Marcus Pelegrimas - Howling Legion

Kayla continued to watch the prone shape.

“What the Full Blood said,” Max pressed. “About humans beings turned into Half Breeds, while we can become like them. Stronger. Immortal. Do you think it’s true?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Kayla replied. “We can ask this one when he wakes up.”

Max stretched his neck toward the prone figure and slunk forward until he could see Liam’s partially changed form. The chunks of fur that still sprouted from his chest were graying and crusted with blood. An ugly puncture wound marred his ribs, and the right side of his face was all but obliterated. “It was my idea to take him. I want to be the one to—”

Snapping her head to stare directly into Max’s eyes, Kayla hissed, “You’ll be the one to take him somewhere he can’t do any more damage. Dig down as far as you can go, make a chamber and plant him there. If there was truth in his words, we’ll find it before the Full Blood regains his strength. If not, we drink the marrow in his bones and bury the remaining pieces in a hundred different holes across ten different states.” She slowly turned to study Liam’s twitching body some more. “Now take this murderer away from our city. If you are to have a place at the front of our tunnels, you’ll find a spot that Ben cannot reach.”

Although he seemed reluctant at first, Max opened his beak and twisted it into the closest semblance of a smile he could manage. “I know just the place.”

Belated thanks to my editor, Peter, for taking a chance and seeing it through. Finally, my thanks to everyone at Nevermore Paranormal for answering my questions, telling me real ghost stories and proudly representing MEG Branch 18.