Sandman (Forbidden Love Series II Book 5)

by Danielle James

  It did not take long for Rachel to see the light and come closer to investigate. Her footsteps echoed throughout the wooded area, coming closer to the light. She thought she was staying out of sight, walking through the trees and circling wide. The fury could feel her fear and it made her sick.

  The human didn’t see the mirror until she was too close. Forcing her hand through the illusion, the fury grabbed Rachel by her throat, breaking free of the illusion. and slammed the human against the nearest tree. Shock and fear radiated off Rachel in waves, filling the fury with further rage.

  She narrowed her eyes at her human prison and growled at her. “You make me sick,” she snarled. “And now, I will lead.”

  Rachel shook her head and pulled at the fury’s claws around her throat. “Get off me,” she gasped. Her legs kicked out, but the harder she fought, the tighter the fury held her.

  “You’ve suppressed me for too long,” the fury told her. “You’re weak, and you’re disgusting. You refuse to use the power you’ve been given. I’m stronger. I’m faster. I’m better. You are nothing!”

  “Rachel!” a man’s voice shouted. The fury turned her head, recognizing that voice. She’d heard it before. A man came running through the woods toward them. There was something about him that intrigued her.

  The light around his soul was bright. He was good. He was not in need of vengeance or punishment. He was unimportant. She turned her attention back to Rachel.

  “Somnus, no!” Rachel shouted, using the last of the air in her lungs.

  The man wasn’t important. Crushing the human was. She needed to be punished for imprisoning her magic. She needed to be punished for denying her emotions and her powers for so long. The Fury wanted vengeance. She could taste it.

  Yanking the human around as if she weighed nothing, the fury shoved her in front of the mirror. "Look at yourself," she hissed. "Look at what you are."

  Rachel stopped struggling when she realized there was only one reflection in the mirror, and it belonged to the fury. "What the hell?" she barked, finally able to breathe around the fury's hold. "This isn't real. This is a dream."

  The fury threw her head back as maniacal laughter escaped her throat. "This is a dream," she hissed. "And, it is as real as you are. You see, I am you, human. I am that part of you that you've shoved down and tried to hide. I am your nightmare. I am your other half, your conscience and your balance. I am prosecutor, jury and judge. I am you, and you are me.

  “The difference is, I know it. I know what I am. You do not, therefore you are weak and unfit to lead us to our rightful place."

  "I am not you," Rachel whispered, but the fury could hear the fear in her words and knew that Rachel knew it was true. "Somnus, get out of here."

  "The man is unimportant," the fury growled.

  "I am not you," Rachel repeated, louder.

  "Deny it all you want, little human," the fury told her. "But I am stronger, and I will win this day."

  As Rachel watched the mirror, her own face was overlaid against the fury's. The features matched, as they should. They were the same. They occupied the same body, the same soul. If Rachel could accept it, then the fury could let her remain. If not, the human half would have to die. As she manipulated the vision, blood began to pour down the mirror in thick, bold streaks, covering Rachel's face while the fury laughed.

  When Rachel screamed, the fury knew that the human was too weak to coexist. With a heavy shove, she tried to force Rachel into the mirror.

  "Fuck you, bitch!" the human snarled, throwing her legs out and grabbing the side of the mirror. "This ain't Alice in Wonderland and I am not going into that rabbit hole!"

  The fury snarled and pushed harder. The more the human fought, the angrier she became. Her fangs were dripping with the need to shred this miserable shell of a soul, but deep down, the fury knew she couldn't kill her. But she could imprison the whelp just as she'd done to her magic.

  The man was still there. She could feel him getting closer.

  “Rachel, you can control this,” he said carefully, coming even closer. “She’s part of you.”

  The human shook her head in denial. This man was being a serious pain in the ass. Perhaps he needed a lesson or two after all. Tossing the human aside, the fury stalked toward him. It barely registered when Rachel hit the tree with full force. The man. It had to deal with the man. She bared her fangs and hissed at him in warning, but he didn’t back down. "Are you seeking vengeance?" she growled.

