Page 23 of Luna & Andres

"Get her!" I heard Leno yell.

I snaked my way through the mess of people and glanced over my shoulder. Pararius pushed the people aside. His prodigious strength caused whole columns of pedestrians to crash onto the sidewalk. His right hand was hidden in his pocket.

He gained on me. I rushed forward. Step by step I lost ground. I looked behind me. He was a yard away. His hand reached out for me. I twisted around and pulled out my gun. I aimed the weapon and fired.

The two shots flew straight up. The world turned into chaos. People screamed and scattered. Some ducked onto the ground. Cars braked and crashed into each other. People looked out office buildings. Others slammed their windows shut.

Pararius lunged at me. He grabbed my left wrist and pointed the gun at the ground. A deft twist and he forced me to drop my gun. I stumbled back and clutched my wrist. The nerves throbbed. He pulled out his gun and pressed it against my forehead. His lips curled back in a maniacal grin.

A tall, red-coated figure flew up from the crowd. They darkened the sky and their shadow flew ahead of them. Pararius saw the shadow and spun around. He swung the gun upward, but the figure slammed him into the sidewalk. The concrete beneath them cracked and sank into a depression in the shape of Pararius' outline.

The figure knelt even with me, and I saw it was indeed the gray werewolf from before.

"Vincent!" I yelled.

The creature didn't acknowledge me. It leaned down so its snout nearly touched Pararius' face and curled its lips back in a hideous snarl. Pararius' eyes widened. Sweat poured down his forehead. His body quivered as he shook his head.

"No. No! N-" His final word was cut short when the gray werewolf bit into his throat.

The sharp fangs dug deep into Pararius' flesh. Blood splattered everywhere. A horrible gurgling noise escaped Pararius' mouth. Blood dribbled from the corners of his mouth and his eyes dimmed.

I covered my mouth with one hand and stepped back. The crowds around us parted. My eyes caught sight of the gleam from my gun. I lunged for it as the werewolf raised its head. Its blood-soaked teeth dripped with the precious life liquid.

I snatched my weapon and pointed the barrel at the creature. My hand trembled, but whether from the pain of the burns or fear I couldn't say. The werewolf stood and stepped away from its victim. Those terrible eyes never left mine. My eyes flickered down to Pararius. His throat was torn apart.

The werewolf stepped towards me. I whipped my head up and tightened my grip on the gun. "Don't come any closer!" I warned it.

The creature stopped. Its eyes narrowed. The coat it wore rippled in a soft breeze that lifted the stagnation of this terrible city. The crowds were gone. Abandoned cars littered the streets. No one dared leave their office buildings.

Sirens broke the silence. Police sirens. I glanced in their direction, and when I returned my attention to the creature it was gone. Vanished. I lowered my gun and swept the area. Not a trace was left except its victim and a pool of blood where it had stood.

I holstered my gun and hurried into the nearest alley. My life in this place was officially over.

CHAPTER 10

The network of alleys led me back to the beach. I hurried down the stairs and glanced down the beach. A dark figure sat on the barrel. The hunched posture told me it was Vincent. He noticed my coming and stood just as I arrived at our camp.

"I heard sirens. Was everything okay?" he asked me.

I stopped three yards from him and looked him over. There was no sign of blood. "Have you been here the entire time?" I questioned him.

He nodded. "Yeah, why?"

I sat down on my drum and brushed away some loose hairs. Sweat soaked my temples. "Because things just went from bad to worse. That werewolf showed up again."

His eyes widened. "At the bank?"

I closed my eyes and shook my head. "No, worse. Outside the bank. The same people from last night tried to get me into a car and-"

"What?" His eyes widened. "What people? What did they want?"

"They weren't exactly talkative. They tried to get me into their car, but their plans were cut short when the werewolf showed up." My eyes flickered up and I studied Vincent's concerned face. "You're sure you were here the entire time?"

He nodded. "Yeah. At least, I think I'm sure. I don't remember doing anything else."

I snorted. "That isn't exactly comforting, but I guess it doesn't matter. What matters is it was worth it." I rummaged through my pockets and was glad when my fingers brushed over the roll I'd stashed there earlier. I pulled out the wad of bills and turned it over in my hand. "This should get us some decent supplies and it'll last longer if we avoid motels. Unfortunately, we can't spend it in the city. After that fiasco we'll probably see my face plastered on the front covers of all the newspapers."

His eyes fell on the bills and widened. "That looks like a lot of money."

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