“It’s all right, Leela. Relax. Don’t fight this. Listen to me.”
Lucidity stole over me. This was a dream. But more than a dream.
Thiswasn’tAraz.
I backed up, pressing myself to the balcony. “You’re not Araz.”
“Aren’t I?” He canted his head a little.
My pulse throbbed hard in my throat, and when I spoke, my voice was a whisper. “You’re the primordial evil.”
“Is that what they call me?” He smiled thinly. “Of course it is. But you should know better, Leela. You shouldfeelit.” He approached, and I wanted to shrink away from him, to skirt him and run, but instead, my body arched toward him, forcing me to step forward to meet him.
Dammit, this wasmydream.
Mybody.
I wanted to run.
“No, you don’t. Not truly.” He reached up to run his knuckles down the side of my face. “You belong to me, and I’m coming to collect.”
I wanted to flinch and move my head away, but instead I leaned into his touch, warmth blooming behind my sternum.
“Yes…” His eyes blazed brighter. “There you are.”
He nudged my chin up, and my mouth parted on a sigh even as my mind screamed for me to run. To get away.
“Mine…” He leaned in, his lips closing in on mine.
Not Araz. Oh gods, this wasn’t Araz.
“No!” I sat bolt upright in bed, blood thundering in my ears, heart hammering at my rib cage. “No…” The dream dispersed like mist, but the ache of longing, of unfulfilled promise, and the warm pull behind my sternum remained.
Just a dream or more? But…the tugging in my chest…Could it be…Could it be the bond between Araz and me?
Oh gods…What if…What if Araz was alive? What if he was trapped inside his own body?
I clambered off the bed and rushed to the bells. I needed to speak to Chandra. I needed to speak to him right now.
I yanked on the bell and had barely had time to grab a gown when the air beside my bed shifted and Chandra materialized, bare-chested, dark hair disheveled, body tense as he scanned the room. Probably looking for a threat. His brows pinched slightly, shoulders relaxing when he found none.
“Leela? What is it? What happened?”
I tore my gaze from his impressive torso and fixed it on his face. “I had a dream of Araz. I mean itwasn’tAraz, it was the primordial evil, and he…he tried to…kiss me…” Oh gods that sounded…like a dream. Like a stupid, regular dream. But I’d felt the warmth. I still felt it. Didn’t I? I touched my chest. “There was a tugging sensation. A connection when I was in the dream. I wanted to get away but couldn’t. I…I was drawn to him.” I shook my head. “Okay, now that I’ve been awake a few minutes, it all sounds crazy. Like a bad dream.”
Chandra sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I was afraid this would happen.”
“What?” My attention flicked down to his bare chest, and my cheeks warmed.
He tracked my gaze and winced. “Give me a moment.”
He winked out, and I sagged on my feet. I’d made him uncomfortable. He probably thought I was ogling him.Gah. I covered my face.
He reappeared a moment later, wearing a tunic over his pants. “Come, sit.” He led me to the sofa set and waited for me to pick a seat before taking the spot opposite me.
I clasped my hands in my lap, resisting the urge to jiggle my knee. What was he about to reveal? Was I right? Was Araz still alive? Oh, gods. I wanted that to be true so badly it was a physical ache. Why wasn’t he saying anything? I needed to know.
“Chandra? Is he…could he be alive?”
