Page 89 of My Undead Love Life

The leopards slammed into the van again and again, their bodies heavy enough to rock the frame. Claws dragged down the sides with a horrible screech that made my teeth ache. One of them hit the rear door so hard the metal dented inward.

Luck grabbed me and dragged me away from it.

Oxi braced his boots against the side door.

Mad scrambled forward and locked it, his hands moving fast despite the tremor in them.

A pale paw shoved through the narrow gap near the damaged seal at the back, claws slicing blindly through the air.

I screamed.

Oxi drove his cane sword through the opening.

The blade struck it with a wet punch. The paw yanked back, and a roar exploded outside, so loud and close it vibrated through my bones.

“Fuck,” Luck breathed.

The van rocked again.

Mad shoved his pack against the weakest part of the rear door, then used Luck’s at another. “Stay low. Away from the panels.”

The leopards circled the van, snarling and scraping. Their claws dragged across metal. One climbed onto the hood, its weight making the front end dip. I heard its paws thud over the roof above us.

I clapped both hands over my mouth. The sound went through me. It reminded me of being locked in that service closet in the subway tunnels, listening to what had to be them trying to tear it down and wondering if the door would hold. Only this was worse.

The leopard on top of the van stopped moving, right above us. Dust and tiny flakes of rust drifted down from the ceiling before a low rumble vibrated through the roof.

Claws punched through the thin interior lining far enough that the metal dimpled inward above Luck’s head.

Mad grabbed Luck by the coat and yanked him sideways a second before the claws raked down, tearing through the ceiling liner and leaving three jagged marks in the metal.

Luck’s face went white. “Thanks,” he whispered.

Mad didn’t answer.

The leopard shifted above us again, frustrated. Its claws scraped. Another one slammed into the side door, making Oxi’s body jolt where he braced it.

“How long can they do this?” I whispered.

“No idea,” Mad said.

The largest leopard roared again, and this time the sound moved away from the door. The claws on the roof dragged once more, then stopped.

The van creaked; wind hissed through cracks. Outside, one of the leopards made a sound. Another answered from farther away.

My blood turned cold as I realized they were communicating.

The scratching slowed, then stopped.

None of us moved.

After what had to be over an hour, my legs started trembling from being crouched so tightly.

Oxi’s hand found my wrist in the dark interior, his fingers wrapping around mine. I held onto him too hard, but he didn’t pull away.

“Everyone okay?” Luck finally asked. His voice was barely above a whisper.

Mad nodded, breathing hard. “Yeah.”