The Nightmare (The Mist Book 2)

My head spun. Of all the things my woman could have said, I never saw that one coming. My mind raced, cycling through the events of the past few hours. All the signs had been there. I’d known from the start that they wanted something from me, but this?!

I pulled away from her touch and slowly glided around the oval shape of the clearing. The intense gaze of my Naima weighed on me. As much as I loved her attention, I felt grateful for her silence while I sorted out my thoughts. Too many of them were simultaneously firing inside my head.

I had already intended to cross over. Despite my careful planning, as a newborn in that world, I would be vulnerable, exposed, without a penny to my name. I’d observed so many Transients die during their transformation due to their poor choice of location for their mortal birth, getting devoured mid-shift by Beasts or other Walkers. I’d heard tales of others dying of exposure, starvation, or insufficient energy to sustain them until they could bind their creator.

With her blessing to cross over, I wouldn’t have to deal with any of these non-negligible inconveniences. Better yet, I wouldn’t have to change who I was. I could still hunt and dominate lesser Walkers. Those Nightmares would be the ultimate prey. A true challenge at last. There was nothing more boring than hunting a Spark. In spite of the crazy abilities their creators gave them, Beasts were usually too stupid to use them in a truly terrifying and tactical way. Sentient beings were the most fun quarry, especially Nightmares. Unlike Wishes, who were usually sweet and peaceful, Nightmares and Dark Desires were predators. I already relished the sound of their cries of agony, the scent of their fear, and the taste of their ethereal essence as I gorged on their lifeforce.