Winter of the Wolf Read Free Page A

the monster folowed, red-brown eyes never leaving her face. Like thick smoke, the sense of evil choked her. Clicking sounds made her look down. The beast had massive claws—each one bigger than a finger. Oh God.
    Can I kill it ?
    Slimy pink drool dripped from its mouth onto her tile floor as it stopped, trapping her in the kitchen.
    Her back bumped the counter. She reached behind her, and her hand found the knife rack. Not that one. Or that. Her fingers closed on the butcher knife. With a deep breath, then fingers closed on the butcher knife. With a deep breath, then another, she tried to push the fear to one side like at a martial arts tournament. Didn’t work.
    Hit it where? The wooden sword had splintered in her hand. The spiked plating on its back looked too thick. The neck?
    The monster lunged at her.
    She dodged sideways, aimed the knife toward its throat—
    and the blade skidded across the plates, catching in the grooves. The head whipped around. Heck !
    She yanked her hand away, and its teeth closed on emptiness with an ugly snap.
    Was she stupid? Get help. She screamed, loud and shril, screamed again. And then the thing was on her. She slashed at its neck. The shock jarred her hand. The blade broke off at the hilt.
    “No!” She chopped at its neck with the edge of her hand.
    Her hand bounced off, bleeding from the sharp points of the plates. She could break concrete—but not this thing? “ Why don’t you die ?”
    Vaulting up and over, she cut her palms on its spiky armor, but landed behind it. She slammed a kick into its leg. A bone in her foot fractured. The sound and the pain were nauseating, and she staggered back.
    The helish creature spun. Jaws clamped onto her arm, and it whipped her around like a land-borne shark. She hit the counter, grunted in pain, and punched at its eyes. Too counter, grunted in pain, and punched at its eyes. Too protected, too recessed in the armor.
    The jaws tightened on her arm. Pain burst through her, and her knees buckled. She struggled, a helpless mouse, as it dragged her across the floor to the living room. With a jerk of its head, the monster flung her across the room.
    Free. She roled over and sprang away, one arm limp at her side.
    With a savage growl, the animal jumped on her, driving her face into the floor. Claws dug into her back. The rotten stench closed her throat. I’m going to die . The inevitability beat at her.
    Its teeth ripped into her flesh, tearing at her shoulder.
    It hurts, oh God, it hurts . She screamed, twisting onto her back to kick at it. Her feet hit uselessly, like hammering on a tank.
    Suddenly it backed away. She tried to stand and failed.
    Her hand skidded in the blood soaking the carpet. My blood .
    She gritted her teeth, tears smearing her vision. Where was —
    The beast blurred and turned into a person. A man.
    No . She sucked in a breath, trying to get her eyes to focus.
    It was the guy from the parking lot. Naked. His thick hairless chest was streaked with gore. Blood dripped from his mouth and chin. He licked his lips. “You are like nothing I’ve ever had.” His voice was oily. “I knew I tasted I’ve ever had.” His voice was oily. “I knew I tasted something…extra in your blood. What are you? Where did you come from?”
    His head tilted, and a cruel smile grew on his face. He crooned, “Are there more like you?” Pink-tinged drool roled down his chin as he stared down at her.
    She shuddered. Her fingers curled into the carpet, and she tried to inch away.
    “You look human.” He wiped his blood-spattered cheek, sniffed, then ran his tongue over his palm. “Mmm. You don’t smel different, but I’ve never, ever, tasted anything like this before.”
    She raised her feet to kick at him, to keep him away. One arm wouldn’t lift, and she was losing blood fast.
    He took a step forward.
    “Bastard!” She snap-kicked his knee.
    He hissed in pain and blurred into the creature. With a vicious snarl, the beast lunged at her.