
This is a sexy fast read that will leave you hoping that Ms. Friberg will create more mischief in the realm of dreams for us to enjoy!
Fast paced, with a well-matched hero and heroine and a variety of interesting secondary characters both human and inhuman, Gareth will appeal to fans of paranormal and fantasy romance alike.
I found Dream Warriors: Gareth to be a thoroughly engaging read, and one that I would recommend to paranormal romance lovers everywhere ... Ms. Friberg has written a divinely erotic read that leaves this reviewer with dreams of a wonderful series to come.
I was drawn into the story and the action doesn't let up until the very last page. This is a wonderful story of true love that I highly recommend reading.
A wonderful, tantalizing tale with an intriguing paranormal storyline and adorable characters.
Dream Warriors 1: Gareth is now available from Loose Id.
DREAM WARRIORS 2: RYDER
www.loose-id.com
Warning
This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
\*
This book is rated:
For explicit sexual content, graphic language, and some violence.
Dream Warriors 2: Ryder
This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Published by
Loose Id LLC
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www.loose-id.com
Copyright © May 2005 by Cyndi Friberg
Excerpt of Angel is a Centerfold copyright March 2005 by Pearl Jones
All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing, photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.
ISBN 1-59632-117-2
Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader
Printed in the United States of America
Editor: Maryam Salim
Cover Artist: April Martinez
The Great Hall of Morpheus
Ryder paced beside the reflection pool; his sandals slapped the marble floor, and a dark scowl marred his features.
"What, by the Fates, is wrong with you?" Kane lounged against a pile of cushions while a smiling nymph tossed grapes into his mouth.
"I'm bored!" Ryder stopped in front of them, placing his fists on his hips. "If Morpheus doesn't reassign me soon, I'm going to go out of my mind."
"Boredom isn't necessarily a bad thing." Kane pulled the nymph onto his lap and cupped her bare breast. She giggled and arched into his touch. "Morpheus had me camped out beside the river Styx while the dream spirits played their games. Have you ever smelled the river Styx?"
Ryder smiled despite his frustration. The reflection pool rippled, and Morpheus appeared. Ryder hissed out a breath. Fluctuating between substance and shadow, Morpheus emanated light, creating a subtle nimbus blending red and gold. Only his piercing ebony eyes remained constant, assessing and shrewd.
"Bored, you say?" The Dream Master's voice snapped with irritation. "Of all my warriors, I would think you the most capable of entertaining yourself."
Ryder said nothing. He hadn't meant for Morpheus to hear his complaint. The Dream Master had a knack for appearing at the most inopportune moments. Ryder glanced at Kane, but his friend had buried his face between the nymph's round breasts, while she boldly caressed him.
"The danger is past, sir. Why am I still babysitting the mortal woman?"
"Because Atropos won't confirm that the danger is past." The Dream Master whirled on Kane and the nymph, his eyes flashing. "Take her to your chamber. Aphrodite may encourage such revelry, but this is my hall."
With a solemn nod, Kane lifted the nymph in his brawny arms and disappeared through the archway leading to the private chambers.
"The Fates think the incubus will strike again?" Ryder crossed his arms over his chest, studying his master.
"Clearly you've never conversed with the Fates." Morpheus shook his head. His radiance undulated with dizzying effect. "They speak in riddles and innuendos until you want to shake them."
"Is Sheridan Vellmos still in danger?"
"They don't know." Morpheus clasped his hands behind his back, his posture stiff. "Or they wouldn't say."
Ryder heaved a frustrated sigh. "Am I to continue guarding her until the Fates make up their minds?"
"Were you able to purge her memory?"
"Yes, sir. She awakened the following morning with no recollection of the incubus or any of the events involving Gareth and Meagan."
Morpheus glided right through him. Ryder shivered and turned around. He hated it when the Dream Master ignored physical boundaries. Not only was it disconcerting, it was rude!
"How have Gareth and Meagan explained their situation?"
"According to your instructions," Ryder assured him. "Meagan met Gareth, who is now called Justin, while away on vacation. They succumbed to a whirlwind romance. Justin heard about the opening at the Carroll Foundation and jumped at the opportunity to relocate near his new love."
"Everything seems resolved." Morpheus turned for another pass, but Ryder sidestepped him this time. "So why is Atropos still uncertain?"
"The mortal's research may have resumed, but we didn't trap the incubus or the succubus. They're still out there somewhere." Ryder narrowed his gaze as possibilities erupted within his mind. "Release me from my current assignment and I will hunt them. I will vanquish them outright or bring them to you for judgment."
Morpheus extended his hand over the reflection pool. The surface stirred, and one of the Carroll Foundation's laboratories appeared. Sheri sat on a high stool, working diligently on some sort of report. Tall, slender, with long shapely legs, she managed to make a lab coat look good.
"You're bored guarding her?" Morpheus teased.
"You wanted her unaware of the conflict, so I've stayed out of sight."
Morpheus chuckled. "I think I understand the nature of the problem. You're not bored, you're, umm ... frustrated."
Ryder smiled despite his eagerness for a different assignment. For centuries he'd worked with Morpheus, guiding mankind by influencing dreams. Morpheus, like most gods, manipulated mortals without hesitation, generally for their betterment, but at times for his own amusement.
"It didn't seem right to entertain myself with Sheri because I was frustrated."
"Inactivity is hard on a warrior." Mischief flashed in Morpheus's gaze. "I understand your frustration. As long as she thinks she's dreaming, where's the harm in enjoying yourself?"
Seattle, Washington
"Morpheus said the Fates are still restless, so we must remain alert." Ryder appeared in the laboratory, visible only to his friend.
Gareth chuckled. He might reside in Justin's body, but to the Dream Warriors he would always be Gareth. "Meaning, regardless of how cleverly you pleaded, he wouldn't reassign you."
"I never plead."
"No, you flirt, you cajole, and you flash those dimples, all of which is wasted on Morpheus." Gathering his supplies, Gareth returned them to various cabinets scattered about the laboratory. "Is guarding Sheri so dreadfully dull?"
"She remembers nothing of the incubus. Morpheus insisted on it. Unlike you, I've had no reason to interact with my assignment. I'm less than a ghost to her."
"Thank the gods you've had no reason to contact her." Gareth met his gaze. "You only glimpsed the incubus. Meagan still has nightmares."
"And you're there to comfort her." Ryder grumbled.
"Actually, Gareth is there to comfort her." He indulged in a cocky smile. "I return to my original form when we meet in the Dream Realm."
Ryder raised one eyebrow in silent challenge. "Do you make love to her more often as Gareth or Justin?"
"That's none of your business, old man."
"You never had qualms about sharing your sexual exploits before," Ryder protested. "Have pity on an old man. I have no life!"
"They were sexual exploits before. I love Meagan. There's a big difference. I hope some day you'll understand."
Ryder glared at his friend, released his image, and floated from the room. Sheri's office was down the hall and around a corner. Passing through walls expended unnecessary energy.
Sheri shrugged out of her lab coat and hung it in a locker as Ryder entered the room. Her ribbed sweater outlined her breasts and accented her trim torso. And damn, how she filled out those jeans. Voyeurism wasn't usually his style, but a month was a long time to resist.
She rubbed the nape of her neck, her expression tense and tired.
"Looks like you need a massage." Meagan spoke from the doorway.
"And I know just who I want to give it to me." Sheri turned and smiled at her friend.
"Do tell." Meagan raised her brow, amusement shining in her eyes.
"Achilles!"
It was all Ryder could do not to groan. She'd watched that stupid movie four times -- at least, certain parts of it. Speeding past the fight scenes, she methodically examined every image of the actor portraying Achilles.
Meagan chuckled. "You finally got around to renting the DVD?"
Sheri fanned herself dramatically. "Slow motion is a wonderful thing." They laughed. "If only the camera had panned a little lower while he was bathing in his tent."
Gareth came up behind Meagan and wrapped his arms around her waist. "What are you two laughing about?"
"Just ... mythology," Sheri said, and Meagan pretended to cough.
Gareth's eyebrows drew together in bewilderment. "I've never found mythology particularly funny. Some accounts are horribly inaccurate, but not funny."
Neither woman bothered to explain.
"Ready?" Gareth took Meagan's hand and smiled into her eyes.
Ryder's heart constricted at their apparent happiness. It had happened so quickly for Gareth, but they seemed genuinely in love. Gareth had sacrificed his immortality for Meagan. He'd become human!
"We'll see you tomorrow." Meagan waved as they left the lab.
Sheri stopped by her favorite Thai restaurant for takeout on her way home. After hanging up her jacket, she ate alone at the kitchen table. Her life was so routine. No wonder he was bored.
Ryder waited in the bedroom while she took a long bubble bath. He'd tormented himself a time or two watching her bathe. What was the point in looking when he knew he couldn't touch?
As long as she thinks she's dreaming, where is the harm in amusing yourself?
Morpheus was a troublemaker. There was no way around it. He'd all but given Ryder permission to misbehave. No! His conscience objected. He wouldn't infiltrate her dreams without a reason. His mission was to guard, observe, and protect.
Sheri emerged from the bathroom, her shiny brown hair piled atop her head. Ryder wanted to take it down and comb his fingers through the silky strands. The emerald satin bathrobe clung to her damp skin, accenting her gentle curves and the green in her hazel eyes.
She fascinated him, attracted him in a way he didn't fully understand. He'd seen women more beautiful, more voluptuous, more sensuous. Still, Sheri appealed to him, made him long to touch ... Perhaps that's all there was to it, the lure of forbidden fruit. If he visited her once, he would appease his desire.
Meandering down the hall, she entered her bedroom. A tall armoire served as an entertainment center. She ejected the DVD she'd discussed with Meagan earlier, and a dreamy smile played about her lips.
Ryder wanted to shake her. There'd been nothing romantic about the Trojan War. Thousands had died, and Achilles had acted less honorably than most. She snapped the silver disk into its plastic case, and he paused. Did he dare?
Morpheus had made it clear he wouldn't object. Sheri was fixated on the movie. It would seem almost natural if Achilles appeared in her dreams ...
Sheri awakened slowly, or rather, she emerged into the dream. Her senses came alive, though her consciousness remained submerged. Something coarse pressed against her knees and spread beneath her shins. Rough rope bound her hands behind her; a pole pressed into her back. Blinking repeatedly, she brought the room into focus -- not a room but a tent.
Okay, Vellmos, think! What in the world is going on?
Her mind felt muddled, so she inventoried her surroundings. Expensive-looking rugs covered the ground. A mound of furs lay directly to her right. Smoke rose from wide metal braziers elevated on slender tripods.
The tent flap raised and a man strode in, adorned in familiar golden armor. He appeared battle-weary and dirty. She smiled, remembering where she'd seen this scene. Spicy food, restless nights, and visual stimulation -- she was having one hell of a dream!
He lowered the tent flap, reducing the light. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust. Tension coiled deep in her belly, sexual awareness heightened by fear. Her subconscious had perfectly duplicated the setting, but this man was no Brad Pitt.
As he removed his armor and scrubbed the grime from his flesh, her discomfort mounted. Scars marred his muscular torso. Identical silvery slashes intersected across his broad back. A wide, raised scar high on his side made her breath lodge in her throat. How had he survived such a wound? Forcing air out of her sluggish lungs, she drank in the masculine power of his nearly naked form. A true warrior would be covered with scars, regardless of his renown.
Eyebrows slightly darker than his golden hair drew immediate attention to his chocolate-brown eyes. With a strong jaw line and high, hollow cheekbones, his face was less elegant than the actor's, though no less attractive.
He unfastened the last of his garments, and Sheri swallowed hard. Good Lord, she'd never seen a man fashioned quite so well! All rippling muscle and corded sinew, the warrior stood before her naked and unashamed.
Remembering her comment to Meagan about the camera angle, Sheri released a nervous laugh and dragged her gaze away from his fabulous body.
"I disrobe, and you find it amusing? We shall have to work on your opinion of my anatomy."
Deep and faintly accented, his voice caressed her senses like a physical touch. Spanish? No, something more exotic. Not Italian, either. She couldn't place the unusual inflection in his voice. The fact that he was naked and stalking toward her might have something to do with her inability to concentrate.
As he pushed his burnished hair out of his eyes, she reassessed his features. Captivating. He emanated masculine grace. Distinct brackets framed his mouth, and faint lines fanned out from the corners of his eyes. She guessed him somewhere in his late thirties. Did age really matter in dreams?
"Have you nothing to say?"
"The casting director missed the boat." She cleared her throat. "You're a much more believable Achilles."
Deep, boyish dimples framed the most devastating smile Sheri had ever seen. His eyes sparkled, and her insides clenched. She should eat Thai food more often, if he was the result.
"We both know I'm not Achilles and you're not a captive acolyte."
"But I do seem to be a captive. Would you mind untying me?"
His warm, utterly tangible fingers cupped her chin and raised her face. "This is your dream, my sweet. Why did you envision yourself bound?"
Good question. This was so strange. Why was a character in her dream telling her she was dreaming? Licking her lips, she tried to look anywhere but at him. Her nipples gathered against her filmy gown. The diaphanous garment was more of a negligee than a dress. This had to be a dream, yet nothing had ever felt more ... real.
"Who are you?" she whispered. His touch made her restless and hot.
"Your lover." He knelt as he whispered his reply.
She laughed. "I'm pretty sure I'd remember sleeping with someone like you."
He flashed that bone-melting smile, and heat spiraled from her breasts to her core.
"You'll remember. Long after you awaken, you'll tingle as you think of the pleasure we'll share." He brushed his mouth against hers; not a kiss really, more like a caress. "You're mine for the taking, but I'd rather accept what is freely given."
Sheri sighed. It felt good. Hell, it felt wonderful. Parting her lips, she offered her mouth, and he eased his tongue inside. Once there, he stroked, delved, explored so thoroughly, she couldn't suppress a moan. Her heart leapt and pulsing need erupted between her thighs. She'd never been this turned on by a dream!
His fingers splayed against her cheek, while his other hand wandered along her throat, across her shoulder, and down her arm. Would he untie her? An odd pang ricocheted through her stomach. She refused to consider that the sensation was disappointment. Not even in dreams was she so brazen.
His fingers glided along her inner arm and onto the upper curve of her breasts. Had her skin always been this sensitive? Her core throbbed painfully, her breath coming in short, shallow pants.
He deepened the kiss, thrusting into her mouth with a distinct rhythm. She angled her head, accepting the penetration, craving the act he mimicked. She arched into his warm body and felt an unmistakable bulge against her belly. Standing naked as he bathed, he'd been impressive. His arousal had lengthened and thickened his shaft until a powerful shiver passed through her body.
A rumbling chuckle escaped his throat. His hands settled on her hips, and he rubbed himself against her. "Feel what you do to me, how badly I need to be inside you."
"It's a little hard to miss." Leaning against the pole, she closed her eyes.
Cool air wafted across her skin, and her eyes flew open. Why was he moving away? She wasn't ready for the dream to end. He returned with a wicked-looking dagger -- no jewels, just a very sharp blade.
