B005EMAYWS EBOK Read Online Free

moment he was at too much of a disadvantage.
    The night was so still that when a twig snapped, it might as well have been thunder.
    Dash swung around to face whatever was stalking him. He didn’t dare twitch a muscle.
    They watched him. The ethereal glow of their yellow eyes stabbing through the fog. Now he was the prey and the wolves the predators.
    This was it. This was his moment of truth.
    The wolves were big - larger than the wolves found in nature. Dash estimated there to be about eight of them. They were all around him, and slowly moving in. There was no place to go but up. Raising his eyes to the trees, Dash wondered if he could get off the ground before the wolves pounced.
    He could hear their growls. Soft at first, but the snarls grew louder as the seconds ticked by. The instant he left the ground, they pounced - missing him by mere inches. Dash came to rest on a tree branch that was beyond the reach of the wolves. He could not be in the tree when the sun rose. The vampire was supposed to be immune on this side of the portal, but how could he chance it? He would just as soon acclimate slowly so there would be no real danger.
    From his vantage point, Dash watched as the wolves began to shift, their bodies twisting as they took the form of men. It would have been the best time for him to ascent into the air and disappear. Instead he sat there, transfixed by the image of these beings moving from one form of existence to another.
    The eight men stood around the tree, their eyes glowing with rage. The physique of the wolves was magnificent. They were a mass of sinewy muscle, covered by sleek skin. Dash could not help but be envious. The vampire was beautiful, but the wolves were magnificent specimens of nature. The Sungmanitu were one with nature.
    Dash came to his senses and began to lift off of the branch, but before he could get any speed, he felt a sharp sting in his leg. For the first time since turning, he lost control of his body, and then there was only oblivion.
    * * *
    When Summer heard the pounding on her car window, her first instinct had been to jump to the other side of the car and flee out the passenger door. It took a moment for her to see through her terror, and realize it was Anton knocking at the window.
    She sighed with relief.
    “Are you okay,” he asked loudly.
    Summer nodded.
    “Well can I talk to you?”
    Unlocking the doors, Summer motioned for him to get in. Anton walked around to the other side of the car and opened the door. It was almost comical to watch someone of his stature try and fit into her tiny car.
    “You going to make it?” she asked, trying not to smile.
    “Yes … it is a tight fit though,” he commented. Anton squeezed in and shut the door. His long legs were practically pulled up against his body so that he could fit.
    “Did you need a ride somewhere? Where are you staying?”
    “The Desert Skies Motel. It’s not far from your apartment.”
    Summer looked at him questioningly.
    “Your father told me where you lived. I’m not stalking you,” he assured her.
    “Okay … buckle up.” She started the car and backed out of her parking place. A moment later they were on Virginia Street and headed toward her apartment. Summer didn’t live far from the University. A mile from her apartment was the motel where Anton was staying.
    Desert Skies was somewhat of a joke among the students. Everyone knew that a few of the professors practically owned rooms at that motel. At least that’s what everyone believed. If Summer was seen at the motel, she’d get teased for sure. In reality, she didn’t know anyone that had gotten a good grade this way, so she figured it was probably more of a tall tale than anything.
    Curious, she asked, “How did you get to the casino?”
    “I drove.”
    Perplexed, Summer slowed the car. “Why did you need a ride then? Do you want me to take you back to your car?”
    Anton waved the suggestion aside. “I wanted time for us to talk … away from