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The Physical Adept Author Notes: Magic has always existed and is now openly acknowledged. 10% of the population is magically sensitive and 5% can actually be taught to cast spells. Only about 1% have the ability to earn a Magic-User 3rd Class license. In a country of 300 million that means there are potentially 3 million professional practitioners. However, it takes hard work and training to develop that raw talent. There are currently in the United States about 1 million licensed practitioners. Of that about 100,000 are rated Magic-User 2nd Class, with approximately 10,000 Magic-User 1st Class, and nearly 300 Masters in the entire country. There are ancient private schools of magic. These schools are not registered with the Guild and specialize in unique types of magic that are generally considered illegal. The Guild of Magic-Users actively hunts these schools yet they persist. There are also schools of magic that specialize in teaching types of magic considered 'inferior' to the curriculum offered by the Magic-User Guild. They are tolerated because they focus on teaching those of 'lesser' talent. As long as these schools pay a fee the Guild is happy to license them because they keep the 'lesser' talents pacified and allow the Guild to focus on what it considers 'real' magic. Magic infuses the world, beings that were old when the world was young have returned to walk the land. Among these are vampires, werewolves, ghouls, zombies, and all manner of legendary creature. In the case of vampires and werewolves they have been infused with powerful magical viruses transmitted from one monster to the next from sire to offspring creating powerful covens and mighty packs. As long as they adhere to the laws of the land the Guild permits them to exist. This tolerance has allowed the covens and packs to grow in strength now they chaff under the yoke of civilized restraint. The power of magic is rising how humanity reacts will chart the course of civilization of the next thousand years. An Age has come to an end and a new Age has arrived and as yet no one has noticed. ********************* PRELUDE ********************* The fresh damp smell of the forest filled my nose despite the misting rain. The trees and foliage flashed by in a blur of green as I stretched into my run. I knew that I was needed up the valley toward the northern ridgeline. The call for an Alpha had come and I was the closest. When the clearing came into view I knew it would be bad. First of all most of the trees had been cut down. The company that had harvested them had spent some time planting new trees but this was no substitute in my mind for the majestic ancient trees that were now missing. Of greater concern was the heavenly aroma that wafted down the clearing toward me. Even though my eyesight wasn't as acute in wolf form as in my human body I could discern members of the Pack several hundred meters away. I also knew from the phone call that this was as close as I dared come in wolf form. I shifted. The thing about shifting, no matter how many times I bring up the change, is that it's always painful. In the middle of the day the change takes slightly longer than at night and much longer than under the light of the moon. Within 30 seconds I was in human form. I stood up to my full 6'6" height and walked forward feeling the cold air of the Pacific Northwest on my skin. It didn't bother me since werewolves generate more body heat than humans and are better able to handle the elements. I reached down and picked up the small pack attached to a harness specifically designed to be worn and carried by a wolf. I had slipped out of it before I started the change since it wouldn't have fit my human form. From the bag I pulled out a set of gym shorts and a satellite phone. After dressing I approached the knot of individuals and saw that there were three werewolves in human form attempting to help the five werewolves in wolf form who were writhing in the mud. "How much have they ingested?" I asked as I closed the distance. A female with long brown hair turned to me. She was naked like her companions which indicating to me that they had probably all been out hunting when they'd come across this scene and hadn't brought any extra gear with them. Even though nudity was common among werewolves I couldn't help but notice her excellent muscle tone and full breasts. "The plants are all around this area. Dozens of them, there is no way this is a natural occurrence," she said. By now I was close enough to see that the wolves on the ground were in various stages of overdose. The scent of Wolfsbane filled the clearing. In my human form it was possible to resist. If I'd arrived in wolf form I doubt that I'd have been strong enough to escape the enticing aroma. Wolfsbane is not a natural plant here in the human realm. It is a magical plant brought over from the realm of chaos. It takes some work to plant and cultivate it but once growing it's hard to get rid of, like a weed. Burning usually works I thought sourly. For werewolves the sap emitted from the plant is a powerful narcotic. If taken in large quantities it can push a werewolf from drug induced bliss to overdose and death. I quickly examined the werewolves and realized that two of them were already too far gone but there was a chance to save the other three. However we needed get them medical attention quickly or they would probably all die. That's where I came in. I was an Alpha of the Pack but in addition to this status, I was a trained EMT. I dug into my bag and pulled out a bottle with a clear liquid and a box with syringes. I started with the wolves that were in the best shape and worked my way down to the two that I thought would probably die. They each got a shot of the magically enhanced counter agent to the wolfsbane. Once this was done I turned on the Satellite phone and waited for it to power up and find a signal. "Baldric? I'm at the site, it's bad. We have four brothers and a sister down. Overdosed on wolfsbane, we're twenty miles north of the Boulder River Wilderness and west of Rockport. I've given them an initial treatment but we need to get them to a facility quickly," I said speaking into the phone. "John, I understand. I'll get a helicopter to you. Text me the lat-long from your sat-phone and I'll pass that on to the flight crew." His voice was calm and powerful which steadied me. "Will do, just get us that chopper fast," I replied and broke the connection. I tried to block out the destruction around me and focus on saving as many of these werewolves as I could but as I worked I felt a fury growing inside. Whoever was responsible for this would pay! ********************* CHAPTER ONE ********************* I watched the afternoon sunlight as the 747 descended smoothly toward SEATAC, until we plunged into the clouds obscuring the city below. I was both excited and nervous about meeting my employer and starting this new phase of my life. My name is Steve Henderson and I'd spent the last four years training at the Academy of Physical Adepts and had graduated just over two weeks ago. This was one of those schools designed for those of us with some magical ability but not enough to qualify for one of the Guild schools. The great thing about the Academy was that it trained its graduates to become some of the world's best personal security. We were highly sought after by the three letter agencies (CIA, DIA, FBI, NSA, ...) as well as the military. But the best of us got jobs as personal security for private employers. The private employers tended to be very wealthy and wanted discrete professional and most importantly bonded security. When I say bonded I mean that the Academy provides a service known as 'bonding'. The Academy charges a hefty fee for this service but many of the rich require it. The physical adapt places his or her hand on the 'bonding