The nightmares have become more frequent lately… almost lucid. I first noticed the shift after we returned from the Griari empire, after celebrating August’s birthday. I thought facing the Witch Queen’s dark magic triggered it, but now I’m not so sure.
Before, I could tell I was stuck in a dream as soon as I saw him. Now my dreams bleed into reality, and it takes me a minute to figure out what’s real.
I lift a hand to wipe the beads of sweat rolling down the side of my face, but something rough scraped my skin. I look down, and my mind stops working at the colorful plastic stuck to my palms.
What the fuck… is that glitter?
When my vision clears, I realize it’s not just my hands. My entire room is covered in hot pink glitter. It’s everywhere—my bedsheets, my desk, my dagger collection.
Dean is a dead man walking.
I scramble off the bed and rush to the bathroom, but the moment I push the door open, a bucket of glitter dumps over my head. I don’t realize I’m screaming until I turn… andanotherbucket full of glitter falls on me.
Dean’s laughter outside my door is the last straw. I bolt for the door, ready to end him, but the bastard is already sprinting downstairs, and I can’t chase him looking like a piñata.
“I’m going to kill you, Reaper!”
“You can try!”
He’s going to regret this.
It takes me an hour to scrub the glitter out of my hair, and I’m a grumbling troll by the time I step out. Conquer Castle is holding court today, so I have to force myself to dress accordingly.
I adjust the cream camisole before slipping into a floral corset that cinches at my waist with delicate lace detail on the back. The matching wide-leg trousers keep the look effortless, and finish it off with a lightweight robe that falls to my hips.
The robe is long enough to conceal my daggers, so I strap two at my waist and tuck a few more wherever I can for good luck.
I’m walking down the hallway when I pull out a dagger to keep my fingers busy, but a growl rips out of me when glitter falls out of the sheath. Thank Lucifer, none of it sticks to my clothes, but I still check every sheath to make sure there aren’t more surprises waiting.
If Dean weren’t my mate, I would’ve sliced his balls off for messing with my daggers.
I stop in the kitchen doorway at the sight of Dean sitting at the dining table and happily munching on breakfast like hedidn’t just declare war. Like it wasn’t bad enough that I lost to him yesterday.
“Good morning, my beautiful mate.”
“Go fuck yourself.”
He chokes on his next bite before chirping, “Oh no, don’t love methatmuch.”
I ignore him and move as far away as possible to make myself a sandwich. I take a steadying breath and remind myself that I have to be at the Conquer Castle soon. I don’t have time to hide his body.
Dean hums as he eats, acting like he didn’t break into my room while I was sleeping and covered every last thing I own in glitter. It’s going to take hours to clean it up.
My hand freezes after I place the sandwich into a mini griller when I feel his eyes on me. Why the fuck is he looking at me?
I swallow under the weight of his gaze, my skin heating everywhere it lingers. I know if I turn around now, I’ll find him staring at me with a dopey look on his face.
I give him a second to snap out of it, but when he doesn’t, I stop cutting my sandwich in half and slam the knife against the counter.
I turn and pin him with a look. “Stop it,” I hiss.
“Stop what?”
“You’re staring. Again.”
“Why? Does it make you nervous when I stare?” My glare sharpens, and like always, his smile widens. What a lunatic. “Come on, Hazel, you can’t be mad at me for looking at your pretty face?”
I drive the knife into the counter, breathing fire. The marble cracks on impact, but Dean doesn’t even flinch.
