Encounter 1

"It just as the sheriff said, no even drop of blood remains"

Max muttered squatting down near one of the headless corpses. since he was sensitive to blood, Max could 'see' situation under the corp's skin. it had a wormlike pattern running all over, showing how dry the skin was.

"But why do they have to cut off the head? that doesn't make any sense"

He was puzzled by the missing head. if Ron wants to extract all the blood out of body there are many ways. why go through all this trouble, cutting heads?

"How should I find them? there isn't much to go on"

There are a bunch of corpses, true, however, nothing lead to Vampires. except for visible blood loss, Max saw nothing. but that could be anything, a maybe rival gang trying to throw out police from their tracks or they might be selling blood bags to someone else.

When Max stood up thinking this trip was a waste of time, he sensed something from the back. abruptly he turned around, Max saw a gun aimed at his head.

Desert Eagle hanging inch away from his forehead. Max reacted quickly, he raised his hand and strongly gripped gunslinger's hand. just as he twisted gunslinger's hand, aside, another gun came aiming at his left temple.

Yet again Max was faster than the gunslinger. he used his other hand to deflect the incoming gun. with a sound of metal colliding, the gun was thrown away. Max held both hands of gunslingers without letting the enemy move.

"A woman?" as the outline of the person before him revealed Max couldn't help but wonder.

"For a woman, you wield enormous strength and speed"

The gunslinging woman in front of him had the power of a beta. although it was a bit weaker, nonetheless she has the power.

"Then I bet you haven't seen this," said the woman came near him, stepping out from shadows. however, Max didn't let her hands-free, he feared she might get away. for all, he knows she may be related to the crime.

Max clearly saw a woman's face, she was a beautiful mature woman, probably in her late thirties or early forties. she had black hair and...dimly glowing blue eyes.

Max was surprised "A wolf? no, you don't smell like one, what are you?"

"Oh! well...this is a surprise, look like you know the stuff, or....."

The woman also showed surprise expression. she immediately knew this kid wasn't someone normal, per se. next moment she was aghast, she saw the kid's face lit up with a bright red glow, his eyes were bright red. it was so bright she thought the entire hall might be lightened up alarming cops.

"An Alpha? why is a wolf here?" the woman tried to back away fearfully. if she was in her prime condition she might have a chance to flee but now, it close to none.

However, Max gripped her hands strongly, without letting her move.

'She isn't a wolf? what the.....oh! so that's why she looked familiar'

"You must be the Desert Wolf, nice to meet you," Max said after realizing who the woman was.

It's no wonder he couldn't recognize Corinne the Desert Wolf. Tv series hardly gave her some air time and that too was brief. you can't expect him to remember her soon as he saw her.

He retracted his eyes simultaneously letting Corinne free. she was looking at him bit fearfully, although she was a killer, no gun could harm an Alpha. what more, this up front, fighting with him was suicidal.

"You know me?" she asked trying to hide her fear. but her eyes betrayed her intentions.

"Of course I do," Max said smiling "So did you kill them?"

Corinne was frightened. she came here to investigate to find out who responsible for this. normally she wouldn't accept kinda missions, but the order came from a bit higher place.

What frightened her as she thought that, this might be the Alpha of this dead pack and now he suspects her for killing them. even if she was in perfect conditions, fighting against a whole pack takes some effort.

"No...I came here to investigate who responsible for this, is this your pack?"

Max widened his eyes. where did she get that idea? when did I say this my pack?

"Haha, don't worry this isn't my pack. I don't think they are wolves at all?"

As he smiled Corinne relaxed "You look young, how old are you?"

"I do, but that doesn't matter, why are you investing this?" Max brushed off her tension relaxing question and asked. he was thinking maybe she could help him find Ron.

Corinne went near the body Max was checking without answering she imitate Max and squatted. she checked head....well, neck to toe without missing anything.

Seeing this Max couldn't stand to look "there is nothing to see, clean cut and every single blood drop is drained."

Max said looking at her perfect butt. while Lydia was young and delicate just like a flower. this woman mature and wild, just like unruly Coyote she is. if he plays his card right, he might get a chance to tame little (?) wild Coyote.

"That because of you never checked, look here" his fantasies were broken by Corinne's suppressed voice. they never talked loudly, not wanting to alert cops outside.

"What!? there is nothing...oh! my...what the hell was that?"

When Max observed the spot Corinne pointing at, he was elated but he feigns ignorance. the right side of the clean-cut neck there was two holes. the neck was cut evenly dividing the two holes. now only remain was unnoticeable half of tube-like mark.

After Vampires drank blood from this body, they separated the head. maybe this was left by a mistake, whoever did the dirty works.

"Don't know let's check others too?" Corinne said narrowing her eyes. for a moment Max thought she realized something.

Out of twenty bodies, eight had the same marking. some heads were cut parallel to shoulder, so they couldn't find anything. but now Max was sure he is in the right track. problem is how to find ones who did this. naturally, he couldn't. he wasn't trained for that. Max couldn't help but look at Corinne with a big smile, as he thought she could help him tons. besides, it looks like she knows something.