Read Online Between Dusk and Dawn by Lynn Emery - Free Book Online Page B

dressing. In minutes she found the large hunting
knife one of her male ancestors had used in the early eighteenth
century. She clipped the leather sheaf that held it to her waist
and walked down the hallway to her the back door leading to her
porch. She unlocked the door, and the sound of the metal caused the
scratching to cease.
    LaShaun opened the wood door, then
pushed through the screen door to step onto the porch. The soft
glow from the tall security light reached the back yard, but only
partially. Most of it was left in darkness, which LaShaun
preferred. She scanned the quarter acre neatly mown lawn. Then she
looked at the denser indigo blue where her woods began. Something
in the distance moved; an outline different from the tree trunks
and shrubs. LaShaun walked across the porch and down the steps
toward the shape. It moved away. The thing wanted to put distance
between them. Waves of apprehension and shame brushed across her
senses like an unworldly breeze. LaShaun focused on sending a
message of reassurance, of calm, to the thing. Instead it cringed
even farther into itself. Then a sharp metallic taste flooded the
back of her throat. A warning. She snapped back to her surroundings
too late. Something hard slammed into her from the left and LaShaun
hit the ground. She rolled onto her back as the man, or something
crouched over her. Loud breathing above sounded like a cross
between a human and an animal. The thing’s fetid breath caused
LaShaun to choke on bile rising in her throat. Whatever she faced
had been feeding.
    LaShaun made whimpering sounds to
simulate being in fear. The being let out a low growl as if
pleased. A yelp from the woods caused the head to whip toward the
sound. LaShaun drew her knife from the leather case and slashed at
where she thought the legs would be. The shrill scream of pain sent
chills up her spine. Suddenly the shadow over her vanished, and the
scream faded as it ran for the cover of her forest. LaShaun
scrambled to her feet and whirled around to check all sides for
more danger. Her senses told her they were gone. Finally she let
out the breath she was holding with a long sigh. LaShaun backed her
way up the steps, across her porch and through the kitchen door.
She slammed it harder than necessary and snapped the metal
locks.
    Her whole body ached from the impact
as she walked on shaky legs to her kitchen. Only the soft light of
the oven hood glowed, so LaShaun turned on the fluorescent lights
set in the ceiling. She looked down, but found no scratches on her
skin or rips in her clothing. Then she looked at the antique silver
knife, wondering why she’d chosen to pick it up in the first place.
A thick deep red liquid oozed on the blade. After a few seconds it
sizzled as if the metal held heat. The liquid turned to ashes.
LaShaun found brown paper used to wrap meat for the freezer. She
tapped the ashes onto it though not sure why. Folding the paper
carefully, LaShaun went into her small parlor. She found one of
seven old family books, each bound in soft leather. Selecting the
one she thought would be most helpful, LaShaun spent the rest of
the night reading.
     
     

Chapter 5
     
     
    The musical chiming in her dreams
sounded familiar. LaShaun shifted position without opening her
eyes, and wondered why the rabbit she was watching suddenly played
a flute. Then she snapped awake. She lay stretched out on the small
sofa in the entertainment nook off her kitchen. The forty-six inch
flat screen television showed the local morning newscast, but the
sound was muted. The book she’d been reading lay face down on the
braided rug in front of the sofa. LaShaun looked at the digital
clock display on the televisions screen. Six forty-five. When the
doorbell chimed again she pushed herself upright, stretched and
went to the back door. Chase looked as sleepy as she felt. She let
him in.
    “ Good morning.” LaShaun
yawned as Chase kissed her cheek. “You’re off to work
early.”
    “ Good morning