better judgment, he opted not to return the calls as they were from someone he¡¯d rather not speak to, someone who had left emotional scars and he had effectively cut ties with years ago. The caller in question was none other than Martha Jean Snow, Rex¡¯s mother. Rex¡¯s phone continued to buzz consistently, blowing up with texts that ranged from a simple ¡°Terrance James Snow, where have you run off to?¡± to a very abrasive ¡°I swear, Terrance if you don¡¯t come home right this instant, I will come and get you myself!¡± Needless to say, this did not please Rex in the slightest. He sighed and looked at Brynn with a furrowed brow - a look that Brynn knew all too well. Rex always did that when his mother was being an obnoxious bitch and so he needed Brynn to intervene. There had been a reason that he cut ties with her, but he didn¡¯t even want to think about it at the moment. She¡¯d burnt that bridge long ago, and it was never going to be rebuilt. Rex would even go so far as to say that the zombie apocalypse or hell, the second coming of Christ would happen before he ever forgave her for denying him support when he needed it most. Brynn held her hand out for his phone. She knew he didn¡¯t want to have any sort of conversation with his mother verbally, so texting was easier. Rex could always delete the conversation later and take screenshots if he needed proof of anything she said. With no hesitation whatsoever, Rex handed her his phone and shook his head. ¡°Thanks, Brynn, you¡¯re a lifesaver,¡± he said as he sighed with finality. Even thinking about his mother was draining enough as it was, much less trying to survive having a conversation with her. Thankfully, he had an ally in this situation. ¡°I¡¯ll try and make this quick so we can get something to eat and start working on the case,¡± she said, walking down the stairs with him. Wulfric saw the mixed look of concern and frustration that Rex was wearing as the pair came down the stairs.¡°Not that it¡¯s my business, but something truly frustrating must be happening to put a look like that on your face. In all my years of living, I have never seen a person make a face like that without good reason.¡± Rex shrugged. ¡°If it¡¯s all the same to you, Wulfric, I¡¯d like to keep that information between Brynn and me, at least the whole of it. Let¡¯s just say that someone tried to contact me that I¡¯d rather have nothing to do with.¡± Wulfric nodded in silent understanding and waved a hand to urge the pair to follow him to the dining room. They followed him and sat at the table, which had all kinds of food set out on it. He smiled as he sat, Emilia sitting next to him like she had last night, but not before asking the pair what they¡¯d like and serving them. It wasn¡¯t long before they had plates piled high with food. Rex, of course, beamed widely as he indulged himself. He loved pasta, he really did, but in many ways, it still didn¡¯t beat the food from back home in Texas. Between mouthfuls and swallows, he and Brynn thanked their hosts repeatedly. It seemed like mere moments had passed, but eventually, Rex and Brynn had gotten their fill of delicious food. They could definitely say that they weren¡¯t malnourished, as both had eaten at least two platefuls of the spread that had laid before them. Rex, at the very least, leaned back in his seat and patted his now-full stomach. His father had always maintained that nothing in this world felt better than treating oneself to gaining a full stomach before working on a case. Brynn stood up after stretching, looking at Wulfric and Emilia and smiling. ¡°Thank you for the delicious meal; we definitely needed it.¡± ¡°Consider it our thanks for coming all this way to solve the murders that seem to be plaguing our town,¡± the missus replied as she gave a small smile. Wulfric stood up as Rex followed suit. ¡°Speaking of which, I should take you to the place where I found the body I mentioned. I haven¡¯t moved it since we spoke on the phone yesterday morning.¡± He exited the dining room, turning right into the foyer they''d passed through on the way there before opening the door and holding it open for his guests. After closing the door a moment later he walked straight ahead and abruptly turned to the right, striding towards a wooded area that the town itself seemed to blend into. ¡°There¡¯s been more than one body, as your files probably told you, but for now, I¡¯d like to focus on the one I mentioned. The rest are safely stored elsewhere, and this one can be if you need a different space to work in. I¡¯m sure the town coroner wouldn¡¯t mind sharing her space with you.¡± He looked at Rex. ¡°It is your call, though, Doctor.¡± Rex smiled at the thought of invading someone else¡¯s lab for a bit. He was almost as giddy as when he¡¯d first seen the blood spatters. ¡°Awesome- I mean thank you, Wulfric; I do believe I¡¯ll have to take you up on that offer. By the way that you¡¯re talking, it seems like you¡¯ve got a lot of influence here. I do remember you saying something about you being a sort of leader here in Shadowhelm, though, so that¡¯s probably why.