Chapter 3

"You mean a werewolf?" Nadine asked, cocking an eyebrow. And to think that for a moment, she'd begun to believe Madam Yvonne.

"They do not appreciate that name." Madam Yvonne warned.

"You expect me to believe in werewolves? What am I? Seventeen?" Nadine knew many of her students who were obsessed with vampires and werewolves.

"My dear, not everyone who looks human is human. Many creatures are out there under the veneer of human flesh." Madam Yvonne said ominously.

"Even if what you're saying is true-"

"It is." Madam Yvonne interrupted.

"There is no way I can go to the police with this. They already consider me a laughing stock." Nadine said.

"You'd be surprised." Madam Yvonne muttered under her breath.

"What did you say?" Nadine asked.

"I said that you don't have to wait for the police. If you want to find your boyfriend, you need to do this yourself." Madam Yvonne said.

"How? I'm in uncharted waters here." Nadine complained.

"I could help you." Madam Yvonne smiled.

Immediately, Nadine became suspicious, "Why would you help me?"

"You see this scar?" Madam Yvonne pointed at the one on her left cheek, "A lycanthrope gave this to me. I want to get my pound of flesh."

"So," she continued, "I'll help in any way I can, and trust me, I can help you in a lot of ways, and you'll help me find the lycanthrope that did this to me."

Nadine thought about how Dave could be in the hands of such creatures, suffering and waiting to be rescued. She frowned. Those animals had to pay. "Fine. Help me."

Madam Yvonne smiled. They were always too easy. She said, "You have to become a lycanthrope hunter."

"What? I am-, I was a high school teacher. How do I become a lycanthrope hunter?" Nadine asked. 

"You have to undergo training at an academy, of course." Madam Yvonne replied calmly.

"How long does it take and where can I find one?"

"Hunting academies no longer exist. The training usually takes a couple of years."

"What?! We don't have that kind of time!" Nadine yelled.

"My sentiments exactly. I have had some dealings with lycanthropes. I can train you in less than two weeks." Madam Yvonne explained.

Nadine narrowed her eyes, "Why don't you do this yourself?"

"Like I said, I've had some dealings with them. They'd easily recognize me. But you, you would be unknown to them." Madam Yvonne said, gesticulating.

"Okay. So when do we start?" Nadine asked.

"Today. I'll send some books on lycanthropes over to your house. I'll need an address." Madam Yvonne said.

"Why don't you just see it?" Nadine couldn't resist.

"I see only relevant places." Madam Yvonne said with disdain, "And don't worry, I've canceled my fee. I just saw much you have in your savings."

Nadine blushed.

*  *  *

Back at Nadine's apartment, she saw the books Madam Yvonne promised to lend her, on her doorstep. There were about five of them.

A note which said Take everything you read with a pinch of salt. Fact and fiction are in the mix was behind the cover of the first book. Nadine carefully carried them in because they looked like they were really old.

She was so eager that without eating, she began to peruse the books. They were written by various physicians, historians and hunters. 

Some myths said that the first in sighting of lycanthropes were in Gilgamesh, wherever that was, in 2100 BC.

Other myths said that lycanthropes were seen around 425 BC, in Greece. They were a magical tribe called the Neuri, who could transform into wolves.

Nadine paled at some of the rituals that the Acardians had practiced, where they sacrificed humans to their wolfgod.

She decided that that was enough. History wasn't pretty.

How could people stand to romanticize werewolves?

She moved on to how lycanthropes looked in wolf form. She saw many diagrams. Some looked more wolves than human and vice versa.

Nadine also saw ways one could know a lycanthrope in human form. Some of the signs were unbelievable; like the one that said that all lycanthropes had the pentagram also called 'the devil's sign' on their hand or their chest.

A physician also suggested flaying because he believed that they wore their skins inside out to be in human form. Which meant that there was fur beneath their human flesh.

Nadine shook her head. She also saw other signs such as palms covered with hair. In order to look normal, the lycanthropes shaved their palms regularly, which made them rough. Nadine thought that was really gross.

According to the books, lycanthropes had unibrows, small ears, protruding teeth and index fingers that were longer than their muddle fingers. Again, Nadine felt grossed out.

As she read on, she saw more believable signs of spotting a lycanthrope, such as insomnia, restlessness, pale skin, weak vision, unprovoked aggression and rages. This signs could also apply to a million and one medical conditions. It seemed that she was going to need a more reliable way to spot the creatures.

Nadine was thinking about calling Madam Yvonne and telling her what she thought when her phone rang.

It was an unknown number. Nadine picked the call.

"Who is this?" She asked.

"It's Nick Law." The voice said.

Nadine was surprised. Why was the man calling her? Maybe he had a new lead on the case.

"What is it?" She asked, "Do you have any leads on the case?"

"No, I don't. I just wanted to check in on you. You didn't come by the station today." Nick replied.

Nadine laughed mirtlessly, "If I remember correctly, Detective. You told me not to bother you."

"Yes, but Nadine, don't do anything stupid." Nick said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nadine asked angrily.

"Don't try to solve this case on your own." He replied.

"And why not?"

"Because that's the police's work, dammit!" Yelled Nick.

"Fat lot of good the police has done. Nick, unless you have any new leads, don't call my number." Nadine said and hung up. The gall on that man. Who the hell did he think he was that he could order her around? She positively hated him.

His call motivated her to call Madam Yvonne who picked on the first ring.

"Yes? Do you have any questions?" Madam Yvonne asked.

"Yes. First of all, I'd like to say that the suggestions the book gave on how to find lycanthropes in human form is complete bullshit. I'm going to need more than that. Second of all, when do I start my training?" She asked.

"Soon, very soon." Madam Yvonne said and hung up. How easily Nadine had played into her hands.