Night Marks (16 page)

“A vampire, werewolf mix isn't supposed to be possible, so another vampire, werewolf, and fill in the blank is not going to exist,” Smitty says joining in. “How your mom was a vampire and anything else still baffles me. Vampirism should kill any other active genes during the turn. On top of that, it is very rare that another species of paranorm can get vampirism.”

“He is right. Once your fangs came in and you bit me, I was leaning towards you not turning furry as well. I knew you had the gene, but I thought I would override it.”

“It all rounds back to me being a freak. Enough depressing talk about my genetics. I have to start training an eighteen-year-old self-defense tomorrow. As I mentioned, I was planning to do it in my office because of all our security measures here. How soon can we get her cleared to enter?”

My office is going to be pretty cramped. As it is, I am going to have to have the guys move the waiting area either in my office or outside. If I could just use my gym here, I would be a much happier camper.

“I got the initial scans started. After tomorrow, you will probably be cleared to bring her to the gym, but not to your actual apartment. With the gym being on a different floor any knowledge she could pass about it wouldn't hurt us,” Alex answers.

“I know it is precautionary, but she is just a teenager. She said her dad and brother were already in the resistance, so I doubt she is going to pass things along to the organization they are fighting against.”

“You are most likely right. I know her father and he is a good man, but there are a lot of things that can cause good people to do the wrong thing. She was just recently brutally assaulted by a Collective agent. Who's to say he won't come back asking questions if it is found out that you spent time with her? He has beaten her once, I don't think it will take much to get her talking,” Alex says and I know he is right.

I don't think there is any amount of training that I could give her that would guarantee she could stand up to Tommy if he comes after her again. I still have to try.

“I get the picture. Just try to hurry the scan as much as possible. If her training progresses, I don't have room at ParaNorm Inc. for all the equipment I will need. For now, I am going to hit the sack. Today has felt like it lasted at least a week and I need some rest.”

I give both guys a quick kiss on their cheeks and head towards my room. Oh, how I have missed my bed.

Chapter 20

No rest for me even in my dreams

“Come on, Sleepyhead, we don't have all night,” a voice says and I instantly wake up. I am really groggy and extremely grouchy.

I couldn't have slept more than a second, why are they waking me up already? Someone is going to pay for this. I try to reach for one of my knives so I can show my true displeasure, but I come back empty handed. Shifting around a little I feel my bed has changed since I fell asleep. It has gotten a lot smaller and my comfy pillows are missing.

I sit up from a couch I have never seen before. It is actually more of a chaise lounge type deal. The red leather upholstery is not my style. Looking down, I see that not only is the furniture wrong, but the white Grecian style gown I am wearing is way off.

I already established with Alex the other day that me and dresses don't mix. This better not be his idea of a bad joke. When he sees my face, he will notice I am not happy and better remember that he never wants to see this particular glare again.

“I always liked the ease of practically wearing nothing more than a sheet,” Ben says sitting in a chair nearby. “Roll out of bed, grab what you were just laying on and wrap it around your body. Now that was the life.” He is wearing a toga himself.

Please tell me we are not time traveling. Ancient Greece isn't my idea of somewhere fun to hang out.

The notion immediately disappears when I take stock of the room. It has the chaise, his chair, a low coffee table, a bookshelf full of old books and a couple curio cabinets full of trinkets that I cannot really see. There is also a fireplace across from me with a good blaze going. I see no doors or windows. I imagine that makes escape pretty difficult.

“Where are we?” I ask.

“Technically, you are in your bed and I am at an undisclosed location. What you see around you is a replica of a room in my house that I have recreated in your dreams.”

“Haven't we talked and seen each other enough today?” I know I was hoping to not have to see him for a couple centuries. I am not saying it was a realistic hope, but it has already been established that my hopes rarely are.

“I just wanted to make sure your beaus didn't interfere with my ability to talk to you like this. I rarely ever mark anyone and usually they are just marks to make it so the wearer doesn't forget they owe me a favor.”

