Read Online Dusk Territories: Always Burning by Deston Munden - Free Book Online

the ground, seeing nothing of what struck him at first. A weight of two-hundred or more pounds pressed itself on his chest, more than enough to crush the gun into lump of metal in his hand. The blue-furred monster bellowed, drooling globs of saliva on his chest. It was some sort of cat, none li ke he had ever encountered in his life. And, it was under the Beastmaster’s control.
    “I don’t know what you are and what this was. But it’s over. Goodbye, Mister Dragur. Thanks for dwindling the idiocy of our clan. Kill him, Dagon.”
    In a fuzzy mind, all Graham saw were the teeth of the monster biting down.
     

 
    4
    Cold-Snap
    “Remove wild emotions; put them in a box until after the battle is over.”
     
    “You make your largest mistakes in fear, gentlemen. Never forget that!”
    Graham never forgot what Gunnery Sgt. James Rudolph said and never would. That was why he could stare at Dagon in its black eyes with no fear, making no hasty movements. Even peering into the glossy white fangs of the beast as it descended, he made no mistake. With just a tilt of his head, the beast’s jaws slammed into the ground where his head once was, causing a small crater in the ground. Dust and chips of dirt of showered the side of his face as the beast back pedaled from the sudden movement. It and its master stood shocked, both reeling from the impact.
    “Dagon!” Beastmaster cried out. “Kill him !”
    The order was the same, but much louder, much more panicked than before. Dagon tried again, this time with its claws. And again, Graham moved his body at the right times. It wasn’t completely reaction time. No. It was a deep set discipline, training under the right conditions. The beast tried viciously to cause mortal wounds, but was rewarded with superficial ones instead. Scrapes here and there lined Graham’s upper shoulders, and even a long slash down the bridge of his nose. No matter what, Graham still drew breath. Frustration of the master seeped into Dagon’s mind, and Graham gave a cold stare. “ The beast is completely under the man’s control. Its emotions are his. That’s why—“ Graham dodged another claw. “ That’s why I can dodge them like I would a human. He doesn’t trust the instincts of the animal.”
    That brought a smile to the soldier’s face. “You’re a pathetic fucker,” he said aloud, as calm as a breeze.
    He didn’t even need to see Beastmaster’s face to know that he was livid. Under the façade of coolness, Beastmaster had a temper. He was as much of an animal as his beast. Outside of battle, he moved majestically, walking through his own personal savanna as the king because he was the predator. But as soon as the tables turned he would grow angry and fierce. Graham heard this in the way his animal growled. Dagon let out a powerful roar before bending back for a strong swipe. That was a mistake and Graham wasn’t about to let the opportunity slip.
    Graham slammed his right knee into the beast’s rib cage, earning a crunch of a rib. Dagon doubled back in pain, blood oozing out the creature’s mouth, and whining pitifully like a small house cat. It rolled to its feet, taking some more steps back, trotting in almost disbelief. That gave Graham time, time to slip from underneath the creature’s weight, and jump back to his feet. Now, he could see Beastmaster boiling from a safe distance. “ Is there something wrong, bitch?” he asked, mockingly.
    Graham, hunched over and staring at Beastmaster with those pale eyes, must have been a fearful sight even for a cannibal. Dark red, deoxygenated blood stained his decayed skin. He remained upright. He balled his fingers into a fist, showing the bone of his index finger. Graham had every intention of punching this man in the face, not just once or twice, but repeatedly. Having a hostage was one thing, eating flesh for the innocent that was a cardinal sin. Where else could a man go after that?
    “Why aren’t you dead yet?” Beastmaster