"What are you --" He sliced the straps of her gown, and it drooped to her waist. Her mouth formed an O, but her voice failed to produce the word. He threw the dagger with deadly accuracy. It lodged in a tent pole across from them as he cupped her breasts in his hands.
"I had to see you." He sighed, his eyes closing for a moment as if he savored the feel of her breasts in his hands. "I've waited so long to touch you."
Before she could argue that they'd just met, his mouth claimed hers again. His hands caressed, thumbs rubbing her nipples. She arched into his touch, yet she needed so much more. He couldn't take her like this; he could only tease. She wanted his body covering hers, pressing her into the furs. Imagining that long, thick shaft sinking into her core, she shivered and moaned into his mouth.
"What do you want, little love? Speak the words and I'm yours."
"I don't even know your name," she murmured.
One of his hands slipped under her skirt and stroked her thigh. He took his time, memorizing the texture of her skin. His fingers eased inward, beginning a slow ascent. She dragged her mouth away and closed her eyes, unable to bear the intensity of his touch and kiss.
Tension bordered on pain. Her abdomen pulsed with need. Still, he tormented her with feather-light caresses. She trembled. He cupped her mound, but made no move to touch her more intimately.
"Tell me your name." She'd never made love to a stranger, even in her dreams.
"I thought it was Achilles."
She looked into his eyes, her gaze uncertain. "I don't want to do this if you won't even tell me your name."
"Ryder." His gaze remained locked with hers as his fingers dipped and parted. "Now I want to hear you say it as I give you release."
Unnerved by the demand in his tone, she tried to turn her face away. His hand caught the back of her neck, preventing her retreat. He slid his middle finger back and forth. Not up into her core, not against her sensitive nub, he just teased her tender folds.
"How's that feel?"
"More." She gasped. "I need more."
"Like this?" He pushed two fingers into her, and Sheri's inner muscles contracted, welcoming the penetration. "Or like this?" With his fingers still inside her, his thumb found her clit and circled.
"Yes! Oh, yes."
He thrust in and out, speeding her arousal with his thumb. His mouth hovered over hers, while his fingers filled her again and again. She canted her hips, surrendering to the sensations. Deep, rhythmic pulses gripped her core. She cried out his name. He captured the sound with his mouth, his kiss skillful and passionate. His fingers continued their sensual dance until the last tingle receded.
She'd never felt anything so wonderful, and he'd only used his hand. How would she survive the main event? How had her imagination created ...
An image pushed through her sated musings. She saw him sitting in a car, laughing with Justin Garret. She twisted away from his kiss.
"I know you." She gasped, her gaze searched his face. "I've seen you before."
His eyes narrowed. He looked rather dubious. Even as he forced a smile, he moved his hand to her hip. "My image had to come from somewhere. How else would you summon me to your dreams?"
"Dreams!" She tugged against the ropes. "It all began in dreams. Meagan was having terrible dreams. She claimed some creature was attacking her."
Jumbled memories, fragmented conversations, swirled together in Sheri's mind. Incubus. Meagan had called it an incubus.
"Let me go." She tugged harder.
Ryder framed her face between his palms and waited until she looked into his eyes. "I would never hurt you. There's no reason for your fear."
"Untie me now! This isn't amusing anymore."
His broad chest rubbed against her breasts as he untied her hands. She held her breath, afraid to move until her hands were free. Covering her breasts with the severed gown, she averted her gaze while he wrapped a length of cloth around his hips.
"Where am I?" What would she find beyond the tent? He stood between her and the opening.
"You're asleep in your bed. This is the Dream Realm, but you shouldn't remember me."
"You were talking to Justin in his car." She scrambled to her feet as gracefully as she could while covering her nudity. "Why shouldn't I remember you?"
"I took the memory from you." He frowned, his gaze resigned. "I'll have to do so again."
He reached for her, but she ducked under his arm and dashed through the tent's opening. She stepped out into nothingness and screamed.
"I woke up screaming and never went back to sleep." Sheri sat across a small round table from Meagan in the Carroll Foundation's coffee shop. In very general terms, Sheri had relayed the previous night's events. "Is Ryder the incubus you told me about?"
Meagan set her mug aside and shook her head. "Ryder is definitely not the incubus. He's like Gareth, a Dream Warrior."
Unable to decide if stress or sleep deprivation had triggered her headache, Sheri rubbed her temples. "Gareth, the entity now inhabiting Justin's body."
"You make it sound sinister, but yes. Gareth drove away the incubus, and Ryder was assigned to protect you."
Sheri fought back a smile. What had transpired in her dream didn't fit anyone's definition of protection. "Why was the incubus after you?"
"They can only guess at its motivation, but its purpose was to keep me away from my research."
Sheri paused for a sip of coffee. It was midmorning. They'd missed the arrival crowd, and the lunch rush had yet to begin, which was why Sheri had waited until now to ask Meagan to sneak away for a few minutes. The fewer people available to overhear their bizarre conversation, the better.
"How many of these spirits are running around out there?" Sheri hadn't meant the question to sound quite so sarcastic.
Meagan smiled. "It all sounds fantastic when you say it out loud. I understand. I've been there, but I've also seen Ryder. Would you like me to describe him?"
"You don't have to convince me it's real." She scooted closer to the table, glancing around warily. "The attacks on you have stopped, haven't they?"
"Yes. Justin guards me during the day, and Gareth is there as soon as I fall asleep."
"Two for the price of one." Sheri glanced down into her coffee mug. "Lucky you."
Meagan reached across the table and touched her hand. "Was Ryder cruel to you? If he frightened you or harmed you, Gareth can report his behavior to --"
"It's just upsetting to realize there are beings who can manipulate your mind." Sheri looked at her friend and tried to smile. "He made me forget everything that happened to you. If he wanted to, I suspect, he could wipe my mind clean."
"You don't have to be afraid of him." Meagan gave her hand a squeeze before settling back in her chair. "He's one of the good guys."
"Somehow that's not very comforting right now."
They sat for a few minutes in silence. Sheri tried to objectively analyze why her interaction with Ryder upset her so badly. He'd given her the most intense orgasm of her life, but it left her feeling empty and used.
"We're closer to a breakthrough with Bental-2 than ever before." Meagan's calm, even tone interrupted her reflection. "I think the incubus has given up on disrupting this timeline."
"Why would an incubus care about viral research? Spirits aren't affected by disease."
"There's only so much Gareth is allowed to explain." Meagan shrugged. "If Bental-2 lives up to our expectations, it could be the biggest medical development since antibiotics. The incubus, or more specifically whoever is controlling it, doesn't want that to happen."
"I understand that. The question is why?" Bental-2 itself was harmless, but Meagan believed the virus could be programmed to transport biological or chemical treatments for diseases like leukemia, cancer, and AIDS.
Meagan shook her head. "I don't know, and Gareth either doesn't know or can't say. I'm just glad it's over."
"I'm not under attack, so why did Ryder ... What did he think ..."
A smile curved the corners of Meagan's lips. "From what little you've told me, it sounds like he was invited."
"Invited?" Sheri took a quick sip of coffee, hiding her expression with the mug.
"You did say you wanted Achilles to give you a massage."
He'd certainly massaged her! Sheri felt heat climb her neck as she remembered -- You'll remember. Long after you awaken, you'll tingle as you think of the pleasure we'll share.
Forcing her thoughts away from the erotic dream, Sheri met her friend's gaze. "If these beings only exist in dreams, how did he know what I said to you?"
"Ryder is different than the others. He was the original Dream Warrior. Gareth said it was just Morpheus and Ryder for a very long time, then --"
"Morpheus?"
Meagan picked up her mug with a soft chuckle. "You better brush up on mythology."
\*
"Why did you allow her to retain the memory?" Gareth asked.
Shortly after the women left for the coffee shop, Ryder appeared in the laboratory where Gareth was working. "That wasn't my intention, but she ran past me. I hadn't constructed an illusion beyond the tent, so the shock of the void awakened her."
Gareth leaned against the counter, his expression thoughtful. "Why didn't you follow her into the Waking Realm or command her back to sleep? You allowed her to retain the memories. Why?"
Ryder turned from Gareth's assessing stare. This was likely a rehearsal for his conversation with Morpheus. He better figure out his answers now. "I ... I don't know."
Gareth grinned. "Sure you do. Now that she knows who and what you are, there's no reason to hide. You want to interact with this woman."
Frowning, Ryder considered the possibility. Had he intentionally allowed her to retain the memory?
"Morpheus isn't going to like this."
Ryder raked his fingers through his hair. He knew Gareth was right, but he'd no idea how to justify his actions. A shocked gasp drew his attention to the doorway. Sheri stood there, mouth gaping, eyes wide, Meagan a step behind her.
"Well, hell, that has to be the shortest coffee break in the history of womanhood." Ryder shook his head.
"Why can they see you?" Gareth asked. "You didn't shield your image?"
"I'm exhausted. You don't realize how complicated it is to create an image only visible to one individual."
Meagan stepped past Sheri and entered the laboratory. "Sheri had some questions I couldn't answer. I suggested she talk to Gareth, but you'll do even better."
"How is he ... You said they only exist in dreams."
"They interact with humans through dreams. Obviously, Ryder is able to appear in the Waking Realm."
Sheri remained in the doorway, her wary gaze fixed on Ryder. He took a step toward her. She backed away.
"He's only visible in this realm." Meagan added, obviously trying to soothe her friend. "He can't touch you."
Ryder didn't correct her. He could solidify for short periods of time, but it drastically drained his energy. Sheri's fear frustrated him. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her.
"Will you give me the chance to explain?" Ryder asked.
"Meagan already told me all I need to know." Her voice was as stiff as her posture.
"You have a terrible headache." Meagan grinned. "I'll let Saul know you went home."
Anger burned though Sheri's fear, and Ryder relaxed. Indignation he could deal with, but how did he comfort a terrified female when he was the cause of her fear?
She placed her fists on her hips and glared at Meagan. "I'm not going anywhere with him, but thanks for offering me to the wolf."
"Meagan said you had questions." Gareth neatly insinuated himself into the conversation.
"How long has he been spying on me?" Sheri moved into the laboratory, lowering her voice as she neared.
"I was assigned to protect you in case the incubus changed tactics and came after you."
She glanced at him, but again she spoke to Gareth. "When was he assigned to me? How long has he been creeping around my house like a ghost?"
"Shortly after I drove off the incubus, Ryder was dispatched to you."
"He's been guarding me for a month? Can he ... when he's invisible, can he see me?"
Ryder tried not to let her tactic annoy him, but damn it, he was visible. "How can I ensure your safety if I can't see you?"
Her gaze snapped to his. "If you can't touch me when I'm awake, how did you expect to keep me safe?" Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked away.
"The primary threat is from the incubus, and he appears in the Dream Realm." He tried to move into her line of vision, but she stubbornly turned her head. "If something were to endanger you in the Waking Realm, I could summon a corporeal being. Not everyone in my acquaintance is a Dream Warrior."
"Where do Dream Warriors come from? What gives you the right to interfere in the lives of humans?"
Gareth smiled patiently and motioned toward Ryder. "He really is the best person to answer these questions, and explaining the details here is unwise. Perhaps Meagan's suggestion isn't such a bad idea."
Sheri took a deep breath and met Ryder's gaze directly. "Meet me at my house. I need a few minutes alone to get my thoughts together."
Ryder inclined his head and blinked out of sight.
\*
It took twenty minutes to get from the Carroll Foundation to her house. Sheri did her best to organize her thoughts and prioritize the questions she would ask her resident specter, but her mind kept returning to the dream.
No one had ever touched her with such a potent combination of command and tenderness. Had her orgasm spontaneously restored her memory, or had Ryder done something to return the images to her mind?
He wasn't in sight when she entered the house. She hung up her coat and walked into the kitchen. The dank March wind left her chilled and uncomfortable. Her frazzled nerves didn't need more caffeine, but a mug of herbal tea sounded perfect.
"The simplest solution is for me to take the memory of the dream from you, as well as ‑‑"
Gasping, Sheri spun so fast water from her mug splashed her sweater. "Can you knock or something?" She pulled the damp material away from her body before it soaked the tee shirt beneath. "You scared me to death."
"I apologize." He stood just inside the archway separating the kitchen from the family room, laughter sparkling in his dark eyes. "It was never my intention to frighten you."
He put particular emphasis on the word never. She turned toward the sink to hide her smile and the distinct peaks her nipples created through the bulky sweater. She'd been anything but frightened in the dream, and the same curling heat assailed her now.
Holding the sweater with one hand, she refilled the mug with the other and set it in the microwave. She took a deep, fortifying breath and turned to face Ryder while the water heated.
"What was supposed to happen last night? Why did you infiltrate my dream?" He started to answer, but she stopped him. "No, go back farther. Why did you take the memory of the incubus from me in the first place?"
"We are guardians. We assist and protect, but humans are not meant to know of our existence."
"My sweater is wet. Don't get the wrong idea, but I need to take it off. Can you control yourself?"
He sauntered toward her. "It wouldn't matter if I couldn't. As Meagan said ..." He reached for her, and his hands passed right through her body. She gasped and leapt back. He smiled. "I can't touch you while you're awake."
Her torso tingled; her nipples tightened further. Apparently, he didn't need to touch her to stimulate her hormones. His arresting features and sexy smile were more than enough to set her pulse racing. A violent shiver shook her, and she wiggled out of the damp sweater. The black tee shirt beneath was tucked into her jeans; still, his gaze focused with obvious interest on her breasts. Stubbornness alone kept her from folding her arms over her chest like the proverbial virgin.
"Meagan also said something about Morpheus. Does Gareth have her convinced Greek mythology is real?"
"You don't believe in myths and legends?"
Those damn dimples melted her insides and turned her knees to rubber. It wasn't right for a ghost to be so appealing. "I don't believe in Zeus and Apollo, if that's what you're asking me."
"This could be a quick conversation." Ryder chuckled. "Zeus is my father, and Apollo -- though he'll never admit it -- is my half-brother."
Sheri just stared at him.
The microwave dinged, disrupting her stupor. Needing something normal to occupy her befuddled brain, she retrieved the mug and plopped a teabag into the steaming water. He didn't expect her to believe ... But his words rang true.
Pulling out a chair, she sat at the kitchen table. Ryder passed through a chair across from her and sat as well. She gaped. His smile turned sheepish. "I'm a mirage, remember."
She took a slow, deliberate sip of tea, her mind whirling. If it weren't for Meagan and the Gareth-possessed Justin, Sheri would simply accept her own insanity. "Just for the sake of argument, let's say that the myths are true."
"I never said myths are true. I said I'm the son of Zeus. Much of mythology has been twisted and corrupted through thousands of years of --"
"Okay, let's stick with the basics. If you're the son of a god, why are you so powerless in, what did you call this, the Waking Realm?"
"Have you ever heard of Hera?"
"Wasn't she married to Zeus?"
