laura-kreitzer

An ear-splitting screech pierced the silence, followed by another, striking his ears like metal against a hollow bell. The woosh woosh of wind being displaced brought Andrew__ attention skyward, and a glacial gust of paralyzing terror raced up his spine. The creature opened its mouth, and a blazing shaft of fire bellowed from above. Andrew barely had enough time to back beneath an awning for protection. Egnatious and Sebastian dove to the side while Firen sidestepped her impending doom, raising the katana in challenge.The screeching returned, except now the howls were coming from every direction.Firen__ chest heaved. __id you see that?_ she asked, her stormy eyes glinting with rapture and daring as she held her katana out, preparing for the next attack.__id I see the dragon?_ Sebastian asked, hysteria dangerously rising to the surface. He stood and brushed himself off. __es, I bloody well did see that enormous, scaly, fire-breathing dragon.

Where are you taking me?_ Andrew demanded, whirling on the Ferryman. His muscles tensed, hands curling in and out of fists.__o my master._ The voice was ghostly, whispers of black ash and death, words cold and detached.He had an idea who that was but asked anyway: __nd who is your master?__o answer came.Andrew__ insatiable rage rose up and swallowed his grief like a yawning ocean mouth, the darkest depths surging to the surface to form a mighty tidal wave. He closed the distance and seized the Ferryman__ gaunt wrist. There was no substance, no life beneath the cloak. The Ferryman slowly turned his hooded head, and Andrew found himself looking into the black hole of a self-contained night. The olfactory of decay was a punch in the face. Andrew released the Ferryman__ wrist and hastily stepped back, rocking the boat as he put distance between him and the unnatural wind spilling from the gaping orifice. Andrew shivered, the tiny hairs on his neck saluting. The cloaked head faced forward again, and the wind died away.

The Ferryman will transport us across the moat,_ Chris informed. __eah. This seems legit,_ Gabriella quipped as Chris helped her onto the boat. Andrew followed behind.__re you sure this isn__ a trick?_ Egnatious asked.Again, uncertainty filtered into Chris__ blue eyes, but he nodded anyway. __his is the only way.

He strained his ears, and the darkness felt heavier than before. Oppressive.__e__e hungry._ That came from behind him.__hey smell tasty,_ a voice to his left hissed.__ don__ like this,_ Andrew said, feeling like the world around them was spinning with voices, taunting, echoing them.__ don__ like this,_ a voice parroted. __ don__ like this. I don__ like this. I don__ like this.

Mmm._ Sebastian moaned. __t__ so delicious._ He laughed then. __t__ not the Poisonous Desert; it__ the Oreo Desert._ He scooped up handfuls of dirt and stones and funneled it into his mouth. He licked his palms, his teeth grinding against rock.__id the plant scramble his brains?_ Firen asked, her lips twitching just a smidgen.__he plant__ poison makes you delusional,_ Gabriella informed as Egnatious and Firen yanked Sebastian to his feet. __e__l probably be a bit Looneyville for a while.

I think I found your vampire,_ Andrew said, except this time he wasn__ so amused.However, Gabriella was, her smile huge as she laughed, the sound a trill in the densely packed cold air.__ou think this is funny?_ The words came out surly, but Andrew couldn__ stop his lips from twitching over her amusement.__ thought they__ be bigger,_ she said, stifling another round of giggles. __re you okay?___ust a flesh wound.

What are you doing?_ Egnatious asked, eyebrows furrowed as he watched Gabriella do a flip.Firen mimicked Gabriella and turned to Egnatious. __un times. Go with it._ She didn__ even crack a smile, though her body language said she was laughing on the inside.Instead of following their act, Egnatious simply dove for an outcrop just as it began moving away. He nearly lost his balance, but Firen caught his flailing arms.__re you having a seizure or something?_ she jested, displaying a rare vein of humor.Egnatious sent her a queasy glare.

Burn wounds always elicited pain more terrible than anything else he had ever endured. He didn__ relish the idea of forcing himself to suffer through such agony. But it was necessary. Earth depended on them taking possession of the key. __t__ the only way out,_ Andrew reminded him.__ understand that, but____he trials we have faced thus far have been minimal,_ Andrew said, cutting off Sebastian__ retort. __hat we seek is the key to the universe. You didn__ expect it to be easy, did you?

What would you suggest?_ one of the Italian officials asked.__e do have a highly-advanced biological device called the Illuminator,_ Joseph chimed in

So if I asked you to wear my skirt and juggle my high heels, you would?_ I joked.I could only see Andrew's face in profile, but a grin overtook his earlier grim expression, and he laughed. __ draw the line at wearing women__ clothing.___re you sure?_ I whispered seductively, nibbling on his earlobe.__hat__ cheating,_ he said, his breath hitching.I kissed down his neck. __f all else fails, I__l never rule out using my womanly wiles.___ refuse to be used as a pawn by my devious lover,_ he countered, grinning.I abruptly pulled away from him. __h, well, it never hurts to try.

Firen didn__ waste any time setting up the meeting with Egnatious. The following day she was in such a rush to tell me about it that she burst into my room without knocking and found Andrew and me in an intimate and compromising position reminiscent of the game Twister. Also, I cannot confirm or deny if there was food involved. Let__ just say I toppled over in embarrassment, taking Andrew down with me in a great heap. Firen didn__ fare any better, as she nearly knocked herself out when she ran into the doorframe in an attempt to escape. We were both scarred for life, especially after Firen apologized for walking in on our __aked fun time,_ which was apparently what Joseph called it. There were some things people should never know, and that was one of them.

I__ not above using unsavory beings to kick the Gods_ asses, but the Phantoms are too unpredictable for my taste,_ I said.

We want to fight.___nd I want J.K. Rowling to keep writing in the Potterverse, but I know that__ never going to happen,_ I said blithely.

I suggest you leave now, or you__l be tied down and gagged until the end of this meeting.___ie us down?___nd gag you,_ Joseph cheerfully reminded them.

Gabby,_ Jenna cried. __t__ so horrible. I can__ believe this happened.___enna,_ I said in a soothing voice, ____ alive and okay. No worries.__he sniffled into the phone. __o, it__ not that.__ waited a beat. __hat?___he bridesmaid dresses are all wrong!_ she wailed.__ait a second,_ I said. __ou aren__ upset over my being dead for four days?___ knew you__ be fine,_ she explained, brushing off the subject. __ut these dresses? I don__ know what to do. They__e the wrong color, and they__e hideous!_ She went into a hysterical fit of tears.

It took me several minutes to persuade myself to watch the news. During which time I gave myself a stern talking to. That turned into me considering a local pub that would be the perfect place to drown my sorrows in a barrel of tequila, though after much introspection, I scratched the idea just to avoid needless drunken embarrassment. Then, admittedly, I contemplated pouncing Andrew for another steamy romp session. Despite its proven potency to assuage stress and tension, I decided now was not the time to indulge in explosive sexcapades.

We need the Fallen Legion,_ I said without preamble, trying to catch my breath after running after her.__nd I need an evil-proof bubble to put Jules in,_ Firen said dryly.__hat__l teach me to start off a conversation with a demand,_ I grumbled.

He holds her with the strength of a million-man army, but with all the tenderness of her heart lying naked in the palms of his hands.