William watched her sleek body move gracefully as she loped over to the moonlit path that ran along a gurgling stream. Well, this is your dream realm, he said, moving in next to her. You tell me. I wouldn’t be here if you didn’t want me to be. She sat on her haunches and looked up at him with curiosity—or annoyance—he wasn’t sure which. I think it’s very interesting that you’re here with me in your clan form, Layla.
She huffed, and a soft growl rumbled in the back of her throat as she started walking down the path again. Yeah, well, I can kick your ass pretty easily in this form—dream or no dream—so I figured it would be safer this way. Easier to negotiate. Layla stopped when they reached a break in the trees, which opened up to an enormous field with tall grasses that fluttered in the wind. The moon shone down on the flickering grass, giving the illusion of a sea of liquid silver stretching endlessly before them. Wait a minute. You said that you couldn’t be here if I didn’t want you to be?
Yes. William knew where she was going with this. If you’ll recall, he began slowly. When I came to you in the other dreams, you couldn’t see me—or wouldn’t see me—I’m not really sure which it was. He squatted down so that they were eye to eye and lowered his voice to just above a whisper. However, it would seem that we’ve surpassed that particular hurdle. Elbows resting on his jean-clad knees, his fingers laced together in front of him, he fought the urge to touch her. So now that you have me here, what do you plan on doing with me? he asked suggestively. I hope you’re up for more than just negotiating. His brow furrowed at the idea of negotiating. What exactly do you want to negotiate?
First things first, she cut him off with a snarl. As for the dreams, I didn’t want to deal with you or the idea of giving my life, my future, or my choices to you. She sat completely still and kept those glowing, golden eyes locked with his; only her black-tipped tail flicked slowly, almost hypnotically, behind her. The purring grew to a low growl as William’s heated gaze wandered over her body from head to tail, until he finally locked eyes with her once again. My life is mine, William. I decide my future. Not you or some stupid legend. Her voice softened and breezed through him with a hint of sadness. I was not merely put on this earth to be yours. Her energy pulsed with determination, and the growl continued to rumble and permeate the dream realm.
His eyes snapped to their clan form as he fought the flash of anger. This is what she thought of him? That he was here to dominate and control her? To take possession of her? William had never been so insulted in his life. I never said you were, he said quietly. He stood slowly, giving her the space he instinctively knew that they both needed. My intention is not to take over your life, Layla, but I would like to be a part of it. We are mates, he said definitively. I am not interested in controlling you because I suspect that would be as successful as trying to control the cycle of the moon. He turned his back on her, shoved his hands through his shoulder-length hair, and let out a frustrated sigh as he looked out over the silvery grasses.
Well, you’re right about that. She laughed, and he couldn’t help but notice she was purring again. Just ask Rosie.
The silence hung between them as they both stared out over the moonlit field. He’d never felt so completely out of sorts in his life, because he was as confused and thrown off by their mating as Layla was. The strength of his feelings for her and the pulsing need to claim her were startling, foreign, and all-consuming. He knew there were certain animals that imprinted on mates, and he imagined that’s what had happened to them, although he’d never heard any of his people refer to it that way.
He couldn’t help but wonder if it was this confusing for all Amoveo when they found their mates. He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. Probably not, he mused. It was probably just him. He never was good with emotions. They were too intangible and confusing, and they did nothing but cloud people’s judgments or decisions. William had always prided himself on his ability to remain cool and detached, but Layla evoked the exact opposite in him.
She was fire to his ice.
He glanced down at her, and any anger or irritation he felt floated away with the breeze. If he was this confused, what must she be feeling? She had heard nothing but horror stories about the Amoveo, so how could he possibly expect her to welcome him with open arms? If his friends were here, they would tell him he was acting like a dick… and they’d be right.
He had to show her that he was not the monster she thought he was… and that she was everything he had hoped she would be.