stone' and takes an oath agreed to by both the adapt and the employer. The Academies requires that all oaths taken on the stone have a specified time limit. The reason for the time limit is that an oath taken on the bonding stone cannot be broken. Period. This means that the employer can trust his or her adapt completely. For us the advantage is twofold. First we earn a bonus from the Academy and earn a higher salary from our employer and second it increases our magical power. Even though we weren't strong enough for the Guild to consider us Magic- Users by the time we graduated, our physical bodies have been trained to the limit of human performance. We have all learned to use our magic in harmony with our bodies so that we are stronger and faster than a mundane person could ever hope to be. We can go for days without sleep, food, or water. There are 14 specific arts we have to master as part of our basic curriculum. After that we have to master another 14 arts of our choosing. Generally people go with things that they are either very interested in or things that they have a magical affinity for. In my case, of the six elements, (fire, water, earth, air, wood, and metal) I'm closely aligned with air and metal so I had focused on these aspects of the art during the last two years of my time at the Academy. Mr. Lott had come to the academy and watched the graduation 'trials' and had offered Katie Johnson and me contracts the day before we graduated. Katie is a classmate of mine who I've had a crush on for the last four years but never had the courage to ask out. When I discovered that we had both been offered contracts from the same principle I was elated. I agreed to accept Mr. Lott's offer the night before we'd graduated and had bonded my contract the next day. When I checked my bank account that afternoon I realized that the money promised by Mr. Lott as a 'signing bonus' was already in the account. According to the terms of the contract both Katie and I had a month off before we were required to report to the Lott estate. Another benefit of being bonded right out of school is that the Academy allows you to go into the armory and choose a weapon. Both Katie and I had earned this additional bonus. The armory is in its own separate building behind the Hall of Arts with its own forge. The Academy paid former students gifted with crafting, and even some full Magic-Users to create weapons. These weapons could be either purchased by Adepts who'd already graduated or given by the school as a gift to those of us whose bond contributed financially to the school. I walked among the rows of weapons and thought about what I should chose. There were all sorts of items placed in racks waiting to be picked. Swords, knives, staffs, and guns, nearly everything imaginable. I felt an unexplainable urge to turn to my left and after a moment of hesitation did. I walked to the intersection between another row of weapons and felt it again, only this time I turned right. I walked about half way down the aisle and stopped. Sitting on a shelf was a short sword in a sheath of leather, wood, and brass. I picked it up and immediately identified it as a gladius by its design. When I drew it I realized that it was a Gladius Hispaniensis, the sword of ancient Rome. This type of sword had built the Republic and then an Empire that endured for over a thousand years. It felt perfect in my hand and I could feel it hum with a subdued power. When I returned to the Master of the Armory and showed him the weapon I'd chosen he seemed surprised. "I don't remember that being here. Let me see it for a moment Steve," he said. He took the sword and went to a computer to the side of the main doors and started typing. After a few minutes he seemed satisfied and returned to me with a piece of paper. "This printout will tell you about your weapon. It lists its size and characteristics. This sword has been in the Armory for over twenty years, ever since its last owner Mr. Morelli donated it to the Academy." I took the document and the sword feeling the tingle of power. "Thank you sir," I said and left. After I graduated I'd spent a two weeks with my brother Brad in San Diego. Both of my parents are dead but I've got two older brothers. Carl and Brad, Carl followed in my father's footsteps and joined the Army. Brad is living in San Diego pursuing a career in Mixed Martial Arts. After spending several days swimming in the ocean and nights hitting the bars in the gas lamp district I was ready to start work and caught a flight up to Seattle Washington. Even though I had another two weeks before I was required show up, I was eager to get started. The bump of the airliner touching down brought me back to the present. I waited until the passengers ahead of me cleared the aisle before I stood up, grabbed my carry-on, and disembarked. I followed the crowd of passengers as we made our way to the baggage claim area. Out of habit I opened my magical senses from time to time. Scanning for threats but also just to remain in the habit of paying attention to my surroundings, I was surprised to notice how many passengers had some level of magical talent. It only took a few minutes to pass through security and as I descended an escalator to the baggage claim area I noticed a man in a sports coat and wearing sunglasses standing to one side. He looked like he was of Hispanic descent and from the way he held himself I could tell he'd been trained. I quickly scanned him and saw that he was magically gifted but not strongly. I also felt a strange sense of familiarity. I ignored the crowd of passengers waiting to collect their bags and walked over to the guy in the suit. As I approached he turned his head watching me. I slowed down and made sure to look to either side discreetly then made a casual gesture with my left hand. This was a silent challenge and reply code taught to us at the Academy. The suit made the correct reply with his right hand so I continued my approach. "Mr. Frost?" I asked. "Yes, and you must be Steven Henderson," he said extending a hand. I gripped it in the manner of the Physical Adepts and he matched my grip confirming his identity. This was Mr. Paul Frost the chief of security for Alerick Lott and was the only other person with magical training on the security staff. I felt honored that he'd come in person to pick me up. It was also nice to have another Academy graduate here. "How was your flight? Oh, and call me Paul, we're pretty informal here," Paul said. "I'm glad to meet you sir," I said falling back on the habits learned at the Academy. Paul chuckled in response. "Let's get your gear. How many bags do you have?" "Four bags and a weapon's case," I said feeling foolish for having so many bags, but Paul just nodded. We collected my gear and headed to the parking garage. Paul's Lincoln Navigator had plenty of room for the two of us plus my gear, which I stowed in the back. I opened the passenger door grabbed the seat belt and buckled it before jumping into the seat. With the belt buckled behind me the vehicle wouldn't ding at us and I would still be free to move, either engaging targets or tactically egressing the vehicle. Paul slid into the driver's seat having used the same technique with his seat belt. He grinned over at me. "It's good to have another Adept on the job. I'll sleep a little better tonight," Paul said. "So what's the situation, sir? Mr. Lott said that he and the family had received several threats due to their logging interests. What are we looking at?" I asked. Paul pulled the SUV out of the parking spot and guided it toward the exit. "Things are a little confusing. All of this started about six months ago. The werewolves have always opposed your father's logging company. But something has changed, the local Pack is much more belligerent and we suspect have vandalized some of the field offices." He paused to pay the parking