Read Online The Light Who Shines by Lilo Abernathy - Free Book Online

when the distraction arrives. Beads of sweat form
around my hairline, blending with the rain as I war with my options.
    The masked man digs his nails cruelly into my arm, and I
realize I missed something he just said. He repeats himself. “What of the amulet?”
    I lie, “I didn’t find an amulet.”
    He hisses and jerks me farther back into the corner. “I
don’t believe you.”
    Just then, I see the shadow separate from the side of the
building and shoot into the air right at us. The masked man sees it as well,
and his grip on my arms relaxes. I feel the knife blade back away from my neck
just a smidge. I lift my left hand to grab on to his forearm, pushing with all
my might to further the distance between my skin and the knife blade while
swinging my right arm back and ramming the metal point of my umbrella into what
I hope is his gut. Letting go of the umbrella, I bring my right arm up to push
his knife away. I feel him recoil from the umbrella impact. I twist my body
away, gripping his forearm with both hands, then let go and spin out of reach.
    Time seems to move in slow motion, and the creature from the
shadows appears suspended in the air over us. I see long claws and huge, gleaming
fangs in a gaping, hungry mouth. The masked man brings the knife up to defend
himself against the new threat. I see the glowing green eyes of the creature
and hear a vicious snarl as its fangs wrap around the man’s knife arm.
    I am all but forgotten, so I turn, running toward my gun on
the opposite side of the alley. When it’s safely in my hand, I pivot, turning
it on the man–only he seems to have disappeared into thin air, leaving the creature
to snap and snarl savagely at the empty space where he had been. Now that the
creature has four clawed paws on the ground, I see that he is in fact an
enormous gray wolf, and blood is seeping out of his side.
    I can’t believe I was just saved by a wolf! He seems to
sense me watching and lifts his keen eyes to me. I curse my stupidity for
staying around and aim my Glock at him instead. I start backing up slowly
toward the street again, not wanting to shoot, but the wolf starts running
toward me at full speed. I should shoot him, really, I should. He just ripped
into a man’s arm—but he also saved my life.
    My hands, aiming the gun straight ahead at the wolf, shake
at the force of my indecision. Before I can make up my mind, the wolf has
already reached me. He slows his pace, circling around me, sniffing and yipping
quietly. Then he puts his forepaws and head down right in front of me and
sticks his rump in the air, wagging his tail as though he wants to play.
    Rain still pours down on us and water is running in rivulets
through my hair, but I pay no attention. He is huge! And beautiful! When he
stands again, I’m amazed that the top of his withers reach my waist. His coat
is long and thick, fading from a charcoal color on his back and nose to silver
around his flank. He has touches of brown throughout his coat and around his
eyes, which have now changed from a glowing green to a pale, icy blue.
    I reach out slowly with my left hand. He sniffs at the
proffered hand, then puts his head under it like he wants to be petted. I
comply and slowly scratch him about the ears as I slide my Glock smoothly back
into its holster.
    The two of us are drenched in rain, standing in the alley,
greeting each other. What a strange life I lead! After a moment, when I think
he’s used to me, I gently feel deep down in his neck fur for a collar. His fur
is so thick that I can’t be sure, but I don’t think he has one. He appears to
have traveled a long and difficult road and looks too dirty and skinny to be a
pet anyway. I squat down to examine the gash on his side, but the blood and
rain obscure the wound.
    “What am I going to do with you, shadow-walker?”
    He looks up at me with questioning eyes.
    I put my hand on my hip and say, “You had better come with
me.”
    He walks by my side on the way to