Fall Into Nightmares: Chaos Wars, #1

By Lisa Williamson

The world as we know it has ended...not in fire, not in flood, but with a scream. Creatures from the dark now run the streets and one woman controls them all. Yet there are three who stand between mankind and utter destruction: The Warrior, The Protector, and The Healer. Only if they survive the collapse of the modern world and unite their strengths will they be able to stop the Fall Into Nightmares.

 

First book in the Chaos Wars series

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lisa Williamson
• Release date: Feb 11, 2015
• ISBN: 9781507027271

Lisa Williamson

Writer of fiction in the fields of fantasy, science fiction, horror, poetry and even erotica

Book preview

Fall Into Nightmares

Chaos Wars, Volume 1

Lisa Williamson

Published by Lisa Williamson, 2015.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

FALL INTO NIGHTMARES

First edition. February 11, 2015.

Copyright © 2015 Lisa Williamson.

ISBN: 978-1507027271

Written by Lisa Williamson.

To Fox and Mark. You inspired two of the three in this book. You both helped me get the fight scenes correct. I'm eternally grateful.

Fall Into Nightmares

By Lisa Williamson

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty Two

Chapter Thirty three

Chapter One

Y ou will change the world, my love. Your agony will set me free!

Jeffrey woke with a start, his eyes darted about the darkened room searching for the source of the voice that filled his head, but there was nothing and no one there. After a few minutes, his breathing calmed down and he whispered. Just a dream, nothing more.

Hmm? came a soft, muffled murmur at his side. He looked down with a soft smile for the woman who shared his bed. Reaching out he lightly brushed a lock of black hair from her cheek.

Nothing love, go back to sleep.He moved closer to the girl, wrapping an arm around her and drifted back to sleep. Just as he fell back over into dreams, he heard soft and evil laughter.

GREGORY BOWED AND THEN came on guard. His sensei had lately taken to lightning swift attacks, pressuring his student to reach for his maximum potential. Very proud of the fact that he was one of only two students that Master Tachi had taken into his weapons classes, the tall blonde student practiced diligently. That practice was beginning to pay off. Though Master Tachi was not one to openly praise a student with words, he had made his pleasure with his best student known. He did this by using his more private techniques and teaching them to Gregory.

Gregory's mind shifted briefly to the small apartment he shared with Jeffrey. Lately the place had seemed a tad confining to him, but he was not going to complain. A third person had started to spend a lot of time there; the one other person Gregory had no trouble spending time with.

Seeing his student's minor shift in body language, the sensei stepped into his attack. He had been waiting for the tall, wolfish looking young man to lose focus, if only for an instant. His blade whirled down in a silver arc toward the boy's throat. A similar arc of silver swiftly deflected it and the battle was begun.

Anyone watching the training session between the student and master would be hard put to tell which was which. The tall American student had come far in the months he had been training with the Japanese master. It was only in the eyes that one could see who was more the master of the killing blade.

Each moved through the attacks, counters and parries like wind cutting through the tall grasses. The only sound in the dojo was the sound of bare feet hitting the mat and the clang of blades as they met. Long past practicing with purely wooden practice blades, it was a pleasure to watch master and student trade blows.

JEFFREY WATCHED THE combat from the doorway, taking automatic mental notes of the abilities of both student and master. He hid automatically the smile that formed as he watched Gregory. He has come into his own, he thought. When he had met the tall man two years ago, Gregory was good, but he had not found the right sensei to make him into what Jeffrey could see in him.

His eyes narrowed when for a moment he saw Gregory as if through a filter of time. He had grown taller and broader, his hair and beard shaggy and the mask of the wolf covered the eyes of his friend. Shaking his head to clear the image, Jeffrey leaned against the door jam and waited.

With a final clash of steel the master and student parted, then bowed in respect to one another. Very good, Gregory-san. Your control has grown remarkably this past month, the master said quietly, don't you think so Jeffrey-san?