fare and then pulled out onto International Blvd heading up to hwy 518 once there we turned east to I-5 and then made our way north. During the five minutes it took to navigate onto the highway I found myself scanning the area for threats and thinking about the problem that we faced. From the research I'd done on Alerick Lott I know that he had a diverse business portfolio including interest in Boeing and Microsoft but his original company, the one he'd inherited, was the logging company. This company worked forests in primarily Oregon and Washington. "So what's with the local Pack?" I asked. Paul grimaced. "The pack north of Seattle is huge and very influential with the local government. They've caused us problems with permits and no notice inspections. Those things while annoying aren't the problem. About two months ago our job sites began to be vandalized. Then six weeks ago the threats started. Alerick Lott's daughter Samantha recently graduated with a degree in potions from Trinity University Dublin, Ireland and a Magic-User license 3rd Class. She came home just five days ago and yesterday she received a threat. Alerick wants to make sure she is safe." I nodded at this since I knew that Katie and I had been bonded to provide security for Samantha for the next three years. I didn't know until now about the death threat. The traffic wasn't too bad but it had started to rain which slowed everyone down. Seattle, I thought, looking sourly at the rain, well at least this will be an interesting job. ********************* We took I-5 up to the Mukiteo exit and then west to the Mukiteo ferry and crossed onto Whidbey Island. The Lott's had an estate on the southern end of the island on the east side of Holmes Harbor. It consisted of nearly thirty acres of land with a main house, several cottages around the property, and a couple of barns and out buildings. I soon learned that the Lott's were horse breeders in addition to being in the lumber business. They had a big ranch in eastern Washington but kept a few horses on the estate. Paul stopped the SUV in front of a small cottage and turned to me. "This is your cottage. Here are the keys and a blackberry," he said handing me the phone and keys. "Take the rest of the day to unpack and relax. Numbers are already programed into the address book of the BB. I'll give you a call later tonight and we can talk about the schedule for tomorrow. We will need to go over duties, training plan, and I'll give you a FAM of the grounds and buildings. After that I'll introduce you to Samantha, your principle. If you need a car you can check one out of the motor pool." "Sounds great! I'll call you later tonight," I said and slid out of the car. The cottage was an A-frame with a broad porch constructed of logs. I opened the door and saw that it had a single room that ran the length of the cottage. It served as a living room and a dining room. The cottage also had a small kitchen and bedroom to the side with a bathroom attached. I figured this was perfect for a single person and more space and privacy than I was used too. Paul helped me carry my gear into the cottage and then left me to unpack and get settled. Since the cottage was furnished I turned on a TV for noise as I unpacked. The TV was set to a local news channel so I didn't really pay it any attention as I unpacked, until it went to a special on drug abuse among the local magical community. This caught my interest since I'd never heard of drugs designed specifically for the non-mundane. Apparently someone was supplying drugs to the local werewolves and vampires causing addiction and crime. The reporter didn't seem particularly sympathetic to the harm this was causing. I returned to my unpacking and thought that no matter how different people might be we are all still flawed creatures. ********************* The early June evening provided a cool breeze when my blackberry went off, causing me to pause, a sandwich half way to my mouth. I put the sandwich down and walked over to the counter where I'd left my BB. "Hello?" "Do you know where Samantha is right now?" asked Paul. "I thought she was up at the main house, but judging by your question I'm guessing that's not true," I replied. "Correct, meet me down at the pier, we're going to have to go find her," Paul said sounding irritated. I'd been here three days now. The day after I arrived Paul had given me a tour of the property and introduced me to the rest of the staff. It wasn't until mid-afternoon that Samantha had exited her bedroom wearing a silk robe looking like she'd just gotten up. Paul introduced me to the pretty petite blonde with a nice figure, letting me know this was the woman I'd been hired to protect. She'd barely acknowledged my existence, waved at Paul, and continued to the kitchen presumably looking for coffee. Apparently she'd been out late and needed to sleep half the day away. We continued on with the tour of the grounds. Later that afternoon I'd had the chance to work out with Paul and was impressed. Even though he was ten years removed from the Academy he was still in great shape. That evening I'd sat down and gone over Samantha's schedule with her, this seemed to amuse her more than anything else. After about 5 minutes she'd become tired of the conversation. "I don't know what Daddy was thinking. I'm a Magic-User, I'm much stronger than you and am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." With that she got up and left the room. I turned to Paul. "Did I do something wrong?" "Don't worry about it Steve, she just doesn't understand," Paul replied. As I walked up to the main house I reviewed the schedule in my mind. There was no plan for her to leave the estate tonight. So she'd slipped off the grounds. Finding her would be a challenge unless Paul knew something I didn't. As it turned out Paul did know several things I didn't. Samantha had some friends from high school who didn't have much magical power and had joined a local coven of hedge witches. She hung out with them when she was back from college and Paul thought it likely that she was with them tonight. He knew the clubs they liked to frequent so we headed toward the harbor where the Lott's kept several boats. In short order we'd climbed aboard a 41 Razor, the growl of the engines when Paul fired it up sent a thrill through me. I'd never been aboard a boat like this and even though I felt guilty that Samantha had snuck out I was excited about getting to use this boat. We cast off and headed north out of Holmes Harbor pushing up to nearly fifty miles per hour. The water was smooth and the winds calm as we rounded Baby Heights and turned east and then south. According to the GPS it was about 60 miles to the Elliott Bay Marina where we would tie up and then jump into one of the Lott's vehicles. Once we were headed south Paul pushed the throttle wide open and soon we were blasting across the water at almost 90 mph. Using one of my arts I changed my vision so that even in the low light I could see as if it were day. Without having to check I knew that Paul had done the same thing. Concerned as I was for Samantha I couldn't help the fierce grin that spread across my face from the sheer thrill of racing across the water. ********************* In a little more than an hour Paul and I were in an SUV on 1st Ave cruising south through the club district of Seattle. It didn't take long to find Pike St and head east toward Neighbors. According to Paul this was a club Samantha's friends liked to frequent. After parking we by passed the line to get into the club Paul just nodded to the bouncers working the door and they let us right in. "Do you know them?" I asked motioning to the bouncers with my head. "Yeah, I used to be on a first name basis with most of the guys down here. At one point I worked out at one of the gyms a couple of blocks from here where most of the bouncers worked out. I used to