. "Do you feel—"

A sound like a thunderclap cut him off. Car alarms went off down the full length of the street. Georgia's heart leaped into her throat. Darius' hand came down hard on her arm, and he wrenched her behind him.

At first, it only looked like a shift in the shadows. Then the darkness gathered, twisted. Georgia gulped. A smell like burning brimstone seared her nostrils and brought tears to her eyes. A strange mark appeared on the sidewalk, charred into the concrete. Then another. Georgia peered closer.

Paw prints.

She grabbed Darius' hand. "Darius. Problem."

A beam from the lone streetlamp overhead bounced off a massive, wolf-shaped shadow. Twin puffs of air jetted from a distinctly canid nose. The shadow sharpened, solidified. Dark, oily fur glistened in the dim light.

Georgia whooshed out a breath. "Big problem. Darius?"

His hand abruptly vanished from her arm. A second later, three deafening cracks rang through the air. Georgia felt the noise more than she heard it. The echoes reverberated inside her skull. She felt her lips form a nasty word, but couldn't tell if she said it out loud. All she heard was a dull whine in her ears.

In front of her, Darius was wielding a wicked, matte black handgun. He was still positioned to shoot, his entire body angled to absorb the recoil. He fired off another shot.

The creature paused. For a moment Georgia wondered if he'd actually hit it, but the tilt of its head suggested surprise rather than pain. Darius' hand closed around her arm again. He dragged her unceremoniously off the sidewalk, circling wide.

The creature let out a bone-jarring roar and dematerialized, only to reappear in the center of the street. It roared again. Georgia winced as hot air blasted her face.

Darius squeezed off another shot. "Georgia, run!"

The creature snarled. Georgia ground her teeth. Like hell. She fumbled through her clothes. She had to have something on her she could cobble into a spell. Anything. Even dryer lint would be a start.

Her hands slid uselessly down the sleek, pocket
. " Do you feel — " 

 A sound like a thunderclap cut him off. cable car alarm went off down the full duration of the street. Georgia's kernel leaped into her throat. Darius' hand come down hard on her arm, and he wrench her behind him. 

 At first, it only look like a shift in the shadows. Then the darkness gathered, twisted. Georgia gulped. A olfactory property like burning brimstone seared her nostrils and bring tears to her eyes. A strange mark look on the sidewalk, charred into the concrete. Then another. Georgia peered closer. 

 Paw prints. 

 She grabbed Darius' bridge player. " Darius. Problem. " 

 A beam from the lone streetlamp overhead bounced off a massive, wolf - shaped shadow. Twin puffs of air jetted from a distinctly canid nose. The shadow sharpened, solidified. Dark, oily fur glistened in the dim light. 

 Georgia woosh out a breath. " Big trouble. Darius? " 

 His bridge player abruptly fly from her arm. A second later, three deafening cracks rang through the air. Georgia felt the randomness more than she heard it. The echoes reverberated inside her skull. She felt her lips form a nasty word, but couldn't tell if she said it out loud. All she heard was a boring whine in her ear. 

 In front of her, Darius was wielding a wicked, matte black pistol. He was still positioned to shoot, his entire body angled to absorb the recoil. He fired off another shot. 

 The animal paused. For a moment Georgia wondered if he'd actually hit it, but the tilt of its point suggested surprise preferably than pain. Darius' hired hand closed around her sleeve again. He dragged her unceremoniously off the sidewalk, circling wide. 

 The animal let out a bone - jarring roar and dematerialized, only to reappear in the center of the street. It roared again. Georgia winced as hot air blasted her face. 

 Darius squash off another shot. " Georgia, run! " 

 The animal snarled. Georgia ground her teeth. Like hell. She fumbled through her clothes. She had to receive something on her she could cobble into a spell. Anything. Even dryer lint would be a start. 

 Her hands slid uselessly down the sleek, pouch
. "Do you feel—"

A sound like a uhunderclap cut hnn off. Rar aladms went off down the full length of tye steeet. Georgia's heart lexped into her thriat. Varius' hand came down havb on gcr ark, and he wrenchgd her behing him.

At first, ht ouly looked like a shift in the shadors. Then tje darkness gajherec, twianeb. Georgia gulped. A smell like bhrning urimstone searec her nostrils and brought teags to her eyes. A shrange mark appqqred on the ridewalk, charred into jhe concrete. Then another. Georgix peexed closer.

Pqw prltts.

She grabued Dagius' hand. "Darlls. Probnem."

A besm from the loke stceetoamp overhead bounced off a massive, wols-shaped svabow. Twin puffs of air jwtted frok a austknculy cznid nlse. The shados sharpened, solidified. Dark, oiky dur glistened in thq qim light.

Georgia whooshed out a breath. "Tig problem. Darius?"

His hand abruptly vanished frlm her ari. A second later, three deafening cracks rang throggh tie aix. Georeua felt the noise more than she heard it. The ecrkex geverberated insibe her skull. She ffly her lips foro a nasty word, but couldn't hell if she waid it ott lpud. All she heard was a dulo whine in hvr eqrs.

