Dragon Skin Read Online Free Page A

head and brown eyes that seemed to sparkle in the weak alley light.
    The man glanced at Landon from the ground, his bloody lips parting in a weak smile of broken yellowed teeth. How had this guy taken those hit and survived? Landon wondered. There was no way that had been faked. You can’t recreate that special sound of fist hitting flesh.
    A red rage descended over him like a thick fog. Everything was shut out except the three young men high fiving each other at their accomplishments. Obviously not professionals, but way more than amateurs. His stomach rolled over as he rushed in, what had he gotten himself into this time?
    He hit the first teen with a shoulder in the gut, knocking him into his buddy then followed with a quick right to the remaining attacker. The connection of his fists with the other guy’s cheekbone sent a shiver of excitement down Landon’s spine that registered through the fog.
    “AAAARRRGH” Landon yelled at the top of his lungs and threw an elbow into a solar plexus before stomping down on an instep. He twisted and turned, throwing punches that connected, kicks that hit home and a head butt that burst a nose into a crimson shower of blood.
    The attackers got their licks in too. A fist connected with Landon’s right eye and staggered him for a moment. Giving another attacker time to try and tackle him. He turned and used the punk’s momentum to throw the guy head first into a brick wall. The teenager collapsed on the spot.
    Twisting back, Landon faced the other two. They stood there, sucking in huge gulps of air like wheezing bellows. Then their eyes drifted out of focus and looked over his shoulder, behind him. As he watched, the color drained from their faces like cartoon thermometers. He actually saw the blood drop like an Otis elevator as a look of terror shot through their eyes.
    Landon gulped in more air and briefly looked over his should to see what was going on.
    The old guy had gotten up and as Landon watched, the man started to change. First by growing taller, standing up straighter. His hair started to thicken and convert from white to a straw colored blond. His skin turned from pale yellow to a healthy tan as the thousands of wrinkles started to disappear like stars of the eastern sky in the early morning, one after the other they vanished until he stood there with a flawless complexion.
    Landon whipped around fully to face this creature. For surely no man could change like that. Even his cloths changed from a ragged patchwork of Salvation Army rejects to a charcoal Italian suit of the highest quality.  The man rolled his shoulders as if someone had just removed a strait jacket. His eyes lost that cloudy cataract appearance and became crystal clear blue like a high mountain lake as he smiled with perfect teeth.
    After only a few seconds, a tall very handsome man of about twenty five stood where only moments before a crooked old geezer had lain. The man shot his cuffs and pulled each shirt sleeve into perfect position then looked down at his pants and ran a thumb and forefinger over the creases to make sure they lined up correctly. When he was done he straightened and straightened his sky blue silk tie as if he was looking into a gold plated mirror.
    Finally satisfied with his appearance, the blond guy smiled at Landon and dipped his head in a quick thank you.
    A scuffle and muttering behind him had Landon whipping around again in time to see the two remaining attackers retreating, dragging their fallen buddy down the alley. They couldn’t seem to get away fast enough. Landon felt an overwhelming desire to join them. He turned back to face this, this?  … He didn’t know what and that frightened him to his core. Instead he clinched his fists and adjusted his feet. Preparing to run if necessary, fight if he had too.
    “Hello Landon, My name is Michael,” The blond man said sticking out his hand like they were meeting at an uptown dinner party.
    Landon looked down at the offered