spend quite a bit of time tracking Samantha down when she was in high school. It was her rebellious phase and she was pretty crazy. You're lucky she's matured quite a bit." As Paul said this he had to shout to be heard over the noise of the music. "I'm going to get us a couple of seats at the bar. Why don't you see if you can spot Sam?" Paul said indicating the dance floor. I opened my senses and was surprised at the number of people in here with some magical talent. A couple sitting at a remote table really stood out. I wasn't sure what level of Magic-User they were but they blazed in my senses like no one else in the club. The woman was dressed in a tight black dress that made her slim figure really look good. She had stunning black hair, beautiful blue eyes, and was sipping a white wine. When the guy turned his head I realized that he was an elf. I'd never seen an elf in person before but I knew that they frequented the human realm. As much as I wanted to go over and introduce myself to this interesting couple I decided not too. I continued walking around the bar until I saw three women in colorful cocktail dresses putting on quite a show on the dance floor. I instantly noticed that the blonde had a strong magical signature and when I looked closely I figured out it was Samantha. Once I'd spotted her I maneuvered my way to the bar. "What now?" I asked Paul having explained that Samantha was dancing. He looked at me and laughed. "You get to earn your pay check." He slid a coke over to me and took a sip from a draft beer. "I noticed several vampires and a table of werewolves in here," I said to Paul nodding to a group of four at a table. Two men and two women, all four had the aura of werewolves, when I looked at them with my third eye. On the dance floor there was a red head who gave off the telltale signature of a vampire. "That's not uncommon for this place. I think the reason that Sam and her witch friends like it here is because so many different people from Seattle's magical community come here," Paul said taking a pull on his beer. I continued to people watch. This place was soooo different to me. I felt like I must have lived a very sheltered life since I'd never seen anything like the people who frequented this club. I only wished that I could order a beer and mingle instead of sit here and drink a coke. After about an hour Paul had finished his beer. "Alright Steve, I think you've got this. I'm going to get a cab back down to the wharf. I'll take the boat back to Whidbey. You keep the SUV and make sure Samantha gets home safe." I watched Paul head out of the bar and got another coke. I had never realized how boring it could be to sit in a club and watch other people have a good time. Still it wasn't totally boring there were so many different types of people in this club. I wasn't long before someone asked if they could buy me a drink. I politely declined. About this time I noticed the sexy yet magically powerful brunette and her elven date were heading to the door. I gestured to the bartender who I'd been talking with off and on for most of the night. When Trish leaned over I asked, "So who are they?" I pointed to the powerful couple just leaving. Trish was magically sensitive and we had compared notes earlier on who did and who didn't have magical talent. "That's Morgana Livingstone, I'm not sure about the elf. Her God-mother has a place on one of the islands in the Sound. We don't have very many Master Class Magic-Users in Seattle so she is something of a celebrity to the local magic community." I nodded thinking that she had to be one of the sexiest and most powerful women I'd seen. When I turned back I noticed that Samantha and her two friends were heading to the exit as well. I tossed some cash onto the bar and followed. As I headed to the exit I noticed that the four werewolves had already left. Once on the street I felt the cool damp air of Seattle hit me. It was just after one a.m. and there were still people waiting to get into the club. Samantha and her friends had turned down the street presumably to where they'd left their car. It was in the opposite direction from mine so I knew I needed to hurry. I jogged over to the SUV jumped in and headed toward where I'd last seen Samantha. I opened my senses looking for traces of her aura. Her aura would fade within a few minutes but I was able to pick it up and follow. I turned east from Broadway onto Pike street still following Samantha's aura. I was about a block from the club when I noticed another set of auras crossing Samantha's. These had the distinctive feel of werewolves. Up ahead there was a small parking lot slightly obscured by trees and buildings however I saw a flash of light and felt the use of magic. I hit the accelerator closing the distance to the parking lot in seconds. I spun the wheel and brought the SUV to a screeching halt blocking the entrance completely. I reached behind my seat and grabbed my gladius and bailed out of the vehicle. At the far end of the parking lot Samantha and her friends stood with their backs to a black Mercedes, facing them were four large men. They had turned to look at me when I blocked the entrance to the parking lot and Samantha took the opportunity to cast a magic missile spell. It hit one of the four goons and sent him flying back several feet and into the side of a truck. Before I could get to them one of the werewolves lunged forward hitting Samantha in the stomach. Fortunately her body shield flared absorbing most of the blow. Still she stumbled backwards into her friends. One of the werewolves moved toward me with his hand out. "This is none of your business, just walk away," he said. Before Samantha could cast another spell the two guys were on her. One of her friends looked like she was also trying to cast a spell but she was backhanded by the largest of the three which sent her tumbling into a heap. Samantha now with hands glowing orange swung at the closest goon. The werewolf was too quick, he ducked her attack and punched her in the face. Again Samantha's shield flared absorbing the force of the blow. I was now close enough to engage the first wolf so I increased my speed and strength and channeled the steel of my sword using my affinity for the element of metal to harden my skin. The werewolf swung at me, his attack much faster than a normal human's would have been. Even though he was more powerful than a normal human the werewolf was still in human form. He hadn't shifted to the part human part wolf hybrid form favored by many werewolves for combat or even full wolf form. I ducked his attack and kicked him right behind the knee. Many people think that it's easy to break a knee like this, but the fact is that hitting it exactly right in the middle of a fight is almost impossible. However he did lose his balance and fell awkwardly to the ground. I was by him and running hard now for Samantha. She had somehow regained her feet and the three werewolves were back in front of her. They didn't seem too badly hurt, but both of Samantha's friends were on the ground. Her hands still glowed and I could see that her body shield was up. Abruptly I saw a shape jump over the Mercedes landing behind Samantha. As it landed I saw that it was one of the female werewolves from the dance club. Samantha turned, but as she did the female werewolf brought a baseball bat down hard on Samantha's shield. The shield flared and collapsed. "Got you now bitch!" snarled one of the male wolves. They had forgotten about me. I used my sword to cut the back legs of the closest werewolf blurring forward in the same cutting motion to slice deeply into the side of the werewolf to my right. And then I was past them. The female saw me coming and brought her bat up over her head preparing to smash it down. I kicked her in the chest using the metal of my sword to make my foot as hard as steel when it hit her. The force