My right leg pulsated with stabbing pain, originating from the spot on my thigh where the dart hit me and spreading from there. The intense throbbing went down to my calf muscle, but also pushed up my hip, toward my stomach. I imagined a silver spiderweb with sickened veins becoming visible beneath my skin, but I couldn't see it since I wore jeans. I wanted to raise my black T-shirt to see what it looked like, but I couldn't muster the strength to move my arms. The silver dust had drained my body to the point it was almost like being paralyzed, although I could move my head and neck.

I lifted my gaze to see the werewolves prowling back and forth, snarling and growling. Behind the savage beasts, Elijah, Casper, and Ryan bared their fangs, intending to intimidate us like we were in some sort of sick freak show. And then there was the coach. Coach Steele had yet to transform into anything, but by his admission, he was a werewolf. I assumed Principal McCord was using him as a mouthpiece to do his bidding.

A projectile whizzed by overhead, coming from Agent Smith's position on the cliff. The sharpened point of a dart sank into Casper's neck. As his hands thrusted up to feel for what had hit him, he lost his balance and collapsed, writhing in pain. He had barely hit the ground when another dart pegged Ryan and dropped him too, but Elijah took cover behind Layla and Blake, using them as shields.

Coach Steele followed Elijah's example and hid behind Layla and Blake. He pointed at Koby and Jacob, still in their werewolf forms. "Find the shooter. Bring whoever it is to me, but don't kill unless you want this life forever."

"Principal McCord, the huge black and gold werewolf, howled like something awful, straight out of a horror movie. I figured his condition was permanent, since they had used his blood as half of the formula for the coach's pills. He must have made his first kill a long time ago, but fortunately, he was standing guard instead of hunting down Agent Smith. His command must have confirmed the coach's order because the pair of wolves, one lighter gray and the other darker, leaped into action, racing across the narrow ridge, crisscrossing each other like their adrenaline levels had spiked at an all-time high.

In mere seconds, they would reach Agent Smith's position.

It was all I could do to crane my neck to see the light and dark wraiths thundering toward their prey. I anticipated the moment when the wolves would reach Smith, but then there was a yelp, followed by a tortured cry, and after that, I glimpsed the creatures tumbling end over end and coming to a halt. Then nothing.

Coach Steele nodded. "Elijah, go get whoever that is and try to be more discreet than Koby and Jacob. At least occupy them so we can take care of business here."

In a blur, Elijah tore out across the ridge, leaving Casper and Ryan immobilized or unconscious at the feet of Layla and Blake.

With Elijah on his mission, the shooting stopped. I assumed Agent Smith was repositioning himself to keep from getting caught or killed. Coach Steele came out into the open, not feeling the need to use Layla and Blake as human shields anymore.

"Evan," Layla said. "Are you okay? Why would they shoot you with that silver dust stuff?"

"Man." Blake stared at me with wide eyes. "I figured you had taken the coach's pills, but I never imagined you'd have that much strength and speed." He blinked. "You need to get up and help us. This is some insane mess. Are you a freaking werewolf, too?"

"Shut up!" Coach Steele said. "Mr. Mack is in a world of hurt right now. He can't help you. As a matter of fact, he needs to use what strength he has left to make up his mind what he wants to do?"

"Leave them alone," I said. "They didn't deserve to be brought into this."

"That's where you're wrong. Your girlfriend has seen too much and so has your best friend."

Layla's eyes met mine. She pressed her lips together and furrowed her brow. I couldn't tell what she thought about being called my girlfriend, since we had much more important things to worry about at the moment.

"You don't think I know you like this girl?" Coach Steele jabbed a finger at Layla, the corners of his mouth curling up with amusement. "You turned down Lexa Thorn for her. For her! Are you kidding me? Don't you know what you could've had by picking Lexa?" The coach wagged his head. "You'll soon regret that decision."

With my eyes, I pleaded with Layla and Blake, wanting them to figure out a way to get free. But I knew they wouldn't get far with the alpha werewolf nearby. I mean, only their hands were bound, not their legs, but any escape would be slow and cumbersome seeing they were tied together back-to-back. Also, still, there was no more shooting coming from Agent Smith's direction. Either Elijah had found him, or Smith was hiding, trying to avoid detection.

