The Knight of Her Dreams (Dragons and Dreamphasers) (8 page)

Not that this stopped the brothers from pursuing
their nightly encounters.  They only kept this information to themselves.

Information they’d sometimes shared in the past.

Yet now, oddly enough, Dominick wished
his brother hadn’t shown up with his usual line of questioning.

“I’d imagine she’s the same as
any other Earth girl.”  He tried to sound convincingly disinterested, hoping it
would discourage Riff.

Naturally it didn’t.

“Come on, Phase.  You’re acting
like someone who got kicked out of someone’s dream.”  He paused, a catlike
smile spreading across his face.  “Oh... so she woke up first.”

Anger shot across Dominick’s face.  “Look, I
didn’t invite you here, and I sure as hell don’t need an inquisition from you
right now!  If you can’t keep your amusement to a minimum, why don’t you bother
the other guys instead?”

“Thanks loads, Dom,” laughed a voice from the
hallway, as the bearer and one other person entered the room.  The speaker
continued, arms folded.  “So you’re the one who sends this joker after us with
his pranks.  I never would have guessed it.”

Dominick gave the dark-haired man a weak smile. 
“There’s a lot you couldn’t guess regarding me, Buddy,” he replied, turning to
the blond-haired man beside him.  “Inferno, do me a favor.  If my brother won’t
leave my room willingly, would you kindly heat things up to make him more
amenable?”

Inferno nodded once, rubbing his hands together. 
“It is chilly in here.”

Riff patted his shoulder meaningfully.  “One
flame out of you, my friend, and you’ll be drinking coffee by the barrel to
stay awake from what I send after you at night.”

“Thanks for the invitation, but I actually value
my sleep,” Inferno replied smiling, gesturing his hand meaningfully towards a
nearly plant on a table, which thrived under the sudden warmth.  Truthfully, he
wouldn’t be eager to use his fire powers to irritate Riff.  Even though being a
dreamphaser too, he could probably counter anything Riff came up with, it could
still make for some very disturbing nightmares.

Buddy was a different matter, since he was a
guardian angel.  Not the conventional type with the halo and wings—he had the
former, but not the latter—since his father had been a guardian devil himself,
explaining Buddy’s forked tail that no guardian angel should possess.

All guardians were less susceptible to the powers
of dreamphasers, since they normally went to another realm altogether to
retire.  And fellow guardians usually protected their own.  So outside of a
physical fight, Buddy deemed he could argue with Riff at leisure without likely
retribution.

“As we were traveling down the
hall, we heard you mention an Earth girl,” Inferno remarked.  “What happened,
Dominick?  Did you travel into someone’s nightmare again?”

“The last one from Earth was
certainly a beaut,” Buddy chimed in with a laugh.  “Being chased by an army
wielding swords in an otherwise tranquil surrounding of green fields could make
anyone want to steer clear of dreams.”

Dominick said nothing, but
betrayed a grimace.  No, he certainly hadn’t forgotten that particular trip. 
What really amazed him was how imaginative the people of Earth could be as far
as creating ideas for such movies and books.  Imagination, of course, was most
revered by the dreamphasers, since without it, dreams would be humdrum.

Of course, there was nothing humdrum about being
chased by a nightmare of an army.  That was a little
too
much
imagination for comfort in the dream-state, best kept to a movie screen.

“No, no,” said Riff, shaking his
head.  “This doesn’t sound like it was from a nightmare.  It sounds more like
he got shot down in his latest attempt to win a female.”  The others turned to
Dominick with curiosity.

He groaned in irritation.  There was
nothing—absolutely
nothing
—more annoying in the universe than his
smart-mouthed elder brother.

“It’s no big deal,” he told them, glaring at
Riff.  “I met a distressed female who was dreaming of a ball scenario dated
back a century or so on her world.  She was overwrought regarding someone who
jilted her, so she turned to me for comfort.”  Riff gave a low whistle.  “Not
that
kind, you idiot!” he snarled.

