Annie felt the hair on the back of her neck rise a little as the sun went down. She wasn't used to fearing the night. But tonight was different. She couldn't place why.

  ?It was a short walk from the nursing home where she worked. She had walked it a hundred times before. And she should be in a better mood all things considered.

  ?Mr Johnson was a kind old man. His family loved him. All the staff spoke highly of him. And he liked Annie. Why wouldn't he. Annie had worked hard to have the kind of appearance that appealed to people like him. It was Canada, so suicide was legal. It was a part of her Job to not only administer it, but encouraged it.

  The chemicals involved with assisted suicide were designed to be painless. The trick for Annie was making sure that it was anything but. While onlookers saw what looked like a peaceful passing. It took the right combination of herbs and medication to make him suffer Mr Johnson. His last hours were a living hell. The way the power from it flowed into her was Visceral. So she shouldn't be afraid of anything right now. Running on a high like she was. But she was slowly becoming terrified.

  ?She was the thing that went bump in the night. The terror at the side of one’s vision. But not tonight. Tonight, something stalked her. Something more ancient then her.

  ?Dread ran down her spine as she considered who it could be. Not be something a servant of Inanna felt. But there it was. A feeling she hadn't felt in sense she was as young as she appeared. It didn't take long to figure what it was. She had never faced one before. She didn't want to face one now. She started to walk faster. Thankful that she had just drained so much power.

  ?She could probably defeat one. Maybe more. But it wasn't a risk she wanted to take. This wasn't a Knight or some wannabe monster hunter. This was the creature that gave nightmares nightmares.

  Self doubts crept in. ?It was a stupid plan. That idiot Jill would pay for dragging her into this. That was, if she survived. A possibility her mind couldn't help but imagine. She started to draw on the power she had just consumed.

  ?"I wouldn't if I were you." A cocky voice from behind her said.

  ?She knew it was Mary. She had never met her, but she had heard the stories. Everyone assured her it wouldn't get back to her. How could it. But here she was being chased by the only creature she feared.

  ?"I'm not one to be trifled with, Wolf," she cursed, loud enough to be heard. Speaking boldly as if trying to convince herself. Her courageous voice echoing off empty streets only ended up having to opposite affect.

  The streets had emptied. No sounds of the night were present. Which was strange for a city. Even one as small as this. It was barely past sundown. Dread had infected the area. As she turned, she could see why.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  ?Mary was standing there looking like an Amazonian warrior in a trench coat. Her red hair flowing. Her face the picture of confidence. Annie might have had a fighting chance against Mary. She alone couldnt cause this level of fear. But he could.

  ?Beside her, dressed like a lumberjack, stood terror incarnate in plaid. His black eyes fixed on her. "I guess theirs no room to talk about this."

  ?"We're not the negotiating kind," Mary answers contemptuously.

  ?"You don't want to do this publicly," Annie said desperately. The dread of his presence leaving her feeling powerless! Her!

  ?Mary laughed. "Do you think Daniel gives a shit about that secret stuff? What prey tell is going to happen a gang of hunters or cops gonna round up a possy." Her tone was absolutely delighted as she continued. "He's about as afraid of humans as a lightning storm is."

  ?His face was hard as steel. His eyes were gates to hell. This wasn't a werewolf. This was The Werewolf. The Heir of Fenrir, the God Slayer.

  ?"Now, Daniel isn't incapable of restraint. So if you answer one question I promise to ask him nicely to kill you quickly."

  ?"You're going to kill me anyway." Annie started to run.

  ?Mary shrugged. "Of course we are witch. But I have to say I'm curious. Why would you risk us coming for you? Does the Demon you serve long so badly for hells fire it's not willing to wait for judgement Day?"

  ?Annie just ran. ?Mary chuckled.

  ?"Mary, please I'll tell you anything!" She said frantically. Giving into the dread.

  ?"Oh, stop bargaining." She literally growled back. "We're the Hounds of Heaven, dear. We don't interrogate." Her voice was more snarl then words now. "We don't make deals. We just hunt! And kill!" Her words hung in the air. Replaced by snarls. Mary's like that that of a wild beast. Daniels like an oncoming storm.

  ?As she ran she called on what power she had to help her move faster then human eyes could see. As she arrived at her apartment she prepared an incantation to send her sent in all possible directions. Hoping against hope she could buy herself the time she needed to get home to her totem. And from there, possibly escape.

  ?She burst into her apartment door. The halls were empty. The dread was keeping people in their homes. Daring a look back ?she was surprised that she had managed to gain some distance,

  ?Despite her fresh kill, the powerful magic moving her at breakneck speeds was taking its toll, and she would still need to operate the totem. Busting into a stairwell, she paused to take a breath. a costly but necessary maneuver.

  The wolves were in the building. They were circling as best they could. Annie took off again just as Mary burst in the door to the stairwell.

  ?She was no longer the Amazonian woman, but a muscular female form covered in burgundy fur, topped with a wolf's head. Annie pulled on even more power. Slowing time itswlf. Which made the werewolf move in horrifying slow motion. She didn't get cocky she just moved.

  Finally she called on Inanna. Giving her as much power as she could hold to keep her out of the Wolf's jaws. The magic that kept her young began to give way. She could feel her body begin to age as she used every ounce of power she had.

  ?Finally, she made it to her apartment.

  Daniel busted through the door of the other stairwell, and Mary was hot on her heels.

  ?She blasted her door away and bolted to the bathroom. She could feel Mary's breath on her aging neck as she placed her hand on the orb that looked like a bathroom decoration.

  ?She heard what sounded like a guttural chuckle as the apartment faded around her.