Chapter One

 

Miles was bored. Extremely tired, jet-lagged, and so very, very bored.

 

He tapped his fingers over his phone, already out of ideas for entertainment until dawn broke and everything in the city opened again. He had already played every game on his phone until it'd gotten tiresome, and he'd read every book he had online. It was still only four twenty-four and the convention center wouldn't be opening for another hour at least.

 

He groaned, wishing he could just get to sleep but... there was something keeping him awake...

 

His mind wandered, remembering the odd dream he'd had.

 

“That looks... bad.” Miles stated, earning a withering look from the girl he was settled beside. Her hand was clamped tightly over a wound, seeping more blood than he'd ever seen in his lifetime, soaking her violet jeans even darker.

 

“No... ya'think, Miles?” She winced, shifting a little bit into him, removing her hand to check the extent of the damage. It was... disgusting. Four giant claw marks parted her skin to show muscle torn, exposing what he thought might've been a rib bone. He gagged and she rolled her eyes, giving him a smile that seemed out of place with her reaction. “I've had worse, it's no big deal.”

 

As if her body were waiting for her words, she started to heal, muscle fibers reconnecting, skin and sinew piecing back together. Miles knew from experience it was an odd feeling, how she could just sit there calmly and tolerate the ticklish, pin-pricking feeling from regenerating he had no idea. Then again... She'd been this way a lot longer than he had...

 

The girl gave a groan, then stood up, wobbling for a moment, giving him a miniature heart attack. “Naomi?” He steadied her, and she gave him a tired smile, gently pushing his hand off before she squared her shoulders, letting herself shift partially.

 

Her eyes glowed a bright, bloody red as her canines grew, her jaw lengthening with a pop to accommodate, and her nails growing thicker and sharper to resemble the same deadly claws that wounded her. She breathed out, looking over at him and giving him a toothy smile before she leapt back outside, where the sound of growls and howls grew louder and louder with each passing moment. Before she left, she made sure to tell him to “Stay right here in cover until Shawn or Darren came back with help.”

 

He sighed, slumping back into his corner of the old, nearly crumbling building they'd found for shelter. Miles looked down at his hands, watching as the same type of claws Naomi had made shifted from his fingertips, easy as could be. He could help, if only she would let him. But... He glanced out the window just above his hiding spot. Outside there were so many of them... at least twenty rabid, hulking beasts, werewolves made insane by the Alpha hunting them down... And there was Naomi, managing to keep them back, her teeth bared and already bloody, swiping down another crazed werewolf as she fought them off by herself.

 

She'd said she'd kill him herself if he joined in but... he could help... He drew in a breath, bracing himself, then let himself shift, the transition easy as sliding into a favorite coat, then, with a roar that made the ground shiver under his feet, he rushed the group, Naomi's scream ringing in his ears as he woke up with a jolt.

 

Miles jumped again, this time his phone alert was going off, a completely different one than what he'd had set, though he knew exactly who it was messaging him...

 

His heart still in his throat from the blood-curdling scream his phone just released, Miles called his asshole of a friend, the phone ringing once before a cheerful, lightly accented voice chimed through the receiver.

 

“Hey! Miles, my buddy, my friend!” Shawn snickered when he was met with Miles’ grumpy little huff. “Aw come on, I know you like that game. The tone's perfect for you...”

 

“Maybe perfect because you're a loud jerk like that toy in the game?”

 

Shawn only laughed, brushing off the insult. At this point in their friendship insults were just their way of showing their appreciation to each other, as odd as it seemed to everyone around them. “Anyway, I need coffee. Like, an hour ago. The hotel 'coffee' is gross and I can't take another minute in this room anyway?” There were some shuffling sounds in the background that was probably Shawn checking something on his phone as he was talking. “According to Google there's a well rated shop just a couple blocks from us that should be open. We can kill some time before the con opens up and everything.”

 

Miles glanced at his phone, seeing it was still just a little before five AM and shrugged. “Sure. Meet you in the lobby?”

 

Shawn, being as ridiculous as he always was, put on a flirtatious tone for his answer. “Sure thing, lover-boy. Can't wait to see your handsome-ass face.”

 

Miles rolled his eyes as the call ended. As ridiculous as Shawn was, though, Miles was going to forever be grateful for finding his best friend through their just as ridiculous work online. He pulled on one of his favorite shirts, along with a plaid button-up over top and some jeans that fit him comfortably but looked pretty good on him. As soon as he was all dressed and had made himself presentable enough to leave his room he put on a beanie and a pair of sunglasses to hide his face and left for the lobby.

 

Downstairs he found Shawn dressed a lot like him, dressed comfortably for the somewhat chilly spring weather in a hoodie and jeans, wearing a baseball cap with his favorite game logo on it and too-large-for-his-face sunglasses. “You look silly in those.” Miles pointed out with a grin.

 

Shawn shrugged, playing a clicker game on his phone as he walked out. “Can't tell who I am if I look silly.”

 

Miles wanted to say Shawn looked silly in nearly every video he did, so the best thing he could do to blend in would be to dress like a normal human being for once, but he decided to restrain himself. He could always save it for the public. Viewers loved their 'bickering'.

 

 

At the coffee shop it was quiet, hardly anyone was there, aside from a couple of college students too involved in their laptops, people just getting into work in need of a pick-me-up, and the employees, who looked just as tired as everyone else there. They thankfully weren't recognized and were able to get their drinks and sit at a table near the back of the cafe with little interruptions.

 

“Coffee.” Shawn hummed in a singsong, sipping his extra-large, extra strong black coffee with glee, literally bouncing in place like a little kid.

 

Miles chuckled, enjoying the warmth of his own, sweetened and much smaller drink. After they'd taken a few drinks and the caffeine had started working through them, they started talking. About work, about life, about a little bit of everything. It'd been a long time since they'd gotten to see each other in person, let alone have time to relax and chat without it being for work.

 

Unfortunately, when they could do so, it was also extremely easy for them to lose track of time. Miles cursed when he noticed the time on the clock in the cafe, then on his phone when he'd checked. It was already close to eight AM, and they had a meet-up they'd both been planning in ten minutes. He checked his phone, cursing again when it read that it took fifteen minutes to get to the convention center from where they were.

 

“Looks like we might be able to shave some time off by cutting through the alleyways...” Shawn pointed out, as soon as they spotted the mass of people now bustling about the sidewalk. Miles nodded, following his younger friend into the alley.

 

They walked for a while, nothing of note in the backs of the stores and complexes other than dumpsters and used items the occupants were attempting to give away. They were about halfway through to the convention center when Miles noticed it seemed a lot darker than it should be for early morning. He frowned, glancing around, his steps slowing slightly. The darkness seemed to shift, like whatever had caused it was following Shawn, who kept moving ahead. Miles looked up, then froze, fear like ice in his veins.

 

Up above them, following Shawn with intense red eyes, was a creature Miles' brain couldn't comprehend. It was massive, the size of a large pick-up truck, covered head to toe in black fur, a long muzzle filled to the brim with dagger-like teeth, and long humanoid fingers tipped with equally dangerous claws.

 

“Miles?” Shawn had stopped, turning to look over to Miles who was still stuck in his spot, unable to move for fear that the monster looming above would strike. “Miles, buddy... you look like you've seen a...” Shawn trailed off as he followed Miles' gaze to the monster, his blue-steel eyes widening. “Ghost...”