Tricked

between the pages and closed it, rising to meet us, hand outstretched to shake. » How ya doin’, Mr. Collins, Miss Collins. «
    We settled at the card table with him and Granuaile said, » It’s starting to look a bit homey in here. «
    » It’s a bit more comfortable, « Frank agreed, nodding. » Going to enjoy it while we can. We start the Blessing Way tomorrow on the second building. « He jerked his thumb in the direction of the unfinished structure.
    » Had any trouble from the local wildlife? « I asked.
    Frank knew what I meant and shook his head. » Not for us. I heard that some climbers disappeared up on the mesa yesterday, and I doubt we’ll ever find ’em. The skinwalkers showed up and spent some time issuing threats last night, but they didn’t try nothin’. This hogan is totally protected now. They can’t get at us in here. «
    » Those sound like famous last words, « I said.
    Frank chuckled hoarsely. » They do, don’t they? I’ve always wanted to say somethin’ good when I go. Like ‘Free Leonard Peltier!’ or ‘I’ve got your boarding school right here!’ «
    We chatted amiably for a few minutes before Frank suggested a card game to pass the time. » You know how to play pinochle? « he asked.
    » Sure do, « I said. » Learned how when I was in Ohio one time. «
    » Teach me? « Granuaile asked.
    » Me too, « Ben chimed in. He grinned at Granuaile, perhaps to reassure her that she wouldn’t be the only newb at the game. Or perhaps he was smiling because she had the same effect on him that she did on me, and on most men. He offered to grab us a drink out of a cooler nearby and we thanked him. I surreptitiously waggled my eyebrows at Granuaile and she muttered at me through clenched teeth.
    » Shut up, sensei. «
    Ben heard it and asked, » Why do you call him sensei if he’s your brother? «
    » Oh, « Granuaile said, startled to be reminded of our assumed roles, then covered admirably with the truth. » He’s teaching me martial arts, and so I call him that to keep from descending into sibling rivalry. It goes easier when I think of him as the instructor, you know? «
    Ben nodded. » Makes sense, « he said, handing us each one of those canned iced teas.
    We had the first hand dealt, I’d won the bidding, and I was just about to name diamonds trump when the torn-metal scream of a skinwalker startled us. Ben managed to spill tea on himself, and he started cussing but choked that back at the sound of a thunderous impact and cracking, splintering wood coming from the west, where the new admin building sat unfinished. The sounds of destruction continued as I rose to walk to the west wall. I put my face up to a log and held it there, then concentrated on unbinding the cellulose in front of my right eye for a short time. The wood obediently compressed and parted to create a peephole for me—it was sort of like the opening credits of a James Bond movie, except that I didn’t get to look at provocative silhouettes. I cast night vision and saw the blurring shape of one skinwalker going Hulk on the construction materials. He couldn’t touch us inside the protected hogan, but everything outside had become fair game. He’d have those logs split up into kindling in no time. Where was the other skinwalker though?
    The answer came shortly, from behind me. To the east, where the trucks and Granuaile’s brand-new SUV were parked, crunching metal and shattered glass announced a skinwalker special on free demolition services. I kept watching the first skinwalker dismantle the construction materials as Ben and the others hurried to the opposite end of the hogan to press their ears against the walls. The skinwalker I could see looked fully healed now, and I assumed the other one was as well from the sound of things. While their strength might be on the low end of vampiric, their speed was still far in excess of what Leif or I could manage. There was no way for me to beat these guys, unless I got in a lucky strike with Moralltach. That was far from a guaranteed win however. I knew from experience how quickly they could take me down and chew me up. They were simply too fast; I had to slow them down somehow.
    » That was my SUV, wasn’t it? « Granuaile said, reacting to a noise that had a new-car crunch to it. » Damn it, how am I going to explain that to the insurance company? «
    » Maybe you lost control and rolled it? « Ben suggested.
    » Possible, but it’s probably going to have claw