Demon Dreams (4 page)

Chapter Three

The wolf lay down as I reached it and I could see the long, deep gashes in its flank.  My chest tightened as he watched me with fear-filled eyes.

Black eyes.

Familiar eyes.

When I reached out a trembling hand he nuzzled it and flicked his tongue out to lick the inside of my wrist. My hand stroked his muzzle then I sat back on my heels in wonder.

He turned his head to look toward the cabin and moments later Samuel was in sight. A paw lifted then rested on my leg. As if he was asking me to stay.

Samuel’s concerned gaze ran over the wolf when he reached us before returning to me. “He’ll be fine.”

I waited for him to speak again but when I saw the same fear as the wolf’s in his eyes I was the one who spoke. “Are you going to make me forget again?”

Samuel swallowed hard. “Only if you want me to.” He took a deep breath. “I need to explain.”

I held up a hand. “Later, let’s take…” I gulped as my mind raced along with my heartbeat, ideas and thoughts swirling around as I tried to just think. But the wolf was bleeding and I could almost feel the pain he had to be in. Taking a deep breath, I tried again. “Let’s take Alec home first.”

* * * *

We didn’t say much on the way back. Actually, other than Samuel telling Alec not to shift, I don’t think either of us said a word.

I hurried to open the door for Samuel as he carried Alec into the house. It hadn’t escaped my notice that Samuel hadn’t even broken a sweat during the trek here. Even as wolf Alec had to be a couple hundred pounds and the implications had me swallowing back nerves.

Samuel took a breath, hesitated then spoke. “It’s better if he’s in his own bed. The scents will help him rest easier.”

I opened the bedroom door for him. “Maybe I should change the sheets so my smell won’t disturb him.”

Samuel shook his head. “No, your scent will help soothe him.” He carefully laid an unconscious Alec on the bed.

I bit my lip as I considered that. “Why?”

Samuel kept his eyes trained on Alec. “I think you suspect the answer already.”

I averted my gaze.
No, I really didn’t—unless
. I swallowed down a rising panic as a wild idea came to me. I shut it down, not ready to go there yet. “Is there a way you can help him heal faster?”

Samuel tensed. “It will only take him a few hours of rest, then he will be fine.”

“But you could, couldn’t you?” I lifted my chin. “Why won’t you?”

Samuel’s hands curled up. “Because I don’t think either one of us is ready for what that would entail.” His head snapped up when I started to argue gain. “There is
nothing
I would not do for Alec!” He took a deep breath before saying more calmly, “Trust in that when I say all he needs is sleep.”

I considered the stress lines on his brow, the way his nostrils flared. “Okay, then tell me what I can do to help him.”

“Simply lie next to him so he knows you have not run.”

I didn’t say a word. I just stripped down to my t-shirt and the cotton pants I had been wearing under my jeans, then climbed onto the bed. No matter how badly I was shaken at the idea that they were something…other, I would not—could not—abandon Alec if my presence would help him recover.

“Thank you.” Samuel sighed and looked at the two of us for a lingering moment before leaving the room.

It was a long time before I could push away the pain I had seen in Samuel’s eyes as he’d stared at us in the bed together. Finally, I fell asleep with one hand resting on the wolf, just so I could reassure myself he still breathed.

Chapter Four

I stayed still, keeping my eyes closed as awareness returned and I felt myself being watched. “You’re staring.”

I opened my eyes to see the wolf watching me.

“Are you okay now?”

He nodded.

“Alec.” I watched him give a little shudder as I said his name. “Can you shift now? I have questions.”

He moved back from me a little ways but when I got off the bed he whined and froze.

“I’m not leaving. I…” I turned up my palms and shrugged. “I just don’t know how much room you need. I’ll just stand here, okay?” I smiled when he gave me a soft woof then he whined. “What?”

The wolf turned over and presented me with his back before facing me again, making another soft whine.

And I suck at charades with people.
“What?”

He repeated his actions then gave a woof.

