Excerpt from Finding Ruby Draker

As I awoke I realized that something was in bed with me. I felt the warmth of a muscular body at my side. I felt the steady breathing as its chest raised and lowered with rhythmic respirations. But it was the movement at my shoulder and that made me open my eyes. Its glowing eyes and face was within inches of mine. I shrieked and pulled myself to the headboard in fright to get away from the daemon.

“Don’t worry,” a voice in the room said. “He likes you. Don’t be scared.”

“Get him off me,” I said.

“Rune, down boy,” he said.

I heard a loud thump as it jumped off the bed.

“You too Riemes.”

Another thump on the floor and I realize that a second creature had shared my bed as I slept.

I looked over to see who or what was in the room with me. A boy, I guessed about 13 or fourteen years of age sat with arms wrapped around his knees in the same upholstered chair that I had sat in the day before. Two magnificent black and chocolate colored Dobermans sat playfully at his feet.

“I’m so happy that you’re here,” he said. “We’ve been waiting for you for days. My name is Roscoe. This is Rune.” He nodded his head to one of the dogs. “And this guy is Riemes.”

He tickled the daemon’s ear and it returned a gentle nuzzle to his crossed legs.

“They liked you instantly. It’s funny because I’m the only one in the household they’re friendly to. They’ve been protecting you all night.”

“Have you been here all night too,” I asked.

“I came into your room about an hour ago and found them on your bed,” Roscoe laughed as he scratched Rune’s ear this time. Then he came over and sat at the side of my bed.

“Ruby, I’m glad you’re here. I have a sister again.”