Page 58 of Demon of Dreams

“If you insist.”

His hand closed around mine, and the entire world shifted sideways. I could feel a force bigger than I was pulling me under. Every muscle in my body fought against it. I knew I needed to surrender, but a stubborn part of me always refused. My view of his office was going dark around the edges, my lungs contracting from lack of air.

Just let go. Let me in.The words floated through my mind, voiceless but present nonetheless. I knew it was Isaac, trying to make this easier for me, but I’d never mastered that trick. Let go? Give in? I’d rather die.

My vision narrowed to pinpricks. My lungs screamed for oxygen. The world shifted again, this time upside down, and I was thrown from my chair, falling, falling, falling into darkness.

13

NOAH

“Iwish you’d stop fighting it,” said an unexpected voice.

I blinked and found myself once again seated in front of Isaac’s desk. But the person holding my hand across the rich wood surface wasn’t Isaac.

It was Cory, the kid from the Balsam Inn.

The incubus.

He was watching me with huge, luminous gray eyes.

Granted, everything was faintly luminous in the trance Isaac offered. The room glowed a soft purple, and if I turned my head too fast, the world shimmered like a beaded curtain blowing in the breeze. But Cory’s eyes were something else.

He stood up slowly. Slim and slight, he couldn’t be more than five-eight, and I doubted he weighed more than one-thirty soaking wet. His hair was a tawny brown, with golden highlights and chestnut hues mixed together. It curled around his ears and at the base of his neck—he needed a haircut.

His wide eyes sat under delicate brows. Freckles scattered themselves across his high cheekbones and the bridge of his long, straight nose. His lips—God, his lips—were a perfect cupid’s bow, the bottom one plump and pouted. They parted slightly as he looked at me looking at him. I had the strongest urge to lean across the table and kiss him.

Instead, I leaned back in the chair.

“It would be easier if you would just let it happen,” Cory continued. He smiled at me, and it felt like dawn breaking in my chest. Fuck me, this was not good.

“No offense, but I’m going to need you to go.” I waved my hand peremptorily. The sooner I got him out of here, the better.

“You’re the one who brought me here,” he replied.

“Only because I was just talking about you with Isaac. I was still annoyed, and you must have been on my mind when I slipped under.”

“Then why haven’t I left yet?”

“Because I keep talking to you. Be quiet while I turn you into someone else.”

“If that’s how you want it.” Cory leaned forward, planting his hands on the desk. He was studying me intently now, and I didn’t like it.

I closed my eyes. “Lew. I want to see Lew. That’s who’ll be here when I open my eyes again.”

I opened my eyes. Cory was still staring at me, head tilted ever so slightly to the left. Fuck. I didnotwant this kid in the trance. I didn’t want him anywhere, but definitely not here.

Why couldn’t I bring Lew to mind? I knew every inch of his body, knew him far more intimately than Cory. There should have been no trouble imagining him here.

Maybe I’d just seen him too recently. Maybe my body was sated when it came to him. I needed variety.

I closed my eyes, firmly, and scanned through the Vesperwood student body mentally. There were plenty of students I was attracted to, and more than a few had insinuated that the feeling was mutual. A couple had even shown up at my door over the years. I’d never accepted their invitations, but this was just a trance. Surely that made it okay.

Except something felt off, in a way that was new to me. Eyes still closed, I frowned. Maybe I shouldn’t choose a student. Picturing any student might be too close to picturing Cory. It was probably smarter to pick someone else.

Another professor. That would do it. Someone firmly on the faculty side of the line. Vesperwood’s various professors and staff swirled through my mind, and I smiled, landing on someone I’d always been curious about.

“Seb,” I said aloud. Sebastian Romero wasn’t the type of guy I usually went for, but I couldn’t deny that he was attractive, and frankly, I’d always been a little curious about what was hiding beneath those tweedy blazers and wool sweaters.

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