Page 33 of Dreaming of His Omega
Elarian let out an awkward chuckle. “I guess you do. Thank you.”
I don’t know why I expected the kitchen to be any different, it wasn’t. It was all just like my dreams. I leaned on the counter, while waiting for the water to heat, thoughts whirling. Everything was strange. Well, obviously. But my interaction with Elarian was strange. Technically, I had written him –created him– to be my boyfriend, and yet now that I was finally meeting him, I didn’t feel anything for him. Not like that. I thought I would, after all the memories as Traviel.
As I made the tea, just like Traviel did, I realized that, I never created Elarian for me. He was always meant for Traviel. And while Traviel was a fantasy version of me, hewasn’tme. Even if I did share his head, thanks to an errant wish. Once the tea was ready, I carried it out to Elarian, feeling fairly confident about my next step.
“Thank you.” Elarian took it with a smile and sipped it, carefully balancing it away from Kirielm. After setting it down, he fixed me with another nervous look.
“I want to go to sleep,” I announced.
“Now? Before you’ve made a decision?” he asked in alarm.
“If I sleep, Traviel will come,” I reminded him.
Elarian’s brow furrowed. “I thought you’re supposed to, somehow,beTraviel? Aren’t you?”
“I thought I was,” I said. “I ‘ish-wayed’ to be him anyway. But being here, with you…” I looked at the genie, who was innocently sitting and flipping through a book, as if he was ignoring us. I knew I this was as much of a private conversation as I’d get. Maybe if I got my thoughts out, the genie would have some insight. “I don’t know, I’ve never feltlesslike him. When I first wake up, I’m confused. I feel like I’m still Traviel while awake. But the longer I’m awake, the more it feels like this is all a… a movie. Like I’m just watching. Whatever is happening, Traviel and I are different people. And he won’t have any memory of this. I’m not going to call the genie until Traviel knows what’s going on.”
“Thank you, Travis,” Elarian said. It was weird to hear him say my real name. “Thank you. Here, I can show you to the guest…”
“Stay with Kirielm. And goodnight, I guess.”
“Goodnight.”
The genie closed his book, at last, and waved merrily to me. “Goodnight!”
I stood. I wondered if it would be weird to give Elarian or the baby a goodnight kiss. Even though I could remember the impossibly powerful love Traviel felt for the baby, I couldn’t find it within myself. I couldn’t feel the same love for Elarian either, although Ididcertainly care deeply about him. And worry for him.
“Will you be okay withhim?” I asked, nodding toward the genie.
“As a rule, I can’t harm anyone,” the genie said.
“It’s true,” Elarian said. “I appreciate the concern though.”
“Goodnight, then.”
The guest bedroom was exactly the way Traviel had left it. I climbed into the bed, head spinning and heart pounding. I didn’t really want to sleep in my dirty train clothes, but I also didn’t want to keep Traviel away any longer, not now that I knew for sure it was my dreams that brought him.
After the uncomfortable nights on the train, the bed was bliss and I quickly fell asleep.
Chapter Twelve
Elarian
“And that’s that,” I finished.
Kirielm had long since fallen back asleep in my arms, but I couldn’t bring myself to put him down. So much was potentially at stake. Whatever Travis promised, who knew how the unpredictable wish magic would turn out.
“Can I… see him?” Traviel asked. “Is he still there? Sleeping?” He turned his head toward the guestroom.
“He is,” the genie confirmed.
Traviel stood slowly. I rose as well, transferring my tiny baby to one arm. I held out my hand and Traviel took it, then pulled me close. He kissed me firmly, and I closed my eyes and kissed him back. His lips lingered on mine, as if it could be our last kiss. Maybe it was.
“I love you,” he whispered as the kiss ended, breath tickling my skin as he spoke.
“And I love you.”
He bent and kissed Kirielm gently on the forehead, just below his wispy hair. Then, straightened and headed for the guestroom, clutching my hand. Traviel eased open the door and gasped as the light from the hall fell upon the sleeping man.