¡± After a bit of walking, they reached what both Rex and Brynn presumed to be the center of the forest, as it opened into a wide clearing. Brynn plugged her nose. ¡°What the hell is that smell?¡± she asked, looking like she was about to gag. Rex smiled. How that made him happy, Brynn would never know. ¡°To put it quite crudely, Brynn, it would seem that our victim, ah¡­ shit himself. That¡¯s a good thing, though, as it gives us a timeframe. I¡¯d say anywhere between 24-72 hours, but when you take into account the time between when Wulfric called us and now, and the amount of decomposition - thankfully not much - and the body temperature of the victim that leads me to deduce that the victim cannot have been dead for more than 36 hours.¡± Wulfric smiled a bit, amazed at the sheer smoothness with which the words flowed out of his mouth. ¡°That is amazing¡­ though I suppose you¡¯ve been doing this for long enough that the signs of exact time of death come as naturally to you as breathing.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Rex just nodded, too focused on the current task to respond. ¡°Rigor mortis has set in by now.¡± He finally looked up and smiled at Wulfric. ¡°Cool, huh? I always found death really fascinating, and that¡¯s why I decided to major in forensics when it came to the medical field.¡± Brynn and Wulfric nodded in agreement, the former still plugging her nose and breathing through her mouth. ¡°L-let¡¯s just put this poor guy on the slab before we worry about anything else, alright Rex?¡± she asked, just wanting to get this over with, to be honest. She hated to admit it, but she preferred her cushy office to this any day. She also didn¡¯t want to hurt Rex¡¯s feelings by saying anything against his profession. He always gave 200% when it came to his job, and she wanted him to know it didn¡¯t go unappreciated. Rex nodded and smirked. He hated being rushed, but oh well. He knew Brynn hated the smell of decomposing humans - decomposition in general, really. The only time she didn¡¯t seem to hate it was when they were watching horror movies because at least then she wasn¡¯t directly exposed to the stench that accompanied flesh being broken down. As they got the victim onto a makeshift stretcher - fashioned out of Brynn and Wulfric¡¯s coats, on Rex¡¯s instruction - Rex¡¯s thoughts flitted back to his mother and what she might have said to Brynn, and what she had said to him. If you don¡¯t come home right this instant, I will come and get you myself. What was he, twelve? He was an adult, who had real problems and she was one of them, both fortunately and unfortunately. They hadn''t exactly had the greatest relationship ever since he started medical school - not that she was opposed to his choice in career, it was something else entirely. But that something was hurtful to even think about- Brynn snapped him out of his daze by speaking. ¡°Rex, are you alright?¡± she queried her friend. ¡°Try not to worry, alright? Try to focus on the situation at hand.¡± She could see the slump in his shoulders and gave him a hug before watching him help Wulfric lift the impromptu stretcher. Rex was thankful that he was miles away from Austin right now. He couldn¡¯t face his mother at the moment and didn¡¯t want to. But he had to remind himself that mulling over her threatening text messages was not the purpose of this trip. They were here to solve murders. Since they didn¡¯t have an ambulance, he had to help Wulfric carry the corpse out of the forest and to the back of his truck, where they covered it with a clean blanket - which Emilia understandably gave them an earful for. Wulfric hopped into the truck with them. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with the coroner when we get there,¡± he said. ¡°She can be a bit¡­ testy when push comes to shove, and it does more than you think.¡± Rex¡¯s eyes felt like they¡¯d enlarged to the size of saucers. ¡°I¡¯d hate to shove a lady out of her space, but as long as she is okay with it, I can use whatever resources you offer.¡± He smiled. He wasn¡¯t really good with women - except maybe Brynn - but would never even think about dismissing a lady from her own space. This wasn¡¯t the 19th century anymore, after all, and Rex was raised to be a gentleman. In no time, they reached the lab where Wulfric¡¯s coroner acquaintance worked. The body was somehow still preserved when they got there. They walked right in, and Brynn nearly gagged due to the stench of death. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t have done so, but honestly, this was¡­ a lot. But then she saw the one she assumed to be the coroner and smiled; Wulfric had, after all, said that the coroner was a woman. Rex, on the other hand, was very impressed - not by the girl, but by the sheer magnitude of the lab. Holy shit, was it huge! Little did he know, he was opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. Brynn reached a hand up to Rex¡¯s jaw and helped him pick it up from the floor. ¡°You look like a deer in headlights, Rex¡­ or rather, Dr. Snow.