Blue and red lights from the police cruisers flashed steadily bathing the surroundings and grounds in a blue red glow. The yellow tape warded off the section as an ambulance stood to the side with two stretchers carrying zipped up body bags. Two chalk outlines were visible for all to see drawn on the floor showing the shape the corpse had been found. Various cops lined the streets taking notes some walking around others speaking into walkies while others watched the few citizens that mulled the street and craned their necks to catch a look.
Eve McKnight stood by her cruiser car arms folded under her breasts, dark eyes fixed on the body bags that lay on the stretcher. A burger sat forgotten on her passenger seat, though it was more a revulsion to the corpse than the lack of hunger on her part. She knew the other cops shared her worry at the sight of the scene.
She looked over to the black van that had the animal logistics painted on it , watching the men there conversing amongst themselves. She knew all they had was just speculation, no one being able to think of an animal that could rip into those men that way. They lack of blood pool or puddle in the scene worried them. Speculations of premeditated murder being pushed off the table as the killing didn't look human. They lack of blood though made some reason the animal had dragged the carcass down to this point.
It still didn't make any sense neither did they lack of drag marks. At the end it was up to an autopsy to rule cause of death.
"McKnight!" I had name shoved her back to reality as she turned to the newcomer. The older woman regarded her with a warm but fierce gaze her amber eyes twinkling. Blonde short locks contrasted with Eve's black hair that she held up in a ponytail most of the time.
"Sheriff Alba." She acknowledged her as she stared back at the lady. Alba smiled at her before casting her gaze to the body bags, then the animal logistics, finally to the drawing on the floor.
"And I had a good meal this morning. Aighh." She groaned out before she looked back at the other cops.
"Whatever it is, I don't think even animal logistics likes the look of it." Eve stated worriedly.
*I'm more worried about having to set a curfew cause of potential animal fear. Besides we haven't had any sightings." Alba mused.
*When was the last time we had a sighting?. Wasn't that like a year or two ago. Still remember that report and still remember thinking that we had to sweep the street for whatever new pot of crack the local lads were selling out now." Eve said shaking her head a look in her eyes as she stared back at the body bags.
"But now... "Alba pushed.
"I'm not so sure it was crack anymore". She admitted before glancing back at Alba.
"Worst case scenario some direwolf or a panther or..."
"Panther. .. really sheriff." She said. " More like mountain lions or .."
"And I'm the crazy one". Alba muttered.
"Hey sheriff!" Another cop called out beckoning the older woman away.
" Well duty calls. Say hi to the kid for me been a while I saw him." Alba stated as she walked over to the circle of officials.
Eve made a subtle glance around her eyes taking in the wood line around. A few cars passed up and down the road just a few thanks to the low population of Rider Crest.
Her eyes saw it just as it moved past then she looked back quickly to the spot seeing nothing. Her brows creased as she took a step closer her mind sure she saw something. Spotting her cruiser partner Donatello she nodded to him
"Hey Donald. I'll be quick think I saw something up there just gonna check it out"he looked back at the woods behind him then back at her his brown hair unnerved by the motion.
"Need backup?"he asked. He obviously had a notepad in which he was jottimg down things.
"Nah you look busy. Besides might be nothing, I'll just do a quick scan and head right here." She brushed him off beginning to walk for the woods.
*Alright, holla if you see something" he shouted back her hand raising in a thumbs up response while she walked on the forest edge.
The sun made its stop at the tree line almost like it refused to trespass the line. Within the woods only a few rays broke through the tree canopy as the environment appeared dim. She walked in her eyes searching moving from tree to tree as she sought something anything. Shaking her head she turned to leave the woods nothing valuable coming to sight.
A snap and crack to her right took her attention as she spun quickly eyes pinning to the direction. Not a leaf moved as she glared at the area, her hand rested on the handle of her Beretta while she backed the entrance.
"McKnight. Donald to McKnight come in" she jumped as the walkie blared out Donald's voice sounding through. Responding she inched her mouth to the device
"McKnight here. What's up?"