“If that’s true, then why were you swearing like
a hurricane just a few minutes ago?  Were you interrupted from something
important
?”

Dominick shut his eyes and
sighed, his irritation dissipating somewhat as his memory faded back to his
last moments with Julianna.  Her sweet kisses, her laughter, the touch of her
gentle hands... At least before those hands suddenly gripped him in fear of their
impending separation.  He could still hear her calling out his name.

His meeting Julianna somehow
seemed like a device of Fate, he decided, thinking back to the first time he’d
seen her a few months ago.  He remembered how she’d been dreaming of a beach scene,
galloping along on horseback, when he’d drifted into her dream that night. 
He’d been searching for a pretty dream companion to spend a pleasant evening
with, astral traveling through multiple towns before he found her.  Not so much
travel compared to his coming from the other side of the sun!

When he’d first met her on the beach, his
intentions were the same as always.  A quick courting, followed by a few stolen
kisses, and then... well, what many times followed.  During their kiss, he’d
been thinking that perhaps he’d enjoy this encounter more than others he’d
known.

Just before she’d nearly crushed his foot beneath
her heel.

This was one incident he certainly hadn’t
mentioned to Riff, but despite his surface irritation at the time, the dream
had lingered in his mind ever since.  Hence, he began searching for her again
as of a week ago.  Much as he’d thought at the time, who
was
this
spirited woman to get away with wounding his pride?

A woman who’d succeeded in erasing his irritation
last night, when he finally found her again.

Was it her tears that drew out another side to
him?  Or was it her personality, which never lacked for being unique in her own
way?  Whichever, there was no denying the sparks between them were mutual by
the way they’d clung to each other in their most powerful embrace.

Just before they were suddenly interrupted by the
annoying disturbance of morning on her world.

Earth
!
he thought, glowering.

If only she’d been here on Chavernos with him in
reality,
then
their sparks wouldn’t have been forcibly
extinguished so soon.

“I don’t know what might have happened,” he lied,
feeling justified in this case since it really was none of Riff’s business. 
“She woke up too soon for me to tell.”

Having a more sensitive nature, Inferno picked up
on his friend’s hidden disappointment, voicing a suggestion.  “If that’s all it
is, why don’t you go back to find her?”  Dominick’s gaze snapped up to face him
with uncertainty.

“Go back?”

In all these years, that was the first time one
of his friends ever suggested the notion.

“Sure,” continued Inferno.  “You told us that
you’ve contacted dreamers more than once before.”

Not often, but yes he had, he
admitted privately, obviously including last night although the others didn’t
know that.  He’d only done that regarding a few of his favorite paramours, but
he’d said good-bye to the last of them years ago.  Finding Julianna again
hadn’t been easy in itself, although determination was one of his more
prominent qualities.

Having been to her house twice now, and thankfully
having an excellent memory, he knew he could locate Julianna easily should he
wish to be with her again, but a part of him was hesitant.  If all she’d spoken
of was true, then Roger and the others she’d known had hurt her badly
emotionally.  Given this fact, Dominick wasn’t eager to return to perhaps
accidentally hurt her in her sleep as well.  She’d dealt with enough.

Yet at the same time, he couldn’t deny that a
part of him yearned to continue where they’d left off.  He wanted to kiss her
again, to hold her, and to feel their hearts beat as one.  To brush away her
tears, and see her come to life again in his arms.  Just remembering last night
rekindled the warm desire of deepening blue in his eyes.

Eyes that blinked rapidly to erase the sensation,
as he heard Riff’s mocking laughter.

“It would seem my little brother’s suddenly lost
his touch.  Or is it the girl herself who displeased you?”

Dominick’s jaw tightened, setting his strong
determination once more, with a forced smile.  “Neither, I assure you.  And for
your information, I fully intend to see Julianna Sherborne again.  Tonight, if
possible.  After that, we’ll see who’s laughing, brother.”

