Angered Seasons: The Worst Birthday Ever (Volume One) Read Online Free PDF Page B

already guessing what I’d
thought. I pushed the safety off, loaded a bullet, and locked the
lever down before bringing the rifle up to my shoulder.
    “First shot.” Lane took aim though his scope,
and fired. Michelle screamed, but had enough sense to keep
running.
    “Good.” I watched as his target fell to the
ground then moved slightly so I saw the second closest of them. I
held my breath to steady my aim and pulled back on the trigger. The
shot rang in my ear.
    “Nice.” Lane’s confirmation that my shot was
a good one drowned out Michelle’s second scream. I let my breath
go.
    “Shit, he’s too close to her.” Lane grunted
in frustration.
    I put my hands to my mouth. “Michelle! Run
faster!”
    Lane sat poised, ready to take the shot.
    “She’s not going to make it!” I jumped out of
the box and ran toward the woman who hated me with every intention
of saving her.
    “Gabby! Wait!”
    I sprinted as fast as I could, Lane’s shouts
lost in the wind. I’d just finished deciding that I was going to
run past her and try to knock Yellow Eyes out with the butt of my
gun when I found myself being tackled from the side. The air left
my body in a rush as I landed under another of the Yellow Eyes. My
heart in my throat, I rolled and scrambled backwards until I stood.
She came at me again and I took a step toward her, swinging my
rifle as hard as I could. If her skull made any sort of noise as it
imploded, it was lost under the boom of thunder.
    Lane’s shot, however, was clear as day and I
turned to see the Yellow Eyes that had been chasing Michelle fall
to the ground as it ran at me.
    I dashed to Michelle’s side and knelt to look
her over. I fought to keep the bile from rising at the sight of her
throat bitten almost completely through so that the spine was
visible at the back. Her lifeless eyes stared up at me, her mouth
still open in a silent scream.
    The truck stopped beside me and Lane raced
toward me.
    “Gabby! Are you ok?” He pulled me up and ran
his hands over my arms, my face, my sides.
    “I’m ok. I… I’m sorry. I didn’t see that
second one.”
    He knelt beside Michelle, shaking his head
sadly. I put a hand on his shoulder and he reached back to place
his own over it. He took one deep breath and stood, my hand still
in his.
    “Let’s go.” He tugged me toward the
truck.
    The storm was ebbing away, most of the snow
now gone thanks to the rain and unbelievably warm weather.
    I made sure the doors were locked before
reloading my gun. I looked up to see Lane staring at me.
    “Are you ok?”
    I frowned. “I told you I was. I’m… rattled,
scared shitless. God, I don’t know what I am. I mean, what the
fuck!”
    He nodded, turned the truck around, and
headed for home. His jaw was clenched and he jumped as I put a hand
on his leg.
    “Are you ok?” I wanted to slap myself. The
man had just watched his girlfriend get her throat ripped out. Of
course he wasn’t ok. “Do you want me to drive?”
    He shook his head. My phone vibrated on the
dash and ‘Blood of Cuchulainn’ sounded through the cab.
    “Gabby, here.”
    “Gabby! Where are you?”
    “Pete! We’re on our way home! Where are you?
Get indoors if you’re outside! Lock the doors! Is Marie with
you?”
    “She’s fine. She’s here. We’re in front of
your house.”
    The baby’s cries sounded through the
phone.
    “Pete, if it’s safe, go to the second cedar;
the second round bushy one. Behind it, there’s a flat rock hiding
the spare key. Get in the house. Lock the door until we get
there.”
    I almost dropped the phone as Lane swerved to
miss some Yellow Eyes walking down the middle of the road.
    “I hate to sound like a wuss, Gabs…” Marie’s
scream cut him off.
    “Pete! Where are they?”
    “On the corner of the block. Sshhh. Marie,
babe, please. They haven’t seen us yet.”
    Lane stepped on the gas.
    “We’re about five blocks away. Sit
tight.”
    “Christ, you can’t fight them! Gabby, what
are you