"That depends on the day." She didn't return his smile, so he went on. "Zeus has a wandering eye, to say the least. His frequent infidelities outrage Hera, and she finds creative ways of dealing with his lovers."
"I remember now. She turned them into trees and animals and constellations."
"And dreams." He paused meaningfully. "Hera turned my mother into a dream and banished me to the Dream Realm. Not even Zeus could restore us."
Sheri rubbed her temples. Was it easier to accept that she was talking to a ghost, or a mythological character? Either way, she should probably be medicated.
"You said you were trapped in the Dream Realm, but your mother was turned into a dream. Isn't that the same thing?"
He shook his head, and sadness clouded his eyes. "A dream never changes. It's rather like a memory. I located her in the Dream Realm once, but she didn't see me. She's repeating a sequence of events that took place before my birth."
"Is she aware of what she's become?" Good Lord, was she feeling sorry for her delusion? This couldn't be good.
He glanced down at the tabletop, a bittersweet smile curving his lips. "Not even Hera is that cruel."
"Who was your mother?"
"A nymph. One of many Zeus seduced. The historians grew bored recording them all. Her name would mean nothing to you."
"Historians." She nodded, fighting back a nervous smile. This was all so ridiculous. "Are all Dream Warriors sons of Zeus?"
"Each has his own story. I'm telling you mine."
"Hera banished you to the Dream Realm, so Morpheus offered you a job?"
"It's a bit more complicated than that." He shook away the sorrow and met her gaze, his expression edged with impatience. "Morpheus had a falling out with his brothers about the time humankind spread across the earth like wildfire. Morpheus was left with a domain too vast to manage on his own, so he recruited me."
"Recruited you for what? What exactly do you do?"
"Each assignment is different. I do whatever is required of me."
She arched her eyebrows. "Was last night required of you?"
"I heard your comments to Meagan and couldn't resist." A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He had the most kissable mouth, and, heaven help her, he knew how to use it! "Is this where you try to convince me you found no pleasure in my touch?"
"I may embellish to others, but I try very hard not to lie to myself. You heard a passing comment whispered to a friend and used it to manipulate me."
"I used it to stimulate you."
"I don't see the difference."
"Before I ever touched you intimately, I asked for an invitation, and you offered it freely."
Deep in the heart of the Underworld, Chaos lay alone in his massive bed. Hovering between sleep and wakefulness, his body tossed while his mind echoed his father's warning. Your precious Delilah will disrupt this world in ways we can only imagine.
In a moment of rash defiance, Chaos had released the succubus from her pit. He hadn't imagined Delilah's true power, had only known her escape would infuriate his father. Hades had been outraged, all right. He'd commanded Chaos to locate the succubus and return her to the Underworld.
For the past human month, Chaos had hunted her with ruthless determination. Still, she remained a step ahead, taunting him with her handiwork, with the victims she left behind.
And then she'll come for you!
Torches cast wavering light across the decadent chamber Chaos called home. Ebony, crimson, and gilt, the room accented the coloring of its occupant. Chaos surrounded himself with splendor in an attempt to forget what lay beyond the palace walls. His father might be the ruler of the Underworld, but Chaos had no use for the dead.
His bedding disintegrated, leaving him sprawled upon his back, naked and stunned. He struggled against the unseen force which held him down, spread his arms and legs until he spanned the surface of the bed.
Cloying and sweet, the scent of jasmine and cloves swirled around him, caressed him, aroused him. Desire twisted through his gut. His skin tingled. His shaft rose.
"Release me!" He tossed his head, panting harshly. "I'll not be --"
The fragrance intensified. Invisible fingers explored his chest, stroked his abdomen, wandering ever closer to his burgeoning erection. Was he dreaming? Or was Delilah really here?
The unseen hand closed around his shaft, and Chaos went wild. He bucked and thrashed, tugging against the invisible restraints. Helpless! He couldn't move, could only feel what she wanted him to feel. Firm pressure, scalding heat, she took him to the edge of orgasm, then stopped as he let out a frustrated roar.
"What's the matter, darling?" Delilah solidified beside him, her nimble fingers still encircling his shaft. "You certainly enjoy playing with others. Don't you enjoy being the toy?"
"Release me." He snarled; his gaze locked with hers.
She'd chosen the form he liked least, the better to annoy him, no doubt. Slender to the point of frailty, she sat with her legs folded in front of her. Her sheer blue garment matched her flashing gaze and the highlights in her sleek black hair.
"Why have you been following me?" One of her dark brows arched quizzically.
Her hand slid up his length, her thumb rubbing his ultra-sensitive tip. Chaos stifled a groan. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing how her touch tormented him. Besides, if he held still a bit longer, her tormenting touch would -- She pulled her hand away.
"You teasing bitch!"
"Did you miss me?" She grinned. "Or did Daddy tell you to drag me back to his moldering kingdom and the pit awaiting me there?"
"I missed you." Fury made his voice terse, belying his words.
She laughed. "Sure you did."
What was wrong with him?! She was here. All he had to do was contact his father and put an end to this chapter in his life. Projecting his thoughts outward, he sensed nothing but an endless void.
"Where are we?"
Moving between his thighs, she cupped his balls in one hand and stroked his shaft with the other. "I'm a succubus, you fool. Where do you think we are?"
He was dreaming. She'd trapped him in her domain. Again and again she took him to the edge of climax, denying his body release. When her hand no longer amused her, she took him in her mouth.
Clenching his teeth, he endured her sensual torture until his jaw ached as badly as his balls. His groans turned to curses, his curses to screams, as she intensified his need. The heated swirl of her tongue was the cruelest pleasure yet. She licked and sucked, always pulling back at the last possible moment.
Chaos trembled, hating her -- needing her.
"You'll never find me, but I can visit you again and again." As she spoke, she climbed on top of him, straddling his hips.
Yes, oh, please, yes!
She positioned him at her entrance and stared into his eyes. "Is this what you want, my darling?"
"Yes!" The word escaped on a moan.
Her hot, wet heat enveloped his engorged tip. He cried out, then moaned, turning his face to the side. She had no intention of letting him come. There was nothing but cruelty in her bright blue eyes.
"Will you stop following me?"
He squeezed his eyes shut, his body throbbing unmercifully. She knew any promise he uttered would be a lie. When Hades gave an order, no one disobeyed. Inch by agonizing inch, she took him into her core. She dragged her body up just as slowly, and took him deep again.
Chaos clenched his fists, his body arched, tense.
"Leave me alone." She whispered the threat against his lips. "Or next time I'll bring friends."
\*
Chaos stood outside his father's office, shaking with fury and humiliation. Two human weeks had passed since the succubus first visited him. Each time, her torment worsened, her tactics grew more perverse. At first Chaos used the nightmares as motivation. The sooner he caught her, the sooner his torment would end.
The latest event changed all that. He knew when he was bested, when it was time to seek reinforcements. Dragging several deep breaths into his burning lungs, he raised his hand and knocked.
"Enter."
Hades looked up as his son opened the door. "Why aren't you hunting Delilah?"
"Because she's hunting me." Chaos crossed to the chairs in front of the massive ebony desk and sat, not trusting his legs to support him. "I need your help. I can't fight her alone. I had no idea ..."
Folding his arms across his massive chest, Hades stared at him. "What is she doing? What, specifically, brought you to me?"
Chaos explained as vaguely as possibly the nature of her torment. "Three nights ago, she made good on her threat. She arrived with others. One was a hideously deformed creature, the other --"
"I understand."
"No, you don't. This began three nights ago. I just awakened now."
"She held you hostage for three days?"
Chaos stiffly inclined his head.
Hades stood and moved around his desk, resting his hand on his son's shoulder. It was a rare and much needed show of affection. Chaos accepted it gladly.
"I can't help you, son. The Dream Realm isn't my domain."
He stared into his father's glistening eyes, dread twisting through his ravaged soul. "I can't go to them for help."
"Would you rather face Delilah again?"
\*
The past two weeks had been some of the most enjoyable days of Ryder's life. Sheri fascinated him. Her quick wit and dry sense of humor kept him entertained. He'd only appeared to her twice in the Dream Realm; generally he just watched her sleep. The first time, she'd allowed him to kiss her, and he hadn't pressured her for more. The second encounter had been more heated, but ended far sooner than he would have liked.
He wanted to touch her, taste her, and spend the entire night making love to her. Why was he courting a mortal he might never see again? And he was courting her, flirting, endearing himself to her.
Shaking away the troubling thought, he strode into the Great Hall of Morpheus. The Dream Master turned from the reflection pool as Ryder entered and motioned him across the hall. "Have you become clairvoyant? I was just going to summon you."
Ryder's steps faltered. Surely Morpheus didn't mean to reassign him. Two weeks ago he'd wanted nothing more, but he and Sheri had unfinished business now.
"What can I do for you, sir?"
"Has there been any unusual activity surrounding your mortal female?"
"Define unusual." He'd avoided this meeting for two weeks. He didn't want to cleanse Sheri's mind of his memory any more than he wanted to leave her. In fact, going back to the way it had been before would be worse than leaving her.
"The Fates sent a message to me. Do you realize how unusual it is for them to seek out anyone?"
Kane strode into the hall, his practiced nonchalance ruined by the curiosity gleaming in his dark eyes.
"You summoned me, sir?" Kane joined them beside the reflection pool.
The Dream Master's form rippled as he turned to face Kane. "The incubus has yet to reemerge, but there has been a vicious string of attacks by a succubus."
"You believe they're connected?" Kane tilted his dark head, managing to look bored despite the interest in his gaze.
"They always work in pairs. I presumed the incubus was the stronger, but it's possible I was wrong."
Ryder grinned. "Can we have that in writing?"
The Dream Master ignored the playful jeer. "Have any male employees at the Carroll Foundation complained of --"
"The incubus is controlled by his sister. The true power lies with the succubus."
Ryder turned toward the arched entrance as the nearly forgotten voice echoed through the marble hall. It had been centuries since Chaos had ventured beyond the Underworld.
"What is he doing here?" Kane asked.
Chaos was generally more trouble than he was worth, but Hades kept him on a short leash, and everyone was happy. The conflict between Kane and Chaos was intense and personal. Kane refused to speak of it, and Ryder saw no reason to pry.
Ryder glanced between his friend and Chaos as their unexpected visitor made his way across the hall. Looking to his master for permission, Kane silently drew his sword. Morpheus shook his head. Kane kept his sword in hand.
"I have a proposition." Chaos sounded uncomfortable, almost resigned.
"What do you have that could possibly interest me?" Morpheus casually moved in front of Kane.
"A mutual enemy."
"And the proposition?"
Chaos folded his arms over his chest. "This is between you and me. Dismiss your warriors."
"If this involves the dream spirits, my warriors stay."
Fidgeting visibly, Chaos accepted the condition. "For reasons I will not explain, I released the succubus."
"The creature who calls herself Delilah?" Morpheus sounded aghast.
Chaos nodded.
"You intentionally set her free?"
Again he nodded.
The red in Morpheus's aura intensified, warning those who knew him to take cover. Morpheus advanced. To his credit, Chaos stood his ground.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"Delilah herself is helping me understand the true scope of my folly." Chaos cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. "My proposition is simple: information for protection. I will tell you everything I know about Delilah, if you assign one of your warriors to protect me in the Dream Realm. She has been -- attacking me for weeks."
"You're getting exactly what you deserve." Kane snarled out the words.
Tense silence descended as Morpheus paced the length of the reflection pool. Hissing out a frustrated breath, Chaos turned on the ball of his foot. "I knew this was a waste of time."
Morpheus immobilized him with an upraised hand. "You are not her only victim." He released Chaos and resumed his pacing. "Give me a moment to think."
"I'll protect this piece of shit when it snows in the Underworld." Kane stomped from the hall, forcefully sheathing his sword.
"Spoken like a true diplomat." Morpheus chuckled as he faced Chaos. "I have a proposition of my own. If you want the protection of a Dream Warrior, not only will you share your information, you'll help us catch her."
Chaos blanched. "I'm bartering for your protection, not offering myself as bait."
"You'll be protected by the son of Zeus. That's more than you deserve." Dismissing Chaos with a scathing glance, Morpheus turned to Ryder. "If you thought the incubus was vile, you better brace yourself for Delilah. You're the only one still assigned to this case. The choice, my friend, is yours."
I'm sick of this, Delilah. Let's move on!
The rat-infested motel reminded Delilah of the Hall of the Dead. The stench of mildew and decay comforted her, made her feel ... closer to Hades. Fury rushed in on the heels of her melancholy. How could she spare Hades so much as a thought after all he'd done to her?
Strengthening her telepathic link to her brother, the succubus rubbed a blood-red crystal between her forefinger and thumb. Zared was a formless haze in the Waking Realm. They were dream spirits. This was not their natural environment. After eons of painstaking practice, Delilah had gained a level of control unlike any other succubus. She could move through the Waking Realm, manifest her image, and compel mortals to fall asleep. Still, with all her power, she could only materialize fully in the Underworld and the realm of dreams.
"You bore easily." She closed her fist around the crystal and floated across the room. "My business with Hades is far from complete."
Your business with Hades ended centuries ago. Why do you refuse to accept it?
"He left me in a pit to rot, cut off from my only source of energy. Am I to forget those agonizing years and simply walk away?"
I brought you energy. You were never close to starvation.
"I was alone! He sealed me in a cage like an animal."
While he frolicked with his wife. That's what this is about, isn't it? Hades spurned you and ... By all that's unholy, D. You're not still trying to win him back, are you?
Frustration clawed through her with icy talons. Why must she be surrounded by fools? Winning Hades back was the farthest thing from her mind. She had hardened her heart long ago. She hovered near the window, staring out into the night. "I'm not the only succubus left. Find another and do as you please. I set you free. Go!"
You're my sister. She sensed his presence close behind her. I will never abandon you.
"You're such a comfort to me," she grumbled. A long pause followed as Delilah considered her options and formulated her strategy.
Why do you hide in this filthy dive? Join me in the Dream Realm. We can fashion ourselves a palace. We're not limited by anything.
"That's exactly what the Dream Warriors expect. Do you doubt they're still hunting you? We must conserve our energy, conceal ourselves until I'm ready to attack."
What are you hoping to accomplish by all of this? I could almost understand it if you wanted the son.
"Chaos is a little boy." Heat washed over her body. Their frequent bouts of carnal pleasure would indicate otherwise, but Zared didn't need to know how well Chaos had entertained her. "I only indulged him for a time, hoping he'd tell his father what he'd done."
You tried to make Hades jealous by toying with Chaos?
"This is not about jealousy," she snapped. "No one betrays me and walks away. One way or another, Hades will pay for his treachery."
You punish the father by destroying the son.
Delilah smiled. Perhaps Zared wasn't hopeless after all.
\*
Pausing to shake the rain off her umbrella, Sheri folded the device into a compact bundle, then unlocked her front door. The past two weeks had fallen into a bizarre routine. Ryder remained visible whenever they were alone, lessening her concern that he was spying on her.
