Page 54 of Hallow Hill at Halloween: Part One

“Tails,” I said. It was my command that got them to turn in a circle to their left, in perfect synchronicity with each other. I didn’t think too hard about whether dog tricks are beneath the station of fraighounds. It probably was a ding in their dignity, but it was sooooooo cute.

“Here you go.” I gave each of them pets around the ears and muzzle, took off my robe, and crawled in bed.

I’d been settled in for about ten minutes and was beginning to doze when I heard soft snarling coming from the front window. Lightning strikes were visible, but I hadn’t heard any thunder.

My pups never made noise for no reason.

I sat up. “Hey,” I said softly and calmly, “what’s got you worried?”

They didn’t look toward me, as I expected, but remained intent on the window, their vocalizations getting louder.

I saw a face at the window about the same time as Fenn and Frey. They transformed into fraighounds as effortlessly as I breathed in and out, and began jumping at the glass like they would break the window.

“No. No. No. No,” I said. “Hold on. Let’s not go chasing after that without your mum and da. I’m calling Lochlan.”

The pups quieted slightly while I made the call. I really didn’t want them challenging whatever was out there.

I heard a light knock at the front door. Well, this little pig wouldn’t be fooled by friendly-sounding knocks. Of course, the sound caused my dogs to race for the front door and renew their dedication to discouraging our nocturnal caller. This was the background sound behind my phone call to Lochlan. I knew it was late for Lochlan, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Rita? Is that you calling at this hour?” He didn’t sound sleepy.

“I need help. There’s something out there. Possibly a werewolf. I’m restraining the dogs as best I can, but they’ve shifted.”

“Well, that would explain what’s wrong with Angus and Aisling. They’ve been upset for the past quarter hour. We’ll be right over.”

In less than two minutes Lochlan arrived looking more like a pageant winner than a court clerk. He was carrying armloads of wolfsbane with purple flowers.

My puppies’ parents, who’d also shifted into the full blossom of fraighound magnificence, resisted coming inside and gave Lochlan a hard time about it. It was the first time I’d ever seen them balk at his command. They made it clear they wanted to give chase to something.

“You didn’t see anything on the way here? ‘Cause we just heard a knock at this door.”

“I didn’t see anything, but Angus and Aisling are still on alert.”

“What is that?” I asked, as I locked the door behind my neighbors.

“The reason it took so long to get here. Ivy had to gather up some wolfsbane from the cellar.”

“Wolfsbane? Lochlan! Is it safe to leave Ivy alone?”

He gave me a rare full-body laugh. “Ivy is always safe, Rita. She can outfly anything that flies. But thank you for asking.”

“Okay. You were saying about wolfsbane.”

“Oh, well, in case you’re right about the nature of your Peeping Tom. We can use this.”

“How does it work?”

“The usual. Poison. Story is that the Greeks used to use it for hunting wolves by putting it on bait. Even though it hasn’t been used for a long time, werewolves are still afraid of it.”

“Huh. Well, I’ve lowered all the shades and closed all the shutters. Nobody can see in.”

“Excellent.”

Like punctuation there was another knock. Slightly louder.

We then heard the same voice from Sherwood Forest say from the other side of the door, “I want to talk to Rita Hayworth.”

Lochlan looked at me with one eyebrow raised. “He knows your name?”

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