Dreaming of Darkness

Chapter Fourteen

Traum

I didn’t know how much more time we’d have.

Together, snuggled up in my bed, we listened to Antheia and Grandmother drunkenly play card games with another two succubi.

I’d been surprised to find my sister inside the house when we returned, but I didn’t ask any questions.

I did not want to know the status of my younger sister’s sexual exploits.

But it still surprised me. Zaldi had told me that he’d spent the early part of the ceremony shooeing curious incubus males away from our sister.

And while I wished that we’d hadn’t been interrupted and I could have asked Bailey more about this forever we both craved.

It wasn’t fazed by waiting.

It no longer seemed desperate.

This thing between us, while explosive, was smoothing out, like the river after a storm, our emotions settled, the knowledge that we both share the same needs and wants was a weight off my shoulders.

My tail flicked out, wrapping itself around Bailey’s ankle as she slept.

Even it knew hwo precious this time was.

The coin’s ability to allow her though the boundary would war out soon.

Arafel had said that they could last no longer than a day.

And when I’d come to the living world, I had need there for only a few hours.

This was a gift, I refused to second guess.

Until she was mine forever. Then we could sleep like this, all wrapped up together in my sheets until the Underworld ceased to exist.

“Can’t sleep?”

“Just not ready for the day to end,”

I said, honestly. I leaned over her, pressing my lips against the smooth skin of her throat. Under my mouth, her pulse was lazy and relaxed.

Bailey rolled towards me, “I’m so tired, but it’s like something electric is just pulling between us. Pushing us together, pulling us apart. Is that the bond?”

“It could be. We would have to ask Albtraum or Rifa. They would tell you honestly.”

“Will they be disappointed that you’re mated to a human?”

I snorted, “Did you see them tonight? They are infatuated with you.”

Her pretty lips curved, “You think so?”

“You have a home in their hearts no matter what.”

There was silence after my words, the soft shuffling of chairs replacing the riotous laughter outside. The game was breaking up and the others left.

The day was ending. My throat felt tight as I banded my arms around her middle. I couldn’t fight the old magic that surrounded the obols. But I would hold until I knew she was safe in her home once more.

“How much longer, do you think?”

I shook my head, “No idea.”

As I spoke, I felt it, the way the magic grew between us–forcing a gap until I was no longer pressed against her. With a hiccup of sadness, Bailey was standing, moving to the center of my room as I ticked the blankets off to join her there. Starting as a shimmering gold speck, which grew and grew as we watched, was suddenly expanded into a Bailey sized shifting, goldrimmed portal roiled in front of her.

Both of us stared into the portal for a long minute, and then turned to each other.

This time her eyes are not tired or mused from sleep or the multiple orgasms. These eyes were sharp and curious.

Worried.

Fuck, I’d messed up somewhere.

“When will you come to visit me?”

My shoulders sagged. There it was, the worry, the reason she was watching me with her entire heart on her sleeve. What we’d shared, it had been almost too powerful. The decisions made; the feelings shared.

And now, a blank statement that I’d be there. Someday.

I reached over, bringing her hand to my lips for a gentle kiss. “As soon as I am able.”

“There’s so much to do…”

“And I will be there for all of it,”

I whispered, “I promise.”

She nodded jerkily and stepped forward. Facing the portal, she hesitated. “I don’t want to go back. Not without you.”

My chest hurt, but I managed a nod, cursing myself when I realized she couldn’t see me. “I will be with you soon, little dream.”

“I love you,”

she whispered, then without looking back, she stepped through the portal. For a moment, I saw the inside of her clothing storage room in her home. Then I saw the flash of golden hair as she turned on a sharp pivot to stare back through the portal.

Anguish. Worry.

Love.

“I love you too,”

I responded, bowing my head to her.

The portal snapped shut a moment later, leaving me standing in the middle of my room alone. The air was still, the humidity around us suddenly too high. I tugged at my clothing, irritation filling my movements as I began to pick up clothing and plates that we hadn’t bothered with last night.

