Free Corrigan Rage by Helen Harper

something far, far more dangerous. A wraith.
    ‘Don’t move, Mack,’ I instructed suddenly, my entire body tensing.
    ‘Corrigan?’ she asked doubtfully.
    I roared. The wraith hovering a few metres away didn’t so much as flinch. ‘I mean it, Mack, stay behind me.’ I twisted my neck and gave her a warning glance before immediately shifting, my clothes exploding off as my werepanther form took shape.
    ‘Where isssssss it?’ the wraith spat.
    I snarled and launched myself at it, my front paws outstretched for the most lethal swipe I could manage. Instead of causing any actual harm, however, I spun through its damn body as if it were nothing more than air. When I turned back round to face it again, I realised with a sickening lurch that Mack was preparing to attack it too. She wasn’t a shifter though. As strong as she was, the thing would make mincemeat out of her in a heartbeat.
    I snapped forward, jaws wide, and attempted to bite the wraith’s leg. Again I failed completely, my teeth clacking together through the black shadow which streaked out into the air then twisted back again. Before I could react, it reached down and grabbed my neck. I felt myself being lifted up by a force I was powerless to stop. Then I was flying through the night and smashing painfully against the side of a parked car.
    ‘Giiiiiive me it,’ it rasped again.
    I staggered to my feet, realising it was actually talking to Mack. I shook my head, my vision swimming. Mack, however, stood facing the wraith, her legs apart and her stance challenging.
    ‘You’re going to need to tell us what it is you’re after,’ she said with a casual tone that sent a thrill of admiration rippling through me, ‘otherwise how can I fetch it for you?’
    The wraith quivered. ‘You. You haaaave touched it. Where issssss it?’
    I took a step forward and half stumbled. I blinked, dimly registering the flicker of green fire licking at Mack’s fingertips. Distant shouts sounded from behind as people poured out from the vampires’ lair to help. Mack didn’t seem to need it. She jerked her wrists forward, flicking out a stream of green flame towards the dark wraith. The second her fire hit, it screamed. It was an unholy sound, renting the air. She didn’t stop though. She simply kept throwing out flame after flame after flame.
    The wraith collapsed in a dark shadowy huddle. I was only just starting to regain all my senses and watch Mack finish the bloody thing off when, out of nowhere, a vampire collided with her. She stumbled to the side, her green fire losing its momentum. The wraith reached out for the running vamp, snatching up a hank of its hair. It yanked so hard, the vampire’s head broke clean away. I swallowed in dismay. I’d thought Mack had this under control. Now I wasn’t so sure.
    With three large strides, I returned to her side. It was going to take a combined effort to defeat this thing. You know what it wants, I said grimly.
    ‘Yeah,’ she answered, without using her own Voice in return. ‘But before you say anything, I don’t have it. The vamps do.’
    I had no idea how she knew this. It had to have something to do with her desperate desire to come to the gathering tonight – along with her fleeting disappearance when the wendigo had appeared. Just what in the hell had she gotten herself mixed up with this time?
    The Arch-Mage strolled up, facing the wraith with us. ‘So, Initiate Smith, we find ourselves on the same side.’
    ‘That we do, Sir.’
    I tried not to take offence at the polite note in Mack’s voice when she answered him. He sent out a jet of blue light which encircled the wraith and seemed to bind it into place. Mack found her own fire again, hitting the thing smack back on its cheek. It jerked backwards and screamed horribly once again. I had no idea whether I was capable of doing anything to hurt the thing. I had to try though. I couldn’t let Mack and the Arch-Mage do all the work.
    Don’t. Mack suddenly sent