The Great Old One
Zeke's eyes open wide. He rises on his elbows, ignoring everything, including his condition.
"What? No… You can't just come here like that!"
"Is that how you thank me, my protégé? After everything I've done for you? Truly, if the concept of gratitude meant anything, I'd be offended."
I turn around, Jade turns around… It must be an instinct in some monkey-lizard-fish part of the human brain to turn and look at the owner of this cold, bored voice.
Because to look away from danger is to invite it to pounce.
The creature stands nonchalantly just a dozen steps away. In his hand is the book I took from Rose. But it was in my car! My car which is about thirty more feet away.
He looks terribly familiar, but it's like staring into a mocking mirror of the man who lies near my knees. He looks almost like Zeke… when we first met.