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THWAP!

The sound was followed by a loud squeal, and the heartbreaking cries of a wounded ani over one of the dogs He was tall and well-built, with thick blonde hair and a square-set jaw In both his hands he held a long, wood-handled axe

“HI-YAAAA!”

His shout was loud and fierce and stopped the other dog in its tracks It skidded to an ungracious stop, its paws slipping on the worn brick path Theturned and bolted It scra beneath the thick canopy of trees

The man lowered the axe and turned to face her iht?”

Melody had her hands on her knees, still gasping for breath as her savior approached Apparently her track-running days were a lot further behind than she originally thought

“Y—Yes…” she breathed “Thank you… so… much…”

He held out an arratefully

“Are you sure you’re okay? I saw you fall”

“I’ht’ve torn my dress”

“You did,” he said, kneeling before her “But only a little” He held up a scrap of material in one palm, split down the middle “Man you run fast!’

She chuckled nervously, half amused, half still pumped with adrenaline Now that she was safe her eyes went to the fallen ani, but now it lay still

“Don’t look at that,” the man said He put an arood”

There was blood, too Blood on the ground Blood on the blade of the—

“Where’d you get that axe?”