Men of the Otherworld Read Online Free PDF Page B

you're a—”
    “You have to bite me.” I pulled myself up as tall as I could. “I'm not stupid. I know how it works.”
    His gaze met mine and for a second he faltered. Then he shook his head sharply. “Well, boy, something tells me I'm going to wake up in that chair a few hours from now, and this will all be part of the strangest dream I've ever had, but sure, let's give it a whirl. If somehow I am awake, this is a hell of a lot easier than chasing you. Now, you just wait right here while I get ready, okay?”
    I nodded.
    “If you run away, I'll have to come after you. Neither of us wants that, right?”
    I nodded.
    “Good. Now, it'll sting some, but don't you worry. Before you know it, it'll all be over.”
    A final nod from me, and he disappeared into the forest.
    Long minutes passed, and I began to worry that he'd cheated me. Then the brush rustled. From somewhere deep within me came the urge to bolt. I forced my feet to stay still, despising my weakness.
    I turned slowly. I knew what to expect, but still didn't expect it.
    Before me stood a wolf as tall as me. His eyes met mine—eyesthat were unmistakably human. Those eyes and his monstrous size were the only things left of the man. The rest was wolf.
    The test had come. I felt my body betray me, arm hairs prickle, legs tremble, a heavy weight bearing down in my groin as if I was seconds away from pissing myself. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to meet his gaze. He had to bite me. I knew what a werewolf was, and how you became one. My older brothers delighted in scaring me with monster stories, never guessing that I wasn't scared at all, that I listened to their tales and thought only of how lucky the monsters were, that they never had to cower under a bed or hide in a closet, listening to drunken curses and punches, and knowing if they were found, they'd be next. Monsters didn't fear. They
were fear.
Now I had a chance to try that for myself. So I took a deep breath, held out my arm and waited.
    Something flickered in the wolf's eyes—surprise, shock, maybe even the barest hint of uncertainty. He growled. I didn't budge. He snapped at my arm, teeth sinking in. Pain ripped through it. I stumbled back, tripping over my feet and falling as he let go. Warm blood trickled down my arm and hot urine soaked my jeans. I looked at my arm and saw blood flowing from twin gashes in the soft underside. I struggled to my feet. The wolf stared at me, as if confused. His tongue lolled out, blood-pink saliva dripping from its tip.
    I met his eyes and grinned. I had done it. I'd been bitten. The gift was mine.
    He lowered his head, his eyes never leaving mine. A low growl started in the pit of his stomach. He hunkered down. Then he sprang.
    I should have died that moment. That was his plan, not to turn me into a werewolf, but to kill me, to put a quick and easy end to the minor inconvenience of my existence. So what happened?Was I so brave and strong and smart that I outmaneuvered my fate? Hardly. I tripped.
    I saw him spring. As I stumbled back, my foot caught on a root and I twisted sideways. Instead of landing on top of me, the wolf crashed down beside me, fur brushing my arm.
    Somehow, I managed to keep enough balance to come out of the tumble running. Instinctively, I ran for the front of the cabin, for the main road heading past the campground.
    Before I'd gone twenty feet, I heard a snort and knew the wolf had recovered from his fall. My throat dried up. My brain shut down. My legs seemed to move of their own accord, running so fast that slivers of pain shot through my calves and my lungs.
    I raced for the road. I heard pounding, either the blood rushing in my ears or his paws on the hard-packed dirt—it didn't matter. I knew he was behind me.
    I heard a scream. No, not a scream. The screech of tires and brakes. The flash of headlights. A car heading into the campground.
    I tripped over the curb and sprawled onto the road. Some one shouted. I lifted my head to see