I was running through the dark woods. The cold wind assaulted me, making my cheeks numb. My clothes were being shredded by the branches and the thorns, but my skin was more resistant and difficult to scratch. I was also quicker than when I was a werewolf. However, the wolves on my trail were also fast. I needed to put a lot more distance between my pursuers and me. It was the only way I could stop to catch my breath and concentrate on teleporting out of here. Jacob was waiting for me to give him a report. I didn’t want him to attack blindly and get himself killed in the process. My brother was still a prisoner and was counting on me to save him and the rest of the hostages. I couldn’t let everybody down.

My heart also ached with the possibility of losing Jacob. My inability to teleport to the rendezvous point had created this situation. I was supposed to be the decoy, the distraction. Now, I was running for my life with ten werewolves on my tail. Howls were heard as my legs gained more speed, and I descended from the hill back to the floor of the woods. I couldn’t believe how fast I was and how my body didn’t seem to get tired. If only I could fly…

I needed to reach an open area to see if there were gargoyles and angels patrolling the skies. But, I didn’t know these woods, and I didn’t have the tracking ability of werewolves to discern where I was going. Running until my feet bled and my lungs burned with fire was my main objective. As long as Simon ran after me, his men would be like chickens with their heads cut off when the others attacked the compound.

A high-pitched moan snapped me out of my thoughts. It was one of the wolves howling.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up with the sound of Simon’s angry voice. “Camille, you can’t hide from me. I’ll catch you! You have nowhere to run!”

His frustration echoed throughout the forest.

I stopped running and leaned against a tree to catch my breath. Using my high senses, I tried to pinpoint the wolves’ location. The sound of the rustling leaves was all I could hear. Maybe they had also stopped.

Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the place in the nearest town where Jacob had left a cellphone, so that I could teleport there and call him. But, nothing happened. I couldn’t teleport. I was stuck here.

My body pulsated with fear when I heard growling sounds. The wolves were nearby.

Opening my eyes, the air left my lungs, and I froze in terror when I saw a ghostly light shimmering in the darkness of the woods. Simon had a scary specter working for him. Now, more than ever, I needed to teleport out of there.

In the distance, the sound of flapping wings caused a sense of calmness to wash over me. I wasn’t imagining it. There were no birds cruising the night, none that big. But, the woods were too thick for the gargoyles and angels to use them to their advantage. Plus, they didn’t know I was there and, as soon as I screamed for help, the wolves would jump on me and the specter would suck my life force out before Jacob could reach me.

Catching my breath, I used my hands to propel me and gained the speed I needed to sprint. Then, I jumped and climbed a tree, only to use my new found ability to scan for an opening in the woods. Needless to say, my movements attracted the wolves’ attention. Their growls and voices echoed in the night.

The moon was shining bright in the sky when my head pierced through the summit of a Norway spruce, and I scanned for my flying saviors. To my dismay, they were flying away from my position. Not all hope was lost, though. I could see an open area in front of me. Therefore, I screamed and shouted while waving my arms.

The wolves couldn’t climb trees, but it didn’t stop them from bashing their bodies against the tree so that I would lose my balance and fall. I hugged the trunk, its needles prickled at my skin. It worked. The multitude of gargoyles and angels were turning around, probably alerted by the howling of the wolves.

I couldn’t stay there. I had no idea if the specter had the ability to glide his ghostly form to the top. It probably did. So, I climbed higher and, trusting in my strength, I propelled myself to a new tree, and then another. Wings would have been awesome, but with the lack of those, I needed to be resourceful. It turned out that angels and vampires had a lot in common. I had seen vampires using their super-speed and strength to escape werewolves in the woods. Now, that I knew where I had to go, I jumped between trees to increase the distance away from the wolves. I landed on the forest floor and ran as fast as I could. It turned out that I had been holding back. I bolted and managed to knock down a couple of trees when I wasn’t fast enough to avoid them. I was stronger than a werewolf and as fast as a vampire. This would have been fun if I wasn’t running for my life.

