Jane

by Rose Montague

They popped up firing, hitting both men approaching but not before one managed to throw a grenade towards their position. Crap, I thought as I went back down the tree, fast again. I heard two grenades going off about the time I hit the tree line on this side and I saw the other group jumping the rocks at our position. More shots rang out and I was there a few seconds later. That had been enough time for me to see the result of the attack. Everybody was dead or down but Hannah and Clive. They struggled together, wrestling. As I jumped the line of boulders to land in the middle, Hannah managed to get a gun to Clive’s head, firing four shots in rapid succession into the side of his skull. I stopped, thinking it was over, but Clive’s head just sealed up and reformed, zombie like, and he managed to throw Hannah to the side. He pulled a hand gun at his belt.

  I moved then, sticking the dagger in his back. Vamps know where the heart is and I hit my target. He didn’t even slow down, raising the gun towards Hannah. I was right at his back trying to pull the knife back out with one hand and holding the arm with his gun down with the other. It was as if the knife was stuck in a pot of superglue. I was strong but it was not moving. Clive was strong as well, impossibly strong I thought as we staggered together in a weird sort of dance.

  He spun, his arm holding the gun moving towards me now sideways, not trying to shoot Hannah any longer but throwing me off him with a sweep of his arm. I couldn’t hang on but I did manage to grab his gun and take it with me. It fired as he let go, sacrificing his gun to see me fall away to the ground.

  As he turned his back to Hannah she was on him in an instant, a large combat knife in her right hand, legs wrapped around his waist from behind. She sawed at his neck with that thing. It must have been super sharp because she had more success than I as she forced his head back at the same time, not letting the flesh knit together.

  I regained my feet, shaking my head to clear the cobwebs. I took a beating against the smaller rocks on the ground as he swept me off him.

  Clive suddenly back slammed Hannah against a large boulder. I heard ribs breaking at the impact but she did not let go. I tackled Clive from the front, and we all fell together in a weird roll on the rocky ground. The knife still in his back bothered him not in the slightest. It took all my strength to hold his legs together so he could not rise. He tried to pry me off with one arm and Hannah with the other.

  She was making good progress and had her knife all the way to the back of his neck, grinding against his spine now. We both sensed he was getting desperate. Hannah had hit upon a way to kill him by removing his head.

  Then a sudden burst of magic and an evil, smelly, fiery hot force burst out of him in a circle, carrying Hannah back to slam up against that same boulder. This time I heard her leg break with a distinctive snap. I was battered against the boulders on the other side, dazed, cut and bleeding. Through somewhat blurred vision I saw him rise and pick up the handgun and step towards me.

  Out of nowhere, as if in slow motion, flew Jade. She was naked and cut up as if she ran a long way through the forest not stopping or slowing down for little things like limbs, bushes, and small trees.

  She landed in the same position Hannah was in a moment ago, legs wrapped around his waist from behind. She pulled his head back from where it started to heal. I heard a large sucking noise as the partially healed flesh re-separated. I made my feet again about the time he started to stagger back towards the larger boulders again. He planned to slam her into them much as he slammed Hannah.

  I went for the same plan as well. “Mother fucking son of a bitch,” I growled as I started towards him. Jade would rip his head off any minute. There was not much left holding it together.

  Then that same magic burst out from him again. It was not as strong as before, since we weakened him considerably, but still strong enough to break Jade’s hold on him. She flew back, and so did I. This time he didn’t hang around, but leapt the line of boulders and headed east in the direction the other two in the group above us took, towards the eastern border of pack territory.

  I don’t think he realized how weak Jade was but did know how close we came to killing him.

  Jade leaned against a boulder, sitting but not trying to regain her feet. Fangs out and red eyed, she was vamped out. This meant she was out of resources and needed to feed. Hannah also stirred and dragged herself towards Dirk who was moaning in a pile of rocks to our right. He was still alive and I sensed his heartbeat and knew he would heal.

