Jekyll & Hyde Inc.

Chapter Eight

WHERE THE WILD

THINGS ARE

When Daniel and Tina entered the Jekyll & Hyde Inc. building a few days later, they didn’t even get as far as the secretary’s office. A message board had been planted in the center of the lobby, with a handwritten message instructing them to go down to the cellar.

“Well,” said Tina. “That isn’t at all foreboding.”

“I am getting really tired of being led around by the nose, just so he can give me a grand tour of his building,” said Daniel. “This had better not be tiger-related.”

“Oh I don’t know,” said Tina. “I am feeling a bit peckish.”

Daniel sniffed. “I didn’t know this building even had a cellar.”

“There are stairs at the back of the lobby.”

“And what’s in this cellar?”

“Beats me,” said Tina. “It’s always been Edward’s private domain.”

“More so than his playroom?”

“Definitely. I don’t know anyone who’s ever been allowed in the cellar before this.”

“Then how do you know how to get there?”

Tina smiled. “People tell me things.”

“Whether they want to or not?”

“Pretty much.”

Tina led the way to the back of the lobby, and a concealed door that opened onto bare stone steps falling away under a series of softly glowing lights. Tina started down the steps, and then stopped when she realized Daniel wasn’t following her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I really don’t like cellars these days.”

“You’re going to have to put that behind you one day,” said Tina. “Why not now?”

“Because it’s still too recent,” said Daniel, not moving.

“But that was months ago,” said Tina.

“No,” said Daniel. “That was yesterday.”

“You’re a Hyde. Nothing can hurt you anymore.”

“There are all kinds of hurt. And I have to wonder whether Edward knew what effect meeting in a cellar would have on me . . . ”

“You think he’s messing with your head? Why would he want to do that?”

“You tell me. You know him better.”

“I don’t think anyone really knows Edward Hyde,” said Tina. “He keeps everyone at a distance—and most people prefer it that way. What reason could he have to mess with you? You’re his new golden boy, his very own killer of monsters.”

“Perhaps I’ve been too successful,” said Daniel. “And now he sees me as a threat to his position as head of Jekyll & Hyde Inc.”

Tina smiled. “It’s about time somebody was. Come on, Daniel, don’t let him get to you. You’re the one who finished off the monster Clans when he couldn’t.”

Daniel moved slowly down the steps to stand beside her. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I know that. I was just being supportive. This is probably only about reminding you who’s boss.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” said Daniel.

“Want me to hold your hand?”

“Maybe later.”

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they found a door standing slightly ajar, as though inviting them in. Daniel kicked the door open and barged straight in, with Tina at his side.

The cellar was filled from wall to wall with a perfect recreation of a Victorian laboratory. Gas lighting shed a cheerful glow over the very best scientific equipment from the period: test tubes and retorts, jars full of herbs and acids and strange compounds, Bunsen burners with dancing flames, and any number of things that were rarely seen outside a museum. Dark liquids pulsed through long glass tubes and distilled off into waiting beakers, while brightly colored chemicals bubbled ominously in the background. There was a definite sense of purpose to it all, even if Daniel didn’t have a clue as to what that might be.

Standing before it all, smiling unpleasantly at Daniel and Tina like the lord of his chemical domain, was Edward Hyde.

“Welcome to Dr. Jekyll’s laboratory, where he first created his famous potion. I came down early to set everything in motion for you, just so you could appreciate it.”

“Why are we meeting here?” Tina said bluntly.

“Because I told you to,” said Edward.

“There will come a time when that’s not enough,” said Tina.

“But until then,” said Edward, still smiling his unsettling smile, “you’ll do as you’re told—won’t you, Tina?”

Daniel was quietly relieved to discover that the cellar was so different from the Frankenstein chop shop, that it was having no effect on him at all. He made a point of studying everything with cheerful interest, and Edward made a point of not noticing.

“Everything you see came from the original lab,” he said fondly. “I had it all transferred here when I first moved in.”

“How were you able to keep something like that secret?” said Daniel.

“Did you have everyone involved in the move killed?” said Tina. “The way the old pharaohs used to kill off all their slaves, to keep their final resting place a secret?”

“You spent too much time talking to those mummies, when you should have been killing them,” said Edward.

“Lighten up,” said Tina. “Anyone would think you were worried they might have told us something you didn’t want us to know.”

“So young, to be so paranoid,” Edward said sadly.

“I notice you haven’t answered Tina’s question about the movers,” said Daniel. “Did you have them killed, to protect your secret?”

Edward smiled easily. “No need. I just gave them a nice bonus, and had them all sign an NDA. Oh, and I had Montague use a bit of magic to wipe their short-term memories. Because not even monsters are monsters all the time. You should be grateful I’m letting you see my little den. The only quiet place I can retire to, to escape the pressures of the modern world. There’s no Wi-Fi down here, no phones, and no one to bother me.”

Daniel remembered the mummies, surrounding themselves with ancient Egyptian artifacts so they could feel at home.

“I thought the police destroyed Dr. Jekyll’s laboratory,” he said. Just to show an interest.

“What they found was just a decoy,” said Edward. “I knew I’d have to leave them something or they’d never stop looking.”

“Why are we here?” said Tina.

“I wanted you to see where I came from,” said Edward. “Where all Hydes come from. Everyone should cherish their roots.”

Something about Edward’s carefully chosen words made Daniel suspicious. Edward was telling him something important, and he was missing it. Edward’s smile widened as he gestured grandly about him.

“This is where I was born—not in blood and suffering, but in chemicals and transformation. One man’s dream, given shape and form.”

“Is this where you brew new batches of the Elixir?” said Tina.

Edward seemed thrown for a moment, as though he hadn’t been expecting that question, but he recovered quickly.

“My real lab is far more advanced. It amazes me Jekyll was able to achieve anything in a primitive setting like this.”

“Then what are we supposed to be celebrating?” said Daniel.

“That Jekyll could do so much, with so little,” said Edward. “He may not have had a lot to work with, but he did have an incredible mind.”

He stood there for a long moment, looking out over the equipment and back into the past.

“Why are we here?” Tina said loudly.

“Because I wanted you to see how far I’ve come,” said Edward.

“From where you were made into a monster?” said Daniel.

Edward smiled crookedly. “I wasn’t ‘made’ anything. This is what I always was, on the inside. Buried in the depths of a small man’s mind. The potion just let me out. Like the two of you: a minor police officer and a degenerate party girl . . . But I saw greatness in you, and unleashed it on the world.”

“You made me strong,” said Daniel. “But I have done questionable things with that strength.”

Edward looked at Tina. “Is that how you feel?”

She met his gaze steadily. “Sometimes.”

“You never used to feel that way,” said Edward. “I think Daniel is a bad influence on you. O my children . . . small emotions are for small people. I freed you from your cages so you could lead bigger lives. Don’t let your future be undermined by your past. I made you strong so you could glory in it!”

“Tell us what we’re doing here or we’re leaving,” said Daniel.

“We’re here to celebrate!” said Edward. “The three main monster Clans have been destroyed, their few surviving members scattered and broken, no threat to anyone. We can always hunt them down later, for the sport of it.”

“Crime isn’t going to go away,” said Daniel, “just because the monsters are dead and gone. Someone will always step forward to take over.”

