Dead Statues Read Free Page B

in my arms, I felt the train begin to slow. I didn’t want it to stop just yet, I wanted to keep moving so I could stay and hold her close to me. Then, looking over her shoulder I watched the night sky as it flashed with pulses of luminous blue light. The Skin-walkers disguised as cops had caught up with us, and the train was slowing so they could greet us.

Chapter Three
    Kiera
     
    “We’ve got company,” Potter whispered in my ear.
    “Huh?” I breathed, pulling away from him.
    “Skin-walkers,” he snapped, stretching out his fingers and setting his claws free like a row of knives. “Wake the others.”
    I looked back out of the carriage door as the train came to a juddering halt. A plume of thick, black diesel smoke belched from the engine and up into the dawn sky. The train had stopped at a level crossing, and on either side of the road, police vehicles were parked with their emergency lights flashing red and blue like streaks of lightning.
    Some of the Skin-walkers, dressed as cops, had left their vehicles and were now walking alongside the tracks and checking the train for us. Cones of torchlight splashed the sides of the train, and I could hear the sounds of their boots crunching over the ballast.
    Slowly, I eased the carriage door shut.
    Then, turning on the heels of my boots, I darted across to the wagon. I shook Kayla gently by the shoulder, and whispered, “Wake up.”
    Kayla stirred and I shook her again. She opened her eyes and looked up at me. Before she’d had the chance to say anything, I gently placed my hand over her mouth.
    “Shhh. Skin-walkers are searching the train,” I told her.
    Brushing my hand aside, Kayla pulled herself up, and producing her claws as quickly as Potter had, she looked at me and said, “Good. I want to mess with those fuckers for what they did to Isidor.”
    “That’s my girl,” Potter smirked, then kicked Sam in the ribs with his boot. “Rise and shine, Teen-Wolf. It’s time you proved which side you’re on.”
    Sam howled in pain and threw his hands to his sides.
    “Nice one!” I glared at Potter. “Why don’t you just stick a big neon sign above the carriage saying ‘We are here’?”
    “I hardly touched him,” Potter said. Then looking down at Sam, he added, “You’d better man-up or wolf-out, boy, because some of your furry friends are getting ready to tear us all a new set of arseholes!”
    Sam pulled himself up as Kayla took his arm to support him. Unlike the other Skin-walkers, who looked either human or werewolf when changed, Sam looked stuck somewhere in between. Long, thick lengths of dark brown hair hung from his head, his cheeks, and chin. His eyes glowed yellow, and his teeth were jagged and sharp-looking in his mouth. His long arms swung down by his sides, and I could see that just like the rest of him, they were covered in thick, dark brown, bristly hair. Each of his fingers was capped with ivory-looking nails that were sharp and pointed.
    “Are you okay?” I asked him.
    “Fine,” he said, glaring at Potter.
    “You shouldn’t have kicked him like that,”
    Kayla hissed.
    “He’s one of them,” Potter snapped back.
    “No, he’s not,” Kayla shot.
    “Really?” Potter barked. Then turning his attention back at Sam, he added. “Did you sue him?”
    “Sue who?” Sam asked confused.
    “Your fucking hairdresser,” Potter grinned rolling up his sleeves, readying himself for the Skin-walkers who were growing ever nearer. “If I came out looking like you with hair and shit sprouting outta me, I’d be demanding a refund.”
    “That’s not funny!” Kayla cut in, defending her friend.
    “Good,” Potter snapped at her, “because I wasn’t trying to be amusing. All I’m trying to say is, once a wolf always a wolf. Just because he looks semi-human, doesn’t make him one.
    However hard you try Kayla, you can’t polish a turd.”
    “I’m not a piece of shit!” Sam barked at him, his eyes glowing fiercely.
    “Glad to hear