"Little call down at the bar. Some folks say the saw something, more like a someone last night." She listened as her eyes travelled the expanse of dim lighted woods before her.
*Alright get the car I'm out the woods. " She replied then set back the decide to her shoulder strap and turned to leave. She stopped again this time her eyes on the tree beside her. The print on it with red looking at her as if arguing her thoughts with her. Her hands grabbed at the walkie as she beeped Donald.
"Hey, get forensics down here, I think I found something."
"What's it?. On my way." Donald replied.
"I'm not sure. But it's a palm print , I think... it's blood." The forest around her seemed to suddenly come to life the trees swaying and the branches creaking back and forth.
"Yep. Scratch creepy forest of this town's dream achievements." She muttered as her right hand rested on the Beretta, it's cold metal calming her a bit.
Aurora dropped down hard on the rock her eyes widened from the jump she'd effectively executed. Squealing in excitement she turned to a still climbing Asher who looked annoyed at her obvious delight
"I could totally get used to this, if you know .." her eyes dimmed as did her smile "... I wasn't technically dead."
Asher grumbled out a string of curses before pulling over the rock side and standing beside her. "I don't see how I could get used to this". He muttered.
"Oh be a bit lively, your the werewolf here, you don't need to worry about biting a human and blood. You got the good deal if you ask me. "She chided as she watched him.
"Good deal" he bit out as his mind wondered what was good about his bones snapping off and rearranging a good thing. His lips parted to voice the exact thoughts when she pointed behind him.
"Cave." He turned looking at the said dark entrance that was obviously a cave as she continued talking. "Think that's where the prints lead to?".
His eyes lit up as he crouched down searching, they'd followed the prints down the forest path as best as they could. Well he could, she'd been more of a talking aid than looking aid. Turned out when not bothered about problems she was quite the talking type. Something his brain was still trying to get used to. She'd spent the entire hour of their tracking telling him about her family and her past love life. He felt he now knew more about this George guy she dated than he did Benjamin and he'd never even met the guy.
Prints had disappeared beneath the little rock rise and after a thorough down search they'd backtracked and decided that the wolf must have gone up since there were no prints showing that it left in another direction.
"Yep. They lead there" he confirmed as his eyes followed the zoomed in print that lazily trailed right to the cave mouth.
"You think we should go in?" I asked unsure. She seemed to contemplate this.
" We do need to find who this person is " she mused.
"What if they attack us?" I queried, I'd recently gone through a painful task of shifting my body from man to wolf and wolf to man again I wasn't bent on dying anytime soon after that.
"Werewolf, vampire. Pretty certain we can take on one wolf. " I turned to her as she pointed between us both my eyebrows rising.
*Says the redhead I remember running like the devil was on her heels " she glared hard then looked around.
"You'd run too if you saw a big ass wolf staring you down like the best piece of meat around." She stated .
" Wasn't staring. I'm certain. " I argued
"Yeah. I refute that. You kept doing that licking of your snout thing that made me wonder if you were already fantasizing on eating me already." She shuddered at the thought.
" I wasn't. I'd recently just killed and eaten a deer and ... "
"Wait. You ate it raw?". A disgusted look crossing her face.
"Oh don't give me that look, you didn't stop to season your blood either." I shot back. Her left brows popped up in amusement.
"That's it. Your major comeback. " She shook her head like a disappointed mother while I glared.
" We entering or not?".I huffed getting annoyed. She raised both hands in mock surrender.
"Let's go." Let's go" she muttered flashing a fake smile.
"I'm beginning to wish you were still scared of me." I hissed walking forward while she chuckled behind me. We neared the cave entrance slowly scanning it's opening for anything.
"In?" She asked quietly a completely serious expression now etched on her features. I nodded in response as I walked slowly up letting my body slide past the shadows as the cave too repelled the sun from making its way in.
"Watch our backs" I instructed making a quick glance back at her. Her eyes were already red as she looked around, a quick nod of response coming form her as I looked front my golden eyes helping to see in the dark.