He cleared his throat, and she glanced up at him briefly before looking up at the inky, black sky. The dream realm you’ve created is beautiful, he murmured.
This is home, she mused softly. Her voice touched his mind with almost painful tenderness.
Her spotted coat, dappled with moonlight, called to him. Keeping his eyes on her, watching for any sign of discomfort as his energy mingled with hers, he reached over to touch her. Fingers outstretched and hovering just above her head, he threw a silent prayer to the universe and stroked her fur as gently as possible. He let out the breath he was holding when she didn’t bolt or break their connection. Her fur was surprisingly rough against his fingers and the friction only served to entice him further. All he could think was that if touching her felt this good in the dream realm, how spectacular would it be in reality? He rubbed behind her ears and grinned as she leaned into his hand and encouraged his attention.
That feels wonderful. She purred and stood on all fours as he continued his exploration. William ran both hands along her sleek back. She was an exotic combination of silk and steel, strength and beauty, all rolled into one as she rubbed against his legs and almost knocked him over. Layla walked past him as his fingers trailed along her tail, which she yanked from his grasp playfully. He watched her walk away from him a few paces, and she crouched low with her long tail twitching behind her. So you say that you don’t want to possess me, right? she challenged.
Yes, he said hesitantly. He narrowed his eyes. What are you up to?
Well, you see, counselor… She crouched lower, and her lips curled back to reveal a mouth full of sharp white teeth. You’d have to catch me first. Then in the blink of an eye, she burst into a run and exploded across the field like a rocket.
You’re not the only one who enjoys a challenge, he shouted after her.
William’s eyes flicked to their clan form and glowed brightly in the night as he broke into a run, whispered the ancient language, Verto, and shifted into his gyrfalcon. The warm, familiar ripple of the shift washed over him, and within seconds he was soaring high above the field, gaining on his mate. He tracked her as she sprinted through the tall grasses and with a loud shriek, he swooped down low and fast, matching her speed.
Looks like I could catch you after all. He touched his mind to hers and heard her laugh in response.
Really? She chuckled as she ran at a breakout pace. Look out for the lightning.
He was about to ask what she was talking about, when a white bolt of lightning shot down in front of him, blackening the grasses, and almost cooking him along with it. He shrieked loudly, banked to the right, and lost sight of his mischievous mate. She may not know everything there is to know about being Amoveo, but she sure seemed to have a solid handle on controlling the dream realm.
Layla burst out of the grasses and slowed considerably as she entered the forest. Breathless, she trotted over to a giant pine tree and flopped down on a bed of needles at the base of the trunk. I won. Her victorious voice panted happily into his mind.
William soared in, shifted, and stood next to her in his human form once again. Built for speed, but not for distance, Firefly? He shoved both hands in his pockets and leaned against the neighboring tree. I suppose that’s why you resorted to cheating. He sighed.
Layla snarled, and before William could say another word, she shimmered and shifted into her human form. William’s mouth went dry at the sight of her. She was wearing a white tank top, which molded perfectly to her s
mall breasts and topped the most miniscule pair of white shorts he’d ever seen. Oh yeah, she knew exactly how to use the dream realm.
It wasn’t cheating. She rose from the bed of needles and leaves. I was simply using all of my resources. That’s not cheating. She closed the distance between them until she was standing just inches from him. It’s resourceful. She breathed the words softly and seductively as her eyes wandered over him, boldly appraising him. I thought, as an attorney, you’d appreciate ingenuity like that.
Those sparkling green eyes met his and her hands rested on slim hips, daring him to argue with her. He definitely had no desire to confront her. He felt like their entire relationship so far had been one sparring match after another, but looking into that heart-shaped face, quarreling was the furthest thing from his mind.
He took a curly strand of her hair between his fingers and found it was softer than the fur of her cheetah. I’ve been dying to touch your hair since the day I first found you. He wrapped the smooth strands around his finger and rubbed his thumb over the coiled lock. It’s even silkier than I’d imagined, he murmured. Did you know that it glints like fire in the rays of the sun and burns like embers in the glow of the moon?
