Dead Night by Tim O'Rourke Page A

Before I’d the chance to react, the Skin-walker bounded towards me, shoving me back across the room. Sophie spun away from me and landed in the chair by the window. From the corner of my eye, I saw the chair upturn, taking Sophie with it. The wolf came at me again, and as it did, it began to change.
    Its face almost seemed to rip apart as a long, brown snout shot out. Its shoulders and neck grew, the buttons from its shirt spraying away.
    The copper’s hands tripled in size and began to turn in to giant paws as it lunged at me. The paws struck me in the chest and sent me flying backwards through the window in a shower of glass. I spun towards the ground, my wings covered in shards of razor-sharp glass and splinters of wood from the window frame.
    The roof of the police car crumpled like a sheet of tissue paper as I crashed into it. There was a groaning sound from inside. The car door flew open and another cop staggered out. I shook the glass from me, and slid down the windscreen and stood on the bonnet. From above me, I could hear Sophie start to scream. Launching myself into the air, I shot upwards and back through the broken window.
    The Skin-walker was clawing at Sophie as she cowered beneath the chair. Its shirt had completely fallen away now, and its back was a mass of muscle which was covered in shiny brown fur. The wolf howled and barked as Sophie scuttled away on her back like a giant crab.
    Jumping from the window, I landed on the wolf’s back and slid my claws into its huge neck. It spun around, whipping its tail, desperate to throw me off. I held fast, digging my claws deeper and deeper into its throat. The wolf’s blood felt hot and tacky as it poured over my claws. I sliced my fingers back and forth, until I felt the wolf’s head come away from its hulking shoulders. It slumped forward and then rolled onto its side. I flew backwards, snatching Sophie into my arms.
    Before flying back out of the window, I looked back to see that the dead wolf once again looked like a human as it lay decapitated in the middle of Kiera’s living room.
    No sooner had I swooped from the window with Sophie in my arms, the sound of gun fire boomed from below, as bullets went whizzing past me. Sophie clung to me, and I looked down to see that she had her head pressed against my chest, with her eyes shut tight. Spinning through the night, I perched on the roof of a nearby house.
    Setting Sophie down, I said, “Hold on, I’ll be back in a moment or two.”
    “You’re joking me,” she squealed, griping the roof with her fingernails.
    Back-flipping off the roof, I circled in the air and spied the last of the coppers. He was shielding himself behind the damaged police car and firing wildly up at me. Rolling back my shoulders, I sped towards the ground, cutting through the air like an arrow. I was on him so fast that he was still pulling the trigger on the gun as I swept back up into the night with his head hanging from between my jaws. I looked back to see his headless corpse twitch then wobble as it collapsed onto the ground. I spat his head away, and span around in the air. It was as I banked right in the direction of Sophie on the roof that I saw the old woman, who was convinced that I was a pervert, standing in the street below. She was screaming.
    Knowing that I couldn’t leave any witnesses alive, I flew down towards her.
    I landed on the pavement as she threw her hands up as if to protect herself from me. I walked towards her. Gently, I took her hands in mine, and I knew I couldn’t kill her. I didn’t want to kill her. Leaning in close, I could feel her trembling.
    Then, placing my mouth next to her ancient ear, I whispered, “You can’t tell anyone what you saw here tonight. Because if you do, I’ll come and strangle you with those pretty knickers of yours.”
    I felt her head nod next to mine, as she stifled her sobs.
    “Do we have an agreement?” I asked.
    “Okay,” she said, her voice steadying.
    Pulling away