“You want me to turn around?” I asked, pleased that his nod told me I had understood. “I could just go in the other room.”

He bared his teeth and gave a low growl.

Okay. I guess not.
It was surprising that his snarl didn’t scare me. I arched a brow at him. “You get a bit bossy when you sprout fur, don’t you?” On a wolf, an astonished expression was actually cute and I had to laugh. “Okay.” I turned my back and waited. I heard the sound of the sheets rustling as something moved on the bed. There were a few soft groans and grunts.

A few minutes later Alec spoke. “You can turn around now.”

When I faced him again, I couldn’t hold back the slight flinch at the sight of Alec on the bed, obviously naked under the sheet he’d haphazardly pulled over himself for modesty. Then I made it worse by taking a slight step back.

Alec’s mouth tightened as he averted his gaze. “I’m sorry.”

“For what? Saving me… again?” I shook my head. “I’m the one who’s apologizing. I couldn’t help it. I knew—before you changed back, I knew but…” I shrugged. “Turning around and seeing you human again was still kinda shocking.” I cocked my head. “Are you human at all? I have about a million different myths and legends running through my head right now.”

Alec raised his gaze to look at me. “I was once, years and years ago.” He started to say something else but stopped. “Samuel needs to be here for this.” He hung his head. “What I am…what he is… it’s all connected.”

I stayed quiet, just nodding my acceptance.

“You’re taking this rather well, so far at least,” Alec said and I could see the hope in his gaze.

I gave a strangled laugh. “I’m glad one of us thinks so.”

When his face fell I held up my hand in apology, sighing. “I didn’t mean it like that, Alec. I’ll go wait in the living room while you dress.” And I hoped Samuel wasn’t there because I could really use a few minutes to myself.

* * * *

Samuel was fixing a plate of sandwiches when I stepped out of Alec’s room. He had his back to me but he knew I was there. “He’ll need food. Let me finish these and I’ll leave so you can have some time alone.”

He sounded so…lost. My chest tightened as I took in the stiffness of his body, then I realized what his words meant and I gulped. “Can you read my mind?”

Samuel turned to me, his amber eyes darkened to near gold as he looked at the floor. “No. But I can sense emotions.” He placed the plate in the microwave. “I’ll leave. Will you please tell Alec he has food ready when he leaves his room?”

A knot formed in my stomach. “Please stay.”

Samuel’s gaze shot to mine and his eyes flashed bright gold. “I don’t want your pity!”

I drew up my shoulders and stepped closer to him. “You’re not getting it!” I softened my voice. “I was sad and guilty because you’re upset.”

Samuel gave me an incredulous look. “Why would you be? We’ve lied to you and we’re something not… human.” He sighed. “You should be terrified.”

I heard the door to Alec’s room open and I shifted so I could see both of them. I nodded. “I should be. Probably should be driving like a bat out of hell right now but I…” I’d seriously thought about it too. I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to figure out how to describe it. Finally I just threw up my hands. “I can’t. I think about leaving and I want to cry. Why?”

Samuel closed his eyes briefly. “Do you think I’m doing this?” He held very still.

Alec growled but I flicked a hand at him. “Stop, please, Alec.”

I stared directly at Samuel. “No, mostly because I don’t want to, but also because if you were doing it I don’t think I’d have any clue. I’d just be all shiny and happy and let you do whatever.”

A slow smile formed on Samuel’s face. “You really are quite remarkable.”

I swallowed nervously and tried to ignore the hunger burning in his eyes. Never had anyone ever thought I was special but they were looking at me as if I was miracle and I truly didn’t understand it. “Umm, not really.”

Alec came a step closer. “Do you think you’re the first to suspect we’re something different?” He shook his head. “We’ve been around for a long, long time, Becca, and this is usually when they start throwing holy water and screaming for a pitchfork-bearing mob.”

Samuel spoke quietly. “I can feel your wariness. You’re not blindly believing that you’re safe. I sense you’re deliberately pushing away your fear to give us a chance to convince you to stay.”

