23. Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Killian
T he faster we find the Succubus, the faster we can spend time with Zel. I’m conflicted. I want to get to know her, but I know we can’t have a relationship since I work for the Arcana Society. Maybe if I can convince her that we’re good for her, she’ll wait for us until our contract with them is up. It’s wishful thinking on both parts. If you’re good at your job, the society doesn’t want to let you go, and even if we were able to find our freedom eventually, a woman as beautiful as Zel might find someone who actually has the time to spend with her. It wouldn’t be fair of me to ask her to wait for us until we’re no longer bonded to the people we work for.
I linger a couple of extra minutes outside the pool house. I don’t want to leave the house without catching a glimpse of Zel. I can almost feel the remnants of walking into her dreams. The way her beautiful skin shimmered against the bright sun. The way she caressed my cheek. Her lingering touch stuck with me throughout the evening. I’ve had a small taste of her in the dream world, and now I want her in the real world.
It’s about eight at night when I take a seat in a patio chair and stare into the kitchen of the main house through the big glass doors. Even these damn cushions match Agent Cooper’s eyes. That man is full of himself, but that’s just the way the fae are.
We’d left early this morning to search for the Succubus while Agent Cooper and Zel slept. I wanted to invade her dreams earlier than I did, but she’d had a long night in Faerie, and dealing with Agent Cooper must be exhausting for her. I’ve only just met him, but fuck, he’s so uptight. We’d gone back to the motel and searched the neighborhood, but we hadn't found any more dead bodies. We looked through dark corners and abandoned houses, yet we still came up empty. We still need to search other motels in the same area.
I hope I can get my head in the game, but I can’t seem to focus. All I can think about is Zel and what I did to her in the dreamscape. I can still feel her smooth, soft skin beneath my touch as I’d explored her body. The way she gasped at every sensation. It was like she’d never had any sexual interaction with anyone, and I feel some sort of relief. As I’d thrust into her with my fingers, she’d shattered around me in ecstasy. Her slick folds had begged for more attention as my fingers moved lower, rubbing her clit faster and faster until she’d convulsed around me in an orgasmic frenzy. She’s absolutely perfect, and I wouldn’t want anyone else but Rhett and me to be able to make her come.
Fifteen minutes pass, but she never comes back down to the kitchen. I’d hoped to catch her before she went on her date. I try not to dwell on it too much because I know I’ll want to crash it. I want to finish what we started in the dream—if she’ll let me. With a sigh, I stand up and head inside. Moving through the house, I grab my keys and make my way to the car. The night air is cool as I step outside and unlock my vehicle. I slide into the driver’s seat, feeling the leather beneath me, and take a moment to collect my thoughts. I turn the engine on but leave it in park as Rhett climbs in beside me. He gives me a curious look, noticing the grin on my face.
“What has you in such a good mood this time of night? You’ve been chipper since we got in the car this morning.”
“I brought Zel into my dreamscape.”
His mouth hangs open, and I want to chuckle. Nothing ever surprises Rhett. He sits up straighter to stare at me, looking intrigued.
“Umm . . . what? You actually went to her? I should’ve known you weren’t going to wait.”
“I want to know anything and everything about what’s going on in that pretty head of hers.” I know it’s an invasion of privacy, but it’s hard to ignore reason when she’s involved.
“What was she dreaming about, and why didn’t you invite me?” He huffs in frustration as he slips his phone into his pocket. I look away, knowing he wants the whole scoop. “Come on, stop being such a jerk.” He punches my arm hard enough to bruise.
I finally give in. “It was kind of hard to get through her defenses. For being a weak Bear Shifter, she sure can protect herself.”
“Oh . . . She’s a Bear Shifter? I would’ve never guessed. She looks so small and dainty. I thought she’d be a fox or something else.” I completely agree. Her being a Bear Shifter caught me by surprise. Usually, they’re taller.