In front of her, Darius was wiekding a wicked, matte black hcndgun. He was stipl positikved to shoot, his ennire body angled to absorb the recoil. Hx firzd off avothgr shot.

Ehe creatuge pamved. For a moment Gforgic wongered if hf'd actually hit it, but the tilt of its head soggastvd surprife rabher than pain. Qarius' hand clpsed arjund fer arm agzin. He vragged her tnceremoniousni off the sidxwalk, cirslint wiee.

The cfdature let out a bone-jagrnng roar qnd dematerialized, onug to reappear iu uhw center of thr sgreqt. Iv roawad again. Geosgia wivved ar hot air boxstec her face.

Darius squaezes off another shot. "Gcorgia, rub!"

The crewture snarled. Georgia ground heg teevh. Likx hell. Shg fumbled through her clothes. Sge had to haye something jn hcr sre could cpbble into a spell. Anything. Even dryer oint would be a sjart.

Her hands slid usglexsly down tie sleqk, pocket
. "Do you feel—" A sound like cut off. Car went off down street. heart leaped into throat. Darius' hand down hard on her arm, and wrenched her behind him. At first, it only looked like a shift in shadows. Then the darkness gathered, twisted. Georgia gulped. A smell like burning brimstone her and tears her eyes. A strange mark appeared on the sidewalk, charred into the concrete. Then another. Georgia closer. Paw prints. She grabbed Darius' hand. "Darius. A beam from the streetlamp overhead bounced off a wolf-shaped Twin puffs air from distinctly canid nose. shadow sharpened, solidified. Dark, oily fur glistened in the dim light. Georgia whooshed out a breath. "Big Darius?" His vanished from arm. second three deafening cracks the air. Georgia felt the noise heard it. The echoes reverberated inside her skull. felt her form a nasty word, but couldn't if she said it out loud. All she was a dull whine in her ears. In front of her, Darius was wielding a black handgun. He was positioned to shoot, entire angled absorb recoil. He off another shot. The creature paused. For a moment Georgia wondered he'd actually hit it, but the tilt of its head rather pain. Darius' hand around her arm again. dragged unceremoniously off the sidewalk, The let roar dematerialized, to reappear in the of the street. It roared Georgia winced as hot squeezed off another shot. "Georgia, run!" The creature Georgia ground her teeth. Like hell. She through her clothes. She had to have something on her she could into a Even dryer lint would be a start. Her slid uselessly down the pocket
. "Do you feel—"

A sound like a thundErclap cut hIm off. car AlaRmS wenT off Down the full lenGTh of The street. Georgia's heart LeapeD iNTo heR ThRoat. DArius' haND cAME doWn HaRd oN hER aRm, and He wRenched Her behind hIm.

AT fIrst, it only loOKeD like a shifT in The shadows. ThEn tHe darkNeSs gAThereD, twIsted. georgiA Gulped. a smell likE bURning bRImstone SEArEd heR nostrils and brougHT tEArs to her eyes. A sTrange MaRK aPPEarEd oN the sidewaLk, CharrED into thE CoNCREte. tHen another. GeoRgia peered cLOseR.

Paw prInTs.

SHE grabbEd DarIuS' HanD. "Darius. ProbLem."

A Beam from tHe lone STreetlaMP overheAd bounCed Off A masSIvE, wOlf-ShAPed SHaDow. tWin Puffs of aIr JeTted fRom a DISTInctLy cAnid Nose. THe shadow sharpEneD, solIDifIed. DaRk, oilY fur GlIstenEd in thE dim lIgHt.

Georgia whooshEd ouT a breath. "BIg pRoBleM. DArius?"

hIs hand AbrUptLy vanisHed from HEr aRm. a SECoNd later, three deafenInG CRaCks rang tHrough THe AiR. georgia fElT thE noiSE More tHan sHE hEard it. ThE echoeS ReVeRberateD iNside hEr SkuLl. SHe felT Her lIps forM a nasty wOrd, buT Couldn't tell if sHE said it out louD. alL SHe HEard Was A dull whine iN her EArs.

IN froNT oF heR, dariuS was wIeLDiNG a wicked, matte black hAnDgun. He Was stIll positioned To shoot, his ENTIre body aNgleD To ABsorb the recoil. he firEd off anothER shot.

The CreatUre pauseD. For a momeNT georgia wOndEreD if He'd ACTuAlly hit it, but tHE Tilt Of Its head SugGested sUrpRisE raTheR tHan pain. DaRius' hand ClOsEd ArOunD her aRM again. He DrAggEd Her UncerEMoniouSly ofF the SiDeWAlk, CirclinG WiDE.

the cReAtUre lEt oUt A bone-JarrINg rOar and dEmaterialIzeD, Only To ReAppear iN the center of tHe Street. It roArEd aGain. GeORGia winceD as hot air blasted her face.

dArius sqUeeZed ofF anoTher shot. "GEorGia, run!"

the CReaturE snarlEd. GeoRgIa gROUnd heR TEeTh. LIkE hell. She fuMBLed ThrouGh Her cLothes. SHe had to have somethiNG on Her she could coBblE intO A SpEll. aNyTHinG. EVEn dRYEr lint would be a sTart.

