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  “What kind of mess did you get us into this time?” I muttered through clenched teeth.

  “Me?” She sounded innocent, but I knew better. “I could ask you the same thing. Maybe if you could get that little tramp out of your head we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

  I yanked on the rope that connected us. “Es is not a tramp, and I haven’t had anything to do with her, just like you wanted. I haven’t really talked to her in months. I can’t believe I listened to you. I coulda had something real with her.”

  “Tsk, tsk. You could never have anything with her or anyone, your heart belongs to me.”

  “Yeah, well, my heart was almost detached from your wickedness. I was so close to breaking your spell. I wanted to love her, I did love her. But then you came back to life and while I ached to hold her I couldn’t because of you. Now she’s in love with my brother.”

  “Well, I am glad to know my spell has worked through all these years. She’ll never love you like that. I saved you from heartache.”

  “You haven’t saved me from anything,” I growled.

  “You should be nice to me if you want me to help get you out of here.”

  I smirked. “You can get us out of here? You’re the reason we’re here in the first place. Besides, we don’t even know where we are.”

  “Jarak, you’re seriously not that naïve, are you? That snooty little flight attendant must have had us brought to the B.O.M.B office, but don’t worry. I have connections.”

  The door swung open hard, hitting the wall and creating a loud echo in the room that reverberated in my head, making me cringe in pain. One of the first things I wanted to find out was how they were able to use magic on me and render me unconscious. Other than Es, Adonia, and Victor, I didn’t think anyone had the capability.

  An older woman came in with long black hair. Only a few streaks of gray showed her age. I couldn’t help but wonder if she possessed magic since witches were immortal and rarely showed traits of an aging human. Her charcoal dress suit complimented her tiny figure, and she had what looked like a 9mm holstered on her hip, but I could be wrong because the 8md looked a lot like the one humans used. Only, the 8md was deathly to all magical beings, including guardians and witches. Very few beings even had one. They were hard to find, even to those who searched for them.

  She slammed the door shut and walked over to us. “Enjoy your stay with us so far? How’s your head?” Her voice was softer than I thought it would be. I almost expected to hear something nasally, though she sounded far from nice. Her condescending tone was enough for me to guess that Julie was right about where we were.

  “Hurts,” I replied. Not that I expected to get any sympathy from her.

  “Well, that’s what I am here for. I’m MaryAnn and I’m the head forensic nurse at the B.O.M.B.”

  Well, that confirmed it. She pulled out a syringe from her back pocket and tapped it to mix the contents inside. I watched as the fluid went from clear to cloudy. My heart raced as I wondered what she would do with it, and what it was. She was not in Julie's line of sight, so I knew that she had no idea what was in store for us.

  I turned to whisper over my shoulder, “If you're going to get us out of here, now is a good time."

  “Oh, I don't think you'll be going anywhere,” MaryAnn said as she flipped the lid off the syringe.

  “Julie, seriously,” I whispered harsher. With my feet I tried to push back farther away from MaryAnn. “Look I had nothing to do with whatever happened on the plane. I swear, it wasn't me.”

  “I know.” She was faster than I could blink and push the needle into my bicep. At first the liquid was ice cold around the point of entry, but then it turned hot, like a searing flame that shot down my veins. I grit my teeth and held my breath as I waited for the heat to subside. Why wasn't Julie answering me? I winced again as another flood of heat rushed over me. I tried to twist my head enough to see Julie, but the room started to swim and my chin dropped to my chest.

  I was coherent enough to hear MaryAnn talking to Julie, but too drugged to respond. I could make out MaryAnn's voice, although it was garbled. “The infamous Julie has graced me with her presence. You know there was a time when you would have helped me with an interrogation. It's so sad to see the direction you’ve gone.”

  “MaryAnn, nice to see you too.” They both laughed. Why would they be laughing?

  I felt the tug of the rope that bound me to Julie as it was untied. I tried to pick my head up but it was too heavy. Julie moved away from me and the rope was replaced.

