“Come on B, you’re a ‘growly thing’ as well as a ‘Light Person’, that was just a slow jog for us!”

(Excerpt of Sororate Chapter One)

Declan retook hold of my hand and hurried us along.  We picked up our steps until we were power walking as the sun sank lower in the sky.  We were walking so quickly, we attracted some peculiar looks from the other tourists we passed. 

We managed to walk another three kilometres before the red sun touched the dusky horizon.  The view from the Wall showed the upcoming town where our hotel was situated but it was still two kilometres away. 

“Come on, let’s leg it.”  He ordered as the sun started to disappear.

My husband ran in front, almost pulling me along as I felt tired from walking all day.  We ran in a speed which would have been considered fast for humans, but it was slow for our kind.  It was too risky to show off our supernatural speed in public, nor could I just instantaneously phase us there. 

He led the way down some exit steps from the Great Wall and onto a road.  Then we bolted the rest of the way into town with Declan still pulling me along.  With the force he was squeezing my hand there was no way he was letting me slip from his grasp.  He didn’t let go until we entered the safety of settlement.  I stopped to catch my breath as I leaned wearily against the side of a building.

“Come on B, you’re a ‘growly thing’ as well as a ‘Light Person’, that was just a slow jog for us!”  He taunted.

“I’ve also been walking two days straight!”  I snapped amidst my puffing. “My feet are sore and my legs are tired!”

“Moan moan moan.”  He rolled his eyes before he looked around warily.

“What is it?”  I watched him.

“When we ran into town, I smelled more markings. This town is somebody’s territory so being outside after dark isn’t safe here either.  Let’s just hurry up and get to the hotel.” 

Declan grabbed hold of my hand again to pull me off the wall and after him down the road.  We walked down several streets before we stopped under a street light so he could check our itinerary.  He input the address of the hotel into the GPS then we followed the device’s directions.

We passed through a bustling commercial section where many people were either walking around or sitting at different outdoor tables and chairs.  Out of curiosity, I glanced through shop windows or a few of the front of restaurants.  It was the restaurants which had the outdoor seating where families sat down eating.  I also noticed at a couple of these tables elderly people played Mah-jong.

“Oh look, Mah-jong.”  I paused to watch until Declan pulled me along again.

An old Chinese man with a long, thin, white beard who was smoking a long, thin pipe looked up from his game as we passed.  To my surprise, his brown eyes abruptly turned white, with just his tiny black pupils remaining.  Frickin’ hell, he’s an Asian Werewolf!  The old man showed me his eyes to let me know that he also knew what Declan and I are. 

“OK, let’s go.” I walked out in front and now I was the one pulling him along.

I wished I’d brought my Katana along with me, the silver-coated Japanese sword.  I would have felt a whole lot safer with that insurance policy in my backpack.  Declan spotted our hotel’s brightly lit sign and he escorted me off the street and into the small foyer where the check-in counter was located.

“We have a reservation for Sabre.”  He handed over our itinerary with the barcode for the hotel clerk to scan.

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