Dragon Bride (SAMPLE)

Chapter Eight

No matter how fast Kendria ran, she couldn't escape the cold. Not completely; it was always two steps behind, but those steps were thunderous... just as they were that night in her dreams.

The faceless woman.

Her mother's shakey voice as she forces herself to turn away. "I need to go now, my sweet children. I will distract that monster for as long as I can. Just make sure that you get out of here and find Basilisk."

A tear escapes her right eye. That haunted trail of despair that Kendria wished she could wipe her. "I love you so much. I pray that we meet again."

She hears her mother run off before she shuts her own eyes and holds back her own tears. She knows how this dream ends and runs from it. The Dragoness runs so fast that it almost feels like flying. Her feet burn against the cold brittle ground, but she can't escape the cold... the darkness... and now the voices.

Voices of the abyss...

Haunted shadows in the night...

They hum alongside those thunderous footsteps, rallied behind him like dogs barking at the heels of their master.

"Taint the souls around her."

"Turn envy to hatred."

"Desire into madness."

"Love into obsession."

Their whispers ride the edge of the darkness, growing louder as they repeated their mindless intents endlessly, until it all became a haunting screech that made her ears bleed. Her heart pounded inside of her own chest, forcing fear into every nerve in her body, but the adrenaline kept her ahead by those two steps. The savior of fire at the end of the trail welcomed her as she jumped into it.

But as her skin burned and her soul coiled inside of her body... only one voice remained. That terrifying anger from before, wickedly laughing as she barely escaped.

"You can't outrun me, Kendria!"

She wailed as it reached into the fire, burning its cold, bumpy hand to grab her throat.

"Kendria, please come back to me!"

The young woman leaped up in absolute horror. She struggled to still her frightened heart and grasped at any tangible, as though she was trying to climb her way out of suffocating cave. The weight of that nightmare threatened to weigh against her chest and keep her down, but her frantic arms and shivering body were immediately met with a warm embrace.

It took her a moment to blink away the shadows and reconnect with the real world. She used those arms as a guide back. They were large, with traces of faded scars that were rough but comforting to the touch. And that smell... the aroma of fresh lye and river essence on the light brown shirt he wore... that Zatthias was wearing.

Kendria gasped and looked into his eyes, softened with relief now that she was finally looking at him. The General gently caressed her cheek, rubbing circles with his rough thumbs. The sensation calmed her down, allowing her to take deep breaths.

"It's alright. You're safe, I swear it." He coaxed, wiping away the tears she barely felt.

The air was tangible between them. Her breath hitched as her gaze traveled between his eyes and his lips. His eyes did the same, but he didn't dare move closer, though Kendria could see him fighting back some urge to do more for her. She quickly snapped herself out of her trance and moved away, but the warm glaze of her cheeks remained.

The only way to avoid it was to ask the necessary questions. Now that she was awake, Kendria could see the morning sun creeping up from the horizon and feeling the morning air against her skin. She recognized the training fields, but she certainly didn't go to sleep there.