Dream Warriors 3_Kane

by Cyndi Friberg

  What did her students think had happened to her? Her throat burned, and tears gathered behind her lashes. She stubbornly blinked them away. Crying was a pointless waste of time. She forced the pain back and focused on the present. Step one, find a phone and call Sheri. Step two, complete the quest.

  “This place is crawling with kids.” Dora swallowed past the lump in her throat. “You can’t go walking around with a sword.”

  Kane nodded and his sword disappeared. Her eyes widened. Had Hades given her super powers too?

  Long and narrow, the pier teemed with excited children, rushing from place to place. Parents hurried along in their wake. Music and the call of vendors completed the festive atmosphere. Towering one hundred fifty feet into the sky, the Ferris wheel served as a centerpiece for the historic Navy Pier.

  “I’ll get the clue from Alexa,” Chaos offered over the din.

  “We should stay together,” Kane responded.

  “How are you going to find anyone in this crowd?” Dora moved closer to Kane.

  “We’re business partners.” His eyes flashed like rubies, hinting at a relationship far more intimate. “She’ll find me.”

  Kane’s hand pressed against the small of her back and heat curled deep into her belly. If the sexual compulsion was lifted, why did she still ache for him? She’d never encountered a man who set her senses ablaze with the brush of his fingertips.

  “How are you holding up?” His gaze caressed her face and her lips tingled.

  “As well as can be expected under the circumstances.”

  “Do you understand the circumstances, or do you still think you’re dreaming?”

  Laughter surrounded them, the smell of popcorn made her mouth water, and her body responded to his merest touch. Dora had never been one to lie to herself, but how could she accept the alternative?

  “I don’t know what to believe.”

  Kane held out his hand. A cell phone rested across his palm.

  “Where did you get that?”

  “I’ll return it to its owner if I happen to see her again.” He flashed a rakish smile.

  They found a relatively quiet spot next to a stuffed animal stand, and Dora entered Sheri’s number into the phone “Is that you, Sheri? I can hardly hear you.”

  “God, woman, you scared me to death! Are you okay? I’ve been so worried. Ryder said Kane went after you, but they were afraid you were trapped in the Underworld.”

  Dora slumped against the vendor stall. Dread wrapped around her chest, making each breath painful.

  “Dora? Can you hear me? Where are you?” Sheri’s worried voice cut through her shock.

  “We’re in Chicago.”

  “Who is we?”

  “Me, Kane, and Chaos.”

  “Why doesn’t that surprise me? Trouble follows Chaos like a shadow.”

  Dora rubbed her forehead, her mouth gone completely dry. She couldn’t be dead. She had struggled for years to find a purpose for her life. Only in recent years had she achieved one. Why would this happen now? “You know Chaos?”

  “We met briefly. Why did it take so long for you to contact me? If it hadn’t been for Ryder, I’d be locked up by now.”

  “I’m fine, sort of. We’re on a quest. What can you tell me about Delilah?”

  “Delilah is in Tartarus. I was under the impression Morpheus had her under control.”

  Dora looked at the phone, too stunned to speak. Sheri was systematically confirming everything Dora had been told since waking up in the Underworld. Kane took the phone from her numb fingers.

  “Hi, Sheri. This is Kane. We don’t have a lot of time. I thought it might be helpful if Dora heard some of this from you. Can you please explain what you know of Delilah’s abilities, and why it’s important that she be rendered powerless?” He handed the phone back to Dora.

  “You’ve actually interacted with Delilah?” Dora asked before Sheri could speak.

  “Delilah’s a succubus, so she can only torment men. She trapped Chaos in the Dream Realm and nearly killed him. Ryder and I worked together to capture her and save Chaos. Actually, this goes back farther than that. Do you remember my friend Meagan?”

  “Yes. You introduced us last summer.”

  “She was attacked by an incubus. The succubus came into the picture later. Kane said you were in a hurry, so I’ll cut to the chase. Ryder trusts Kane, and I trust Ryder. If Kane says this is a crisis, it’s a crisis.”

