I tilted my head. “Thinking about it?”
Richard swallowed.
His hand twitched.
I leaned in, lowering my voice.
“Run, rat.”
His eyes flashed.
“Run.”
He moved.
Credit where it was due, he was fast.
Not brave. Not graceful. Not impressive enough to matter.
But fast.
For a rat.
He sprang away from the car, clothes tearing as the shift took him midair. Bones cracked. Skin split. Fur burst out over muscle. A brown wolf hit the road on all fours, claws scraping against asphalt, and lunged for the trees like hell had opened behind him.
Which, to be fair, it had.
I laughed.
I could not help it.
The sound ripped out of me, bright and ugly and almost joyful.
Because Richard, stupid little Richard, had actually thought flight was an option.
Samael surged and I f*****g let him.
The shi
