“Azazel, what in the world are you doing?”
Time stopped. The sweet feminine voice behind him made everything inside him pause. Even the beast became silent. Azazel jerked back with his hands still raised. With wide eyes, he examined the silver-colored wall in disbelief when an unusual sound came from the other side. ByAuu’sstars! Was the damn thing… cooing? He took a step back when the sound changed to a loud purr that filled the air.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Azazel swung around to face the owner of that sweet voice. It was Antonia—Toni.Here in thisDreamwalk? How could that be?He didn’t make this psychic world. So how could she be here? His eyes narrowed. Was she here, or just another construct of Baelon’s nasty game?What was that bastard playing at now?
He stiffened and clasped his hands in front of him. With a respectful nod, he concentrated on smoothing his breathing and making his face blank.
“What’s behind that wall?” Toni looked behind him. She went to it and put her hand on the surface. “Oh, you pretty baby.” She rubbed her palm up and down it. Her head tilted, her eyes unfocused. “You widdle snooky-wookims.” She hummed as if talking to a favorite pet. “You be a good boy now, and we’ll let you out later. Mommy and Daddy have work to do first. ’kay, punkin?” She patted the wall. “Now, behave.” Her bright gaze locked on Azazel.
He took a step back, locking his eyes with hers.
“Okay, I’m sure he’ll behave himself for now.” Toni clapped her hands and grinned. “Hey, how would you like to get out of here and go back to that spectacular beach you took me to before?”
Azazel’s eyes widened.What just happened?He glanced at the wall as if that would give him some answers. The only reply was the distinct sound of a rumbling purr. His face tightened as he glared at Toni. “I believe you are mistaken if you thought I’d take part in your heinous experiment again, Baelon.” He took another step back. Now that his inner beast was once again under control, he’d morph out of this psychic plane to regroup.
As he prepared to leave, the beast bellowed again. It was louder this time, so intense it caused the ground to shake.
“For God’s sake, Azazel!” Toni stomped her foot, one hand on her hip as she wagged her forefinger at him with the other. “I just got him quiet. And for your information, I’m real as can be in this crazy place. Baelon didn’t create thisDreamwalk.I did!”
As she spoke, the beast’s roar turned into a low-pitched, wo-woo-ooo melodious song. If Azazel didn’t know better, he’d swear Toni’s voice soothed the damn thing.
Azazel studied Toni’s bright-blue eyes, now dilated as she looked back at him. He grimaced. Not knowing what was real and what wasn’t had him second-guessing everything. Which was something he’d never experienced before.
“Hey, listen—” She stepped close to him. “—I’ve got a great idea! Why don’t you do a Vulcan mind-meld so you can be sure it’s me?”
Azazel pursed his lips. “A what?”
“You know…” Toni gestured between the two of them. “Join our minds so you can see it’s me.” She grasped the tops of his arms. “That way you can meet my new friend, Sensos. And you’ll find out how I created this dream-thingy-a-booper with no help from that shiny-supremacist-bastard Baelon.” Her eyes widened, looking back-and-forth across his face as she pleaded with him.
Azazel’s eyebrows rose.Shiny-supremacist? Dream-thingy-a-booper?His lips quirked into a smirk. “If you’re agreeable to that…” It would be nice to let his guard down a little if it was her.
His inner beast purred emitted a low, purring growl behind the wall.
Looked like the animal agreed.
She shook his arms. “Of course I am.” She let him go. “It was my idea, after all.”
Staring into the ocean blue of her fathomless eyes, he touched his mind to hers. In the blink of an eternity, he had his answer. It was her, the essence that made up Antonia Choi, right here in thisDreamwalk. One she’d created with the help of her, ah, clothes.And how captivating was the concept of sentient clothes?
“So, you’re all good?” She took a quick glance over his shoulder. “Ready to go to the beach?” She grinned, then looked back at him. “We’ve got lots to talk about. Like finding your body so we can rescue the rest of you.” She licked her lips, eyeing him with a slow, seductive once-over.
The promise in her glance made his heart race for an entirely different reason.
Chapter Eight
AzazelhadbeeninDreamwalkswith his brothers too many times to count, but nothing compared to the one Toni, with her friend, Sensos, created, mirroring the one he’d made up before. There was a depth to this place he’d never experienced in any of them before.
The setting sun on the horizon as it kissed the tranquil ocean brought with it a kaleidoscope of jewel-like colors that took his breath away. The feel of the silky sand under his bare feet caressed and warmed his skin. All around, the air carried a perfume laced with the hint of oceanic brine and the overlying fragrance of sea flowers that dotted the shoreline behind them. Seagulls cried above him, flying in loops as they scanned for food under the calm waves. One plunged into the water before surfacing with a wiggling fish in its beak.
Azazel closed his eyes and took in a deep, cleansing breath.
“I can’t believe how detailed it is here.” He opened his eyes. “You’ve created a miracle.”
Toni grinned and shrugged.
“Well, Iama film producer.” She waved a hand around them. “Getting the background in any scene as realistic as I could was part of my job.” She smirked. “And I was darned good at it.”
