This is not my world, it is a spin off of the amazing world of Patricia Briggs. See her amazing books for lots of fun!
Run!
Everything in her told her to run she had to, but he was gaining on her and she couldn't get away…damn vampires always a thorn in her side, but she'd escaped them for nearly 25 years and they weren't about to catch her now. Glancing behind her she could make out the creature as it hunted her, thankfully this one hadn't been given the gift of speed, her mind flashing back to a few months earlier, man that chase had been a rude awakening. One that had pushed her to join a gym where ever she was and spend hours running on the treadmills, vampires hated gyms, too many humans and mirrors, so she could run uninterrupted. He was still gaining though, damn he is a persistent bastard.
Thankfully, she had gotten into the habit of seeking out the territory lines every time she entered a new domain, the vampires marked them with magic, magic created from the blood of their victims, whose ghosts liked to hang out where they were murdered. Scanning the darkness in front of her she saw it, a ghost motioning quickly to her calling her to the line. The ghosts liked her, wanted her to live, she was a hunter of their murderers and they helped her as often as they could.
Glancing behind her again the vampire was only 20 or 30 feet behind, not stupid enough to meet his eyes she looked at his broad chest and dug her feet into the earth. She was going to win again, this time. She heard the ghost cheer for her as she passed the line and then taunt the vampire that couldn't hear him. She chuckled as the vampire hit the barrier although her laugh was mistakenly premature, she suddenly slammed into the furry side of a much larger animal.
Dazed, but not entirely knocked cold she stumbled to her feet and looked up meeting the golden eyes of a very large, very powerful werewolf. She immediately took off running the sideline of the border not daring to cross again knowing the werewolf was much easier to outrun than the vampire who had not yet given up and was now following along with her hissing violently at his missed opportunity. Her magic sense kept her on the correct side of the boarder as her eyes searched for the wet scent on the wind. Just ahead she could see it, a river, finally some luck tonight, the werewolf wouldn't be able to swim it.
Renewed energy surged through her as she reached the bank and jumped into the river as far as she could landing in the middle and then swam in the direction of the opposite shore. Her hope died though as she watched the large black beast land on the shoreline, how in the hell did he make that jump? She turned around and saw a coyote on the shore she just left. Looking in the direction of the stream she saw the vampire waiting as she drifted towards the magical border. With an angry growl she spun around and began swimming against the current. Fine mess she was in, werewolf, coyote and vampire surrounding her and the only way she could go was upstream, and she was already tired, she'd never make it far against the current. Weighing her options for another moment she sighed and realized there was only one option, the coyote she could take, hopefully faster than the wolf could get enough speed to clear the water again.
She reached the bank not bother to shake the cold water from her fur and prepared for the fight. The coyote was growling at her, but she was bigger and faster, she could take the dog. She lunged not going for the obvious kill attack, instead landing a perfectly sound jaw across the coyote's hindquarter and pulling at the tissue, just enough to slow it so she could get away. From across the river she heard a vicious growl followed by a sound that brought all her fear to the foreground, the howl of an Alpha to his pack.
Releasing the coyote she turned quickly and bolted away from the borderline, she had to get away, she couldn't afford to let the living vampire see her human identity; she had to escape. The Alpha crashed to the other side of the river again intense determination in his resounding footsteps. He let out another howl and this time the wind delivered an answer, oh no… this is not good she thought to herself, cursing her stupidity, maybe the vampire would have been the better option. Darting across a field and leaping up over a fence she saw an house in front of her, to her left she heard a second set of paws hitting the earth and a third closing in from the front right. Damn it, this is what they do, the one wolf, even an Alpha she may have been able to shake, but not multiples, this is how they hunt. Knowing she couldn't take them head on she did what the one on the right was telling her to and let herself be herded to the left more. Breathing hard she finally noticed what her nose had been screaming at her, the territory smelled strong of the Alpha behind her, this is his territory.
Running behind the house she glimpsed a young girl staring out the window. Wow, this Alpha has a kid, interesting. She was nearing exhaustion and with 2 more wolves on her there was no way she was going to get out of this, excited yelps and barks signaling to move in all around her. In front of her was a car, a broken down VW Beetle if she had to guess. There was only one thing to do, shift and hope to some god they wouldn't kill a human. She leapt over the car and at the apex of her jump began to shift, damn this was going to hurt. At the very last moment, right before she tucked for landing she looked at the ground and saw yet another large wolf. Next thing she knew she was landing on him full force, knocking them both to the ground. He rolled with the fall and tossed her off him, sharp claws digging into her shoulder blades; great more scars she thought as she hit the ground, not like they will matter when she's dead. Covering her head with her arms she let the momentum take her and scrambled to her knees, naked and bleeding she didn't dare look up at the pack circling her, merely stayed low and whimpered as she tried to catch her breath, mimicking a pleading sound canines make to avoid punishment. Her fear, she had to control her fear; they were feeding on it. Willing herself calm she pushed it away as she shimmied backwards wishing she had a tail to tuck to show more submission.
Quickly, too quickly she heard the Alpha's heavy step and whimpered again. He did not stop when he got near; instead he used his large body to push her off balance to her back. She kept her eyes closed and exposed her neck which he gladly took in his large jaws. She yelped in pain but did not move as the wolf held himself there, small drops of blood escaping from the holes his canines had started. After quite a few minutes she heard a set of human steps limping through the tall grassy field.
"Adam," a woman's voice, "Adam don't. Let her go, I'll be fine." Adam… why did she know that name in association with werewolves?
Surprisingly, the Alpha released his grip but stayed above her placing a large paw on her chest pinning her to the ground and growling continuously. The other wolves around him growled at her also, waiting for their Alpha's command to attack.
"So," the woman again though this time located directly above her head, "you want to explain to me why you are running through our territory and why exactly you felt it necessary to attack me?"
When she didn't answer the Alpha pressed on her chest letting a single claw pierce the skin. She finally opened her eyes and looked directly at the woman. The woman, completely naked like herself, looked like a mix between Native American and something else she couldn't quite place. She was littered in tattoos, the only one clear from this angle though was a wolf print on her stomach.
"Vampires." She gasped under the large black paw, after a moment she was barely able to continue, "Not meaning to offend, but I can't breathe."
The Alpha released her and placed himself between the women. She gasped for air and flipped over to her knees scurrying backwards until she felt a large fur wall stopping her. She glanced behind her and the red wolf there growl and nipped at her before she turned back.
"I'm so sorry, so sorry, I had to escape." Keeping her head down and not looking anywhere she just kept repeating the phrase straining for each breath.
"Come on," the woman's voice had command to it, but it was soft and warm. "Let's get inside the house. My name is Mercedes Thompson." That name, she knew that name too, Mercedes….the raped girlfriend of an Alpha…Oh hell she thought as her brain clicked the pieces together… she just ran herself into Adam Hauptman's territory.