Despite the concern coursing through him, he said nothing for the moment. The most important thing was to make sure Jade felt safe.
The bizarre events that had just unfolded would be worked out, one way or another, even if he was still wrapping his mind around sharing a dream with his Vestal.
“Someone tell me what the hell is going on?” Marcus said. He glared at them as if he’d been left out of the conversation. “One of our people has been attacked, and this outsider was involved?”
“She didn’t do it,” Sergius growled.
Marcus sneered at him.
“I was having a dream,” Jade said quietly. A blush spread across her cheeks. “When suddenly that thing came out of nowhere and went after Dea.”
Rem nodded once, not the faintest hint of disbelief on his face. Sergius was grateful for that. He didn’t know what he’d do if his leader openly questioned his Vestal.
“Did you see it?” Rem asked.
Jade shook her head. “Not really. It was black all around. Whatever it was didn’t want me to see it.”
Marcus barked out a loud laugh. “That’s your story? We’re supposed to believe that your dream attacked Dea?”
Jaded turned and held up her arm until the large gash was obvious.
“It did this to me as well.” She paused for a moment and looked up to Sergius. “I don’t know how to explain it, or what it all means, but it did it while in my dream. It hurt me there, and somehow that hurt me in real life.”
Sergius frowned at the deep wound. He had been so wrapped up in saving Dea that he hadn’t even noticed. Anger ripped through him. This thing could threaten and terrorize his Vestal in her dreams. He bit back a growl.
“Then I saw Dea. It was there,” she said. Her voice shook as she spoke, and Sergius wrapped his arm around her. “When I woke up Sergius was there, and then we rushed to save her.”
Rem looked over to him and raised a brow. He knew more questions would be coming later on that matter.
“You don’t actually believe this?” Marcus said. “This is ridiculous. This goes way beyond her just being strange and noticing things.”
“Any more than the power of the stone to destroy men?” Rem said, his face uncharacteristically grim. He chuckled darkly. “You, of all people, Marcus believe in our Atlantean heritage and that we’re more than just men.”
“Still…”
“Myth doesn’t have the chosen of gods opposed by mere men.” He waved a hand. “We’ll find out the truth, one way or another, but for now, we have to acknowledge there is a threat to our people.” He turned to Sergius. “I think maybe we should let Jenna take Jade back to our house to get her cut cleaned up.”
Sergius nodded his approval. Better to get her away from all of this than to expose her to more ridicule.
Her body shook against his, and he gave a small squeeze. He leaned over and placed his mouth against her ear.
“You’ll be right next door,” he said. “If you need me, I’ll be here for you.”
Jade looked up to him, her pale green eyes staring deep into his own. She gave a small nod, and he squeezed her hand for comfort.
“You let me help,” Jenna said.
Sergius watched as Jenna looped her arm under Jade and let her shift her weight onto her body. The men watched as the two women moved quietly out of the room.
Rem looked down to Dea’s sleeping form and nodded to the side office where they could speak quietly.
* * *
Jade winced as she sat down in the edge of the bathtub in the second bath. Now that she had a chance to think about the cut on her arm, it hurt ten times worse than it did before.
Jenna dabbed a little alcohol on the wound.
“Son of a bitch,” Jade said and hissed.
Jenna grimaced as she stared at her from behind her overly large glasses. “I’m sorry. I know that hurt.”
Jade shook her head. It hurt like hell, but it was better than it getting infected.
“I’ll be fine,” she said quietly. “It’s just been a long time since I’ve had to deal with a wound like this.”
Jenna stopped what she was doing with the cotton ball and stared openly at Jade.
She hadn’t meant to say that. Letting people in was just more trouble she didn’t need. It led to caring about people, or worse having them care about you. Still the information was out there now.
“My dad wasn’t the best,” she said and looked away. “Use to end up with all sorts of bruises and cuts.”
It had been a long time since she thought about her father. It wasn’t like he beat her all the time. He was a drunk. Half the time she wasn’t so certain that he even knew she existed. Most times he was so far gone that it didn’t really matter, and then she got old enough that he couldn’t really do that anymore.
There were so many things to hate her father for. This was just one of the things that she hadn’t thought about for some time. The best revenge was just forgetting he existed.
“I’m sorry,” Jenna said quietly.
She wouldn’t meet her eyes, and Jade knew that she’d made her feel uncomfortable. It hadn’t been her intention, but that always seemed to happen when people knew.
“Do you think it was a monster that got you?” Jenna asked.
Jade opened her mouth to say something and then closed it again. She wasn’t entirely sure what she should say. It was a monster because nothing less could have done that, but for some reason she was having a hard time calling it that.
Blasé acceptance gave way to shock. Her noticing of a few things here and there had turned into waking visions and now sharing of dreams. The truth was undeniable. Sergius had been in the dream with her.
Heat assaulted her cheeks. Not just sharing of dreams with Sergius, but very, very sexy dreams.
She sucked in a breath. A monster hunting her almost seemed like the least freaky thing about the entire situation, but she could worry about Sergius later.
