Page 38 of Runt's Haunted Ride
I saw a human man pushing people out of the way as he tried to plow his way to Kai. But he was too slow and no match for my speed.
I reached the table first.
"It's okay," I said, reaching for her even as I yanked my hat off my head. "I've got you, baby."
I reached for her carefully, my massive hands suddenly feeling too big, too clumsy for this delicate creature. She looked up at me with those amber eyes, and I saw what I hoped was recognition. Or maybe just trust. She chirped once and didn't pull away when my fingers closed gently around her tiny body. I set her on the table next to my hip. My hands were shaking as I scooped up the gold ash. It was hot to the touch but not burning. I dumped it quickly into my hat.
A roar shook the tent. Mortis.
He was transforming—growing, expanding to that grotesque ten-foot voodoo god form. His voice boomed: "ENOUGH."
Now or never.
I pulled my gun from inside my vest, raised it, and fired at his chest.
The same time my shot exploded from my gun, a dozen other Silverbacks opened fire. BANG BANG BANG—I couldn't tellwhich bullet hit first, couldn't tell if my blessed round found its mark.
People screamed and pushed to get out of the tent.
Mortis jerked backward. He staggered, hand going to his chest, then his knees buckled. The massive form crashed to the floor with a thunderous impact. The five clowns converged on his fallen body.
"Master!" the red one shouted, dropping beside him.
"Time to go," I told Kai, placing her carefully on top of the gold in my hat. She settled into the ash pile, her golden down blending with the gold around her, and chirped again—this time it sounded almost content. "Stay still."
I let my gorilla surge forward. The transformation took seconds. My body expanded, bones restructuring, muscles building on top of muscles until I stood at my full eight feet, over five hundred pounds of pure protective fury. My arms thickened, my legs becoming pillars of strength, fur erupting across my skin.
I turned and picked up my hat. My massive gorilla hand curved around the hat to keep her safe. No one was getting her from me.
The fight was raging all around me now. I saw Tank punch one of the carnies so hard the man flew ten feet backwards. Diesel was grappling with the carny with all the moving tattoos, both of them crashing into chairs. Heavy had pulled a knife and was advancing on one of the performers who'd shifted into something with too many teeth.
My eyes went up.
The center tent pole stretched toward the peak, at least forty feet of sturdy wood. At the top, I could see where the canvas was tied off. There was a gap where it connected to the support structure.
I leaped onto the table, feeling it groan under my gorilla weight. Then I jumped for the pole, my free hand closing around it while I kept Kai pressed tight against my chest with the other.
My gorilla's natural protective instincts surged. I was built for this—climbing, even with one arm. My legs braced against the pole, catapulting me up it. I scaled it with speed that surprised even me. I heard Kai chirp softly inside the hat, and that spurred me forward.
At the top, my hand found the edge of the canvas where it was tied to the support structure. I ripped it partially free. Cool night air rushed in, and I could see the October sky beyond. I squeezed through the gap, careful not to jostle Kai, and suddenly I was on the outside of the tent. The canvas sloped down steeply, and I could hear the chaos still raging inside, but out here it was just me protecting my mate.
The ground was forty feet down. Normally, I'd climb down carefully.
But just within reach, there was a thick hemp rope. It was used to secure one of the tent's support lines. I grabbed it with my free hand, wrapped my legs around it, and slid.
The rope burned against my palms even through my thick gorilla skin, but I controlled my descent, keeping Kai stable against my chest. The ground rushed up to meet me, and I hit it with a thud that jarred my bones, but that didn't slow me down.
I ran toward where I'd parked my bike. Once there, I shifted back to human form, the rough landing and transformation leaving me panting but mobile.
"Almost there," I said to Kai. "Almost there, baby. Just hold on."
The parking lot was a mess. The people who were out were running to their cars, trying to escape. They mixed with the confused midway people streaming into the parking lot. I could hear sirens in the distance. Someone must have called the cops.
It didn't matter. I'd be gone before they arrived.
My Harley sat exactly where I'd left it, gleaming chrome and black steel right next to the turnout onto the road. I straddled it, carefully settling the hat into my saddlebag. I braced her so she wouldn't fall over.
"It's going to be loud," I told her. "Just hold tight." Kai shuffled a little and seemed to sink farther down into the gold. "Good girl." I closed the saddlebag and mounted my bike.