“I have some more questions for you,” I say speaking before I think. I don't believe my phone follows me into my dreams, but being metaphysically, or whatever this is, with him and asking questions seems safer than having him drop by the apartment. “I even had a list on my phone, but I don't think my dress has a pocket that it is hiding in.”

“We are in a dream. If you want something, just think of it and it will appear.” I think of the mace hanging on my wall at work. It appears, but with a flip of his hand, it vanishes. “It wouldn't do you any good here anyway.” He speaks for himself. I think having a mace handy would be a great comfort to my mind.

I think of my phone instead and it pops into my hand. “Are you willing to answer a couple of questions?”

He smiles and nods.

“Okay, first question,” I say bringing up my app. “Would you like to have sex with me?”

“Yes. I would. Thank you so much for asking,” he says with a wicked grin.

I glare back down at my phone. “That was not one of the questions. Fix this,” I say waving the phone in his general direction.

“As you wish,” he says waving his hand subtly in the air. “I can make it easy for you. North America. Ancient tablet. And I am still thinking about it.”

“When did you read the questions?”

“When I replaced them with my own. I have to say mine were much more interesting. I think you would have got a kick out of my third one.”

“I didn't much care for that first one, demon,” Sebastian says appearing next to me. Man, are my dreams getting crowded.

“I wondered if either of you would be able to show up,” Ben says as a flicker of red passes in his eyes. I don't think he is very happy with Sebastian right this second.

“Dream jumping is something I have studied aggressively over the years. I was worried you would try this. I thought you would give her at least a little rest. She isn't your play thing.”

“I am aware of that, vampire. She will wake well rested. I do not cause an energy drain with my dream sharing. Even you jumping in here will not cause the drain it would normally. I am very invested in keeping Nyx in tip-top shape.”

I think their conversation is going to be very interesting and it doesn't seem like they need me for it, so I just sit back to listen and observe.

Ben has become a lot tenser with Sebastian's arrival. His playful smile has vanished and he has started to scowl. Sebastian on the other hand is very relaxed. I find that a little surprising, but I think he has more experience with these things and knows what to expect in this dream world.

“You wouldn't care to share what makes her compatible with your kind, would you?” Sebastian asks.

“I know what genes she carries, but I don't have the full story on how she came to be, so even though I know you want to know the missing link, I cannot totally provide it. I can tell you that it isn't solely her third nature that I am interested in. It is the sum of all her parts.

“The third species alone isn't a fertile one, so if I found one of them, which is very difficult, I would still not be able to produce a child. I believe it is the werewolf in Nyx that allows for her to be as fertile as I sense. I am sure you can feel it, too.”

“Yes, but Nyx does not desire to have children. She already has a werewolf she cannot tolerate on most days, starting to badger her to procreate. She does not need added pressure from you,” Sebastian states in a very cold tone.

Why anyone wonders at my preference for Sebastian as a mate is beyond me.

Ben carefully eyes Sebastian. “And you don't want any offspring? Having a child is as rare a feat for your species as it is for mine.”

“My desires don't always matter. It is her body and her decision. I will accept what she chooses.”

“Wait, you want a baby too?” I ask inserting myself back into the conversation.

“Not necessarily. Your reasons for not wanting a child make sense. Our lives are not conducive of raising a child. We also don't know what part of your genes would be passed on. I think we would need to do more research before bringing a baby into the world. Unless I am one hundred percent for sure the baby, or anything about a pregnancy, wouldn't cause you harm, I will fight to make sure it doesn't happen.”

“You have valid concerns,” Ben interjects. “When she finds out what and who she really is, I will provide you with the necessary documentation.”

“I take it you have some prophecy just lying around somewhere that will ease all of my fears.”

“I wouldn't call it a prophecy. I do have medical documentation that should make you feel better. It may even make Nyx change her views.”

“So there is, or has been, someone like her?” Sebastian asks.