Whatever had hurt her had meant to hurt her and intended to show her Dea being stalked. The damn thing had been toying with her. But how could she explain about a dream tormentor without sounding crazy? The community already didn’t trust her because of milder odd behavior.
It was pretty impressive, she thought, being a human and managing to freak out a whole group of hybrids, instead of the opposite.
Jenna stared at her for a moment, and she knew the other woman didn’t really know what to think of her.
Jenna went back to cleaning the wound. She put on a little antibiotic ointment and then started bandaging it.
“We’re here for you,” she said to her once she had finished. “We’re like a family. Whatever you need, we’ll be there for you.” Jenna gave a little grin. “And sometimes when you don’t need us as well.”
Jade chuckled. She could see how having them around would be both useful and annoying all at the same time.
Jenna helped her stand. Jade swayed.
“Maybe you should just rest on the couch for a moment,” Jenna said to her.
“I’m just tired.” The exhaustion of the whole thing had spread over her. She could see through the window as the sun crested over the edges of the hills.
Jenna walked her over to the couch, and she lay down on it. Her eyes closed, and she drifted off into sleep.
* * *
“This is all her, and you know it is,” Marcus said and glared at Rem as he paced back and forth over the office floor.
Rem shook his head. “I don’t know that. I believe she saw exactly what she said, and whatever this thing is, we’re in for some major trouble.”
Sergius was glad their leader had her back at least.
“How did you even know what was happening?” Marcus said as he turned to glare at Sergius.
Sergius looked over to Rem. He had hoped to have the chance to speak with Rem without having to tell the whole group, but it seemed that wasn’t going to happen.
“Somehow,” he said and ran a hand ov
er his stubbled head, “somehow I ended up in her dream.”
Marcus snorted.
Rem raised a brow and gave a cocky grin.
“Sounds… interesting. You’ll have to tell me all about that later.”
He sighed loudly. His damn leader must have already guessed what kind of dream. There was no way Rem was ever going to let this go.
“In the dream we got separated, and when I woke, I felt an overwhelming sense of urgency to get to her. I just knew that she was in trouble.”
Rem rubbed his neck. “She did touch the stone. We have only the barest understanding of what it can do to a person.”
“So you actually believe this?” Marcus said, disbelief written on his face.
“Yes, I do.” Rem furrowed his brow. “I’m going to make a call to Rachel about these dreams. If you can visit her dreams, then who knows what else can. We need to make sure that door is closed until we know what we’re dealing with and how we can defend against it.”
Nausea passed through Sergius. He hadn’t thought about the most obvious danger. His hybrid skills, size, and strength wouldn’t mean much in a dream. He couldn’t protect his Vestal there.
Rem clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll call her now. Don’t worry. We’ll make sure your bonded is safe.”
Sergius shook his head. “Not my bonded.”
Rem raised an eyebrow. “Pretty sure dreams count if my nose is correct.”
Sergius stared at him in shock. Could they have bonded in the dream? They certainly had sex, but it was just dream sex.
“Let’s call Rachel so you can go and discuss all this with your woman.”
Chapter Nine
Jade found herself floating once again in a dreamscape. She didn’t feel the menace she did the last time, but her heart still hammered in her chest at the thought of meeting that monster once again. She couldn’t even begin to figure out how she could fight something that could exist in both dreams and real life.
It was strange, really, that she could still feel something like her heart beating quickly in her dream state, let alone the pleasure of Sergius inside her, but she’d already accepted that for her, dreams and reality were just a hair’s breadth apart.
Full sensations returned slowly. The first thing she felt was warm, wet sand beneath her feet.
She dug her toes into the warmth, calming her heart. She blinked open her eyes and was surprised to find herself staring at the setting sun.
The warm sun sat just over the water’s edge, and she basked in the glow of it as it sank lower.
The beautiful sight filled her with love and refreshed her spirit.
Although no one had called out, she sensed a presence there with her at the beach. Jade turned to see a white cloaked woman in the distance: Anassa.
She swallowed and tensed. Even if it wasn’t a monster, she recognized the woman and the danger she represented.
Jade slowly made her way over to Anassa. The leader of the Azilians was someone to be feared for sure, but she never felt threatened by her personally.
Still the strange events that unfolded prior to her leaving the Azilians and the obvious brainwashing of the other women at the Azilian compound made it clear that there was a lot more going on there than she’d been aware of during her short time with the cult.
So she kept up her guard. Better safe than sorry.
Jade stopped a few feet from the cloaked woman. She had yet to see her face but knew her eyes were blue and piercing as the stone she had once held. When she thought about it, she realized her blue eyes reminded her of those of the hybrids.
“You are well,” Anassa said more than asked.
Jade nodded. “I am.”
The cloaked head bowed in understanding.
“We can still help you, Jade,” Anassa said. “If you come back, we can protect you.”
Jade frowned. She had seen what their help could do to a person. She wasn’t interested in going back there. It did no good to protect someone’s body if you let their mind be destroyed.
