Savage Read Free Page A

she whispered to Cordelia.
    “Yes,” Cordelia whispered back. “Can you see?”
    Katelyn was startled. She could see — not the strange infrared luminescence that occasionally filled her vision, but a brightness as if someone had turned on a flashlight. Cordelia’s tear-streaked face bobbed in front of Katelyn like a white balloon.
    “Yes, I can see.”
    Cordelia crawled over the ground, occasionally scuttling sideways like a crab, keeping to the denser growth. Katelyn marveled at how silently her friend moved. She was right next to Cordelia and she couldn’t even hear the faintest whisper of sound.
    She, on the other hand, was not managing nearly as well. Crouched down on her haunches, she stepped on a twig, which cracked as loud as thunder, or so it seemed. Then her foot slid on a rock and it rolled into another. She bit her lip to keep from swearing in her terror. She couldn’t help but wish that she’d tried harder, paid more attention, as Justin was trying to teach her how to survive in the woods. But she had never in a million years dreamed that she would be slinking through the wilds of Louisiana bayou country trying to hide from a monster.
    She heard a shout from a way off. Had the Hellhound found other prey? She exchanged a fearful glance with Cordelia.
    The other girl had risen up to a half-standing position and swiveled her head, her eyes squinted and her nose visibly twitching. Katelyn waited. Finally Cordelia shook her head.
    Katelyn allowed herself one moment of relief, but they were far from safe. Feuding werewolves were still at war, and neither side would appreciate catching her and Cordelia together. And the Hellhound could reappear at any time.
    We need a place to hide. A place where we can see without being seen.
    She glanced up. The trees around them were tall. The nearest branches were incredibly thick and about fifteen feet off the ground. She could jump that high, but she didn’t know if the Hellhound or the other werewolves could.
    Or even Cordelia, for that matter.
    She stood slowly and Cordelia joined her after a moment. Katelyn gestured up to the branch above them. Cordelia’s eyes widened and she shook her head.
    Cordelia didn’t think she would be able to jump that high.
    She could, with my help.
    Katelyn widened her stance and cupped her hands. Cordelia, a former cheerleader, instantly understood. She bounced up and down on the balls of her feet for a moment, the muscles in her legs cording, and then she stepped into Katelyn’s hands, hopped once, and jumped as Katelyn lifted upward with all her might.
    Cordelia went flying into the air and she caught the branch. She hoisted herself up with ease and then looked down at Katelyn, quick victory fading to worry as she seemed to process that now Katelyn was stuck.
    Katelyn just smiled back at her. This was her world, after all, and it was time Cordelia saw exactly what she could do. Katelyn bent her knees, felt her muscles tense, and then she launched herself upward. She grabbed the branch with both hands and swung herself up and onto it in a single, fluid motion.
    Cordelia’s eyes widened and Katelyn grinned proudly. Then she looked down and realized she could see farther than she had anticipated. She wanted to be able to see even farther, though. She climbed up a couple more branches and Cordelia reluctantly followed her until they were perched high above the ground with a panoramic view of the fiery night sky. Now they were up higher than the Hellhound could reach, and they could search for him. But the fire still raged and it was closer. They must have traveled in a circle instead of straight away from the fighting as she had thought.
    Cordelia gripped her hand and Katelyn reached out and hugged her.
    She’s an orphan now. Just like me. Just like Justin.
    It seemed there were a lot of orphans in Wolf Springs, Trick being a notable exception.
    But then again, Trick Sokolov — godson to Katelyn’s grandfather — was an exception to