The incubus had nearly destroyed Meagan's sanity before the Dream Warriors intervened. Whenever Sheri felt resentment swell at the invasion of her privacy, she pictured her friend's terrified expression and haunted eyes. Anything was better than being subjected to such abuse.
After hanging up her coat, she carried her laptop and briefcase into her small home office. Dream Warriors never slept. That fact fascinated her. They relaxed and trained in the Great Hall of Morpheus when they weren't on assignment, but they spent the majority of their time in the Dream Realm. No matter how meticulously Ryder explained his life, Sheri had trouble grasping much of what he said.
She turned and found a man looming in the shadowy doorway. Tall and broad, his shoulders nearly spanned the threshold. A scream lodged in her throat as fear dried up her mouth. As she stumbled back, her hip hit the edge of her desk, and she yelped. There was pepper spray in her purse, but she'd set it down on the hallstand with her umbrella.
Blood roared in her ears. What should she do? She glanced from the silent stranger to her desktop. Where was the proverbial letter opener?
"What are you doing in my house?" She tried to sound calm and assertive, despite her wildly racing heart. He didn't appear to be armed, and she couldn't run past him.
"Ryder didn't mention how attractive you are."
Ryder! He was a friend of Ryder's. "Who are you?" He couldn't be a Dream Warrior. Ryder was the only one who could appear in the Waking Realm. "How did you get in here?"
He moved into the office as she fumbled behind her for the desk lamp. She had no intention of taking her gaze off him, but she wanted to see his face. Managing to switch on the light, Sheri stared at her visitor in terrified fascination.
It had been no trick of the shadows -- the man was huge. His jeans and tee shirt only accented the otherworldly appearance of his hair and eyes. Transforming from red to black in an ever-changing morph, his eyes dominated ruggedly handsome features. If he held still, his hair appeared black, but the tilt of his chin ignited flame-red highlights within the thick strands.
"What are you?"
He laughed, ambling farther into the room. "I've gone from a 'who' to a 'what'?" His deep, caressing tone lulled her, relaxed her. "That's not very flattering."
"Damn it, Chaos, I told you to wait for me." Ryder rushed into the office, holding a slender gold collar.
Chaos spun to face Ryder, his silken, sexy voice suddenly a roar. "I take orders from no one!"
"Then return to the Hall of the Dead." The smoldering intensity in Ryder's dark gaze belied his casual shrug. "You came to us. I don't need the aggravation."
"No, you need the succubus, and your only hope of finding her is cooperating with me."
Tension arced between the two like jolts of electricity. Sheri could almost hear the sizzle as they glared at each other. "Would somebody tell me what the hell is going on?"
"I'll explain everything as soon as I get this around his neck." Ryder raised the metal collar.
"What is it?" Chaos crossed his arms over his chest. He was nearly a head taller than Ryder and likely outweighed him by half.
"It's necessary, and it's mandatory. You allow it or go home."
"My question remains. What is its purpose?"
"It's a homing device of sorts. It connects me to your subconscious so I can instantaneously find you in the Dream Realm."
"A leash?" Chaos scoffed. "You want to put me on a leash? Clearly you're deluded."
"Say hi to Hades for me."
Sheri leaned against the desk and watched the surreal conversation. "You live in the Underworld?" The question made her want to laugh. It was all so absurd. She was a scientist, for heaven's sake. She'd spent her adult life analyzing data and formulating hypotheses within the strictures of analytical thinking. She didn't believe in the Underworld!
"Just let me put the damn thing on you, and we can all relax."
Grumbling under his breath, Chaos leaned down and allowed Ryder to encircle his neck with the golden collar. As the device met in the back, Ryder drove it inward with brutal force. Chaos roared, knocking Ryder off his feet with a swipe of one brawny arm.
"What have you done? Where did you get this? I feel ..." He sank to his knees, clawing at the collar, his eyes morphing hypnotically.
Sheri took a step toward Chaos as Ryder scrambled up from the floor. Ryder moved in front of her. "It's for your protection. I refused to have him here with --"
"You've rendered me helpless, you bastard! This wasn't part of the deal."
"You aren't helpless -- you're powerless. Your strength and agility are --"
"What deal?" Sheri sidestepped Ryder and helped Chaos to his feet. "Who are you, and why are you here?"
Ryder shook his head and turned toward the door. "Your pity is so misplaced. He started all of this."
"All of what?" She hurried after Ryder, following him into the living room. He flipped on the overhead lights, and the scene in the office replayed in her mind. "I thought you were a ghost in the Waking Realm? You just turned on the lights. How are you doing this?"
Heaving an audible sigh, he rubbed the back of his neck. "The collar allowed me to solidify long enough to secure it around his neck. Already the power is fading. See, I'm a ghost again." He passed his hand through her arm several times to illustrate his point.
His explanation seemed feasible, but Sheri's suspicion remained. Was he able to materialize at will? Why would he hide this ability?
"Take it off!" Chaos stormed into the room, standing toe to toe with Ryder.
"I can't. Your father had it forged, and only he can remove it. He also said you're banished from the Underworld until our mission is complete."
"My father did this to me?" Chaos turned, his hair fanning out in a shimmering banner.
"He's furious." Ryder glanced at her, but continued to speak to Chaos's back. "Can you blame him? You released the succubus!"
Chaos rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck, his expression tense with frustration and resentment.
"Hades is your father?" It was another one of those questions that almost made Sheri laugh. Chaos turned his otherworldly gaze on her, and all levity vanished. He wasn't human, but all five of her senses confirmed his reality.
"Don't even think about it."
The snap of warning in Ryder's tone had no effect on Chaos. He ambled toward her, his gaze sweeping her body with obvious interest. "If we ignore him long enough, perhaps he'll disappear. He may be a mere apparition, but I can hold you, touch you, please you as you've never known pleasure before."
"Is there something in the water that makes gods perpetually horny? We're in the middle of a crisis here!" She shoved against his chest. His massive form didn't budge. "Keep your hands to yourself, or get out of my house."
"What about my mouth? If I use only my mouth, can I --" She swung at him, turning his teasing words into a rumbling chuckle. He caught her wrist and pulled her to him, wrapping his other arm around her waist. "Feisty. I like that in a woman."
"Enough!" Ryder took a menacing step toward them.
Chaos laughed again. "The succubus has tormented me ruthlessly. I am ravenous."
"The collar makes you impotent as well as powerless. Your ravenous desire is all in your mind. The sooner we trap the succubus, the sooner --"
"What?" Releasing Sheri, Chaos raked both hands through his hair. She darted out of reach. "Not even Hera would dare such a thing."
"Yeah, well, your father dared." Ryder motioned Sheri toward the sofa. "You can lock yourself in the bathroom and test the effectiveness of the collar after you tell me about the succubus."
They sat as Chaos fiddled with the offending metal ring. Another twinge of pity erupted in Sheri's chest. It wasn't like Ryder to be cruel. Why had he brought Chaos here if Ryder didn't trust him?
Ryder's head snapped up. He scanned from side to side, his gaze alert and suspicious. "Do you smell that?"
Sheri shot him a bewildered glance. "Smell what?"
"Flowers. I thought I smelled flowers." His gaze clouded, his expression tensed, and he sank into some sort of a trance.
"The succubus smells like flowers," Chaos told her. "I don't sense anything."
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Ryder disintegrated the haze from his eyes. "You wouldn't, with the collar. When is the last time she visited you?"
"Two nights past. She comes to me in dreams."
"She's a succubus. That's what they do."
"Stop provoking him," Sheri said. Chaos grinned at her. Ryder crossed his arms over his chest, his expression precariously close to a sulk. "Have you two always disliked each other, or is this a recent development?"
"Kane has poisoned all Dream Warriors against me."
"My opinion of you has nothing to do with Kane. We're talking about Delilah."
"Who's Delilah?" Sheri looked from one male to the other, struck by the contrast between the two.
"Delilah is not her real name." Chaos sat facing them, lowering his hands to the arms of the chair. "Knowing her real name is the only way to control her. That's how my father sealed her in the pit."
"Your father sealed a woman in a pit?" Why was she surprised? Hades ruled the Underworld.
"Delilah is not a woman. She's a succubus."
"The female version of an incubus?"
Chaos nodded. "An incubus disrupts the dreams of females, feeding on their sexual energy. A succubus sustains herself by stimulating sexual energy within the dreams of men."
"If you knew your father had imprisoned such a creature, why would you set her free?" Sheri leaned closer to Ryder, starting to understand his hostility.
"I didn't realize what she was. At first I believed she was a ghost. Restless spirits are common in the Underworld."
If he'd meant it to be funny, neither Ryder nor Sheri laughed.
"She appealed to my sympathy," he continued in a low, mechanical tone. "She claimed her confinement was meant to be temporary, but Persephone made Father forget."
"Did you happen to ask your father about any of this before you set the succubus free?" Accusation made Ryder's voice harsh.
"If Persephone had made him forget ... The details are not important. She tricked me. I set her free; now she must be recaptured."
"Why did she turn on you?" Sheri asked.
"I tried to manipulate her. Delilah has a problem with authority."
Ryder shot Sheri a sidelong glance as he asked, "Who ordered the attacks on Meagan? Why disrupt this timeline?"
"Delilah controls her brother, but in her twisted way, she did it for me."
Sheri scooted to the edge of the couch, resting her hands on her knees. "How does terrorizing a defenseless woman benefit you?"
Chaos turned his face away, one hand returning to stroke the collar. "The universe comprises countless types of energy, but everything is energy."
"Don't even try to turn philosophical on me." She narrowed her gaze and clenched her hands. "Answer the question."
"Humans convert food into energy. Plants draw their energy from the sun. There are many ways to attain sustenance."
"I'm a microbiologist. I comprehend the similarities between digestion and photosynthesis. What does that have to do with Meagan?"
"He's not playing word games," Ryder said. "He is trying to explain."
Had Ryder just defended the enemy? This was bound to be interesting. "Like vampires sucking blood?"
Chaos chuckled, a surprisingly pleasant sound. "An interesting parallel, but I can work with it. Vampires derive their energy from the blood of mortals. Dream Warriors glean energy from interacting with mortals in the Dream Realm."
"That is not why we do it! You make us sound like dream-sucking vampires."
"Do you eat or need sleep to rejuvenate?" Chaos challenged with an upraised brow.
"We're not talking about Dream Warriors. We're talking about you."
"Do you realize how often you digress when the topic becomes uncomfortable?" After a moment's pause, Chaos went on. "It is a truer parallel to think of Delilah and her brother as the dream-sucking vampires, but Dream Warriors do draw their energy directly from the Dream Realm."
"Where do you draw your energy from -- creating disorder and chaos?"
"Yes."
Her mouth gaped for a moment before she snapped it shut. She'd been joking! "You're serious. You're the source of ... chaos."
"Chaos is the complete absence of order. I'm not nearly so powerful. I am nourished by conflict. Turmoil makes me strong, so it's in my best interest to encourage disharmony. Powerful pockets of turmoil surround sickness and disease."
The Bentel-2 virus had the potential to eradicate several virulent diseases, depriving him of a convenient energy source. "They should throw you in the pit with the succubus." She shook her head. She'd actually felt sorry for him. "What use is a creature who feeds off the unhappiness of others?"
"I said nothing of unhappiness. Conflict is not necessarily bad. Many humans draw closer during times of distress. Trials and hardship are often necessary for growth. There are few absolutes in this universe, little mortal. I am neither evil nor good."
"What happened to Meagan was evil."
"If it were not for the incubus, she would never have met Gareth," Chaos pointed out casually.
Sheri shot to her feet. "That doesn't excuse what that creature did. Meagan is my friend, but this reaches far beyond her suffering. If Gareth hadn't stabilized this timeline --"
"This timeline is still at risk. The incubus is a minion, a devout follower of the succubus." Chaos met her gaze, demanding her full attention. "We must concentrate on Delilah. She will not be so easily vanquished."
Pride tingled through Delilah as she listened to Chaos speak. He acknowledged her as a worthy opponent. Why couldn't his father -- She stopped the thought before it formed. Hades would understand soon enough.
The mortal turned to Ryder. "This is my house, and I don't want him here."
Ryder pushed to his feet, approaching his angry companion. Delilah watched his movements carefully, fascinated yet apprehensive. She'd thought she was the only dream spirit powerful enough to appear in the Waking Realm. This Dream Warrior had not only appeared, he'd solidified. He'd snapped the collar around Chaos's neck and manipulated the light switch. He'd sensed her presence while she was shielded; that had never happened before.
"If there had been anywhere else to take him, I --"
"Don't! I'm only speaking with humans right now." The mortal stomped from the room, slamming the door behind her. To Delilah's astonishment, neither Ryder nor Chaos made any move to halt her retreat. Why would they allow such belligerence?
I am neither evil nor good.
What a crock of shit! If Chaos wasn't a villain, then neither was she. He intentionally escalated conflicts to make himself strong. He was selfish, ruthless, and cruel, all characteristics of villainy.
Summoning Zared from the Dream Realm, Delilah hurried from the office. Complications sprang up everywhere she turned. She'd clearly underestimated Ryder, and now he was linked with her quarry.
She found the mortal lying sideways across a bed in one of the rooms at the top of the stairs. The woman had covered her eyes with her forearm. One foot rested on the floor, the other on the edge of the mattress.
Channel some of her energy to me, and I'll send her to the Dream Realm, Delilah instructed Zared.
With a Dream Warrior downstairs, you want me to ...
Distract him, you idiot. That's all. Stimulate her into a frenzy, then leave the Dream Warrior to deal with her. I need him out of the way while I visit Chaos.
Zared appeared, a barely discernable shadow, hovering over the woman. For years Delilah had attempted to teach him how to compel mortals to sleep. He simply couldn't master the skill, so they'd perfected this compromise.
Unable to access the female subconscious directly, Delilah managed to command bursts of compulsion when Zared fed her female energy. Delilah watched the mortal toss restlessly. The woman moaned; her nipples gathered against the fabric of her blouse. Sparks erupted within Zared, making him look like a thundercloud.
Come on. She was anxious to confront Chaos. Tormenting him entertained her nearly as well as screwing him senseless. Zared transmitted the energy in a narrow, concentrated stream. Delilah shook, her body resisting the influx of female energy. Heat engulfed her. Searing sensations ignited within her being, making her writhe and moan. Embracing the pain, she stabbed the sleep compulsion deep into the mortal's brain.
The woman sagged against the bed, and Zared faded from view, drawing the mortal deeper into the Dream Realm. Peeking into the hall, Delilah hesitated before emerging completely. She must be extremely careful until Zared prepared the trap.
Chaos wasn't in the small office in the front of the house. She drifted from room to room, growing more anxious as she found each one empty. If the collar rendered him powerless, he shouldn't be able to release his form.
You can lock yourself in the bathroom and test the effectiveness of the collar after you tell me about the succubus. The Dream Warrior's mocking words reminded her of one room she'd yet to check.
