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But there are five of us, and only two of them, visible when I squint through my binoculars. Both are big guys—lycans always are—one with overgrown red hair and the other with skin so dark it’s almost blue in the moonlight. Neither have shifted, but I guess they’re more deadly with those rifles than they would be as wolves.
There’s no time to worry about my fallen comrade, so I just keep going. Onward always. It’s how I’ve survived since the Angels got here, how I’ve kept my little sister safe. By just moving forward, even when the worst happens.
Another shot zings over us, the red zap of the laser rifle so hot that it singes the grass. They’re going to catch the whole damn prairie on fire if they aren’t careful, and they seem to realize that as the black guy chastises the redhead. They don’t seem all that worried, given that they’re under attack.
A moment later, I realize why.
Because there’ssomethingin the field with us.
Off to my left, I watch as it parts the grass like a shark, otherwise completely silent. A shiver runs up my spine, my hair standing on end. I pull my rifle from my back, aiming quietly in that direction.
The only sign that another one of my men has gone down is a yelp and then a bloody gurgle, followed by silence. There’s only one of us left—and poor David, back in the forest. Enid is going to kill me if David doesn’t make it back alive, and she’ll be even more pissed if I don’t get there myself.
It occurs to me that my plan has already failed.
And that this was a very stupid idea.
I hold my rifle up as my breath catches in my throat, keeping it aimed toward where my companion just went down. I didn’t know either of those men well—just bounty hunters down from Dallas—but they were still my allies.
I just got them killed.
Once again, my bullheadedness has gotten me in trouble.
Time slows down. My hands don’t shake on the rifle, still aiming down its sights.
I’m ready when the wolf lunges out of the darkness, but it’s still terrifying.
Because these monsters arehuge, hulking and alien. Covered in a coat of salt and pepper fur, a ridge of sharp silver spines lines his back. His fangs are bared and dripping with saliva and venom, blood spattered on his claws and fur.
He’s coming right at me.
I fire a second too late, catching him on the shoulder rather than hitting him right in the chest. He doesn’t so much as flinch, simply jetting off into the grass as I fire one more shot.
“Shit,” I whisper. There’s no more use in staying quiet—he knows exactly where I am. “Shit, shit,shit.”
If I’m going to run, now’s the time. I can only hope I have a few men left.
I sling my rifle back over my chest and sprint back in the direction I came from, knowing I’m going to be too slow to escape. I fought these creatures in the New Crusades, but it’s beenyearsand I’m severely out of practice. For God’s sake, I’ve spent most of the past decade farming, not firing a weapon. I was stupid to come here, stupid to propose this drunken plan three nights ago.
Two people are dead because of me, and I might be next.
The tree line is in sight, David obscured somewhere within, when I hear the wolf behind me once again. The only indication I’m being followed is a rough pant every so often—I must have hurt him if he’s short of breath. If I can just get to David and the horses, we can fight the wolf off together and beat a hasty retreat back to Homestead, and I can forget this ever happened.
Ihaveto see Enid again. She’ll hunt me right into the grave if she finds out I put myself at risk like this.
The panting behind me subsides and the lycan veers off, vanishing into the shadows. I lean back against a tree to catch my breath, grabbing my bowie knife and gripping it tightly. If he comes at me again, the rifle isn’t gonna do much good—I’ll have to be faster than that. I try to collect myself for a moment, focusing on my need to survive rather than the carnage in that field.
A shot, and then another strangled cry rings out. That’s one more of the men down.
It’s just me and David now.
Ihaveto get back to the horses, and there’s no more time to waste.
I take off again, sprinting across the forest floor. I don’t know exactly where I am; in my panic, I must have gotten disoriented. I can only hope I’m going in the right direction, where David should still be waiting. I can’t believe I’ve escaped, at least for now, when it had me in its claws.
A dark shadow flits through the trees beside me, and I catch sight of opalescent eyes in the darkness.
This creature is toying with me.
