I feel Mystery tense beneath me. He paws at the ground and raises his head up, preparing to rear.
“Easy,” I say and pitch forward, momentarily taking my eyes off the dog. “Walk forward, then run,” I pant as I fight against my pulling horse. I flick my eyes back in time to see the dog slowly step back onto the trail.
The familiar shape of a dog registers in my brain, but something is…off. Its muzzle is twisted and flattened against its face. Gray human-like eyes narrow as it growls at me, revealing razor-sharp teeth. Its legs are thick and hairless, ending in paws that look more like talons.
My eyes widen in terror, heart hammering, and I can’t look away. Mystery rears, striking out at the creature. Too scared to move, I feel myself sliding backward, falling off my horse. The lead rope burns as its yanked free from my hands. At the last minute, I try to regain my balance but fail, crashing through trees as I fall. I land hard, hip hitting the ground first and knocking the wind out of me. My head smacks against the hard ground next, and stars dot my vision for a split second.
And then everything goes black.
Chapter Three
A sharp bark echoes in my ears, stirring me awake. I plant my hands against the dusty dirt beneath me, nausea twisting in my stomach as I push up. My ears ring and pain webs through me, followed by dizziness that only makes the nausea worse.
Mystery is only feet from me, and I scramble back to avoid getting trampled by my own horse. The dog-like creature is still on the path, still growling with saliva dripping from its yellowed fangs. I could have sworn that bark sounded just like Hunter, but it had to have come from the creature before me.
I try to stand but falter, and the creature lunges forward. I close my eyes, preparing for the attack. Heart in my throat, I throw my hands out at the last second, covering my face. With a snort, Mystery rears again, hooves crashing to the ground inches from the creature. He strikes out again, clipping the thing on the face. Several inches of fur and skin tear off, hanging off of its cheek in a diagonal slash from its eye to its cheek.
Another bark echoes through the forest, and the creature slinks back, taking a final snap at Mystery before turning and running away. I stare unblinking at the spot where it had stood. My hands start shaking, and suddenly, I can’t catch my breath.
Mystery nudges me, and I jump, thinking the thing came back. Frozen, I stare into the trees, looking for the dog. My heart is racing, beating so fast it might explode inside my chest. Leaves rustle just feet from us. Adrenaline surges through me, and I clamber back up and onto Mystery.
I squeeze his sides and he takes off, running to the barn. I slide off once his hooves hit the gravel path behind the barn, taking his lead rope and giving it a tug to get him to stop. He would run right into his stall if I let him.
Panic once again flashes through me when I see the red bloodstain on Mystery’s shoulder. I reach up to feel for a wound and then realize the blood is coming from me. I bring my hand to my head and the pain registers. Shit. I blink and get a flash of tree branches as I fell. One no doubt sliced right into my forehead.
Head wounds—even those not serious—bleed a lot, and this is no exception. I wipe my bloody fingers on my pants, wincing from a sharp pain in my hip. Falling off a horse is never fun. I’ve had my fair share of falls, and most have never resulted in open wounds, yet I’m still stiff and sore the next day or two.
Mystery spooks, and his lead rope almost slips out of my trembling hands. I turn, fist clenched, and see Bob. He’s yards from his tree, and the front of his t-shirt is soaked with blood again.
“God dammit, Bob,” I grumble. “Go haunt someone else.” I stare down Bob, hearing his voice echo in the back of my mind. He turns, locks eyes with me, and it’s like someone dumped a bucket of ice water down my back. I squeeze my eyes closed, and when I open them, Bob is gone.