Doorways (A Book of Vampires, Werewolves & Black Magic) (The Doorways Trilogy - Book One) Read Online Free Page B

to appear. And last night we saw it; shining like a star just above the desert floor. But before we could reach it the sun had crept up on us, and then those Radan spotted us and made chase.’
    ‘Were they those hooded things?’ Zach asked.
    ‘Yes, yes! But don’t interrupt. I’ve lost my train of thought now.’ William pondered whilst tugging at the dark brown hair sprouting from his chin. He looked like an ancient shaman meditating before his campfire. At last, he said, ‘ah, yes. I remember now. I needed Neanna to fight them off as I raced towards you. I had to keep the stagecoach on a fine line because if I’d over-steered by just the smallest fraction, I wouldn’t have been able to pull you through. Anyway, Neanna tried to fight off the Radan for far too long. She fought bravely though, and even when the sun became unbearable she stood her ground so we could reach ya.’
    Feeling somewhat guilty, Zach glanced over at the girl who continued to shiver in the chair, like a shipwreck survivor dragged from the sea.
    ‘In the end though,’ William continued, ‘she had to escape into the coach or...she would have…’
    As if almost too painful to complete his sentence, William stopped talking and continued to prod at the fire that snapped and hissed in front of them.
    ‘But that really doesn’t answer my question,’ Zach said after a few quiet moments of contemplation, ‘how did you know I was going to come in the first place?’
    ‘It was only a matter of time,’ a voice said from behind him.
     
    Turning, Zach could see an enormous figure standing amongst the trees on the other side of the clearing. Peering into the darkness, Zach shielded his eyes against the glare of the fire with his hands.
    ‘Who’s there?’ Zach called out, and that sense of unease crept over him again.
    ‘It’s okay,’ William assured him by placing one of his long hands on Zach’s arm, ‘It’s just my dad.’
    Recognising his son’s voice, the figure that stood hidden am ongst the shadows called out, ‘have they gone?’
    ‘Yes dad,’ William said, standing to greet his father.
    Zach looked in amazement at the figure which appeared from the forest. William’s father was huge; a mountain of a man. He stood at least eight foot tall, with long meaty arms that hung so low his giant hands looked as if they might touch the ground. He was as wide as a barn-door with shoulders so round and muscular they resembled cannon-balls. The man’s head was square-shaped with a broad forehead and a powerful looking jaw-line. Just like his son, his face was covered in hair with just his mouth, nose and eyes revealed. He wore blue dungarees and a red checked shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows.
    It was then that Zach noticed this man’s eyes. At first glance they looked as if they were jet-black and set in deep, dark sockets which screwed right back into his skull. But on further inspection, Zach could see that this man didn’t have eyes. The darkness surrounding the empty sockets were in fact scorch marks.
    In spite of having no eyes, the giant stepped into the clearing and strode towards Zach and William. He navigated his way around the large rocks where Neanna rested, and stopped just before walking into the fire. Zach wondered if he had managed to do this by an acute sense of hearing and smell, but then noticed that William’s father was being guided by an animal he had tethered to a leash.
    Although this creature’s function was the equivalent to a guide dog, that’s where the similarities ended. The creature was similar in length and size to a stoat, but appeared to have the markings of a tiger. It had a long pointed snout with a mass of white whiskers. Its eyes were enormous and glowed yellow.
    ‘There’s a good boy Wasp ,’ William’s father said, stooping to pat his guide with one of his giant hands.
    A thin, snake-like tongue slipped from between the creature’s jaws and licked its master’s fingers. Rolling