Wolf Incarnate (Shadows Over the Realm) by Tara Bennet Read Free Book Online Page A

trying to sound calm. His eyes were still glued to the oncoming vehicle. Amber turned the keys to the ignition, expecting an easy start. There was none. That was strange, as it was a new car and hadn’t done this before. Then again, she hadn’t tried Tokyo drifting on the highway, before.
    “Amber. Start. The. Car,” he repeated next to her.
    “I’m trying!” she said, nearly in tears.
    The sound of the horn blared louder, it was too late for the truck to swerve.
    “START THE CAR!” he shouted. His voice had changed. Amber pulled on the door on her side. It wouldn’t budge. The unlock button didn’t work. She moved for his side, and stopped. Hair covered his face, and his mouth was open, fanged teeth clenched as he yanked on the passenger side car door handle.
    Amber didn’t have time to react. She heard the sound of the horn boom, and turned just in time to see the flash of the grill of the truck.
     
    Dr. Eiph and Mrs. Ngyuen walked side by side up the steps of the First National Bank, moving in perfect unison. Dr. Eiph, dressed impeccably as always, wore white gloves, a suit with tailed jacket, and top hat. He carried a small white Yorkshire terrier in the crook of his arm, stroking it and casually rolling his one open eye down to it from behind his monocle - the other squeezed shut, giving him the seeming countenance of a permanent wink.
    Mrs. Ngyuen was a rather plump woman in what appeared to be her late thirties. She wore too much makeup and was dressed all in orange (which, truth be told, Dr. Eiph thought made her look rather like the fruit of the same name - though he was wise enough not to make his opinion known). A distinctive orange flower fluttered its petals in the wind as the pair reached the set of glass doors and again, in perfect unison, opened a door each and entered.
    As their perfect steps clicked down the tiles to a bank window, they received little more than an occasional passing glance. Which just goes to show you how long it takes people to notice those special little oddities that sometimes occur around them. In this case, too long.
    The unit walked pas t the short line of people awaiting a bank teller, and went directly to a window. As they approached, a young woman shuffled papers, unnoticing.
    “Hey! Get to the back of the line!” a dissenting voice from the line shouted. It was a mustachioed man with a trucker hat, jeans, and a plaid shirt with cut-off arms. Dr. Eiph and Mrs. Ngyuen looked at each other, then at the man.
    “Oh dear, it seems this young man has forgotten his manners,” said Mrs. Ngyuen, reaching for the locket around her neck and fiddling it between her fingers and thumb, staring intently at the man. Dr. Eiph’s empty hand shot out, grabbing Mrs. Ngyuen’s wrist in terror. A small growl came from the Yorkie in his arm.
    “My dear Mrs. Ngyuen,” spoke Eiph, smiling tersely. “Perhaps a more…moderate approach is in order?” Mrs. Ngyuen looked up, eyeing Dr. Eiph, annoyed.
    “Very well, Dr. Eiph. You are the doctor, after all. Perhaps you have a prescription for our problem, yes? I’ll speak with the teller.”
    The woman at the counter looked up now, blinking blankly behind her rounded spectacles.
    “How may I help you, ma’am?” she said.
    “Yes, I would like one million dollars, please,” said Mrs. Ngyuen, sweetly.
    There was a startled expression from the teller as she processed this, realizing Mrs. Ngyuen was serious. In the background, she could see the other odd person taking off his top hat, offering what appeared to be an apology to the mustachioed man. He reached into his jacket pocket, putting the dog on the floor while he did so.
    “Um, ma’am, what’s your account number? I should warn you that if you want that amount in cash, I’ll have to verify it with my manager…”
    A confused look passed over Mrs. Ngyuen’s face, transitioning back into her saccharine sweet smile. A shiver passed over the tellers back, though she could not think