I look down at my hands, turning them over and over as if claws were going to pop out any second. "I'm a werewolf. This is real. All of this is real... and crazy. But real." I can't get those words out of my head, but I know they're true. In the deepest part of me, I can feel it, something's changed. "I gotta figure this out." I look over at the towering bookshelves filled with books, journals, and dust. "Well, I've got nowhere to go from here but up. Might as well stay and figure this out." I get up to start my quest of knowledge when someone sharply knocks on my door.
"Hello? Are you awake, puppy?" It sounds like the voice from last night, old woman, but lighter somehow. I get up and open the door to face her, but a fresher face stands before me. She is wearing a long evening gown like the older lady did but this time in dark emerald green. Her hair is solid black like a raven with no streaks of silver running through its long waves. And her skin is like flawless porcelain and is almost unsettling how perfect it is. Her dark green-almost black lips would stand out if not for her large eyes with red irises. She's immensely stunning and looks like the daughter of the old woman. "Hello, puppy. Good to see you are feeling well. How did you sleep?"
"It was transformative. Where is the older woman?"
Her eyebrows bunch up in confusion. "Did George not leave something to explain? About the mansion? About you?"
"You mean about the magic house and me being half man half wolf? Yeah he mentioned it. But there was a woman, last night she led me in here. Where is she? I want to talk to her." I got a few things I wanna say to the old bag.
But instead of trembling under my werewolf might, the woman relaxes and smiles. "Oh good, he did leave a note. George wasn't much of a writer as some of the others. My name is Arlene and that was me you met last night."
"No way. I mean no offense but that lady was much older than you. Is she your mother?"
"No it was me. And I'm much older than you think. I'm a vampire, puppy. You arrived with such short notice I didn't have time to drink yet. Now I'm refreshed and ready to introduce you to the house."
I take a few steps back into my room and cover my neck in fear. "A vampire? Jesus! How will I know you won't attack me?"
"Just as I know you won't bite anyone else in this house. I can't drink from other supernaturals, it's like poison to me. And you can't turn or eat any of us because it will poison you too. So your wolf side knows not to try by instinct. Well it should, puppy, I've never met him. We all gave the two of you privacy once you started turning last night."
"We all? What else lives here? And why do you keep calling me 'puppy'?"
"You never told me your name so I thought it would be appropriate until you did. And yes, there are others who live here. But they are people too, just like you. So kindly don't call them 'whats'."
I nod to apologize and my stomach rumbles. "I'm sorry I guess turning into a werewolf makes you hungry."
"No problem, it's too be expected. The change affects every cell of your body so it takes tremendous amounts of energy. That's why you sleep for so long after the first time. Although you did sleep longer than most and you're definitely the biggest I have ever seen here. You make quite the werewolf..."
"Joe. My name is Joe."
"...Joe." The beautiful vampire eyes me up and down and her bright red eyes linger on my chest. "Your other self must be magnificent."
"Uh thank you?"
"Now follow me downstairs, Joe. Everyone else will be waking up soon and would love to meet you." She leads me down the same staircase I crawled up before and into a large common area filled with old portraits of various creatures and even some newer polaroids. Even though there are plenty of chairs to choose from, I take a seat on a dusty brown recliner nearest the fireplace. Arlene smiles a fangy grin. "That was George's favorite chair. We brought it out just for you and you went for it."
She pats me on the shoulder with her cold hand. "Now I'm gonna get you something to eat. Stay here and someone else should be down shortly." She kisses me on the forehead and practically floats away through a door and into the kitchen.
I sit around, tapping on my chair, waiting when I hear a door slam from upstairs. Someone yawns loudly and then shouts "There he is! The werewolf is awake!"