  I sat next to Jade and brought her mouth to my neck. Her fangs sank in immediately and instinctively.

  Bastard, I thought, thinking of Clive. We would track him down.

  CHAPTER SIX: RUNNING ON EMPTY

  HANNAH AND DIRK BOTH managed a shift to wolf form before reinforcements arrived. Dirk returned to human form to direct the pack but Hannah remained in wolf form to track Clive. She waited on us. I was ready but Jade was still recovering. I knew how much energy it took to shift into dragon form and she suffered a lot of damage, just managing a shift back to human form before she arrived to help us fight Clive. My blood helped and Dirk gave her a few chocolate bars as well. One of the pack members had some espresso beans and she crunched on those, muttering expletives as she remained sitting and eating.

  Dirk gave her one of his T-shirts to wear, since she arrived nude and covered with scratches and bruises from her run through the forest. It didn’t look as if she tried to avoid much in her hurry to get to us. That was a good thing because we would have been in serious trouble without her help. Most of the scratches and bruises faded now. She was a fast healer, not needing a shift to heal most injuries quickly.

  “Based on how fast I sensed him moving, you might could still catch him if you leave now,” Dirk said. He looked at Jade, who had her mouth full of espresso beans. “I really underestimated the force this guy could put together in such a short period of time. We will have to acquire a good supply of surface to air missiles to protect the pack in the event this happens again.”

  From what I gathered as the main force of the pack began to arrive, the majority of losses the pack suffered were here, with only a few killed at the borders and the attackers pretty much wiped out by mines, snipers, and booby traps.

  “We need some really sharp blades,” Jade said, popping up from where she sat. “That human he occupies is almost all demon, just enough left to keep him living in the human realm. What he did is an abomination, and he must be destroyed.”

  Various pack members handed Jade sharp instruments of which she picked out two for each of us. She took a belt off one of the attackers we killed, attached a couple of them and gave me the remaining ones to carry in my boots. One of the female pack members gave Jade a pair of running shoes from her pack and with a nod to Dirk we were off, Hannah in wolf form leading the way, tracking Clive’s scent. Dirk remained behind.

  Jade and Hannah ran with the wind, Hannah leading the way. I took the rear. Vamps were generally faster than shifters for short bursts but this was a marathon in territory that suited shifters. Clive might be fast but from what Dirk could tell when he started his run we still had a chance to catch him before the edge of the territory. I might be the only hold up as I would tire faster than Jade or Hannah.

  I knew Clive had a destination and direction in mind as we ran at top speed. He stuck to a north east direction and tore through minor brush and brambles without trying to avoid them, knowing the shifters would track him. About an hour into the run, I tired. I had given Jade a good bit of blood and I was hungry even after draining that attacker earlier. Jade glanced back at me when I fell behind, her eyes asking if I needed a break. I just pointed forward indicating they continue the chase, but both Jade and then Hannah slowed somewhat to match my pace. I intended to keep my promise to Rose. Clive was not going to escape.

  “Passing the border,” Jade said, about thirty minutes later, not turning in my direction but knowing I would hear her. “We are getting close. I smell him just ahead of us.” I pushed myself as fast as I could go but I
was nearing my limit.

  “I hear cars and smell pavement ahead,” she added a few minutes later and I heard the sound of a car slamming on brakes. Shortly after that we burst out of the woods onto the edge of a four lane highway.

  Clive was about one hundred yards to our left, clinging to the hood of a black Mercedes, front now dented up. Big skid marks led from where we left the woods up to his location. Cars approaching from both directions slowed down, gawking at the scene. As we started towards him he jumped off the hood of the now stopped car and ripped the door from its hinges, metal screeching in protest. With one hand he reached in and pulled a woman out. He flung her twenty feet in the air in the direction of the woods and got in the car, stomping on the gas as we started our run towards him. We got within about ten yards of catching him before the car’s speed surpassed what even we could manage.