  “We have to take him, you know that, right?” MaryAnn’s voice sounded farther away. Maybe she stood by the door, but I couldn’t tell. “Hurry, we don’t have a lot of time.”

  The door slammed shut and everything went black.

  Chapter Ten

  Happy Birthday

  Esmerelda

  “I’m not sleeping.” I was so tired I couldn’t even hide the frustration in my voice. How long had it been since I slept? Two or three days? Maybe four? My hours all blurred together as I fought to keep my eyes open.

  “I know you’re not, that’s why I’m telling you to.” Ian pushed me back on the bed and laid next to me.

  “Ian.” I placed a hand on his chest. “I can’t lay down.” Even as I said it, I felt my eyes close. I jerked them open and tried to sit up.

  Ian kept his arm around me, keeping me down. I didn’t have enough strength to fight him and fell back to the pillow.

  My mom sat down on the other side of me. “Es, you’re making yourself sick. You may be immortal, but even witches need sleep. Immortality doesn’t mean you can’t die, or get sick. There are still things out there that can kill us, just not as easily as a mortal. Like a gunshot won’t kill you, but Belladonna can. Sleep is still essential, and you need it.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t. If Nicholas finds me, he finds all of us. I don’t want to see him right now.” I wasn’t sure, but my voice sounded far away, detached from me. I couldn’t help but want to giggle over the slurring sound I made with each word. I was definitely overtired.

  She placed a hand on my forehead. “I will keep him away. I won’t sleep until you awaken.”

  Hope filled me. “Really? You can do that?”

  She gave a faint smile. “Of course.”

  I wasn’t sure if she meant it. Her tone didn’t sound too convincing, but my body didn’t care anymore.

  Ian

  “Can you really keep Nicholas away while she sleeps?” I looked down at Es. Her eyes were closed, and I could still see the dark circles around them. Her face was taut. It was hard not to notice she was wearing herself thin.

  “I don’t know, but she wouldn’t sleep otherwise. I’m going to try something though. Just stay with her.” Her tone was serious, but I couldn’t figure out why she thought I’d leave Es. I nodded. No one was going to take me away from Es. Not now, not ever.

  Adonia stood and stretched with her hands on her back. “Ailaina and Torres should be back soon with our drinks. Personally, a cup of coffee is what I’ll need.”

  “That’s an understatement.” I yawned, suddenly feeling extremely tired. I pulled Es up so her head rested comfortably on my shoulder and wrapped my arm around her. Within seconds, my eyes closed.

  Esmerelda

  I looked around cautiously, standing outside back at Jarak’s cabin. Fog swirled around my feet and ankles. Footsteps crunched leaves somewhere behind me. I spun around, ready to face Nicholas.

  My breathing hitched when Ian walked through the fog. I relaxed a little seeing him. It had been forever since I’d dreamed of him. His all-black clothing made him look like a shadow walking through the mist.

  “Hey, good looking. I didn’t expect to see you here.” I met him halfway and reached up to place a kiss on his cheek.

  His brow rose. “That’s all I get?”

  I smiled. It was so nice to relax for a moment with him. I almost forgot what it was like to just soak in everything about
him.

  He smirked. “Strange.”

  “What is?”

  “This. I mean, one minute I was laying on a bed with you and the next I’m here, at Jarak’s cabin with you.”

  That was strange. “It’s a dream, Ian. Right?” I felt my heartbeat pick up faster. “My mom said she’d let me sleep.”

  Ian took my hands. “If it was just a dream, then how can you remember everything from while you were awake? Besides, after you fell asleep, Adonia told me that she could only try and for me to not leave…” he trailed off.

  “To not leave what?”

  “You. She said not to leave you. Now I get it. She didn’t know if she could keep Nicholas away so she sent me. That’s why I’m not really sleeping either.”

  Great, one more person who could see into my head. Was nothing sacred anymore?

  He let go of my hands and ran his up and down my arms. “Es, it’s not all that bad. We’re alone.” He wiggled his brows and I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped my lips.

  “Yes, we’re alone. For now.”

  “I’ve been wanting some alone time with you.”