“I think I’m good,” Jade said firmly.
Anassa turned, and for a moment Jade thought she might see the woman’s face, but her face became a shadow under the hood. Only two blue orbs peered out from the blackness under the hood.
“You are my sister,” Anassa said. “We are sisters whether you like it or not.”
Jade frowned. She’d heard that crap at the Azilian compound previously, and she wasn’t about to buy it now.
“How are you even here?”
Jade watched as Anassa turned back to the ocean and took two steps to stand where the water just crested the beach.
“The stone,” Anassa said quietly. “We are all connected under the stone. You. Me. Each of us a tool for a higher purpose. A purpose more important than any of us individually.”
A higher purpose. She’d heard that several times before as well. What the higher purpose was, Anassa never let anyone know. Or at least not her or the women it might involve, even as she let their minds and personalities be warped.
“You know what that thing was that came after me, don’t you?”
Anassa sighed, which surprised Jade. Usually the strange woman was so collected. She never seemed to let much bother her, but this thing was different. Jade wondered if it was outside her control.
“I understand. I understand in ways your new friends never will. What you encountered is also a part of the stone, and it also has a role to play in this world.”
Despite her words, Jade could hear Anassa’s hesitation in what she said. In the end, she might have known that the monster was going to come, but maybe she was doubting the monster had some deep role to play in their alleged higher purpose.
“You have to understand,” Anassa continued. “You’re running out of time. Even if you think you can handle it now, you won’t soon.”
“It’s growing isn’t it?” Jade asked quietly. “Getting stronger.”
“We can protect you,” Anassa said again. Concern filled her voice. “Let us protect you. They can’t protect you. They can’t even protect themselves.”
“I’ve got Sergius to protect me.”
“They hide in the woods because they are afraid. Fearful men can’t protect you from something they don’t understand.”
It was just going to be the same thing over and over. She wasn’t going to get anywhere with Anassa, so she turned to walk away.
A cold, viselike hand gripped her arm. The touch chilled her to the bone.
“You must see to know,” Anassa said, her voice low and menacing. “You must know what awaits.”
Jade struggled to pull away from her but couldn’t seem to free her arm.
She shivered as the ocean waters surged around her. The cold, salty water grew higher and higher. The more she struggled to free herself from the crazed woman, the higher the water rose.
Suddenly she was falling deep into the abyss of the ocean. Her lungs screamed for air, and she struggled to make her way to the surface, but nothing seemed to help.
Jade fell deeper and deeper into the dark waters. Her limbs grew limp.
Just before she faded away, a bright light shimmered off in the distance on the ocean floor, a light so bright she struggled to bring her hand up and cover her eyes from the sight.
* * *
Her eyes sprang open as Sergius shook her awake. He was standing over her with Rem. They both watched her with worry.
Jade took in deep breaths and tried to calm herself. She couldn’t say what she saw. She wasn’t even certain what she saw.
A bright light on the ocean floor that called to her sounded insane. Yet that was exactly what it was. It made her feel oddly at home, and the contents of her dream wasn’t going to go over well with either of the men.
She didn’t want to deal with it. Not now. There was just too much to take in.
“Did he come to you again?” Sergius asked quickly as he knelt down beside her.
Jade shook her head.
“No, it was just a dream.”
He frowned. “Just a dream? Are you sure? You’ve already shared dreams with… others.”
“This one was just regular, stupid dream stuff.” She sighed.
Rem stared hard at her, and she wondered how much he actually believed, but he nodded.
“I’m just tired,” she said quietly to Sergius.
He nodded and placed a hand at her back. His touch comforted her.
“You’ll stay with me,” he said firmly. “I’m going to keep you safe.”
It was exactly as she’d said to Anassa. Sergius would protect her.
Jade tried not to blush, after everything that had happened she shouldn’t be thinking about the hot dream she had previously with him, but that still came to mind.
Rem and Sergius believed her. That helped ease the craziness of the entire situation, especially since she didn’t know how she would deal with things if Sergius hadn’t accepted that they’d shared a dream.
“You’ll take these,” Rem said and handed her a bottle. “Our doctor contact suggested they may help to keep the dreams at bay.” Jade looked down at the bottle in her hand.
“Sleeping pills?”
Rem nodded. “They should help.”
Sergius reached down and helped her stand from the couch.
“I think we should get you home,” he said softly.
Jade leaned into his side was glad for the comfort of his arm. Too many things were happening too quickly, and she felt like she was racing to keep up.
They stepped towards the door but stopped when Rem stepped between the door and themselves.
“If you have any other visions, you find me.” He stared hard at her, and Jade nodded. “This isn’t just about you anymore, but about all of us.”
He stepped out of the way, and she and Sergius made their way out of the small house into the bright morning sun.
Jade tried not to look around as she walked to his cabin. She was sure the people of the compound were watching them as they did, likely whispering about her latest strange episode.
She was glad when they made their way up his steps and into the quiet solitude of his house.
Sergius: #4 (Luna Lodge: Hunters of Atlas) Page 5