Free Beauty and the Brute [Werescape III] by Skhye Moncrief Page A

after row of low green plants growing in tilled soil.
    Planted fields meant people.
    People meant the fear of death conveniently relabeled survival.
    We sat a moment, studying the view from deep within the tree line.
    "More than a ghost town,” he mumbled.
    The horse shifted its footing.
    "How did you know?” he asked, not looking away from the view.
    "It just felt like we were being watched."
    "Probably so. That means we need to get as far from here as possible before nightfall."
    * * * *
    The presence Beauty had felt probably was a sentry. One Wolf should have detected. The useless animal needed to focus on protecting the female it wanted instead of panting at her ear. The whole Normal community had to know we were here by now. They probably didn't have the forces to send out a party to take what they wanted. Still, they had some kind of animals capable of pulling a plow. Anything could happen. And where was Wolf?
    "You're quiet,” she said.
    Feeling a little too confident in herself. I'm running this operation. No Normal will be telling me what to do. “Like you need to be."
    She didn't budge.
    Smart Normal. We had to go. Move quickly but not too fast in case the forest was filled with traps. No telling how many hungry mouths lived in this community. I turned Trance away from the fields.
    We stopped once so Beauty could tend to her business but kept moving until the sun ripened like an orange in the distant canopies. At an old house. Who called the monstrosity of walls riddled with bullet holes and the solid door partially hanging on its hinge home? Hopefully, no one. I drew Wolf into my head and used his senses to scan the area.
    Only a raccoon's scent, the distant chirp of a nest full of baby robins, and the drumming of
    Beauty's heart noted anything's presence.
    Her fingers dug into my shirt and clinched two fistfuls, including a few stinging chest hairs.
    Before we'd enter the building, I'd check around back.
    Trance didn't shy away from where I tugged the reins. Not one ear flinch. Not one sideways step. All was well. And a small structure like a roof with a back and two side walls looked even more promising than the house. All I needed was a place for Trance. I slid from the saddle and handed the reins to Beauty.
    Her eyes widening, her heart thrashing into full speed. She could handle staying put for five minutes. I turned to the open building.
    "Brutus?"
    The sun set. We had little time for female needs. I turned to meet her worried stare.
    "Be careful,” she said.
    Not exactly what I expected. Better than a scold. I nodded and went back to the shadows beneath the metal roof.
    Nothing but a hard concrete slab. Manmade. Long ago. The back of the square space had a long solid wall. And a door. Shut. Anything could be inside. But my Wolf radar wasn't detecting any sounds or odors. I tried twisting the cold dark metal knob.
    The door popped free of the doorframe.
    Into a long empty space about three feet wide. Wide enough for Trance if I could get his gut through the doorway. A window in the middle sported a bunch of boards nailed to the window frame. Not a spot of light penetrated the room. But my night vision revealed nothing in the darkness. Maybe too small for Trance. Hopefully, there would be a storage building out back.
    Sure enough. I led Trance and Beauty to a partially-open garage lacking doors.
    Now to find a place off the ground for Beauty and I.
    The peaked roof hinted a space hid above the flat ceiling. Hopefully enough room for her and
    I to hold up for the night. Unless there were crickets. I just didn't want to be on the ground with Beauty if Bounders showed. But crickets could prove deadlier than Bounders. I gulped down a chuckle and scanned the ceiling.
    On the far end, an opening. Square. Most likely used by others moving west like us. I jumped up and grabbed the edge, kicking, pulling myself into the barely-lit space. Someone somewhat barred the small round attic's window with more two-by-fours.