Edward shrugged impatiently. “But they won’t have the strength or the imagination to do what the monster Clans did. I’m surprised you’re not more pleased, policeman. This is what you wanted, isn’t it? Revenge on those who hurt you and your friends, and a world free from monsters.”

Daniel couldn’t help feeling that Edward was only saying what he thought Daniel wanted to hear. To keep him from thinking about something else.

“I can’t believe it’s all over,” he said finally.

Edward turned to Tina. “Are you about to tell me you’re not satisfied either?”

She shrugged quickly. “I’m sure you’ll find something else for me to fight.”

“Exactly! It’s what you live for; I know that. There is one surviving clan . . . the werewolves.”

Daniel frowned. “I thought you said they weren’t a real clan? That the wolves were just muscle, to keep everyone in line.”

“Perhaps I should have used the word pack, instead,” said Edward. “At heart the wolves are just animals, driven by needs and instincts. Which made it easy for the greater monsters to put them to work. The other Clans never accepted the werewolves as equals, because they were human part of the time.”

“The Frankensteins were human,” said Daniel.

“Not after everything they’d done to themselves,” said Edward.

“Is that why the Clans never accepted you?” said Tina. “Because you were Jekyll as well as Hyde?”

Edward glared at her coldly. “I haven’t been merely human in a long time. What matters is that now the monster Clans are gone, the werewolves are free.” He smiled suddenly. “What do you suppose they’ll do, now the other Clans aren’t here to hold them back? Can’t you just see them, in their fur . . . running through city streets at night and howling at the moon? Hunting down men, women, and children and tearing them to pieces, and feasting on the remains . . . because wolves have always preyed on people.”

“And reveal their existence to the modern world, after all these years?” said Daniel. “I mean, we’ve all seen the movies. These days everyone knows about silver bullets.”

“But would people believe?” said Edward. “How many would have to die, or be bitten and changed, before the authorities could bring themselves to do what was necessary? To put aside arrests and trials in favor of a silver bullet through the head? It’s been a long time since Humanity knew for a fact that monsters were real. People have got soft. The wolves will take advantage of that, now they’re free. We need to stop them while we still can.”

“You don’t have to convince me,” said Tina. “Just point me at them.”

Daniel nodded in agreement, glad to be back on familiar ground again.

“It’s really just a mopping-up operation,” said Edward. “To make sure the wolves don’t move into the gap left by the other monsters.”

“But the werewolves have dropped out of sight,” said Daniel.

“You said there was an internal power struggle going on,” said Tina.

“All down to me, I’m afraid,” said Edward. “When the wolves learned I was finally ready to destroy the monster Clans, they started to get ideas above their station. They removed themselves from the battleground so they could emerge when the danger was over and all their rivals were gone.”

“But you only launched your attack a few days ago,” said Tina. “And the wolves have been missing in action for weeks.”

“I’m not the only one with inside men,” said Edward. “All the Clans knew I was planning something—but only the wolves believed I could do it.”

“What made them so sure?” said Daniel.

“Because I’ve had dealings with them. They know what I’m capable of.”

“What kind of dealings?” said Tina.

Edward grinned. “The profitable kind. Right now there’s an argument going on among the leaders of the pack, the alpha wolves. Over what the clan should do, now there’s no one left to stop them. You can’t blame them for getting a bit excited; the other Clans kept them on a very short leash. And wolves have always been very good at scenting which way the wind is blowing.”

“What about the ghouls?” said Daniel.

Edward stared at him. “What?”

“They’re a clan too . . . aren’t they?”

“Well yes, but they’re just creatures with appetites.” Edward glowered at Daniel, irritated at being driven off message. “They’re no threat. They’ll work for anyone who’ll hide them from the public gaze. The wolves are the real danger, and my people have discovered where the alpha males will be meeting tonight.”

“They’re going ahead with a gathering?” said Daniel. “After everything that’s happened?”

“Nothing so organized,” said Edward. “The alphas are meeting to fight it out for control of the pack. Whichever one comes out on top, the rest of the pack will follow unquestioningly.”

“How many alphas are we talking about?” said Tina.

“Maybe twenty,” said Edward. “Nothing you can’t handle.”

“Where do we look for them?” said Daniel.

“Elstree Park,” said Edward. “The nearest thing to a wild place left in London.”

“What about witnesses?” said Daniel. “There are bound to be some, no matter how late it is. People go to a park for all kinds of reasons.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” said Edward. “People’s instincts will be enough to keep them out of the park tonight.”

“How are we supposed to kill the alpha males?” said Tina. “Load up with silver bullets and shoot anything that goes furry in the moonlight?”

“Pretty much,” said Edward. “Except . . . you can’t simply open fire the moment you see them. When threatened, the wolves attack as a pack. You might pick off a few, but the rest would be sure to bring you down. You need to stand back and let the alpha wolves fight each other to the death, and then move in to finish off the survivors. Without leaders, the pack will turn on each other. It’ll be a bloodbath, and by the time they’re done there won’t be enough of them left to pose a real threat. We can put on our hunting pink, and chase them through the streets at night.” Edward laughed softly. “Perhaps I’ll make a killing, supplying wolf skins to the fur trade.”

And then they all looked round as Miss Montague entered quietly through the open door. The nice little old lady in charge of the armory smiled sweetly as she moved forward to join them, carrying a heavy leather case. Edward laughed softly, his eyes sparkling with malice.

“Come in, my dear Esme! It’s not often you grace me with your presence.”

“There’s a reason for that,” said Miss Montague. “But now the war against the monsters is finally reaching its conclusion, I thought I’d bring your people the appropriate weapons in person. Because there are things they need to know.”

She gave Edward a look that Daniel didn’t understand at all. Edward stared calmly back at her.

“It’s been a long time,” said Miss Montague.

“You were the one who walked away,” said Edward.

“I’m still embarrassed at how long it took me to realize you were never going to care about me,” said Miss Montague.

He grinned at her. “Did you care, as long as we ended up in bed?”

The little old lady smiled briefly. “It’s always the bad boy who makes the good girl’s heart beat that little bit faster.”

“You saw yourself as a good girl?” said Edward. “After all the missions we worked together? And all the things you did for me?”

“I was good compared to you,” said Miss Montague. “And in the end, I walked away to save my soul.”

Edward shrugged. “But you still stuck around, making yourself useful. I like that in a woman.”

“You haven’t changed a bit,” said Miss Montague.

“You have,” said Edward. “You got old. It’s your own fault. I did offer you the Elixir.”

“I never wanted it,” said Miss Montague. “I saw what it did to people. They stopped being those people, and turned into Hydes.”

Edward turned abruptly to face Daniel and Tina, who didn’t even try to conceal how much they were enjoying the situation. Edward smiled sardonically.

“You’ll have to give me a moment. It seems Esme and I have some old history to deal with, before we can move on.”

“Of course,” Daniel said lightly. “Take all the time you need. I’m sure Tina and I can find something to keep us occupied, while you and Miss Montague admire the scenery down memory lane.”

He would have said more, but Edward’s gaze was getting colder by the moment, and Daniel decided this would be a good time to put some space between him and Edward. He set off for the far side of the lab, and after one last searching look at Edward and Miss Montague, Tina went after him. They pretended to take an interest in some particularly complex glass tubing, while keeping their hearing focused on Edward Hyde and Miss Montague. Distance was no object to Hyde senses. Daniel was pretty sure Edward knew that; he was just making a point about privacy.

