Rakshasa Read Online Free PDF

“You said something about… about the Rewa. You said I was Altaica. What is that?”
    Ishan hesitated somewhat and I could sense his reluctance was deeper than he was letting on. “The Rakshasa are, it might appear, better than humans in every way… but we have a number of human foibles. We are, for lack of a better word, tribal. There are clans of our kind… small covens, banding together for protection and for company. I am of the Rewa, those who have white fur. Your markings indicate that you’re an Altaica. Our rivals. Violently so.”
    I wrapped my arms around him, giving a gentle squeeze. “You don’t seem to be violent towards me.”
    He gave a low chuckle. “You’re right. For now. Many other of my packmates would attack you on sight, if they knew what you were and there were no humans around.”
    “Okay. I’ll keep that in mind.”
    “You’ll need a name, too.”
    I raised my head, looking at him. “But I have a name.”
    “You need a Rakshasa name. We all have them. Your old name is… well, it’s old. It’s who you were, not who you are now.”
    At that moment I still felt like Libby. I opened my mouth to offer complaint, but instead another word tumbled out.
    “Aurora. I like Aurora.”
    He smiled a warm, bright smile. Ishan lowered his head, gently pressing his lips to mine. This was our first real kiss and, although it lacked the powerful, supernatural exaggeration of the dream ones we had shared, it still sent tingles all up and down my spine.
    “Aurora. I like it too.”
    I gave him a gentle kiss on the shoulder, through his jacket, feeling the blanket begin to do its work. “Good. Because it’s the first thing that jumped into my head.”
    “That’s how the best names are picked.”
    I paused, breathing in his scent, keeping my face against his shoulder, rubbing my cheek to him. “What was the shotgun sound?”
    “What sound?”
    I kissed his skin. “In the dream. Both times. There was a loud sound, I swore it was a gun, and I swear… someone was shooting at me, right at the end.”
    He rubbed my back gently. “I don’t know.”
    I enjoyed the quiet, cuddling with Ishan in the dark on top of the hill. “So what happens now?”
    He smiled, giving me a warm squeeze, his arms holding me tightly.
    “Now you go home and try to comfort your friend. She’ll be worried sick.”
    “Katelyn?” I blinked, then remembered. She was sleeping over tonight. “Ooooh crap.”
    Ishan laughed and leaned forward, kissing my forehead. “Okay. I have to run. I’ll see you soon.” He pulled his head back, giving me a meaningful look. “Dream well, tonight.”
    I planned to. I laughed, glancing out at the lights of the city, and when I turned back to him he was gone.

    *****
    Ishan was right. The shoes helped, the blanket helped more. I walked down the hill and made my way back towards the city. The headlights of cars lit up the road, but I crossed in a gap between them, slipping into the shadows effortlessly, as though I belonged there. They seemed blind to me; slow, trundling machines with such a limited range of vision. Easy to avoid. I was certain I wasn’t seen.
    Certainty. It was a strange thing. I normally wasn’t confident in anything I did, but tonight I felt as though evading the headlights was the easiest thing in the world.
    I stopped by one of the many creeks near Black Mountain and washed my hands clean, making sure to get all the blood out. It came off surprisingly easy, being recently dried, but I was careful. I was already a mess, walking around in just a blanket and shoes, and I figured blood would raise more questions than it answered.
    Yet as I cleaned myself I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me with unfriendly eyes. I had thought, initially, that it was Ishan, but as I crouched on a large stone scrubbing my fingernails with my palm I somehow sensed that it wasn’t. This was someone else.
    I put that thought out of my mind, though, and when I was