Undead and Unwelcome

Chapter 38

Call an ambulance!” I screamed as a ring of adults surrounded the boy. “He’s—what the hell?”

He was growling. At least three adults went reeling backward, and I saw a blurred face, lots of white teeth, a snarl of fur.

And the sounds, dear God, the sounds! It was the noise you’d hear coming from a slaughterhouse. Or if a cat was tossed into a pack of wild dogs. It was chilling; it was terrifying.

Suddenly Jeannie was there, hauling Jessica and me back by our elbows. “You need to go,” she said firmly. “Now.” She was practically carrying us; our heels were dragging across the floor. “Right now!”

“What—what’s going on?” Jessica asked, trying to stare at the kid and extricate herself from Jeannie’s grip while keeping her balance.

“He’s only eleven. This is his first change. You need to leave right now. He won’t be able to—”

More adults fell back. One of them spun right into Jessica, and she—oh my God, she—

She dropped my brother. Right in the path of a brand-​new werewolf.

The crazed adolescent (was there any other kind?) charged at my brother and bit him. I screamed, high and shrill . . .

(Elizabeth? What’s wrong?)

... and cried out for my brother, now surely dead at the hands of—

He was laughing.

BabyJon was laughing.

The new werewolf took off with his tail between his legs with at least three adults in pursuit, and suddenly the marble floor rushed up at me and hit me in the face.