A Neophyte's Tale: A Netherwalker Short Story (Prequel to Cloak of Shadows) Read online
Page 5
Shadow Hunting
New York ~ Present Day
“Krims!” Bane roared, stirring the rest of the hunters into action. The five man team charged down the hot steamy desolate subway line after the two fleeing creatures.
Abigail Thorne could barely make out their slick black skin against the moist dark walls of the tunnel, but she could see they had taken the form of feline-type creatures. Swift, massive, and designed to kill, there was no denying what they were; krimvigars from the Netherworld. There was also no mistaking these netherwalkers for panthers one might find at the zoo, not with the frosty breath that came from their mouths and nostrils. Where there should have been eyes reflecting her flashlight, there was nothing but smooth black skin that seemed to absorb the light. These otherworldly creatures were also running along the dampened ceiling, their talons digging into and spewing bits of the crumbling underground tunnel as they fled their natural enemies. By their running carriage, she instinctively knew they would split up. Sure enough, the large main tunnel divided in two and the netherwalkers each took a separate corridor.
Bane barked orders from behind them. “Kapoi, Daniels take the krim to the right! Reese, Thorne go left!”
Lourdes Reese entered the left tunnel first but slowed to let Abbey take the lead. This was, after all, the young girl’s hunt to test her mettle.
Abbey didn’t hesitate. Relying on her instincts and training she sprinted down the dimly lit tunnel at almost inhuman speed, closing the gap between hunter and prey. The creature slowed and turned, baring its mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Drops of spittle fell from its fangs and shattered on the ground as ice. Its smooth muscular skin rippled as it absorbed the surrounding light like the intake of power. The temperature around the krim cooled thirty degrees. Abbey charged her weapon and aimed it at the creature as cold sweat ran down her spine. The netherwalker dug in its back talons and leapt for her. Then, time seemed to slow. Abbey could hear her own heart pounding in her ears. She steadied her breath and squeezed the trigger. A metallic boom burst from her weapon that resembled a mini cannon and a sliver of white laser light exited the chamber. The beast fell at her feet, motionless.
Without skipping a beat, Abbey holstered her weapon and brought her hands to her mouth. She knew she only had seconds before the stunned netherwalker woke. Nausea threatened to overwhelm her as she whispered her word against each of the mated cold steel rings on her thumbs. Palms together she slowly pulled her hands apart to reveal an orb of translucent violet light, pulsating and sparking from the energy it bound within. The orb hummed and popped as she let it grow. Lowering herself precariously close to the creature, the orb instinctively floated down, and, growing larger still, it engulfed the krimvigar’s body. Fingers of lightning snapped like whips, lashing out from the surface of the orb, but Abbey didn’t falter and never let go.
Suddenly, another creature’s roar echoed through the adjacent tunnel followed by an adolescent human’s moan.
Abbey’s head whipped around to her mentor.
Lourdie shook her head and spoke in an insistent whisper, “Don’t you even think about it, Thorne. Focus.”
Abbey reluctantly turned back to her own battle and concentrated her energy on her orb. With a final bit of effort and a burst of other worldly power, the orb imploded taking the Netherworld creature with it. Exhausted, Abbey let out her breath and sucked thick frigid air deep into her burning lungs. As she shook off the effects of her orb creation, she could have sworn a scream of pain filled the underground structure. Oh my gosh. Malcolm!
†††
A Note from the Author
CK Dawn: “Ouch! Abbey what was that for?”
Abbey Thorne: (Whispers in CK’s ear.)
CK Dawn: (Smiles down at the pint size powerhouse.) “Okay, kid. Go for
it. You’ve earned it.”
Hey there peeps,
Abbey Thorne coming at you live and alive in the NYC!
I totally don’t like people to worry about me (and give me that look) so I just wanted to let you know that I’m okay. Better than okay actually and Oh Emmm Gee you won’t believe all that has been happening! Dude, there’s a whole other world out there!
CK says thanks for coming on this adventure with us and we both hope you’ll come join us in Cloak of Shadows, Book One of the Netherwalker Series. Dude! You have no idea what’s coming next! See you there!
