1 Chapter 1

The night sky yawned overhead as the moon slowly made its way to its zenith, cast long brilliant shadows onto the rolling Tennessee mountains. Franklin, Tennessee sits not far from Nashville and shares the same lush forests that sprawl just outside the city limits. Coyotes run in packs across the gently sloping mountain ridges chasing deer throughout the undergrowth. In the neon-colored night, a young woman begins her new life.

Thumping music travels through the sweltering air echoing into the alley. Smoke curled upward from a cigarette gathering into the hooded light behind the backdoor of Tina's Top Shelf. A sleaze-filled establishment only a set or so above "Hooters". It was as clean as it was respectable their newest bartender was taking her break.

Amanda Lewis was had promised herself a lot of things. She'd move close to Nashville so she could work on her singing career, she'd stop smoking, she'd quit working at this demeaning bar, and that she'd break her manager's jaw. It was late and those promises seemed like they were made by a different person, Amanda's night had been long, tedious, and skin-crawling. Her manager had tried to touch her again. That made four times this week, Amanda had started keeping a ledger of each and every time he'd made her feel uncomfortable so she could pay him back as painfully as possible. His mother owned the place so it was "all in good fun" and she was "just being a prude".

Amanda braced herself on the stair railing and adjusted her top. Muttering to herself all the while about how she resented having to dress in mostly leather. Amanda stood towering above all the other bartenders and most women in general at nearly six foot two inches. She'd played volleyball all throughout high school and kept her athletic body five years later. She was barely being contained by a too-tight leather top and a pair of leather pants that were honestly some type of war crime. Her hair was shimmer while it was catching the light a bright red that contrasted against her deeply bronzed skin. Her heels burned and the sweat was rolling down her back. June in Tennessee was a killer and inside Tina's, it was always about fifty degrees hotter than the outside.

It was midnight and the last call was fast approaching she'd be rushed in a few minutes to get the last few drops of frothy Bud Lite, and Jack and Coke into as many people as possible while the band finished their set. After being here for about three months Amanda had settled into a rhythm and was more concerned about trying to get Tina to let her band play at least a few nights a week for tips and exposure. Anything to try and make a name for herself so she could make her dream come true. Amanda's mind was wandering until a noise cut through the thick air and shocked her back to reality.

A trashcan had been knocked over by a shadowy little thing slinking around next to the recycling bin. Amanda's curiosity and hesitance to bother going back to work made it seem like a better idea to check things out. Her heels clicked against the asphalt as she made her way to the overturned aluminum trashcan, she crouched down and lifted the half-empty receptacle back up and caught a glimpse of the perpetrator. A raccoon that looked to be about a month old was huddled into a small box shaking. The low light made it difficult to see but it little creature looked healthy if a little skinny.

"Hey there little guy, where's your momma?" Amanda said reaching a hand out toward the small cub, but it curled farther into the box. "It's okay, come here I'll get you some food sweety." She said as she retrieved what appeared to be some leftover chicken wing that the raccoon had scattered. Sliding the half moldering garlic wings to the little animal as slowly as possible. She didn't really want the little thing to eat that but it'd be better than nothing. "Here you go honey," Amanda already planning on maybe trying to take the cub home, "I've got an apartment with my brother and my two best friends. If you're all alone you can come live with us."

"Sounds like a good offer to me babe." A voice intoned from somewhere behind Amanda. "I mean, I am awful hungry and I'd love to come home with you for a treat."

She slowly rose to her full height and turned slowly trying not to provoke any action from the unseen man. Her eyes met his equal and he appeared to be in his early forties, broad-shouldered and with large arms. She could smell the alcohol on his breath even from a couple of feet of distance between them. His face would've been difficult to make out in the low light but Amanda knew him well enough.

"Been a little while Ian, been what about a month?"

"Yeah, thereabouts."

"You know you're not supposed to be here. Tina banned you from the place."

"I'm not inside."

"I've got a restraining order."

"I don't see anyone else, who's gonna call the cops. Besides I just wanted to talk."

"No, get out of here. Now. If you leave now I won't Terry black both your eyes."

"I'd love to see him try. Anyway. All I want to get to know you, Amanda. I mean come on. The way you looked at me in there. The way you talked to me. I know you like me. I know you want as bad as I want you." Ian started to walk slowly in Amanda's direction, he wasn't presenting a physical threat yet but she could feel his intention probably before he even did.