Daniel frowned a little as he thought about that. Edward couldn’t be protecting Miss Montague’s feelings, because he didn’t care about things like that. And it couldn’t be guilt about their past relationship, because he wouldn’t give a damn about that either . . . unless there was some old scandal that Edward didn’t want to acknowledge. Daniel and Tina looked at each other, smiled briefly, and then strained their hearing to pick up every word Edward and Miss Montague said.

“You know I never loved you,” Edward said bluntly. “And I never promised you anything.”

“Of course I knew,” said Miss Montague. “You told me often enough. But I loved you. I’d never felt anything like the way you made me feel. A heat in my heart, so great it still warms me after all these years.”

“Please don’t tell me you came all the way down here in the hope of rekindling an old passion,” said Edward. He smiled slowly, his eyes sparkling with simple malice. “I don’t do nostalgia. And even if I did, I don’t think there’s enough fire in your scrawny little body to survive it.”

“You always have to be so cruel,” said Miss Montague. “I think that’s one of the things I liked most about you.”

Edward’s smile widened. “I remember.”

Miss Montague didn’t smile back at him.

Edward shrugged, and his smile disappeared as though he’d lost interest.

“Why are you here, Esme, taking up my valuable time?”

Miss Montague turned her head suddenly, to look at Daniel and Tina. Caught off guard, Daniel felt like he should at least pretend to avert his gaze, but he didn’t. Something important was happening here, he could feel it. Miss Montague turned her head back to Edward.

“I heard about your protégé, Tina. How you trained her personally to kill monsters. I thought at first she was just another of your dalliances, because after all, there’s been so many of them . . . but instead you kept her as a resource, waiting for just the right moment. And now the monster Clans are finally falling, because of her and this new Hyde: Daniel.”

“Get to the point, Esme.”

“When they finally came to see me in my armory, I got a chance to see them in action. And now I know what you saw in them. They’re not quite like you and me, but they do remind me of what I hoped we’d become: partners in the dance, us against the world; doing great things, just because we could.”

“But you wouldn’t take the Elixir,” said Edward.

“I want Daniel and Tina to stand a fair chance against the werewolves,” said Miss Montague.

“They’re Hydes,” said Edward. “They can take care of themselves.”

“They’ll stand a better chance with what I’ve brought them.”

Edward’s eyes narrowed. “I do hope you haven’t exceeded your authority, Esme. I’d hate to have to discipline you.”

She smiled briefly. “As I recall, you used to enjoy it. And, of course, so did I. Our relationship was so deliciously uncomplicated. But I have followed your conditions to the letter. Everything you asked for, no more, and no less. I just want to make sure that Daniel and Tina understand what they’re getting into.”

“Getting bored now,” said Edward. “Don’t interfere, Esme. This is none of your business.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Edward,” Miss Montague said brightly. “But I won’t let you throw these nice young people to the wolves.”

Edward looked at her. “I could throw you out.”

“Of course you could,” said Miss Montague. “But then you’d have to explain why to Daniel and Tina. Make them suspicious enough, and they might decide not to follow your orders this time.”

Edward laughed suddenly, a surprisingly good-natured sound. “You always wanted to be my conscience. I knew there was a good reason why I let you walk away.”

Miss Montague studied him carefully, with her bird-bright eyes. “All these years, and you’ve barely changed at all. Except that now it’s easier to see the monster in you.”

“I never kept anything from you,” said Edward.

“Perhaps I didn’t want to see it, then.”

“I never lied to you.”

“No,” said Miss Montague. “I lied to myself—about who and what you really were. So I could have what I wanted from you.”

Edward nodded slowly, considering the matter. “Was it worth it?”

“I never felt the same about anyone else,” Miss Montague said steadily. “You were my one great passion, and my greatest mistake. But I got what I wanted, for a while. And that’s all that matters.”

She turned away from him, to smile brightly at Daniel and Tina. “You can come back now, dears, and see the lovely toys I’ve brought for you.”

They moved quickly out from behind the glass tubing, and hurried over to see what Miss Montague had in her leather case. She worked the combination lock carefully with her arthritic fingers, and raised the lid. Daniel and Tina stared respectfully at the contents.

“Those are Peacemakers,” said Daniel, sounding almost reverent. “Long-barreled revolvers from the Old West. Wyatt Earp used them in Tombstone. He said if you ran out of bullets, you could always hit people over the head with the barrel.”

“The length of the barrel also helps with range and accuracy,” said Miss Montague.

“Are those really silver bullets?” said Tina. “I thought they’d be shinier. Where did you get them from—the Lone Ranger Museum?”

“I never did understand why silver bullets were so important to him,” said Daniel.

“Maybe the Old West was secretly overrun with outlaw werewolves,” said Tina. And then she stopped and looked at Miss Montague. “Why are there only six bullets for each gun?”

“Because they’re really expensive,” said Edward.

“And not at all easy to manufacture,” said Miss Montague. “The calculations on the ballistics alone are enough to drive anyone crazy. Still, not to worry, dears. After you’ve used up all your silver bullets, you still have your silver knives.”

Daniel and Tina reached into the case and took out two hand-tooled doe-skin scabbards. When drawn, the silver knives turned out to be large and blocky, with a serrated edge. More like butcher’s tools than weapons. The blades flashed brightly in the gaslight as Daniel and Tina turned them back and forth, getting a feel for the balance.

“You’d have to get in really close, to stab a werewolf with one of these,” Daniel said dubiously.

“Fun!” said Tina. She elbowed him in the ribs, and flashed him a grin that had a lot of wolf in it.

Daniel looked at her, and then at Edward. “What happens if a Hyde gets bitten by a werewolf? Would the Elixir provide any immunity to the werewolf curse?”

“I have no idea,” said Edward. “It might turn you into something never seen before—and even more dangerous.”

“Cool!” said Tina.

“What are we supposed to do if we do get bitten?” said Daniel.

“Get back here as quick as you can, so I can watch!” said Edward.

Tina looked at Daniel. “Being a wolf does have its appeal. Haven’t you ever dreamed of running wild in the night?”

“You’d have to take orders from an alpha male,” said Daniel.

“Forget I said anything.”

They sheathed the silver knives and holstered the heavy pistols, and then settled the weapons as comfortably as possible about their persons. The silver bullets went into their pockets. Edward rubbed his hands together briskly.

“Find something to keep you busy till tonight, and then it’s off to Elstree Park with you.”

“What time?” said Daniel.

“When the moon is out, they’ll be there,” said Edward.

“Don’t we get a mission file?” said Tina.

“Find them and kill them,” said Edward. “What more do you need? Once the alpha wolves are dead, that will be it for the Clans. No more monsters.”

“Apart from us,” said Daniel.

Edward smiled broadly, and Daniel knew he’d really missed something.

Daniel and Tina left Miss Montague with Edward. Daniel frowned thoughtfully as they headed back up the steps.

“Did you see the way those two were looking at each other? What do you suppose they’re talking about?”

“I don’t think I want to know,” said Tina.

“It’s hard to think of a sweet old thing like her having a fling with the likes of Edward Hyde.”

“We tend to forget just how old Edward really is,” said Tina. “Though it does help to explain how a little old lady ends up running an armory full of staggeringly unpleasant weapons and devices.”

“Edward is a bad influence,” said Daniel.

“We should know,” said Tina.