¡± She let out a single chortle and looked at the other woman in the room, who returned the gesture. Rex chuckled and rubbed his jaw. ¡°Don¡¯tcha mean a fish-out-of-water, Brynn?¡± he asked, walking the body over to the slab with Wulfric¡¯s help. Wulfric smiled and gestured to the young woman. ¡°Doctor, Detective, this is Angelique Greymire. She is the town¡¯s most trusted in matters of corpse examination and care.¡± Angelique, a petite young woman with chestnut brown hair and grey eyes, shook her head with a sigh. ¡°Wulfric, you do not need to give me such high praise. I do what my job demands of me, that is all. I¡¯m the town coroner, that¡¯s all.¡± Rex gave her an understanding look. ¡°We who deal with death get so little credit, so I completely understand, ma¡¯am.¡± He, also being an expert in the medical field relating to death, saw where Angelique was coming from. Truth be told, every time he saw Lieutenant Harding, he internally cringed and cursed the guy out, as the man went out of his way to shit on his profession. At one point, this had resulted in Rex dismissing the detective from his chambers and saying ¡°Come back when you understand how hard I work. And while you¡¯re at it, stop hittin¡¯ on my friend. She¡¯s uncomfortable with it and I quite frankly find it weird as well. But bless your heart for trying.¡± Angelique smiled at Rex. ¡°I am so glad someone understands my situation. Working with the dead can get you weird looks, but I¡¯m sure you know that already.¡± At this, Rex chuckled. ¡°If y''all don¡¯t mind my saying ma¡¯am, you hit the nail on the head,¡± to which they chuckled together. But after a moment, Angelique grew serious, just as Rex had before. Whether that was a thing with those in death-related professions or not, Brynn would never know. ¡°Let¡¯s see who we got and what we¡¯re dealing with here,¡± she said, pulling back the blanket that had been laid on the body to cover it. Rex stepped a bit closer, pointing at the observations he had made earlier. ¡°I noticed that the wounds were the worst here and here,¡± he said, pointing to the chest and lower torso near the waist. As he explained, Angelique nodded. ¡°This is very strange, executed in almost a comic book style,¡± she said. ¡°I hate to say it, but it looks like Wolverine jumped out of a comic book and attacked, though he only has three claws on each hand, and this attack was done by an animal with four.¡± True to Angelique¡¯s description, the marks looked like something with long claws had slashed up the poor victim. Rex looked at Angelique as the woman stared at the body for a moment. ¡°I have to say, I am a bit surprised that a lady such as yourself reads comics, but that ain¡¯t my business. Back to the victim, though. Do you know them?¡± he asked. Angelique nodded. ¡°Yes. This is my friend Elias Jameson; he was a mechanic here in town.¡± She paused for a beat. ¡°I found it odd when he did not return my text messages or calls.¡± Rex looked closer at the bloodied clothing the victim was wearing and could just barely make out an auto repair shop logo with the name ¡®Elias¡¯ stitched on the other side. ¡°That checks out.¡± He then went on to put on a pair of latex gloves and unzip the jumpsuit the victim was wearing. The last thing he wanted was for his DNA to get mixed up with the victims - or even worse, the killer. Brynn covered her nose with a hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go through what we know. As Miss Greymire said, the victim¡¯s name is Elias Jameson. Whatever attacked him was huge, had claws, and an act of vengeance towards humans or a thirst for human blood. And it definitely wasn¡¯t Aunt Sally¡¯s Pomeranian, I can tell you that much.¡± ¡°And we know that because¡­?¡± Rex asked his partner, trying to lead her towards the answer. ¡°Because I can see the wounds clear as day and they ain¡¯t small. They almost look like they were made by a¡­ a human-wolf hybrid...¡± Wulfric looked at Brynn with shock. ¡°I must have misheard you, Detective. Did you just imply that a humanoid wolf made this wound?¡± Brynn looked at the self-proclaimed mayor of the strange town and nodded. ¡°With all due respect, Wulfric, you bet your ass I made that implication.¡± Wulfric smirked back and turned on his heel. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I must go. I have a lot of paperwork to catch up on. Meet me back at the house when you''re done here.¡± With that, he left the morgue. Chapter Five: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story And when you''re gone, who remembers your name? Who keeps your flame? Who tells your story? ~ ¡®Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story?¡¯, Hamilton ¡°That was mighty weird,¡± Rex said as Wulfric dashed out of the morgue. ¡°Any idea what that was about?¡± As he asked this, he looked at Angelique, then Brynn. Angelique shook her head. ¡°I have absolutely no idea. He gets fidgety whenever people speculate about things like this.