“Explain this to me so I don’t have to anymore,” I asked quietly, almost losing my nerve when I saw true fear flash across Samuel’s face as he backed away a step. He didn’t want to tell me but it was time to rip the band aid off. I turned to Alec and flat out asked him. “Shifter or werewolf?”

“Neither,” Alec said quietly, giving Samuel a sorrowful glance before continuing. “I’m a demon’s familiar.”

My mouth fell open, and I barely managed not to jibber my racing thoughts aloud. Slowly, my eyes wide, I turned to Samuel. “Then that would make you…” My voice trailed off as I hoped he would say something different.

Samuel’s voice was barely a whisper. “A demon.”

Chapter Five

“A demon?” I repeated dumbly as I wrapped my arms around myself.

Samuel wiped his face of all expression and lifted his chin. “To be precise, I’m an incubus.”

Alec quickly interjected. “He’s not evil. He has his soul.”

I remembered the feel of strong arms enfolding me and hiding my face from violence. Once again I heard his words in my head
.

You’re safe.

Sleep, Sweetness.

“I believe you,” I whispered. “Tell me so I can understand.”

Samuel sagged in relief, and hope became a glimmer in his eyes. “I feed on sexual energy, and I can use it to heal.”

A strong body was against my back. My legs spread open as a warm, wet tongue licked its way up my inner thigh. I keened and arched toward it, wanting, needing his mouth on my pussy.

The flash of the dream was so intense I felt my panties dampen. Samuel’s eyes turned gold and glowed. Alec’s nostrils flared as his chest rumbled in a low hungry growl. “That was real, wasn’t it? The first night I was here, you both touched me.”

“You had a bad head injury. Your brain was bleeding and swelling.” Samuel met my stare steadily. “I held you while Alec used his mouth on you. Using the pleasure you both felt I managed to stop it before permanent damage was done.”

Alec dropped his gaze. “That was all I did.”

I stared at them. “That first night, was it the only time?”

Alec slid his gaze to Samuel as they exchanged a guilty look.

“So the other night, when I watched Alec dreaming, that wasn’t a dream either?”  I covered my mouth as they shook their heads. “Were you ever going to tell me? Or were you going to keep letting me think I was having freakily real wet dreams?”

Alec shook his head. “We weren’t going to touch you again until you knew the truth.”

“You gave us permission,” Samuel said.

“Because I thought it was a dream!”

“We didn’t realize that at first. Maybe we didn’t pay close enough attention but after all those years of waiting for you…” Alec hung his head. “I’m sorry.”

“Why were you waiting for me? What exactly am I to you?”

“When I chose to be Samuel’s familiar, his protector if you will, I was given a stronger body and an animal form that matches who I am. A wolf in my case.”

My eyes widened as every shifter book I’d ever read smacked me in the face.

“You’re Alec’s mate,” Samuel said before his lips twisted wistfully. “And since he is my familiar that means you are mine, too.”

* * * *

Well, Becca, what now?

“I don’t know.” My whisper was lost in the spray from the shower. I lifted my face into the cascading water as I tried to assimilate what I had learned through the day. They had been so patient with me, letting me ask questions when I was ready and staying quiet when I needed it.

An incubus was a rare supernatural creature, Samuel had explained, much rarer than the more common shifters and vampires. I had to take a breath as I remembered that piece of information.
Focus on the ones in the next room! You can wonder how true to life a Bailey Bradford book is later!

The highlights were that Samuel had his soul, he would only lose it if he used his abilities to drain the energy from someone until they died. A familiar acted as safety valve, the incubus—Samuel—could feed off Alec’s pleasure, removing the risk of losing himself to the hunger and draining the source. But he would never be able to feed well enough to achieve his full strength. He would still be immune to aging and disease.

“So you can’t die?”

Samuel had met my gaze steadily. “If you destroy my heart or take my head, I will. Or if you imprison me where I couldn’t feed, then I would starve and finally fade into death. But only then.”

