“I love yours,” I rasped, heat flooding me at the fact that he kissed my hand.
He didn’t let go; instead, he traced little circles into my palm. “My dad died when I was eleven. He entered some random person’s dream at his work. He did it all the time to feed, and so do most dream demons, but this person was in the middle of a nightmare. Dad must not have realized and entered the dream carelessly. He must not have entered the way I was taught, to appear fromabove the dream on a cloud. He must’ve entered within the dream, you know? Like right into it. The person was being hunted by a serial killer. My dad ended up the victim with his heart cut out.” He choked on the words, and tears flooded his eyes.
I pulled my hand away from him and wrapped both of my arms around his neck, pulling him close. His arms snaked around my back and held me closer.
We stood there on the bridge above the lake, hugging, and there was a tug at my heart, a pull in my soul that beckoned me toward Reed. Our magic seemed to swirl around each other, and it felt soright.
“I’m so sorry, Reed. I had no idea dreamwalking could be so dangerous.” I reveled in the feel of his warmth seeping into me as our magic danced around us.
In that moment, surrounded by the vastness of nature around us and the warmth of Reed embracing me, I knew we shared a connection forged in the Fates. We may not have shared a fated mate bond, but something told me he wasmine.
Reed's voice was a soft murmur against the shell of my ear as he continued his story, “After he died, I was lost. My mom needed me, but I couldn't be there for her—not when I wasdrowning in my own sorrow. I…I was only eleven, and my dad and I were so close.”
“Reed, you were only eleven,” I repeated back to him. He was just a kid himself. He needed his mother. His mother shouldn’t have put that on him.
“Well, with Mom checked out, I went to the internet for some form of contact outside of our home. She moved us away from those I did know after he died, and I understood that, but it was still hard.”
I pulled back slightly, just enough to see his face. The tears trickling down his freckled cheeks broke my heart. “That’s good that you were able to find a connection. Being alone is the hardest thing in the world. Pain and abuse are bad, but isolation?” I shook my head as it felt like knives struck my heart at the memory. “Isolation is the worst form of torture.”
“Yeah.” He frowned, searching my gaze, but he didn’t dig into what I said as if he knew I wouldn’t want to talk about it. “Virtual worlds were the only places I could escape to—where my grief didn't suffocate me. I met my best friend there, and even though we never met in real life, I took her to my dreamscape. She’s how I’ve been able to feed. Mom didn’t like me pulling her into my dreams. She…she liked seeing Dad in her dreams.”
I nodded as a breeze moved around us, making my hair fly all around. I understood all too well the need to escape and find solace from the pain. My thumb brushed against his cheek. “We all find ways to cope. I’m glad you found people to be there for you through that time in your life, even if they were online.”
His hand covered mine, holding it against his face for a moment longer. “She isn’t the demon I thought she was. She’s pulled my mom into something dark, and I believe she’s involved in dark magic.” My gaze widened, but he moved his other hand to cup my cheek. “She’s not my friend anymore. It feels like I’m alone again.”
“But you're not alone, Reed. I’m here,” I whispered.
“You are, aren’t you?” He leaned close, and his lips just barely brushed against mine, sending a spark through my entire body. “Please don’t leave.”
“I…” My knees wobbled as longing spread through my heart. His lips against mine, however brief it was, felt so soft and so perfect. “I’m not going anywhere, Reed.”
He pulled back, and it looked like moving away from me physically pained him. Maybe it did. I could feel the tug of my magic urging me into his arms.
“Thank Fates for that, dream girl,” hemurmured teasingly before lacing our fingers together. “Ready to head back to campus?”
I nodded, almost as if I were in a daze.
Our steps creaked along the bridge, and the view of the academy from here was breathtaking. I could’ve stayed here well into the night with him, just enjoying his company.
The walk back was quiet, but it was a comfortable silence filled with something deeper. Our connection grew stronger today, a faint whisper of our magic that I believed to be the Fates calling us together.
As we reached campus, the first stars began to emerge, pinpricks of light against the darkening sky, and a cold settled around us. Instead of heading back to the dorm room I shared with Dreadful, I wanted to stay wrapped up in Reed’s arms.
Reed kissed me on that bridge.
Well, he didn’tkissme, but our lips touched.Fates, I think…I think I wanted more.
Even with the rest of the demons at the academy against me, I knew I would be okay because I had him.
38
SKEL
Isprawled out on the plush cream sofa as the candles in Darkmore's office flickered, casting elongated shadows across the room. It was so homey, but even with his cozy ass office, I didn’t want to talk.
Darkmore stood behind his mahogany desk, his hooded, icy white eyes watching me with a mixture of concern and determination that pissed me off. I toyed with the white highlights in my black hair, a nervous habit I could never seem to shake.
“I’m not here for a lecture, Darkmore,” I retorted with a lazy drawl. “I’m here 'cause the council's got their eyes on me, and my dad thinks I can still make something with myself. Fear demon rep Link is still hounding me about taking over, you know. Even after what I fucking did.”