She passed through the door and allowed her image to appear. Chaos stood in front of the toilet, one hand braced against the wall, the other pumping with an unmistakable rhythm. His back was to her, but the motion of his arm and his frustrated grunts left no doubt what he was attempting to do.
"So it's true? You're impotent?"
With a vicious growl, he spun to face her, frantically righting his clothes as he turned. "You meddlesome bitch! This is your fault."
He reached for her throat. Delilah blinked out and reappeared behind him. "You'll have to do better than that."
"What do you want from me?" He didn't bother to turn around. "What will it take to get you out of my life permanently?"
"That's easy. Kill Persephone."
He did turn then, his expression incredulous. "You want me to murder my father's wife?"
"She despises you. Why would you hesitate?"
"Because she has done nothing wrong."
"And you are neither evil nor good?" She taunted.
His gaze turned solid red, the perpetual motion gone. She smiled, remembering all the other times she had seen his eyes glow red. Passion and fury affected him much the same.
"I will not kill Persephone."
"Then I'll see you in your dreams."
"The collar prevents me from falling asleep."
She laughed. "You were never a convincing liar. It prevents me from compelling you to sleep, but you can't stay awake forever."
\*
Warmth spread out from Sheri's belly, stimulating her nipples, making her core throb. What was wrong with her? She'd been fuming about her unwanted guests when this tingling lethargy had made movement impossible. Then her body began to burn.
Opening her eyes, she gasped. She was back in the tent. How had she gotten to the Dream Realm? She couldn't have fallen asleep so quickly ...
Her skin stung, her body ached, and tears filled her eyes. An oppressive presence hovered over her, enveloped her, aroused her. She struggled against the haze, but there was nothing tangible to fight, just the ever increasing need within her body.
As if of their own volition, her hands skimmed her torso beneath the linen sheet. Her nipples formed distinct peaks against her palms. Desire pulsed between her thighs, hot, wet -- demanding.
"Ryder!" She wasn't sure if she called out with her voice or her mind. Why had he done this to her? She was just starting to like him, to trust that he meant her no harm. She rolled to her side, helplessly cupping her feminine mound. God, she hurt!
"Ryder!"
The tent flap parted, and the shadow dissipated. She panted, shaking helplessly. Ryder ducked inside, dressed as he'd been in her office.
"What the hell did you do to me? Make it stop!"
He rushed to her and knelt at her side, his hand trembling as he reached for her face. His dark gaze moved over her, filled with compassion and dread. "I didn't do this, Sheri. How did you get here? This is not my illusion."
"I was ..." The shadow! "Can an incubus ... Help me." She drew her legs up toward her chest, tears escaping the corners of her eyes.
"By the gods, I swear I did not do this." His hand hovered over her shoulder as if he were afraid to touch her body.
Beyond modesty, beyond shame, she tossed back the sheet and raised her arms. "Please."
Their gazes locked, his burning with fury and compassion, hers hot with desire. He kicked aside his boots and tugged his tee shirt off. "Are you sure?" He paused with his hands on the waistband of his jeans.
She closed her eyes, cupping her breasts and squeezing her thighs together. "It hurts."
"I'm sorry. This isn't how I wanted our first time --"
Scrambling to her knees, she jerked down his zipper and tugged his jeans along his powerful thighs. He pulled her to her feet and stepped out of the jeans, catching her wrist as she frantically reached for him.
"I need you inside me, hard and fast. Now!"
He framed her face with his hands, waiting until she looked into his eyes. "I know what the incubus did. It's a powerful compulsion they use frequently. It's a vicious cycle. It makes you desperate for penetration, but the more you get, the more you will want. I can disable the spell, but you have to trust me."
"Anything. Just make it stop."
Wrapping his arms around her, Ryder gathered her to his chest. Fury and desire wrestled within him. He wanted to make love to her slowly, sweetly, to savor each touch, each sigh. Damn the incubus and his tricks. Why attack Sheri now?
He reached across the telepathic link and sensed Chaos's volatile mood. The demi-god was angry and humiliated, but he was in no danger.
"Kiss me, little love. Feel my body hot and hard against the softness of yours."
She looped her arms around his neck and arched into him, grinding her mound against his aching length. He grasped her hips and held her still as his mouth found hers, determined to set the pace. She wouldn't let him be gentle. Her tongue thrust boldly. She cupped his butt and resumed her provocative grind.
Easing his hand between their bodies, he threaded his fingers through her damp curls. She had to be going out of her mind. Gods damn the incubus! His heart constricted, forcing back his desire. He knew how this compulsion worked. If he gave her what her body demanded, it would make her need more intense. Patience and tenderness were the anecdotes.
He could not lose control!
"Do you trust me?" He whispered the question against her kiss-dampened lips.
"Yes. Hurry, take me now."
He eased her back to the furs and covered her body with his. Raising her arms above her head and spreading her legs wide, he conjured padded leather cuffs, restraining her wrists and ankles. Long stakes drove into the ground, securing the restraints, holding her immobile so he could concentrate entirely on her pleasure.
"You bastard!" She twisted and jerked against the restraints. "You did this to me, didn't you? It's all some perverted game."
He silenced her protests with a slow, gentle kiss. Slipping one arm beneath her neck, he caressed her throat, her shoulders, her breasts. He avoided her nipples, stroked, massaged, and soothed her. "Relax. I'll join my body with yours, but not while the compulsion still burns."
Her tear-streaked face and miserable expression knotted Ryder's stomach. Why had the incubus done this now? It didn't make sense.
Sheri was pliant, but her urgent kisses proved the compulsion still amplified her need. Ryder wanted to lash out, to decimate the incubus and the succubus controlling him. Protectiveness surged within Ryder, reinforcing his determination, strengthening his control. He had to make love to her tenderly, free her senses from the spell's control.
Sheri's tummy quivered; her thighs flexed. He accompanied each touch with a soft kiss, whispered endearments, and encouragement. Easing his middle finger between her creamy folds, Ryder groaned.
Gods, she's wet! Hot and ready. More than ready! You can't. Not yet. Think of her. He found her swollen clit and circled, keeping his touch slow and sure. She arched and tossed her hips, but he concentrated on the true nature of her need. Building the tension by degrees, he coaxed two gentle orgasms from her body. She cried out, her body shaking with the intensity of her pleasure.
"Now? Can we ..."
"Not yet, but soon."
Trembling with the aftershocks of her second orgasm, Sheri stared up into Ryder's dark eyes. "Why did you tie me up? If you didn't make me feel like this, why ..."
The warmth in his gaze made her stomach flutter, and tension gripped her chest. He cupped her breast, his thumb lightly stroking her nipple. "I've wanted you since I first saw you. The compulsion is making you wild, and I can't afford to lose control. If I give in and take you hard and fast, like we both want, we'll have to start all over again."
"Would that be so terrible?"
"Yes." His expression was grave, his eyes serious. "The urgency is lessening each time you find release, but aggression fuels the spell, makes the demand stronger." His hand moved from one breast to the other, his fingers barely grazing her skin.
"I don't understand the difference. If each orgasm lessens the compulsion, why not just -- do it until we both feel better?"
He caught her nipple between his finger and thumb. "Do you have something against foreplay?" Increasing the pressure gradually, he built the sensation to a sharp pinch. Sheri gasped and twisted, but even the pain made heat flood her core. "Is this how your body usually responds?"
Panting harshly, she shook her head.
"The spell makes you crave aggression. I must give you tenderness."
Deep inside her desire-muddled brain, she understood. He couldn't just screw her; they had to make love. Relaxing in the restraints, Sheri yielded to his ministrations. She followed his lead, let him set the pace. His warm mouth moved along her throat, onto the upper swell of her breasts. He licked her nipples, traced her areolas, but ignored her murmured protests when he wouldn't suckle.
Tenderness, patience, each brush of his lips, each stroke of his tongue illustrated his determination. He would guide her through this. Despite his massive erection, he would wait to enter her until she was free from the spell.
He waved his hand toward her left ankle, and the restraint disappeared. Lifting her leg, he ducked beneath. He rested his cheek against her other thigh and flashed a rakish grin as he draped her free leg over his side.
"Now, this is a spectacular view."
She didn't speak, could scarcely think beyond the demanding desire pounding through her veins. The longer he waited between orgasms, the more demanding her need became. Parting her passion-slick folds, he moved in close, his breath wafting across her exposed flesh.
"Do you want my tongue or my fingers?" His voice was a throaty growl.
"Yes."
He chuckled. "Yes it is." Tracing her slit with his fingers, he firmly stroked her clit with his tongue.
After only a few seconds, Sheri shattered. Shocked and a bit embarrassed, she looked down into his eyes. He continued to stroke her with his tongue, but his dark gaze watched her face, glowing with tenderness, and something she was afraid to name.
Parting her folds with his fingers, he rimmed her entrance with his tongue, around but never into her aching core. Sheri groaned as erotic heat cocooned her. She'd been kissed like this before, but Ryder was so consumed by the act, it left her breathless and trembling. He licked and nibbled, laved and sucked. She came over and over. Time and space blurred until there was only pleasure, one wave crashing upon the next.
Echoes of release reverberated through her body. He released her other leg and settled between her thighs. Hooking his hands behind her knees, he pushed her legs up and back, spreading her thighs wide.
Sheri licked her lips, anticipation twisting through her. She felt brazen and wanton as she waited for the first forceful thrust of his shaft. With her wrists bound and his strong hands holding her open, she couldn't help but think of her original fantasy. Conquered, plundered, the spoils of war.
"Sweetheart, look at me." She met his gaze. "I'll be happy to ravish you, but it can't be tonight. That's the reason he created this illusion. It reinforces your need for rough play. Watch my eyes. Relax, and accept me. Respond with your heart, not just your body."
He pushed into her slowly, filling her inch by glorious inch. She opened for him, stretched around him, amazed at how much he had to give. When he was buried to the hilt, he released her legs and balanced his weight on his knees. He caressed her breasts with one hand, her face with the other, his eyes never leaving hers.
She wrapped her legs around his hips, content to be filled by him, to drown in the warmth of his gaze. "This is nice." He pulled back and filled her again. "No, that was nice."
Grinning, he grasped her hips and established a rhythm, slow and steady, strong and deep. She arched into each thrust, caressed him with her inner muscles. His hands moved to her bottom, lifting her, adjusting the angle of her hips. Deeper, he filled her more completely, his rhythm still steady and sure.
She clenched her fists, wishing she could touch him as tension coiled inside of her. Tightening her body around his shaft, she embraced him intimately.
"Not yet." He thrust deep and held still, waiting for the sensations to recede.
"The compulsion is gone," she cried. "Why did you do that?"
After a long pause, he whispered, "I don't want this to end."
The raw emotion in his tone sent warm shivers down her spine, and tears stung her eyes. Her lips trembled. He kissed her, softly, tenderly, and her being accepted him. He might not be real in the conventional sense, but she'd never felt anything like this.
He hooked her legs over his arms, grabbed her bottom with both hands, and parted her thighs further. Possessive passion shone in his gaze. Heat curled through her body, an instinctive response to the promised pleasure in his eyes. Over and over, he drove into her. His fingers clutched her bottom. She moaned. Surrendering the last of her resistance, she opened her heart to him.
His gaze searched hers as his body moved, hinting at, hoping for things she didn't understand. Searing heat burst within Sheri. Her nipples tingled and her toes curled. She cried out, arching high as he drove deep, shuddering violently.
Snuggling against Ryder's warm body, Sheri never wanted to wake up. After reversing the incubus's compulsion, Ryder had shifted the illusion, creating a sunny meadow surrounded by rugged mountains and a cloudless sky. They'd explored together, learning the texture and taste of each other inch by inch.
Sheri stroked her hand along his thick bicep and gasped. She was awake, and Ryder was solid. How was this possible?
"Ryder." She sat up in the middle of her bed. "Ryder!"
"Good morning."
She looked around, shaking away the last of sleep's lethargy. This was her bedroom, her bed. "I'm awake."
"I see that."
"And you're solid."
He grinned. "You might even say I'm hard." Dragging her hand downward, he demonstrated his claim.
"I'm awake, Ryder. Why can I touch you?"
She snatched back her hand. He sat as well, confusion finally registering on his features. "I'm solid."
"Not a morning person, I take it?"
"This has never happened before. If I concentrate great bursts of energy, I can force myself to materialize. Why am I solid?"
They were both fully dressed. Sheri crawled off the bed. An undeniable twinge of disappointment assailed her. None of it had been real. The tenderness, the pleasure, the intimacies they'd shared had all been a vivid dream.
"This is bizarre." Ryder kept poking himself as if he expected the effect to wear off.
"Last night happened for a reason. Is Chaos all right? They wanted you distracted."
"Mission accomplished." He rolled off his side of the bed and stood. "Chaos is downstairs, awake and irritable."
"That sounds about right." She picked up the phone and punched in the number of the Carroll Foundation. "I'm going to call in sick again. There are a few too many spirits in my house right now to leave you guys unattended." She left a quick message for her boss, then returned the phone to the nightstand.
Ryder blinked out for a moment, then reappeared, his brow furrowed, his lips compressed. "I still have access to the Dream Realm, yet I am solid." He moved about the room, touching the furniture.
"Should you go talk to Morpheus or something?"
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" He pulled her into his arms with a lazy smile.
"If we didn't have a houseguest, I'd suggest we explore your newfound solidity."
Cupping her cheek with his palm, he stroked her lips with his thumb, his gaze suddenly serious. "I need to understand how it began. Do you remember what happened before you called out to me?"
She remained in his embrace, but lowered her gaze to his chest. "I was lying on the bed, wondering what I'd done to deserve you."
"It doesn't sound complimentary when you say it like that."
"Then I sensed ... or rather, I no longer sensed ... It's really hard to explain." She looked up into his eyes. "I felt as if something was leeching the heat from my body. I couldn't lie still, but I could hardly move. Then right before I woke up in the tent ..." She chuckled. "The terminology gets tricky when dreams are as real as reality."
"You were forced into the Dream Realm, compelled there by the incubus."
"No. That's what I was about to say. I sensed someone, or something, else. Right before I left the Waking Realm, I felt a being of incredible power. It was the second entity that slammed me into the Dream Realm."
He tucked her hair behind her ear, his expression thoughtful. "That explains a lot. When we found your friend Meagan, even Morpheus couldn't explain what had happened to her. She was under the influence of the incubus, but it was as if an outside force had imprisoned her with him. We know the succubus is stronger, but she can't access any female's subconscious. She must --"
"It's impossible for a succubus to control any female?"
"Yes. A succubus only has influence over males."
"Then why in creation didn't Morpheus send a female after the succubus?"
"All Dream Warriors are male."
She stepped away from him, too restless to stand still. "It sounds like she zapped me into the Dream Realm so her brother could ... create a diversion. Did Chaos sleep at all last night?"
"I would have sensed it if he'd entered the Dream Realm."
"Can she attack him while he's awake?"
"She never has before." He paused, his gaze focused beyond her for a moment. "Chaos is fine. He's in a foul mood, but he is unharmed."