of the blow sent her flying up and back over the Mercedes. I wheeled around and saw that the first two guys were on the ground but I knew they wouldn't be there for long. Werewolves heal fast. I channeled a bit of magic into my blade causing it to glow with an angry red light. The largest of the four wolves was still on his feet and he rushed forward still not understanding that I was faster. I moved to my right and cut down with my blade. I felt it bit deeply into his leg and then I spun back toward him. Surprisingly he didn't fall over. Instead his eyes glowed yellow and fur sprouted all over his body. In the space of a heartbeat he grew nearly a foot and gained at least fifty pounds of mass. His face transformed into something partly human and partly wolf. This was the hybrid werewolf form. The shape preferred by most werewolves for combat. As he did this his shirt and trousers split at the seams falling away in rags. I guess he was now going to take me seriously. I sensed movement behind me and used an art to veil. This is not the veil that a full Magic-User would use. Instead I became mostly transparent if I moved rapidly I would be a blurry object. If I stayed still I would be almost completely transparent. I had no intention of remaining still. The advantage to this art right now was that my opponents would have a tough time seeing and blocking my attacks. Instead of lunging forward toward the big guy I spun around. They guy whose leg I'd kicked was almost on me so I side stepped his lunge and swung my sword in a horizontal cut. There was a slight resistance as the blade bit into his neck and then it was through. I didn't pause to watch instead I took two long strides over to the guy whose hamstrings I'd cut. He was on his feet looking past me at the body of the guy I'd just beheaded horror written on his face. I guess these guys weren't used to prey that fought back. This time I chopped down in a diagonal cut hitting my opponent on the shoulder and slicing all the way to his sternum. I put my foot on his chest and kicked him off my blade. As I did so I noticed light arcing around within the wound. Even though my weapon wasn't made of silver it would be tough for these guys to shrug off wounds delivered by my blade. When I turned around both remaining werewolves were in hybrid form. The female werewolf I'd kicked landed on the roof of the Mercedes she'd also changed into hybrid form making her dress look pretty silly. Suddenly my head exploded in pain. At the same time I heard the crack of gunfire. Fortunately I'd been channeling the metal of my sword to harden my skin. I fell forward from the impact of the bullet against the side of my head and turned my fall into a front roll. I came to my feet in a crouch and saw the second female from the club holding a large caliber revolver. She fired again and I managed to twist to one side before the bullet could hit me. I used another art to harden the air around her ankle and pulled. I'm good with air as well as metal but I'm not very strong when it comes to using air like this. It was enough, she lost her balance and fell to one side dropping the gun in the process. I raced to close the distance before she could recover the weapon. Unfortunately one of the hybrids tried to tackle me before I was half way there. What he hadn't realized is that when you take a 180 lbs. guy who then transforms his skin into metal, well, he gains a lot of weight and mass. I didn't go down like the werewolf expected. He was smart enough to grab my arm holding the sword and try to wrestle it from me. I used an art to fuse the fingers my other hand together and lengthen them into what we call a 'spear' hand. Since I was still channeling the metal of my sword my hand was as hard as steel and my fingers were now pointed and sharp. I drove my spear hand in an uppercut into the soft skin below the werewolf's jaw and up into his brain. His grip on my sword arm slackened and I pushed away. Unfortunately the female with the weapon had time to recover it and was now standing over the unconscious body of Samantha with the revolver pressed to her head. "Freeze or she dies," she said. I slowly stepped away from the werewolf I'd just dropped. "I said freeze, and stop with the magic," she growled. I dropped the veil I was still trying to use. But didn't stop channeling the metal and I took another step toward Samantha. The female cocked the hammer on the revolver. "I'll kill her if you come one step closer." "I don't think you will. If you wanted her dead you'd have already done it," I said trying to sound confident yet now that the action and slowed down I could feel adrenalin hitting my system all I wanted to do was sit down and throw up. "I also think that you need to get your pack-mates some medical attention. My sword doesn't have any silver but how long can you remain headless before you die?" I indicated the body to my left. The wail of a siren sounded through the parking lot and the werewolf with the gun glanced in that direction. When she looked back at me I could tell she was defeated. "You win tonight. But there will be other nights," she said. With that she let go of Samantha and tucked away her gun. The three werewolves still on their feet, two in hybrid form and the one with the gun, collected their downed comrades and trotted into the night. Feeling extremely lucky I checked on Samantha and her friends. They appeared to be bruised but nothing serious. ********************* CHAPTER TWO ********************* Sunlight streamed between the branches of the trees as I jogged along the path near the fence which surrounded the estate. It was early morning and the temperature was perfect for running. As I ran I thought back was it only a month ago that Samantha and her friends had been attacked? So much had happened since then. After the police arrived we'd made a full report. I'd called Paul and within ninety minutes he and Samantha's Dad had appeared. The next day both Samantha and Alerick had taken the time to thank me for what I'd done. Samantha's attitude toward me had completely changed, it had gone from polite indifference to asking me to show her some of the self- defense moves I'd learned. Samantha had explained to me that combat magic was not part of the normal curriculum at Trinity. She had learned to shield and cast a stun bolt but not much else. Her stunning bolts hadn't been very effective against the werewolves. Since werewolves have the ability to resist hostile magic to some degree. This led to her asking me for lessons in self- defense. Paul had pulled me assigned the day after the fight and made me talk through the whole thing several times. He then told me how lucky I'd gotten and how stupid I'd been. For one thing, in the SUV, Paul had left me a Taurus PT1911.45 ACP with a clip full of silver jacketed rounds. These would have had a deadly effect on the werewolves. I'd completely forgotten about the weapon. I had a strong affinity to metal which allowed me to draw so powerfully on the metal of my sword. Since the sword was enchanted some of that enchantment came through when I channeled its steel. That's what had probably saved my life when I'd been shot in the head. At close range a shot like that from a large caliber gun would normally have penetrated my skin, even though I was channeling metal. Paul also made me talk about how I felt after the fight. I'd trained for four years learning how to use magic for this type of situation. I'd been in dozens of training matches but I'd never really tried to kill anyone. As much as I tried to play it off I was a shaken. The first couple of nights after the fight I had trouble sleeping. It was a relief when Katie arrived. She had taken the full month off before reporting to the estate. When she showed up I felt almost like we were strangers because of what had happened. Paul, Katie and I all sat down in Paul's cottage and