August 2024 WipWordSearch Excerpts Week 1

With their combined skills, they cleaned up rather nicely and it all worked out for a spell. But then they ran into #trouble. See, there’s a problem when you start makin’ easy money. You want even more of it because you don’t realize the value of a dollar.

“You’re in a lot of trouble with Thomas,” Nelson joked as he reached for his lemonade. “He thinks visiting a coffee shop ten blocks from his apartment is an exotic #trip.”

“I wish you didn’t have so much of a sweet #tooth,” Artemis said grimly. “Then I wouldn’t have to alter your tea.”

This time he didn’t need to search for his inhuman speed. Fear and instinct took hold and he ran faster than before, helping him with his footing. He forced his way through brush and branches, none of them posing a #threat to his enhanced strength.

“Shh, shh,” _____ said soothingly, wiping dried blood from the #tip of the stake he held. “Don’t worry, it won’t take much talking on your part. I just need them to find you.”

“Looking like that? Hope these friends aren’t girls.” Gary half-smirked.

Thomas glanced at the clock, smiling. “Hey, I changed. What more do you want from me? Besides, these friends won’t care. They’re into the #tired look.”

A howl of pain echoed against the dumpster, followed by the thud of a body hitting the ground. For a few seconds, Thomas listened to wrestling, shouting, hissing, #then footsteps receding into the night.

“You’re a vampire now. And you need that blood.” He pointed at the mug. The spilled blood had left a wet #trail down the side and puddled on the counter.

Despite all of her reservations about The #Trouble and Toil and the mysterious woman who ran it, Clara needed to ask her questions. She moved forward with as much purpose as she could muster, her hand slipping once on the brass doorknob as she pulled the door open.

The injury looked as if some wicked bear #trap had snapped down on the muscle where shoulder met neck and was then cruelly ripped free, taking with it a good portion of flesh. Had the injury been an inch closer to the neck, a piece of the giant vampire’s spine might have been claimed as well.

“Whatever you’ve got to do, pup, be sure you do it quick so you can get that silver off of you! It’ll be driving your wolfie outta its skull, and the more the wolf gnashes its #teeth the more your mind is gonna be bogged down! You hear?”

Weakness was not something that could be tolerated in the eyes of a potential #threat, and Clara, in any form, had never been one to roll over and show her belly when the going got tough.

Her quarry was in sight.

In a dozen bounds, she was on #top of it. Clara’s haunches bunched and she sprang forward while the beast inside howled with pleasure.

“Don’t worry.” Donald grinned. “It’s not hard. The wolf’s belly will be full, and it’ll be #tired. You’ll slip in easily. Once everyone has fed, you can lock it up.”

Every minute that ticked by left them quieter #than the last until finally, at sunset, the Lodge was almost silent.

They followed a narrow #trail behind the house into the trees, traveling as far away from the Lodge as possible before they were forced to start their hunt.