¡± Brynn put a hand to her chin. ¡°He seemed to be fine while we were talking on the phone while coming down here. In fact, he seemed confident that we could solve the murders.¡± Rex smirked at the observations his partner made. ¡°Easy now, Brynn. There ain¡¯t no reason to make leaps like this. I will admit, though, that the pattern is strange.¡± Brynn just looked at her partner in shock. ¡°What the hell are we doing here then, Rex?¡± Rex just sighed. ¡°Ya make a good point, but think about it; there couldn¡¯t really be anything else going on, could there?¡± Brynn shook her head. ¡°Well, you¡¯re the death expert, Rex. You and Angelique can handle this, right?¡± She made a move towards the door. Angelique stepped closer to Brynn and put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I understand completely, mademoiselle. It is hard to fit in with us who are so used to crouching over the dead day in and day out.¡± She gave a chuckle to try to lighten the mood, to which Brynn joined in. Brynn smiled at Angelique and muttered a thank-you before standing next to Rex, looking at the body. ¡°On second thought, I¡¯ll stay,¡± she said. Rex moved down Elias¡¯ torso and took one of his hands, examining the fingertips, which had turned a light shade of blue. ¡°Well, I think it goes without saying that this ain¡¯t exactly frostbite. When I first looked at the body, I estimated that he was 36 hours postmortem. Lookin¡¯ at it now, I can definitely say we¡¯re out of the woods on even a six-hour estimate.¡± Brynn just shook her head. ¡°Out of the woods; really, Rex?¡± She rolled her eyes in amusement at the comment. Rex smiled the goofy smile he¡¯d given her back at his own morgue. ¡°Well, it¡¯s true, and that is where we found him.¡± Angelique looked at Rex. ¡°In the woods? That¡¯s odd. Elias didn¡¯t really seem like the outdoorsy type.¡± She looked at Elias¡¯ gaunt figure. ¡°Perhaps Wulfric will look for a new mechanic. That¡¯s the type of person he is after all. He likes to get things done.¡± Brynn nodded. ¡°Uh-huh¡­ I could see that with how he dashed out of here so quickly. That was more than a little suspicious if you ask me.¡± She cast her gaze on Elias¡¯ corpse, then up at Rex. ¡°We need to look into this town more closely. I¡¯m getting the feeling that nothing makes sense, and yet some things do as well.¡± Rex nodded, looking up at Angelique from where he was examining the body. ¡°You guys have a library or Hall of Records or something of the like around here?¡± The petite woman nodded. ¡°Yes, the library is by the local diner here. After we finish up here, I can lock poor Elias away in a cabinet and show you. And if you¡¯d like, we can even get something to eat after.¡± She looked at Brynn. ¡°All three of us, of course; I¡¯m not jumping right into asking for a date, especially when we just met each other.¡± Rex chucked. ¡°Oh, no worries, I understand.¡± He then thought for a moment. ¡°I think after what we¡¯ve already gone through - even though we only basically just got here - we could use a bite to eat. We¡¯d better get our unfortunate friend here looked after first, though.¡± Angelique nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s get him locked away before we do anything.¡± With Rex¡¯s help, she got the corpse locked away in a cabinet, writing his name on the accompanying card. She then looked at the pair. ¡°I¡¯m so used to dolling up people who have died naturally but this is just¡­ this is not normal for such a hidden town as this. ¡± She put a hand on her hip. ¡°Oh, Elias¡­ what did you do to get yourself into this mess, my friend?¡± Brynn, who had been uncharacteristically quiet for the past few moments, piped up once again. ¡°Well, obviously he got in a scrap with some oversized mutt or like - we said while Wulfric was here - a human-wolf hybrid. I hate to say it, lest I prove Harding right, but I think a werewolf did this.¡± Angelique raised a brow. ¡°Harding? Who is that?¡± Rex sighed. ¡°A pain in the ass that works with us, to put it simply. You could also refer to him as the king of the Neanderthals and that would still be accurate.¡± Angelique nodded. ¡°Thankfully, I do not know anyone like that, perhaps except for this man named Aries Fitzgerald. He is quite possibly the most irritating man I have ever known. Some days he will come in here and pester me just for the sake of disturbing me during my workday.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Brynn smirked. ¡°Leave it to men like those two to be belligerent assholes at the worst times, right?¡± she asked, laughing. Angelique just smiled and laughed. ¡°Absolutely. You''re lucky to have an amazing friend in this one,¡± she said, pointing to Rex, who just blushed. Brynn smiled and giggled at Rex. ¡°That I am,¡± she agreed. At this point, nothing else needed to be done, so Angelique just locked the cabinet that her unfortunate friend was now in, turning back to the pair. ¡°Now,¡± she said, ¡°shall we go? I do not know about you, but I feel hungry.