Smiling slightly, Jeffrey nodded and stepped into the room, bowing to the mat and to the sensei. Yes, you have worked wonders with my friend here.

Hey man! Gregory smiled and looked about.

Jeffrey shook his head. Jessica had to go to work, buddy. Remember?

It was almost comical, the look on the big man's face. He had obviously expected to see her at his roommate's side. Oh yeah, the workingwoman, he chuckled. Sometimes I forget she has to work.

You should bring in this young woman, Gregory. Master Tachi's eyes were on Jeffrey as he spoke. I have heard much about this one over the past few months. It would be good to see her for myself.

She trains in a quieter school, Sensei. Gregory's voice was soft as he spoke of the woman who had adopted him as heart's brother.

It is so? Tachi nodded slowly, turning his full attention to Jeffrey. And you, where is the school you train in?

Jeffrey looked a bit surprised at the question from the Sensei. It was not common for one of the Masters to question someone who had not come to them for training. Shrugging, Jeffrey answered almost offhanded. Here and there mostly.

He is really good, Sensei. I have sparred with him a few times, hand to hand. Gregory was only slightly downplaying his friend's ability. It still stung a bit that the much smaller man had so easily taken him down, but he understood much better now that size did not reflect talent. Two years ago he had not learned that little life lesson.

Looking Jeffrey over, he gestured for the silent man to take his friend's blade. With a curious lift of brow, Jeffrey consented. It had been a while since he had a true work out. Swiftly shedding his shirt, he took Gregory's blade and swung it a few times to check the balance. It was a good blade, not a fine one, but definitely one that was meant for work, not show.

Bowing, he stepped forward and the dance began. As Gregory watched from the sidelines he came to understand just how good his roommate really was. The two smaller men within a matter of breaths had already left the realm of training that he himself had reached.

Instead of watching the actual parries and thrusts, Gregory focused on the faces of the two. Master Tachi face showed the concentration that Gregory had seen it display when his master was practicing alone. Totally focused on the movement of both his body and the blade that was a simple extension of his hands, the master was simply a force of nature. All his movements flowed like that of wind over water.

It was Jeffrey that was different. Gregory had come to think of Jeffrey as friendly, though at times he found him a bit too cynical. They shared a sense of humor at the failings of most people around them and had spent many a late evening making comments about those they felt were prime examples of where mankind had taken a wrong turn. Jeffrey had a wicked sense of humor when it came to practical jokes and a swift temper when someone he cared about was hurt.

The Jeffrey that he saw now was the same, yet very different. When he stepped on to the mat all the varied masks that he wore seemed to flow together before his eyes. Emotions that could be seen if one looked hard enough dropped away entirely and another man shown though, not the friend he knew, this was a more deadly one.

A wave of calm centeredness filled Jeffrey as he flowed into the strikes and parries of the practice duel. Always before he had held back most of his ability when sparring with anyone, especially his friend, not that he let him know. It was rare that he found one who could fight at his level. The master swordsman before him was holding his own easily at the level they were at, so he increased the pressure. Though he had told no one, Jeffrey had abilities that even he could not explain.

Master Tachi tightened his jaw a bit. Jeffrey was proving to be as good as or better than he had expected by the carriage of his body. The young man moved with the ease of one long used to fighting with hands or steel. In the early part of the twenty first century few if any fought with a blade, that this young man moved like one who lived the way of the sword intrigued the Blade master. It had taken him the better part of a strict life to reach the level of ability he had. The man before him was just a bit less than a third his age and yet he fought with both the skill and power of someone raised in the way of the sword.

They clashed once more, the tempo again increasing. At this point Master Tachi found himself pressed to hold his own. It was with little surprise that a few moments later he found his blade across the room and a quiet voice asking him to yield. Nodding, he stepped back. It is as I was expecting, he spoke softly to Jeffrey. You are the Warrior, are you not?

Jeffrey blinked out of the battle set, and then narrowed his eyes for a moment. What did you say? Before the master could say a word in answer, Jeffrey spun about, handed the blade back to his friend and left the dojo.

