Waking Dreams (A Soul's Mark Novella) Read Online Free PDF Page A

his fangs
begged to be released.
    Eric shut his eyes and held his breath.  He
was already certain that this little meeting was going to be a disaster and
showing up with blazing eyes and sharpened teeth would not help matters.  He
stood in the hallway, stiff as marble, as he attempted to get himself
together.  It was a task that was easier said than done.  He pushed Megan out
of his mind completely, focusing solely on not bursting downstairs and feasting
on the closest neck he could find.  After a long moment, the throbbing in his
gums dissipated to a soft ache, and when he opened his eyes, the red fog was
gone.
    Eric sucked in a few breaths, testing his
control.  The delicious scents hit him again, and his heartbeat picked up, but
his eyesight stayed normal.  When he was certain that he could handle walking
into a room filled with mouthwatering, fresh blood, he started down the
hallway, with slow, small steps.  This time, it was Angelle’s voice that
stopped him, holding him in place only a few paces from his room.
    “You need to tell him, Mitch,” Angelle’s
whispered voice floated around the corner of the hallway.  “He needs to know
what’s happening.”
    “It may be just a dream, Angelle,” Mitchell
said, trying to sound casual, but Eric heard the strain in his voice.  His
curiosity peaked.  Most of the time, Mitchell seemed emotionless, always
wearing a mask, but with his tight voice … Eric couldn’t help it.  He stretched
his hearing, needing to know what could possibly ruffle Mitchell’s cool and
calm persona.
    “It’s not,” Lola hissed.  “I’m sure of it. 
You didn’t see Eric.  You didn’t hear his heart or smell his desire.  He’s
found her.”  Her hasty tone was almost vicious.
    Found who? Eric’s heart stopped beating, and he strained his senses, anxious not to miss a
beat of their conversation.
    “I doubt that,” Mitchell said.  “He’s only
two weeks old.”
    “It could happen, and if he’s not ready …”
Angelle paused, and Eric could imagine the frown that marred her pretty little
face.  “He could make a mistake.  She must be close, Mitch.  If she wasn’t, the
dreams wouldn’t have started yet.”
    There was a pause, and then Mitchell let
out a deep sigh.  “He knows the story.  If it was her, I’m sure he would have
put the pieces together.”
    Eric crept closer, desperately trying to
keep quiet.  What mistake?  What do they know about the dream?  What story? 
Could Megan be more than a dream?  The questions burned through his mind, each
one fighting over the other to be answered.  And each one seemed ludicrous.
    “Look, we don’t have time for this right
now,” Mitchell said.  “Everyone is waiting.”
    Eric took another small step, hoping they
would keep talking.  A floorboard creaked under his foot.  He sucked in a
breath, holding it, and trying not to make a sound.
    “Hello, Eric,” Mitchell called, his voice
booming and tinted with annoyance.
    The air rushed from Eric’s lungs in a noisy
burst.  Why did he have to try and get closer?  He glanced over his shoulder at
his bedroom door hanging wide open, debated for a second about locking himself
in there, but then knowing that was pointless and wouldn’t hold against their
strength, he let out a longing sigh, and ventured down the hallway.
    “Sir,” Eric said tightly and gave a small,
stiff nod as Mitchell came into view.  He was just around the corner, leaning
against the banister at the top of the staircase.  Angelle and Lola were in
front of him looking blameworthy, in Eric’s opinion.
    Mitchell arched a brow, but he didn’t
comment on Eric’s formal greeting.  His eyes scanned over Eric intently.  “Are
you ready?” he asked.
    “Sure, where’s Luke?”  Eric asked.  Angelle
looked a bit jittery and nervous, and Eric shot her a questioning look, but she
dropped her eyes and knotted her hands behind her back.
    “He’s mingling downstairs,” Lola