A woman's despairing cry echoed in my soul, tearing at me, reprimanding me, reminding me that I was back in the godforsaken dream where I had no control over anything.

And that I was starving for blood.

Vampire much? Couldn't I hunger for something else? Maybe water or peppered noodles?

The words echoed bitterly in my head, sardonic humor masking the hollow ache swelling in my chest.

I burst through the rich layers of soil, into the air, my heart thundering in my ears, my mind screaming. And I landed in a crouch in the midst of dense shrubbery and thick vegetation, taking a slow, careful look around me, not...