Free Out of the Night by Robin T. Popp Page A

do.
    "No—don't!"
    Displaying incredible strength, he grabbed the door and pulled it open. The metal in the lock groaned under the stress, finally submitting to the greater strength. It opened and Burton walked inside.
    Amazingly enough, the adult chupacabra rose to its feet, but did not attack. For several seconds, Burton and the creature studied each other intensely. Then the chupa dipped its head and followed Burton quietly out of the cage, making no move to attack anyone. In fact, it walked straight over to her father.
    A movement at her father's neck caught Lanie's attention, and she noticed a small animal clinging to his back. He smiled when he saw the direction of her gaze and turned so the moonlight fell on the small chupacabra. It was the size of a large puppy, and Lanie assumed this was the younger creature mentioned in his journal.
    Amazed, Lanie watched as the adult chupa lowered its head to nuzzle the baby in an almost maternal way.
    "Burton!"
    Mac's sudden shout drew everyone's attention as he raced toward them, his gun drawn. Perhaps sensing his opportunity, Davis lunged to his feet, but Burton was faster and Davis's weapon went flying through the air even as Burton yanked the man in front of him like a shield.
    Almost on top of them, Mac drew up short, his gun leveled, his eyes focused on the situation. Lanie understood his dilemma. If he fired at Burton, he might hit Davis by mistake. On the other hand, if he didn't fire, Burton would surely escape—most likely taking Davis with him as a hostage, in which case the young man was dead anyway.
    "I should have known you'd be here, Knight."
    "Release Davis and give yourself up, Burton." Mac's voice sounded like cold steel, hard and unyielding.
    "And why would I do that?"
    "I saw the tape. I know what you did."
    "I doubt you know everything," Burton said with disdain.
    '"Two nights ago, you killed nine men—don't even try to deny it."
    "Actually, I don't know if I deny it or not. That whole night is a little fuzzy to me. It's not every day that one gets to rise from the dead."
    "Cut the crap," Mac growled. "I'm not going to let you get away with faking your own death. Come quietly now, and I'll be sure to tell the authorities that you cooperated."
    "Right. You just don't get it, do you?" Burton gave a half laugh that held no humor. "That's okay. Two days ago, I wouldn't have believed it either. But now things are different. There's a whole new world of opportunity for me, and I'm not about to give it up."
    "And what do you think you're going to do? That whole facility is filled with soldiers."
    "Do? Why, I think I'll do whatever I damn well want to, and you'd be wise to remember that." Burton drew Davis closer to his chest and though the young man struggled, Burton held him as easily as one would a doll.
    Keeping his eyes locked on Mac's face, Burton lowered his head until his mouth was inches above Davis's neck. "Leave, Professor." Burton's teeth sank into the side of his prisoner's neck, and Davis's body went suddenly rigid. From where she was standing, Lanie saw a trickle of blood escape the seam that Burton's mouth made against Davis's throat. It blazed a dark, thin trail in the moonlight. Then Davis's eyes closed, and his entire body began a spasmodic twitching.
    Lanie stood as if frozen.
    "I love you." The whispered words floated to her, and distracted by them, she turned away from the scene before her just as an explosion rent the air, hurting her ears. The sound of Mac's gun reverberated around the forest, and she felt the repercussions of the weapon's discharge hit her.
    Almost in slow motion, she saw Mac pull the trigger again, and saw Burton's left shoulder jerk back. Burton didn't fall, though, and he didn't let go of Davis. Instead, he seemed to push off the ground with his legs and leap high into the air, up through the tree branches where he became lost from sight. Time stood still as Lanie and Mac stared above them, ready for whatever might