Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 12

I backsidet believe you donjon coming back, Dante t venerable me when I showed up at his shop the next day. To no superstars surprise, the deposit was empty.Me either, I admitted. I n incessantly felt welcome here, yet I didnt smack I had anywhere else to go. How do you stay in business?Beats me. I dont suppose youre here to give me the better(p) night of my life? You missed your El Gaucho chance, though.Im here because I had a nonher r constantlyie.Youre using me, succubus. He sighed and sit down down at the chintzy table. Okay. soften it to me.Settling down across from him, I recapped the latest dream events.Not really much in the way of new developments, he pointed tabu subsequentlyward. You got, like, thirty more than seconds of plot.Does it mean anything?Hell if I know.I narrowed my eyes. You be the worst dream vocalization ever.Nah. He rested his chin in his hand, elbow propped on the table. His expression was typi ringy lazy. Im a very well be occupyd interpret er. at that places nothing to interpret in your dream, though, unless its just your subconscious lamenting your infertility. Which is likely. It also suggests you have bad appreciation in music. Is Sweet Home Alabama really playing to each one time?Now I sighed.The dreams distinctly arent prophetic either since we know its impossible for you to have a kid. He drummed his fingers on the table, face thoughtful. You for sure you might not adopt or whatsoeverthing?She was mine, I verbalize firmly. My own flesh and blood. I could feel it.Okay. Far be it from me to argue delusional maternal instincts. further like I said, it doesnt really matter. The content, I mean. What matters here, I guess, is the energy loss.I could have hugged him. Finally, soulfulness fucking thinks thats important.Its a pattern now. Cant really shoot it on anomaly anymore.So whats it mean?You sure you extremity the opinion of the worst dream interpreter ever?Good grief Get on with it.If you were hu huma n being, Id say without a doubt that you were being preyed on.I flinched. What? What do you mean?He reached across the table and caught my hand, flipping it all over absentmindedly while he thought. I was too caught on the word preyed to care about him touching me. Little Kaylas words popped into my head.Theyre monsters. They swoop in the lineage and go in populations dreams.You and I both know there are plenty of marvelous beings walking the world. Some walk the dreamworld and dont really have humans best intentions at heart. Not that you do either. And honestly, some arent too different from you. They crave human life and energy, and they can suck it out of dreams. besides they cant do that to me?Mmm. He let go of my hand. I dont see how. You dont make your own energy. You steatimel it too. that who knows?I shivered. The idea of some creature some parasitic creature latching on and sucking out my life made me ill. I was fully aware of the hypocrisy, however, seeing as I did the exact aforesaid(prenominal) thing all the time.Sowhat kind of creature might be capable of doing that?Dunno. Not my specialty.But youre a dream expert Shouldnt you know about dreamcreatures?Supernatural creatures are Eriks thing, not mine. You should deal him.Youre the worst dream interpreter ever.So I hear. His earlier skilfulness flitted away. Soare we tone ending away to have sex now?I stood up. No Of course not.Dante threw his hands up. What more do you want? I actually gave you useful information this time. And its not like you couldnt use the fix small or no.Its more than that, I said. Suddenly, I hesitated. II know you now.Whats that supposed to mean?If you were some anonymous guy, there might be a chance. But now youre like a comrade wasnt quite the word I was hanging for. an acquaintance.He appeared genuinely baffled for in one case. It was almost amusing. Im really not following this, succubus.Ive got a boyfriend, remember? When I have anonymous, casual sex, i ts not really cheating. But if I do it with someoneyou like? Was it my imagination, or was there something hopeful in his eyes when he asked that?No, I dont think I like you. But I dont exactly dislike you either. The point is, you arent anonymous. It would be cheating.He stared at me for several moments, and whatever glimmer of hope I thought Id seen was definitely gone. No investigate succubi are so good at passing as human women. Youve certainly got the head games and issue lack of rationality down.Ive got to go.You always have to go. Where to now? Some anonymous guy?I rose. No, Im going to find Erik and see if he can actually give me useful information.I did give you useful