Page 8 of Realm Walker's Awakening

My lower lip trembled as I waited, and waited... and waited some more.

Movement caught my eye, bringing my gaze back to our killer.

“What’s going on?” I croaked as tears stung my eyes, which only confused me more that I could produce them but couldn’t breathe. My tongue was thick, my words slow and warbled like the last time I talked.

His dark eyes narrowed more as he stopped talking and shifted his gaze around the room, then back to me. Violence still radiated from him as he stalked toward me, just as slowly as I did when I walked back here.

Snail’s pace.

“Can you hear me?” I asked him, my words warped and thick as I took a step back.

He showed no sign he could. Just kept creeping toward me with strides that were in slow-mo, intent on closing the space between us but was prevented by wherever the hell we were.

Frowning, I backed away as I quickly glanced around the room.

I intended to keep my gaze on the man who killed me, but the more I turned my attention to everything else, I couldn’t focus. I knew I was easily distracted, but wherever I was felt like a dream and things were slipping away from me, not raising any concern over things that would normally alarm anyone. Most of all, me. I mean, Jesus, the man who killed my friend and me was coming for me with a nasty gash in his throat like some graphic horror movie by Rob Zombie, and I wasn’t screaming.

What was going on? Where was I?

Ocean eyes popped into my vision, making me gasp. My eyes snapped around the room, searching for the man I needed.

“Rune?” I called, scanning the room. Barely registering my killer creeping closer. “Where’s Rune?”

Pain tightened my chest again, hurting so badly, as Rune’s face came to my mind. The way his eyes held warmth and love for me as he gazed longingly at me. His signature grin creasing lines by his eyes that I loved getting lost in so much. His dimples that begged for my kisses each time I saw them. His brown and gold hair framing his face that I loved threading my fingers through and holding at his scalp as he kissed me.

My breaths sawed in my chest as I twisted in my spot, looking for my other half.

Mybesthalf.

Brushing off my killer, I slowly left the room, walking down the hall back to the living room, searching for the love of my life.

My soulmate.

“Rune?” I cried out, whimpering at the end with how difficult it was to use my voice. It was exactly like a nightmare. Endless cotton in my mouth that I tried talking around.

I was dead... I really was dead and now alone.

He wasn’t with me.

Oh god, I didn’t want to be here! I needed him! Everything about him made me happy and set me on fire, and now that I didn’t have him, I was lost.

I was the stereotypical ghost roaming the empty hallways, searching for something. It was happening to me. It was real. I was a fucking ghost, wailing for someone.

Wailing forhim.

“Rune!” I shrieked, ending on a sob.

“You’ll return to him...”

I spun around with wide eyes, lips parted. The shadowed form of the man—angel—who took my hand as I died stood in the joined room of the dining room with the kitchen. His black wings were folded behind his back.

I couldn’t make out all that he wore, only that it was black with leather straps along his arms, holding weapons hidden by the holsters. His hood was pulled up, shadowing his face, but his ice-blue eyes still reflected in the light. He wore dark pants that were shadowed, mostly hidden by his dark cape with the hood. But what I could see was that his long legs were strapped with the same leather holding weapons. The bottom of his pants were tucked into his boots that looked heavy, with steel toes that would do some damage if he kicked someone. Each of his steps made no sound as he took two toward me.

“... as soon as you heal yourself,” he finished, his voice low and sounding bored.

I blinked, unable to look away from him as he held my gaze prisoner.

Sharp pains branched from my chest, moving out. They weren’t the echoes I’d been feeling the whole time here. It was like when I was alive and being stabbed over and over. My stomach clenched and churned as pain shot out from it, adding to the horrible sensation starting in my chest.