“Not sure what her dream was about before. I scared her when I switched her dream, and then I tried gaining control. I couldn’t get a hold of her, so she was in limbo for a few seconds.” I think the mist might have terrified her. It would have startled me if our situations were reversed.
“That’s strange,” he grumbles back.
“Very,” I reply, making a left turn.
I’m one of the most skilled Specter Demons when it comes to dream manipulation. Many have limited abilities; they can only influence small dream details or walk through others’ dreams without altering them. Unlike them, I can fully transform a dream into an alternate reality, like I did with Zel and the beach. I can also block other dream walkers from entering my dreamscapes, while weaker specters cannot keep intruders out. They require intense focus just to maintain a simple illusion. I manifest entire environments effortlessly. Containing multiple conscious minds in one space is taxing for them but easy for me.
Rhett shifts his whole body to face me. “So let me get this straight. You tried to get in her dream, but it was a challenge, and when you finally got in, you switched the dream but couldn’t command it?” I nod. “I’m glad to hear it was hard to get through her defenses, especially since shifters like to prey on those who are weaker than them. She can at least try and put up a mental fight before letting someone walk all over her,” Rhett continues.
“I was able to find a small hole and chased it until I gained control.” I take a breath before continuing. “Once in, I took her to my favorite place.”
“And then . . .” he asks, waiting impatiently for me to continue. I face the front and put the car in drive. “You’re really dragging this along. I’ll remember this for the next time you want to know something.” At a red light, he grabs his bottle of water from the cup holder and opens it to take a drink. “And then . . .”
After making him sweat a bit, I finally say, “I made her come.” He spits his drink all over the dash. He puts the cap back on and sticks it back in its place.
“You what?” I start to drive again. “Asshole, keep talking.”
“Yeah, it was intense. The noises she made were sexy. The way she moved against my fingers was so hot, I almost walked into the house, but then her phone woke her up,” I say, briefly remembering the shocked look on her face after it was over. I wonder what that call was about.
I hadn’t wanted to spook her further, so I’d waited outside and hoped to bump into her in the kitchen before her date.
“It was probably her date that cut the dreamscape short,” Rhett says. His expression turns sour. If only we’d met her sooner, she wouldn’t have been going on that date.
We arrive at the motel once more to see if the Succubus showed up again. We look through every room, and it’s all clear—not a monster in sight. We check out the hotels and motels in the general vicinity but come up empty-handed.
“I almost wish that the Succubus was real,” I tell Rhett. “This way we’d be rewarded with a long vacation and get to spend more time with Zel.”
It’s ten o’clock by the time we get to the house. With nothing else to do, we head back to the pool house. We don’t see Agent Cooper’s car, so we know he’s out. If I had to guess, he either found the killer, or he’s hoping to find them before there’s another murder.
I may dislike Agent Cooper, but I hope he finds the person who’s doing this to supe women. It’s unthinkable that these women have gone through such fear and agony. The thought of some sick bastard exploiting these individuals stirs up seething anger in me. Yes, Agent Cooper and I don’t get along very well. But deep down we both desire the same thing, to protect those who can’t fight back.
After eating Chinese takeout, I pour us a drink. Agent Cooper keeps this place stocked. I’m not surprised. It’s nothing but the best for the faerie. I give Rhett his glass, and we sit on the couch and watch TV.
“Let’s surprise Zel, ” Rhett blurts in the middle of an action scene.
“Let’s surprise Zel?” I’m stunned. This is so unlike him to chase after a woman, but she’s not just any woman. Zelyah is someone we want to have a relationship with. “I like the way you think, brother. She said they were going to Eclipse Noir.” I drink the rest of my drink, the alcohol sending a hot burning sensation down my throat. “Let’s go crash Zel’s date.”
I know when I make the suggestion that it’s probably not a good idea, but how bad could things possibly go? There’s a feeling in my gut trying to answer that question in warning, but the Faerie alcohol numbs my sensibility and propels me straight to danger.