Chapter 9

“That was interesting,” Alex said. He kicked the fur with one toe. It was as lifeless and empty as a rug, simply a skin apparently tanned with the fur on. When Alex’s kick turned part of it over, the skin revealed several holes where the bullets from Manuel’s 9mm had pierced the hide.

Manuel caught Alex’s sidelong glance. The taller man smiled, but it was not a pleasant smile. Still his tone was mild. “Nice fast work there, even if perhaps not necessary. What do you think: illusion, hallucination or a hologram?”

Only then did Manuel realize he was shaking like an aspen in a gale. When he spoke, it came out defiant, angry, almost a challenge. He ignored Alex’s question to ask his own obliquely. “You shifted.I saw you, only I didn’t, but you were there and then you weren’t.”

Alex shrugged. “Guilty as charged. When I saw the wolf jump, I reacted without thinking. Whether it was an illusion or not, I wasn’t going to get my throat ripped out. I—moved.”