Paul made me talk about the attack, again, and the fact that the police hadn't been able to find the attackers. Paul was certain that the guy I'd decapitated was probably dead. Werewolves heal quickly from almost any wound but magic weapons disrupt some of that healing factor. Add that to a decapitation and he didn't think it was likely that the guy survived. The werewolves would want revenge for that, so the three of us spent some time going over everything we could find out about the Seattle Pack. "Know thy self" is an old adage but the corollary is equally true, "know thy enemy." When I got back from my run I noticed that Katie and Samantha were just returning from a ride. Samantha was an avid rider and it appeared that Katie was becoming one as well. "Hello ladies, nice morning for a ride," I said looking up at them. "It looks like it was a nice morning for a run as well," Samantha said glancing pointedly at my bare chest. I'd worked up a pretty good sweat and felt a little self-conscious I'm not used to being openly checked out. "Steve, I'd like to talk to you after lunch about the schedule," Samantha said. "Sure, anything in particular?" I asked. "Yes, but you'll have to wait until after lunch to find out," she said with a laugh and turned her horse toward the barn. I looked at Katie who shrugged and followed our principle into the barn. I got cleaned up and then went to find Paul. There is a security operations room in a small building not far from the gate protecting the main drive onto the property. I found Paul there and asked him about Samantha. "Ah, the schedules talk," Paul said with a laugh. "That's code for she feels like she's been cooped up on the property and wants to get off the island and into Seattle for a little fun. You're basically going to have two choices. Agree, and go with her, or disagree and she'll go anyway without you. I never was able to stop her when she set her mind to something and now that she's learned so much magic I doubt either of us could." "She's not a battle mage. In fact I've been working combat magic, close- quarters combat, and small arms with her, she's picked up a lot but I'm sure I could take her," I replied. "Don't be stupid. We are not going to manhandle Alerick Lott's daughter," Paul said. "Look there are lots of ways she could get around us. Veil and then leave like she did the first time. She could wait until we're eating and then drop the guards into an enchanted sleep. Hell, she could probably compel use to bring her a set of keys." As Paul said this I started to feel really dumb. I may have been teaching her combat skills but there were undoubtedly lots of things she knew from her days at college that I'd have no way to deal with. "If she's so powerful why were the werewolves able to knock her out?" I asked defensively. "Steve, she was a little drunk, and probably high. They caught her by surprise and she still held them off until you arrived. In fact if she hadn't been hit from behind the two of you might have been able to take out all six of the werewolves. And that's without being a battle mage. My advice is don't underestimate her," Paul said putting his hand on my shoulder, "and listen to whatever it is she wants to do and go along with it. Just try to keep her from doing anything truly stupid. That way you have a chance to be there to pull her out of trouble if necessary." I decided to check out a SUV and drive around the estate in theory checking the perimeter security but mostly to think. I had a bad feeling about whatever it was that Samantha was about to suggest. ********************* "I've been stuck here on the estate for weeks and I'm going crazy. I know Daddy doesn't want me to leave the property until this whole thing with the Pack is settled, but this is different," Samantha said holding out an envelope with gold lettering. We were in the atrium with Samantha and Katie so that we could talk about her plan. I took the envelope from her and noticed how heavy it was and that the paper was very expensive. It was an invitation to the Donegal residence for a reception hosted by Morgana Livingstone. "I can't say no to that invitation. Anyone who is anyone in the magical community in Seattle will be there," she said. I looked at Katie who nodded slightly. "If you must go then Katie and I will need to put a security plan together for the event. Today is Sunday. The invitation says the reception will be this Friday. When did you get this invitation?" I asked feeling annoyed. "Oh, shortly after I got back from Europe. But with the attack it didn't seem like a good time to bring it up," Samantha said a touch too whimsically. "We'll need to talk to the security folks at the Donegal estate and probably drive the routes," I mused thinking out loud. "Oh, don't worry about security on the estate. It will be warded and anyone foolish enough to attack a Magic-User Master Class on their own ground deserves whatever is done to them," Samantha said getting up. "I've got a couple of ideas of my own. So I'm going to my sanctum to see what magic I can brew up." After she left I looked over at Katie. "Do you have any idea what she's talking about?" "Not a clue Steve," she said. ********************* It was noon on the Friday of the reception and we were getting ready to leave the estate. The Donegal family some years ago had used their influence to purchase Blake Island in Puget Sound. It was something of a scandal at the time since the island had been a state park but the government in Olympia needed the money and the Donegal family had worked a deal. Part of the island was still open for public use camping and boating mostly, but much of the island was off limits. The Donegal family had built a mansion on the north side of the island and this was where the reception would be held. So we were headed to the pier where Alerick Lott kept his boats. Instead of taking the speed boat like we'd used the night of the attack we were going to use the yacht. It was a Princess 32M just over a hundred feet long. Fortunately it had a crew so Katie and I didn't have to worry about operating it. It would take a few hours to cruise down to Blake Island but I figured this was fine since the reception didn't start until 7 pm. Katie, Samantha and I were all up on the flying bridge taking in nature's beauty. The vistas were stunning with snowcapped mountains whose feet touched the ocean and were covered in a panorama of green vegetation. It was one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen. When we reached Seattle Samantha couldn't resist pointing out several tourist attractions like the Space Needle. It was obvious she was a native and took a good deal of pleasure in pointing out interesting spots to us newbies. At last Blake Island came into sight and as the crew docked the yacht Samantha suggested that we should head down to the galley and get a bit to eat. She said the food at the reception would probably be finger food and something more substantial was in order. Once we finished eating she turned to me with a strange look. "Steve would you come with me for a minute, I need to talk to you about tonight privately," Samantha said exchanging a look with Katie. "Sure" I said feeling like the two of them had plotted something without talking to me. We headed up to the second deck which was laid out with three state rooms. Samantha had taken the owners stateroom while Katie and I had each taken one of the guest staterooms. I followed Samantha into the owners suite. "Please sit down," she said looking a little nervous. "What's up Samantha?" I asked trying to ease her nerves. "I told you I was working a backup plan for tonight's event?" she asked. "Yes, but Katie and I've been over security and it doesn't get any better than this, we're on an island owned by a Master Magic-User. The only way on or off the island is by boat and all the guests are from the magical