In A World of My Own - Book One

12. Never Easy

I tilt my head in surprise. It's like Vyndren and his animal soul spirit.

The bloodhound snarls, saliva drips from its jowls, and it takes a step closer towards me. I whimper and back up, fear gripping me as it steadily moves closer.

A monstrous howl suddenly erupts through the still air just behind me and, on instinct it seems, I duck down in a crouch just a heartbeat before an impossibly huge black wolf sails over my head and slams into the bloodhound. The impact makes the ground and trees shake. 

I look up in disbelief. I know this big bad wolf. It's Vyndren's. 

His wolf picks the huge bloodhound off the ground by the throat and slams it back into the soil, another ground quake vibrates everything, but the other canine manages to land a clobbering blow to the wolf's temple, the wolf snarls as it staggers back.

Laughter interrupts the sounds of the vicious dog fight; I whirl around to see a Dark Rider. But it's not Vyndren. He is wearing the same black leather Rider uniform that Vyndren wears, except his is complete with the cloak, neck-wrap, and the black stone facemask, he even has the woven-in whips and throwing stars lining the sides of his boots. He isn't wearing the huge gauntlets though and doesn't have the extra two swords strapped to his back. Those must just be a Vyndren thing. 

"This is fun," the Rider says gruffly and crosses his arms, watching the huge dogs throw each other around. "Battle of willpower," his flickering, flaming eyes land on me. "Now who are you?" It sounds like he already knows but when he moves closer I quickly back up.

"Stay away from me," I look around for the best escape route.

"You're the Alice, aren't you, my dear?" He holds out his hand. "How...perfect." Now his hand curls into a fist. "Now come with me, dearie, we have places we need to be," he gestures at the woods around us.

I shake my head, I don't care if Dark Riders are supposed to protect the Alice, I don't trust this guy! Every word he speaks is laced with venom and promises a threat. My instincts are just urging me to get away from him. "No, leave me alone!" I keep backing up. "I'm not going anywhere but back home," I announce.

"Of course, of course." He purrs and darkness begins to surround me, blocking everything from view. My heels bumps into a root and I nearly trip. "And that's where I'm taking you, my Alice, to your home at the Royal Palace." He holds out his gloved hands to me. "Now I am a bit surprised that I'm the first Dark Rider to find you," I look around frantically for an escape but it's like the dead of night all around me. "But of course," he nods at the monster canines fighting as he keeps coming closer. I back into a tree and stand frozen in place with fear. "It looks like another Dark Rider almost made it," he chuckles darkly, his hands are just about to grab my arms.

"Don't touch her," Vyndren's deep voice cuts through the darkness. "She's with me."

The other Dark Rider looks around. "Is that who I think it is?" He gives a coarse laugh. "Son of a scruv, I haven't seen His Highness since forever. How is the mighty Blood Prince?"

The darkness is dragged away from me and I see Vyndren standing beside me, all the darkness of night that had been trapping me flies into his palms, whisking the blinding night away. I feel relieved to see him again. I think. I look over at the dogs who still fight violently, maybe even more so now than before.

"Hey," the Dark Rider sounds about as surprised as they get when he sees Vyndren for the first time. "You are not wearing your mask..." He shakes his head and tsk, tsk's at Vyndren. "However do you control the Thirst, my lord?" He says 'the thirst' as if it burns his throat and he dramatically holds his gloved hands against his neck wrap.