The wolf on the hood, a huge gray beast, snarled.
"Too bad, so sad," I muttered.
He smashed his snout through the windshield. Shards erupted inward. The others attacked at the same time, and glass shattered all around me. I flinched, ducked my head reflexively, then remembered the gun.
I shot the gray wolf in the chest. Fire blazed, blinding me. I sensed movement to my right. Another wolf was crawling through the passenger window. A quick glance into the rearview mirror revealed one coming in through the rear.
I'd left my Glock in the trunk. No need for a handgun hunting in the woods. Now I cursed the long, unwieldy rifle in my hands. But the weapon was all I had - until it came down to the knife in my boot.
Hot breath brushed my neck, I turned, and a wolf snarled through a too-small hole in the driver's side window. He reared back to smash the glass again and I shot him. Sadly, that broke the glass. Could things get worse?
Another thud on the hood. The brown wolf straddled the center. Hector? Or someone else?
Hard to tell; he was staring at something above my head. How many wolves were on the roof?
The beast lifted his head and howled. The others froze.
What was he telling them? That I was his? He might think so, but I'd already vowed never again. I checked my ammo. Plenty left for a few more of them and one for me.
The brown wolf clambered onto the roof. The rest ran. The parking lot was deserted, except for the cars. Jazz still blared from the tavern. No one would have heard the wolf's call. Even if they had, they wouldn't have cared. Wolves howled in the forest every damn day.
Suddenly the brown wolf leaped from the roof. He hit the ground running and disappeared into the trees in the wake of the others. I was alone, with a smashed car and a full rifle.
What else could I do? I shoved open the door and followed him into the woods.
Probably not one of my better moves, but as I said, I wanted it over.
Dawn was just a hint in the sky. The wolves were no doubt headed for their lair. Maybe that's what the brown wolf had told them.
Not Leave her alone. But Get your butts back before you change.
Excitement made my breath hitch. What if I found their lair, killed them all? I could save myself, my friends, the world. Not bad for a night's work.
I could hear them ahead of me. They were moving fast. If they wanted to lose me they could. I'd never be able to keep up on foot.
After a few minutes, the sound of them panting, growling, pushing through scrub faded. All I could hear was the wind through the leaves and the birds waking up with the sun.
Suddenly they stopped twittering. Icy cold dread skittered down my spine seconds before a caramel-shaded wolf rocketed out of the trees to my left. I only had time to shift my weight before he hit me and knocked me on my back.
I let the gun go so I could use both arms, but the thing was huge and pinned my hands beneath me with more skill than a professional wrestler. I braced, expecting my throat to be gone the next instant. Nothing happened.
Slowly I opened my eyes. The wolf lay on my chest, tongue lolling, grinning into my face like a big, dumb dog. Then he licked me - one huge slobber from my neck to my forehead. His breath smelled like blood.
Now I did.
A howl drifted toward the descending moon. The wolf tensed; his attention shifted toward the fading melody. When he looked at me, his expression had changed. He snarled, pulled back to strike. This was it.
Aarp!
He yelped as he was dragged away. I scrambled to my feet the instant I was free. The brown wolf killed him in a single vicious yank at the throat. He was really very good at that.
Blood sprayed the ground like in an out-of-control Monty Python skit. I turned, searching for my gun, pouncing on the thing as if it were a buoy in the middle of a vast ocean. When I spun around, rifle at the ready, the only animal in the clearing was dead.
Blood trailed into the woods.
A few hundred yards away the trail petered out. But I could hear him crashing through the trees in his haste to retreat. Time was against him.
I burst into