Chapter 77

The beast was also restless, its hunger rising to a new peak. Where had the animals come from and how had they found it? Its brain couldn't make sense of any of it. All it knew was that its prey, so carefully staked out, would now be out of its reach.

In one of its many forms, it loped through the night, seeking the cover of trees and thick shrubs as it sought to avoid the glare of the gibbous moon. Nothing stirred except night birds and small animals. Nothing that would in any way replace the succulent flesh and blood that sustained it.

That meant more hunting, but now the devil beast had to be more careful. All its natural predator instincts came to the fore, raised to a new level of sensitivity. It would run and seek, searching out the perfect quarry. It licked its lips. Maybe it would be lucky and hit a real jackpot. Then it could leave for new hunting ground. Follow the message programmed into its scrambled brain.