Immortal Dreams by Chrissy Peebles Page A

daylight, but between the rain and the shadows cast by the thick, leafy limbs of the forest giants, it's dark as night.
    The wind whistles through a hollow log beside us, and Frankie evaporates only to reappear several yards in front of me.
    "Really?" I scold in a whisper.
    He shrugs and starts walking again until howling erupts from the far north, making Frankie evaporate once more only to reappear in a tree.
    "I'm supposed to be the one who's scared," I grumble under my breath.
    "Sorry," he murmurs as he reappears at my side.
    "No more evaporating just because the wind rustles too loudly."
    "Fine," he huffs, his body tensing as we slowly make our way through.
    "If you want to evaporate so badly, then do it and grab Mom."
    "You know it doesn't work that way.  I can only travel short distances, and I have to see where I'm going and what I'm doing.  If I could just pop in where she's at, I would have already done it.  Not to mention, it'd make traveling a lot easier."
    "I was being sarcastic," I mumble.
    "Oh."
    We continue walking in silence, making sure to investigate every shadowy form we see.  Suddenly, a large, white bird, resembling a hawk, shoots free from a tree and rushes by us, making Frankie squeal and evaporate simultaneously.
    Unbelievable.
    I walk up just as he reappears, panting for air with his hands on his knees.
    "That's it.  Hand over your man-card.  I'm having it revoked."
    He straightens up, adjusting his shirt, and then scowls at me.
    "I've been around a lot longer than you, meaning I've heard more horror stories about these woods than you."
    "Meaning you've lost your balls along the way," I add, mocking him further.
    He glares at me, but he doesn't come back with anything else as we continue on, warily checking over our shoulders with each step.
    "How far until we reach their holy ground?" I ask, swallowing when I feel a chill in the air.
    "At this pace?  Three days."
    I groan inwardly, and then I pull out a bottle of water from my pack.  The only way to get there is on foot, and since I can't evaporate around the woods, this is going to be one hell of a three day trip.
    Hours pass, leaving me exhausted and Frankie so tense that he's stiff as a board.  I shiver as night really does descend, making me realize how much darker these woods can get.  Frankie collapses to the ground, showing his own exhaustion - proving immortals aren't immune to being out of shape.
    "We'll set up here for the night.  I'll take first watch," Frankie says.  He turns his jacket into a pillow for his back and props it between himself and a tree.
    Reluctantly, I plop down.  We can't see two steps in front of us right now, and we'll get lost if we keep trying to cipher our way through here.
    "Wake me when you get tired."  I yawn while resting my backpack under my head, praying the night doesn't hold any surprises.
    A chill slithers up my back, and I wake up to the pitch black to see Frankie’s eyes closed and his body limp as he snores.
    Way to keep watch, Frankie.
    I pull my jacket around me a little tighter as I stare at the streaks of moonlight escaping through the veil cast by the trees.  My heart beats too quickly when I see several shadows appearing and evaporating in the distance.
    Dark users.
    "Frankie," I whisper while tugging at his jacket, but he doesn't move.
    I slowly stand to my feet to kick him in the stomach, but still he doesn't move.  It's then I realize his snoring is too deep.  They've put him to sleep because they want me alone.
    Fuck!
    "Alyssssaaa," a phantom voice hisses too close, and I whip around just as the shadow turns to nothing.
    They're playing with me.
    "How do you know my name?" I demand, trying not to sound as terrified as I am.
    "Alyssssaaa," the voice hisses again, and then suddenly I feel the air being knocked out of me as I'm thrown backwards, my body thudding hard against the ground as I collide.
    "That's gonna leave a mark," I mumble under my breath while trying to stand