Waking Up Dead (The Western Werewolf Legend #1) Read Online Free

dangling from an invisible
rope operated by an unseen puppeteer. Willing the errant image to
the back of her consciousness, she focused instead on thwarting the
vampire’s next move. Her senses, already in tune with her
surroundings, began to heighten. A tingling of sorts set up in her
joints and muscles. The signs of the change began and Sonja
strained to control her body as her body shifted into that of a
werewolf. Hair sprang along the ridge of her backbone, claws shot
out from her fingertips, which now resembled stubby paws. The pain
alone of a temper born shift was excruciating and for a fleeting
second, Sonja considered what Ty dealt with on a regular basis.
Dropping to all fours, she shook her white mane trimmed in silver
and glowered at the vermin standing before her. Fire sizzled in her
eyes, the sensation a stark reminder of how fragile she was in a
half state of transformation. From blazing gold eyes she surveyed
her prey. Imitating a low menacing growl, she didn’t pause to ask
herself if she was ready for the hatred she read in his
eyes.
    The vampire sprang at her with gnarled
fingernails splayed in attack mode. He scratched at her face aiming
to blind her. Sonja with only seconds to react as the downward
thrust of Perkins talons drew blood. Blocking in time, she managed
to halt his advance. “What? You will not give me the chance to
shift, bloodsucker?”
    He snarled and spat near her hind
legs, exposing his yellowed teeth as fangs sprang forth to hang
menacingly over his lip. Twisting, he threw up a forearm to counter
her return blow. Dropping low under the horse’s neck, Perkins leapt
once more with ferocity. His cold, dead eyes bore into hers. With
the little magic he possessed, he tried to hypnotize
her.
    Sonja dodged the lunge. “So, you’ll
try your pitiful attempts at a spell, huh, Perkins? Hum, too bad.”
Wheeling, she balanced on her hands and raising both legs, flung
her heels squarely at his head.
    Stumbling back, he
regrouped.
    “ Come on, you bastard, come
and get me,” she growled in her wolfish tone. The sound of bones
cracking, cloth ripping and snarls surrounded the two adversaries.
She paced out of reach of Perkins’ blade until the pain of the
transformation ended. Her blood surged through her warding off the
vampire’s power, whose dark magic fizzled weakly in the werewolf’s
presence.
    With the change complete, Sonja lunged
for his throat, snarling and snapping with her displeasure. She
managed to shove him back sending him hurtling into the midst of
his men.
    Engulfed by the bodies of the agitated
cavalry mounts, Perkins growled and the ground shook. “Take her,
you fools!”
    The command set the vampires in
motion.
    Grappling with the surge of Yankee
blue charging her position, Sonja countered, blocking and in turn
ripped flesh right and left. Over the screams, came Perkins’
laughter. The sound of his sickly amusement made her blood boil. A
glimpse up showed him seated in a tall oak watching the c at
work.
    Slowly rising like a resurrected
saint, he hovered above the second wave of gnashing, wonton
vultures on horseback. With a benevolent sweep of his arms as if
bored with the whole affair, Perkins gave the order, “Seize her.”
The bloodsucking soldiers wasted no time in attacking.
    Sonja, the she-wolf struck out,
delivering blow after blow.
    The skills Ty had drilled into her
came naturally, as she struck with an attack of her own. Her small
human feet wouldn’t have been much use against the vampires’
vicious fingernails and teeth, but fur covered paws with razor
sharp talons proved more of a challenge for Perkins’ men. Striking
the first vampire she encountered across the cheek, she drew blood,
a minor flesh wound, but enough to raise the stakes. With a nearby
limb, she used all her strength as she plunged the wooden dagger
deep into his chest. His eyes vacant and brittle dropped atop the
heap of dust at her feet. The other advancing bloodsuckers