community in Seattle. We're spending the night on your Dad's yacht and will cruise home in the morning. I think we're pretty safe," I said trying to make her feel better. "Oh, I agree, but I've got an additional request," she replied not meeting my eyes. "Okay, shoot?" I asked. "Well the invitation says that it's a guest plus one event. I'd like you to come with me," she said now making eye contact with me. "You mean as security?" I asked. "Well yes, but to everyone else as my date," she said in a rush. "Uhm sure. But I thought both Katie and I would accompany you," I said feeling embarrassed and confused. "As security you can only come with me to the mansion grounds, not inside. Everyone's security has to remain down at the gate house or with their vehicles. If you come as my escort then you'll be able to go into the house with me," she said. "Oh, of course I'll escort you," I said. "It's a perfect way to make sure your safe the whole night." Samantha didn't look completely relived. "That's the part of my plan that Katie knows about there's another part," she said. At this she stood up and started pacing around the room. She was wearing a short white skirt and a light blue halter showing off her slim figure and high firm breasts. I couldn't help but be impressed with her natural grace even as I was startled by her sudden need to look away from me. "I'm only a Magic-User 3rd Class. I'm the first of my family gifted with magic. Making 3rd Class always seemed like a great accomplishment to me. But tonight we'll meet the Seven Master Class Magic-Users who live in Washington plus our host Morgana Livingstone. There will also be nearly twenty 1st Class and maybe as many as fifty 2nd Class Magic-Users. Most will have glamors of some type and everyone will be in costume. Part of the fun at these events is looking at everyone else's magic. Skill is as important as power, I've got something special planned if you're willing." Now she turned to look at me. "That sounds ominous," I said trying to make a joke and ease her nerves. "What did you have in mind?" "Well for costumes I figured we could go as Selene and Michael from the Underworld movie," she said. "That doesn't sound too bad. I've got the right build for Michael and we're about the same size," I said. I'm just over six feet tall but I'm in much better shape than the actor who played Michael. "You're the right size for Selene, but you'll have to do something about your hair," I said thinking that Samantha was just as petite as Selene but slightly more endowed. "Oh, that won't be a problem I'm pretty good with glamors but that's only the first level of the disguise. You see I was first in my class at potions. In fact the Masters at Trinity said that if they were able to grade strictly on skill I would be a Master Class Magic-User based on my potions work." She sounded quite proud when she said this so I nodded. "Okay so what's the second level of the disguise?" I asked. "I'll be going as Michael and you'll be Selene," she said quickly. "Excuse me? I thought I just heard you say that I'd be Selene," I said sure I'd misunderstood. Samantha nodded. "That's my plan. First of all if someone is trying to hurt me, well, you'll be me so that alone will protect me. Second this is a great opportunity for me to show some really sophisticated magic." I tried to interrupt but she continued talking. "Anyone with the power can cast a transformation spell and everyone with the ability can sense that they're transformed. Glamors are more subtle because the person isn't really changed. They take less power and are harder to sense, in fact with a glamor it's better to change the absolute minimum required because that just makes it harder to detect the glamor in the first place. However they can still be detected." "What I'd like to do is use a potion I've designed to transform us into copies of each other. The advantage of using a transformation potion is that they are exceptionally hard to brew, so very few people create them. Once they go into effect they are nearly undetectable. The magical energy of the potion is absorbed into the body of the person and becomes part of the person." Samantha could see that I looked alarmed. Again I opened my mouth to say something but she continued before I could speak. "Don't worry it's not forever. Like everything else in magic, energy is required. Over the last week I've poured as much magic as I could channel into two transformation potions. Unless I'm wrong they should keep us transformed for about eight hours. After that we'll revert back to our normal bodies." She finally stopping talking and looked at me. "Samantha, this is crazy. First of all I could never pass as you. I don't move like you, I don't talk like you, I don't know the people you know. Second I'm sure I'd embarrass you with some kind of social gaff." Before I could go on she jumped in. "The potion takes care of that. We will not only be exact duplicates of each other in body but we'll move like each other and talk like each other. The potion changes mannerisms, and makes each person under its influence comfortable in their new form. The only thing it doesn't do is transfer any memories or skills," she said. "Then how will I get the names right of people I've never met?" I asked. "Oh don't worry about that, I'll be with you. But I've not met most of these people either. Remember I'm the first Magic-User in my family. So you'll do it?" she asked looking happy. "I didn't say that," I said. "Look, you're very beautiful but the idea of being a woman is not something I've ever thought about. Why don't you trade with Katie?" I asked desperately grasping for ideas. Now she looked a little frustrated. "Trading with Katie isn't really an option. If it were just security, then sure, but you're supposed to be my date. If Katie and I went together then everyone would assume I'm a lesbian and, while I've experimented, I'm solidly in the hetro camp. I don't want the first impression of me, in the Magical community, to be the wrong one," she said. She looking over at me she and pleaded, "Please Steve I really need you with me tonight. Don't make me go by myself. I don't want to be alone. Especially after what happened at the club I want my protector with me." When she said it that way I felt something move inside of me. The idea of making her be alone stirred up a feeling of guilt that I didn't really want to examine. I knew that Samantha didn't know about my mother but I'd left my mom alone and she'd died while I was gone. Could I leave another woman alone when it was my job to protect her? I felt an additional pressure building inside my mind. I took me a second to realize it was the bond. The magical oath I'd sworn to protect Samantha for the next three years was becoming active. If I resisted too strongly it could become a compulsion. I wasn't allowed to let her take a risk if I could help mitigate it. The pressure continued building and I felt trapped between my feelings of guilt and the oath I'd sworn. After a few seconds I realized was going to have to do this. "Steve haven't you ever been curious to know how it feels to be a woman?" Samantha asked. "I know I've been very curious to see what it's like to be a man. But I didn't have the power at Trinity to work a transformation spell. These potions are the first chance I've had to try a transformation." "I'll do it. But for the record I think this is a bad idea," I said. When I made the decision to give in to her request the pressure evaporated like it had never been there. I stood up and looked down at Samantha. "Great!" she said and rushed over to give me a hug as she did I was very conscious of her breasts being squished against my chest. After she let go she walked over to a black leather case that had been sitting on the bed the whole time. Alarmed I asked, "We're not going to do it right now are we?" "Of course silly, we