Page 41 of Underworld
Except, it had a horn.
One of the panthers leaped at it from the side and it veered, changing direction nimbly and going straight for the woods.
“What was that?” I whispered.
“Do you want to catch it or talk?” Logan asked, amused.
“Bite me,” I said, then realized I was talking to a wolf and that was a very real invitation. “You realize this is an unfair challenge, right? I can’t run anywhere near to as fast as a shifter—couldn’t evenbeforesomebody strapped ginormous weights to my back.”
He held up his hands. “Hey, I’m the teacher. I’m here to instruct and I’m not helping you if I tell you how to do it.” Eying my wings, he said, “But I’ll point this out—those things will get torn to shreds if you don’t keep them tucked in.”
“Helpful.” I stuck my tongue out at him and turned to the woods. Tucking my wings in close as he’d suggested, I took off at a quick jog, hoping to catch up with any stragglers.
There were no stragglers.
I’m so not getting extra credit for this.
Ahead, the wolves howled as they indulged in the chase and the occasional answering scream from one of the panthers sounded back.
I realized they were playing a Marc-Polo of sorts, crowding the creature into an ambush.
Smart.
Even if I ran as fast as I could, I’d never catch them and I’d end up wearing myself out, especially with these damn wings.
There was another howl, this one too close for comfort.
A fluffy white rabbit-like thing darted in front of me, cutting me off as I nearly tripped over it.
“Shit!” I exclaimed as it disappeared under a hedge to my right.
A pack of wolves bolted from the trees, circling around from their ambush strategy as panther screams echoed their warning from nearby.
The bunny-thing darted in front of me again, but further down the path this time. Moving quicker now, I peered under the hedge only to almost mowed down as a panther dropped down out of a tree and leaped forward, intent on the chase.
The bunny darted across the path again. Swearing, I went after it, thrashing through dead leaves, low-branches and clambering over trunks as much as my feathers would allow. My right wing caught on a branch and I gasped, shocked at how much it hurt as it tore free.
“So. Not. Fair,” I grumbled, tucking my wings tighter and forging on. If I could actuallyusethese damn things andfly,maybe I’d have a chance.
But no. I was the damn turkey of fallen angels.
I stumbled on, mentally cursing as looking for the bunny thing even though I had no hope. The sharp pain in my wing faded, but I could smell the blood and knew it wasn’t healing yet.
Yet another indicator to give me away to the shifters.
“Well, bunny-thing. If you’re close, maybe the smell ofeau de freak bloodwill help cover your tracks for a while.”
I stopped dead as an idea hit me.
“I’msuchan idiot.”
Strategy, Logan had said. That was how I could win this.
If I was running for my life from creatures that could track by scent,howwould I survive? Right now, my only chance would be to wash off the blood and make sure the wound was bandaged.
The little bunny?
Hide its scent.
