The Waking Dreamer by J. E. Alexander Read Free Book Online

that rained endlessly … rained for so many days that the waters became endless as the darkness was endless … as dark as the eyes that stared at him … eyes that had seen the rain and the waters … and pain, endless pain … searing and ravaging and burning as the world was rent apart, and into the deepest fissures poured the many waters until nothing on the land remained but the wetness of the earth that had wept for far too long …
    Pain.
    In the present, in the harsh winter cold, and in the shadow of the deeper forest, Emmett Brennan understood that he was dying. Whatever the creature was, it would penetrate every space within his body and suckle greedily on his very essence. And somehow, Emmett understood that it would not permit him the release of death. He would not die soon.
    When will soon be now?
    Emmett’s eyes rolled sideways, and if not for the creature’s claws around his throat, he might have shouted a warning to the bronze-skinned, amber-eyed woman he could now see across the field running toward them.

CHAPTER 4
    Through his darkening vision, Emmett watched the amber-eyed woman leap through the air. The creature’s grasp around his throat released suddenly, and as the creature spun around, Emmett fell backward. The woman landed on the soft grass only feet from the monster, twirling sideways out of reach of its claws. The creature and woman moved with such swiftness that both were a blur to Emmett’s eyes; the monster brought its rending claws around toward the woman, who spun again in a complete circle, pirouetting out of reach with startling speed.
    She was a young woman with dark, flawless skin, with long brown hair tied back behind her head and an athletic, toned body dressed in form-fitting black clothes that all but concealed her in shadow. Her glittering, round amber eyes lit up the night, meeting Emmett’s for the briefest moment as if to confirm that he was still alive. She nodded at him once with a confident expression, seemingly unafraid of the monster she fought.
    Emmett watched, transfixed as her arms, previously tucked close against her, suddenly sprang outward in a flurry of motion. Twin black serpents with glowing black eyes lashed out as she spun twice more away from the creature, striking the creature’s skull with a cracking sound. In response, the creature reared to meet her change of direction. Still she managed to pirouette just outside the danger of its outstretched claws. Just as suddenly, her body contorted and the motion carried her backward again, forcing the creature to double back after her in a maelstrom of movement. Emmett had no time to think before reacting with a forced roll to avoid the creature’s stampede.
    Seeing Emmett cower on the ground, the monster turned on him only to have the woman step within reach, as if luring it back toward her. It responded with an anguished cry that mangled the air. The creature crouched low and swiped at her knees, but she easily stepped out of its reach, sweeping upward with a high kick. The creature pounced, sailing toward her, yet just as effortlessly, she thrust both arms outward, dove headfirst to the ground, and tumbled several feet from the monster before rolling onto her feet and continuing her seeming dance.
    The woman would step in with a forward slashing motion, her arms whistling as her twin serpents sliced through the silent night’s chill. With the same fluid motion, she would spin to the side with a backhand motion, striking at the creature’s face while remaining just outside of its reach. Emmett could see that she was drawing the monster away. With every twirl, she lashed at the creature’s eyes and face, and with each counter of its claw, she would dance back two or three paces.
    There was a sudden explosion of sound somewhere in the forest, a low, booming roar that rocked the trees. The woman reacted first, turning toward Emmett as she lashed across the creature’s face with both serpents.
    “Stay down!”