Page 48 of Relics of the Wolf

With four riflespeeking out car windows and aimed in my direction, I wasn’t inclined to obey the command toget inside, girl. Since night had fallen, and Duncan and I were crouched behind a garbage can, the gunmen probably couldn’t see us, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t do plenty of damage.

I clenched my jaw. I couldn’t let these people endanger my tenants. It was nothing but luck that nobody returning home from work was in the parking lot at that moment, but that wouldn’t last.

“I’m going to try to get them to chase me away from the complex.” I pointed out a route across the lawn that would take me behind bushes and toward the parking lot from the side. “I don’t want them to open fire on this property.”

I tapped my pockets where I usually kept my phone and car keys, but the keys were in my apartment, and I had left my phone on the desk in the office. Damn it. I would have to lure these guys away on foot.

“I can distract them while you get away,” Duncan offered.

“By what? Hurling sausages at their windshields?”

“That would be a blasphemous use of good meat.”

“We’re not joking around, girl,” the same man called from the Tesla with the open door. The other vehicles were circling the parking lot. “Weknowyou’re here.”

I eyed the lights of the leasing office, suspecting that Duncan was right, that the phone call to the land line had been a way of verifying my location. Whoever the man in charge was must have guessed right away what I was trying to do when I posted that ad. And he was trying to do something else, nothing good for my health.

“Just stay here,” I told Duncan, then slipped out from behind the garbage can.

Staying low, I jogged toward the sidewalk running past the property, intending to use the mailboxes, trees, and bushes to stay hidden until I was in the street. And then… Then I would have to hope the men truly did want to snag me, not shoot me, because I would be an easy target running down the pavement.

Before I made it, a tenant in a minivan rolled into the parking lot. I winced, recognizing the vehicle. It belonged to a mom with two kids.

Hopefully, they weren’t with her, but I couldn’t count on that. Instead of running into the street, I hurried toward the parking lot. I would have to give myself up to ensure there wasn’t violence. Maybe Duncan could help me escape later.

Anger at the situation and frustration that I’d inadvertently brought it down upon the complex surged through my body. Magic mingled with the emotions, the call of the wolf. It urged me to take my lupine form to battle the threats.

I tried to sublimate the call, certain a wolf wouldn’t be effective against cars and guns—especially guns loaded with silver bullets. Besides, I needed my wits about me to protect the tenants and figure this out.

One of the Teslas halted abruptly. Two of its doors opened, and men surged out. They weren’t facing me or the minivan but the walkway in front of the leasing office. A salt-and-pepper wolf stood there, brown eyes toward the intruders, jaws parted to reveal fangs.

Damn it, what was Duncan doing? He would be as vulnerable to silver bullets as I.

He lifted his snout toward the night sky and howled.

“That’s her ally!” one man yelled as he got out of his car, a rifle in hand.

It was the blond guy, and he reeked of magical power. Had he quaffed a fresh dose of the Tiger Blood potion?

I reached the parking lot from the side but didn’t rush out, instead using the big metal cluster mailboxes for cover. Howmuchcover they would provide, I didn’t know. They were meant for keeping out parcel thieves, not stopping bullets.

“If it’s me you want,” I called, leaning out, “I’m right here.”

With their rifles in their hands, the intruders spun toward me. They were all huge andalloozed magical power. Their fingers rested on the triggers, but they didn’t pull them.

“That’s her.” One man raised his voice. “Get in, girl, and send your wolf boy away.”

As if I had that power over Duncan.

I took a step away from the mailboxes, but the minivan lady had parked.

“Mom,” a young voice cried. “Those men have guns!”

“Stay inside!” their mom barked.

Another car swung into the parking lot, another tenant coming home. Damn it. This was about to turn into?—

The blond guy swung his rifle toward the minivan and fired at it.

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