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“We will get to that when we get there.”
“It’s pretty far,” Matt said. If he was right about where they were and where they had to go, it might take days. Considering there was now a pack of werewolves out there … “We should probably head to the ranch and—”
“No need.” Mandenauer pointed to the horizon.
Matt squinted. “Is that a car?”
“How do you think I got here?”
Matt hadn’t thought. He’d had a few other items on his mind.
“We won’t be able to make it all the way to the site in that.”
The old man shrugged. “We can get much closer.”
They reached the vehicle, a boxy old Mercedes. An SUV, a Hummer, perhaps a tank, would have been better, but wheels were wheels. Once inside, Matt gave Mandenauer directions and sat back. Matt could use a nap, but before he could even take a breath, Edward spoke.
“Tell me what happened since our last conversation.”
It took a lot longer than Matt would have thought. By the time he finished, they’d reached the end of the road. Literally.
“Does wolfsbane keep werewolves out?” Matt asked.
“Sometimes.” Mandenauer’s bony fingers turned off the motor. “Depends on the werewolf. Once the Nahual inhabited Jase McCord, I doubt wolfsbane would have bothered him at all. Possession is strange. The two become one, yet still there are two. The wolfsbane might only affect the Nahual in wolf form, or perhaps not affect it at all. Or the creature’s magic may have been stronger than the magic of the charm.”
“Sorcerers are a pain in the ass,” Matt muttered.
“I should put that on a bumper sticker.” Mandenauer got out of the car. He began to sling rifles and bullet bandoliers over his skinny shoulders before shoving a few pistols into his belt.
“You want me to help with that?” Matt asked.
The old man stopped just long enough to hand Matt one of the pistols before he started walking. Matt let out a surprised snort-cough and followed, shaking his head.
Matt kept a wary eye on every bush, tree, and crevice. If Gina came charging out, fangs bared, Mandenauer would kill her. Matt needed to be prepared to—
What? Throw himself in front of a silver bullet?
In a word—yes. He was not going to let Gina die if there was any chance of putting her back the way she’d been. If it meant he had to die or even become like her, Matt would. He could perform sacrifice as well as the next Aztec.
The tree of life inched slowly out of the horizon. Matt glanced at Mandenauer, but he seemed to be doing fine despite the weight of the guns and ammo. Were Matt to analyze who w
as breathing harder, he’d have to say he was. If the old guy wasn’t careful, someone might shoot him with silver one day just to see if he died.
Matt expected Mandenauer to return the favor and tell Matt all that he knew, but he didn’t. Finally, Matt couldn’t wait any longer. “Did you find a way to kill the Nahual?”
“No.”
“But—” Matt stopped walking as sick, slick dread washed over him. “There has to be a way to end that thing.”
“If there was,” Mandenauer didn’t stop, and Matt had to hurry to catch up so he didn’t miss a word of what the old man said, “then why did the Ute confine him?”
“What do you plan to do?”
Mandenauer didn’t answer and the sick, slick dread deepened.
“I won’t let you hurt her,” Matt said quietly.
“It may come down to her or you.”
