The Quest of the Phoenix [Book 2 of the Fire series]

Chapter 2

I had a dreamless night. Sometimes that's good. When I woke up, I was confused. Then, I remembered I was in a hotel. I put my shoes back on, and was about to walk out the door, when a maid walked in. the maids of this century are stupid looking. They have rosy pink painted cheeks, a white face, red lips, and ugly greenish-brown hair.

"Maid zervice!" The ugly maid said in an odd accent. I backed away near the window. I wanted out of this nuthouse. I opened the window, and jumped through it. Luckily, there was another building close below. I landed clumsily, but not hurt.

"I hate hotels." I muttered.

"I see we meet again." I recognized that voice. I spun around, to see lab man (that's what I'm calling him now) looking at me. He had a grin on his face, and a needle in his hand.

I held out my hand. "How about we stop this nonsense, and just be friends?" I smiled, thinking, go for it, go for it, you jerk.

He put the needle down. "I see you've come around." He shook my left hand, but I held it tight. "Hey! Let go!" He shrieked like a little girl.

"Not after I do this!" I lifted my right hand, and socked him in the gut. He flinched, giving me a chance to punch his face. Lab man fell down, unconscious. I was sick of him.

"Dirty mutt." I kicked him in the side one more time, just to make sure.

"There ze iz!" The ugly maid poked her head out the window of the hotel, pointing at me. The lady from the front desk appeared next to her.

"Honey, will you come back inside, and into the room you rented?" She asked sweetly. I knew she was lying.

"Shut up, you dirty liar!" I yelled back. I jumped off my roof, landing on the telephone wire. It was like a tightrope. I didn't care. I jumped off, landing clumsily again.

"Get her!" The elevator people burst out of the hotel. They then morphed in front of my eyes, creating a group of somewhat black monsters. They had red eyes,ugly, disoriented faces, and barbed tails.

Typical. They couldn't speak real words, so the lead monster gurgled a command. I didn't need time to think about what it was, I knew. Kill her.

"Great Lagansoura!" I cursed, bolting through the alleys. It was an ancient curse, referring to the ancient monster, the Lagansoura. I morphed into a lynx in the darkness, seeing a tall chainlink fence ahead.

I tried jumping it, but it was too tall. Yeah, no luck. At this time! Really! I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the pain to come. Instead, I felt sharp talons digging into the scruff of my neck. I was being lifted by a hawk.

"I see you needed some help!" She called to me, still dangling by her talons.

"I was just fine without you!" I growled.

She ignored my mood. "I'll let you down over by the forest."

"The forest? No one ever gets out of the city." I protested. "Trust me; I've been trying since I learned how to walk!" I shut myself up, realizing she was getting me to be less stubborn.

"No one can ever get out by foot." She corrected. "Here's the forest." She let me down in a place filled with trees. It smelled of fresh grass, and prey. "I guess I'll see you around." She started to turn and began to flap her wings.

"Wait!" I called.

She turned around. "What? Did you want to say thanks?"

"No," I grumbled. "I'm Neon. Will you stay?"

She nodded. "Sure, glad to. I'm Talon."