Chapter 4: The Werewolf’s Story

Chapter 4: The Werewolf’s Story

“Allow me to point out some facts to you,” he continued. “The time of man is coming to an end. The signs are everywhere for those who can see. He has overpopulated this world. Billions of those puny creatures crawl over what was once a pure world. The air grows more sour and impossible to breathe every day. Raw oil smears their coasts and harbors. They have lost hundreds of miles of coastline to the rising sea level. Global warming continues. The sea will continue to rise as the ice caps melt. Man does not produce enough food to feed these masses. There is not even enough fresh water for those billions to drink. Diseases spread across the globe like wildfire. Nations arm themselves against each other and more of what they call bush wars start each day. Crime rates and unease in the cities has never been so high.

“Men have messed up this world. As a species he is committing suicide and doesn’t even seem to know it. It is time for a change.”

“Nice words. But you forget we are thousands, they are billions. We cannot fight them.”

“There, Ardella, you are wrong. We can and we will. No man was ever a match for a werewolf. Or a vampire, for that matter. Natural selection dictates that we survive while men descend back into the mud.”

“I have heard the same argument for vampires outlasting men. I don’t believe it. The traditional of staying hidden from men has always worked and will continue to work. Just as it has for you werewolves.”

He moved closer to the bed. She could smell his virile, life-giving blood and she ached for the taste of it.

“You are correct,” he told her, “for neither vampire nor werewolf can survive without our food source: humans. But mankind does not have to be the dominant life form on his planet. He has proven he cannot handle the responsibility.

“And do you know why man is failing? Why he is ruining this world for all creatures who live in it? Because he is stupid. His day is about over. And a new race will rule the world. We werewolves will assure that humans do not die out. They will be reduced to the status of cattle, and the world will once again become the nurturing home it once was.”

She looked up sharply. She had heard the same argument from other vampires. But from a werewolf? What was he trying to say?

“Man cannot even grow enough food to feed all humans. But what is the food of a werewolf? Or a vampire? It is man, the human, the pathetic little animal. I am not telling you something you do not know when I say that we can eat the same food as humans but must have something in the human blood and flesh to survive. We must have a regular supply of it.”

He moved a bit closer. She tensed. Another few inches… He continued his lecture, “Humans will die in many ways. They will starve, they will have wars, and they will poison themselves and the very air they breathe. And, yes, some of them will die that we may live; that is the normal course of nature. It is fated that man will no longer rule this world.

“When that day comes, it will be necessary for the werewolf to control the world. Not for lust of power, but to assure that the supply of humans is maintained at a steady level. There is a very real danger that the human race will die out totally, contaminating the whole planet with them. This we cannot have. The humans will become the livestock for us. Just as they slaughter cows and pigs, we will slaughter them.”

“Vampires could be the rulers,” she hissed at him. “We have always understood the need for humans.”

“That would not work. You know it as well as I do. Our mutual hate runs too deep. Under normal conditions, the world cannot be shared by our two races, even as a pack cannot be ruled by two alpha males.”

Ardella remained silent. There was too much truth in his words for her to object.

“So what does this have to do with your kidnapping me?” she accused. “An act that you know will have dangerous repercussions?”

He smiled at her. Had she not been so angry, she might have found his smile pleasant, for he was a handsome male in his human form.

“As the humans destroy this planet, it will be enough of a task for us to survive and assure that enough humans also survive. We do not need a third strong force contending with us.”

“What do you mean? What third force?”

“We will talk of this again.” Then he smiled at her. “You are a very lucky woman,” he told her. “You were scheduled to be killed.”

“What!”

“We have a plan. The Pack Council has decided it is almost time that we move. I argued against it, but the Council decided that we must eliminate the vampires as a first step to taking over the world. And locally the first move decided upon is to eliminate the leadership of the vampires. It was decided that not only should your brother be killed, but you also. And there is a list of others. We have been aware for a long time that it is you who had made most of the important decisions for the vampires, not your brother. So the council leader, Gunther, decreed that you are to die.”

Ardella remained silent. Again this was too close to the truth to please her. Her brother might be a very strong vampire, but he lacked real intelligence. Ardella had been giving him advice for a long time. Still, she was surprised that the werewolves knew of it.

“It was my decision not to kill you,” he told her.

She kicked the silver shackle around her ankle. “Am I supposed to thank you for this?”

“You should. If I had not, you would one day soon be lying in an alley with your throat ripped out.”

“And do you have a reason for this generosity?”

“Yes, I do.”

A long few moments passed. “I don’t suppose you want to tell me what it is?”

“Not now.”

Again that was all he would say. After long seconds of glaring at each other, she changed the subject. “So you want to keep me a prisoner. What do you plan to feed me, pig’s blood?”

He smiled. “That’s might keep you alive for a while,” he told her, “but not all that long and I know it would not satisfy your cravings. As you well know, also. I have something different for you.”

He left the cell area and then the room. A minute later he came back in, pushing a young woman ahead of him. Ardella sensed that this was a human woman, with fresh, life-giving blood coursing through her veins. She felt her hunger rise up until her vision became a red haze and she could think of nothing else.

The girl was only in her early teens, pretty in a plain way, and obviously very scared. Her wrists were crossed and bound behind her back, and some of her soft pink blouse was torn. The skirt was a short tennis skirt, leaving her legs bare as were her feet.

He pushed her along to the cell and through the door. With a shove, he sent the girl falling onto the bed. Ardella was instantly on her feet, her dark eyes alternating between the frightened girl and the amused werewolf watching. Finally, the hunger won out over anger, and she knelt on the bed. With strong hands she turned the girl over onto her back. The frightened eyes met the predator’s and could not turn away. A tiny whine of fear came from the girl as she sensed that she was in very real danger. For a few seconds the vampire held the girl’s eyes, and then she lowered her head to the girl’s exposed neck. Having had her will stolen from her, the girl could not move as the mouth opened and the fangs entered her flesh.

Ardella drank of the life-giving fluid, deep and long. Eventually, she pulled away and shook her head as if trying to clear her mind. A tiny trickle of blood showed on her lower lip. She turned to the werewolf standing there. “Did you like the show? Do you get a kick out of watching a vampire feed?”

“It was interesting,” he admitted. “Did you kill her?” he said as he looked down upon the teenager’s pale face and immobile features. The tone in his voice suggested that it did not matter one way or the other if she had.

“No. I stopped myself.”

“You could finish her off. She’s only a human. I’ll get you another when you’re hungry again.”

“You’re a bastard!” Ardella hissed at him.

“How did you know?” He smiled.