Riff took undisguised amusement
from his words as he finally left, followed by Buddy, but Inferno remained
behind, his expression concerned.

“I didn’t suggest it as a challenge, Dom.  I
meant it genuinely, since you do seem to care.”

His friend nodded.  “At times like this, you’re
more of a brother to me than he is.  But rest assured, my wanting to see her
again really doesn’t have anything to do with Riff.  I do care about her.”

More than I initially thought,
he mused privately.

*****

The woman glancing in the
full-length mirror turned this way and that, making sure every fold of her new
gown was correctly draped over her slim figure.  The dress was a pale blue,
drawing out the similar color of her eyes.  Every strand of her flowing golden
hair was firmly in place.  She was proud that she’d never needed to use her
illusion magic to enhance her beauty, but sometimes it made it necessary to use
her force-field ability against persistent suitors.

“You look like an absolute angel,” her mother
confirmed.

Turning with a smile, Sionne
looked past her ever-doting parent to find someone else appraising her
similarly.  “I’m quite sure my grandson will think so as well,” said the man
beside her, kissing the younger woman’s hand.

“Maybe,” she sighed, “but I doubt he’ll be as
agreeable with the prospect of marriage.”

“He’ll accept,” assured her mother, her eyebrows
knitting together.  “After all, with his status, he can’t very well expect to
remain a bachelor forever.  And who better than a beauty like you to stay by
his side always?”

Sionne blushed becomingly, more out of her
breeding than an innocent gesture.  Most men, even worldly ones like Chaos,
often mistook this as genuine.

“I heartily agree,” he said, just before hearing
a voice call out from downstairs.  “Ah, that sounds like the prospective groom
himself.  If you’ll excuse me, ladies.”  Both nodded as Chaos strode down the
hall, just before Sionne’s mother eyed her daughter speculatively.

“I’m afraid he’ll take a bit more charming than
his grandfather,” she murmured.  “You’d best use all your charms to advantage,
my girl.”

Sionne fluttered her lashes once.  “Why, Mother,
I think you underestimate my intelligence.  Why else would I choose such a
low-cut gown?”  Nodding once in approval, the elder woman departed.

“Surface beauty only goes so far, sister,” said
another voice, highly similar to her own.  Not surprising, since it came from
Sionne’s twin Sireni.  “But a man like Dominick Westbrooke will want far more
than a pretty face.  He’ll desire a willing woman to warm his nights, which you
my dear sister, are not.”

Her words struck an expected
minor chord from Sionne, for unlike her sister, she had a strong dislike for
physical closeness, repulsed even by kisses, and had no intention of giving up
her virtue lightly.  Fortunately, intimacy was required but once to consummate
a marriage.  After that, she had every intention of keeping things in name only
with her future husband.

“Dominick doesn’t need to know that,” Sionne
retorted.  “And
you
aren’t going to tell him, unless you want me
to let it drop that you’re having an affair with his worst enemy.”

Sireni’s cheek twitched, but she maintained her
usual catlike smile.  “Touché, Sionne,” she murmured, folding her arms.  “And
may I ask how you intend to keep your husband at bay with forced celibacy?”

Sionne’s smile rivaled her own.  “Very simple,
dear sister.  I shall suddenly contract a migraine every night.”  Laughing at
her own cleverness, she waltzed out, ignoring Sireni’s skeptical expression.

“Sir, I’m sure he’ll be down presently,” said the
palace butler, trying desperately to maintain decorum.

A pointless battle with the Westbrooke brothers.

“Grandfather!” Dominick shouted again.

“Blazes, boy, you don’t have to crumble the
castle walls with your bellowing!” Chaos barked back from the staircase.

“
Yes, you rival our kind when you do that,
”
chuckled a deeper voice, as a silver dragon emerged from another room, earning
the attention of both.  Fortunately, the wise Chaolyn had altered his size to
fit more comfortably in the palace without bumping into furniture, although he
knew Chaos wished he’d revert to his human form altogether when indoors.