  Dora held her hand over the phone as she asked Kane, “Will I be able to contact her again?”

  “I’ll see to it.”

  “We really do have to run,” she said into the phone. “I’ll be in touch as soon as this is over.”

  “Be careful.”

  * * * * *

  “Were you in the Underworld earlier tonight?” Chaos asked, doing his best to sound casual.

  Alexa leaned against the railing, moonlight silvering her delicate features. Simple and sophisticated, her ivory silk blouse and charcoal skirt offset her smooth skin and sapphire blue eyes. Her long tresses shone like rich mahogany, but Chaos knew her hair changed color in different light. Had Alexa set Dora free?

  “I despise the Underworld. You know that.” She met his gaze directly, her expression giving nothing away.

  “There are few people that can get in and out without my father sensing their presence. You are one of the few.”

  She didn’t argue. “You’re not attempting this quest alone, are you?”

  “No.” He studied her face, remembering all they’d shared, longing for what should have been. “I have two others with me.”

  “Who?” She looked out over the water, the breeze catching a strand of her hair.

  He tucked the tendril behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her skin. “A Dream Warrior and the woman you freed.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Retrieving a crystal disk from the seam pocket of her skirt, she watched it sparkle in the moonlight. “What is the purpose of the quest? Hades told me very little.”

  “That’s as he intended. Did you activate the clue?”

  She chuckled and handed it to him. “Not for lack of trying. I’m obviously not meant to know what it says.”

  “That’s for your protection.”

  She said nothing more. Awareness arced between them, compounded by tension and memories. “I’ll be back when this is over.”

  Pain flashed through her gaze before she looked away. Chaos closed his fingers around the disk, his heart aching. He’d spoken the words so many times before. This time he meant them.

  Chapter Five

  “Did you intentionally surround me with children before you let me find out I was dead?” Shaking with the effort it took to repress her emotions, Dora glared at Kane. She needed to scream, to rail against the injustice, and weep.

  “Hades tried to tell you.”

  “You knew I didn’t believe him!” She snapped the phone shut and thrust it at Kane. “I try not to cuss around children. What I really want is to hit something.” A smile curved his mouth, and she balled her hands into fists. If he laughed she’d slug him, children watching or not. “This isn’t funny.”

  “I know it’s not.” Compassion softened his expression, and he cupped the side of her face, tracing the crest of her cheekbone with his thumb. “You deserve a period of adjustment. I understand how traumatic the transition can be. Unfortunately, we need --”

  “Did you experience this transition?” She pushed his hand away. “I thought you were the son of a god.” Fury and grief buffeted her composure by alternating turns.

  “It was only after my mortal life ended that I learned who had fathered me. I understand what you’re feeling.”

  He reached for her again, but she held up her hand, warding him off. She was precariously close to losing control. There would be time for grieving after they completed the quest; until then, she would focus on her anger.

  “Who killed me?”

  “I do
n’t know who actually ended your mortal life, but I have no doubt who arranged the deed.”

  She closed her eyes, resting her head back against the wall. “Delilah.”

  His strong arms wrapped around her, and Dora surrendered to her grief. She clutched his vest as tears trailed down her cheeks. “I’ll never have children. I’ll never own a minivan. God, this is so unfair!”

  He stroked her damp cheeks with his thumbs, his hands framing her face. Their gazes locked, communicating on a level deeper than words. She parted her lips, needing to feel anything other than pain. He tilted her head and covered her mouth with his. Wrapping her arms around him, she pressed into his warmth. He took the kiss deeper, easing past her parted lips to stroke his tongue against hers.

  With a throaty moan, Dora returned the kiss. She curved her tongue around his and slipped her hands under his vest. He was warm, solid, real. She couldn’t get close enough to him. His heat chased away the cold stealing over her entire body.

  “Get a room!” a passerby called.

  Kane eased away, his hands resting on her hips. “Are you okay?”

