chapter 1

The whine of the siren starts up just after I whip around a turn. I hesitate for a second, because I probably could outpace the cop car in my souped-up Acura RDX, and because the cop's bound to be a civilian, but then I take my foot off the gas pedal. Cops are sworn to serve and protect, after all, and I need some service and protection.

I pull over onto to the gravel shoulder, wondering why there's a speed trap out on this isolated stretch of highway anyway. There's no traffic to speak of. That's good, for my purposes, because I hate it when bystanders get hurt, but it's also odd.

I open the door and step out, leaving the door open, just in case I need to make a fast getaway. The officer walking towards me is a youngish man, brown hair cut a little long, with a substantial ball of a gut straining the buttons of his uniform.
Closer to, I can see the dusting of crumbs on his chest. Not a speed trap, then, just a cop wolfing down some doughnuts in an out of the way spot.

A split second vision hits me of a dozen sweet pastries, the cop's double chin wobbling as he chews, and only two doughnuts left in the sugar and grease coated box.

It seems my cop is a literal pig.

I hide my smile as he stops in front of me.

"May I help you, Officer?" I ask, making my tone as dulcet and sweet as I can make it.

"Uh... yes, miss, do you, do you know how fast you were going?" he stutters out. He has a rich, deep voice and it's a pity that I'm so busy at the moment, because I do like a sexy fat man, and his nervousness shows he's clearly responsive to my charms. But I can't let myself get distracted. Besides, he's probably somebody's chubby hubby.

"I'm sorry, Officer," I say, keeping my eyes on the road behind him. I can feel the crackle of energy that means my enemy is getting close.

"You were doing 180 kilometres an hour!" he says. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to write you a ticket. Can you get your license and registration, please?"

He raises his voice for that last, for my enemy is upon us. The roar and rattle of his carriage is too much for the cop. He looks behind him.

"What in the hell is that?" he spits out as he takes in the contraption built from bleached bones and aluminum.