[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
the opposite bank of the ravine. It was as steep as the other side had been, so I reached out with my free
hand for the nearest exposed root and hauled myself upward. I dug my toes into the dirt, trying to make
little holds, but mostly just loosened soil and rocks.
Grrrrrrr-rrrr!
Holy crap. That sounded like it came from right behind me. I scrabbled at the dirt with my free
hand till I had a good grip and forced my body up a few feet. Then my toes finally found a good spot.
When I hoisted myself up again, I was farther up the bank, about halfway.
Grrrrrrr-rrrr!
I glanced over my shoulder and saw something dark prowling through the bushes like it was
stalking me. I suddenly thought about what I must look like, me in my red hooded sweatshirt. Being
followed by a Big Bad Wolf. Nice.
I knew it! I totally knew it! I couldn t help shouting out because it pissed me off that I was about
to be werewolf chow. You suck!
The thing in the bushes stopped.
I crammed my hands into the dirt again and hauled myself up a few more feet. Man, either my
arms were weak or my skinny butt was heavy. The heck with the elliptical machine in the family room at
home, I was so getting a personal trainer if I ever made it out alive.
The slope started to get less slanted, which was a great thing, because when I looked down, the
Page 74
ABC Amber ePub Converter Trial version, http://www.processtext.com/abcepub.html
four-legged beast had reached the creek. It was shadowy down there well, it was shadowy
everywhere. My little candle had totally gone out on the way up the cliff, and anyway, it wasn t like you
could project a stupid candle flicker to light up a creek bed. But I could soon tell that the thing below me
was definitely a wolf because little slivers of moonlight cut through the canopy of tree branches,
highlighting him.
Austin? I paused for a moment to fully scope out what he d become.
His head was enormous and beautiful in kind of a terrifying way. His tongue hung out of one edge
of his wide mouth as he panted. Gleaming golden in the faint light, Austin s eyes seemed the only
recognizable part of him. He was way bigger than he d seemed from a distance during the change. He
made a low guttural sound, staring me down.
My blood turned to ice in my veins. Nice doggie, I said. Not like I thought that was going to
work or anything, but I was on the verge of puking or peeing myself, so I had to do something.
The wolf stepped into the creek, his gaze still on me.
Oh, crap. I groped for some kind of heavy stick or something but only felt more of the vines I d
been using to help me climb. Turning around so I could keep him in my sight, I gripped the vines the best
I could and then started climbing the ravine cliff backward like a frightened crab.
He splashed easily through the creek, issuing that warning sound again. I made it to the top of the
cliff as he reached the base of the slope. Panicking, I scrambled through the bushes, my heart pumping
like crazy. Any second, I was toast, and not in the romantic, moonlight way.
Ah-oooooooohh! A howl reverberated from the ravine.
Was this the last shred of his humanity telling me to run? I gladly took his advice. The branches cut
into my already scraped-up arms and legs, but I kept pushing through the thick trees to get as far away
from him as I could. Up here on the ridge, a clear shot to the moon, the whole forest was lit up electric
blue, making it easier to see. Still, breathing raggedly, I crashed through a patch of stinging nettles, yelping
as I made contact.
Then the screech sounded again. From what direction, I couldn t say. It was almost like it was in
front of me, or beside me. I didn t stop to check it out. I kept running.
As I rounded a bend in the trail, I heard movement behind me. When I looked over my shoulder, I
saw Austin bounding through the trees. A dark blur, he was gaining on me.
Ahhhhhh! I screamed as he caught up.
But then he rocketed past me. With a growl that about curled my wavy hair, he dove into the tall
bushes in front of me. The screech sounded again. The bush shook, crashing sounds and growling
rumbling out of it.
A second later, Austin tumbled out of the bush with another four-legged creature. I couldn t be
sure, but it didn t look like another wolf. I dropped to the ground, totally freaked.
The other creature let out a screech. A screech I recognized as the sound from the hill when we d
first separated. Austin hadn t been following me he d been stalking that thing which had been
stalking me!
With a snarl, Austin went for his opponent s throat. It was a large cat maybe a cougar.
Whatever the heck it was, it was vicious. It swiped at Austin with its huge paws, making contact with
Austin s shoulder.
Austin yelped and jumped backward. Then, teeth gnashing, he lunged at the cat. This time he had
the cat by the neck and he swung it around. The cat s cry made my teeth hurt, like nails on a chalkboard.
The thing clawed at Austin s neck, hitting the shoulder wound again, but Austin kept fighting. He
snapped at the cat, his jaws foaming. The cat reared back and then, with one last screech, jetted off into
the bushes.
Austin wobbled upright for a moment, then slumped to the ground.
No! I screamed, rushing toward him. He couldn t be dead. He just couldn t be. But Austin wasn t
moving.
Shaking because I didn t know what he might do while still in his wolf form, I knelt down a few
Page 75
ABC Amber ePub Converter Trial version, http://www.processtext.com/abcepub.html
yards from Austin. Bathed in a pool of moonlight, he was still breathing, his chest rising and falling in an
irregular pattern. The gash on his shoulder looked deep, though dark beads of blood welled beside it.
The forest seemed to close in around us acres and acres of trees and bushes and God knows
what else was out there hiding. Maybe the cat would come back to finish off both of us. He probably had
a bunch of hungry friends, too. And all Austin had to fend away more attackers was me. Tears of
frustration rolled down my cheeks. I forced myself to move closer to the wolf.
I could see he was bleeding like crazy and I was scared to reach out and touch him. I was
scared of the wolf. And I was scared because he was going to bleed to death and then I really would
never see Austin again.
The wolf whimpered as his furry body shook with some kind of convulsion. My heart lurched in
my chest. If I didn t do anything, then he really might die. Come on, Shelby suck it up, be brave, I
told myself. Be brave when it counts.
I didn t know anything about wolves, but I did know from basic first aid I had to stop the bleeding
from his shoulder wound. I knelt beside him and bit the hem of my baby T, tearing the bottom of the shirt
off into a long strip. With trembling hands I reached out with the fabric, knowing I had to touch him. I had
to trust him and myself.
His wolf ears pricked up like he knew I was there, but he didn t move his head.
I pressed the material to his bloody shoulder.
Snap! His head jerked toward me. I felt a stinging on my forearm. He d grazed me with his teeth.
It s me, Austin, I said, pulling back to rub the spot on my arm. It smarted, but it wasn t bleeding.
It s okay. I m going to help you. I wadded the T-shirt material in my hand again and held it to the
wound.
This time, Austin s wolf body seemed to relax. He made another whimpering noise, like the
pressure hurt, but I didn t move my hand. I had to stop the bleeding. I just hoped that would be enough.
Page 76
ABC Amber ePub Converter Trial version, http://www.processtext.com/abcepub.html
FIFTEEN
helby?
S
I opened my eyes. The sky above was faint gold with sunrise. For a moment, I didn t know where
I was.
The voice came again. Shelby? Are you all right?
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]