  “No, I’m dead.” She scrubbed her hands over her face. “What has Delilah got against me, anyway?”

  “I can only guess at what she ultimately hoped to accomplish.”

  “She suggested I use Dora to lure you to the Underworld.” Kane pivoted to the side as Chaos spoke. “After I had enjoyed her charms, of course.”

  Dora shook her head. “I don’t understand. Why would you need me to lure Kane to the Underworld?” She looked at the Dream Warrior. “Can’t you go there whenever you want?”

  “I had not set foot in the Underworld in nearly two millennia.”

  “Not since our father refused to let you kill me.”

  With one lightning fast strike, Kane grabbed Chaos by the throat. “You deserved to die!”

  Dora grabbed his forearm. “Children are watching.”

  Kane shoved Chaos away and moved closer to her.

  She pushed him back to his original position. “I’ve had enough of this shit! Who was Lyra, and why were you ready to kill your brother over her?”

  Kane just glared at Chaos.

  “We really don’t have time for this.” Chaos returned Kane’s glare with equal intensity.

  “Have fun on the rest of the quest. I’ll be on the Ferris wheel.”

  Whirling toward her, Kane trapped her against the vendor stall, his hands on either side of her shoulders. His gaze narrowed, and his nostrils flared. Her heart fluttered within her chest. As he stared into her eyes, his expression evolved from anger, to regret, and back to anger.

  “While I fought to defend our land against invaders, Chaos seduced my wife. He left his bastard in her belly and my image in her mind.” Harsh and rife with emotion, his voice was barely discernable above the noise surrounding them. “Lyra claimed the child was mine, but I knew that was impossible. After calling her a faithless whore, I returned to my men. I died at the hands of our enemies without ever seeing her again.”

  “What happened to Lyra and the baby?”

  “This was eons ago,” Chaos protested. “It has no bearing on the quest.”

  Dora looked past Kane, shocked by Chaos’s reaction “You don’t deny it?”

  “He can’t. Every word is true.” Kane pushed off the stall and turned to Chaos. “Did you get the clue?”

  Kane’s stiff posture warned her that the subject was closed, but they hadn’t answered her question. What had become of Lyra and her child? Chaos held out a faceted crystal disk. Kane snatched it from his hand. Distracted by the unanswered questions, Dora waited for Kane to reveal the clue.

  “I don’t see anything.”

  “Neither did I,” Chaos said. “That’s why I was handing it to Dora.”

  After a moment’s hesitation, Kane passed her the disk. Prickly sensations zinged through her hand as she settled the disk in the middle of her palm. Light flickered, forming a distinct rectangle. Words scrolled across the disk, the characters embedded deep in the crystal.

  “Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows.” She read the words as they scrolled, mesmerized by the disk. She hadn’t expected anything quite so magical.

  “Does it say what city?” Kane asked.

  “Or what country?” Chaos countered.

  Dora shook her head. “You two really should get out more. One of the largest stained glass exhibitions in the world is right here on the Navy Pier. It was featured on the news right after it opened. A better question, how did Hades know to write the clue in English?”

  “Because he knew you would activate the disk.”

  She ignored the challenge in Chaos’s tone, her mind grappling with the implication. Heat emanated from the disk and another image formed. “Hold on. It’s not finished.”

  A window appeared within the crystal, a large, arched pane topping four long, narrow sections. The image scrolled, like an Internet virtual tour, showing the windows on either side and giving Dora a frame of reference.

  “I think we’re supposed to find this window.” Both men stared at her with confounded expressions. “You can’t see the image in the disk?” They shook their heads. Dora smiled. “I guess you better not piss me off. Come on. There’s a directory over there.”

  Kane ran his finger down the index until he found the museum’s listing. “It’s in the Festival Hall.”

  “What if they charge admission?” Dora used the corresponding diagram to figure out which direction to head. “Can either of you conjure money?”

  “I’ll teleport us inside if necessary,” Chaos told her.

