WIPWordSearch Excerpts February 2024 Week 2

Primal joy pulsed through him as he pushed his body’s new abilities to the limit, outmatching any lingering disappointment that this hellish life was his own now. As when he had run to Artemis’ apartment, Thomas raced along at full speed without a #drop of sweat.

The cross was unchanged. It wasn’t tarnished or #damaged in any way.

Thomas’ hand couldn’t claim the same.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. You’ve been ditching us for your boss’ #daughter?” Sean tried to sound angry but looked elated. “That’s more shocking than you being a bloodsucker, dude.”

“Yeah, I can #draw blood.” Thomas choked. “I mean, with a needle.”

The #danger of the situation brought Thomas’ predatory instincts to the surface. He was surprised with himself as he felt strength surge through him, erasing his pain, and making him feel as if he could single-handedly take on an army.

Thomas glared at the box, his heart pounding in his #dry throat and his palms sweating. Panic clouded his mind as the urge to knock the box away and run grew.

A large overhang attached to a nearby church cast a dim shadow in the day’s new light. Thomas #dove into the shade. He lay there for a moment, panting, but the shade did little against the morning sun’s glow.

And yes, before you ask, it #does have to be human. Don’t ask me why, I didn’t make the rules. The witch did that long ago.

“For a second there, I thought you and I were going to have a moment,” the stranger said. His voice #dripped with low-key aggression. “Not many attempt to tussle with me, even those who wish to be an Alpha.”

Your pack has done more #damage to this city than you can possibly imagine. But you can change that. You can help us. Just answer a few questions and you can restore a hard-earned peace that was broken by the arrival of the Howlers.

To this day, nearly thirty years after the event that had born countless urban legends, the case of what had happened at Mack’s Eats remained open and unsolved. The diner had been taken over by one of Joe Jack’s #daughters and remained a popular eating spot since. Clara hadn’t returned, unable to face the grief of causing such destruction.

Clara resisted the urge to tell them off, but she’d never cared about how werewolves talked about vampires before. To have changed so suddenly would #draw unwanted attention.

“Sorry,” Sean said, trying hard not to smile. “But you have to admit this is kind of funny. I mean, what cosmic power did we piss off for this to happen?”

“I’m trying to tell you we’re in #danger.” She crossed her arms and glared at him.

Even in death, his face was distorted in a painful expression, #dried blood ringing his lips and his throat and chest covered in deep, ugly bruises.

A few rickety pool tables were set up in the middle of the floor, and the bitterest coffee known to man brewed at the counter, but neither of those defined it. Cramped and usually dirty, the #dive joint was located in a remodeled cellar of a canning factory near the edge of the city.

“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?”