"Okay, let's think this through. If she is powerless against females, then a female is going to have to kick her ass."
He chuckled. "Are you volunteering for the job?"
"I'm not a Jujitsu master like my cousin, but Dora has taught me a trick or two. Besides, you are certainly not limited within the female subconscious."
He said nothing for a long while. "You have no idea what you're suggesting."
"Can you make me fall asleep and stay asleep? We can trap her within my subconscious, then take my body to --"
"I cannot risk your safety. It's my assignment to --"
"You know it makes perfect sense." She slipped her hands into her back pockets, anxiously tapping her foot. "But what do we do with her once she's trapped?"
"Morpheus is the Dream Master. All dream spirits are subject to his will."
"So, you bring her to me, and I'll keep her busy while you go get Morpheus."
He crossed his arms over his chest, his features settling into a fierce scowl. "I could only bring her into your illusion if she were already in the Dream Realm."
"Chaos." She offered without hesitation. "Put me to sleep first, then wait for her in the Dream Realm with Chaos. Or will she sense you and stay away?"
"She will only sense what I allow her to sense."
"Can you make me fall asleep or not?"
"I can, but I'm not convinced this is the only way."
"Well, let's go check on Grumpy while you figure out a plan you like better."
Ryder followed her downstairs and into the kitchen. They found Chaos rummaging through the cupboards, mumbling under his breath.
"Can I help you find something?"
"I am memorizing the contents of these compartments." He turned to face her. Distinct purple shadows surrounded his eyes. He looked haggard, exhausted.
She looked at Ryder. Had her uninvited houseguest lost his mind? "Is there some reason you need the items committed to memory?"
"I must keep my mind occupied. I cannot fall asleep."
Despite all Chaos had confessed, pity surged through Sheri. Meagan had possessed the same haunted expression when she explained what the incubus had done. "Delilah was here last night?"
"Yes."
"I never sensed you enter the Dream Realm." Ryder moved up beside Sheri.
"She came to me while I was awake. She is more powerful than you can imagine, more wicked than I ever guessed. How can we combat her --"
"What did she say to you?" Sheri resisted the urge to touch him, comfort him. He didn't deserve her compassion, but she pitied him all the same.
"She wants me to kill Persephone."
"Your mother?"
"Persephone is my father's wife; she is not my mother."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" She shooed him to one side so she could make coffee. "And I thought the modern American family structure was convoluted. Why does Delilah want Persephone dead?"
"Because Hades loves her." Ryder provided the answer.
She paused. "Delilah and Hades were lovers?" Shooting Chaos a sidelong glower, she gave a little shudder. "You slept with your father's mistress?" She didn't need to hear the answer. Tension vibrated through the room. "But Hades sealed Delilah in the pit, not Persephone?"
"At one time, Father knew the true name of the succubus. He commanded her to the pit, sealed her inside, and had Athena erase the name from his memory."
Turning back to the grinder, she scooped in fresh coffee beans. "If he could control her, why give up the power? I still don't understand." Chaos watched her closely, apparently fascinated by the kitchen gadgets.
"The succubus is a vile addiction. To have such a creature at your command is too great a temptation for any man."
"A direct quote from your father?"
Chaos nodded.
The doorbell interrupted the conversation. Sheri walked into the living room and peeked out between the curtains. Her cousin Dora Gunther stood on the front porch.
"What is she doing here?"
"Who is it?" Ryder had the good sense to speak softly as he crept up beside her.
"My cousin Dora. The one I mentioned upstairs." She eased the curtain back into place.
"I take it you weren't expecting her?"
"How did she know I was here?" The telephone rang. Sheri took another peek. "She has a cell phone. If I don't answer, she'll kick in the door."
Chaos stood in the archway between the kitchen and the living room, watching the drama unfold. "Does your cousin often have such violent tendencies?"
"She's a certified Jujitsu master on a crusade to protect womankind."
Sheri reached past him and lifted the phone off the wall. "Hello." She made her voice sound muffled and groggy.
"Hi, Sher. Sorry to wake you. I was just going to stash your supplements in the screen door, but I saw your car in the driveway. Is everything okay?"
"I've got one of my headaches."
"And I've got an herb tea that's better than any poison your doctor will shove down your throat. Come open the door, and I'll have you ready for work in an hour."
Sheri chuckled, then groaned for effect. "I get paid for sick days. I'm in no hurry."
"Well, you don't have to go to work, but don't suffer all day with a migraine. This stuff really works. Now open the door, or I'll crawl in through the window. It's not locked, by the way. Very careless of you."
"Give me a minute." She hung up the phone. "You guys have both got to stay out of sight."
"Are you sure that's your cousin?"
She glared at Chaos. They didn't have time for his obstinacy. "Why do you ask?"
"The succubus can assume the shape of others."
"And she has a cell phone and knows my number? That's Dora, trust me."
"Chaos, go upstairs and stay there. I'll scan the female and join you as soon as I'm sure she is mortal."
"This is ridiculous. She is --" The doorbell rang four times in rapid succession. "Fine! Chaos, upstairs. Ryder, behave."
\*
Delilah watched the prince of the Underworld scramble up the stairs at the command of a mortal woman. Oh, how the mighty had fallen! Ryder lounged against the archway where Chaos had been moments before. His golden hair glinted in the sunlight, accenting his dark gaze. She would have to attack quickly. The Dream Warrior wouldn't give her a second chance.
The mortal frantically mussed her hair and rid herself of her shoes, untucking her tee shirt as she crossed to the front door.
"That doorbell isn't helping my headache."
A blonde woman about the same age as the other marched into the room. She had pulled her thick hair straight back from her face and secured it at the nape of her neck. The no-nonsense style perfectly matched her militant posture. Back ramrod straight, shoulders squared, she walked with a precise economy of movement.
"Here are your supplements." She handed the brunette a small parcel. "Have they helped with your energy level? Are you sleeping more restfully?"
Delilah wanted to laugh. The previous night had been anything but restful; Zared had seen to that.
"I'd actually been fairly impressed until I got this spectacular headache."
"Well, I've got the ..." The blonde spotted Ryder and came skidding to a halt. Delilah looked at him again. He was handsome enough, if one liked that sort of thing. He was just too golden for Delilah.
"Ryder." He extended his hand. What was he thinking? The blonde shook his hand, and Delilah smothered a gasp. He could manifest at will; not just create an image, but actually solidify. Trepidation tightened her chest. She was the most powerful dream spirit. This simply couldn't be true.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Dora. Where has Sheri been hiding you?"
The blonde smiled, and Delilah narrowed her gaze. That smile, those bright blue eyes. Why hadn't she noticed the resemblance before?
A warning pulsed within her mind. Chaos was struggling to stay awake, but she could feel his fatigue taking over. She needed to prepare for the attack. Damn it! Why did everything have to be so complicated?
Zared, listen carefully. You must follow this blonde woman. Do not lose contact with her, regardless of the cost. I will send you instructions as soon as I'm able. Follow her, until you hear from me.
I understand.
You cannot fail me on this. Should Chaos manage to escape me, this woman is the key.
The key to what?
Just follow her!
Delilah circled the blonde, studying her from every angle. She was perfect, absolutely perfect. Her telepathic link with Chaos tugged again, and Delilah flew up the stairs.
"All you had to do was tell me you weren't alone, and I wouldn't have imposed."
Though Dora leaned close to Sheri and whispered the words, Ryder heard. The blonde exuded confidence and a quiet sort of menace. He was unfamiliar with the title Sheri had used to describe Dora. Was the blonde some sort of soldier?
"You didn't give me much of an opportunity to explain." Sheri's tone was tense and anxious, her gaze darting toward him.
"Well, I suspect you need privacy more than tea, so I'll just leave this with you." She pressed a small packet into Sheri's hand and turned to face him. Her measured gaze swept him from head to toe, sizing him up as one would an opponent. "Nice to meet you, Ryder." She sounded friendly and calm, but the wariness never left her blue eyes.
"It was a pleasure to meet you."
"Your accent is unusual. Where are you from originally?"
"A small city in Greece. I doubt the name would mean anything to you."
"You don't look Greek."
He cocked one golden eyebrow. "Do you know many Greeks?"
A smile finally melted her gaze. "I can't say that I do." She glanced at her cousin one last time. "If your headache is more than an excuse, try the tea. It works wonders."
"Thank you."
Sheri escorted her toward the front of the house. Ryder remained in the archway.
"I don't think she likes me," he said as Sheri closed and locked the door.
"Dora has a hard time trusting men. Life hasn't always been kind to her."
"She was victimized by a man?"
"Not directly. It's a long story, and I'm not sure she'd appreciate my telling you. Dora's a very private person."
"You called her some sort of master. What does --" He broke off in mid-sentence and darted toward the stairs. "Chaos just entered the Dream Realm."
He took the stairs two at a time, Sheri close behind him. The demi-god sprawled across her bed, motionless.
"Can you reach him? Wasn't there some sort of force field around Meagan?"
"The path to his subconscious is wide open. Delilah's daring me to join her."
Sheri touched his arm, drawing his attention. "Accept the challenge, but don't step into her trap. Sneak in through my subconscious. It's just plain stupid to play by her rules."
Heaving a frustrated sigh, he cupped her shoulders with his hands. "I'm supposed to protect you."
"We'll protect each other."
His centuries of experience and training objected to her involvement. He shouldn't need a woman to fight his battles for him.
"We'll fight the battle together. Now zap me."
He narrowed his gaze on her face. "Did you just read my mind?"
"You said it out loud."
"No, I didn't."
"We don't have time for this! Just zap me."
Scooping her up in his arms, he laid her down beside Chaos. "The succubus forced your energy against its natural flow. It doesn't hurt when I do it. Relax. I'll meet you in the Dream Realm." She nodded and closed her eyes, obviously anxious to begin.
He sent a sleep compulsion into her brain and dispersed his physical form. Pausing long enough to erect a shield preventing the incubus from following him, Ryder hurried after her.
Sheri waited in an empty room inside the Dream Realm. Apprehension tinged her lovely features. A smile parted her lips the moment he appeared, and heat swirled through Ryder's abdomen. Gods, she was beautiful, and brave.
Giving himself a mental shake, he turned his attention to the room. "Let's make a few improvements before I go hunting." He formed a sturdy cage with thick iron bars and a stout lock ready to be snapped shut. Manifesting shackles and a long, coiled whip, he handed them to Sheri.
"Practice with the whip while I'm gone. Don't crack it hard until you can aim it accurately. The backlash will tear your flesh."
"Sounds like my idea of a good time." Draping the shackles over her shoulder, she gingerly uncoiled the whip.
"I'll return as soon as I can." He formed himself a long, two-edged sword and headed toward the doorway.
"Do you have something against guns? You don't have to be nearly as close to shoot someone."
"Everything around you is an illusion. The only true weapon is energy. These are props to help us focus."
"Wouldn't a gun make a more believable prop?"
He chuckled. "Projectiles are very hard to control. Trust me, if it comes to hurling energy pulses, I'll have abandoned all props." Ryder blew her a kiss and ducked through the opening.
A distinct signal emanated from Chaos's collar. Ryder followed the invisible strand.
The signal weakened.
He ran.
A high stone archway awaited at the end of the corridor, Ryder extended his sword as he entered the room. Light blinded him for a second. Sharp gasps echoed off the stone walls. Blinking furiously, he brought the room back into focus. The succubus was nowhere in sight. Ryder scanned with his gaze and his mind. There was no way Delilah would abandon the fight.
Chaos sagged in the chain restraints that suspended his arms above his head. Blood seeped from numerous bite marks all over his naked body. His chin rested on his chest, and his hair concealed his face. He'd only been in the Dream Realm a few minutes. How had she inflicted this much damage?
"You look surprised, Dream Warrior. Can't you warp time?"
A door slammed shut across the archway, and a woman materialized. Her sleek hair combined blue with black; sapphire light burned in her eyes. Lithe, graceful -- tiny.
This was the succubus?
"I can't say I've ever tried." He answered her question as he attempted to scan her mind. Shielded, her mind was impenetrable. "I have no use for most of your tricks. Let Chaos go, and I'll try not to hurt you."
"Hurt me?" She scoffed. A gauzy gown floated around her thin body, accenting her wraithlike frailty. "We'll test your boast in a moment. I've unfinished business awaiting me. Girls, continue, but stop holding back. Ryder is here now. There's no reason to delay."
Six creatures blinked into view, huddled around Chaos. Their naked bodies were perfectly formed, but their features were so hideously misshapen, Ryder's stomach heaved. They attacked in a tangle of long black hair and naked limbs. Their mouths latched on to the demi-god, drinking his blood and draining his energy.
Ryder rushed into the fray. He fisted his fingers in one creature's hair, dragging her off Chaos as he viciously kicked another. Slashing and stabbing with the sword, his arms and chest were soon covered with blood. They howled and screamed, but returned again and again to their feast. Delilah laughed and cheered from behind him.
What were these vile things?
A direct assault was useless. Ryder disintegrated the sword and gathered energy into his chest.
"Giving up so soon?" Delilah stepped up beside him. "I'd hoped you'd be a more worthy opponent."
Ryder said nothing. He continued garnering energy, drawing it directly from the Dream Realm.
"They're magnificent, aren't they?"
In one violent burst, Ryder released the energy and formed a barrier around Chaos. The creatures shrieked and writhed, trapped within the energy field.
"Stop it!" Delilah grabbed Ryder's arm, her long nails digging into his flesh. "Release them!"
"Are they your spawn or your disciples?" He ignored her nails and her screams, increasing the intensity of the barrier. The being closest to Chaos burst into flame. Delilah rushed forward as another caught fire. She reached into the barrier to pull one out. Her skin immediately blistered and peeled. With a plaintive wail, Delilah let go. She stumbled back and whirled on Ryder, fury burning in her eyes.
He braced for impact, while continuing to feed the barrier. Their bodies collided. He stumbled back. Her arms and legs wrapped around him, and she sank her teeth into his shoulder. Pain stabbed deep into his chest, disrupting his heart's rhythm. Shocked and infuriated, he grabbed her arms, pulling until his fingers ached. She drove her nails into his back, anchoring her arms.
Strength drained from Ryder with terrifying speed. He sank to his knees, tugging on her hair. The energy field weakened in tandem with Ryder. The remaining creatures struggled free, collapsing charred and moaning on the floor at Chaos's feet.
A low creak drew Ryder's attention to the door. He angled his body so he could watch the portal open without losing sight of Chaos and the fiends.
The stench of burning flesh made Sheri gag. She shoved against the heavy wooden door. The portal inched inward, then gave way in a sudden rush. She took in the scene with one assessing glance. Ryder needed her!
Hesitating only a moment, she took careful aim and snapped the whip against the woman's back. Her thin dress split beneath the lash, and a narrow wound opened as the female screamed. Was this the succubus, or was Delilah one of the pitiful creatures lying at Chaos's feet?
