Page 50 of Dreaming of Darkness

“You spread enough power last night, I don’t think anyone will be complaining.”

“Probably good, since I’m not sure when I’ll dream walk again.”

“Why not?”

I shrugged, “I’m not sure that I want to. To experience that kind of situation with someone other than Bailey seems wrong.”

“What if you tried like Rifa and Al? They go together most nights.”

I considered that, “I haven’t spoken to Bailey about it yet. But, maybe, I guess. I don’t know how much she wants to do that.”

“It wouldn’t have to be often, especially in the living world.”

“What do you mean?”

“The dream walking builds our power, but we carry it back to the Underworld, delivering it here. But to feed in the living world, even with a mate, it would be potent power. Enough to change a lot about how we handle stocks.”

“You mean that me feeding while awake, in the living world, is more potent than dreams?”

Zaldi nodded, his shadow moving, “I do. Before the boundaries were strong, there were many cases of incubi being in the living world. They fed on the living souls as they were awake or asleep. But not having to utilize the power to stay in dreams, means that all that power is funnelled into the incubi themselves. There’s obviously more risk in feeding in the living world, not to mention the minor detail that Lord Arafel would have to be contacted but the potential is there. Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?”

“Hm, yes, I am. You mean that incubi visiting the living world feeding there will be more powerful than the dream walking.” Ireached over, cuffing him on the shoulder, “When did you get so smart?”

“When you’re not panting after your mate all day or urging people to orgasm, you have more time to fill with things like education and practice.”

I cringed at the sour notes in his deep voice. My brother had always hated that while his ability to monitor and manage contained power was incredibly unique, he was still not treated with the same respect as many dream walkers. Not that he hadn’t tried. Numerous times, actually, when we were just coming into maturity. But each time he came home, drained and shaking. After a short time, my Grandmother made him stop.

Instead, they redirected his abilities into managing the overload of magic that many of the dream walkers like me and Albtraum brought back. He was a sort of battery. He could hold our power but could not feed for himself. And over time he’d taught himself how to monitor the entire village. He could pick out who was weak, who was hoarding power too much.

He was invaluable. And yet always felt like he wasn’t doing enough.

“Thank you for the information,” I said.

“Happy to discuss it any time,” Zaldi said, retreating from the room with a quick, small smile. Just before he closed the door, he hesitated there. “And Traum?”

“Yes?”

“I’m happy for you,” Zaldi said, “Even if I struggle to say it. And I’ll miss you.” The door closed.

I knew what he had been trying to say. Not just that an incubus could survive in the living world, but they could thrive. And if I read into his final words, I knew that he thought I should go to Bailey.

And I don’t think he meant just for a visit.

I stared around my room, my childhood, my family. They werefamiliar, loved. And now, empty.

The obol was heavy in my pocket.

Soon, I would go to her. And together we could figure out what forever looked like.

***

Bailey

I smiled through the last of my meeting, watching as my coworkers packed up their things and began to head out the door. I doddled a little as I reached my desk, moving the pen cup around a few times and then watching my computer as a slow-moving update took over the screen.

I was waiting for him. I had been for days. I ached for him, as I had before. But at the same time there was a more subtle pull within it. Like the bond knew that we were close to completing it. That was insane, I knew that. But it still soothed me while I waited.

“Hey babes,” Elena said, popping up from her side of the cubicle wall. “What are you still doing here?”

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