Her strength was far greater than before, now that she was recovered from the injury. He would not be able to hold her for long without doing serious damage or letting her harm him. He would, of course, act to protect those in this house, but he didn’t want to kill Charlotte. She had tried to do the right thing. He didn’t want Malcolm to be right.
With an explosion of power, Charlotte pushed Simon away so that he collided with the wall behind him and spun off it, crashing to the floor. She bounded high onto the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves overhead, ripping volumes into the air as she threw herself about like a trapped animal.
Charlotte landed with a thud behind him and the werewolf’s jaws shut just shy of Simon’s back as he twisted aside. He slapped his hands together in front of the beast, shouting out a single odd word. A bright light flashed from his hand like a thunderclap. The creature reared back with its arms over her eyes, howling a dreadful shriek.
Simon darted out of the corner and moved behind her, but the beast anticipated his action and turned with him. Simon was forced to leap back. A hairy arm sliced the air in front of him. He seized her once again and used her own momentum to pull her off balance. With a single spell, the strength in his limbs once again rose and he slammed Charlotte into the wall.
“Simon! Get clear! I’ve got a shot!”
He recognized Malcolm’s voice and knew the man had his weapon trained on the rampaging beast. The moment Simon stepped away, she was done for. He refused to move. Malcolm’s loud curses sounded behind him.
A long, clawed arm lifted. For an instant, Simon stared into Charlotte’s eyes. The molten irises widened, almost as if in recognition. She let out a mournful wail and her claws wavered above him for a split second, then they crashed downward. The wood shattered beneath the blow that landed next to him on the floor.
Charlotte purposely missed!
Simon backed away. The wulfsyl was working, just slowly, or perhaps she needed a stronger dose. Simon could not ponder that matter more as the werewolf stalked after him though he couldn’t be sure if it was to kill him or just instinct. Her lips curled over the long canines in a snarl and Simon realized he might be in trouble. The beast surged forward and Simon tried to twist aside but her shoulder clipped him on his hip and sent him sprawling.
The werewolf swiped as he tried to roll out of her range. Her claws sunk into his long jacket, just missing tender flesh. Furiously, she reached out with her other arm, catching him a glancing blow on the forearm, this time drawing blood.
Simon grunted at the sudden pain as he fell forward. Charlotte loomed over him. He punched Charlotte hard across the jaw. The amber eyes rolled up in her head. For a moment Simon enjoyed his success, but it didn’t last. Charlotte roared in fury, spraying spittle through her bloody teeth. Behind her, he saw Malcolm stepping into place with pistol raised.
“Malcolm don’t!” he shouted.
“Just everyone drop to the floor!” It was Penny and she hefted a silver ball.
Simon covered his head. The round device struck Charlotte square in the chest. The ball exploded in a cloud of silver dust. Charlotte hacked violently, flinging herself away from Simon’s prone figure. Clawed hands slapped wildly at her fur and face in a vain attempt to dislodge the fine silver powder. The werewolf’s whole body shuddered and her muscles abruptly seized as the silver penetrated pores and nostrils. She hunched over, gasping for breath. Then the grey fur faded and long limbs shrunk as she transformed to human. Simon rolled under Charlotte and caught her before she struck the floor. As he cradled her still form, he feared that Penny had used too much silver. But Charlotte suddenly drew in a wheezing breath and coughed violently. Simon held her and gently rubbed her back. Penny knelt with a look of concern.
Simon said, “Well done, Penny.”
The engineer hefted another silver ball in her hand. “Figured a little silver in the lungs would make breathing hard. Glad it didn’t kill the child.”
Malcolm holstered his pistol, glowering at the small, shuddering form surrounded by the unsuspecting.
Chapter 7
Kate walked upstairs. The house had settled again into a quiet hum of subdued activity, but her heart still pounded at how close they had come to disaster. Charlotte was chained safe in her room downstairs, sniffling quietly. Kate would have to meet with the farmer, Mr. Romley, to ensure that all was well and that his son would remain quiet over the events.
But more important was Imogen.
Kate’s stomach churned at the thought that all the progress her sister had made was now undone. Imogen had been so relaxed just moments before the Romley boy had come upon her. She had been enjoying simple pleasures like the sunshine and playing with friends. How quickly those joyous highs had been replaced by frightening lows.