Sheri struck again and again, until the woman released Ryder, shoving him over onto his back. She was clearly in charge. This had to be the succubus. Delilah turned around as she wiped Ryder's blood from her mouth.
"You will die slowly, mortal!"
"You're deluded, succubus." Sheri had expected something more grotesque, more monstrous -- taller. A stiff breeze would blow this thing over.
Delilah advanced, her blue eyes glowing demonically. Sheri snapped the whip, aiming for her face. The lash wrapped around Delilah's neck. Close enough! Sheri tugged hard, forcing Delilah to her knees. Clawing at the whip hard enough to make her skin bleed, Delilah stared up at Sheri with disbelieving eyes.
"What needs to be done?" Sheri didn't take her eyes off the succubus.
"I'll dispose of ... whatever those things are and set Chaos free." Ryder's voice sounded strained, but steady. "He can bring Morpheus to us. How did you find me?"
"You were right. I must have read your mind before. I have no idea why, but I heard every word you said and sensed what was going on."
Ryder walked toward the fallen creatures, and Delilah went wild. She kicked and writhed, screaming obscenities as well as her stifled voice would allow. Sheri turned her and shoved her face-first into the floor. Dragging both of Delilah's arms to the small of her back, Sheri used her weight to immobilize the succubus.
Finally daring to look up, Sheri watched Ryder stack the bodies in an untidy heap. With a bright pulse of energy, he incinerated them so completely, there was nothing left behind. Delilah whimpered, going limp beneath Sheri.
"What were those things?" Sheri shuddered.
"I don't think she can reproduce, but she obviously felt a connection to them."
"Bastard!" Delilah sobbed. "You heartless murderer."
They ignored her as Ryder freed Chaos from his chains. As soon as the restraints released, Chaos crumpled to the floor. "Is he alive?"
Delilah raised her head at Sheri's question. Sheri shoved it back down.
"He's weak. Those creatures nearly drained him."
"Does he need blood or energy?"
Ryder knelt beside Chaos, pressing one hand to the center of his chest, the other to his forehead. "If I transfuse him with energy, his body can replenish his blood."
"Can his body process the type of energy you possess?"
Ryder chuckled. "His body is partial to conflict, but energy is energy."
It took several minutes for Chaos to rouse. He groaned, struggling to sit up when he spotted Delilah. "Why is she still alive?"
"My mission was to apprehend her, not dispose of her."
"As if you could." The succubus jeered.
"I've constructed a holding cell," Ryder told Chaos. "Send Morpheus to me there."
"Where? What are you talking about?"
"Morpheus will know."
\*
"He's not coming back," Delilah said for the third time. "I know Chaos. He's snug and safe in the Underworld, plotting his next attack."
Sheri smacked her hand against the bars and smiled as the succubus scrambled back. Getting her into the holding cell had been no easy feat. Delilah had fought them every inch of the way. Each time Ryder attempted to assist Sheri, it made the succubus stronger. He'd finally been left with no option but to watch Sheri wrestle with their belligerent prisoner alone.
"If he doesn't return soon, Ryder will summon Morpheus himself." Ryder tried to capture Sheri's gaze to communicate his disapproval, but she was busy glaring at Delilah. "Haven't you figured it out yet? You're powerless here. At my mercy, and I'm not feeling very merciful."
Moving to the middle of the cell, Delilah sat, draping her dress over her folded legs. Her gaze intensified, and her expression blanked.
Sheri glanced at him over her shoulder. "What is she doing?"
He moved up beside Sheri, his legs wobbly. Transfusing Chaos had depleted him. "I'm not sure. She could be trying to contact her brother."
"Can you stop her?"
He looked into her eyes and projected his voice directly to her mind. Can you hear me?
She nodded once, glancing at the succubus.
My energy is almost gone.
I know. You look like shit.
He smiled despite his aching body, comforted by her honesty. With no warning, Sheri rocked forward, grasping her head between her hands. A strangled cry escaped as her knees buckled. He caught her, dragging her up against his chest. She shook and moaned, her eyelids fluttering.
The succubus watched in bewilderment, obviously not responsible for Sheri's pain. Morpheus flashed into view, his nimbus glowing crimson. "Generally when you call for help, you leave the door open for the cavalry."
"I forgot about the shield."
"Sorry to kick in your door, Ms. Vellmos, but Ryder left me no choice." The Dream Master glided toward the holding cell, his gaze intensifying as he studied the succubus. "Where is her brother?"
"We don't know." Ryder loosened his hold on Sheri as she shook away the pain.
"No matter. He'll come to her. He has no choice. She'll starve without him."
Delilah hissed and moved farther back in the cage.
Morpheus faced Sheri. "This was utterly brilliant. Why overpower her when you can defuse her?"
"Thank you."
Sheri had no idea how infrequently Morpheus doled out praise. She should feel honored indeed. "What will you do with the succubus?"
"I've arranged for a place to store her."
"You are not putting me back in the pit!"
Morpheus waved his hand, and Delilah crumpled, writhing in agony. "You have much to answer for. Don't presume to order me." Another wave released her from the pain. She remained on her hands and knees.
"She loosed some sort of creatures on Chaos. Do you know what they were?"
"I saw them in Chaos's mind. They were ancient soul leeches bred by the Gorgons. Our little succubus has been down to Tartarus." He chuckled. "And she's going there again."
"No!" The succubus struggled to her feet. "No one dreams in Tartarus. I'll starve."
"You should have thought about that before you ran amuck and polluted the Dream Realm."
"Sir, there's one last thing before you dispose of our unwanted guest."
"Yes?"
"Sheri and I have established some sort of bond that allows us to communicate."
The Dream Master cocked his head to one side and folded his arms over his chest. "Is that a problem?"
"No." Ryder hesitated. Did Morpheus really need to know the rest?
"He is also solid in the Waking Realm." Sheri blurted before he could decide.
"How can that be?"
Ryder laughed. "We were hoping you could tell us."
"Are you bound by the laws of the physical world, or can you dematerialize at will?"
"I haven't had the opportunity to test the boundaries of my abilities."
"I have no explanation, but I'll see what I can find out."
Morpheus passed through the bars of the holding cell and wrapped his arms around the succubus. Her shrill scream echoed in the room long after they had gone.
Sheri entered the word "tartarus" into the search engine and clicked Go.
"What are you doing?" Ryder materialized behind her, and Sheri gasped, banging her knee on the underside of her desk.
She pressed her hand over her pounding heart. "You scared me half to death!"
"I'll send a signal ahead next time. It was not my intention to frighten you." Ryder slipped his hands beneath her hair and rubbed her shoulders. She sighed, relaxing back against his chest. He'd gone exploring the limits of his abilities about twenty minutes ago. After taking a quick shower, she'd decided to unravel some of what she'd heard in the Dream Realm.
"I'm brushing up on mythology," she murmured. His hands felt wonderful.
"What would you like to know?" Leaning down, he pressed a kiss against her temple. "I'm more accurate than the internet."
She pushed away from her desk and turned around, dislodging his hands in the process. "Morpheus said those creatures were bred by the Gargans in a place called Tartarus?"
"Gorgons." He corrected with a gentle smile. "Have you heard of Medusa?"
"The one with snakes for hair?"
He nodded. "She was a Gorgon."
"No wonder they were so attractive. And what or where is Tartarus?"
"When Zeus led the revolt against the ancient gods, he banished them to a district beneath the Underworld."
"The Under-Underworld?" She grinned. "And these ancient gods will be able to control Delilah, keep her out of the Dream Realm?"
"Morpheus is still determined to learn her name. He can control her when he is with her, but he doesn't want to spend the rest of eternity babysitting a petulant succubus."
"How does he intend to learn her name?"
"As she said, no one dreams in Tartarus. If she gets hungry enough, she'll agree to anything."
Sheri frowned. Starving her into submission seemed extreme, even for the succubus. A vivid image of Chaos chained and bleeding chased away her momentary pity. Meagan's face appeared next, and Sheri cocked her head. "What about the incubus? Has he been located yet?"
"He's lost without the succubus. It's only a matter of time."
"She probably warned him she'd been captured when she was in the holding cell," she said. Ryder took her by the hands and pulled her to her feet. His warm gaze caressed her face, inciting flutters all through her abdomen. "When she's about ready to break, Morpheus needs to make sure she tells a female her name."
"Why?" he asked.
"Don't you remember what Chaos said? Having complete control of the succubus is too great a temptation for any male."
Ryder nodded. "I'll make sure Morpheus knows."
"So, what did you find out?" She moved into his arms. "Can you walk about like a mortal man? Can you disappear at will? Will you become Seattle's superhero?"
"I got half a block down the street and dematerialized. I'm linked to you and only you. To the rest of the Waking Realm, I'm still a ghost."
Pushing her fingers into his thick hair, she dragged his head down toward hers. "So, I have my own private superhero?" She caressed his lips with hers, teasing him with the feathery hint of a kiss. "I like the sound of that."
He tightened his arms around her, pressing her firmly against his chest, and took control of the kiss. Nibbling and licking, he encouraged her participation, easing his way past her parted lips. His tongue stroked against her, explored her mouth, traced her teeth.
Sheri responded without hesitation, thrilled to have him in her realm, in the material world, touching her, tasting her. The illusions he created engaged all her senses, but her logical mind held on to the distinction. This was real. She was awake, and Ryder was solid.
With a throaty chuckle, he guided her hand to the front of his pants. I'm more than solid, sweetheart. I'm hard as a rock.
She enjoyed the distinct ridge against her palm, squeezing him through his jeans. What if this is only temporary? What if you go back to being a dream?
He eased her away, looking deeply into her eyes. "If this is more than temporary, would you want me to stay with you?"
His soft hair slid through her fingers as she moved her hand to his face. "I've never felt as alive as I do when I'm with you. My life has been routine and ordinary. You've made it -- magical."
He kissed her palm. "I have no magic in your world. The only 'trick' I'm able to perform is to disappear into the Dream Realm."
"Is that what you want?" She lowered her gaze, and her hand descended to his shoulder. "Your assignment is complete. Do you want to go home?"
Raising her chin, he didn't speak until she returned her gaze to his. "I've never felt as alive as I do when I'm with you. My existence has been filled with centuries of isolation. My assignments are important. I'm dedicated to my work, but I've always longed for companionship, someone to share my dreams."
"Then let's take it a step at a time. Let's enjoy each moment to the fullest for as long as we have together." He responded with a kiss, communicating his agreement with the heat of his mouth and the soft caress of his lips. She touched her tongue to his, and he drew back. "What's wrong?"
"I just realized something. I've never done this before."
She laughed. "We've already done this several times before."
"Not in the Waking Realm."
"I promise I'll be gentle." Sheri smiled. "I've never been with a virgin before."
Anxious for the answer to her questions, she had thrown on a bathrobe after her shower and run a comb through her hair. She untied the belt and opened the robe, pausing a full second before slipping the garment from her shoulders.
"Oh, gods, you're beautiful."
Heat washed over her in slow, undulating waves. His words appealed to her vanity, but the emotions thickening his voice caressed her body, made her feel beautiful. She tugged the hem of his tee shirt out from his jeans. He raised his arms as she pulled the shirt off. Warm, satin-wrapped marble, his body fascinated her. She stroked his arms, squeezed his shoulders, explored his back, enjoying his body from every angle.
He let her play, his thick-lashed lids drooping to half-mast as she continued her lazy orbit. By the time she returned to his front, the bulge in his jeans looked downright uncomfortable. She grinned. Unfastening the metal button, she slowly lowered the zipper. He let out a heavy sigh and she chuckled. "Getting a little tight in there?"
"Just a little."
She pushed his jeans over his hips, down his legs, and he kicked them aside. Closing her fingers around his thick shaft, she sank to her knees. Everything about him thrilled her -- his shape, his size, his velvety texture. She moved her hand up and down, circled just his tip with her warm, wet tongue.
Framing her face with his hands, he arched his neck and closed his eyes. She tightened her lips around him, cupping his behind with both hands. Slowly, inch by glorious inch, she sucked him into her mouth. Hot and incredibly thick, he slid against her tongue. His butt flexed beneath her palms. He released his breath in a ragged gasp.
In and out, in and out, she claimed him with her mouth, swirling her tongue and sucking firmly until tension made him tremble. With a strangled chuckle, he pushed her away, dragging himself out of her willing mouth. "This isn't going to last long if you persist in tormenting me."
"Your body seemed to agree with my torment."
He helped her to her feet. "My body is greedy and selfish, but I have other plans for you. I want to watch your face as you find release, then feast upon your passion before I give my body what it wants."
Her nipples tingled and her core pulsed, anticipating the pleasure he described. "I thought you'd never done this before." She flashed a teasing smile.
"I've got a vivid imagination."
He cut off her laugh with a searing kiss. Scooping her up in his arms, he set her back in her office chair. Mischief sparkled in his dark gaze. He knelt on the floor and parted her legs, moving in close so he could kiss her. His hands wandered at will as he explored her mouth, licking and gently sucking on her tongue.
A sudden shiver raced through Sheri. She caught his face between her hands. With or without powers, Ryder was magical. His touch communicated such caring; his kiss filled her with warmth. She never wanted to let him go. Just the thought made her being ache.
You don't have to leave me, sweetheart. Even if I can't stay in your world, we can meet in mine.
Clutching the promise to her heart, she tried to ignore her nagging discontent. She wanted more than just a dream. She wanted to wake up in his arms, and go dancing. She wanted to share her life with him. One step at a time, savor each moment. She focused on her own advice.
He pulled away and looked into her eyes. "I don't understand what happened to us. I've never experienced this connection before. If I can stay in your world I will, but if I can't --"
"I'll spend a lot of time dreaming." She reinforced her determination with a mental shake. He'd agreed to change for her. It was her turn to compromise. "I don't understand it, either, but this much I know. I want you in my life, and I don't care how we make it happen. If you can't be part of my world, than I'll be part of yours."
He kissed her again, his mouth more aggressive, filled with urgency. Tilting her head to one side, he rubbed the back of her neck, while his tongue delved deep. She wrapped her legs around his waist and tangled her fingers in his hair, returning the kiss with equal fervor, her heart thundering in her breast.
Jolts of pure excitement shot down her spine, electrifying her senses and dragging a moan from the back of her throat. He cupped her breast, rolled her nipple, his tongue moving in her mouth. He tasted of honey and cinnamon, passion and tenderness. Her head spun. He enveloped her senses so completely, she could only think of him, of their need for each other and the passion in his kiss.
His fingers glided along her side, tickling her ribs. He caught her gasp and giggle in his open mouth. Caressing his way from her waist to her inner thigh, he avoided the heart of her desire. Teasing her legs, her hips, her knees, he touched her everywhere but where she wanted his touch most.
Restless and wanton, she canted her hips, parting her thighs in silent invitation. Ryder pushed her legs up and back, his gaze boring into hers. "Hold your legs open for me."
Sheri grabbed the backs of her knees and maintained the brazen position. His gaze never left hers as he pushed two fingers into her aching core. She moaned. Her inner muscles rippled, welcoming the penetration.