¡± Rex and Brynn nodded in unison, the latter responding. ¡°I know we just ate lunch not long ago, but it would be nice to get a tour of the town and check out the Hall of Records if possible. Maybe that¡¯ll give us some clues as to what is going on here. I have the feeling that we aren¡¯t being told everything we need to know.¡± Ten minutes later, they¡¯d piled into Rex¡¯s truck and driven to the diner Angelique mentioned. Getting out of the car, they walked into the diner. It gave off a 50s vibe as soon as they walked in the door, which made Rex smile. He wasn¡¯t just a lover of all things macabre, but of things that were vintage as well. Brynn smiled and bumped his shoulder in a playful manner. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve been transported back in time, eh Rex?¡± she asked her friend. Rex nodded as he smiled as well. ¡°Yeah, it kind of does. I love the fifties vibe,¡± he replied, following Angelique to a table. He sat comfortably, Brynn sliding in next to him and Angelique settling in across from them. ¡°Got any recommendations? Either on how to proceed or with food.¡± Angelique chuckled. ¡°I¡¯d start at the Hall of Records. That may offer some answers as to the history of this town if anything. I can keep looking at the body while you do that if you like.¡± She then thought for a moment. ¡°As for food, the omelets are to die for. The chef is French and went to cooking school before coming here.¡± Brynn nodded. ¡°That sounds delicious! Rex can help with the body if that makes things easier. On any normal basis, I would be fine with looking at dead bodies, but this case has me on edge and, to say the least, sickened.¡± Angelique nodded in acknowledgment and closed the menu she had been looking at. Not that she needed to look, as she already knew what she was getting. A moment later, the chef came out from the kitchen to take their order personally. He smiled and took out a pen and notepad. Rex and Brynn closed their menus as he approached the table, both ordering the same food item - omelets, of course, since Angelique had recommended them. The chef, named Emil, smiled as he took down their orders and Angelique¡¯s. ¡°Mon Dieu! I heard we had some visitors from out of town, but I did not expect to meet you so soon! To be honest, I expected you to be run ragged with everything that is going on.¡± Brynn just looked at him, confused. ¡°I understand that there have been several murders, but it seems like there¡¯s more to it than we are being told.¡± Emil nodded and put the menus to one side of his face so as to whisper to them without being heard. ¡°I have this theory that werewolves are behind this. Call me crazy, but nothing else could have made such marks.¡± He looked at the group seated around the table. ¡°Your order will be ready shortly,¡± he said before rushing off to the kitchen. Brynn looked between Rex and Angelique. ¡°Is it just my detective¡¯s instinct, or was that really weird?¡± Rex nodded. ¡°That was really odd. Then again, he¡¯s not the first person to act sketchy as hell.¡± He looked Brynn in the eye. ¡°Wulfric acted really weird earlier, too. It could just be my own instincts telling me something, but I think we need to get ourselves to the Hall of Records as soon as possible.¡± Angelique nodded. ¡°I agree. He has never acted so shifty before. This case coming to light seems to have brought out a whole different side of him.¡± Brynn sighed, shaking her head. ¡°This just gets weirder and weirder. Part of me regrets taking this on but the other part doesn¡¯t somehow.¡± Rex cocked his head, paying close attention to his friend¡¯s body language. He knew when she was uneasy and, this being the peculiar case that it was, her reaction was entirely understandable. ¡°I, for one, am having a great time, but I understand where you¡¯re coming from.¡± Another half-hour passed, and the trio was headed to the Hall of Records at last - after paying the bill, of course. Angelique led her newfound companions towards it, the building looming over them. Rex half-expected a bolt of lightning to crack across the sky. They entered the building and Brynn jumped as the doors slammed closed behind them. ¡°So what are we looking for, to begin with?¡± Brynn asked. Angelique was already looking around, moving books off of shelves, and putting them back in frustration. ¡°We¡¯re looking for information on the town, anything that would help you find out what you need to know. I¡¯ve been here since I was a little girl, and I still sometimes feel as if I don¡¯t know everything.¡±Brynn smiled and nodded in acknowledgment once more. ¡°That¡¯s definitely understandable. I¡¯ve known Rex for something close to ten, maybe fifteen years and I still feel like I don¡¯t know everything about him.¡± Rex chuckled as he, too, began to look for answers. He climbed the nearest ladder and looked at the shelves for even the slightest hint of suspicious activity. ¡°Find anything yet?