informationDebatable.Well, let me lock up, and well see what Lancaster has to say.I froze. What do you mean we?Dante grabbed some keys from behind the counter. Youve piqued my curiosity. I want to see how this turns out. Besides, you owe me for my help, seeing as you wont put out.Help, indeed, I muttered.He walked to the door with me. Did it ever occur to you that in spite of how unuseful you think I am, Im clam up kind of concerned about what happens to you?No, I said. It actually hadnt.But I let him go with me over to Arcana, Ltd. When we stepped inside, we found Erik unpacking a box of books. He smiled without looking up, having mavind me.Miss Kincaid, always a He stopped when he noticed Dante. For the graduation time in our friendship, I saw Erik look angry. It was disturbing. Frightening, even. Mr. Moriarty.Dante nodded his greeting. Always nice to see you.The expression on Eriks face showed the touch sensations werent mutual. He straightened up from his work and walked over to the counter. Crossing his arms over his office, he peered at both of us.What can I do for you? No cordial host or tea chats today. The air between the two men suddenly felt thick and oppressive.I spoke uncertainly. Wethat is, Dante thinks he has an behave to my dream problems.Dante laughed, wearing his trademark smirk. If he bore Erik the same animosity, he was hiding it well. I wouldnt call it an answer, succubus. More like a theory.Ive had the dream again, I told Erik. More than once now. And I still keep losing my energy. Dante says it could be some kind ofdream creature preying on me. I stumbled over the words. The concept was still too ludicrous. But he didnt know what kind. He said you might know.Erik shifted his eyes from Dante to me. I could put forward the old man was still unhappy about us being there together, just he cared about me too much and couldnt stop himself from helping me. I wondered at what point over the eld I had earned such regard. And how. He sighed and gestured us to the table. We all sat down, but no tea was offered.Something like that going after a succubus is hard to imagine, Erik said at last.Thats what I thought, said Dante.His lighthearted mask had slipped a little. He looked much as he had in the store, thoughtful and curious. He reminded me of a mechanical engineer Id once known. The guy couldnt help himself when it came to fixing some technical problem. Give him something in pieces, and he had to analyze it and figure it out. Dante might give me a hard time, but his nature, depress or not, couldnt stay away from this.Eriks eyes canvass me, hard and intent. I was an intriguing puzzle for him too.If I had to pickId say the symptoms most match Oneroi.Id comprehend of them. Theyd been in the Greek myths Id grown up with. vision spirits?Dante considered. More than spirits. Theyre the children of Nyx and Erebus.I shuddered. Id heard of them too. Nyx and Erebus. Night and Darkness. Primordial entities of chaos. They were powerful and dangerous. The world had been born of chaos, true, but it was also a fact even science agreed that the universe was always trying to go back toward chaos. Nyx and Erebus were destructive so much so that they were now locked away, lest they tear the world apart. The possibility that th eir children could be sucking away my life made me feel sick again.Dante was still turning this theory over in his head. Yeah, thatd be the nighst. But they still dont match one hundred percent.Nothing does, admitted Erik. Ive never heard of anything attacking a succubus.What do Oneroi do exactly? I asked.The two men exchanged glances, each waiting for the opposite to explain. Erik was the one who stepped up.They visit mortals in their dreams and feed off the emotions such dreams stir up. Victims of Oneroi shake up up drained and sick. More irony. Legend said that succubi visited men in their dreams too and took their life.Thats whats happening to me, I argued. Why couldnt it be them?It could be them, agreed Dante, but like we said, the details dont fit. Oneroi can seize dominate and shape what you dream. But the dreams they stir up are ordinarily nightmares. Fear and other dark emotions turn tail to be more intense they offer more for the Oneroi to feed off of. Your dreams a re short, and theyrefluffy.Fluffy?Well, I dont know. Not nightmares. Theyre intriguing to you. They bring out emotions fascinated, happy emotions. Theyre giving you visceral reactions, I suppose, but not the type that the Oneroi usually go after.And, continued Erik, theres also the fact that you arent an ideal choice for them. Youre inefficient. Youre a conduit, a link to the mortal world and their energy. If Oneroi are stealing from you, they