"Hey pup," Demarco greeted Freddie cheerfully. "Why do you smell like pine cleaner?"
"Etta did it," Freddie accused.
"It an herbal cleaner, it's harmless and it makes him hard to track by scent," Etta insisted.
"Well, then it works," Demarco said, wrinkling her nose.
"Come on, Freddie," Etta said, picking the boy up.
"You good now?" Freddie asked, looking suspiciously at Demarco.
"Yes, she is," Etta reassured him. "I broke the spell and she's good now."
"Told you. Kissing break spells," Freddie said confidently.
"Ok," Etta chuckled.
"So, now what?" Demarco asked. "You seem like you have a plan..."
"Yeah," Etta said. "Like I said, we can't do this alone. We need help. Faust will have shut down anyone and anything in Moonwood Mill that he considers a threat. That which means we need to get out of town and find help. I have some ideas... People who can help us. They don't like me, but I know they'll help just that same."
"OK, get out of town. Find help," Demarco nodded. "A couple of things... How do we do that? Also, if we're leaving town, I need pants."
"I grabbed the spare keys to the Moonrunner's van on the way out," Etta said, "and I have pants in my go-bag."
"Your what?"
"Go-bag," Etta repeated. "My escape kit. I've got a change of clothes, a couple of IDs, some cash, water bottles and granola bars, that sort of thing. It's all stashed in the rafters above the lady's bathroom on Prowler's Patch."
"How long have you been planning this?!" Demarco said, shocked.
"Two and a half years," Etta said calmly. "It's tradecraft 101... always have an exit strategy. I didn't know this was going to happen, but I knew I might need to make a quick getaway, for one reason or another. So, I made sure I was ready."
"Tradecraft? Who are you? James Bond?" Demarco chuckled.
"Father trained me as his agent in a covert war and, if I do say so myself, he trained me well," Etta smiled grimly. "Now he pays the price."
"Wait, do you smell that?" Demarco said suddenly.
"Ki'l," Freddie said seriously.
"Kiril," Demarco nodded in agreement.
"Don't," Etta said. "Whatever you're thinking, please don't."
"We're pack-mates," Demarco insisted. "I might be able to reach him. I have to try."
"Go," Etta groaned. "Meet me on Prowler's Patch, but if I get caught again, I will kick your... butt."
"Said 'butt,'" Freddie giggled.
-----------
He had obviously just shifted. His body was covered in healing scratches and cuts, much like the ones Demarco could feel on her own body. She tried hard not to think about what it meant, about who she'd hurt while Faust had controlled her.
"Kiril," she called to him. "Kiril, listen to me. This isn't you. You're being controlled."
"Kiril, you're being controlled," he mocked her. "No, Demarco... I am not. You are being controlled... Rory and Lou are being controlled... maybe my Bianca, too... but not me. I am doing this because I want to. No more Rory's rules. Just strength. Just power."
"You did this," Demarco said softly. "The concerts..."
"Very clever, no," Kiril gave her a feral smile. "But you, naughty girl, slip leash. Is OK. Is more fun this way."
"You son of a bitch," Demarco snarled, throwing Etta's shirt aside.
Kiril growled back, answering her challenge, shifting as he stood.
She felt her wolf responding and let it fill her.
He snarled, drooling and eager to fight.
They hurled at each other, jaws snapping, claws tearing.
Kiril was big and surprisingly strong. Demarco was lean, quick and tough. She snarled through the pain of his claws and sank her teeth into him.
He was arrogant with the greater power of his wolf, but she had trained, working out daily and sparring regularly with Rory.
In the end, it was no contest.
She howled in victory as he fled.
"OK, I always knew he was a jerk but I didn't think he'd..." Demarco told Etta.
"Betray you?" Etta said sadly. "Sorry, but he was the type. Takes one to know one, I guess."
"Hey, don't talk about my best friend like that," Demarco said firmly. "Now, about those pants..."