¡± He called down to the two women searching the various books scattered around the various desks. ¡°In all honesty, not as much as I¡¯d like,¡± Brynn responded. ¡°Let¡¯s keep looking, maybe we¡¯ll find something-¡± She was abruptly cut off by Angelique yelling ¡°Eureka!¡± ¡°Find something useful?¡± Rex asked the coroner. He climbed down the ladder and walked over to Brynn and Angelique. Soon all three were bent over a dusty book, one that looked to be nearly ancient. ¡°This may help us in our search for answers to the secrets this town holds,¡± Angelique spoke while blowing on the book to loosen some dust on the pages and showing Rex and Brynn the date on the spine. ¡°It¡¯s a record book from 1854. I was looking through all the books this town has by year and I found that there is definitely something odd, as we all suspected.¡± She carefully turned the book¡¯s pages. ¡°I thought I was seeing things, but¡­ look!¡± She pointed to a picture on one of the pages. Though covered in a thin layer of dust, the figures in the photo were easily recognized by the trio. ¡°You have got to be kidding me,¡± Brynn said, shocked at what she was seeing. Chapter Six: Past Presence And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made. And the sign flashed out its warning in the words that it was forming, And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls And tenement halls," and whispered in the sounds of silence... ~ The Sound of Silence, Disturbed Angelique stood in shock and awe at what she was seeing. ¡°I cannot believe that Wulfric would keep such a huge secret from us!¡± ¡°Neither can I,¡± Rex said as he looked at the picture. Wulfric¡¯s visage was clearly visible, beyond a shadow of a doubt. ¡°That is definitely Wulfric, no doubt about it. The facial structure and overall attitude in the photo - or even how he¡¯s carrying himself - matches to a tee.¡± Brynn¡¯s face screwed up in thought. ¡°You¡¯re right, Rex, it is, and it does.¡± This was strange. Why would Wulfric be in a photo from 167 years ago? ¡°Perhaps this is something we need to ask Wulfric himself.¡± A determined look painted her features as she made the decision to confront their gracious host. Rex looked at Angelique. ¡°Would you like to come with us? You seem to know more about him than we likely ever will.¡± Angelique nodded. ¡°I can join you briefly, but I really should get back to Elias at some point.¡± She put a bookmark in between the pages they were looking at and tucked it under her arm. ¡°Let¡¯s take this with us; it will make it easier to interrogate him. ¡± Brynn nodded. ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s go,¡± she said as she walked towards the doors once more. She couldn¡¯t wait to confront Wulfric about this. There was absolutely no way he could have lived for that long without arousing suspicion, unless¡­ ¡°This might seem crazy, but¡­ what if Wulfric had an ancestor that he just happens to look like?¡± Brynn queried. Rex nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, this does seem weird. We should definitely ask him about this. Unless I¡¯m very mistaken, there¡¯s no damn way that a person could live for that long and still look the same for the most part.¡± Brynn bobbed her head. ¡°I have to admit, if he is hiding something, he¡¯s doing pretty well.¡± With their evidence in hand, the trio turned on their heels to confront Wulfric, Brynn leading with determination in her eyes and stride. As they reached the door, it opened and a familiar face stepped though. ¡°Wulfric, how interesting that you would be here of all places, especially after dipping out at the morgue. You were acting strangely if I¡¯m being honest,¡± Brynn stated as she crossed her arms. Rex smirked as he crossed his arms in frustration as well. ¡°In my years as Brynn¡¯s partner, there¡¯s been no one actin¡¯ fishier than you did. No one just runs out after finding out that a wolfman potentially caused the wounds we saw on Elias. If there¡¯s something you ain¡¯t tellin¡¯ us, I¡¯d spit it out right now. Keeping secrets will only arouse more suspicion.¡± ¡°Doctor, are you sure about that?¡± Wulfric sighed, raising a brow. ¡°This wolfman theory that you¡¯ve cooked up is quite far-fetched if you ask me.¡± He shrugged. Angelique stepped forward and held up the book they''d been looking at. ¡°Then what is this?¡± she asked as she opened it, revealing the picture of Wulfric. ¡°Why would you hide the fact that you¡¯ve looked the same way since the 1800s?¡± ¡°Well? What¡¯s the answer?¡± Brynn asked, her gaze metaphorically burning into Wulfric as if she had heat-vision. Just as quickly as he had been shocked, Wulfric took on a shrewd demeanor. ¡°You really want to know? Fine, but I want it to be known that I don¡¯t know who or what mangled Elias in that way.¡± He sat down after striding to one of the tables. Brynn sighed, rolling her eyes in annoyance. Was this guy for real? ¡°Obviously we¡¯d like to know. We wouldn¡¯t have agreed to come here otherwise.¡± Rex stepped forward to stand beside Brynn. ¡°If I may say, you acted extremely shifty at the morgue earlier.