She’d moved closer, and he didn’t know if he’d pulled her there, or if she’d done it on her own. Her breasts brushed his rib cage, and she let out a light sigh as her hands found their way to his waist, and she hooked her thumbs into the loops of his jeans. He tangled both hands in her lush curls and reveled in the feel of it laced through his fingers. His eyes snapped to his falcon as her hands found their way under his shirt, and she slipped her fingers just beneath the waistband of his pants.
The glowing eyes of her clan flared brightly at him from under thick eyelashes, and her lips tilted suggestively. Is that the only thing you’ve been dying to get your hands on? The moon burned brighter in the night sky, and the winds of the dream realm blew hotter as their energies mingled and tumbled around them.
William brushed his thumbs along the curve of cheeks, wishing this moment was happening in the flesh and not just in the dream realm. Those spectacular glowing eyes stared at him, filled with stark need to connect, to discover if everything they felt was valid. Or was it all just exacerbated by the dream? William uttered a curse into the rushing wind and closed the distance between them. Although, he wasn’t sure if he bent to claim her, or if she rose to meet him—perhaps it was a bit of both.
She tasted like bubble gum, and he wondered fleetingly if she tasted this sweet in reality. His fingers tangled in her hair as he devoured her tender lips. To his delight, Layla sighed contentedly and sank into the kiss as her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Her lips parted, and she welcomed him into the warm darkness of her mouth. He angled her head to delve deeper and discover her. The intensity increased swiftly as she swept her tongue along his and grazed her teeth temptingly, before she nibbled at his lower lip.
You taste as good as you look, and that’s saying something. He murmured the words against her lips and rubbed handfuls of her hair between his fingers. He moved his attentions to the smooth skin of her cheek, whispered his lips along her jawline, and blazed a trail along her neck. Layla’s whole body trembled against him, and she moaned as she brushed her palms deliciously along the small of his back.
You are gorgeous in both forms. He kissed his way back up to that succulent mouth and tasted them briefly. I can’t wait to shift with you in the material plane, to race with you through that field in reality. She stiffened in his arms, and within seconds thunder and lightning broke out violently around them.
It would seem they were sparring once again, except he had no idea what he’d done. William pulled back and found her staring at him with a stone cold look in her eyes that he’d unfortunately seen before—the same look she’d given him when she found him fighting with Raife.
Her eyes burned brightly, anger carved deeply in her features, and those lips that he’d been drinking from just moments before, were set in a frown. She slipped out of his embrace and shook her head as she backed away from him slowly.
No. Layla shouted it above the howling wind and thunder as her curly hair blew wildly around her. Good night, William.
With genuine confusion he watched helplessly as she moved further and further away. What in the hell had he done? Frustration flooded him as he felt all of their progress slip through his fingers like sand. Layla, wait. He reached for her, but before he could say another word, the fog bank rolled in and swallowed her from his sight.
***
Layla woke up the next morning feeling more rested, but no less confused. The shared dream with William was the first thing on her mind, and her conflicting emotions were the culprit for her mental exhaustion. She knew she had no one to blame but herself. After all, she had let him into her dream and allowed him to find her, and the whole goddamned thing backfired on her. She foolishly thought that if she would be able to maintain control and perhaps find a way to make him see how nuts this whole “mate” thing was. She scolded herself and pushed the sheets off her bare legs. Oh sure, she controlled the environment, but not her damn hormones.
She stretched her arms over her head, loosening her sensitized body, and her mind went right to that crazy-ass kiss, which was all-consuming—and frightening. She had no desire to give any credence to this whole predestined mate nonsense. However, it was what he said that set her nerves on edge more than anything else. He wanted to shift with her in reality, and that would be just fine if she could actually figure out how to do it.
Layla swore under breath in frustration, feeling like nothing but a half-breed freak.
