"Fuck me," I muttered.
"I think that's what he has in mind."
"Now what?" I asked, which seemed to be the question of the week.
"Now we keep blasting wolves whenever the opportunity presents itself, search for their lair, keep an eye out for Hector night and day, and dig, dig, dig some more for a way to end this before the moon gets full."
"Because if we don't?"
"You get to do the dirty in front of every werewolf in town."
I wanted to say something flippant, but my voice betrayed me. All I could do was move my mouth. No sound came out.
Jessie appeared concerned. She moved closer and patted me on the back, hard enough to make me choke, then cough. At least it was something.
"I'm OK," I managed.
"Will wants to go back to Cora's. Borrow some of her books. Wanna come?"
She was babysitting me. I wasn't going to let her.
"No. I've got things to do."
Jessie frowned. "But - "
"If what you say is true, I'm safe until the full moon. If it's even Hector."
"We both know it's Hector, Leigh."
I shifted my shoulders. Pain flashed across my skin. Yeah, we did.
"I need some sleep," I said. "Why don't you come back here with the books. I'll order pizza. We'll brainstorm, then go out and kill things. It'll be a girls' night out."
She hesitated. "You promise you'll stay inside until we get back?"
"Yes, Mother."
Her eyes narrowed, but she got off the couch and moved toward the door. She seemed to have no ill effects from her own shoulder wound. I was glad.
Jessie paused with her hand on the doorknob. "We know what they're up to, Leigh. That means we're one step ahead of them. I've got a good feeling about this."
"Well then, everything's gonna be all right."
Her lips twitched. She almost laughed. "Keep on being a smart guy. You know how I love that."
The door shut behind her. I looked around the rented room, took in my bag and my laptop. I had no address but .com, no closet but a suitcase. I was suddenly sick of having nowhere to call home. When had that happened?
I lay down, tried to sleep. Drifted in and out. But every time I closed my eyes I saw the mine, those human bones. There was something weird about that. They were almost like a warning.
I sat bolt upright in my bed. We'd never gone past those bones and suddenly I wanted to.
I glanced at the window. Night was falling. I must have drifted further than I'd thought.
I'd promised Jessie I wouldn't go outside, definitely shouldn't at this time of night. Oh well, I'd never been very good at keeping promises. Remember the one I'd made to Jimmy?
I got dressed, grabbed a few guns, some ammo, then walked downstairs.
Damien's cabin was dark. However, the bar was lit up like a major-league baseball field during the seventh-inning stretch.