  I reached up on my tiptoes and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Oh really? And just why would you be wanting that?”

  Ian picked me up and carried me up onto the deck, then gently sat down in the porch-swing with me on his lap. I didn’t care if it was a dream or not, I also wanted time alone with him. So many things just kept getting in the way.

  “Es, you’re so beautiful.” He rested his forehead on mine and ran his hands through my hair. “Happy Birthday.”

  I cocked my head slightly. I had been so busy and so tired that I didn’t even realize today was my birthday. Looking into his eyes, I couldn’t imagine a better present than to be with Ian in my dreams. I trailed my finger down his face and across his jawline. He had a five o’clock shadow and I loved it. His hand found its way to my lower back and tingles spread out across my body. It seemed like forever since we’d been close, but something about this moment felt different. Maybe it was because we were in a dream-like state, but I didn’t care. His touch warmed my skin.

  His other hand held the back of my neck and he used it to pull me closer to his mouth. At first, his kiss was soft and feather light, but we both wanted more. I could feel his urgency deepen with mine. It no longer mattered where we were, or what was going on around us. All that mattered was us and this moment, and it was long overdue.

  We’d never before let ourselves get carried away further than a kiss, but I wanted more. I needed more, and I was pretty sure he did too. I lifted his shirt up over his head and dropped it to the deck. Running my hands over his chest, I could feel his muscles and the way they flexed with each movement. He wasn’t just my boyfriend; he was my protector, my guardian.

  And he was all mine.

  I cuddled up in the blanket Ian brought out for me, waiting for him to return with some hot cocoa. If this was a dream, it was the best dream I could ever have. I couldn’t keep the smile from my face as I thought about Ian. He was my first, and I only wondered if, when we awoke, things would be the same. Would I still be a virgin or did this count? I bit my bottom lip as I thought about our first time. I don’t think anyone would have been as slow and careful as he was.

  Ian crawled up on the porch-swing and wrapped his arms around me. He was still shirtless and I loved seeing him this way. I leaned my head back on his chest. “Ian, when we wake up…” I wasn’t sure how to put words to my thoughts.

  He kissed the top of my head. “Es, you amaze me. I will never leave you, and when we wake up you better bet I will be finding another hotel room, because I want to show you things that not even a dream can make come true.” His voice was deep and husky.

  My heart fluttered with his words. I wish he knew just how much I looked forward to it, and how much he had already made my dreams come true.

  He took a deep breath and I could feel the heat as he exhaled on my neck, making me shiver with a different warmth. He reached up and raked his fingers through my hair, moving it off my face. “When we get out of this, I mean all of it, not just this amazing dream, but everything. After Nicholas is stopped and we don’t have anyone trying to kill us, I want to take you home.”

  I smiled wider. “I’d like that. Although, I don’t really call Jarak’s cabin home.”

  “No, Es, I really mean home, as in my home. I wanna sit with you like this on my porch and look out over the ocean and watch the sun rise and set with you.”

  I twisted slightly to tip my head up and see his face. “Ocean?”

  His face lit up and he gave me a wink. “Well, yeah, Hawaii is surrounded by it, so it’s hard not to see the ocean at some point. It just so happens that I own a small part of beach and a tiny hut that would be perfect for the two of us.”

  “Hawaii? Are you serious? Just the two of us?”

  “Very serious. I look forward to spending a week just in bed, but for now we need to get moving.” His tone went low and serious.

  My smile dropped and I looked out to where he gazed. “What’s wrong?”

  I didn’t want my happy dream to end, but I guess it was just a dream after all—kind of. A branch snapped somewhere beyond the tree line and I jumped. Ian grabbed his shirt and put it on. We both stood up but he never let go of my hand.

  “Just remember, Es, it’s a dream.”

  I laughed. “It didn’t feel like one until now.”

  “I have the pleasure of seeing the lovebirds.” Meadow walked out from behind a tree. She glanced up and traced a finger down the trunk. “Jarak’s home. Nice, but where are you really? You’ve never changed your location before. You’ve always portrayed your whereabouts in your dreams. I know you aren’t really back in Idaho.”