"You're drunk, and it's my job, Ian. I smile and I'm nice and I ask questions and I ask how people are doing to make them buy more drinks. Get the hell out of here now Ian or you'll regret it." She reached into her pockets as casually as possible and grabbed her car keys that held a small can of mace with her left hand. Her right hand was clasp around the switchblade her brother had given her.

"I'm not drunk, and I know the difference! You're walking around looking like that and talking to me like that. No one talks to me like that I just need a chance to make you see what I can do for you." He lurched toward Amanda.

"Goddammit!" Amanda yelled. Her resolve was unshaken but she was unsure what she would need to do to convince Ian to stop. She drew the mace and aimed for his stubble-covered face. It hit the mark for the most part and his eyes may as well have been welded shut.

"What the fuck! You fucking bitch that's it." With his eyes still burning, Ian began it swing his heavily muscled arm toward where he believed Amanda was standing. Thanks to the eight swigs from the liquor bottle in the truck and the mace his aim was less than perfect. A loud clanging sound filled the air as Ian's meaty fist slammed into the large green dumpster Amanda had been near mere seconds before. The clang was accompanied by a crunch that wasn't healthy and was probably a broken hand.

Amanda took the opportunity and let loose with the caustic spray again and struck Ian in the face with the knife still clenched in her hand. Causing his head to bounce against the hard steel of the dumpster. Ian dropped to his knees coughing rubbing his eyes vigorously. Amanda made her way to the small box still containing the tiny cowering raccoon, closed it quickly, and walked up the stairs into the bar. Slamming and locking the door behind her.

Walking through the kitchen as the crew was cleaning Amanda grabbed an order of wings that'd been set aside for her. No sauce, no bread, perfect for the little critter, and her diet. She popped the lid of the cardboard box open, placed it in the food and furry little ringtail sat upon them as a monster. She fixed the box shut, and poked in a couple holes. Slid it under the bar for just another hour or two until she can get home. Just as predicted people were ordering their last drinks and calling for cabs, the lights are coming up and after another hour Terry and Scott start ushering out the crowd.

"Terry, can I talk to you for a minute?" Amanda yelled over the crowd and after a moment he made his way over.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Ian was out back."

"Shit, he still there?"

"Not sure, will you walk me to my car tonight just in case? I don't want him sneaking up on me. I was being nice I maced his ass and left him in a heap out back so he might be angry."

"Ha! That's what's up." He raised extended his hand for a fist bump and Amanda returned it. "Jennie had the right idea telling me to give you that, I'm glad you're safe kiddo. Just let me know when you're leaving and I'll walk you out." He said as he turned away back toward the door and the last few straggling patrons. Amanda and the three other bartenders began cleaning once the last of the patrons filtered out and at roughly 3am Amanda, Terry, and her new furry companion were leaving for the night.

Amanda and Terry were discussing the little creature she'd forcibly adopted. "I'm thinking of names but I'm not sure it's a boy or a girl yet. I'm thinking Chopper if it's a boy and Maggie if it's a girl what do you think?"

"I think that raccoons are far harder to raise than you're expecting. I had a friend who tried to raise one. Did not end well."

"Yeah, but I'm special!" Amanda said in a baby-talk voice while pretending to be the raccoon.

A noise cut through the genial conversation and left the night air still. A man's screaming and audible noises of an animal attack. Terry's eyes widened and Amanda knew he had to go and try to help, he was a volunteer firefighter after all. She wasn't about to let him run in by himself so Amanda decided that she was in regardless. She sat down the box, pulled her knife and the two took off in the direction of the noise. Their pursuit led them to an alley adjacent to Tina's a hulking form that was nearly the size of a grizzly bear hunched over a man that was lying face down on the concrete. The dim illumination hid the man's features but did nothing to hid the massive gaping wounds on his back from the creature's claws and teeth. A large chunk of flesh was being torn from his shoulder and a loud pop could be heard as something must have dislocated. Without warning, Terry sprinted forward and dove onto the back of the creature as it stood to its full size.

Its large pointed ears and long snout screamed canine but its size, stature, and well let's not forget to mention the fact that it's standing on two legs. Amanda's mind immediately leaped to werewolf, but those aren't real. It didn't seem to matter what was real and what wasn't this thing was killing someone. Terry had wrapped his arm around the neck of this massive creature and was attempting to strangle it. Amanda wasn't really sure what to do so she decided to focus on the man on the ground and drag him away from the creature. Its heaving clawed limbs were swiping left and right and clawing at its throat tearing open its own flesh as well as Terry's. Amanda ducked under the swinging arm and checked for a pulse. They were too late.