Mythical Link ▸ Link Neal {Book One}

Ninety Four

     "Guys? Hello? Why are you all looking at me like that? And can someone please tell me what in the hell is going on?" He tried to lower his eyes, drawing his chin up to his chest as he gaped at the straps tight around his torso. He looked to Rhett who still had this look on his face as if Link had grown a third head and told him he was the new prince of England.

     "You... you're... but you... you," Rhett stammered, raking his fingers through his hair. "You're supposed to be dead!"

     Link's eyes widened with alarm and he struggled feverishly against the restraints.

     Rhett wheeled on Baker, who wore the same puzzled expression. "Do you have any idea what's going on?"l He asked incredulously, gesturing with a trembling hand to his friend.

     Baker eyed Paul before taking a few steps toward Link, glancing at Christy to make sure she wasn't going to leap up to her feet and assault him again. All she could do was hug Link around the neck and cry happy tears. She didn't care how he was alive, she was just glad that he was alive.

     "Rhett," Baker trailed off as his expression became very serious. "I think your friend here is a supernatural. There's no way he could have survived that being a simple human."

     Rhett's eyebrows went skyward, and he blinked several times. "You think he actually turned into a werewolf?" He choked, looking down at Link. The color was returning to his face as he eyed everyone in the room with alarm and a dash of fear.

     "There's one way to find out," Paul interjected, and Baker shot him a warning glare.

     "No."

     "Do you want to find out if he's going to turn into a dangerous limb-ripping, bloodied steak eating, never seen a razor before - freak or not?"

     Christy whipped her head around to shoot a glare at Paul.

     "I don't believe that all of them are dangerous, Paul. You know that."

     Rhett was taken aback at that statement. A werewolf killed his wife, and nearly Link twice, and he believed that there were good ones out there?

     "Most of them don't have the choice of becoming one, and they choose to remain attached to their human side. There's far more of those than you'd be willing to believe," he added as he caught Rhett staring at him. Rhett quickly lowered his head.

     "Can I please get out of this? I really need a drink," Link rasped, and Rhett immediately began unbuckling his straps.

     "Wait. We have to do one more thing," Baker insisted, holding his hand out to stall Rhett. Rhett looked at Baker and watched as Paul came up behind him with a vial and a syringe. The vial had a glowing blue substance in it, and he passed the items to Baker. Baker unscrewed the top of the vial and dipped the tip of the syringe into the substance, drawing up a generous amount of liquid.

     He stepped over to Link and before Link could protest, he crammed it into his mouth and released the liquid. Link tried to kick his legs, gagging on the spot. Baker clamped Link's jaw shut with his hand so he couldn't spit it out.

     Link felt as the cold liquid trickled down his throat, and it tasted bitter to his tastebuds. He wanted to spit it out but he couldn't, and he grimaced as it traveled down his throat. Baker released his jaw and took a step back, and he watched him expectantly.

     They all watched him for several seconds, his ears burning up. His right eye twitched slightly. "Is there any reason why we're watching me?"

     Rhett wanted to laugh. His best friend was back, and he was okay. Baker looked at Paul with wonder.

     "Definitely not a werewolf," Paul concluded.

     "Wait, how would that have determined if he was a werewolf?"

     "What was that?" Christy asked, adding on to Rhett's question. The both of them glanced at each other and then back at Baker.

     "Remember that plant I was telling you about that's toxic to werewolves, Rhett?"

     Rhett slowly nodded his head, waiting for Baker to explain.

     "It's called Nightshade. It's a whole family of plants that we're used to consuming, ranging from tomatoes to peppers. The sound of it alone sounds ominous and you're probably thinking why on earth would we eat those?"

     Rhett raised an eyebrow. Nightshade did sound shady, and he did find himself questioning the authenticity of it.

     "But believe it or not, back in the 1800s they found a more dangerous form of nightshade that was poisonous and they called it deadly nightshade."

     "Why is it so toxic?" Rhett asked, placing his hands on his hips. Link's eyes swiveled between Rhett and Baker, and he was really itching to be released from the restraints.

     "Because of the glycoalkaloids that they produce. Those are nature's pesticide, and it's commonly found in the leaves of the plant so that it can lay a protective barrier for the plants. The glycoalkaloids fight off the bacteria, fungi, viruses and insects that normally dive for the attack. The werewolf toxin that's found in the saliva and in the claws is a bacteria that the glycoalkaloids fight, and when a werewolf ingests the Nightshade, it's supposed to make them really sick. The glycoalkaloids bind to the cells once it makes it into the bloodstream, bursting on impact. If that's not enough, they also block neurotransmitters that signals muscle and nerve cells. So it typically results in paralysis, respiratory arrest, and then death. Obviously none of that happened, therefore...he's not a werewolf." Baker concluded his explanation.

     Rhett had a look of awe on his face. He had so much more to learn about this world than he had originally thought. Apparently there were more creatures out there than werewolves, and they were in for one heck of a surprise when they found out what Link really was.

     "If I'm not a werewolf, then what am I?"

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