  After the ease with which Chaos had transported them from the Underworld, Dora didn’t question his abilities. The museum was one of the stops on the Trick or Treating Treasure Map, so they followed a group of chattering children to the entrance.

  “Admission is free.” Dora sighed. Despite the noisy revelers, the museum was nearly deserted. The display extended along the lower terraces of the Festival Hall.

  “What are we looking for?” Kane asked as they moved from one gallery to the next.

  “The window has five separate sections. Four are oblong and the one on top arches over the others.”

  “Does the window depict an image?” Chaos pointed to a striking portrayal of the Virgin Mary. “Or is it a geometric design?”

  “The disk didn’t offer a lot of detail” Dora moved from room to room, taking in the exhibition with hurried glances. They weren’t here to appreciate the stunning combination of color and light. The succubus must be stopped once and for all. “The upper pane looked like a landscape and the long, narrow pieces were people.”

  “Like that?” Kane motioned toward a split pane window, a woman on one side, a man on the other.

  “Sort of, but this window has four lower sections and one above.”

  They rushed along, searching for the elusive window. Dora tried to remain focused on the quest, but her conversation with Sheri echoed through her mind. Delilah had trapped Chaos in the Dream Realm. The succubus had nearly killed the son of Hades. How could that be possible?

  “There it is.” Kane took her by the hand and led her to a large multi-paned window.

  “You’re right, but why were you so certain this is the one I saw in the disk?”

  “Doesn’t this person look familiar?” He pointed to the long, narrow section on the far right. The stained glass depicted a figure cloaked in a black robe. Features lost in shadow, his robe had been outlined in gold.

  “Morpheus.” She whispered the name. “Who are the others?”

  “The one on top is a common symbol representing Hypnos. These are his four sons, Phantasos, Phobetor, Icelus, and Morpheus.”

  “But what does it mean?” Chaos moved closer to the window. “We already know Morpheus’s genealogy.”

  “Does the disk have any more information?” Kane asked.

  Dora looked at the crystal and found Phantasos’s image enlarged within the disk. “
It’s showing me that one.”

  “When the Dream Realm was divided, Phantasos was charged with constructing surreal dreams -- fantasies.”

  “That’s still not much of a clue.” Dora glanced at the disk again. The image undulated, and a hand passed through the glass. A knot formed in her belly. This night just got better and better. “It’s not a window, it’s a doorway.”

  “A doorway to where?” Kane asked.

  “Only one way to find out.” Chaos reached for Phantasos’s windowpane. Just like the image in the disk, his hand passed through the glass. He leaned forward. His arm disappeared and then his shoulder.

  “Wait! We should go together.” Dora’s protest came too late; Chaos vanished through the portal.

  * * * * *

  Chaos sprawled on his back. Silk sheets caressed his skin, while firelight played across his naked body. He hadn’t meant to activate the portal. Had he? He felt muddled, almost intoxicated. They were supposed to… find something. Where had the others gone? Why was he naked?

  A dark-haired woman knelt between his thighs, her lissome figure gilded by the fire’s glow. She arched her back and sifted her long hair through her fingers. Her breasts thrust forward, her legs parted, displaying the delights awaiting him.

  “Say my name,” she whispered, cupping her breasts, a silent invitation

  “Beautiful.” He propped himself up on his elbows and smiled into her eyes.

  “My name is not Beautiful. Say my name.”

  Her face was familiar. He knew every silken hollow of her body, but her name eluded him.

  Her dark eyes narrowed, and she disappeared.

  Groaning, Chaos collapsed across the bed. This was supposed to be a place of fantasy. He had passed through Phantasos’s image, but why was he here?

  Warm fingers encircled both his ankles, and Chaos gasped. His heart lurched within his chest and he reared up, looking toward the foot of the bed. The Macedonian twins stood there, passion burning in their dark eyes. By the gods, he would never forget this lusty pair. Seldonia and Cerclin, or was it Cerclin and Seltar? Shit! He’d always been better with faces than names.