When they left the building it was barely afternoon, and a long way from night. Daniel watched as people passed by, with no idea of all the terrible things they shared the world with, and couldn’t help seeing them as sheep that didn’t have enough sense to look out for wolves.

“We’ve got hours yet,” said Tina. “Want to go back to my place and help me break what’s left of the bedroom furniture? Or, I know this halfway decent bar not far from here . . . ”

“I’d prefer something a little more restful,” said Daniel. “We’re going to need all our strength tonight.”

Tina shrugged. “There’s a nice little tearoom, just round the corner . . . ”

Daniel looked at her. “Really?”

“I am large, and contain multitudes,” Tina said calmly. “Even if most of them aren’t talking to each other.”

And that was when a familiar voice called Daniel by name, from the depths of a side alley. Daniel and Tina stared into the gloom beyond the alley mouth, but even their Hyde eyes couldn’t make out anything. Daniel started forward, and Tina grabbed him by the arm.

“Not a good idea. We’ve made a lot of enemies in the past few days, and not all the monsters are dead.”

“I thought Hydes weren’t afraid of anything?” said Daniel.

“I’m just being cautious. If someone’s ready to invite a Hyde into a back alley, they must have a good reason. If it looks like a trap and smells like a trap, the odds are someone’s found a weapon they think can really mess up a Hyde’s day.”

“Whoever that is, they know my name,” said Daniel. “You can stay out here, if you want.”

“And miss out on a chance to say I told you so?”

They entered the narrow alley side by side. Daniel’s eyes quickly adapted to the gloom, showing him grimy brickwork and all kinds of rubbish on the ground. An unpleasant smell hung heavily on the air, and Daniel’s hackles stirred. There was something in that smell . . . something rank and foul. Light reflecting off a third-story window dropped down into the alley like a spotlight, and when Daniel and Tina were close enough a single figure stepped forward to take center stage. Daniel’s heart lurched in his chest, and he slammed to a halt as he recognized his old friend Nigel Rutherford.

Tina looked quickly back and forth between the two of them. Shock closed Daniel’s throat, preventing him from saying anything. It had been bad enough when Paul turned up at his flat, having survived a broken back by being made into a vampire, but Daniel had seen the young Frankenstein woman crush Nigel’s heart with a single blow. It couldn’t be him . . . but Daniel wanted so badly for at least one of his friends to have survived what happened in that cellar.

Nigel’s air of aristocratic grace was gone. He seemed to crouch as much as stand, as though just waiting to launch himself at some unseen enemy. Instead of his usual elegant suit he wore a black leather motorcycle jacket over distressed jeans and heavy boots. His once immaculate hair had grown out long and shaggy, and his features seemed leaner and sharper. He smiled easily at Daniel, but his cool, steady gaze had nothing of friendship in it.

“Hello, Daniel,” said Nigel. “Miss me?”

“What happened to you?” said Daniel. His voice sounded harsh, even to him. “I saw you die!”

“And now I’m back,” said Nigel. “I thought you’d be pleased.”

“Daniel!” Tina said sharply. “Who is he?”

“This is my old friend Nigel,” Daniel said steadily. “We started out in the police together. He was with me in the Frankenstein chop shop when it all went to hell. This new look really isn’t you, Nigel. Did you join the Hell’s Angels?”

“No,” said Nigel. “Something worse.”

“I was so sure you died,” said Daniel.

“Not the first time a girl broke my heart,” said Nigel. “I got over it.”

“She’s dead now,” said Daniel. “I killed her at the Frankenstein gathering.”

“I suppose I should express my gratitude,” said Nigel.

“I didn’t do it for you,” said Daniel. “I did it because it was necessary.”

“You always were a Boy Scout,” said Nigel. “I would have tracked her down myself, but I’ve been busy.”

There was something off about the way Nigel was speaking. As though he was only saying the things he thought Daniel expected him to say, so he could get them out of the way and move on to something more important.

“How did you survive?” said Daniel.

“Are you really so surprised?” said Nigel. “Paul beat the odds as well . . . until he sought you out. He really should have known better.”

“You know what happened to Paul?” said Daniel.

“Word gets around,” said Nigel. “We need to talk.”

“Fine,” said Daniel. “There’s a bar not far from here . . . ”

“No,” said Nigel. “I don’t do that anymore.”

Daniel looked at him sharply. The old friend he remembered would never have turned down the chance for a drink. Nigel spent half his life in bars, boring people rigid with his family’s extensive knowledge of fine wines.

“You’ve changed,” said Daniel.

“You have no idea,” said Nigel. “They made Paul into a vampire—but they made me into a werewolf.”

Daniel remembered Paul talking about Nigel, saying He’s with someone else now. We don’t talk. Nigel took Daniel’s silence for disbelief, and held his left hand up before him. Thick gray fur swept over the hand as vicious claws appeared. There was no sense of pain or struggle; it was more like one image being replaced by another. As the human gave way to the wolf. Nigel clawed slowly at the air between them, reminding Daniel of what he could do, if he chose.

Tina stirred dangerously at Daniel’s side, and he dropped a hand onto her arm to hold her in place. Nigel glanced at Tina and his mouth twitched in something that might have been a smile, before dismissing her contemptuously and turning back to Daniel. And that disturbed Daniel more than anything, because the Nigel he remembered had always been a gentleman of the old school.

“You were right, Nigel,” said Daniel. “We do need to talk.”

“And we have so much to talk about,” said Nigel. “Something’s going on but you don’t know what it is, do you, Daniel?”

His hand was suddenly normal again, and he let it drop back to his side. As though he’d just shown Daniel a gun he hadn’t had to use.

“I thought you needed a full moon to change?” said Daniel.

“You always did watch too many movies,” said Nigel. “We can turn wolf whenever we want to, and we do.”

“What does it feel like?” said Daniel.

“Humans walk through the world like they’re dreaming,” said Nigel. “Deaf and blind to all its wonders. Becoming a wolf is like waking up, and coming fully alive.”

“So you enjoy being a wolf?” said Tina.

He looked at her properly for the first time. “Surprisingly, no.” He turned back to Daniel. “Remember all the petty rules and regulations we hated so much, when we were training to be policemen? Being part of the pack is actually worse. I cannot disobey any order an alpha male gives me, and as a newcomer I’m right at the bottom of the heap. And on top of all that, I’m constantly at the mercy of my animal side, driven by the needs and instincts of the beast.”

“Can’t you just leave?” said Daniel.

“The moon would follow me wherever I went.”

“What happened to you, after the chop shop?”

“The werewolves were sent in to clean up, before the bookshop was torched,” said Nigel. “The Frankenstein doctors had already taken Oscar’s head for a souvenir. Paul’s broken body had been sent to the Vampire Clan so it could be turned and made to answer questions. The werewolves took me just so they wouldn’t be left out. I was more dead than alive when they dragged me from the ruins—but the werewolf bite brought me back. And at first . . . I enjoyed it. I had come so close to dying that a second chance felt like more than I deserved. To be strong and free, running wild in the moonlight . . . I thought I’d hit the jackpot. Until I realized what had been taken from me.

“I come from a long-established family. Raised to enjoy and appreciate the very best of everything. I was a gentleman, with the most refined of tastes. But the beast in me drove all that out. I don’t care about the arts anymore, about style or elegance. Fine foods and wines mean nothing to me. All I have is the thrill of the hunt, the delight in a fresh kill, and rutting in the night. No matter what shape I hold, I’m someone else now.”

