After yanking out a dark grey jacket, he crossed toward Ursula’s door, pulling it open. A blast of icy air flooded the cabin, and Ursula’s mouth went dry as she looked up at him. She swallowed hard, not yet willing to move. Whatever the trial was, her best chance of survival was probably to get the hell out of here.

He held out his hand. “I’ll need your phone.”

Still manacled, she jammed her free hand into her back pocket and pulled out her phone with a shaking hand. She passed it to him, watching as he slipped it into his coat. Dread welled in her chest. He was enormous and strong, and she didn’t think she could outrun him. She’d have to fight him, though her chances weren’t good there, either.

“Wear this.” Kester handed Ursula the jacket, then leaned over her, unlocking the handcuff with a gold key. “Don’t try anything stupid. You won’t outrun me.”

Christ. Can he read my thoughts? Stepping out of the car, she slipped into the grey parka, welcoming its warmth. If she was going to fight him in remote fields, she didn’t need the added disadvantage of hypothermia. She pulled up the hood, eyeing him cautiously. You didn’t give a jacket to someone you wanted to murder, did you? Then again, he was obviously stark raving mad.

A beep sounded as he locked the doors with the key fob. “I’m going to make sure that we’re alone. Stay here.” Clouds of breath bloomed around his face.

Like hell I’m going to stay here. If she strained her eyes, she could see lights shining on the other side of the fields. There was a faint smell of wood smoke in the air. As soon as he was gone she’d jump the fence, sprint across the field, and run to the nearest house to dial 999. The next time she’d see Kester’s pretty face would be on the evening news.

He turned away from her, then glanced back with a wolfish grin. “You should know that if you decide to run, I’ll sniff you out before you can get 100 meters. It’s only fair to warn you.”

Sniff me out? Creep. She shivered, trying not to picture a madman sniffing around her ankles.

Kester faced the berm, tilting back his head. He began to mutter.

What happened next went beyond creepy and right into the realm of pure terror.

As he spoke, his body began to tremble. Panic spread through Ursula as she watched the side of his face transform. His nose protruded, and his clothes disappeared into dark fur. With a sharp crack, his spine lurched forward, bones snapping as they repositioned. Where Kester had been only moments before, now there stood an enormous black hound.

When it turned to Ursula, the beast’s eyes glowed green.

Ursula’s heart stopped.