She haphazardly fixed the bedding, as Rosie always wanted her to, and fluffed the pillows more violently than necessary. She hated that she’d never been able to shapeshift outside the dream realm, because it made her feel defective, and reminded her time and again that she wasn’t normal in either world.
Gooseflesh rose on her arms as a cool breeze whisked into the room from the open window—at least she told herself it was from the wind. Layla rubbed her arms and hurried over to close it as she reminded herself that Rosie would tell her that being cold was her own damn fault for wearing hardly anything to bed. William didn’t seem to be bothered by it. An image of his desire-stamped gaze filled her mind, sending warmth flaring through her body hard and fast. He didn’t disguise his need for her; in fact, he’d been fairly open and seemingly honest with her so far. Guilt tugged at her as she realized she’d been anything but that with him. Maybe she wasn’t giving him a fair shot. Perhaps he wouldn’t be as appalled by her shortcomings as she was.
“Yeah, right,” she mumbled to the empty room.
Layla tugged the old window down with a thud, and as usual, white paint chips flaked off in the process. She reached up to draw the curtains, but her eye was caught by movement to the right. William and Rosie were walking along the edge of the horses’ corral and making their way up to the barn.
Rosie was talking in her usual animated manner, and William walked serenely next to her with his hands clasped firmly behind his back, clearly hanging on every syllable she uttered. Layla rested her forehead against the chilled glass. She could only imagine what tales Rosie was telling. She loved to tell stories—especially embarrassing ones.
Layla dressed quickly in a comfortable pair of old jeans and her faded RIT hoodie sweatshirt. She loved this old thing. She had gotten it her first day on campus, and it was broken in from so many years of wear. It wasn’t pretty, had some stains on it, and was frayed along the edges, but it was the most comfortable piece of clothing she owned, and right now, she could use all the comfortable she could get. She trotted down the steps quickly, eyeing the pictures along the wall of the staircase, and smiled because she had taken all of them. Rosie had hung her photos all over the house and would brag about her to anyone who would stand still and listen.
Layla came into the kitchen and found Raife seated at the table, scarfing down yet another pie
ce of Rosie’s apple pie. He shoveled the last forkful into his mouth and chased it with a glass of milk. Layla couldn’t help but chuckle and swat him on the back of his head as she made her way to the fridge.
“You may be a part of the Wolf Clan, but you sure do eat like a pig,” she teased as she grabbed a glass from the cupboard.
Raife responded with a loud belch.
“I rest my case,” Layla said with satisfaction as she poured herself a glass of iced tea. She closed the door of the fridge with her foot and made her way to the table.
“Eating apple pie for breakfast?” She made a tsking sound and wagged a finger at him.
Raife let out a short laugh. “Breakfast? Check your watch.” He nodded toward the clock on the wall. “It’s after noon, sleepyhead.”
Layla’s mouth fell open. “Oh, my God! I haven’t slept this late in years. I must’ve been tired. I only meant take a nap before dinner last night, and I ended up sleeping for over twelve hours.”
Raife eyed her with suspicion over his glass of milk. “Uh-huh, wonder why that is?” he asked before downing the rest of his milk.
“Must be because I’m home,” she said quickly, knowing it was a lie. Layla gave a cursory glance out the window, but didn’t catch sight of Rosie or William.
“They’re up at the barn,” Raife said curtly.
Layla rolled her eyes and sat across from him. “I wasn’t looking for him,” she said in a tone that even she didn’t believe. She cringed at how transparent she had become when it came to William.
“Yeah, right.” Raife tossed his napkin onto the empty plate in front of him. He leaned back in his chair and regarded her with a look of complete disbelief. “You haven’t been able to think about anything else since he showed up.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “How was your little trip into town yesterday?”
“Actually,” she began slowly, “it was a bit off-putting.”
“Why?” he asked, sitting up straighter in his chair. “What did he do?”
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