“There’s a lot of that going around,” said Daniel. “The Frankensteins used Oscar’s head to complete one of their creations. I put a stop to that.”

“Good for you,” said Nigel. “That makes two of us you’ve killed.”

“Paul asked me to destroy him,” Daniel said steadily. “To drive a stake through his heart and set him free. Is that why you came to see me, Nigel? Do you need my help to put you out of your misery?”

“No,” said Nigel. “I’m here because there’s something you need to know.”

“I think I’m pretty much up to speed on the secrets of the monster Clans,” said Daniel.

“You only think you are,” said Nigel. “Edward has secrets of his own.”

“Secrets?” said Daniel.

Nigel’s smile widened mockingly. “You have no idea . . . ”

“If you’re not here for old times’ sake, then just tell me what I need to know,” said Daniel.

Nigel’s gaze was sharp and cold, and his smile grew wolfish, as though delighting in the bad news he brought.

“Edward only got rid of the Clans so he could take control of the criminal underworld. To be king of it all, with no one left to challenge him. I’m telling you this in the hope you still care enough about right and wrong to do something about that.”

Hearing the truth at last should have come as a shock to Daniel—but it didn’t. He just nodded slowly.

“It does sound like something Edward would do,” said Tina.

“And it would explain why he’s been so keen for his organization to take over the vampire nightclubs and the mummies’ drug business,” said Daniel.

“Tip of the iceberg,” said Nigel. “You have no idea what some of the Clans were into.”

Tina fixed him with her best hard stare. “How do you know about Edward’s plans?”

“Because you weren’t his first choice to take down the Clans,” said Nigel. “Before he settled on you he wanted to use the werewolf clan to attack the other monsters. This was when he was planning for open war instead of assassins. The alpha wolves held a special secret meeting just to hear his proposal. It had to be secret, because if the other Clans had found out there would have been serious reprisals. But the wolves saw a chance to be free at last, and that’s why they were prepared to listen to the one monster all the others hated and despised.

“There’s no doubt the wolves were tempted when Edward offered them a chance for revenge on the Clans who’d held them down for so long. But in the end they said no. Because they didn’t trust Edward; because they didn’t think his plans would work; and because open war would have meant too many dead wolves. But I think mostly . . . because he’s the only one who wants to be a monster. The wolves are just what the world made them, but Edward Hyde is a self-made abomination.”

Daniel gestured for Nigel to stop, so he could have a moment to think. He stared at the ground for a long moment, and then turned to Tina.

“Every time I think I’m getting my head around what’s really going on, someone comes along and kicks my feet out from under me.”

“What he’s saying would explain a lot,” said Tina.

“It would mean that we’ve been used,” said Daniel.

“I’m used to it,” said Tina. “What do you think we should do?”

“Listen some more,” said Daniel. He turned back to Nigel, who met his gaze steadily.

“The wolves don’t want to run the criminal underground,” said Nigel. “They just want to be free to run wild, like they did in the old days. To leave civilization, get back to the untamed places of the earth, and be left to themselves.”

“Are there any places like that left?” said Daniel.

“You’d be surprised,” said Nigel.

“What is it you want us to do?” said Tina.

Nigel kept his gaze fixed on Daniel. “Stop Edward—because the wolves can’t. He’s too well defended. But you can get close to him.”

“And kill him?” said Daniel.

“Don’t you want to?” said Nigel. “Everyone else does, who’s met him.”

“I’m not sure we could take Edward Hyde,” said Tina. “He might actually be stronger than both of us together. He’s been a Hyde for so long . . . ” And then she stopped, and grinned suddenly. “Be fun to try, though.”

“What about the other Hydes?” said Daniel. “Could we get them to side with us, against Edward? If we told them the truth?”

“Who’s to say they don’t already know?” said Tina. “We were set up to do Edward’s dirty work for him, and then be discarded afterward. The moment he didn’t need us, he could just throw us to the other Hydes . . . ”

“Would they kill their own kind?” said Daniel.

“They’re Hydes,” said Tina.

Daniel nodded reluctantly. “You know them better than me.”

Tina frowned. “Not really. I was never a part of Jekyll & Hyde Inc. Until Edward put us together, I’d never met another Hyde.”

“There’s a reason for that,” said Nigel.

Daniel and Tina looked at him sharply, and he smiled slowly.

“And so we come at last to the great secret at the heart of Jekyll & Hyde Inc. There are no other Hydes. There used to be . . . but Edward killed them all, one by one. You two are the only Hydes left, apart from him.”

Daniel and Tina looked at each other, and for a long moment they were both too shocked to say anything.

“But . . . I used to go drinking and fighting with them!” said Tina.

“Hope you have good memories of that,” said Nigel.

“Why would Edward kill all the other Hydes?” said Daniel.

“Because he felt threatened by them. He wanted to replace them with new and weaker Hydes, created by a diluted version of the Elixir. But he couldn’t make any more. I don’t know why. Perhaps some important ingredient isn’t available any more. The only way he could get more Elixir was to kill the existing Hydes and harvest what remained of the potion from their corpses. Apparently a lot of it gets lost during the extraction process.” Nigel smiled coldly at Daniel. “You drank the very last dose in existence.”

“Of course!” said Daniel. He turned to Tina. “That’s why he made such a point of showing us that lab this morning. It was all misdirection, to make us believe he still had control of the Elixir.”

“It would explain why the attacks on the Clans were left to us,” said Tina. “He didn’t have anyone else. We were his last chance.”

Daniel nodded quickly. “Remember when the mummies said Edward asked them if they would help manufacture the Elixir? That’s why he was concerned about what they might have said: because it might have led us to the truth.”

“That’s why Edward had to launch his war against the Clans,” said Tina. “He had to destroy them before they found out how weak he really is.”

“It was never about waiting for the right person, after all,” said Daniel. “He had to go with me because I was all he had.”

“So,” said Nigel, raising his voice to draw their attention back to him. “You have to take care of Edward, to stop him building a new power base from the criminal underworld . . . and save the humans and the wolves from the last real monster in the world.”

Daniel’s gaze was still fixed on Tina. “There’s no way we could persuade Edward to step down, or change his plans.”

“He’d fight us to the death,” said Tina. “But can we take him? You saw what he did to the tiger.”

“I’m starting to think he arranged that deliberately,” said Daniel. “To warn us not to mess with him.”

“We could always visit the armory and load up with really big guns,” said Tina.

“You think Miss Montague would just hand them over? She’d be bound to suspect something, and get word to Edward. Our only real chance is to hit him without warning.”

“You’re ready to do that?” said Tina.

“Why not?” said Daniel.

Tina grinned brightly. “You know how to show a girl a good time!”

“But could you kill him?” said Daniel. “After everything he did for you?”

“He saved you too,” said Tina.

“But at heart, I’m still a copper,” said Daniel. “I didn’t go through all of this just to see the monster Clans replaced by something worse. If you’d known what he was planning, would you have gone through with it?”

“Probably,” said Tina. “I spent a lot of time learning how to kill monsters; and I wasn’t about to be cheated out of the experience. But . . . he could have trusted me with the truth and he didn’t. So to hell with him. What about you, mister policeman? Could you kill Edward?”

Daniel smiled suddenly. “I signed on to kill monsters. All of them.”

“I never liked the man,” said Tina.

