Free Raven Moon by Eva Gordon

the scaling apes. His wolf raged. Protect the innocent. Defend his territory. He grabbed his pack and dashed down the stairs at werewolf speed. At the hotel, he hesitated. Were they the Kindred? If Jaeger was trapped, Maddox could not think of a better death for the ass.
    A woman’s scream pierced his ears and his heart hammered. The Kindred were all male hunters. Maddox crashed against the glass door and dashed toward the sound of her cry.
    ****
    Transfixed, Rave watched Maddox through her binoculars as he tore three maddened apes to pieces. Things grew worse as hundreds of human zombies ambled toward their hotel, attracted by the noise and scent of human flesh.
    Cashel pulled her away from the balcony. “Princess, come inside. I think Gary has turned.”
    She lowered her binoculars and turned, listening to his pathetic apelike hoots. “Gary’s chimpanzombie’s accent needs work.”
    Cashel glanced out the window. “Well, it appears his damn cries are attracting the monsters over here.”
    “Sure does.” Rave glanced at the running apes moving toward them and then darted one more glance at Maddox. He’s bleeding. Odd. Zombies don’t chomp on shifters. Were the chimpanzombies interested in any type of flesh? “Okay, let’s pack.”
    Rave slipped the small camcorder into her satchel and they readied their weapons in case the apes arrived before they took flight. “We’ll take off from the balcony and head north.”
    Their door crashed down. Rave twisted and gaped. Gary? He looked halfway through an ape makeover for some Hollywood B-movie horror flick. How had he escaped the locked garage? He screamed like a banshee, displaying long white fangs and charged. She drew her Glock 22.
    Cashel and Beccan opened fire. Gary’s skull exploded from the array of bullets. Brain matter and blood splattered the walls like macabre modern art. Rave cried out in disgust but quickly covered her mouth. Crap! The last thing she wanted was to invite others for room service.
    Rave shoved her Glock back into her holster, and strapped her satchel over her shoulder. “So much for a bath, let’s go.” She stepped to the balcony to shift when two chimpanzombies leapt over the railing. “Shit!” No time to draw, she shifted too late. An ape zombie grabbed her wing. Rave flapped to get away, but the fact she was a bird didn’t matter, the thing chomped its nasty teeth at her. She pecked out its eyes out but it held on, disregarding the pain it would normally feel. She pecked at his nose, but it snapped her right wing, breaking it. Rave cawed in agony as it opened its bloodied maw to finish her off. Cashel pierced its brain with his dagger. The chimpanzombie stilled and fell. Rave hobbled away before it crushed her, but the sharp pain shooting from her broken wing dizzied her. Blackness ensued.
    Cashel’s concerned voice woke her. “Princess!” He knelt at her side.
    Every breath was agonizing, but she yelped a caw, sounding more like a sick seagull than a raven. Her glance darted to the carnage.
    In human form, Beccan had shot the other one. He stood by the door, looking down the corridor. “It’s empty. But it won’t take long before they find us.” He glanced at Cashel. “How is she?”
    Rave shifted back to human form, held her useless right arm and winced. “My arm’s broken.”
    Cashel cradled her in his arms and she gasped in pain. “Beccan, find another room! We’ll lock ourselves in.”
    Beccan threw her a worried look and nodded. “I’ll fly to another room through the window.” Without keys, and their room door broken that was their only choice.
    For now. Their human scent would be the ghoul’s first destination. They had to leave. But how with a broken wing?
    Beccan left immediately and within minutes returned to their room. He gave them a nod. “Looks clear.” Below, hooting roars echoed. Soon the chimpanzombies would sniff them out.
    Cradling Rave in his arms, Cashel whispered, “Let’s go.”
    Three