¡± Wulfric balked as if deflecting his true reaction and replacing it with something else. It was almost as if he was deliberately putting on a mask. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you leave if someone began to accuse you of things you had no hand in?¡± Brynn nodded. ¡°I would, but this is different. Sure, you played the welcoming and gracious host in the wee hours of the night when Rex and I come to your home, but this photo is painting a completely different story if you ask me.¡± ¡°I agree wholeheartedly,¡± Angelique replied. ¡°I have never seen you act this way, Wulfric. Perhaps if you explain what is going on, we can figure out how best to assist both you and the detectives.¡± Wulfric sighed. ¡°Fine. But I¡¯m only doing this to provide an explanation as to why I stand before you, even though I should really be buried six feet deep in the ground.¡± ¡°This should be very interesting,¡± Brynn mused as she looked at Rex in thought. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to hear whatever he has to say.¡± Wulfric sighed. ¡°I hate to admit it, but that book holds¡­ bad memories for yours truly. I had nearly forgotten about it, truth be told.¡± Brynn and Rex¡¯s jaws felt as if they had disconnected from their skulls and dropped to the floor as they stared in awe. ¡°What in the Sam Hill¡­?¡± Rex managed to breathe after gaining some composure. ¡°So let me get this straight. You mean to imply that you were - with absolute certainty - as alive when Millard Fillmore was sworn in as president as you are today? Pardon me for seeming like a dense sonofagun, but the math just don¡¯t add up here, Wulfric. And I pride myself on being very good at math, being a doctor and all.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Wulfric looked at the out-of-towners. ¡°This town is - to put it simply - steeped in the mysteries of fantasy. Though by now, you¡¯ve likely figured out that the town itself is odd. I know my actions recently have left you to wonder about who exactly I am.¡± He went to the table and sat down, steepling his fingers and sighing. ¡°Your wolfman - or more correctly, werewolf - theory is true.¡± Rex gasped. ¡°Well, I¡¯m surprised, to say the least,¡± he said. Brynn just sighed. She seemed to be doing that a lot, be it sleep deprivation, irritation at all of the new details in this case, or something else entirely. Wulfric sighed resignedly and looked deep into the pair¡¯s eyes. ¡°Put your hands on the book. But do keep in mind what I said about it holding bad memories for me.¡± Rex and Brynn nodded in acknowledgment as they complied and laid their hands flat on the book. ~*~ What they saw next was like something neither of them would have ever fathomed. Rex looked around, curious as to where they were. Luckily, there was a ¡®Welcome¡¯ sign nearby. ¡°Well, whaddya know, Brynn? We¡¯re in Harrisburg. Though something seems off.¡± He pointed towards an old-looking car. ¡°That doesn¡¯t look like any car I¡¯ve ever seen with my own two eyes.¡± Brynn shook her head and draped an arm around her friend. ¡°For a smart guy, you sure can be na?ve, Rex,¡± she teased her friend. This elicited a raised brow from the male. ¡°Na?ve? Whaddya mean by that? I mean, I obviously know what the word means, but why would you think-? Ohhhh¡­.¡± As Rex looked around, he finally realized what was going on. ¡°When we get back to the present, I¡¯m giving Wulfric an earful.¡± Brynn sighed. ¡°He sends us back in time and doesn¡¯t even help us blend in,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯m with you on giving him an earful. This is ridiculous.¡± Rex looked around. ¡°We need to blend in. We need to find a tailor. And then we need to find Wulfric, and find out what the hell happened and why he¡¯s being so cryptic when he was so welcoming beforehand.¡± Brynn nodded. ¡°But I swear if I have to wear a fucking corset, we¡¯re gonna have a bigger problem on our hands than a chain of murders.¡± Rex¡¯s face contorted with an expression of worry as he said ¡°Uhhh, don¡¯t be mad Bryn, but, um...¡± Brynn frowned. ¡°What?¡± she snapped. ¡°Rex, you¡¯re my best friend, but when you get fidgety like that it just irritates me when you pause or cut off your sentences like that.¡± Rex shook his head. ¡°Hate to say it, but I have bad news¡­ We¡¯re in the 19th century. If we wanna blend in, you¡¯re gonna have to suck it up and wear one. Just long enough for us to figure out what the hell happened and what Wulfric decided to show rather than tell.¡± Brynn nodded. ¡°Alright, fine, fine. But as soon as we get back to the present, I¡¯m getting out of it ASAP and giving Wulfric a piece of my mind.¡± At the mention of Wulfric, a young man came up to them. ¡°Did you say ¡®Wulfric¡¯? As in, Wulfric Blackthorne?¡± An expression of fear flashed across his features before he squared his shoulders and looked the pair over once with a different expression, one that asked ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯. ¡°You¡¯re not from around here are you?