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I could hear the weight of his bulk hit the planks of my dock after he surged up off the bottom of the river and burst from the water. Landing on his feet he began running flat out up the path to stand about twenty feet away off to my side.

The immense vampire was clad in a wet suit that had to be custom made to fit his hulking six foot something form. As well as overlapping gloves, booties and a hood which he was pulling off along with a solid black set of goggles.

His voice was a bit rough and garbled after spending what had to be a couple of days underwater without speaking. But it was still clear enough for Constance’s victims to hear and obey.

“Stop.”

His command wafted over the crowd, bringing all of them to a blanked eyed stop except for the cops and big boys around Constance herself. It also wafted over me with a uniquely different but just as horrendous smell as Constance’s stank odor.

I stumbled away from the butcher, choking. “Jesus Earl! Light a match or something.”

Covington looked a little hurt. “It was the best way to keep a lot of people from getting hurt. John.”

I made a sort of “Urgle” sound as I dry heaved. Somehow managing to keep my dinner down. “Ahwgl. I can taste it in my mouth.”

He just sighed and shook his head at me as Constance regained her composure and sneered. “Covington, is that what you go by now? The last I heard you were being called the Sea Troll. Now what are you? The Kennel Master?”

The big man grinned. “Now? Now I work for Jonathan Redd, and they call me the butcher. He is very unhappy with you Constance dear. He gave you a second chance under his protection and you spit in his face.”

She took a step back and looked around at her guards nervously before sneering again. “He put me to work in a store. Serving mortals! I have supped on kings and bantered with the greatest of artists and scholars, and that… that… child! He would have me hawking poly cotton blends to middle aged housewives!”

Covington shrugged. “You could have just quit.”

She clenched her fists at him. “I am, but I’m not walking away without anything to show for my time and humiliation. Or are you going to stop me?”

The big man smiled and shook his head once more. “No. This isn’t my land or my people. They’re hers.” and pointed behind her.

Constance went still as she felt a puff of air on the back of her neck as she realized she had backed off so far from Covington that had left herself without any of her men to guard her back.

Adora stood well over six feet tall with her body stretched out into the form between human and wolf. Most of her height came from her legs being stretched out like a wolf's rear legs until she stood on her furry toes. But the rest of her body was also lengthened into something long, sleek, and dangerous.

The only thing really human about her now what her hair, which was still the same length and streaked with white. And her still human eyes.

Angry and ice cold eyes which looked down at the terrified vampire. The local sheriff slowly wrapped her long fingers and thumbs around the vampire's head. Each one of them ending in an almost hooked long, sharp, claw. The tips of the claws lined up with her eyes, face, and throat. All of them just short of making contact.

Adora leaned forward and whispered into the vampire’s ear. “You might survive whatever Redd intends for you. You will not survive me.”

Oh good. You can still talk in that form.

Constance locked eyes with Covington and spoke in a clear monotone voice. “I surrender myself into the custody of the Redd Court.

Adora smiled. Showing how big her teeth were. “Clever girl. Go to him and know that if you run instead.” The sheriff snarled. “We hunt.”

From all about the wood behind her, the people of the town caught up. Some were on all fours, others on their feet with shotguns, rifles, and some more… interesting choices in hand. I really had to wonder what the one woman was planning on doing with the scythe.

They were also making their opinions about the two vampires trying to out mind control a group of people with their pheromone laced scents.

The wolfs were either sneezing or trying to cover their noses with their paws. While those in human forms were complaining. “Oh man, what died.” “I don’t know, but it smells like I just stepped in it.” “I swear if evil was a smell, this would be it.”

Covington rolled his eyes. I tried to distract him from the complaints. After all, he had come here to help. “So what’s the plan now big man?”

The giant produced a device consisting of a loop of wire starting from and feeding back into a small steel device. “She gets secured. I call Solomon. She stops being a problem to you. Soloman and I make everyone she brought here forgets that this night ever happened.”

I glanced at Adora and she nodded in agreement. But I felt a point needed to be made. Both to the vampires, the werewolves, and the other people watching from the house.

“Sounds good Earl, and I’m grateful you were here to help. You save a lot of people’s lives.”

Reaching down deep, I brought up the heat in my bones. “But I could have taken care of all this on my own if I had to.”

I let my clothes slip away with my humanity, and found myself looking down on everyone from at least a full head above them.

Well except for Covington of course.

Walking over to Constance made her back up into Adora, but the vampire wasn’t the one I wanted to talk to. “Hey Adora, if you’re free after this. We were only about halfway through dinner. I’d love to introduce you to the rest of my family.”

She grinned. “I’d like that. But I think you also owe everyone that came to help their new neighbor a meal as well. We’ll figure out the details once I’m finished out here.”

I opened my mouth to object but… I can afford it, and it actually sounded, nice. Expensive since they were all werewolves, and I certainly knew how they ate. But it would still be nice to meet some new people.

“See you inside then.” I considered saying something to Constance. But saying nothing showed her more disrespect than any words I could come up with.

I was human again by the time I got back inside to see everyone acting like they hadn’t been paying any attention to the face down or the hundred or so people still out in my yard. “Sorry folks. Just had to take care of something.”

“Pass the stuffing.”