“Does this mean you’ll do it?” said Nigel, breaking in impatiently.

“Yes,” said Daniel. And then he turned slowly, and fixed his old friend with a thoughtful stare. “But what about you?”

“What about me?” said Nigel.

“Paul knew he’d gone too far,” said Daniel. “That he’d become something his old self would have hated. So I have to ask: Have you killed people?”

Nigel met his gaze steadily. There was no guilt in his face, nothing to suggest Daniel’s question meant anything to him.

“When the moonlight fills my head I run with the pack, and kill whatever they chase. We’re predators—and everything else that lives is our prey.”

“It must have driven the wolves crazy,” said Daniel. “To be forced into a subservient role all these years, only allowed to kill on the Clans’ orders.”

“You have no idea,” said Nigel.

“That’s why they can’t wait to get back to the old ways, and hunt like they used to.”

“This is their time, come round again,” said Nigel.

“But even when you’re a wolf, you still have human intelligence,” said Daniel. “You could choose not to kill.”

Nigel shook his head impatiently. “When I’m a wolf, I do as a wolf does. The hunt and the kill are in the blood.”

“You told me you hated what you’d become,” said Daniel. “Losing all the rarefied tastes that defined the man you used to be. But while your human self might regret what it’s lost, he’s not in the driving seat—is he? The wolf has taken over.”

“None of this matters,” said Nigel. “Edward is the real threat.”

“But he’s not here, and you are,” said Daniel. “And I have to deal with what’s in front of me.”

Nigel’s smile looked suddenly more like a snarl. “Are you threatening me, old friend?”

“You said it yourself, Nigel: You’re not the man I used to know. The wolf has eaten him. At least Paul had the courage to ask me to kill him.”

“Paul always was weak.”

Daniel met his gaze steadily. “I really wanted to believe you, when you said the werewolves intended to leave civilization and go away from Humanity. That they just wanted to run free. But there really isn’t anywhere for you to go, is there? I don’t doubt that Edward is everything you say he is, but that’s not why you want us to kill him. The werewolves want him dead because he and his organization are all that’s left to protect Humanity from the wolf pack.”

“You can’t stop us, Daniel,” said Nigel.

“Why did they send you?” said Daniel. “Did the alpha wolves think I would believe everything you said, just because you and I used to be friends?”

“Something like that,” said Nigel. “I volunteered for this because I always could talk you into anything.”

“You’re a wolf now,” said Daniel. “And you love it.”

“What does it matter?” said Nigel. “You have to stop Edward and his plans, or everything you’ve endured will have been for nothing. And without Edward and what’s left of his organization . . . you can’t stop us.”

“There’s more to Jekyll & Hyde Inc. than just Edward,” said Daniel. “There’s Tina, and there’s me.”

“You think his people will follow you, after you’ve killed their leader?”

“Why not?” said Tina. “Nobody likes Edward Hyde. And if we can take him, we can take care of the werewolf clan. Just like we did the Frankensteins, the vampires, and the mummies. Because we’re smarter than you and we fight dirty.”

“Because we’re Hydes,” said Daniel.

“You only beat the others because they didn’t see you coming,” said Nigel. “Thanks to Edward, we’ve been preparing for an attack. You come at us and we’ll eat you alive.”

“Good thing that’s not the plan,” said Daniel.

For the first time Nigel looked at him uncertainly, and then he shook his head as though dismissing Daniel’s words.

“Don’t think you can make me choose between you and the pack. All I can offer you is the chance to walk away.”

Daniel looked at him steadily. “I’m sorry, Nigel. I can’t do that. I have to kill you, here and now. Because I owe it to the man you used to be.”

Nigel disappeared, replaced in a moment by a huge humanoid wolf. The massive gray-furred figure towered over the Hydes—a lean and powerful killer with a barrel chest and a narrow waist, built for the hunt and the kill. The large hands ended in vicious claws, the long muzzle was crammed full of teeth, and the burning yellow eyes were smart and crafty. The rank smell of the beast was almost overpowering. It stank of hate and hunger and sudden death. The werewolf smiled slowly, savoring the carnage to come. And Daniel smiled right back at it.

“Very impressive, Nigel. But unfortunately you’re just a wolf. While Tina and I are so much more.”

The werewolf surged forward, its great teeth straining for Daniel’s throat. But he saw the attack forming in the werewolf’s muscles, and by the time it launched itself he was already somewhere else. The great beast shot through the space where Daniel had been, and he slammed a fist into its side as it passed. Ribs shattered as his fist sank into the gray hide, all the way up to the wrist. The wolf howled loudly, in shock as much as pain, and Daniel jerked his hand out. The werewolf spun round with dizzying speed, and the broken ribs repaired themselves in a series of low popping noises.

The werewolf went to leap again, but while its attention was fixed on Daniel, Tina jumped high into the air and brought her fist slamming down on the werewolf’s head. The skull caved in, and Tina’s hand sank in so far she was able to grab a handful of brains and rip them out. The werewolf howled miserably, and lurched back and forth in the narrow alley, clutching at its head with both hands. Tina studied the pulpy pink-and-gray mass in her hand, took a mouthful, and chewed thoughtfully.

“I’ve never munched on a mind before. Could use some salt.”

And then she broke off, because the werewolf was straightening up again. The skull had already repaired itself, and the yellow eyes were sharp and clear. Tina threw her handful of brains aside, and moved quickly to stand beside Daniel.

“I say we get out our guns and fill him full of silver.”

“Good idea,” said Daniel. “Unfortunately, we never did get around to loading them.”

“There’s always something . . . ” said Tina. “If you have any other ideas, I’m ready to listen.”

“I’ll draw my knife. While he’s focused on that you get in behind him and restrain him, and I’ll stab him in the heart.”

“I can hear you, you know,” said the werewolf. Its voice was a low growl, and sounded nothing like Nigel. “You even try to stick me and I’ll bite your hand off.”

Daniel’s skin crawled at the sound of an animal talking like a man, but he made himself smile easily at the massive creature.

“I’m going to cut your heart out, Nigel. If you still have one.”

He drew the knife from its hidden scabbard in one swift movement, and the werewolf went for him. The bared teeth had almost closed on Daniel’s face when Tina jumped the werewolf from behind. Her weight almost drove the creature to its knees, and while it was caught off-balance she slipped an arm around its throat and pulled back hard. The werewolf bucked and reared, trying to throw her off, but she clung on grimly, tightening her hold until the werewolf’s head was forced up. The beast raked at Tina’s arm with its claws, and blood spurted. She hissed with pain, but wouldn’t loosen her grip. And then Daniel stepped forward and pressed the tip of his silver knife against the taut skin just below the werewolf’s breastbone. The huge creature held very still.

“You know the touch of silver, don’t you, Nigel?” said Daniel.

“Stab him!” said Tina. “I can’t hold him forever!”

But Daniel was looking into the yellow eyes of the werewolf. He thought he saw someone he knew looking back.

“Do it!” yelled Tina. “If he gets away he’ll warn the others.”

“You’re still in there, Nigel,” said Daniel, holding the werewolf’s eyes with his own. “Remember the man you used to be. Think of how much the wolf has taken from you. All the things that defined who and what you were. A gentleman of the old school. Don’t let the wolf make you nothing but an animal, grubbing around in the guts of your latest kill. Please, let me help you. Let me free you from the curse of the werewolf.”