“Oh no. She is totally unique. I do have some papers in my possession that document numerous experiments that you will find very interesting. When the time comes, I will happily share them. I have had them for a while, but thought them too fantastical to be true.”

I am tired of all these secrets. All the years in the Collective were full of them. In fact, my whole life is just one big secret. It really sucks. I doubt anything Demon Boy has will make me change my mind on the baby front, though.

I zone out of their continued conversation. If anything important is revealed, Sebby can just relay the information later. I get up and head towards one of the curio cabinets to see what goodies a demon collects over the years.

When I look inside, I wish I hadn't. It is filled with little porcelain, wooden, and glass children figurines. I see children in every imaginable scene. Little kids playing hockey, fishing, holding their dolls, sleeping, and list goes on. They vary in age from little babies up to probably five or six.

“For someone who has spent centuries collecting souls and wreaking havoc on people's lives, I want to be able to actually create life,” Ben explains his reasoning as he watches me study his collection.

“I bet your fellow demons get a kick out of this room,” I respond turning to retake my seat.

“As you can see there is no door for them to enter and I have very strong wards in place to keep them out. You are the first person I have allowed to be in here. I would have preferred if tagalong hadn't joined us, but it was expected. I doubt my efforts to have a child have gotten past the other demons, but they don't know, or need to know, the depths of my desires.”

“You do know you cannot make me feel sorry for you. Many have tried to toy with my emotions before and they figured out pretty quickly that I am a heartless bitch.”

“I know you have had a hard life and it has made you callous. I think meeting your friend here has softened you a little.”

He is probably right, but I am not going to admit any softening on my part.

“We get along because we allow each other to be the people we want to be. Neither of us has changed from the day we met,” Sebastian states.

Ben laughs. “It must be nice to have a permanent 'yes man' by your side. Does he ever disagree with you?”

“More often than not. We fight all the time. Not as much as I do with other people, but he is not my 'yes man', or anything that vaguely represents one.”

“Well, I think we have spoken enough for the night. I will try to stay away for a while and give you a chance to think about things. Until you hear from one of your parents what you are, there isn't a rush for my end goal. You can still call me if you need me and I may drop by if I get bored.”

“You do know I would have to be breathing my last breath to summon you, and I am pretty durable.”

Ben smiles and nods.

I jerk awake to see that I am in my own bed. Sebastian is wrapped around my body. He is still asleep and I wonder if he stayed behind to talk to Demon Boy more. The clock in the room says it is only five, so I settle back down to get some more sleep. Even if Ben decides he just cannot stay away, I hope he stays out of my dreams.

Chapter 21

Today might just be a good day

I am borderline chipper when I get up for the day. Maybe today will finally be a good day. Sebastian is still wrapped around me, so I wiggle around until I am facing him. He feels a little chilly and it makes me wonder if he needs to feed.

He can usually go a long time between feedings, at least a month, and he has fed within the last two weeks, so him being cold has me a little worried.

His eyes flip open and his beautiful onyx eyes meet mine. I hate when he catches me staring at him. It makes me feel like some silly schoolgirl.

“Good morning,” he says leaning down to kiss me.

I open my mouth just a little as our lips touch and he sneaks his tongue inside. I allow it, knowing we will stop in a few seconds. Even though his skin is chilly, his tongue is on fire. It traces along mine tempting me to come out and play. I curl mine around his and suck him deeper into my mouth. The passion igniting causes my fangs to drop. I can feel that his have as well.

His arms tighten around my body pulling me flush to his. The heat we are generating warms his skin to the point of inferno as I rub my hand down one of his arms. He starts to roll us in the bed so he is situated on top of me.

“Knock it off,” Alex shouts from the other room causing an abrupt end to Nyx and Sebby fun time.

I settle on my back and collapse my head against my pillow. “Cold showers all around this morning,” I announce trying to catch my breath. We try not to let play time get this far. I know we are both still dressed, so nothing was even close to happening, but it is frustrating all the same.