Page 6 of Empowering the Wolf's Heart

I huffed out an annoyed breath, then hopped on behind my kidnapee. That’s when I realized the night was strangely quiet with the sort of anticipation that makes your hair stand on end.

Uh-oh.

I looked back at the wall, and from inside the open door were multiple glowing twin pinpricks of light above shining ivory teeth.

“GO!” I hissed, leaning over my kidnapee to grab fistfuls of Ran’s mane.

She hesitated for one second, looking back at me. If a horse could raise a brow… “Please?” I bit out through clenched teeth.

As the princess asks,she said.

She reared, her hooves pawing the air as a werewolf snapped at my cloak and nearly ripped me off Ran’s back, then we were off. Her hooves pounded to the rhythm of my anxious heart.

A glance back made me squeak. Four werewolves as large as ponies were pounding after us, their eyes slits and their lips peeled back to reveal teeth as long as my finger.

Ran, we have company.

No joke!she shot back.

We were slowing down. Why the heck were we…

Oh.

Ran came to a stop as a werewolf stepped in front of us, cutting off our escape route. Ran snorted and bared her teeth, but the werewolves were less than impressed. They came from alleyways and hopped down from rooftops, landing with clacking paws and oddly gentle thuds for something that enormous. We were surrounded.

Ran was built for speed in the open plains, not tight quarter dodging and kicking. She always gave nearly as well as she got, but this was a bit dire.

A bit?Ran snapped, her voice both as languid as a gently flowing stream and as sharp as her teeth.

Her tail swished behind us as a werewolf snarled and snapped at air.

Any ideas?I asked.

This is where I kill and you maim,she said.

I rolled my eyes.We’re not here to start a war.

Tell that to them,she replied with a shake of her glorious mane that she made me oil weekly to make it shine.

Whelp. She has a point.

I grabbed a tiny bottle from my bodice.

NO!

But it was too late. I slammed the dirty bomb into the cobblestones in front of Ran’s hooves, and from it erupted smoke that smelled of sewage and garlic and wolfsbane.

Ran released a neigh that was part squeal and part dragon growl.

You’re going to pay for that,she whispered. My skin tingled as the blood left my face. She could be terrifying.

She darted through the smoke, using her body to shove the yipping and whining werewolves out of our way. I heard a sharp yelp and the crack of bone when her hoof kicked behind us.

I squinted my eyes to keep them from burning as I slashed with a knife at the werewolves with enough self-control to prowl at Ran’s flanks. One yelped, a long gash dripping red blood from his shoulder, slashed by my blade. Then we were through the smoke and the alleyway opened before us.

One last werewolf stood between us and freedom. She was a white, glistening beauty with a black-tipped tail. I can admit something is pretty even if it’s out to kill me, thanks. The snarling coming from her throat was loud enough to hear above the pounding of my heart and the sharp thuds of Ran’s hooves. She crouched, waiting, ever patient.

JUMP!I shouted at Ran, giving her a visual to go with it.

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