Suddenly the wolf was gone, and Tina had her arm around the throat of a man.

“Just do it,” said Nigel.

Daniel stabbed his old friend through the heart, and the light went out of Nigel’s eyes. Daniel jerked the blade back, and Nigel slumped in Tina’s grasp. She let him collapse to the alley floor, and then stepped back and nodded slowly to Daniel.

“That was a brave thing you did.”

“It was a brave thing he did,” said Daniel. “Are you hurt?”

Tina didn’t even glance at her arm. “Werewolves aren’t the only ones that heal quickly.”

“This war has been very hard on my friends,” said Daniel. “Oscar, Paul, and now Nigel.”

“You still have me,” said Tina.

“And you have me,” said Daniel.

They shared a smile.

“The alpha wolves won’t appear till the moon’s out,” said Daniel. “We’ve got time for a few drinks first.”

“Or a lot of drinks.”

“Even better.”

Tina looked at him steadily. “When all the alpha wolves are dead, are we going to kill Edward?”

“Why not?” said Daniel. “I promised him I’d kill all the monsters.”

“What will we do, once he’s dead?” said Tina. “When all the monsters are gone?”

“We’ll think of something,” said Daniel.

They left Nigel’s body lying in the alleyway, and went looking for a bar to drink in and wreck. Until it was time to go to Elstree Park and hunt wolves.

Night fell over London. The full moon did its best to shine through the pollution, its light cold and distant as a broken promise. A bitter wind blew from out of the east, pushing the clouds around. Traffic still roared in the city streets, but it was only a murmur deep in the heart of Elstree Park. Daniel and Tina quietly made their way through a copse of trees that bordered on an open clearing. They hadn’t passed a single other person so far, as though everyone else had stayed away because they could sense something bad was loose in the night. Edward had been right about that.

Daniel and Tina moved on through the copse, sticking to the deepest and darkest of the shadows. The whole place was eerily silent, as though they’d crossed over into another world. Parks usually had a tame feel to them—of nature brought under control, to provide a safe setting for people to relax in. Somewhere they could sit and rest, picnic and sunbathe. But on this night, Elstree Park felt very different. As though just the presence of the alpha wolves had made it a wild place, where nature still followed the old ways . . . red in tooth and claw.

“The wolves are right ahead,” Daniel said quietly. “Listen—you can hear them.”

“Hell with that,” said Tina. “I can smell them. Like a fur rug that’s gone feral.”

“That’s why I was careful to approach downwind,” said Daniel. “So the breeze wouldn’t carry our scent to them.”

“Good for you, Boy Scout,” said Tina.

“Do you want me to start a fire by rubbing two werewolves together?”

“I think I would pay good money to see that.”

They stopped at the edge of the trees, careful to remain hidden in the shadows. Out in the clearing, sleek, gray-furred figures were running in the moonlight and jumping high in the air just for the joy of it. Some were fighting, in a relaxed sort of way, though the biting and clawing looked real enough. There was a splendor to the wolves, of wild things running free in a way humans had long forgotten.

“I count twenty of them,” said Tina. “Just like Edward said. Do we have a plan, as such?”

“If we open fire from a distance the survivors will scatter,” Daniel said thoughtfully. “And we’ll never catch them all. We have to get close enough to hold their attention, so they’ll think they have a chance of bringing us down. Then they’ll attack as a pack.”

“So your great idea is: show ourselves to the werewolves and hope they charge us?”

“We have silver bullets, and silver knives.”

“I’m starting to think we might have been better off with a silver bomb and a really long fuse,” said Tina. “Your friend Nigel took a lot of punishment, and he wasn’t even an alpha.”

Daniel smiled at her. “Isn’t this when you usually say, But we’re Hydes?”

“I’m all for a good scrap,” said Tina, “but werewolves are harder to kill than cockroaches. A little strategy wouldn’t go amiss here.”

“Leave the trees and walk straight at them.”

“Okay . . . ” said Tina. “If nothing else, that should confuse them. It confuses the hell out of me.”

“Hold your fire until we’re almost upon them,” said Daniel. “We only have twelve bullets.”

“Won’t the survivors run off?” said Tina.

“I don’t think so. Once they realize we’re out of bullets, all they’ll be able to think of is revenge. And that’s when we go to the silver knives.”

“Twelve bullets,” said Tina. “Even if we never miss, that still leaves eight really angry werewolves coming right at us.”

“Isn’t this where you usually say, Fun?”

“It is just possible that we could be pushing our luck here,” said Tina.

“This is our only chance to take out all the alpha wolves,” said Daniel. “And finally put an end to the monster Clans.”

They looked out into the clearing, where the werewolves had stopped playing and formed a circle. If they were saying anything, the sound didn’t carry.

“Edward said they’d tear each other apart,” said Tina. “And we’d just have to mop up the survivors.”

“No plan survives contact with the enemy.”

“Now you tell me.”

They broke off as the alpha werewolves suddenly went for each other’s throats. No warnings, no howled challenges, they just slammed into one another with bared fangs and slashing claws. Blood flew on the moonlit air. The fighting was so savage Daniel thought the alpha werewolves really might wipe each other out, but it quickly became clear that although the wolves were tearing away with vicious intent, none of them were dying. Their wounds closed almost immediately, the blood stopped spurting, and they went right back to ripping the guts out of each other.

Until, one by one, a wolf would just give up and bare its throat submissively to the victor and the loser would be allowed to retreat, leaving the fight to go on without them. It wasn’t long before it was all over, and one huge wolf stood alone in the shimmering moonlight. And all the other wolves bowed their heads, to the new leader of the pack.

The one who would lead them against Humanity.

“All right,” said Daniel. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

“It has been a while since we had a real challenge,” said Tina.

“Looking forward to it, after all?”

“You know I am.”

“You know more about guns than I do,” said Daniel. “Any advice?”

“Don’t miss.” Tina stopped, as a thought struck her. “Do you suppose Edward deliberately only gave us twelve bullets to make it less likely we’d come back alive to challenge him?”

“Wouldn’t surprise me one bit,” said Daniel. “Ready?”

“Always.”

“Bet I kill more than you do,” said Daniel.

“You’re on. What are we betting?”

“We can sort that out later.”

Side by side they left the cover of the trees and walked out into the clearing. Holding their guns down by their legs so they wouldn’t be immediately visible. All the werewolves’ heads snapped round to look at them, eyes glowing golden in the moonlight. And then they raced forward across the open clearing at incredible speed, hoping their prey would break and run so they could have the fun of chasing them down.

Daniel and Tina kept walking, even though every instinct was screaming at them to do something. They made themselves wait until the werewolves were close enough to see what they had in their hands, and then they both raised their long-barreled pistols and took aim. The alpha wolves slammed to a halt, crouching low as they studied the Hydes and their guns. Daniel kept his hand steady, even as he wondered whether the wolves realized what kind of ammunition they were facing. And if so, whether they would do the sensible thing, and turn and run. If they did, Daniel wasn’t sure he’d be able to shoot them in the back.

The werewolf clan wasn’t supposed to be in the same league as the other monster Clans. More pressed into the service of evil, rather than evil themselves. But then Daniel remembered Nigel talking about the hunt and the kill, and how the wolves saw all of humanity as nothing more than prey, and he kept his aim steady.

