Generations: Eve Neverdream (Excerpt)

The steady whoosh whoosh of the pursuing dragon almost deafened Eve as she frantically zig-zagged through the dense woods. How the dragon knew exactly where she was through this impenetrable layer of leaves, vines, and branches, she didn't know.

Each breath hurt, and her legs burned. She could feel blood trickling down her left temple and some more on her right side from Anvil's blade staff.

I hate that man, she growled mentally. If only she had a weapon, she would kill that dragon with such pleasure.

The thought surprised herself, actually, but she didn't have time to even think longer on it.

She screamed and ducked as the dragon swooped down with blinding speed through a break in the foliage. She fell, headlong, as she tripped over a rock. She could its rough edges cutting open her ankles, and her face was shoved into the ground. The dragon flew a mere inches over her head, talons extended.

Eve was frozen there, even though her mind was screaming for her to get up and run, as the dragon was doing a sharp turn and coming back for her again.

Right as it got ready to swoop, her mind finally jolted into action, and she half-ran, half-tumbled over a log, scraping her palms and knees.

Please, please, don't let it get me! she prayed silently.

The dragon's talons scrabbled at the log, digging deep gouges into it. Eve cringed, imagining those talons ripping into her flesh...

I can't let Anvil get this staff from me, she thought frantically, her thoughts scattering like the chaff on the wind. If only I knew how to use this, I could kill this stupid dragon, maybe even Anvil himself...

"Stupid Elders," she growled to herself. "Thinking they have to keep all the secrets of the Staffs to themselves...Ahh!"

She took off running, her sides burning, the staff still strapped to her back so it wouldn't fall off.

"Eve, you can't outrun my dragon," Anvil called out from his comfortable position astride the dragon.

She gritted her teeth. He sounded so calm, so confident, so in control...and she hated him even more. "Don't be so sure!"

Anvil laughed, then growled, "Give me the Staff!"

"Not a chance," she snapped back, and decided not to talk anymore--it was wasting her breath, and she needed every precious one.

"Alrighty, but remember, you brought this upon yourself!" he warned calmly, a smirk playing across his handsome features.

Eve's brain completely froze up. her body kept running out of instinct, but she was so frozen mentally with fear.

Anvil was right--this was completely over. He was going to...

Everything went black.