on the inside. His
fit-filled sleep succeeded in draining more of his energy. He dug in his fingers
and scratched his scalp in a failed attempt to relieve the pain and haunting
visions.
His predecessor’s memories usually assisted Bomani
for tactical purposes. Now, they only reminded him of what he lost.
He would not allow himself to dwell on the male he
had been because that warrior would have surrendered to his father and faced
his punishment. Instead, he ran. He did not trust his instincts anymore.
How could he be so wrong about so many things? His
brother’s quest for honor. Kendra’s feelings towards Bakari and not him. The
last of which burned harder and deeper.
He forced himself to sit back down. This new
calling would bring him more disappointment. He wanted to stay hidden.
Traipsing around New York on Bast’s quest would end badly or worse, she would
demand her final payment. Something he did not want to experience.
Furious, he slammed his fist through the cinder
block, favoring physical pain over the emotional parasite burrowing through his
chest. He drew in his energy and rematerialized on the city streets, a block
from a food establishment. Intent on taking what he needed to feed his empty
stomach, he stalked towards a very unlucky street vendor.
The man’s eyes widened and he backed away from the
cart. Bomani ignored the cellphone the vendor pulled from his coat and snatched
the food off the top of the grill. A sideward glare and flash of fangs sent the
man running down the street. Without honor regulating his choices, things came
much easier.
No rules. No boundaries. No guilt.
The small staples did little to calm his hunger.
He glanced around at the few humans that scurried down the street, giving him a
wide berth. Their souls flickered brightly, beckoning him. He clenched his
fists. A fine tremor set to his bones. His soul craved the energy, like heroin
for the drug addicts he had seen on the streets. He snatched the arm of a human
straying too close. His entire body trembled with the desire to rip the living
energy from the human’s soul.
He shoved the man away. Despite his want of it,
his vow never to hurt humans burned hotter than his hunger.
A clap of thunder rippled across the blue-black
sky and drew his eyes upward. A bolt of energy shot up into the heavens.
Grateful for the distraction, he targeted the source in the distance and
dematerialized. He reappeared on the docks, not far from his accommodations.
The wooden planks rumbled beneath his feet,
kicking up the dirt and dancing it across its surface. A deep battle cry
pierced the night air. Bomani narrowed his gaze on an enormous dark shape in
the distance. The wood groaned and creaked as the massive beast and its cloaked
rider bore down on him. Bomani stared in disbelief as flashes of the horse and
its master sped beneath the street lamps.
A heavy broad sword clutched by the rider glowed a
bright white and created an eddy of waves that crashed into and over him. This
was not a dream. His memories manifested before his eyes.
The horse’s sinewy body came into focus while the
dark cape concealed the rider’s identity. Pounding waves of energy slammed into
Bomani’s chest and arced currents of electricity across his skin. He staggered
back as his answers rocketed towards him.
A flash of light ignited behind Bomani’s back,
yanking him off his feet towards the opening portal. The stallion leapt, slammed
into Bomani and threw him back through the gateway under the horse’s hooves.
He smashed into the hard sand and rolled, barely
missing being crushed by the thousand pound animal. The horse’s underbelly
flashed into view before a hoof cracked against Bomani’s head. Unable to right
himself, he stared at the hindquarters of the horse speeding down a beach.
Wiping the blood from his brow, he scanned the
surroundings. A large barren coastline stretched out before him. Black sand
welcomed the warm waves lapping the shoreline.
fit-filled sleep succeeded in draining more of his energy. He dug in his fingers
and scratched his scalp in a failed attempt to relieve the pain and haunting
visions.
His predecessor’s memories usually assisted Bomani
for tactical purposes. Now, they only reminded him of what he lost.
He would not allow himself to dwell on the male he
had been because that warrior would have surrendered to his father and faced
his punishment. Instead, he ran. He did not trust his instincts anymore.
How could he be so wrong about so many things? His
brother’s quest for honor. Kendra’s feelings towards Bakari and not him. The
last of which burned harder and deeper.
He forced himself to sit back down. This new
calling would bring him more disappointment. He wanted to stay hidden.
Traipsing around New York on Bast’s quest would end badly or worse, she would
demand her final payment. Something he did not want to experience.
Furious, he slammed his fist through the cinder
block, favoring physical pain over the emotional parasite burrowing through his
chest. He drew in his energy and rematerialized on the city streets, a block
from a food establishment. Intent on taking what he needed to feed his empty
stomach, he stalked towards a very unlucky street vendor.
The man’s eyes widened and he backed away from the
cart. Bomani ignored the cellphone the vendor pulled from his coat and snatched
the food off the top of the grill. A sideward glare and flash of fangs sent the
man running down the street. Without honor regulating his choices, things came
much easier.
No rules. No boundaries. No guilt.
The small staples did little to calm his hunger.
He glanced around at the few humans that scurried down the street, giving him a
wide berth. Their souls flickered brightly, beckoning him. He clenched his
fists. A fine tremor set to his bones. His soul craved the energy, like heroin
for the drug addicts he had seen on the streets. He snatched the arm of a human
straying too close. His entire body trembled with the desire to rip the living
energy from the human’s soul.
He shoved the man away. Despite his want of it,
his vow never to hurt humans burned hotter than his hunger.
A clap of thunder rippled across the blue-black
sky and drew his eyes upward. A bolt of energy shot up into the heavens.
Grateful for the distraction, he targeted the source in the distance and
dematerialized. He reappeared on the docks, not far from his accommodations.
The wooden planks rumbled beneath his feet,
kicking up the dirt and dancing it across its surface. A deep battle cry
pierced the night air. Bomani narrowed his gaze on an enormous dark shape in
the distance. The wood groaned and creaked as the massive beast and its cloaked
rider bore down on him. Bomani stared in disbelief as flashes of the horse and
its master sped beneath the street lamps.
A heavy broad sword clutched by the rider glowed a
bright white and created an eddy of waves that crashed into and over him. This
was not a dream. His memories manifested before his eyes.
The horse’s sinewy body came into focus while the
dark cape concealed the rider’s identity. Pounding waves of energy slammed into
Bomani’s chest and arced currents of electricity across his skin. He staggered
back as his answers rocketed towards him.
A flash of light ignited behind Bomani’s back,
yanking him off his feet towards the opening portal. The stallion leapt, slammed
into Bomani and threw him back through the gateway under the horse’s hooves.
He smashed into the hard sand and rolled, barely
missing being crushed by the thousand pound animal. The horse’s underbelly
flashed into view before a hoof cracked against Bomani’s head. Unable to right
himself, he stared at the hindquarters of the horse speeding down a beach.
Wiping the blood from his brow, he scanned the
surroundings. A large barren coastline stretched out before him. Black sand
welcomed the warm waves lapping the shoreline.
Similar Books