The silence was deafening. At least until a slow footfall sounded outside of my doors. I straightened, waiting. Then a quick knock.

“Yes?”

Zaldi, broad-shouldered and serious faced, stepped into the room. “I wanted to see how you were.”

“Does everyone in the entire village know she’s gone?”

Zaldi shifted, uncomfortable with the harsh tone. “I can feel the power change. You are rather powerful around her, but when she leaves…it pulls at the edges of the stocks.”

I blinked surprised, “My power is that much of an effect on the whole town.”

My younger brother shrugged, “Antheia has been putting up some large power pulls since you stopped dream walking, but I think that’s only because she’s been more focused. Albtraum has been too distracted to do much lately…that leaves you.”

I ran a hand over my hair and horn, “I’m sorry, I should’ve offloaded some of the power from the other night, after I got back from the living world.”

“You spread enough power last night, I don’t think anyone will be complaining.”

“Probably good, since I’m not sure when I’ll dream walk again.”

“Why not?”

I shrugged, “I’m not sure that I want to. To experience that kind of situation with someone other than Bailey seems wrong.”

“What if you tried like Rifa and Al? They go together most nights.”

I considered that, “I haven’t spoken to Bailey about it yet. But, maybe, I guess. I don’t know how much she wants to do that.”

“It wouldn’t have to be often, especially in the living world.”

“What do you mean?”

“The dream walking builds our power, but we carry it back to the Underworld, delivering it here. But to feed in the living world, even with a mate, it would be potent power. Enough to change a lot about how we handle stocks.”

“You mean that me feeding while awake, in the living world, is more potent than dreams?”

Zaldi nodded, his shadow moving, “I do. Before the boundaries were strong, there were many cases of incubi being in the living world. They fed on the living souls as they were awake or asleep. But not having to utilize the power to stay in dreams, means that all that power is funnelled into the incubi themselves. There’s obviously more risk in feeding in the living world, not to mention the minor detail that Lord Arafel would have to be contacted but the potential is there. Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?”

“Hm, yes, I am. You mean that incubi visiting the living world feeding there will be more powerful than the dream walking.”

I reached over, cuffing him on the shoulder, “When did you get so smart?”

“When you’re not panting after your mate all day or urging people to orgasm, you have more time to fill with things like education and practice.”

I cringed at the sour notes in his deep voice. My brother had always hated that while his ability to monitor and manage contained power was incredibly unique, he was still not treated with the same respect as many dream walkers. Not that he hadn’t tried. Numerous times, actually, when we were just coming into maturity. But each time he came home, drained and shaking. After a short time, my Grandmother made him stop.

Instead, they redirected his abilities into managing the overload of magic that many of the dream walkers like me and Albtraum brought back. He was a sort of battery. He could hold our power but could not feed for himself. And over time he’d taught himself how to monitor the entire village. He could pick out who was weak, who was hoarding power too much.

He was invaluable. And yet always felt like he wasn’t doing enough.

“Thank you for the information,” I said.

“Happy to discuss it any time,”

Zaldi said, retreating from the room with a quick, small smile. Just before he closed the door, he hesitated there. “And Traum?”

“Yes?”

“I’m happy for you,”

Zaldi said, “Even if I struggle to say it. And I’ll miss you.”

The door closed.

I knew what he had been trying to say. Not just that an incubus could survive in the living world, but they could thrive. And if I read into his final words, I knew that he thought I should go to Bailey.

And I don’t think he meant just for a visit.

I stared around my room, my childhood, my family. They were familiar, loved. And now, empty.

The obol was heavy in my pocket.

Soon, I would go to her. And together we could figure out what forever looked like.

***

Bailey

I smiled through the last of my meeting, watching as my coworkers packed up their things and began to head out the door. I doddled a little as I reached my desk, moving the pen cup around a few times and then watching my computer as a slow-moving update took over the screen.

