The sad thing was, I was happier. Well, not happy, exactly—just more on solid ground. A boy from class talking to me? Complete washout. Kicking Eraser butt, especially pathetic, off-balance Erasers with too-big wings? It was just more me, somehow.
Within moments I had cracked one’s kneecap with a hard side kick, and he crumpled to the ground. Very cheering. Watch it! said the Voice, just before another one clipped my jaw, swiveling my head. Go with the flow. Okay. I went with the momentum, completed the turn, and came out swinging with a hard right that smashed his jaw. Howling with pain, he fell to his knees, holding his face. Seconds later he bounced up, his eyes red with fury, in time to have Gazzy smack both hands over his ears, blowing his eardrums. Screaming, he went down again.
Fang had taken one out and was working on Ari. A quick glance showed me that Angel was dealing with a female Eraser—using her mind control to make the Eraser run headfirst into a tree, hard. Yowch. Then Angel flashed me an angelic smile, and I remembered again that we had to have a clear-the-air ethics talk sometime soon.
Max—focus! A huge thud against my back knocked the wind out of me. Wheezing for air, I whirled to see Ari, grinning, swinging hard at my head. I ducked, whirled, and put all my weight into a roundhouse kick that spun him sideways and almost knocked him off his feet. The other Erasers were mostly down for the count: It was me against him. Slowly we circled each other. Ari grinned, and fury washed over me, coloring everything red. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Fang herd the younger kids into the woods and then up into the air.
“Cute uniform.” Ari sneered, showing his sharp canines. “It’s a good look for you.”
“Where’d you get those wings?” I countered. “Wal-Mart?” I kept my weight centered as we circled each other like tigers.
The other Erasers were staggering back to the van, piling into it like circus clowns. Ari saw them.
“Guess it won’t be today, guys,” Ari called to his team. “Next time I’ll let you eat the little one. I hear they taste like chicken.”
Angel.
Growling, I lunged for Ari. He stepped aside and swung at me. I easily ducked. Rage fueled my fight, and I did a quick running start, then hit him with a flying side kick, both feet ramming hard against his ribs. He fell over heavily, banging his head on the road.
I jammed my foot against his neck and leaned over him. “How many times do I have to kill you?” I snarled. “Rough estimate.”
I saw fiery hatred in his eyes, and it really hit me: This wasn’t even Ari any longer, the little kid who
’d watched us from a distance when we were at the School. His own father had turned him into a monster, and any Ari that was left was being burned away from the inside. The idea made me feel sick, and I took my foot off his neck and stepped back.
Ari sat up quickly, gagging. “Point to you this time,” he said, his voice raspy as he rubbed his neck. “But you have no hope of winning.” He jumped to his feet. “I’m just playing with you, like a cat with a mouse.”
I was already backing toward the woods, unfolding my wings, ready to leap into the air. “Yeah,” I said, my voice dripping with hostility. “An awkward Frankenstein puddy-tat against a fierce, bloodthirsty, undefeated, well-designed mouse.”
His lip curled and he lunged at me again, but I’d already done an up-and-away and was hovering about fifteen feet off the ground. I rose higher and watched Ari stomp heavily to the van and throw himself in through the back doors. Inside the van, I caught the barest flash of blond-streaked hair.
None of the Erasers had long streaked hair.
55
“What happened to you?” Anne cried.
We trailed into the house and automatically hung up our jackets, most of which were blood-spattered. Total trotted around our feet, sniffing and growling. Angel reached down and hugged him, talking gently, and I just barely heard Total say, “Those wankers.”
“Erasers,” said the Gasman. “I’m hungry. Is there a snack?”
“What are Erasers?” Anne asked, sounding genuinely confused.
Could she possibly not know? Or maybe she just didn’t know the hip insider’s slang for them. “We’re human-avian hybrids,” I said, walking down the hall to the kitchen. I could smell popcorn. “Erasers are human-lupine hybrids.”
“Rabbits?” Anne asked, still sounding confused. She followed me.
I giggled. “That’s lapin. Or, more correctly, leporid. Not lupine.”
“Oh. Wolves,” Anne said, getting it.
“Give the lady a prize,” I said, entering the kitchen.
“Popcorn! And hot apple cider!” Gazzy said happily.
“Wash your hands,” Anne said, then took a good look at him. Gazzy had a couple bruises but looked okay. Angel and Nudge were fine. Iggy had a split lip. Fang’s nose was bleeding. I had a sudden flash of him kissing that girl and shut it down hard.
“Get cleaned up,” Anne said. “I’ll get some bandages. Is anyone hurt seriously?”