need to transform and then we have to get into our costumes. Then I need to cast the glamor spells. We've got only a little more than an hour," she said. Samantha turned around and held up two glass bottles. The liquid inside was completely clear like water. She handed one bottle to me. "Take a hair." With that she reached up and plucked out one of her golden tresses and uncorked the bottle. "And put the hair into the potion and ta da." I watched as the hair seemed to dissolve into the potion and then potions changed color until it was the exact same color as Samantha's hair. "Your turn," she said. Still feeling reluctant I pulled a couple of my sandy brown hairs out and dropped them in the potion. It reacted the same way Samantha's had changing color until it was the same color as the hair I'd dropped in. "Okay, now what?" I asked. She walked over and plucked the potion from my hand and dropped her bottle into my now empty palm. "It's now just after six pm. So the spell should last until just about two in the morning," she said looking at the clock on the bulkhead. "Time to drink." And with that she put her words to action by downing my potion in one smooth sip. She turned to face me and looked expectantly at the potion in my hand. With a reluctant feeling I lifted the golden potion to my mouth and drank. I was surprised at how sweet and light it was. It tingled all the way to my stomach and left a warm feeling in its wake. I looked at Samantha and said, "Now what?" She didn't have to answer because I felt my whole body start to tingle. Abruptly I couldn't move, my muscles locked up. The tingling became more and more painfully and still I remained frozen. I couldn't feel anything except the pain of pins and needles as they worked their way around my body. Since I could see Samantha I focused on her and watched as her hair changed from a light golden blonde to a sandy brown in the space of a heartbeat. As it changed color it pulled up into her scalp resolving into my short buzz cut. While her hair changed color she started to grow her shoulders getting broader and broader while her breasts lost all softness and reshaped themselves into rock hard pectoral muscles. There was a tearing sound as the seam to her halter split unable to accommodate the size of my chest. I watched frozen as she got taller and taller, surely I wasn't that tall? I suddenly realized that while Samantha was growing to my six foot height I was shrinking to her 5'6" stature. Losing six inches of height changes a person's perspective, now everything looked bigger. I focused again on Samantha and saw there was a shifting around in her crotch. Where the mini-skirt had hung flat there was now an awkward bulge. Again there was a tearing sound as the side seam of the skirt split. I'm not fat. In fact I've got a well-defined set of abs and a 29 inch waist. But the skirt had been designed for Samantha's 20 inch waist and the fabric was no match for the magic. Abruptly the tingling stopped. I stumbled to my left trying to catch my balance and felt my shorts slide off my hips and pool around my feet. I put a hand on the table to steady myself and my vision was obstructed by a curtain of golden hair. "Oh my," I whispered in a voice that sounded strange yet familiar. "Shit," I heard a male voice say, "that was my favorite skirt!" I looked over to see Samantha unzipping the skirt that had ripped during the transformation and step out of it. The white lace panties she'd been wearing under the skirt did nothing to contain the set of male equipment that hung out to either side of the delicate material. The whole incongruity of the scene caused me to break out in a fit of giggles. I can't remember ever having a giggle fit but I had one now and wound up sitting down in the chair I'd been in a few minutes ago trying to catch my breath. My clothes fit me as poorly as Samantha's fit her, the only difference was that mine were looser. "Well that hurt more than I thought it would," she said and gestured toward her ruined clothing, "and this is uncomfortable. I think I'll change." She turned and picked up a large bag that I'd not noticed earlier and went into the bathroom. Once the door was closed and my giggles had subsided I sat there feeling how different this body was from the form that I normally wore. I held up my hands and looked at the long delicate fingers, each one tipped in a well-manicured nail. The wrists were smaller and the skin was paler and softer. My arms reminded me of twigs. I reached up and gently cupped a breast. The strangeness of feeling a breast in my hand and feeling a hand lifting my right breast was something that my mind for the moment simply couldn't process. I let go and felt gravity pull it back down. I stood up and walked over to the full length mirror hung on the far wall. Staring back at me was Samantha. She was wearing my polo shirt which hung down well past her waist and a set of boxers. My shorts had fallen off and I'd kicked free of them when I walked over to the mirror. Under other circumstances I would have found this image very sexy. I slowly reached up and touched my face with one hand and watched my reflection do the same thing. Next I ran my hands down my body feeling breasts, and hips. Lastly I touched void between my legs feeling the smooth curve of Samantha's physique. "Oh, good Lord, what have I gotten myself into?" I said looking at my reflection. The door to the bathroom opened and out stepped me. Only I was now dressed in a pair of worn jeans, black t-shirt and a grey hoody. Samantha also carried a brown leather jacket in one hand and was wearing a pair of work boots. "You can admire yourself later, gorgeous. Right now I need you to put on the clothes I've left for you in the bathroom," she said. I figured there was no point in complaining so I walked over to the bathroom and stuck my tongue out at her as I walked past. She turned as if to follow me but I shut the door firmly behind me. Sitting on the counter was a set of clothes. On top was a black thong which, with a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach, I knew I'd be wearing soon. I moved it to one side and held up the skin tight black leather pants, they looked like something that would have fit me in 4th grade. Next was a long sleeved leather shirt with a heavy duty zipper up the front. Lastly there was some kind of corset designed to be worn over the shirt. I didn't see a bra and was a little relieved. I noticed a long black leather trench coat on a hanger behind me on the door. Reluctantly I pulled my shirt up over my head feeling the rough fabric rub against nipples far more sensitive than what I was used too. I tossed my shirt to the side and looked again at the blonde woman in the mirror. Those breasts didn't look all that small to me now, in fact they looked just about perfectly matched to the petit frame. I was startled by how pale I was and the light sprinkle of freckles. I couldn't resist touching my breasts again. The nipples were smaller than I thought they would be, but they were a bright pink that was almost shocking against the pale skin. As I checked myself out I noticed a small birth mark under my left breast. I turned sideways and examined Samantha's profile first from the left and then the right. Abruptly I realized that she was out there waiting for me and I didn't want her to think I was obsessing with her body. I reached down and pushed my boxers to the floor feeling me breasts swing out as I bent over. A very small well-manicured triangle of blonde hair hid Samantha's most private parts. I was tempted to explore this area but resisted the urge. Instead I picked up the thong and stepped into it. I've never worn underwear intended to be pulled all the way up so that it snuggles tightly against the crotch. The feeling of the string splitting my butt checks and the small strip of cloth nestling perfectly against my