Laterz & luv ya,
Abbey Thorne
P.S. Oh yeah! Here’s where you can find us!
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Google+ ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Tumblr
†
Books
by CK Dawn
†
A Neophyte’s Tale,
An Abbey Thorne Short Story
(PREQUEL, The Netherwalker Series)
Cloak of Shadows
(BOOK ONE, The Netherwalker Series)
Cloak of Secrets *Fall 2015
(BOOK TWO, The Netherwalker Series)
Veil of Light *2016
(BOOK THREE, The Netherwalker Series)
*projected release
Acknowledgments
Cover Design: Holt Haley –Walker
https://holthaleywalker.com/
https://www.facebook.com/holtgraphicdesign?fref=ts
Editor: Joseph Howe
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/joseph-howe/5/903/102
Sending out a great big thank you to all my Cloaked Crusaders, friends/family, beta readers, and fellow Indie authors. Your support and encouragement means the world to me. I love you all & I love Indie Books Be Seen!
If you enjoyed this little intro into the Netherwalker world and want more, come join the Cloaked Crusaders. We’d love to have you!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thecloakedcrusaders/
#IndieBooksBeSeen
It’s not just a hashtag. It’s a movement. https://www.indiebooksbeseen.com/#/
Check out some of the great reads by my fellow Indies:
Keeper of the Wind by Mark Shaw
The Summer Solstice: Enchanted by K.K. Allen
SEED: Keepers of Genesis by D.B. Neilson
A Fine Line: The Beginning by JC Brennon
Renaria: Into the Adyton by J.L. Wilson
The Crown of Stones: Magic-Price by C.L. Schneider
The Shadow Rises (Witch-Hunter Book 1) by K.S. Marsden
Once Upon a Western Way by Markie Madden
Soul Journey: Soul Series Book 1 by Miranda Shanklin
Deceived (Soul Keeper Series Book 1) by L.A. Starkey
Atomic Aardvark by Ryan Guy
Thank you for reading books on Archive.BookFrom.Net
Share this book with friends
New York ~ Present Day
“Krims!” Bane roared, stirring the rest of the hunters into action. The five man team charged down the hot steamy desolate subway line after the two fleeing creatures.
Abigail Thorne could barely make out their slick black skin against the moist dark walls of the tunnel, but she could see they had taken the form of feline-type creatures. Swift, massive, and designed to kill, there was no denying what they were; krimvigars from the Netherworld. There was also no mistaking these netherwalkers for panthers one might find at the zoo, not with the frosty breath that came from their mouths and nostrils. Where there should have been eyes reflecting her flashlight, there was nothing but smooth black skin that seemed to absorb the light. These otherworldly creatures were also running along the dampened ceiling, their talons digging into and spewing bits of the crumbling underground tunnel as they fled their natural enemies. By their running carriage, she instinctively knew they would split up. Sure enough, the large main tunnel divided in two and the netherwalkers each took a separate corridor.
Bane barked orders from behind them. “Kapoi, Daniels take the krim to the right! Reese, Thorne go left!”
Lourdes Reese entered the left tunnel first but slowed to let Abbey take the lead. This was, after all, the young girl’s hunt to test her mettle.
Abbey didn’t hesitate. Relying on her instincts and training she sprinted down the dimly lit tunnel at almost inhuman speed, closing the gap between hunter and prey. The creature slowed and turned, baring its mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Drops of spittle fell from its fangs and shattered on the ground as ice. Its smooth muscular skin rippled as it absorbed the surrounding light like the intake of power. The temperature around the krim cooled thirty degrees. Abbey charged her weapon and aimed it at the creature as cold sweat ran down her spine. The netherwalker dug in its back talons and leapt for her. Then, time seemed to slow. Abbey could hear her own heart pounding in her ears. She steadied her breath and squeezed the trigger. A metallic boom burst from her weapon that resembled a mini cannon and a sliver of white laser light exited the chamber. The beast fell at her feet, motionless.
