Page 29 of Twisted Fate
“Is this the part where you start freaking out?”
I gasp at the familiar voice and sit straight up in a flash. My eyes scan what appears to be one fancy-ass bedroom, landing on where Tristan leans in the doorway.
He steps inside, closing the door behind him.
I scramble off the bed, almost slipping off the black silk sheets. “What the hell is going on?” I demand, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Nothing,” he answers in a calm voice.
I gesture around the room. “What isthis?”
“My bedroom,” he says.
I glance back at the bed I was in.Oh god. “Your bedroom...”
He chuckles. “You’re asleep, Aurora. This is a dream.”
My eyes snap to his. If it’s a dream, why do his blue eyes look so real? So damn captivating? I shake my head, pushing the thought away. “You’re in my head? In mydream?”
“That’s right. You’re dreaming about me.”
“Why? How?”
“Because I want you to,” he explains. “Another perk of being me: dreamwalking.”
I shoot him a dark look. I’m not in the mood to learn what other fae tricks he has up his sleeve. This is pretty close to thelastthing I need right now.
“Would you like me to leave?” His question throws me off. He’s giving me a choice.
“I want you to tell me what you’re doing in my dream. Don’t tell me you want to spend more time with me,” I remark. “I’m already stuck with you one day of the week. Isn’t that enough?”
He offers a charming smile, and it occurs to me that dream Tristan is just as dangerously attractive as reality Tristan. “You’re fiery tonight,” he says.
“And you’re annoying. Can I have my dream back now?”
“You don’t like me, do you?” What a loaded question.
I gape at him. “Is that...Seriously? Do you want to be my best friend or something, Tristan? Because I’m pretty sure medical professionals have a name for that. It’s called Stockholm Syndrome.”
He huffs out a frustrated sigh. “You left town,” he says. “Or did you run away?” He knows I left. Was he looking for me?
“I went looking for answers about my ancestors. Instead, I found out that my brother is sick.” I sigh. “You can’t scare me away. I’ll be there on Monday. I know what’s at stake here, so not even the idea of you being there could stop me from showing up.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your brother,” he says, and the sudden softness in his expression makes my chest ache.
“Thanks,” I say after a stretch of silence. I stare at him for what feels like far too long. I’m still trying to decide whether this is real. “So, you did this to creep me out?”
“I was hoping to learn something,” he admits.
“Learn what? How I’d react to you being invasive as hell?” I counter, resting my hands on my hips.
He offers a bemused smile. “I’m trying to figure you out. Humans are supposed to be simple creatures. They have impulses and fears. Considering what I am and my position in both the human and fae worlds, humans are intimidated by me. And then there’s you. The elusive human with fae lineage. You’re...everything I can’t control.”
My breath hitches as it becomes harder to hold his gaze. “Control is overrated,” I say in a shaky voice. “At least that’s what I’ve heard.”
“An interesting concept. One I’d guess was created by someone unable to grasp control.”
I shrug, pushing the hair out of my face. For me, control is necessary. As long as I have it, for the most part, I can keep my anxiety at bay. Dealing with a sick brother and an intense degree, I don’t have time to allow anxiety to suffocate me.