That's when I thought about the dart that had shot me. It had come from the other direction, meaning someone else was in the shadows, waiting to shoot me again.

"So, what's it gonna be, Mack?" Coach Steele grimaced, like the decision before me had caused him physical pain. It wasn't long before his wolfish grin appeared again. "Do we kill you or your friends? The time has come to decide!" His voice rose with intensity, his eyes dark and cold. "Come on, Mackie boy, make up your mind."

I tried to reply, but it came out as a whisper.

"What's that?" Coach Steele leaned down so he could hear me.

I summoned all the strength I could to speak louder. "Kill me. Don't hurt my friends. This was the easiest decision I've ever made. Do it now and let them go."

"No," Layla cried. "Leave him alone."

"Take me," Blake said. "Don't kill Layla or Evan. Kill me."

Coach Steele grinned. "That's not how this works. It's Evan or you two. That's the deal."

Layla lurched toward the coach. But the alpha wolf jumped between them, snarling and growling. Still, Koby nor Jacob had moved from the place where they'd been shot. Agent Smith must have killed them, or at least incapacitated them. As for Elijah, I assumed he was the reason no more shots had come from the far ridge. But he hadn't returned either, so the cat-and-mouse game between him and Agent Smith still had to be going on. At the moment, it was just the coach and the principal keeping watch on us as I lied on the ground, my body racked with debilitating pain.

"Kill me," I said again. "It's my decision, and I choose to sacrifice myself."

"That settles it then. McCord, are you good with that?"

The alpha turned his nose toward the moon and let loose another bloodthirsty howl.

"Good." The coach raised the dagger to Layla's neck. "But I don't know. I might just kill your girl for the fun of it."

"Don't touch her!" I said. "We have a deal."

Coach Steele sighed. "Sadly, I guess we do. But first, I want you to meet the vampire responsible for all this madness, and for helping us win the last two state championships." He glared down at me. "You know. The deal we have is between you and Principal McCord. Don't worry, though, you're gonna die as agreed. I just can't assure you the vampire queen will hold up her end of the bargain. Guess we'll see." He slid the dagger into the sheath on the back of his hip.

As I lied there in agony, I recalled my conversation with Agent Smith earlier when we met in the woods off the beaten path. He had told me that the coach's performance enhancing formula was derived from the blood of an alpha werewolf, Principal McCord, and the blood of a centuries old vampire. Someone older than old and very powerful. However, this person, this female, might appear younger than what I expected. It could be anyone, but then I remembered the coach's words from a few minutes ago about a certain someone and my heart started hammering in my chest. If this vampire was who I suspected she might be, this person would most definitely not want to agree to the terms of McCord's deal. For various reasons, most of which had to do with more than one of the seven deadly sins.

Pride, envy, wrath, and lust came to mind.

Coach Steele snorted. "She'll wanna be the one to kill you. And of course, the lives of your girl and best friend are up to her, too."

"We had a deal." My voice sounded frail and raspy as it raked over my throat.

"I think he's ready to see you." The coach turned toward the darkness behind Layla and Blake to where the light of the torches didn't reach.

"Ready or not, here I come," a confident female voice said from the shadows.

My heart sank as I realized with absolute certainty who this person was, this ancient vampire.

As if in slow motion, a curvy figure with flowing blonde hair emerged from the shadows, striding toward me with purpose. She wore a crimson-colored long sleeve shirt, jeans, and calf-high black boots, not to mention a seductive smile and those mesmerizing sapphire eyes. Her face was the last thing I saw when she raised a pistol and fired at me, the silver dust inside the dart, sending my heart into cardiac arrest and turning my vision to utter blackness. I knew I was dying and there was nothing I could do about it.

In a matter of seconds, I would be gone and powerless to protect Layla or Blake.

With me dead, they were on their own, in the hands of monsters, with all hope lost.

——
Chapter 16: 1,697
Story: 32,381