Walk Into The Light - Shadows of the Night 6

Chapter 8

Hi,

Here's the next chapter! I'm going to start off with a somewhat cryptic question. In this chapter Anna will meet two "people" - one by choice, one involuntarily. My question: Who is the second one she "meets"?

Let me know what you think! Oh, and please listen to the song - I found it by chance, but I absolutely love it! It's from the OST of NieR:Automata - "Wretched Weaponry" - hope you enjoy! 

:-)

Lara

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Chapter 8

The sun had long vanished behind the giants of skyscrapers in the city. What was left was an assortment of half-shadows and fading light, waiting for the promise of darkness.

I exhaled and turned my eyes to the night sky, wishing the steady flow of time would stop, come undone and rewind. Would I still have control over my mind when this night was over?

I'd given Andy and Giuliana directions in case Vladislav took control over me, but since I hadn't figured out exactly what I'd seen in Vladislav's mind, chances were they wouldn't either without me.

The sensation of being watched swept over me the moment I stepped out of the shadows and walked into the light, aiming for the middle of the street. The Fade pack's territory was a fortress made of metal, with flesh and bone at its heart; a zero space in New York that gave the illusion of being a graveyard of junk and trash, when in fact it formed an essential part of the city.

There was neither sound nor warning. Radulf stepped out of the shadows and walked right into my path. His steps were light and graceful, the way he moved still human, but with a touch of feline grace. His curly blond hair seemed longer than last time I'd seen him.

"You've got some nerve coming here," he said, looming over me. His wide chin was set, his eyes flashing from brown to yellow.

"I need to talk to Marrok," I said. The Fade pack's Alpha and I had become guarded allies by chance. I hoped we still were, even after Raphael Medici died.

Radulf smiled, showing teeth. "Oh don't worry honey, he's gonna see you. I'm just not sure he's going to talk to you. Follow me."

I swallowed. Guarded allies. Yeah, right.

Yellow eyes followed our every move as we walked through the chain link fence, making our way to the innermost part of the gated community. We entered the gray cube at its center in silence, walking up two flights of stairs to Marrok's personal command center.

The smell of musk and sweat hit me like a wall of perfume as we came to a halt in the middle of the room. This time Marrok wasn't sitting on the torn ottoman chair. Instead he was standing at the window, back turned towards us as we entered.

His brown hair was wild and messy and he was shirtless. The massive muscles in his back were like multiple steel bands that were constantly in motion. And yet, his big shoulders were tense – a cocked weapon ready to be used and fired. Had he just changed back from his wolf form? If that was the case, I had to be careful.

"Sit," Marrok barked.

I sat down on the couch, facing him silently.

Time moved, slipped through my fingers. Marrok turned, liquid fast, vaulting over the ottoman chair. He landed on the table in front of me, crouching low so that his face was inches in front of mine. His eyes bled into pools of yellow as his jaw worked itself into the mother of all snarls.