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“You’re pulled back here any time I linger in the dream realm,” I say, answering her question from before. I glance around nervously, knowing that even in this world I’ve created, we aren’t safe.
“Because of the mate bond?” she asks hesitantly, her eyebrow lifting in a sexy, questioning look.
My eyes widen, but I nod. I hadn’t let myself assume that she knew what the connection between us is, and I hadn’t pushed it out of fear of scaring her.
“Yes, because of the mate bond,” I murmur, waiting for some indication of how she feels about it.
“I just found out about it recently,” she admits, and chews on her bottom lip in thought. “I have other mates too.”
My jaw tenses, my initial reaction sparking a flame of jealousy before I remember what I’ve gleaned from her dreams. I’ve seen glimpses of her life, her goals, and her fears—and one of those fears is abandoning her family. When she’d pictured that family there’d been multiple men she left behind, their faces blurred but I sensed they were her partners.
I swallow down the lump in my throat, but stay silent. From other memories I’ve found out that she’ll need to have multiple partners because of her position. I’m not supposed to know that information and I have no idea if she’ll be pissed that I’ve watched her innermost thoughts play out like a movie for over a month now.
“Okay,” I say, voicing my acceptance. She’s my mate and I’m not walking away just because she has others. “We’ll have to figure everything out.”Hopefully.
She studies me carefully, as though she’s looking for any sign of discomfort, but there’s none. At one point I thought I might never even get to meet her, my only connection to her life through watching her dreams. Sharing her is better than not having her at all, especially since it’s what she needs.
“Okay,” she repeats softly as though she expected the conversation to go differently.
“There’s so many things that I wish I could say but we don’t have much time,” I say almost to myself as I collect my thoughts. “I’ve been staying away from lingering in the dream realm to keep you from here, but there’s something you need to know.”
So suddenly I almost miss the exact moment it happens, she’s no longer my fiery little witch, her body ready and willing for the pleasure I can bring her. Even clad in her soft pajamas still, she’s a commander, a warrior, ready to strategize and attack at a moment’s notice. I’m not sure which version of her I prefer because right now I’m even more distracted than I was just moments before.
“What’s going on?” she demands, her shoulders pulled back, the energy surrounding her form thrumming to life. The power shocks me. I’ve never witnessed another being other than a shade in the dream realm until Aria. Never did I think it was possible for her to bring her magic here too.
“My realm, Thaedan, or what you would call the monster realm, is under attack,” I explain. Nervous energy buzzes through me, and I push my shadows out to search around us, helping me sense any disturbance to the realm.
“By who?” she demands, anger flashing in her eyes.
“We don’t know.” I sigh in frustration, wishing I had more to tell her. If she had more to go on she might be able to do some digging on her side. “There’s been an increase in disappearances. With the rift, some get sucked through, while others go to your realm willingly. But these disappearances are happening everywhere, even in places where the rift hasn’t been reported.”
Her brows crease as though she’s deep in thought. “Is there anything I can do?”
“No, little witch,” I drawl, my lips tugging up into a genuine grin despite the dire circumstances of our meeting. “This is a problem out of either of our control, I just wanted to warn you to be careful. As my mate they might find you if I’m taken.”
“Don’t say that,” she hisses, taking a step towards me before she thinks better of it. Even though she moved a foot closer to me, I can already feel the flames of desire lighting in me, my intoxication with her threatening to cloud my judgment.
“I’ve felt a presence,” I murmur cautiously, as though speaking about it might just bring it into existence. “I can’t fully explain it but I’ve felt like I’ve been watched the past few days. I managed to escape it tonight which is why I came to you, to warn you.”
“Damon,” she whispers incredulously. She scowls back at me and I can’t help but smile in return at her concern. “What can we do? Can you go into hiding? Can you come with me?”
“Aria.” I step forward to clasp her hands in mine. Despite the strength she radiates from every pore, her hands are so small and delicate in mine. “I’ll be fine.”
“You don’t know that,” she huffs out in exasperation, her eyes narrowing on me incredulously. “Come back with me. I can—”
“You need to go,” I hiss, cutting her off mid-sentence as my shadows return to me. Something has entered the dream realm, something or someone that shouldn’t be here. A dark malevolence washes over me, and the same feeling I had earlier pricks at my senses. “Someone’s coming.”
I tug her closer, needing one last taste of her lips if this is the last time I’m going to see her. My mate. We were going to have a lifetime together and now it’s gone, snatched away in the blink of an eye, stolen by the invisible force that’s only moments from descending on me. My mouth sets upon hers with desperate hunger, trying to fill centuries of a life together into one single kiss. I wrap my arms around her, pressing her firmly against my chest, memorizing the way the curves of her body fit against mine.
“I’m sorry, little witch,” I breathe against her lips, sweeping my tongue against hers in one final caress before I lunge back. “You need to go.”
My shadows curl around her, gently pushing her back into consciousness and away from me. Her body begins to fade from our beach oasis, starting from her legs and working up. She tries to move, but it’s too late. She’s waking up.
Aria’s shoulders jerk as she fights against it, her eyes widening in panic as a black cloud looms behind me, blocking out the sun. The darkness is nearly here.
“Damon!” With one final push I send her from the realm, her cry still echoing through the thin air as her body disappears completely. Her screams pierce through my heart like a dagger and shatter it into a million pieces. I never thought the sound of my name on her lips which had just brought me blinding pleasure would now cleave my soul in two.
Gale-force winds blow me back as the darkness draws closer. I fight against it with every ounce of strength I have at the sound of agony in her voice.
