Page 72 of A Cock and Bull Story
“Let's get the fuck out of here,” she spits.
I look over at Jude and Arthur, who are wearing the same stunned looks—but we don't need to be told twice.
We race down a darkened corridor, hoping that we don't meet with anyone else. By some miracle of God, we make it outside. Jack is already there waiting, changed into his ass.
“Get on Jack's back!” Jude yells at Belle as he shifts back into his cockchafer.
Arthur transforms into his animal, and I jump on Jack's back behind Belle.
“Go!” I yell.
Like the noblest of steeds, Jack takes off. We hear the savage roar of a Tertiary and know that we don't have long to get back to our vehicle.
Jude buzzes out of sight, the wind carrying him at a faster speed to our car. From my periphery, I see Arthur running alongside Jack. He’s easily keeping pace with the donkey—who’s legging it3down the lane.
Another vicious howl rends the air, and I feel Belle tense under my arms wrapped tightly around her.
“It’s ok—don’t look back,” I command—more to myself than to her.
“Ahhhhhhhhh!” Belle shrieks so high I think she might pierce my ear drums. “I looked back! Fucking Shere Khan is chasing us!”
Thank Heavens Rudyard Kipling was a Brit. For once, I know what Belle is talking about—but I wish that I didn’t because a tiger can easily outpace an ass.
Especially one carrying two humans—even if they’re bred to be pack animals, they weren’t bred to hunt down their prey.
But tigers are.
And this bastard is almost on our arses.
Jack starts swerving and braying in fear, his animal side taking over. He zigzags to the left abruptly, and the motion dumps Belle and me off. Together, we tumble to the ground in a heap.
I grab her head swiftly and flatten us, nose into the dirt. Jack is kicking uncontrollably in his mulish angst. Finally gathering enough courage, I look up to see the tiger leisurely strolling toward us.
It’s keeping a wary eye on Jack’s ass but, otherwise, doesn’t seem concerned.
I try to shove Belle behind me, but she keeps smacking my hands away and rolls on top of me. I realize that the daft woman is shielding me from the advancing Tersh.
“Belle, get off—”
My shaky order is silenced by the loud bellow of Jude—once again human—as he jumps over Belle’s and my prone forms. In his hand is a giant dead tree branch that he’s lit on fire.
The bloody genius.
I could kiss him.
Jude lands nimbly in front of us and brandishes the homemade torch at the huge cat. I can see the twin flames reflected in the feline’s large eyes—which have grown bigger with fear at the sight.
“Arthur! Bring round the saloon!” Jude directs the toad.
He never stops looking at the tiger, though. Methodically, he inches forward, shaking the fiery stick at the Tertiary. In return, the cat slowly slinks back.
It doesn’t take long for Arthur to drive up. He hops out and rushes over to Jack, who is still kicking in abject fear. Thankfully, Arthur manages to calm down the ass and coax Jack to shift. I rush Belle over to the car, and she surprises me by taking the wheel.
“Get in,” she grinds out.
I quickly scoot over so that Arthur and Jack can pile in.
“Er, Belle, are you sure this is the time—” Arthur starts, but Belle just revs the engine in answer.