Whoa, Gregory watched amazed as his roommate left the dojo rudely, not even bothering to grab the shirt he had doffed for the practice bout. He turned to Master Tachi, puzzlement clear in his face.

What just happened here?

The master walked to the doorway of his dojo and watched as the morning crowds swallowed up Jeffrey. I am not totally sure my young friend, but I believe that things are about to become very interesting.

He then turned back inside and gestured for Gregory to head out to his classes with an order to return later in the day for extra lessons. Puzzled Gregory did as he was told.

Chapter Two

Across town in a small office, Jessica worked her way through the pile of paperwork that was dumped on her desk each morning. Being an office assistant wasn't her life goal, but she had to pay the bills. She looked up as she felt someone step to the doorway of her cubicle. As she turned she repressed a shiver. The tall, red haired woman who stood before her always made her feel like she was being scrutinized.

Avendale Sumac was the owner of Shapin and Clark. A small, but profitable firm dealing in the acquisition and sales of fine art, Ms Sumac had made a name for herself in the highly competitive landscape of big business decoration. On the side Ms Sumac ran a gallery that displayed the art of only the best of the up and coming artists.

Jessica had originally gone into the office of Shapin and Clark, hoping to get a small showing in the gallery. She had been showing her work in the open market for two years before she had moved to the Seattle area. Her instructors had encouraged her to go to the local galleries and try to get a showing. It was Professor Carlson who had sent her to Shapin and Clark when her funds had dried up and she had to drop out of college. She had thought she was going to try and set up the show, not to get a job, but she found herself employed the following day.

Morning, Ms Sumac. She smiled politely, even though she really felt like bolting. It wasn't that she wasn't a brave woman; it was just that this one person made her feel like she was more a tasty looking morsel than a person.

Good morning, Jessie, Avendale’s voice drawled. She smiled as she saw the slight wince at the shortening of Jessica's name. She knew the girl disliked that particular version of her name. She even knew why, but she did not let that on. Do you have the paperwork for Tomas' show?

Turning back to her desk, Jessica let out a silent sigh of relief as she reached for the right folder. Have it right here. He brought about the release forms late yesterday. We can set everything up now.

Avendale took the folder from Jessica with her long red painted nails, brushing against her assistant. Yes, I see you have all the proper forms here. She moved to perch on Jessica's desk, swinging one silk clad leg as she flipped through the folder. I hope he didn't keep you too long last night? She arched a fine brow in curiosity.

He wasn't too late. Besides it gave me time to get the report for last week to run properly. She started to reach for it to hand off.

Avendale tsked and shook her head. I can't imagine that your young man was too pleased. If I remember correctly you two had plans for the evening? Did you make them in time?

Jessica unconsciously relaxed as she thought of Jeffrey. He came to pick me up.

Jessica missed the slight tensing of the woman before her. I thought you called him to say you were working overtime?

Jessica looked up. Oh I did, he decided to bring sandwiches up here. She looked a bit sheepish. I hope you don't mind. Tomas wasn't going to be able to come in till 8PM and Jeffrey really wanted some time together.Her voice was soft as she said his name, her mind briefly going back to the night before and where she ended up the evening.

Getting up and waving a hand, Avendale shrugged. It doesn't matter to me if you and your young man have dinner together here as long as nothing...unprofessional goes on. She smiled slyly at the younger woman. I am sure nothing did, Jessie, but we can't have one of our clients claiming anything now can we?

Jessica nodded, yes mame.

Good. Well I will need the pricing guides for Paris today and could you go down to the shipping depot? I believe the package from China should be in today. Avendale went on to list a few more errands for Jessica to do before she took off for the day. Jessica sighed as it was becoming clear that once more she would be working past quitting time.

Avendale looked up, hearing the barely audible sigh. Oh my, did you have plans again that I have trampled on, Jessie?

"No, Ms Sumac. I