I had only been able to stare at him, shocked that he had given me such trust.

The benefit to the familiar was the gift of strength and a secondary form. Alec would also live as long as Samuel, and he would only resume aging if their bond was broken by Samuel’s death.

It was almost unheard of for an incubus to give his faith and form such a bond with another.

“Why did you limit yourself?”

“My mother was discovered. She was greedy and drained one too many villagers. When they came for her she chose to leave me behind because I would not stop crying. A human man stumbled across me and instead of seeing a monster, he saw a child that could've been his son.” Samuel glanced at Alec. “He took me home to his wife and they raised me.”

Alec smiled. “They loved you as a son and I’m grateful they gave me a brother.”

The water chilled suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts. I thought I understood the bond between them now, the intense love I had sensed. As I readied myself for bed I wondered, where exactly would I fit in?

I didn’t quite understand how being Alec’s mate would also link me to Samuel and make me the one human he could feed from without losing his soul.

“Alec, if I’m your mate, how can you share me? I thought wolves were possessive?”

“I am, never doubt that.” Alec’s eyes flashed and for a moment what looked at me was not human. “But Samuel is a part of me and you are as much his as you are mine.” He held up a hand to cut off my angry sputter. “I don’t mean you’re a possession, never that. As you are the one woman for me, you are the same for him. How could I deny my brother the same happiness I wish for myself? If you decide to accept us it will be up to you how we deal with the logistics.”

I climbed into bed and thought about that. After years of dreaming of finding an ordinary man to love me I found something far different. Two men, both breathtaking in their own way, who wanted me forever, however long that might last.

I was incredibly drawn to both of them. The sexual chemistry wasn’t in doubt at all but what about emotionally? Could I give them both enough to make them happy? Could I deal with outliving everyone that I cared for in my human life?

I remembered the way they had protected me, how gently they had held me. No one I had taken to my bed before had ever touched me with such reverence.

I closed my eyes and prayed for sleep. Maybe I could come closer to a decision tomorrow.

* * * *

Laughter poured from me as I watched the wolf roll in the dry grass, wriggling around as he scratched his back on the rough ground. “You’re such a goof!”

My jaw dropped open as his fur rippled and his limbs lengthened. Moments later I was staring at a very naked Alec stretched out before me. He leered at me and I realized I was nude too.

I had a second to fantasize how it would feel to be body to body with him when I suddenly found myself lying on the ground with him covering me. Alec leaned down and slanted his mouth over mine, his tongue sweeping in and leading me on a passionate dance. His heavy erection rubbed against the juncture of my thighs as his legs caged mine. A hand came up and gently squeezed my breast. When I arched into his palm he added pressure, drawing a moan from me.

Alec adjusted his leg. His knee slid in between mine and I started to open my legs, wanting, needing him to fill me. Then his sharp teeth grazed my neck and it was like being doused with water.

A dream…another freaking dream!

“Samuel!”

Alec faded away, and I was left standing alone.

“Samuel!”

“You rang, my lady?” Samuel sauntered next to me.

“I thought you weren’t going to mess with my dreams?”

He arched a brow. “I’m not.” A wicked smile formed on his full lips. “Anything happening was coming out of your mind entirely. If it was kinky will you please tell me what it was, down to the last detail?”

“Really? That’s how you’re going to convince me to take you both for mates?” I asked incredulously. Where was the genteel man from earlier?

He shrugged. “A demon has to get his thrills somehow, Sweetness.”

I almost snapped at him then I realized his words felt…off. In fact, only one word seemed to ring honestly. Sweetness. The others had a brittleness to them, almost as they were as fragile as glass.

“Samuel?” My anger drained away as I saw the pain in his eyes. “What is it?”

“You were dreaming of Alec.” His voice was flat.

“Yes, so?”

“
Only
Alec,” he said quietly.

I closed my eyes at the sadness contained in those two words. “It was only a dream, a barely started one at that.”

“Becca.” Samuel waited for me to look at him before continuing. “You don’t feel the same connection for me as you do him. You haven’t since the moment you found out what I was.”

