The nights ends here

Claude and Sabine Mort had hoped the stories they heard were false. How could non-human creatures be that cruel they thought. How could a curse be that viscous. They had spent several months driving around rural Michigan gathering information. Folk lore and wives tales seemed to hold the most truth. They weren't the most believable but they were terrifying and held warnings. And as all stories with warnings they are derived from something true to be afraid of.

They were not welcome into the community so they hid and observed, aware that it would take place in the summer months when the whole community was gathered.

Claude worked in the bars of the human town and waited patiently till a few males came out looking for a new beer to try or catch up with outsiders. He listened and finally heard something worth three dollars and seventeen cents an hour for.

"Bro it's no one who's actually living here man, it's one of the summer kids!"

"You're full of shit! It's that creepy Howard boy who's always on his own"

"No way he's got a mate he just lives across country"

"Yeah but his mates a boy he's gotta be it"

"Look whatever you think it's not him, has a mate yeah it's dude but end of! doesn't fit"

Claude muttered in French, he'd missed the winter markets in Paris for old wives tales and homophobia. Very ironic he thought.

"Ay French fry can I get another beer please I'm thirsty! Anyway no look it's gotta be a girl it always a girl"

"No way the last one wasn't, I was there"

"She was she'd just cut all her hair off so she could try and slip out unnoticed "

"Man that was a good one, awww I can't wait for my kids to do it this year, it'll be their first hunt"

"Shame Katie couldn't be here, she was so excited if only she could've stayed the summer"

"Yeah it's unlucky, anyway yeah I agree summer girl, I'm betting on that spoiled New York girl, the red head"

"Yeah she always acts so high and mighty and thinks we're dirt I can't decide which I want more, to see her face when she gets a country boy mate or when we get to rip her to shreds"

"Either way it'll be the same expression"

A roar of laughter sent Claude reeling, he gritted his teeth and had to remind himself that they weren't all like this. He made a mental note. Red head girl form New York.

"Anyway you don't know what the hell you're talking about, it's obviously gonna be one of the brits"

"Oh yeah my moneys on the older one whatshername? Ya know she's got huge!"

"No you're talking out your ass! It's obviously the younger one, ya know blonde, skin whiter than my new truck, have you seen my new truck by the way?"

And with that they crowed outside to look at the new truck,

'Asshole six was right' thought Claude.

That was a very white fucking truck.

The New York ginger. The pale blonde Brit.

They wouldn't be too hard to spot in this crowd he thought.

Sabine used her crows to keep watch and for the most there was nothing. Seemingly normal. Until one-day she opened her eyes and a steady readiness came about her.

"I've seen them both, they appear to be friends"

"Any obvious signs?"

Claude asked.

"No but the red seems upset, she could be ill. The blonde noticed my crows though, she was... transfixed".

"Well your crows are something to look at"

Claude dismissed Sabine riddles, though he loved her she was exceptionally good at being vague. 'You can take the girl out of French court' he thought.

They remained in close proximity, a truckers bar across from the entrance. Holding drinks they weren't sipping and Claude occasionally leaning into Sabine so no one would approach them.

She grabbed his hand.

"It's not the red head"

"How can you be sure?"

"I've just seen her being wrestled into a car, a young man in holding her, he has that look of anger and tenderness they get. She has a mate. She doesn't want one but he's hers"

Claude took a fake swig of his drink

"The blonde where is she Sabine?"

Her brows furrowed

"She left the ball a while ago, but..."

Claude could sense what she'd done

"But what Sabine?"

"I'm sorry Claude I was sure, I was so sure it was the red head girl...I"

Claude grabbed Sabines hand and led her out the bar, it was night now.

"Keep looking she has siblings doesn't she maybe they haven't left the hall yet".

Claude spent then next couple of hours driving in circles around the gated community. Sabine remained silent, concentrating. He only knew she'd found her when she became distressed.

"Mon dieu Claude stop the car!"

He hit the brakes and pulled into a wooded lane.

"What's happened where is she?"

"They've started I can see them roaming the town, I can't see her though, wait there's some tracks, footprints... on a car, she's in a house oh Claude"

"Wait what do you see?"

Sabine described the scene before them.

She could only fly over but it seemed the wolves were all navigating to this one house.

"Claude I think she's gone they're all there WAIT! She's on the balcony she's hurt wait she's... she fell !"

"Is she dead ?"

"No she's moving but she needs to hide another ones coming, no she's crawling to the gate it's getting closer"

Sabine gasped and jerked in her seat

"It jumped over her, it's going for the house... wait I don't understand Claude"

"The girl Sabine focus on the girl!"

"Right sorry"

Sabine then described her lolling down the street, the falls and limping that made Claude sure she would die before they reached her.

But then.

"Claude she's made it to the forest! She's made it"

He smiled at the emotion Sabine was feeling, it was like watching someone react to a high speed chase.

"I've lost her, she's in the woods now"

Sabine came back

"There's an old road in the forest it's outside of their territory we have to go!"

A few hours later Sabine had gone back up to search, Claude drove around, with each passing minute he was convinced they had failed.

"I don't see her"

Sabine came back down

"Claude there's one there look out!"

He stopped and looked at the beast. You had to be in awe, even if human they had thinning hair or beer bellies. They were magnificent as wolves, claws large enough to tear any creatures arms off and jaws that would never release once they got hold of you.

The wolf was sniffing at something on the ground, nudging what appearing to be a red sack of something, a pig maybe?

The smell of blood finally hit him.

"Mon dieu Claude hit it !"

As they moved full speed they both gasped as it bit down on the girl. Only for a split second and then it got rammed by the car.

Sabine was out the front and in the back of the car with the body before Claude could switch to reverse.

"Go Claude Go!"

The wolf stood up and chased after them. Picking up speed.

"I need to turn Sabine distract him before the others come!"

Sabines eyes misted over and a murder of crows smothered the wolf. He jumped and dived but could not escape them, running back into the forest for cover.

Claude took his chance and booked it. He couldn't believe they'd won.

"We need to get out of state Claude, to the safe house"

He nodded.

"Is she alive?"

Claude tried not to look at the girl but he couldn't stop from smelling. It was bile, blood and poison.

"Barely, I'll do what I can for now"

Sabine sliced open her wrist with a nail and held it over the girls gawping mouth.

"there's to many wounds, I'll need you to help too Claude, hurry"

Claude speeded through

"We'll be safer going east for now"

Sabine remained silent

"Just hurry"