Page 8 of Nightmare For Hire
“Nope, didn’t realize you got started already.” Dani chomps down on a piece of chocolate like a madman. You’re supposed to let it melt and savor every second of it.
Maddox snorts. “I don’t exactly picture you as a business sort.”
“I should have asked you for advice.” I tap my fingers to my lips. Maddox runs a government sanctioned tattoo shop. Every monster on this side of the portals must have a visa. And if they have a business, it has to be government sanctioned. “No, it’s sorta under the radar. But I’m hiring myself out to terrorize shitty exes.” I grin at them. “Perfect right? For an inch of unicorn hair or three hundred dollars, I’ll give bad exes nightmares for however long it takes for the person to get closure.”
“That is ridiculous,” Maddox says as he pops a piece of chocolate into his mouth. “And so you. I love it.”
“I already have my first client and I have a bad ex to terrorize tonight. I’m just waiting for him to go to sleep.” I moan around another piece of candy. “Seriously, candy and snacks are the greatest human inventions.”
“How are you getting clients?” Dani asks.
“I put up fliers in Portal Place Grocery.”
“Fliers?” Maddox cocks a brow.
“Yes, it’s simple. People contact me via text. We meet so I can get the deets. Then I use the Monster Match app to bait the exes and go on a date. I send a few shadow bits with them, then infiltrate their dreams once they’ve fallen asleep.”
“And you already have a client?” Maddox asks.
“Yep! Met them this afternoon, had a date with their ex a few hours ago.” I stick my tongue out and roll my eyes as I stick a finger in my mouth as if to gag myself. “Seriously gross guy. He wanted relations on the first date. Who does that?”
Dani raises his hand. “All the time. People do it all the time, Nox. It’s not something to shame someone over.” Maddox takes Dani’s hand and kisses his palm.
“Wait, that’s shaming?” I tip my head. “I didn’t mean it that way. I still don’t understand this whole…” I wave a hand around. “Sex thing. Or romance.”
“That’s obvious,” Maddox says.
“Nightmares just aren’t built for romance, I don’t think.” I shrug and go back to the candy. “I can’t miss what I don’t exactly understand.”
“Maybe you should do one of your marathon research nights on attraction,” Dani says. “Maybe Nightmares are aromantic, or asexual. Or maybe you’re demi and just haven’t emotionally connected enough with anyone for it to matter at all.”
“Maybe.”
“This business won’t mess with your monster visa?” Maddox asks.
I dig around in my purse. “This silly little piece of plastic?” I toss it to the corner. “I have a special arrangement. The government can’t hold me and they know some ancient creatures they just can’t control. I’m not even from the monster realm, so no, it won’t affect my ridiculous visa.”
“Some of us need that visa,” Maddox mumbles.
“And I’m super sad for you. I hate that you have to have it to live in this realm.” My shoulders slump.
“Yeah, it takes some getting used to.” Maddox runs his hand through the shaved part of his hair. “This realm is such a weird one compared to what I’m used to.”
“Crap. I brought the whole mood down. Sorry, guys.”
Maddox laughs and pushes on my shoulder. “It’s fine. I found my Dani here. So as far as I’m concerned, this is the place to be.”
There’s a hum, and a vision fills my mind. “Ope! Looks like my target is finally asleep. Toodles!”
They laugh as I poof out of the room. I trust them to lock up. Not that I need it.
As soon as I materialize into Jaxson’s bedroom, I breathe in the lavender essential oils he doused the area in before he went to bed. The scent must have worked, because he’s out. He’s almost sweet in sleep. His mouth is slightly open. To be honest, I’m surprised he doesn’t snore.
My tendrils of shadow hover in the far corner. There’s no way he could have seen them. They’re invisible to humans unless I want them to be visible.
If he opens his eyes at this moment, he’ll see me standing at the edge of his bed watching him like a creeper, and I can’t help but love this bit of night. The rush ofwill he wake or stay asleep?It’s a hit of adrenaline. If a Nightmare could experience an adrenaline rush, that is.
This man is a menace to society according to the little interaction I had with him and he deserves every nightmare I’m about to give him. It’s time to figure out what terrifies this man.