The whole pack suddenly surged forward, crossing the intervening space at incredible speed, and Daniel discovered he didn’t feel quite as confident as he had just a few moments before. Death was coming right at him, with huge bared teeth and vicious claws. Daniel suddenly wondered whether the silver bullets would be enough to do the job on their own, or whether he had to hit the heart every time. Like staking a vampire. He wasn’t even sure exactly where a werewolf kept its heart. But once he looked, he had no trouble spotting the wide and prominent breastbone on each wolf, so he just exchanged a glance with Tina, and then they opened fire together.

Twelve silver bullets slammed home in swift succession, and twelve alpha werewolves crashed to the ground as though they’d just run into an invisible wall. Daniel and Tina emptied their guns so quickly, all twelve were dead before the other wolves even realized what was happening.

The dead wolves turned into dead men. Just so many naked corpses with great wounds in their chests, lying still and steaming in the cool night air, on blood-soaked grass. The other wolves crashed to a halt, so they could study the dead bodies. They sniffed at them and licked their faces, and even pawed at them in a hopeful way, but they didn’t whine or howl. They just turned their heads to stare at Daniel and Tina with brightly shining eyes, gray lips pulled back to show the savage teeth. Their hatred burned on the cool night air like a living presence. Daniel and Tina met their gaze steadily, and waited for the last of the alpha wolves to come to them.

“All those bodies are male,” said Daniel as he holstered his empty gun. “Not a single alpha female in the pack.”

“Werewolves are sexist,” said Tina as she put her own gun away. “Who knew?”

“Maybe they’re just strong on tradition.”

“Same thing.”

They drew their silver knives and showed them to the wolves. Their heads came up, but they didn’t howl. They didn’t even growl. The surviving alphas just charged straight at the Hydes, their shining eyes full of murder and revenge. Heavily clawed paws sent divots of grass flying as they hurled themselves forward. Daniel was sure they recognized the silver in the blades, shimmering in the moonlight, but it didn’t slow them down.

Daniel and Tina waited till the wolves were almost upon them, taking up a ready stance and holding their knives held out before them. Daniel could see the wolves’ paws slamming into the ground, hear their heavy breathing, and the thick musky scent of them was heavy on the air. He could feel the tension in Tina’s arm as it pressed against his. That steadied him a little, to know she felt as uncertain as he did. Even after all the unnatural creatures they’d fought, and triumphed over, it seemed to Daniel that there was something horribly primal and basic in the wolves’ threat. As though fear of the wolf was written into his genes, an inherited knowledge and a warning from his primitive ancestors.

But that was then, and this was now. And Daniel was a Hyde now.

The werewolves threw themselves at Daniel and Tina, bared fangs straining for an extended arm or an undefended gut. The first wolf to reach them suddenly leapt high, going for Daniel’s throat. He grabbed a handful of its gray fur with his free hand, and slammed the wolf to the ground at his feet with enough force to drive all the breath from its body. And then he thrust his knife into the wolf’s eye, and twisted it. The wolf shuddered and stopped moving, changing back into a man as though it was shrugging off a fur coat.

Another wolf had leapt at Tina, and she ducked underneath it, her knife thrusting up to gut it as it passed. The wolf howled horribly, but it was a man by the time it hit the grass in a flurry of bloody intestines.

The remaining wolves hit the Hydes low, going for the groin or an exposed leg muscle. Daniel and Tina stood their ground and hacked and stabbed at everything that came within range. The gray-furred shapes surrounded them, coming at them from every side at once, but never making a sound. Silver knives backed by Hyde muscles plunged in and out of the lean wolf bodies, forced all the way in till they slammed to a halt against the heavy hilts. The blades were sharp enough to cut like razors, and heavy enough to shear through bones as well as flesh. Dark blood spurted on the night air and rained down onto the grass, and the werewolves finally howled in pain and fury as they realized the wounds they took from the silver blades weren’t healing. The pack circled Daniel and Tina, darting in to bite and claw before pulling back again, evading the silver blades and doing their utmost to keep the Hydes off-balance.

Daniel and Tina moved quickly to stand back-to-back, lashing about them with undiminished strength and speed. The wolves were moving so quickly now they were just a gray blur in the moonlight, changing direction so suddenly the Hydes were never sure where the snapping teeth and tearing claws were coming from, and it took everything Daniel and Tina had, just to keep up with them.

Daniel plunged his silver blade deep into gray-furred sides, searching for the heart, while Tina’s blade flashed fiercely as it cut the throats of wolves that got too close. Werewolves fell dying to the blood-soaked grass in a sprawl of gray fur and clawed paws, but were pitifully human by the time they lay still. The last of the wolves gave up all thought of tactics and threw themselves bodily at the Hydes, desperate to drag them down and finish them.

Huge fangs tore through Daniel’s jacket and savaged the flesh beneath, while terrible claws raked bloody furrows in Tina’s bare arms. The Hydes laughed in the wolves’ faces and kept on fighting. Hate and stubbornness kept them going, long after strength and courage might have failed them. Hyde blood rained down onto the grass, to mingle with that of the wolves, and sometimes Daniel or Tina would cry out from shock or pain, but their silver knives never slowed or faltered as they killed one alpha wolf after another. This was their last fight, the end of their war against the monster Clans, and they were damned if they’d lose now after having come so far.

In the end the wolves lost because they were all attack and no defense. They were too used to surviving whatever wounds they took, as long as that brought them to the kill. It had been a really long time since they’d had to face silver knives in the hands of those who knew how to use them and had the guts to go head to head with werewolves. And it did help that the Hydes’ wounds closed and healed when the wolves’ didn’t. The werewolves threw themselves at Daniel and Tina again and again with increasing desperation, a raging storm of teeth and claws—but the Hydes stood firm and met them with cold silver and colder determination. They were beyond hot blood; they were in the killing place now. And for all the wolves’ strength and speed and fury, they were the ones who died, while the Hydes didn’t.

One last wolf finally got close enough to hit Daniel square in the chest and bowl him over. The two of them went sprawling on the blood-soaked grass, and the werewolf locked its jaws on Daniel’s shoulder and shook him like a dog shakes a rat. Daniel gritted his teeth and plunged his knife into the werewolf’s ribs again and again, until finally he pierced its heart and a dead human body collapsed on top of him. Daniel heaved it off and lurched to his feet, blood streaming down from his savaged shoulder. He looked round just in time to see Tina thrust her silver knife deep into a werewolf’s throat, almost cutting its head off before it finally collapsed.

And that was the end of the alpha wolves. Daniel saw the blood dripping from Tina’s many wounds and stumbled over to hold her; it was a sign of how exhausted she was that she let him. They leaned heavily on each other, breathing hard. Blood from their injuries dripped down onto the trampled grass, but already the wounds were closing and their heads were clearing. Tina pushed Daniel away and checked him over carefully, searching for any wound that hadn’t closed, any sign that the werewolves might have infected him with their change . . . but all the wounds were gone, even the deep bite on Daniel’s shoulder. He looked Tina over too, and then they both smiled and relaxed, as it became clear they felt no fire in their blood, no fury in the soul, and that the moonlight was just moonlight. Daniel sighed, and stretched slowly.

“It seems Hydes are immune.”

“Well,” said Tina. “That’s good to know.”

They looked at the human bodies piled up around them. The last alphas of the werewolf clan, come to a very final end on the blood-soaked grass. Daniel and Tina looked at each other, and laughed out loud.

It sounded like the howling of wolves in the night.