His gaze narrowed and his lips parted. She could just imagine how she felt. Hot, wet, so ready to be filled by his thick length. He pulled his fingers nearly out and captured one of her nipples between his teeth. She gasped as the unexpected nip triggered pulsations in her clit.
She needed his touch there on the swollen nub hidden in her folds. "Please," she whispered as he moved his mouth to her other breast.
"Please what?" He suckled firmly as he waited for her answer. Her nipples tingled, her core throbbed, and her skin burned.
"Let me come."
"I'm not stopping you." He licked her, flicking his tongue against her hardened crest as his fingers slid in and out in slow, shallow strokes. She needed fast and hard. He gave her soft and slow. Closing her eyes she concentrated on the tension coiling inside of her. Could she will herself to orgasm? God, he made her ache.
His soft hair brushed against her inner thigh, and she opened her eyes. She watched his golden head descend between her widespread legs. Anticipation built to a fever pitch as she waited for the first stroke of his tongue. Using only his mouth, he parted her folds with his tongue and circled her clit. Yes! He moved his fingers faster, deeper, circling her over and over again.
Blissful sensations detonated inside of her, cascading along her nerve endings. She arched, her body, clutching his fingers rhythmically. A soft, contented sigh escaped between her parted lips.
He stayed with her, licking, stroking until the last wave of pleasure faded. Licking her essence from his lips, he grinned like a contented cat. "Are you ready for fast and hard? My greedy body wants you badly."
She glanced down at his massive erection and returned his smile. "I can see that."
"Do you want to go upstairs, or can I ravish you right here?"
"If you're going to ravish me, it shouldn't really be my choice."
He chuckled and cleared her desk with one powerful sweep of his arm. "Good point."
Only her computer remained on the far corner of the desk. Thank God his arm wasn't longer or she would --
He pulled her up out of the chair and bent her over the desk. Her breasts pressed against the smooth wood. She gasped. "That's cold."
"Well, this is hot." He eased his hand between her thighs, sliding his middle finger between her passion-slick folds.
She relaxed her legs, making room for his stroking fingers, but he was beyond foreplay. He positioned his shaft, then moved his hands to her hips. His first deep thrust drove her forward, raising her feet nearly off the floor. He groaned. She cried out, surprised by the pressure and fullness. Her core stretched tight around him, caressing him with its pulsing rhythm.
He gave her a moment to adjust before he moved in earnest. Hard, deep, he thrust to the hilt into her welcoming heat. She clutched the desk as he pounded into her, his hands firmly holding her hips. Overwhelmed, consumed -- ravished, she surrendered completely to passion's demand.
In a frantic flurry of motion, he pulled out and turned her over, lifting her legs to his shoulders and driving back in with hardly a pause. Sheri stared into his eyes as he moved hard and deep within her body. Intense with myriad emotions, his gaze devoured her as surely as his body filled her, completed her.
Tenderness swelled, augmenting the carnal pleasure. This was deeper than desire, richer than passion. She had no idea how it had happened, but this was love.
He gritted his teeth and tossed his head. She lifted her hips and took him deep. Pleasure detonated in her body and radiated through his. They clung to each other, shaking with the force of their simultaneous release.
The following morning, Sheri sat at the kitchen table with Ryder, enjoying a quick cup of coffee before heading off to work. Waking up in his arms had almost convinced her to call in sick again, but with Meagan's recent crisis, the Bentel-2 project was behind schedule and over budget. Everyone was encouraged by their progress, but still, Sheri couldn't play hooky indefinitely.
"I'll request assignments that correspond with your work schedule as often as I can."
She nodded and set her coffee cup down. "What did you do while I slept?"
"Last night I just held you, but I'm sure there will be times when I'll have to work."
"Do you need Morpheus's permission to move your headquarters here?"
He offered an elaborate shrug. "This has never been an issue before. No other Dream Warrior has had this option."
A burst of golden light and sizzling sparks erupted within the kitchen. Sheri covered her face with her forearms. Ryder rounded the table and stood in front of her.
"Your Majesty," he said. "What brings you here?"
Sheri peeked around him at the woman now standing in the middle of her kitchen. Regal, haughty, her cold dark eyes took in the scene surrounding her. Her gown was fine white linen, banded about with golden braid. Piled atop her head, her glossy brown hair had been arranged in an artless fall of curls.
"Morpheus offered to explain, but I wanted to speak with you myself."
Ryder had called her "Your Majesty." Was this Hera, queen of the gods?
"I'm honored."
"Oh, drop the humility, Ryder. We both know you despise me. As many times as Zeus has strayed, you would think I'd be used to it. I won't apologize for what I did to you. It's far too late for that."
"Then why have you come?"
Sheri moved to stand beside him, feeling foolish peeking out from behind his back.
"To counteract the sexual compulsion, you opened a portion of your being not often accessible to me. I knew you would need the mortal's help to vanquish the succubus, so I established a telepathic link, rather like the collar that connected you and Chaos. She can accompany you into the Dream Realm, and you are now able to materialize when you are with her."
"I've figured out this much already."
"Don't be curt with me, boy, or I'll sever the link right now."
"I apologize." He sounded almost contrite.
"It's obvious you've developed feelings for each other, so I'm willing to allow the link to stay."
"For how long?" After a pause he added, "At what cost?"
She huffed, raising her chin a notch. "The price has already been paid. Despite what I did to you, you saved the life of my son. If this will --"
"You are Chaos's mother?"
Hera scowled. "Don't sound so surprised. If your husband cheated on you every time you turned around, you'd be tempted to return the favor. I just didn't realize Hades was so fertile. Can we discuss the link now? I have a rather full agenda today."
"Pardon me." Sheri inclined her head. "Please continue."
Hera turned back to Ryder, dismissing Sheri with a look. "What you haven't realized about the link is that you can transfer energy. You can keep this mortal alive for as long as you want her."
That made Sheri sound like a sex toy, but she chose not to object. Hera was obviously anxious to have the conversation finished.
"Morpheus wants you to report to his hall once the mortal has gone off to work. He is willing to compromise on a schedule that will allow you to spend your leisure hours in this realm. Do you have any questions?"
"I'm sure I'll have many, but I need to discuss the situation with Sheri."
"The link can be severed at any time. She would go on with her mortal life, and you would return to the Dream Realm."
"I understand."
Her dark eyes narrowed. "I thought this would please you. I was ... attempting to make amends."
"I'm grateful for the opportunity. I appreciate your gift, but I'm not the only one affected by your actions."
Hera's gaze moved over Sheri, then, without a word, she disappeared.
"She's more into entrances than exits?"
Ryder placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. "Do you understand what she did, what all of this means?"
"Hera is the reason we can hear each other's thoughts. The link she created allows us access to each other, and it will allow you to keep me alive ... how did she put it? For as long as you want me."
"Tact has never been Hera's strong suit."
Sheri smiled and wrapped her arms around his lean waist. "I won't age as long as you feed me energy?"
"Apparently not."
"And we can be together in the Dream Realm as well as here?"
"That's what she said."
"Then why aren't you happy?"
"I just have a hard time believing this came from Hera."
"You saved her son, so she gave me to you as a thank-you present."
He smiled. "Do you mind being a thank-you present?"
"What do you think?" Raising her hands to his shoulders, she leaned in close. "I was ready to live the rest of my life with a dream lover. I like this arrangement just a little bit better."
She ended the conversation with a passionate kiss.
Velvety darkness embraced Dora Gunther. She blinked repeatedly, but the blackness remained. Drawing deep, calming breaths into her lungs, she refused to entertain the panic ricocheting through her brain.
Focus.
Think.
Remember.
Where am I? What happened to me?
A strand of hair tickled her face. She tried to brush it away. She couldn't move! Struggling frantically against her bonds, she twisted and thrashed upon a flat, slightly giving surface. A bed? Where the hell was she? How had she gotten here?
Her wrists and ankles were encircled by some sort of cuff. The restraints spread her limbs wide. This position had only one purpose. A scream lodged in her throat. Did she really want her captor to know she'd regained consciousness?
A low, mournful creak cut through the darkness. Boots scraped against stone, and a man spoke a phrase she didn't understand. Torches spontaneously flickered to life, illuminating the bedchamber. Red, gold, and black -- Dora had never seen anything like it.
The man was huge, tall and heavily muscled. Long red-streaked black hair flowed to his broad shoulders. His back was to her as he crossed to the hearth.
She was chained to a massive bed like a virgin sacrifice, naked and helpless, awaiting his pleasure. Fear shredded her composure. Bile rose into her throat. Her breasts heaved with every ragged breath. This couldn't be real. She was hallucinating. This was some bizarre dream. A strangled sound escaped her, and the man turned around.
Their gazes collided, and Dora screamed ...
Cyndi has been a member of Romance Writers of America since 1999 and also belongs to two local chapters of RWA. She is the winner of multiple national contests, including The Molly and The Merritt. In 2003, she was chosen as a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart, as well as winning the Jasmine with Rebel Angels 1: Born of the Shadows. After dabbling in freelance journalism and songwriting, she returned to her true passion: paranormal romance. Visit Cyndi on the Web at www.cyndifriberg.com, or email her at cyndi@cyndifriberg.com.
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by Pearl Jones
Available Now from Loose Id
"I am neither slave nor lady, lord. But I am yours." She took the hand he offered and drew it to her lips, kissing it as she had longed to do. Her teachers had told her she would one day yearn to perform the erotic arts, but none had explained how strong the need could be. Was this unique? Was it only him? The taste of him, salt and musk and with more than a hint of horse, made her head swim. She moaned.
"Lady ..." He fell to his knees beside her. "Lady, I cannot ..."
She spoke around his fingers. "I know your oath." Still, there was chaste and chaste. More than her honor was at stake; she risked her life. Feeling his flesh yield as she bit lightly down, she counted the reward worth the cost. Her tongue circled the digit, pulling it deeper; she sucked her cheeks in.
He groaned.
Leaning back until her head touched the rug, she let his hand slip from her mouth, down her neck, over her breasts, her belly. He pulled away with a hiss, then let his hand fall. Just a touch, a brush over her hips, away again. She shivered at the light touch. "Again."
"I must not." But even as he spoke, his hand was at her shoulder, tracing a path down her arm, reaching her hand to weave fingers together, matching until the fit was perfect.
His skin was hot, as though he fevered for her. She felt his touch like a brand and leaned into it, hoping to be marked forever. His hand flexed, stretching her smaller one.
Her turn to moan.
He tried to pull away; she gripped him tightly, rolling up to face him again. Holding his gaze with her own, she raised their clasped hands to her breast. He shivered and shook, and his mouth fell open. She smiled, and would not let him look away.
His hand loosened; this time, she let him go.
It was tempting to look down, to see his huge hand splayed in a futile attempt to surround her, but she enjoyed the look in his eyes. So might a man look were he visited by a djinn, awe and fear and hope and longing all at once. His other hand came up to join the first; she could almost believe it independent of him by the surprise that widened his eyes. And then his hot, hard fingers found her nipples, eager and thrusting through her silks, and her eyes fluttered closed at the sensation.
"Mother of God."
It might have been a prayer.
His fingers stroked and tugged and twisted through the cloth, sending tiny strikes of lightning toward her core. It was wonderful, so much better than when she played with them on her own. But it would be better still with skin on skin.
Deciding, she pulled free from his touch. His face fell on the instant, and he began to speak in some language she did not recognize. The tone was enough; he was apologizing. She leaned in long enough to plant a kiss on his quick-moving lips, then twisted and came to her feet.
"You are greatly privileged," she laughed, "for few infidels ever see a performance like this." There was no music, but she needed none. She danced.
He gaped as she moved, her body free and swaying and not completely concealed within lengths of shimmering cloth. And then the cloth came free somehow, pieces waving from her wrists, veiling his vision for a heartbeat and then falling away, leaving inches of spice-dark skin to gleam in the lantern light.
One foot, bare but for painted symbols, touched his knee. He looked down, saw another piece of fabric drop down to curtain her maddered toes, rise, fall again. And then it was gone, and the foot was on his thigh, and the ankle, too, was bare, as was the calf.
He gasped, and his hands came up.
She stilled him. "The dance is not yet done." Another length of cloth fell away.
When she was clad only in a few fringed bits, a single length around her breasts rising to circle her neck, and the last of her multitude of skirt-wraps, she ceased, falling gracefully to kneel again, inches away from him, hands palm-up on her knees. "Now," she said.
He did not move. Did not even blink. A pulse in his throat leapt and throbbed; she could see it. It seemed to beg for her touch, so she reached out to stroke it.
He grabbed her wrist, hard enough to hurt. "No." Too loud; he winced. "No." Slowly, he reached for her other hand, pulling them toward himself until he could shift his grip, both small wrists trapped in one of his large hands, his sun-darkened skin still lighter than hers, and rough. Gently, firmly, he held her, and breathed.
Spices and honey and oil and tea and the scent of her.
He looked her up and down, every lithe inch she had exposed. Lantern-light flickered on gleaming skin. His gaze followed each dancing shadow, every bright flare.
She shivered at the intensity of that gaze, as hot as his touch, and as welcome. His mouth was open again. Did his lips tingle, too?
He held her wrists, but she was not immobile. She twisted in his grasp to bring her face to his, tilted up, and brushed a soft kiss over his mouth. He swore, and let her hands free, his hands reaching to tangle in her hair, holding her firm as he plunged his tongue between her open lips.
There was none of the delicacy she had been taught, but far more pleasure, and the taste of him was hot and urgent and stronger than foreign ice wine. She twined her tongue with his, darted a teasing tip between his lower lip and teeth, sucked his lip into her mouth and bit down not quite gently. He learned quickly, copying what he enjoyed; she learned from that, and discovered likes she had not known she had.
They kissed until they must breathe or die, and broke away only long enough to gasp for air before returning to their sweet duel.
Her hands, freed, roamed his back, his chest, finding his tiny nipples beneath the padded vest and thick shirt he wore, pinching and flicking in time with her tongue. He groaned into her mouth, and she swallowed the sound, never ceasing. When the kiss came to its inevitable end, she loosed his garments and ducked her head to suck the small nubs until he would have screamed had he not bit down on his own hand.
"Stop. You must." His voice was strained. She ignored him until he pulled her up by the hair. "Stop."
"Why?" She shifted, and saw his eyes go dark and wide at the sight of her breasts thrusting at him through the thin bit of silk that remained. "Is it your turn?"
"Oh, yes." He set his mouth to the cloth and began to suckle.
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What people are saying about
Angel is a Centerfold
The sexual dream sequences were pretty hot and varied. The plot twist came out of left field and was a total surprise! Angel is a Centerfold is a different kind of story featuring a young couple and a purely unique plot twist that will keep readers rapt with interest until the very end.
Angel is well crafted - warm, mysterious and sensual. The two sides of her personality merge to create something greater than the girl she once was. Angel is a Centerfold delivers a unique brand of scorching eroticism and tender passion.