¡± he asked, not waiting for an answer from either of them. ¡°We need to get you into some different clothing. I¡¯m not exactly sure what you are wearing, but that will be our first order of business. After that, I will gladly take you to see Wulfric¡­ or rather, Master Blackthorne.¡± He then began to walk away. Brynn clenched her fists and followed him, jerking her head as to indicate for Rex to follow them. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± she said under her breath as soon as he was in range. Rex just nodded. He didn''t like seeing his best friend upset, but unfortunately, this was the nineteenth century and certain conventions were to be followed, such as women wearing a corset and men being calm and composed at all times, far different from how they seemed to act in the twenty-first century. He strode ahead and whispered ¡°I hate to seem rude, Brynn but please just grin and bear it. And who knows? Maybe we¡¯ll even impress Wulfric with what we - or in your case, what we¡¯ve learned - about Victorian-era America.¡± Brynn nodded. ¡°Alright, but I¡¯m only sucking it up because you¡¯re my friend and we need as much information as possible.¡± This made Rex chuckle as they followed the stranger, eventually catching up with him. ¡°So,¡± he asked, ¡°may I ask who you are? I don¡¯t feel comfortable with my lady friend and me following a seemingly random person if you get my meaning.¡± The young man nodded. ¡°My apologies, good sir, it completely slipped my mind to introduce myself. I am still being taught the ways of a gentleman myself.¡± He held out a hand as he proceeded to introduce himself. ¡°The name is Winston Turner. My family is closely tied with the Blackthorne family, as my sister Emilia is to be wed to Wulfric.¡± Brynn blinked. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that interesting...¡± she mused, walking next to Rex, who flanked Winston¡¯s right side. Rex smiled at Winston. ¡°Since you were so kind as to introduce yourself, allow my lady friend here and I to introduce ourselves.¡± He put a hand to his chest to indicate himself. ¡°My name is Terrance Snow, but you can just call me Rex. I¡¯m a doctor by profession, with expertise in forensics and human biology.¡± Winston nodded. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, sir. And who might your lady friend be?¡± He looked past Rex to Brynn, who was analyzing the scenery. This definitely didn¡¯t look like the Harrisburg she knew. Brynn looked at Winston after he inquired as to who she was. ¡°Brynn Frost; it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Winston.¡± Rexx beamed as Brynn spooky. ¡°Brynn and I share a keen interest in the paranormal. Has anything strange happened recently that you think that we would be interested in?¡± Winston stopped in his tracks as they reached a tailor¡¯s shop. ¡°Well, a strange man came into town recently. I asked around, but no one seemed to know who he was. The way he carried himself was as a king or an emperor would.¡± Brynn nodded. ¡°A creepy man doesn''t sound good. And like Rex said, we like all things creepy or otherwise spooky.¡± Rex observed the interaction between Winston and his partner, opening the door to the shop in front of them. ¡°Are we going in, or are we just going to linger here?¡± Winston snapped out of looking at Brynn. ¡°Of course, right this way,¡± he said as he went in, the pair following. Later on, they came out, Rex and Brynn wearing period-appropriate clothing. Rex strode out of the shop confidently, while Brynn kept fiddling with the corset that was currently making it hard for her to breathe. Winston sighed. ¡°If you fiddle with your corset, Miss Frost, you won¡¯t look very ladylike.¡± Brynn sighed. ¡°Alright. But just so we¡¯re clear, I¡¯m not wearing this for long.¡± ¡°Alright. We both know I can¡¯t change your mind anyway,¡± Rex said as he watched the situation before noticing a familiar face. ¡°Hey, look who it is.¡± He pointed to a side street, causing the other two to look over in the same direction. Brynn tried to run after the familiar face, but her heels prevented her from getting very far before she tripped. Rex was thankfully there to catch her, smiling as he helped her up. The stranger they were following, who proved to be Wulfric in the flesh, looked back briefly, but even at that moment, it was obvious that he had one emotion painted on his face - fear. Brynn looked at him and used Rex as an anchor, slowly advancing on the man before being scooped up by her friend and partner, the doctor running after Wulfric with Winston on their heels. The chase led them to a back alley, where they saw Wulfric backed into a corner by a strange man, the same fearful expression on his face. The next thing they knew, Wulfric was slashed across the face as the man transformed into a gigantic wolf and attacked. They could faintly hear him saying ¡°May the curse of Lykaon forever plague you and your descendants, Blackthorne,¡± before a bright light flashed in their eyes.