I was waiting for him. I had been for days. I ached for him, as I had before. But at the same time there was a more subtle pull within it. Like the bond knew that we were close to completing it. That was insane, I knew that. But it still soothed me while I waited.

“Hey babes,”

Elena said, popping up from her side of the cubicle wall. “What are you still doing here?”

I pointed a finger at the screen, giving her a sad smile. “This thing always had the worst timing.”

“Agreed,”

Elena sighed, then gave me a big smile. “Why don’t we go grab a drink?”

“I should stay, wait for this thing to get done.”

Elena’s pretty mouth pouted. “Just for one, maybe two! I’m dying to hear about this guy from the party. Everyone was raving about the pair of you afterwards.”

My throat felt tight, my scalp pricking. Raving could be good or bad. “What do you mean raving?”

“Just that you two were so pretty together, and that he was a great dancer,”

Elena leaned in, eyes shimmering with humor, “I heard he sent Alex running.”

I huffed a short laugh, “Okay, that was pretty funny.”

Elena clapped a hand over her heart, “I'm swooning already. Come on, come tell me all about him. I feel like we haven’t gotten to get to know each other yet.”

I looked up into her face and realized that while I was missing Traum badly, I was also missing human contact. And Elena, she was sweet and friendly, and she’d been making so much effort since I moved here.

“You know what, I’d love to. Let’s go.”

Laughing softly, we packed up the rest of our things and marched out of the building. A local bar was only a block away and we made it there in excellent time. Probably a combination of the cooling fall air and our need for a seabreeze cocktail.

As soon as we got sat, Elena laughed into the questions.

“How did you two meet?”

I shrugged, remembering how bad of a liar I really was. “I mean, he is just the man of my dreams.”

I had to swallow a slightly hysterical laugh. I coughed to cover it up.

“Urgh,”

Elena leaned back in her booth, smiling at me over her glass, “Do you two live together or anything?”

“No,”

I sipped my fruity drink, “Sadly still doing the long-distance thing.”

“That sucks, my college boyfriend and I did that for years.”

We chatted on for a bit, mostly about the party and the new guy in accounting who had asked Elena to coffee. “He’s fine,”

she said, her eyes rolling, “Just not…I don’t know, he doesn’t seem like the one. I feel like dating culture is dead. I just want to wake up married someday, two kids a dog, a cat and a fucking goldfish.”

I laughed, the drink warming my belly. “I get that. I know that Traum is the one, but I keep dragging my feet. It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Honey, I’ve seen him, you need to lock that down. And fast.”

My glass was empty against the smooth counter of the bar, “I know.”

“What is holding you back?”

I swirled my empty glass, watching as Elena ordered a second, “I’m not sure.”

“Well, you better figure it out, because unless my eyes are lying, your man is about to walk right over here.”

“What?”

I jerked around, staring at the crowded bar as I met a pair of burning chocolate eyes. The color was all wrong, but the face, the shape, the curling smirk on his mouth.

“Traum,”

I whispered, watching him cut through the crowd.

“Oh Jesus, that boy is pretty.”

I stood, my knee clanking against the counter. I felt nothing though, nothing but relief and pleasure at the sight of him, even in his human glamour. “You’re here.”

“Whereever you are, is where I wish to be,”

Traum said, leaning in and brushing my mouth with a kiss.

“But how, how did you find me?”

Traum released me, stepping sideways and guiding me back onto my barstool. “You must be Elena; Bailey has talked about you many times.”

Elena blushed, eyes jumping between us. “Bailey and I were just catching up, but I know you two don’t get much time together. I’m going to leave you to it.”

“Elena–”

I started, Traum’s hand found my knee under the counter.

“You’re more than welcome to join us.”

Elena picked up her jacket and then her work bag, “No, no, here. You finish this,”

she scooted her untouched drink towards us, “And I’ll see you on Monday.”

I nodded, feeling flushed and warm as Traum’s bulk settled against my back. He was saying goodbye to Elena too, and his big hand settled around her drink, pulling it to me. But I barely cared.

