Dreamwalkers: The Awakening

CHAPTER 25

"I've waited so very long for this moment and it's finally here." My heart races as the raspy female voice with a thick Spanish accent taunts me. It comes from nowhere, yet everywhere, implicitly threatening the worst. "You are the only one who always got away, no matter what I did. But now, things have changed."

As the fog thins, Charlie steps in front of me and holds his arm across my body. Cowering behind him, I allow him to believe he's anywhere near strong enough to protect me from her.

In the darkness of the distant trees, the silhouette of a woman breaks through the lingering fog. "I won't let you hurt her," Charlie yells, his voice quivering. A cocky laugh is the only reply given as she glides toward us on a fluid cloud of black smoke.

With a supernatural speed, she closes the distance in a fraction of a second. Her liquid black eyes reflect the harsh light of the moon as she threatens to devour Charlie's soul with just a look. I dig my fingers into his arms, terrified of what might happen next.

Without moving a muscle, she assaults my ears with the screeches of hundreds of bats. In a pointless effort, I cover my ears. The shrieks pile on top of each other, echoing like metal being dragged across metal. Just when I think I can't stand another second of it, the noise stops.

I lower my hands. I can't believe this is happening. They were supposed to protect me. They said she couldn't get near me.

"What do you want from her?" Charlie demands. "She never did anything to you!"

Her head tilts, ire saturating her face. "Emma, it seems you have not shared our story with your soul mate."

Gathering my confidence, I stand up to her. "You and I don't have a story. Your misplaced anger lies with my father. And none of what happened that night was his fault either."

Through gritted teeth, she barks at me. "Your father is responsible for the death of my daughter."

Standing my ground, I boldly reply. "Nobody is responsible for that. It was a terrible accident. Nothing more."

"An accident that could have been prevented had your father done his job properly."

"Why are you coming after me if you put all the blame on him? I haven't done anything to you!"

Enraged by my question, her voice becomes wrathful. "Your father hides from me like a coward! He stole my human life and hid behind your strength for centuries. He is weak. Pathetic. And because of him, I was separated from my daughter, whose soul I created from the dust of my own. I've searched for centuries. She is nowhere. Like she never existed at all."

"You created her soul?"

"I wanted a child who I would be bound to for all eternity. One I could share my gift with. One who would already possess all my knowledge. She was perfect. And you destroyed her."

"I didn't do anything to her."

Raising a finger toward my chest, she hooks my pendant. "How convenient for that one memory to have been left off your necklace. Allow me to remind you." My vision goes black as Isabel takes control of my mind. "It was the night Amora taught you how to escape the world I created to keep you prisoner." Flooded with a hazy image of a night I've never seen, I watch the moment unfold from the perspective of a third party.

A younger version of me hides behind thick brush, evading the wrath of an alloquet. It saunters past, fangs dripping as it sniffs the air in search of a kill. When it disappears into the forest, I know I'm safe. Climbing off the ground, I step out of the brush, lowering my guard and coming face to face with a girl, staring me straight in the eye.