  Hannah howled in rage and Jade cussed again. I was too out of breath to say anything. Cars both in front and back of us came to a stop, staring at the wolf in the road with the girl in just a T-shirt and tennis shoes, knives sticking out of her belt and the rather obvious vampire out in the daylight with the red hair and red eyes, fangs fully extended. They were about to get another surprise as Jade shifted to dragon form. Hannah and I backed up to give her room.

  Screams came from the cars as some of them backed up or turned. The shift took much longer than usual. Jade must be at the limit of her magic as well. I saw several people taking pictures with their cell phones. This would make the news. The world would soon realize what Jade’s beast was.

  It could not be helped, I thought, as Jade inclined her head down to me. Clive could be anywhere in the world before we tracked him down again if we did not keep him in sight. It was now a race between one tired dragon and a beat up Mercedes.

  Nothing beats riding a flying dragon, I thought, as we set off in pursuit. The car had about a quarter of a mile lead on us as we started after it. It looked as if we were gaining at first and I knew Jade was going as fast as she could but we were no match for the Mercedes on the Autobahn. As we fell farther behind, Jade rose higher in the air to keep the car in view.

  I suspected a dragon’s eyes are pretty good. They would have to be to see from a high altitude, but I had problems keeping track of the black dot that was Clive’s car. About twenty minutes into our chase he ran into some traffic and slowed. Glancing behind us I saw quite a following of cars, all chasing the dragon. I noticed a couple of police cars almost directly below us. I couldn’t tell if they were trying to catch Clive in his speeding car or just trying to maintain pace with the dragon.

  I had no doubt this would make the international news and at least Mom would know we were still in the hunt. I would call her when I got a chance. My red hair whipped behind me and I hung on to a couple of dragon scales, legs straddling Jade’s neck, having to hold on tighter each time her wings beat downward. Up ahead I saw some flashing lights behind Clive, probably a police car chasing close behind him. We could use all the help we could get, I thought, hopeful that would slow him down some. We headed in a northern direction and slightly east and if I remembered correctly from the location of pack territory a good bit north of Hamburg, we would soon reach the Baltic Sea.

  About the time I smelled the salt from the ocean, we lost Clive. I felt Jade’s irritation and indecision as she continued to follow the main road. I no longer saw the police car lights ahead, and that was all I’d seen to indicate Clive’s position in a while.

  We passed a few exits with roads leading in other directions but maintained our position above the main highway. I knew Jade hoped Clive was still somewhere on the main road because if he took off in a side direction we might still spot him. We soon had other problems to worry about as two military fighter jets dropped from above us to pace us on either side. NATO jets, it looked like, the two pilots staring at us from up close, but far enough away not to get in the way of Jade’s big wing span. They had no way to communicate with us. Dragons don’t have a built in radio but each pilot motioned us to descend, catching my eye and pointing downward. Jade just kept going but I was worried they might shoot us down. I had no idea what they thought or what kind of orders they had.

  I took a moment in between wing beats to tear off my shirt. What the hell, I thought, it couldn’t hurt. I mean what guy is going to shoot down a topless girl on a flying dragon? It sure was exhilarating, in any case.

  We passed another dense forest to our right as the road took a more easterly swing. About the time I saw the outline of a fairly large city ahead, the jets made their move, one going directly in front of us and slowing down with the other directly behind us.

  Jade maintained her pace edging up to the one in front. The heat from its jets and the smell of fuel bothered me. She was not going to be deterred, I thought as the one in front veered off to the side to avoid her running in to him.

  She let out a long stream of fire ahead of her, letting them know getting in front of her again might not be the best plan to take. She took a big chance, I thought, as the main road reached the city. If Clive was down there with all those other cars I could pick out as Jade descended, I had no idea. I suspected we lost him. The two jets moved behind us and I heard fire as tracers ran past us on either side. Jade kept dropping in apparent acquiescence to their demands to land and we passed the other side of the city, the ocean straight ahead and absolutely beautiful from our vantage point.