Putting my arms in front of my face to protect myself from the branches and the vegetation, I arrived at the clear area and sank to my knees on the damp floor of the meadow. A landscape of wildflowers glimmering with the moonlight displayed before my eyes. Gazing up at the sky, however, there were no signs of my saviors.

Standing up, I brushed my soiled hands against my pants and ran through the open field. I stopped when I saw a wolf baring his teeth at me. They were used to hunting bigger prey, so maybe they had been luring me here all along, where they could surround and attack me. Looking around, I realized that I was trapped. Other wolves were closing in on me in a circle. Behind my back, Simon arrived in his human form as if trekking in the woods on a chilly night.

His sarcastic voice filled the night. “Cami. Cami. Did you really think you could escape me?”

I spun around to watch him as I pulled my hair back. His eyes narrowed at the tattoos circling my arm and shining under the moonlight.

“What the hell is that? You let him mark you, angel slut!” He spat at the grass with hateful eyes flashing from green to orange. Then, he removed his shirt which indicated that he was going to shift. “I’m going to enjoy ripping you apart so that the specter can finish you off. They like the angelic life force. It’s a delicacy, apparently. After I’m through with you, I’ll feed your brother to my wolves and kill your angel lover.”

I clenched my teeth but said nothing to his venomous words. He was waiting for me to do something foolish and attack him first. He would jump and shift in a second, lunging at my neck. I wasn’t going to fall for that. Plus, the sound of flapping wings drew a smile on my lips.

Simon must have heard them too because he lost his cocky grin and shouted, “Attack her!”

In the midst of growls and wolves coming at me, I was able to hear, “Jump!”

So, I jumped, after kneeling and propelling myself up with all the strength I could manage. I watched how two wolves landed where my body used to be, missing their target, and hands grabbed me under my arms. I was lifted higher. When I caught my breath, I realized that I was flying.

“Jacob?”

“It’s Cedric, Camille,” a guttural voice replied. “Release the nets and grab them alive,” the prince ordered.

I looked behind, my eyes almost popping out with the vertigo. The other gargoyles aimed and released the nets to fall on the ground. I looked down and saw the werewolves exposed in the meadow. Some were already struggling with a net. Meanwhile, the specter and Simon were nowhere to be found. He must have run away.

Some gargoyles landed and grabbed the werewolves inside the net and then took off.

“Where are we going?” I asked, extremely uncomfortable with the height. 

“We are joining the others. Jacob is worried sick.”

“Fly higher,” I demanded, moving my feet up, so they wouldn’t touch the summit of the trees.

“Just don’t tell Jacob we did this,” Cedric shouted as he lifted me higher in the air and turned me around to face him. “Put your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist. Watch the wings,” he instructed as I saw his gargoyle pale form for the first time.

I did what he told me because it was scary to fly that fast and feeling so helpless. “Why are you paler than the rest of them?”

“I have no idea. I have always been like that since my curse was activated. Are you feeling better?”

“Yes,” I shouted, so he could hear me. The wind whipped my hair around my face. “Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you to the campsite where you’ll be safe. Then, I’ll fly back to help attack Simon’s compound. We have the location, thanks to you. Jacob must be barging in as we speak.”

“No! I want to go with you. Just give me a weapon! My brother is still inside. I know the location of the prisoners. Simon is returning to his pack. I won’t be left out.”

Cedric gazed at me. “Jacob will kill me if something happens to you.”

“I’ll kick you in the groin if you don’t take me with you!”

Cedric’s crystal blue eyes rolled in their sockets. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, showing his pointy teeth.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “What?”

“You just reminded me of someone. I’ll take you with me, and I’ll keep an eye on you. But first, we need to go to the campsite. Later, I’ll fly you to where your mate is, but you need to fight for your life. If something happens to you, it will happen to Jacob as well. You are connected.”

“One more reason for you to take me to Jacob.”

“You are stubborn just like him!”

It was my turn to roll my eyes then I remembered to inform him. “Another thing, they have a specter working for them.”

The prince cursed under his breath and flew faster as I watched his matching bat wings propelling us forward and increasing the cold dread inside my stomach. I held him tighter and took notice of how the other gargoyles were flying close by.