It was true, but I couldn’t bear his pain. “I’m drawn to you.”

“But you fear me just as much as you desire me.”

I stayed silent because that was the truth. The idea of being in bed with… someone that could drain me to death… I didn’t know if I had that much faith… not yet anyway.

Samuel nodded, as if coming to a decision. “Alec isn’t aware I’m telling you this, but I want you to know.” He braced his shoulders. “I can break the familiar bond and set him free. If you choose him and only him, I will do it and wipe the memories of me from both of you.”

“You mean he would be human once more?” I was ashamed over the small clutch of interest I felt.

Samuel must’ve sensed it because he flinched slightly. “The wolf is too much a part of him now for him to ever be human again, but it would be similar to him being born a shifter. You would still be his mate. He never wanted immortality. He only chose this life so I would not be alone.”

“No, I won’t separate you, he loves you.” I pushed the idea away, realizing I would never choose to walk away from Samuel either, but I didn’t have a chance to say it.

“You have no idea what he has done for me! I will do anything to see that he is happy!” Samuel’s eye burned a bright gold. “Learn.”

* * * *

Samuel lay on a dirty wooden floor. The light was so dim I could barely make out how hollow his face was. There were lines on his brow and his teeth clenched down, holding back whimpers of what had to be extreme pain. His breathing was shallow as he seemed to fade more with every passing second. The door opened and the movement of the floor had me realizing we were in old wooden ship, somewhere in the lower hold, I thought. Alec entered the room, followed by three rough-looking men.

I was glad that my sense of smell was not working because everything and everyone looked rank.

Alec whispered something to them then came over to kneel next to Samuel. “Do not give up. I found the answer.” He inclined his head to the others. “All they want is a warm body to fuck. They care not who it is.” Alec’s lips tightened, and I could see the resolve in his gaze.

Horror suffused Samuel’s face. “No! You cannot mean this! It goes against everything you believe in. Our mother and father’s faith that they gave to us.”

“You have helped me to learn that just because something is believed to be evil does not make it so,” Alec said gently. “The church is wrong about you. Perhaps they are also wrong in this and there is nothing shameful or sinful in men lying together.”

“No, maybe not, if that was what was in your heart, but you are no lover of men. For you it would be a memory that would haunt you. A violation,” Samuel said as he fought the agony I could somehow sense burning through him. “The shame would be mine for allowing you to go against your nature in doing this for me.” Samuel’s body was wracked with waves of pain that brought tears to my eyes. “I can hold on a little longer. Mayhap they will find land soon.”

Alec stroked his hand over Samuel’s hair. “And if they do not, what then? I either watch you die in agony or worse.” Alec’s voice broke. “You go feral with hunger and kill, losing the soul we both have sacrificed for you to keep?”

Samuel grabbed Alec’s hand and there was a finality in his gaze. “No, you will stop me.”

Alec reared back as rage lit his eyes. “You would force me to take your life to save your soul? How can you ask that of me?” His fists clenched. “I walked away from everything I knew to run with you. I gave up the land my family has farmed for generations. I even left behind the girl I was betrothed to because I knew she would have told others what you were. It broke my heart when I realized the price if she had ever learned the truth.”

Samuel looked away and hung his head. “At least you would be free to start anew.”

“You are wrong.” There was something dark in his voice, nearly cruel, that had Samuel and I both flinching. “Look at me, brother.”

Samuel raised his gaze, begging. “Don’t say it!”

Alec’s jaw tightened and the words he said, while quiet to prevent the others from hearing, were said with steel in them. “I will not slay you so if you let yourself go mad with hunger.  I will be the first to die.” He kept on even as Samuel shook harder at each word. “It will be me that you drain. When the hunger is gone, as your soul withers, it will be my dead eyes you see.”

Samuel looked shattered. “How can you say that to me?”

Alec snarled. “The same way you lied to me about this voyage being safe for you. You swore we would have many months before you suffered.”