World Walker 1: The World Walker Read Online Free PDF Page A

many options, but she was never satisfied with one or two orgasms and had yet to find a single man who could give her what she needed. She approached her sexual needs with the same kind of thorough determination and detailed planning as she had embarked upon her political career. In practise, this meant two lovers a night during the week, three on Saturdays. She took alternate Wednesdays off so she could watch Friends box sets. For some reason, it was the only show that could make her laugh, despite the fact that she felt no empathy at all for any of the characters.
    Dietricha got straight into her running gear. It was Saturday morning, cool and clear on the deck outside her weekend chalet at the foot of the Harz mountains. She stretched and sipped water, looking up at the majestic giants, densely wooded, ancient geological marvels that must have looked much the same for thousands of years.  
    Tying her hair back as she set off, she quickly settled into an easy loping rhythm that looked lazy to a casual observer, but was actually faster than it seemed, her long strides taking her quickly out of sight.  
    The light was improving every minute as Dietricha ran. She followed a rough track that would take her a few hundred feet higher before looping back along the side of the lake. The trees at this level were primarily wood-rush or common beech. Further on, when she came to the lake, there were a few sycamores, then the real reason Dietricha had chosen to build her chalet here: English oaks. A ring of them, ancient, silent and watchful. A place of power. The place she visited weekly to be filled with the ancient energy that enabled her to pursue her ambitions. She had also found a place in Grunewald, closer to work, that could provide the same power, but the oaks lent gravitas to the ritual. She quickened her pace, longing to be there.
    She felt more at home, more herself, running in these woods, than at any other time. An animal amongst other animals in the forest. Her mind cleared. Firstly, details of work she had scheduled for the following week lost their urgency and drifted away. Any thoughts of the people in her life were next to go. Finally, with a pure sense of excitement thrilling through her like a potent drug, language itself vanished along with the last vestige of logical thought. Dietricha was simply running, a graceful, dangerous beast in its natural habitat. Anyone who'd ever seen her immediately after one of her morning runs instantly understood why she had chosen to champion the wild, making the environment ministry her political vehicle: she seemed barely human, unable to speak until she'd had a long shower and a large coffee. She felt no particular kinship with her fellow humans at the best of times. But in the mountains, humanity started to look less like family, more like a parasitic growth.
    When she rounded the corner before the lake and the reassuring bulk of the seven oaks was finally in sight, she allowed herself to break into a sprint, her powerful legs pounding the soft earth, her lungs full of sweet mountain air. She felt joyous, alive. She emitted a noise that was part-shout, part-roar of satisfaction.  
    Then, suddenly, she slowed, her brow furrowed. She had seen movement ahead, between the trees. She slowed again, to walking pace, took a gulp of water from her canteen and squinted, shading her eyes. She hadn't been mistaken. There were two or three figures moving in the natural hollow surrounded by the ring of oaks. She experienced a rush of rage. It seemed like desecration that others should dare enter the sacred space. She felt cold logic and reason returning as she neared the grove. They were probably hikers. They'd be moving on soon enough. She'd stay out of sight and wait. She certainly didn't want to have to speak to anyone.
    A strange, unfamiliar sound came from up ahead, along with a flare of light. Dietricha frowned at the combination. It seemed familiar, she'd heard such a sound before.