  I gripped Ian’s hand tighter. It’s just a dream, I chanted to myself.

  She walked closer until she stood about five feet away, her long trench-like coat leaving a trail of dust behind her. “Awww, sweetheart, when are you gonna learn that this is more than a dream, that it’s real.”

  “She’s just taunting you, Es. Don’t let her get to you.”

  Meadow licked her lips annoyingly and shifted her weight. “Listen up, I have a message, and since your pretty little girlfriend has been refusing to sleep and tell me her exact location, I need to relay it before Nicholas finds another way to find her. Not that I care, but you might. I hear daydreams can be just as frightful and…” she paused and tapped her finger to her lips, “painful as nightmares.”

  I tensed. Ian pushed me back and stepped forward. “You leave her alone, you understand me?”

  “I’m not afraid of some dog and his shadow.” Meadow glared at us. The black veins in her face became visible under her ashen skin. I knew we were pushing her limits.

  “What is your message?” I asked with a shaky breath.

  “Nicholas has someone very dear to both of you. If you want to help him, you’ll do as he says.”

  My heart raced faster. There was only one person who meant something to both of us. Jarak. “Where is he? Is he safe?”

  “I can’t tell you where he is, that would ruin the whole thing. As for safe, well, he’s alive. For now.”

  Ian dashed toward her, tackling her to the forest floor. “Where is my brother, you witch!”

  A wolf howled in the distance, and I wished that Luna or Dregan could be here with us. How is it that they couldn’t enter my dream but everyone else seemed to have access?

  I touched Ian’s shoulder as I bent down with him. “You said he’s alive. What about Maztic?”

  Meadow sneered. “We haven’t seen his mutt yet, but when I do, you can bet that I won’t hesitate to kill him.”

  My gut rolled with her words. I pulled my arm back and drove my hand into her face. I heard a crack from her nose, but didn’t sit around for more. Not that I needed to, Ian was ready with a stake in his hand.

  Meadow let out an eerie cackle. “You can’t kill me, not here.” As soon a
s she was done talking, her body dissolved into the air.

  Ian stood up and I ran into his arms. “What are we gonna do?”

  I could feel his body shake from anger. “First, we need to wake up. Then, I’m going to find Nicholas and kill him.”

  It was harder waking up than I thought it would be. I blinked several times before I realized I was in the hotel room back in Spain. That dream felt so real. Reality hit me and I sat up quickly. I looked down at Ian, who was stirring from sleep. I swallowed hard and retraced whatever memory I had from the dream.

  I couldn’t help but smile as I recalled Ian showing up. What we shared was nothing short of magical. Not many—if any—girls could say that their first time was in a dream. I mean, a real dream. Just like Meadow said, it was real. I gasped at the thought of Meadow. How could I have spaced the fact that she showed up? Her news reeled in my head all over again.

  Jarak. We needed to find him, save him. Ian sat up and stretched. “Ian, it was real, right? You were there?”

  He gave me a soft smile. “Yeah, it was real.” He grabbed my hands. “Nothing or no one can take that away from us.” He looked around and frowned. “Damn, they have Jarak.”

  My eyes teared up. “Yeah, they do.”

  He pulled me to him tightly. His voice cracked when he said, “I shouldn’t have left him on that plane.”

  “We’ll see him again. I promise,” I whispered into his hair.

  He sat up straight and sucked in a deep breath. I knew it was hard for him to show a softer emotion. “If Nicholas doesn’t kill him, I will. What the heck was he thinking by running from us?”

  “I don’t know.” I glanced at the window. The drapes were still drawn. “Hey, Ian, where is everyone?”

  He tensed back up. “I don’t know. The last I saw Adonia, she was beside the bed waiting for Torres to get back with Ailaina.”

  We both jumped up from the bed. I looked all around. There was no note or sign of them leaving. “Maybe they just took a walk.” I wanted to convince myself they were fine, but the hair on the back of my neck stood up. “I knew I shouldn’t have fallen asleep.”