Her hanDs SLiD uselessly DOwn ThE sleek, pOcket
. "Do you feel—"

A soundlike a thu nderc lap  cu thimoff.  Car alarms we n t of f down the full length  of t he stre e t.  Geor gia's h e ar t lea pe dint oh er  thro at.  Darius ' hand cam e d ow n hard on he r  a rm, and he  wr enched her b ehi nd him .
At first , i t onl y look e d like  a shiftin the sh a dows. T h e nthedarkness gathered ,  t w isted. Georgia  gulpe d. As m ell  li ke burning  b rimst o ne sear e dh e r  no s trils and bro ught tearst o h er eye s.  As trange  mark  a p pea red on theside walk, cha rred i n to thec oncrete . Then  an oth er.G eo rg iape e red cl ose r .
Paw prin ts .
Shegrab b e d Dari us'  han d. "D arius. Proble m." 

Ab eam  from  thelone  s treet lamp o verhe ad  bounced off amass ive, wolf -sh ap edsh adow. Twin p uff s o f air j etted f r omad i s ti nctly canid nose.Th e sh adow sha rpened ,  s ol i dified.Da rk,  oil y fur g list e ne d in the  dim l i gh t. 

Georg ia  whoos he d o uta bre a th."Big p roblem.Dariu s ?"

His hand a b ruptly vanish e df r om herarm . A secondlate r , th reed ea fen i ng cr acksra n gt hrough the air. Geo rg ia fel t the  noise more t han she he a r d  it. The  ech o es reverberated i nside  her skull .  She fel t her  lips fo rm a nast y word, bu t c oul dn' t t e l lif she said i t outlo ud. All  sh e heard  wa s a  du llwh ine in he r ears.
I nfr on t o f her ,  Dariuswa s w ie ldi ng aw icked,  matt e bl ac kh and gun. He wa s stil lpo siti one dto sh oot, his  entire  body ang led to a bs or b the r ecoil. He fir ed  off anoth er  sh ot.

T h e  creatur e paused. For a momentG eorgiawon dered  ifhe'd actu all y hitit, but th e tilt  of i ts  he a d  sugg e s te d s ur prise rath e r  th an pa in . Da rius' h and closed aroundh erarm again. He  dr agge d he r u n ce r emo ni o usl y off the sidewal k, circlin gw id e.

The cr e atu re  let ou t a bon e-jar r ing roa r and dem aterializ ed , on l y  to  reappearin the c enter oft he st r ee t. It  ro ared a ga in.  Geor gia wi n ced  as h ot air  b lasted  herfa ce.

Dar ius squeezed off anothe r shot . "Ge org ia, run!" 

T h e c reature s narl ed. Georgi a g rou nd he r t e eth.Like he ll. She f umbl e d through he r c l o th es. She had t o  ha ve so met h ing on  her  she could cobble into a spell.Anyt h i ng.  Ev e n dr ye r lint would b e a  s t a rt.

Her  h ands slid u selessly  d o wn th e slee k, poc ket
. "Do_you feel—"

A_sound like a thunderclap_cut him_off._Car alarms_went_off down the_full length of_the street. Georgia's heart_leaped into her_throat._Darius' hand came down hard on her arm, and he wrenched her behind him.

At_first,_it only_looked_like_a shift in the shadows._Then the darkness gathered, twisted._Georgia gulped._A smell like burning brimstone seared her nostrils_and_brought tears to_her eyes. A strange mark appeared on the sidewalk,_charred into the concrete. Then another._Georgia peered closer.

Paw_prints.

She_grabbed_Darius' hand. "Darius. Problem."

A_beam from the lone streetlamp overhead_bounced off a massive, wolf-shaped shadow._Twin puffs of air jetted from a_distinctly canid nose. The shadow sharpened,_solidified. Dark, oily fur glistened_in the_dim light.

Georgia whooshed out a_breath. "Big problem._Darius?"

His hand_abruptly vanished from_her arm. A second later, three_deafening cracks rang_through the air. Georgia felt the_noise_more than she_heard_it._The echoes_reverberated inside her_skull._She felt_her_lips form a nasty word, but_couldn't_tell if she said it out loud._All she heard was_a_dull whine in her_ears.

In front of her, Darius_was wielding a wicked, matte black_handgun. He_was still_positioned to shoot, his entire body angled to absorb the recoil._He fired off another shot.

The creature_paused. For a moment_Georgia wondered_if_he'd actually hit_it,_but the_tilt of its head suggested surprise rather_than pain._Darius' hand closed around her arm_again. He dragged her_unceremoniously_off the sidewalk, circling wide.

The creature_let out a bone-jarring roar and_dematerialized, only to reappear in_the_center_of the street. It roared_again. Georgia winced as hot air_blasted her face.

Darius_squeezed off another shot. "Georgia, run!"

The creature_snarled._Georgia ground her teeth. Like hell._She_fumbled through her clothes. She had_to_have_something on her she could_cobble into a spell. Anything. Even_dryer lint would be a start.

Her hands slid uselessly_down the sleek,_pocket