Page 39 of Echo
The first time I ran from Mark, I’d been too jumpy and nervous. It gave me away. The second time, I didn’t even give him the chance to figure it out. It had bought me time. That’s all I needed now.
I locked up the house tight and ignored the shadows moving around the corner of the house. “Let’s go sell some honey, Ranger.”
He barked as if to agree. I was worried he’d start growling and barking, forcing me to acknowledge the eyes glued to me, but somehow he understood what I was doing. Or something.
I’d take my wins where I could.
“I’m thinking pizza tonight.” I snapped my fingers, and he jumped through the open door to sit in the passenger seat.
I turned the engine on and waited for it to warm up, picked a radio station, and adjusted the air conditioning for the hot air. The whole nine yards. I drove a respectful speed down the driveway and casually checked my mirrors. The broken salt line came up, and I parked on the other side.
This time, I grabbed my purse and ran to that line, busted the salt bag and started pouring. The heavy thud of feet running barrelled through the woods. I rushed to get a solid line as huge hooves appeared on the other side. I didn’t dare look up, until the line was connected again.
Then I slowly let my eyes travel up from the thick hooves to the black covered legs. At first I thought it was fur, but the more I stared at the strange way it moved in the wind, the more I realized that wasn’t right. It was shadows. Shadows covered up the legs to powerful thighs, that could burst a watermelon and probably more. The fur/shadow danced low with a deep etched V and mouth watering cock that I would have loved to experience again if I didn’t think it would end in me being eviscerated.
I wasn’t even sure how that huge, veiny monstrosity fit inside me.
But eventually my eyes kept going up over the cut abs and chest. To tense arms that had killed a man so easily, yet held me so carefully. Until I was staring into the glowing pits that were supposed to be his eyes.
His face was the horror I expected it to be after seeing that skull, but much bigger. He was at least two feet taller than me and built with thick muscle one would expect from a mountain man.
A growl rumbled in his chest, and he grinned. Showing his razor sharp teeth in the process, making the gesture feel like a threat. “What do you think you are doing?”
“What now, bitch?” I yelled. “You’re trapped in there. By the time you get out, I’ll be on another continent.” I flipped him off. “Good luck, Fucker.”
He chuckled again. “Are you sure this was the only break?”
My heart froze in my chest. I assumed that was the case, because people had driven over it. But I’d never check the rest of the line for myself. It was arrogant to think that somewhere no animal had disturbed the rest of the circle. There was a reason Grandma renewed her salt lines once a day, twice if it rained.
He tsked and shook his head in playful disappointment.
For the first time in a long time, panic completely took over, and I did the stupidest thing possible.
I ran.
Chapter 15:
Hestoodbesidemycar before I even turned around, so I darted into the forest. My heart pounded in my chest and breathing became harder.
A single rational part of me knew that this was a bad decision, but it was way too late to undo it.The damage is done. Make the best of it.
Everyone said this mimic was more active at night, so I followed the slivers of light that filtered through the canopy. I couldn’t hear hooves behind me, but I knew that meant nothing. I’d never heard him move before.
Wild sage grew in patches, and I jumped between them when I could. I considered taking my lighter and setting the whole thing on fire, but decided against it. My luck I’d get trapped in the flames right with him.
“Smart rabbit.” I could swear his hot breath tickled my ear. But I didn’t fall for the distraction.
The ghost of clawed fingers caressed down my arm, but didn’t grab me. I took that to mean he couldn’t and shoved the fact that it made me want to salivate into the back of my mind.
One monster was gone. I was not inviting a bigger one to move in with me.
It was hard to tell where I was, but I knew the sun rose on my left, so I was going south. So I was going alongside the main road… Hopefully.
With a little luck that I normally didn’t have, I could wave down a car before he caught up.
“Run, Little Rabbit.” His voice came from a little further away.
Good.
