How to Lose Your Dragon (The Immortality Curse Book 1) by Peter Glenn (beach read TXT) 📕

in the world. Well, at least when you were running from the cops it was.

A low, rhythmic growl permeated through the crowd, filling my ears.

“Well hell,” I told Rick. “They’ve got attack dogs.”

8

It was one thing to shake police officers from your tail, but dogs? Dogs were an entirely different story. Worse, Rick was slinking away through the crowds, seemingly oblivious to their braying howls.

There wasn’t much time to think. I lunged forward and grabbed him rough-shod by his upper arm and pulled him toward me.

“What the hell?” Rick spat over his shoulder. His eyes were glaring at me, but at least he wasn’t fighting my grip too hard.

“Shh.” I put my finger over my lips. “Dogs. We gotta go.”

A sliver of recognition passed over Rick’s eyes, and he nodded. It seemed he understood dogs were serious business, at least. Which wasn’t surprising; no one liked police dogs. They always found their targets. Then they bit them. Hard.

I pushed through the crowds as best I could, trying not to shove anyone too hard or look too much like I was trying to leave while still trying to do just that. Throngs of people crushed in from every side, but I didn’t want to make a scene.

Nothing says “I’m running from the cops” like shoving your way through a crowd.

The low growls continued, but they didn’t seem to be getting any closer. Above the noise of the crowd, the head protester continued her drawl about physical space and touch.

I furrowed my brow. Was this crowd protesting against those guys that stand around offering free hugs in front of the Monorail station? Really? I guess it was true. People would protest anything in Seattle…

A particularly large knot of people blocked off the exit to the next street. We only needed to make it down two streets to reach my goal, but that was proving harder than it should.

The sound of a sharp bark set the hairs on the back of my neck on edge, followed by people shuffling around and yelling. I stole a glance behind me, and it looked like pandemonium. People were pushing every which way, trying to get away from something.

That something became obvious real quick. Two gigantic, black police dogs gnashed at the throngs of protesters, nipping at their heels and looking all-around nasty.

I slinked back away from them as quickly as I could, and for once, I didn’t have to pull Rick along with me.

We were almost through the crowds and onto the street behind us when it finally happened - the dogs and I locked eyes for just a half second. I sensed something akin to malice in those cold, dark eyes, then the beast let out another bark and lunged forward.

“Time’s up!” I shouted at Rick. I turned and pushed the protesters behind me as hard as I could, knocking two of them over and sending the others sprawling into their friends. Then we were through.

I ran for it, tugging at Rick’s jacket collar to make sure he stayed in step with me. I heard the guy panting hard but tried to pay it little heed.

Behind us, the protesters stood up and yelled nasty obscenities in our direction. I smiled a little at that. Maybe they’d slow down the dogs just a touch.

Rick and I kept going. We sped across the street so fast no cars even had the opportunity to try and hit us, then spilled out onto the next sidewalk and kept going.

“Where are… you going… now?” Rick asked through labored breaths.

“Relax, I’ve got this!”

“Just like… last time?”

If I hadn’t known better, I’d have sworn Rick had just glared at me while running for his life. To be honest, it filled me with a sense of pride. Little Rick was growing a spine.

We reached the end of the sidewalk and spilled out onto the next street. Not much further now.

Behind us, the barking grew louder as a few people shouted, and I heard bodies tumble to the ground. I spared another glance at the dogs. They were leaping over a few downed civilians a mere block away, closing in fast.

Those animals were moving far faster than dogs had any right to. I squinted a little as something odd caught my eye. Their tails. They didn’t look natural.

I shook my head and tugged harder on Rick.

“We’ve got to cross the next street, then we’ll be safe,” I told him.

For his part, Rick seemed to glare again, but he kept going.

Come on legs, just a little bit more and we can rest, I said to my poor appendages. They were burning something fierce. I’d pay for tonight, to be sure, but hey, at least I could count it as cardio, right?

Another car blared its horn as we ran out right in front of it, not bothering to stop or even put a hand out. I flashed the driver a quick smile, which did all of nothing. I tried. Then, we were across the street.

The dogs - if they were really dogs - spilled out onto the street behind us, maybe twenty feet away now, teeth and claws gnashing, drool spilling out of their mouths. I thought I heard the sound of additional sirens blaring behind them as a fresh set of cop cars came at us as well.

Safety was just around the corner.

I willed my legs to move faster and sped past a couple kissing up against a streetlamp. Oh, to be that oblivious to the world. But nope, not for me.

Rick and I bounded around the next corner, and at last I saw it, the red door leading down to Mei’s place. To safety.

The beckoning door stood maybe thirty feet away, but I knew it was too far. We weren’t going to make it before the dogs showed up.

“See that red door?” I shouted at Rick. “Run for it!”

I gave him a heavy shove in that direction, then did perhaps the single bravest thing I’d ever done. I spun around and raised my