Without skipping a beat, Abbey holstered her weapon and brought her hands to her mouth. She knew she only had seconds before the stunned netherwalker woke. Nausea threatened to overwhelm her as she whispered her word against each of the mated cold steel rings on her thumbs. Palms together she slowly pulled her hands apart to reveal an orb of translucent violet light, pulsating and sparking from the energy it bound within. The orb hummed and popped as she let it grow. Lowering herself precariously close to the creature, the orb instinctively floated down, and, growing larger still, it engulfed the krimvigar’s body. Fingers of lightning snapped like whips, lashing out from the surface of the orb, but Abbey didn’t falter and never let go.
Suddenly, another creature’s roar echoed through the adjacent tunnel followed by an adolescent human’s moan.
Abbey’s head whipped around to her mentor.
Lourdie shook her head and spoke in an insistent whisper, “Don’t you even think about it, Thorne. Focus.”
Abbey reluctantly turned back to her own battle and concentrated her energy on her orb. With a final bit of effort and a burst of other worldly power, the orb imploded taking the Netherworld creature with it. Exhausted, Abbey let out her breath and sucked thick frigid air deep into her burning lungs. As she shook off the effects of her orb creation, she could have sworn a scream of pain filled the underground structure. Oh my gosh. Malcolm!
†††
A Note from the Author
CK Dawn: “Ouch! Abbey what was that for?”
Abbey Thorne: (Whispers in CK’s ear.)
CK Dawn: (Smiles down at the pint size powerhouse.) “Okay, kid. Go for
it. You’ve earned it.”
Hey there peeps,
Abbey Thorne coming at you live and alive in the NYC!
I totally don’t like people to worry about me (and give me that look) so I just wanted to let you know that I’m okay. Better than okay actually and Oh Emmm Gee you won’t believe all that has been happening! Dude, there’s a whole other world out there!
CK says thanks for coming on this adventure with us and we both hope you’ll come join us in Cloak of Shadows, Book One of the Netherwalker Series. Dude! You have no idea what’s coming next! See you there!
Laterz & luv ya,
Abbey Thorne
P.S. Oh yeah! Here’s where you can find us!
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Google+ ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Tumblr
†
Books
by CK Dawn
†
A Neophyte’s Tale,
An Abbey Thorne Short Story
(PREQUEL, The Netherwalker Series)
Cloak of Shadows
(BOOK ONE, The Netherwalker Series)
Cloak of Secrets *Fall 2015
(BOOK TWO, The Netherwalker Series)
Veil of Light *2016
(BOOK THREE, The Netherwalker Series)
*projected release
Acknowledgments
Cover Design: Holt Haley –Walker
https://holthaleywalker.com/
https://www.facebook.com/holtgraphicdesign?fref=ts
Editor: Joseph Howe
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/joseph-howe/5/903/102
Sending out a great big thank you to all my Cloaked Crusaders, friends/family, beta readers, and fellow Indie authors. Your support and encouragement means the world to me. I love you all & I love Indie Books Be Seen!
If you enjoyed this little intro into the Netherwalker world and want more, come join the Cloaked Crusaders. We’d love to have you!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thecloakedcrusaders/
#IndieBooksBeSeen
It’s not just a hashtag. It’s a movement. https://www.indiebooksbeseen.com/#/
Check out some of the great reads by my fellow Indies:
Keeper of the Wind by Mark Shaw
The Summer Solstice: Enchanted by K.K. Allen
SEED: Keepers of Genesis by D.B. Neilson
A Fine Line: The Beginning by JC Brennon
Renaria: Into the Adyton by J.L. Wilson
The Crown of Stones: Magic-Price by C.L. Schneider
The Shadow Rises (Witch-Hunter Book 1) by K.S. Marsden
Once Upon a Western Way by Markie Madden
Soul Journey: Soul Series Book 1 by Miranda Shanklin
Deceived (Soul Keeper Series Book 1) by L.A. Starkey
Atomic Aardvark by Ryan Guy
Thank you for reading books on Archive.BookFrom.Net
Share this book with friends
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