Supernatural Fresh Meat - By Alice Henderson Page 0,98

to twist to see the aswang. He could hear its wings flapping laboriously, feel the gusts of air from it. Below him the mine entrance grew tiny.

The aswang circled, heading for a mass of granite boulders that protruded from the base of an outcropping. Sam held tight to the whip, stealing a glance upward. The aswang surged up and down in the air, leathery wings working to support both of their weights, its snout twisted with the effort.

It flew up, moving higher and higher, and below him Sam saw the meadow in front of the mine spinning. He could now barely make out the mine entrance, just a dot of darkness against the grey of the granite rock wall.

With a gust of air, the aswang dove past Sam, and for a brief moment, Sam was weightless, hanging there in the sunshine. Then the whip jerked down on him, the breath rushing from his chest at the sudden constriction. The aswang folded its wings and dropped.

Suddenly, its wings came out, lifting upward, and Sam arced under it, swinging out on the extent of the whip. It hovered in mid-air, letting the whip continue its arc toward the mess of treacherous stone, and Sam saw the aswang’s plan. He sped toward the granite outcropping.

Sam held his feet out, bracing for the inevitable impact. He considered attempting to untie the whip, but couldn’t let Jason fly away with their only means of destroying the aswang.

One jagged edge slammed into the side of his head and his teeth clacked together. Bright points of light swam around him as his shoulder struck simultaneously, followed by his knee. His weight on the whip felt instantly heavier as he went slack, trying to stay conscious. He caught the briefest glimpse of Bobby and Dean below him, emerging from the mine, staring around for him. Then Dean saw him, pointing upward.

Sam’s hands slipped from the whip handle, but the knot around his torso and shoulder held. His feet scrabbled on the rocks, trying to find purchase. He managed to lift his heavy head and looked up to see the aswang hovering above him, enraged coppery eyes staring down.

It darted upward again, flying straight for the clouds. The whip jerked around Sam’s chest and shoulder and he flew straight up. The aswang was going to slam him against the rocks again, and Sam knew it wouldn’t stop until he was dead.

SIXTY-FOUR

Sam spiraled through the air, trying to right himself by kicking his legs and arms out, but it was fruitless. He dangled at the mercy of the aswang.

It arced ever skyward, then suddenly dove past Sam again. He knew that in a second the whip would cinch tightly around his chest and shoulder and held on as best he could. He could hear Bobby and Dean shouting below, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. Then he was careening downward again, swinging out for that sharp pile of jagged rock.

He heard gunfire, the crack of Bobby’s .30-30.

The whip jerked against Sam and his body whirled around, slamming his back into the granite boulders. A sharp edge jabbed into his thigh, another into his ribs. The air rushed out of his lungs and he gasped for a breath while trying to catch a glimpse of the scene below.

Bobby ran with his rifle pointed upward. Then he fired again.

Movement on the rocks below Sam caught his attention. Dean jumped up toward him, taking the rocks three at a time. As Sam swung away from the pile of granite, he leapt, grabbing hold of the whip just above Sam’s head.

His added weight sent them plummeting downward. Dazed from the knock on the head, Sam felt the impact a second after it actually happened. Then he was flat on his back on the ground, staring up at the sky and the hovering creature, its huge wings flapping.

Dean moved hand over hand along the whip, yanking the aswang downward as it strained to fly higher. Sam struggled to his feet, joining Dean. Together they wrenched the whip downward, making slow progress.

The aswang twisted on the end of the whip, then brought its hands down to scratch where the barb lay embedded in its flesh.

“We can’t let it get free,” Dean said.

Bobby ran up, jumped and grabbed a higher section of the whip. The three of them pulled it lower and lower, while it tore at its own flesh.

Sam could see the aswang’s hands smoldering every time it touched the whip. The spices were