Page 28 of Dreaming of Darkness

I blushed. “We’d need to find you some clothes.”

Traum’s eyes glittered, “Clothing?”

“We could just run out, a quick shopping trip.”

Traum suddenly stood, hiking me over his shoulder with a soft grunt. “Say no more.”

I laughed, slapping at his back, “What is happening right now?”

“We, little dream, are getting ready to leave.” He set me down by my shower, leaning over me.

My laughter slowed as I observed the very real excitement in his eyes. “You are excited about this, aren’t you?”

“The party? Yes. We do enjoy a celebration. But one thing you must know about incubus, my dream, if you are to be mated to one.”

Traum leaned as I said, “And that is?”

He grinned, all fangs. “We love to shop.”

Chapter Eight

Traum

My hand curled around Bailey’s as we walked up the sidewalk of the large building. I hadn’t enjoyed a day like this in years, if ever. Bailey and I had spent so long in the shower this afternoon that her fingers had gone pruned. But I’d never had the chance to care for a female before and I had been fascinated by the process of shampooing, conditioning, even going so far as to kneel on the tile and offer to shave the short hairs from around her legs. She had sputtered at first, shoving me away. But after more kisses and a few passes with the loofah, she’d finally givenin. I had done a decent job I thought, especially since I’d been more than distracted the whole time with her still slick core so close to my face.

I huffed a breath in, trying to calm my already regrowing arousal. It was hard with her this close. After showering and dashing into a nearby shop, I’d come out with a black suit that set off my human glamour with its deeply tanned skin and clean-shaven jaw. The white shirt and dark tie made my throat itch a little, but I couldn't deny the overall look was intriguing. And of course, my mate, she was dressed in black velvet, her soft curves demanding my hands on them. Even more so as more and more eyes landed on us as we approached.

A tiny table greeted us at the front of a large, decorated hall, with bright blue up lights spread against the walls. In the distance a light illustrated the brand of the company Bailey worked for, Woodson and Company. And below, the milling crowd moved to the sounds of a band.

I smiled, charmed and surprised by how much I was enjoying this.

The woman behind the table gave Bailey a smile. “Hi there, checking in?” “Yes, I’m Bailey Emerson, I’m sorry, I don’t think I RSVP-ed for a guest though.” The other woman’s eyes looked at me, growing slightly wide at my appearance. “I’m sure

we can make room for your friend.”

I could sense her lust immediately. Huffing a short breath, I stepped closer to Bailey, running my hand down her hip. “Did you hear that, darling?” I leaned in, my lips against her ear as I curled her close, “They can make room for your friend.”

Bailey made a cute little squeak of surprise but didn’t pull away. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

The other woman busied her hands with pulling out little white squares, passing them over to Bailey with a thick writing device. Bailey bent, breaking my hold lightly to bend over. I smiled coyly at the woman as Bailey wrote, my mates backside pressing against my thigh as she moved.

“Here you go,” Bailey said, straightening, and pressing a nametag over my chest. I read my own name in big letters before giving her a look.

“It doesn’t really go with the ensemble,” I said, gesturing down at myself.

Bailey giggled as she tugged me towards the music. “We have to wear them, so they know we belong here.”

I grunted but let her tug me towards a large assortment of food laid out on trays. When she broke away to fill her plate, I was distracted by the decorative lighting that the music group seemed to have surrounding them. It was beautiful, and so very different from my home’s celebrations.

When I turned back, another male, a few inches taller than Bailey was animatedly speaking to her, his eyes all over my mate’s body. My temper rose as fast as my instincts and a moment later I was at her side.

“Who is this?” I asked, my voice barely human. I cleared my throat, focusing on keeping my glamour in place as the man took a small step back. My back was ramrod straight; eyes dark on him as he recognized the clear threat in my pose.

“I’m Alex, I work with Bailey.”

He held out a hand, and I took it like Bailey had instructed earlier. I squeezed the man’s palm. “I’m Traum, I sleep with Bailey.”

“Traum,” Bailey hissed, her fingers poking into my sides as I released the other man, who now massaged his hand with theother.

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