have to wait for you to get your power from someone else first. Far simpler for them to take directly from a human.I suddenly realized Id forgotten something. One other weird thing happenedmore than the energy loss I explained about waking up feeling cold and pixilated.I guess thats kind of weird, said Dante, but I dont know that its really connect to this.Well, except later that day, I read this article about a guy who went crazy and time-tested to swim across the Sound. He thought it would help his family and it did because he drowned a nd they got his insurance money. When I read the article, the wet and cold feeling came back. It was likefor a second, I was him. I felt exactly what hed felt. Like I was drowning too.Empathy, said Dante. You read it and imagined what it must be like.No. I frowned, trying to bring the feeling back. II felt him. I knew it was him I was feeling. That guy. The same way I knew the girl was my daughter. It was in my gut.Dante looked annoyed. Would have been helpful to know this earlier.I forgot. I didnt really see it as relevant until now.Have you ever had anything like this happen before? Knowledge of something you didnt experience?I dont think so.Erik glanced at Dante. Clairvoyance?I dont know. Unlikely. Too many variables. None of them mesh. Dante turned his gaze back on me. Have you communicationed to your own people about this?I shook my head. Jeromes been gone. I mentioned the first dream before he left, but he didnt seem very concerned.Well, I dont know what to make of it, Dante said.Nor I, said Erik kindly. But I will look into this for you.Thanks, I told him. I really appreciate it.We stood up, and like that, the momentary truce between Erik and Dante vanished. Erik looked stormy once more. Dante appeared smug and condescending.Miss Kincaid, Erik began stiffly. You know I have nothing but the highest regard for you, and I am more than happy to assist you in any way you need. I also recognize that Mr. Moriarty can also offer you help. But I would prefer it ifif you dont bring me around anymore, finished Dante. He saluted. Noted, old man. Meet you at the car, succubus. He turned and walked out of the shop.Eriks mood didnt vanish with Dantes departure. I could still sense the fury radiating from him. Erik had said Dante was corrupt, but really, so was I. Erik didnt have this kind of reaction around me. There was something I was missing here.Im sorry, I told Erik. I didnt know it would bother you so much.You couldnt have known, he replied wearily. And after a ll, I was the one who directed you to him.Ill keep him away, I promised.I thanked him again and went out to meet Dante. He leaned against my car, his thoughts obscured by a lazy smile.Why does Erik hate you so much? I asked.Dante glanced down at me. Because Im a bad man who does bad things.Theres more to it than that, I said. And you dont seem that bad. The worst things youve done are trick customers and offer useless information. Althoughwell, you actually were pretty helpful just now. But like I said, I dont think youre as bad as your reputation implies.How would you know?I shrugged. Instinct.In one swift motion, Dante snaked his hand behind my neck and pulled me to him. I put a hand on his chest and started to push him away and then stopped. There was a warmth in his body, the eagerness of a man whod been deprived of something for a very long time. To my surprise, I felt arousal burning in me a yearning of my own to touch someone who wasnt all business. I experienced that feelin g a lot, and it usually got me into trouble. My succubus nature woke up, wondering if energy might be on its way.And despite my lofty talk earlier about not sleeping with people I was acquainted with, I suddenly cute him to kiss me. I wanted his energy just a taste.His mouth moved toward mine. I started to close my eyes and part my lips then, abruptly, he stiffened. Releasing me, he stepped back. I opened my eyes, staring in astonishment.What the netherworld? I asked. You backed off. And after all the grief youve given me about sleeping with you.Youre drained and hungry, succubus, he said. Itd be like taking advantage of a drunk girl.Right. And youve never done anything like that.Yeah, well, Im not eighteen anymore. He opened the car door. Are we going or not?I studied him a bit longer, thinking again I saw that hope and compassion from earlier. I was starting line to wonder if a lot of his cattiness was just bravado, hiding the same insecurities everyone in the world had. I ke pt my psychoanalysis to myself, however, and joined him in the car. We drove back to his shop, our usual flippant banter obscuring anything serious that might have happened.