  We landed on a small stretch of beach, Jade throwing her wings back to slow her landing and me hanging on for dear life as we touched the sand, her giant legs making deep skid marks behind us. The jets roared over our heads out towards the ocean as Jade shifted back to human form, nude and gorgeous on the beach. People along the big pier to our right stared at us and a few on the strand where we landed now stared as well. I stripped as well, taking my jeans, boots, and panties off. I had a dream of being nude on the beach and I was making it true. I handed her the boots with the two daggers and she put them on, still not saying a word. I heard the sounds of the sirens approaching and after making one last pass over us, the jets headed back inland. I guess two naked girls were less threatening than the dragon but we would still have company soon.

  CHAPTER SEVEN: SERENDIPITY

  “LET’S RUN,” JADE SAID and started a fast sprint towards the piers to our right. We must have been a sight. Even I could tell the growing group on the pier took cell phone pictures. I kept pace slightly behind Jade and to the left and she made a quick turn to some stairs leading from a motel parking lot to the beach. A four door cab waited, back-on to the beach with both rear passenger doors open. I took the left and Jade took the right. We slammed the doors and the driver stomped the gas, tires screeching into the road running along the strand and going in the direction away from the sirens.

  “Late, late, for a very important date,” the driver said in perfect English with a slightly British accent. “I was worried you were not going to make it.”

  I looked at Jade and she shrugged, obviously also having no idea what was happening. He was a strange one, wearing what looked like a tin foil hat in a triangle on top of his head with a stub of cigar sticking out from his right ear.

  “Uh, we might be a little short on funds,” I said, and he laughed in delight.

  “Not that I couldn’t guess that one,” he responded, chuckling. “The message got through,” he continued, pointing to his hat. “Only the important ones do.” This time Jade looked at me and I shrugged. The whole thing was a bit perplexing.

  He made a variety of turns as we headed through town. Every light went yellow about the time we reached the intersection and changed to red as we passed through.

  “Serendipity,” he said as we went straight through a changing light. “Serpentine,” he said as he made a turn through a changing light. He never had to slow down. Traffic ahead turned off before we caught up and traffic behind caught the lights. In the meantime we swayed back and forth as he made a right at one light and a left
at another.

  We were outside the city in no time as the cab with pedal to the metal sped around one curve after another somehow staying on the pavement, tires still screaming in protest. All of a sudden he made a sharp right onto a dirt road I had barely time to register before we turned. Jade slammed up against me as the car fishtailed a bit before straightening out and flying up the dirt road, leaving a cloud of dust in our wake.

  In no time we made our destination, what looked like a centuries-old castle, and as the cab driver slammed on brakes we did a one-eighty spin and came to a stop right in front of the gated entrance, his cab now pointing back the way we came in.

  “Right on time,” he said. “Welcome to the Sisters of the Sacred Lamb Convent!” He got out and opened my door, waving us out.

  A nun in a long habit opened the gate as we exited the car. Handing the driver a few bills, she said, “You didn’t tell me they would need clothes!”

  “Added bonus,” he replied, handing her a bill back. “No tip required.” With that he got back into his cab and drove off, leaving Jade and me standing there befuddled next to the nun.

  “I am Sister Tess Truly,” she said holding her hand out for a shake.

  “Ah, I’m Jane and this is Jade,” I replied.

  “I’ve got your room ready,” she replied. “Coffee should be done and a big steak is on the stove. Oracle Joe didn’t mention the clothes. He probably knew about that but neglected to mention it.”

  “Thank you,” Jade said and I saw her visibly perk up at the mention of steak and coffee. She made several shifts today and I could tell she was at her limit. As we entered the main hall, stone walls and floors greeted us and we turned in the direction of the smells of steak and coffee.

  Another Twilight Zone moment, I thought, following Jade and Sister Tess to the kitchen. Sister Tess called for some clothes to someone ahead.

  White sweats, fuzzy slippers and coffee for me, add a steak for Jade and we were sitting and relaxing at the table in the large kitchen, watching a TV on a wall in the corner. Local news, mostly about us.