As soon as Elena was gone, I found myself staring up at him. After a moment, I ran a finger down the side of his face. “I’m still getting used to this side of you.”

Traum snorted, “Are you disappointed?”

“Not at all, just surprised.”

The drink and a million questions settled between us. And while the bond hummed like barely contained electricity, there was something more now.

An awareness of reality.

And that this would be his last chance to visit before we bonded. And I still wanted that. But I needed clarification.

“What do you want to talk about first?”

I laughed, “Am I so easy to read?”

Traum’s lips curled, “Not easy, little dream. But I am also aware of what hangs in the balance.”

My mate, or soon to be mate, leaned against me, “Start with the hard ones.”

“Okay, if you want to start with the hard ones, then let’s talk location,”

I turned to face the bar once again, avoiding eye contact. I felt like it might keep me from spewing out all my concerns. “Where will we live? Will we stay in the Underworld? Or will you come to the living world?”

My eyes burned, “I wasted so much of our time unsure that this bond was real, that now we know how much we want this, and no idea how to make it happen.”

“You could come to the Underworld,”

Traum suggested, “I could come to the living world.”

“And wear glamour all the time? No way.”

“I would do anything, Bailey, to make you happy. It would be a small sacrifice to spend every day by your side.”

“I don’t have family, I could easily move to yours,”

I took a small sip of the drink and then pushed it away. Alcohol and these types of conversations were not good mixed. “No one is waiting on me here. You will be missed.”

My stomach clenched, why was this so hard to imagine? I could walk into the Underworld. I could be there with him. I would be happy with him.

But fuck, would I just spend my days with his family waiting for him to come back from being inside someone’s dream? Making them come and beg for him? My skin crawled at the reality of it.

Traum’s body shifted, “I would miss my family greatly, but there’s something missing.”

“What do you mean?”

“It doesn’t feel right,”

Traum’s long fingers drummed against the countertop, “We’re missing something. I just feel like we’re meant to do something else. Find another route.”

I swallowed, trying to calm my racing heart. “What did your family say?”

“They only want me to be happy. It doesn’t matter to them.”

Traum’s hand rested on the center of my back, “We will find a way. This is only a small hiccup on a path to forever. Remember that.”

“I know, it’s just making me panicky. Can we go home so we can focus on just us?”

“Absolutely,”

Traum helped me from the chair and together we paid our tab and wandered from the building. The cool air outside felt heavenly on my over-warm face. Traum appeared unphased by the weather and escorted me down the row back to the parking garage behind my building.

We drove home in silence, a wave of tension tugging at us. I fidgeted in my living room, discarding my coat, bag, everything by the door in a heap as I watched Traum move across the space. His glamor shed as he went.

Now his usual deep red tone, he began to pace slowly, his head bowed in deep thought. “I’m sorry,”

I said, my voice a little strangled, “I didn’t mean to ruin our night?”

“Ruin?”

Traum cocked his head at me, “You didn’t ruin anything. You’re entitled to answers, and if we don’t have them yet, then we work on them. Together, eh?”

He resumed pacing and after a moment, I mimicked him. Traum gave a short laugh, but didn’ stop. “I always think better when I’m moving.”

I hurried to match his pace, “And what are you thinking?”

“That there has to be an answer in the middle Somewhere between us each having to give up an entire life, only to have our own.”

I nodded, blinking as a wave of something slipped over me. Wobbling I leaned against the armrest. “Whoa, what was that…”

“Bailey?”

Traum’s voice was sluggish to my ears. I turned, trying to focus on him through blurred vision.

“Traum, I think I’m going to faint or–,”

I sunk down onto the cushions, my arms and body heavy and uncoordinated. In my preferies, I can see Traum sinking to the floor, his knees spread as he moved to crawl towards me.

“Bailey,”

he said again, but this time, it was merely a whisper.

My eyes closed and darkness swept in.