“Jesse.” Gail’s voice was tight with fear.
I stood over her and searched her eyes. Her usually hazel irises had taken on a yellow cast.
“Jesse, I think you better get the gag. Hurry, I’m not sure how long I’m going to be cognizant.”
I snatched the bit gag off the table and brought it back. “Open.”
Gail opened her mouth and I slipped the rubber between her teeth. I rolled her onto her side and fastened the gag tightly at the back of her head.
I got the rest of the chain and quickly wrapped it around her calves, thighs, and then used the last piece around her neck, just above the steel and leather collar. Getting the rope, I tied pieces to each of the D-rings in her harness, one on each anklet, two on the collar, and one at the end of the arm restraint. I tied the other ends with slipknots to various places along the bed’s metal frame. When finished, I stepped back and examined each restraint to convince myself there was no way Gail would be able to break free.
She lay on her side, breathing hard, panting really. Her eyes had grown more yellow.
I sat on the edge of the bed facing her. “Okay, Gail, it’s important part for you so stay with me. You have to fight giving in to the beast, stay with me. A strong mind can defeat anything. Just don’t give in.”
Her body snapped tight in the restraints. I put both hands on her shoulders to try to keep her still, but as soon as she snapped back, she popped forward again. The ropes twanged with the sudden load.
“Sweet Jesus,” I said aloud and gripped her harder.
Her muscles writhed beneath my fingers. I held on, putting my weight down until she was pinned to the mattress on her back. A convulsion went through her and I found myself sitting on the floor. “Damn!”
I ran to the table. There were 4 medallions left and another fifty feet of the rope. I carried them to the bed and considered my options. Gail was still thrashing about to the extent that the rope would let her. I slipped another line through the two D-rings in her anklets and pulled the rope as tight as I could. Against her twisting, I slowly stretched her legs straight and fastened the line to the foot of the bed. I wrapped another twenty feet of line around her chest, just above her breasts and beneath her arms. I fastened one end to each bed rail and then adjusted the tightness until the rope bit into her flesh.
Her spasms seemed reduced, but I wasn’t certain it was the ropes or something else.
Taking the last four medallions, I looked for a place to keep them against her skin. Finally, I wedged three under the tape along her ribcage. I took the last one in my hand and held it against her waist. I’m not all that religious and even though Gail had assured me that every conceivable holy man had at some point tried to save a werewolf victim, I found myself praying.
The stink of burning flesh snapped my eyes open. Around each place that silver touched skin, a thin thread of smoke drifted up. For a moment, I started to remove the silver and then I stopped. Gail would rather be burned than change into a beast. I closed my eyes again, ignored the heat coming from the medallion I held against her and continued my prayer.
After a time, I found that the smell had withdrawn until it was barely noticeable. I opened my eyes and saw that the metal no longer smoked and the one I held no longer burned. Afraid to change anything, I lifted my hand from the medallion and saw that Gail’s belly was damp and her navel was wet. I wiped at my eyes with the back of my hand and studied her.
She seemed to be resting comfortably and no longer moving in her restraints. I leaned close to her face and studied it from a couple of inches away. Her skin seemed normal, no fur at all. Gingerly I lifted her right eyelid.
Her iris was still yellow.
I checked the left eye and it was a twin of the right, neither focused on me, and she appeared to be sleeping. I let her eyelid close and sat back. Unless something else occurred, it looked like the worse was over. Perhaps I’d finally placed enough silver in contact with her skin.
I stood and stretched, stopping when the staples pulled against flesh. I picked the Thermos up from the floor and found my cup. I filled the cup, pulled a chair up beside the bed, and sat down.
The clock on my tablet said it was after eleven. The website that had given me the moonrise had stated that moonset was at six-oh-seven, better than six and a half hours to go. I leaned back in the chair and studied Gail. She still slept comfortably, if that term could apply to a nearly naked woman in heavy bondage.
I raised the cup to my lips and took a swallow.
Somewhere outside the cabin, a wolf howled.
Chapter 8 – Uninvited Guests
I sat still; listening, until the howling died away, then I lowered my cup and looked toward the door. The beam was in its place, not much was coming through a steel door with a 4x4 beam bracing it. Setting the cup on the table, I picked up the Mossberg and went to one of the front windows. Opening the window, I slid back the shutter. The moon flooded the clearing in front of the cabin, reflecting brightly off the chrome trim on Gail’s van
