Burkheart Witch Saga Book 1: Red Snow Read online

  "Wake up, Red!" A gruff voice called out.

  Kayla felt a light tap on her already sore cheek. She roused out of unconsciousness to see that it was still night, but the moon had risen to its fullness, casting a silvery glow over the desert floor. She tried to rub her aching head, but she realized that her hands were bound behind her back. Her leg hurt like hell, too.

  "What the fuck is going on here?" Her eyes were still adjusting to the silver moonlight, but she could tell that he was there, in the shadows.

  Lou stepped forward into the glow. He had removed all of his clothes and was standing in front of her completely naked.

  Kayla looked at him, trying not to stare at the rather large appendage directly in front of her.

  "Please don't…" She trailed off, crying.

  "Relax. I'm not going to do that. Not really my thing." He touched her temple and brushed her blonde hair behind her ear. She was surprised at the tenderness in his touch.

  "If you don't want that, what do you want from me?" Lou looked down at her with what appeared to be pity.

  "Why, I'm going to eat you, my dear." With that, Lou walked away, dropped down to all fours and began to twist and writhe on the desert floor.

  Kayla tried to scoot further away, but it was no use, she was tied to a ring embedded in the hardpan dirt.

  Lou lifted his shoulders and Kayla could see the muscles in his back stretch and contort until they were twice the width of a normal man's back. His knees bent backwards, and she could hear the wet, grinding sound of bones cracking as the joints twisted in an unnatural way. Lou's fingers were splayed out in the dirt and large, black claws had busted through the skin. Skin that now had a thick coating of wiry black fur sprouting from every inch of it. He lifted his head, and she saw his mouth and a set of pointed teeth, complete with two inch canines, growing and forming an elongated snout. His eyes were now a bright iridescent yellow. He stood up to his full height and looked at the full moon. An ungodly howl emanated from this beast that, seconds before had been a man. It sniffed at the air and then turned its attention to Kayla. As the huge werewolf lumbered to where she was bound, it cocked its head and flared the large black nostrils as though it enjoyed the scent of her paralyzing fear. Without warning, the beast lunged at her. She closed her eyes and said her last prayer. Dear God, please let it be quick.

  Then the shots rang out like thunder clapping in a stormy sky.

  Bang! Bang!

  The big, bad wolf collapsed at Kayla's feet. She could see the two bullet holes in its back. A back that was already shrinking down as the wolf turned back into the driver of the Impala.

  She looked around frantically to see where the shots had come from. A young man of about thirty with strong muscular shoulders and kind eyes stepped into the silvery moonlight holding a rifle, and began to cut her free.

  "My Grandma said I would find you out here somewhere."

  "Is she alright? I thought she was dead." Kayla felt a wave of guilt, realizing she had left an old woman to fight a beast all alone.

  "Grandma? She's fine. Just a little banged up. These werewolves usually don't come out this early. Caught us all by surprise, even Grandma." He helped her to her feet.

  "Let's get you back to the house so you can get cleaned up and be on your way. Should be safe now. I'll bury him later tonight." He smiled at her, but that smile faded as he asked, "He didn't bite you, did he?"

  "No, I'm ok."

  "Good, cause if he did, I'd have to shoot you." The Grandson smiled and continued helping her limp back to the house as she rubbed the cut on her upper thigh.

  An hour later, as she pulled away from Catherine's cottage, clean and bandaged with a few Advil in her system, she flipped on the radio. Creedence Clearwater slyly sang about a Bad Moon Rising. She turned the dial to the off position and decided to ride on in silence.

  Chapter Four