A different gleam came into Swagger’s eyes. ‘Just who are you, sweetheart? You don’t look Ramone’s type.’

Kate shrugged. ‘Don’t hardly know him. Me and my friend were just hanging.’

Swagger nodded thoughtfully. ‘Hanging at Ramone’s, huh? You there to score, maybe?’

It was as good a story as any. ‘Maybe.’

‘Well if you want to get high, baby,’ Swagger grinned, ‘you just got to come back with me tonight.’

Kate willed her smile not to shrivel and die. ‘But it’s almost morning.’

Swagger nodded excitedly. ‘And the action kicks off at dawn. My soldiers have been getting psyched all night. Soon they get to play.’ He took her by the wrist and led her away. His ape in the denim and leathers moved up close to flank her.

‘Where are we going?’ she asked, trying to sound casual, up for anything.

‘Oh, baby,’ said Swagger, ‘I am going to give you a high you ain’t never gonna forget.’

g

‘Here it comes!’ Tom shouted to Jasmine, as the drooling ’wolf leaped through the air, claws outstretched, ready to smash its way through the rear windshield to get them.

‘Screw this!’ yelled Jasmine. She revved the engine and shot forwards, yanking hard on the wheel to avoid the truck in front.

The ’wolf fell short of them, skidding to a halt, its claws raking up the asphalt. It howled in anger as its prey moved out of reach.

Tom swore as they almost hit a car coming the other way. It swerved aside and crashed into a row of trashcans awaiting an early morning collection.

Jasmine ran the red light, and now swerved hard to the left to avoid a delivery van taking the corner. It blared its horn and Jasmine gave him the bird. But the ’wolf was back up and running for them.

Tom could feel his own change starting to rise up inside him, more insistent than ever. The fear, the panic, the craving for release seemed to have been pumping and pounding through his veins for hours, wearing away his human self. He could taste the sharp tang of blood at the back of his throat. His mouth was flooding with saliva, so fast he could barely swallow it down.

‘That thing’s not giving up!’ he shouted hoarsely, clenching his fists.

‘Me neither,’ Jasmine replied calmly. Wheels screeched and rubber burned as she steered the car around in a tight arc to turn right on to the next avenue.

Tom saw the delivery truck screech to a halt as the dark shape of the ’wolf bolted out in front of it and caught a glancing blow. At the next block Jasmine took a left and floored the accelerator, and the carnage was hidden from view.