Chapter 2

Danyun Hreadhyl Vandamere scrutinized the woman in front of him.

Is it possible? Was she truly the missing Freydian princess?

She resembled many of the women from the house of Altraias. Her head reached the middle of his chest. Even her coloring ran similar to theirs. She was dark, like the ecru sands of the Carian Mountains. He found her manner of dress was reminiscent of what the women of his world wore every day.

The short sleeves of her shirt allowed him a view of her smooth skin. His eyes traveled over her chest and caught sight of her nipples through the thin top. His body hardened in reaction to what he saw. The thin material of her long skirt hid nothing. He glimpsed at slim legs, imagined how they would feel wrapped around his waist.

For some reason, something about her called to him. He ached to brush the back of his hand along the smooth skin of her arm, to comb his fingers through her short curly black hair. He wondered if they were as soft as the strands appeared.

His attraction for the short hairstyle surprised him. Women from his world allowed their hair to grow past their waist. His people considered long locks a sign of great power and position.

If this woman was a Freydian, her family would not approve of her appearance.

Her family’s opinion shouldn’t concern him. Finding and destroying the demon should take precedence over his every thought.

His muscles clenched, alerting him to a disturbance in the air. Something foul and putrid surrounded him. He recognized the scent.

A demon.

A powerful one.

And, it was nearby.

Danyun’s palm prickled. With a single thought, his sword materialized in his hand.

The witch next to him screamed. He ignored her. Instead, his eyes panned the room, checking for signs of a hovering shadow. Nothing stirred in any of the corners of the room. Pots and pans hung on some sort of metal contraption, suspended from the ceiling. Traces of residual heat surrounded the box shaped block underneath the pans. Four chairs circled a round table with a floral covered tablecloth. The unusual fixtures of the room called upon him to draw a comparison with the eating chambers from his world, but he ignored this interest. Danger still lurked in the air, leaving it with a subtle smokey smell.

He refused to allow this new threat to live. Once he killed the evil spirit of this realm, he would pursue the Gauldor and destroyed it.

Danyun glanced over the woman’s shoulder, through the gap between the door and the frame, but he couldn’t pinpoint the demon’s location.

“What? How did you do that?” The woman’s voice trembled. He glanced at her to see her eyes wide on the glowing sword. Fear clouded their depth, but they did nothing to move him.

“Quiet,” he snapped. “It is here.”

“Are you going to hurt me?” Her voice trembled on every word.

Disgusted by the woman’s obvious terror, Danyun grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. “You are useless,” he breathed into her face, “I have no need to kill you. I need you to send me home. So… quiet.” He told himself that he protected the witch for only one reason, she was probably the only conjurer in this realm who had the ability to send him home.

Danyun released her and focused his attention to pacing the room.

As always, hunter, you’ve failed.

The words whispered in his mind. Danyun halted.

Thank your witch for me. She brought me to a new world, a place where I can feed to my darkest content.

Danyun’s muscles twitched. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his weapon.

This planet is filled with so many souls, so many energies, and so many depravities. I’m going to enjoy it here.

Danyun circled around the witch. He placed his body in front of hers, placing himself as her shield. After all, this woman was his only key to returning home. “I won’t allow you to roam free. I will destroy you.”

“I thought you said you wouldn’t hurt me?” the woman whispered behind him.

“Quiet,” he commanded under his breath.

Maybe, I’ll eat your witch first.

Fury hit Danyun. There was no question; the Gauldor would die a slow and painful death if he dared harm this witch.

He slowed his inhalations and exhalations. The room lay shadowed. The Gauldor usually reigned in the shadows. He scanned the darkness once again for any sign of the demon’s whereabouts, but there was nothing to reveal its hiding place.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw her run for the door. He grunted as he gave chase. The second she reached the door he snatched her elbow.

She tugged her arm hard against his hold. “Let go of me, you sicko!”

“I won’t let you go until you send me home.”

“You’re crazy!” She kicked his knee, used her fingers to pry his from her. “If you don’t let me go, I’m going to scream. My neighbors will call the police.”

“Involve anyone and they will die.”

That quieted her, but still she glanced at the door, several feet away from them. She looked at him again, and he felt her shiver.

Sorcerers are so unpredictable. I’m sorry I can’t stay here to watch this delightful play, but a bountiful feast awaits me.

A strong wind blew around Danyun and the woman. But it wasn’t an ordinary wind. A white puff of smoke, with a monstrous face, flew past them to disappear through the wall.

“Oh, shit!” The woman wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight. “What the hell was that?”

“That 'witch' was a Pythos demon.”

“But…demons don’t exist.”

Danyun reached for her arms and pulled them off him. “Don’t they?” Now more than ever, the urgency to find the creature increased. If he didn’t find it soon, it would infest this world with evil and pain.

And, the witch would be the one to lead him to the demon. “You have to find it.”

“What?”

He sighed in disgust. Why did the gods give him this task? Why was he stuck with this inept witch? “You are the one who has the power to find it.”

“No way.” She shook her head in a quick, repetitive motion. “I’m not involving myself in this. No wonder I keep having night terrors. This is just one of my dreams. Soon, I’ll be waking up screaming.”

“This is not a dream. And if you don’t do something to find the demon, your world will become a nightmare.”

She turned away from him. “I’m not going to listen to you. You’re not real.”

Danyun didn’t have time to debate with her. He dragged her to the window. If she refused to be reasonable, then he would just have to enlighten her.

“What are you doing?” she shouted.

Instead of answering her, he walked through the window.