  "Stop this, Rachel," he said, not to the human, but to the Fury. "This is not all that you are."

  "You know nothing of me!"

  "I know that you've never been prepared to handle this kind of power," he said, taking a step closer to her. "I know that you are the purest soul I have ever encountered. I know that you are smart, funny, and strong. I know that you're my mate, and I know that I love you. All of you."

  "But I am Rachel," the fury seethed. "I am your mate. I am everything!"

  "You are not everything," Somnus said in a matter of fact tone. "You're part of one soul. Two halves. I know you haven't been recognized, and for that, I’m sorry. You didn’t know who you were, and that's a shame…because you're magnificent."

  The fury twitched her wings, still circling this man. Was he insane? He did not fear her, she realized. Everyone feared the fury. Everyone. Except him. Why? He should. He will, she decided. She jumped into the air, spreading her wings, screaming into the sky for everyone to hear. He would fear her. She would teach him fear.

  ***

  Somnus watched as his mate, or at least half of his mate, leapt into the sky and spread her magnificent wings. The ear-piercing scream she let out was the stuff nightmares were made of, and he couldn't have been prouder of her. When he entered Rachel's head, his plan had been to help her control her fury, but as soon as he saw them interacting as separate entities, his whole game plan had changed. Of course!

  She was two parts of the same whole. Rachel, the human half, didn't need him nearly as much as the fury did. She didn't need to control it, but to accept it. She had to realize that they were one. He was not worried about the human half of her as the fury stalked him. She would be fine. As she barreled toward him, Somnus stood his ground. Maybe he was suicidal, but he really didn’t think so. She wouldn't hurt him. Not much, anyway.

  The fury crashed into Somnus, crushing his body to the ground. She sat on his chest and was nose to nose with him. Her fangs were bared, hair flaming wildly, and her eyes narrowed on him, daring him to move. Somnus did dare. He raised his hand and touched the side of her face. His touch was light, allowing his fingertips to drift over her cheek.

  My goddess, you're amazing, he said into her mind. It wasn't something he had to think about or convince himself of. It wasn't a lie. He believed it with his entire body and soul. Rachel was amazing. Both halves of her.

  The fury was not one to try to fool. She could see very plainly by the color of his aura whether he were telling the truth or not. Somnus knew she could see it. He knew she could hear it in his voice.

  Her eyes softened slightly as he touched her, and soon she was leaning into his hand. The flames in her hair cooled, allowing the soft, near black color to return. Her eyes still swirled, but the blue was overtaking the black. Her wings folded at her back.

  Somnus slipped his other arm around her body and placed his hand on her back between her wings. She leaned over him, scooting down his torso, until he could pull her head down to him. She lay her face on his chest, her ear just over his heart. Somnus waited while she listened to his heart. She sighed softly, her body relaxing. All he could do was lie there in the grass while the fury calmed to the beat of his heart.

  He had to admire the reality of this dream world, this protected place. It was as real as anything he'd ever seen, right down to the scent of the flowers. From the corner of his eye, he saw Rachel's human half coming toward him. "Come on," he said, holding his hand out to her.

  "But she's—" Rachel
started.

  "You," Somnus finished. When she took his hand, he pulled her to him and into the fury's body over top of his own.

  In the safety of his arms, the two parts of her soul melded. This was what she needed. What he needed, too. This was his mate. Complete.

  ***

  Warmth surrounded her, filling her from the inside out with the undeniable feeling of contentment and love. Rachel didn't dare open her eyes for fear that she was still dreaming, and if she opened her eyes, that wonderful feeling would dissipate. She never wanted it to end.

  "It won't end," Somnus assured her, having heard her thoughts in his own head. "It's safe to wake up."

  Rachel kept her head right where it was on his chest. The steady thump of his heart was calming, keeping her in a state of floating bliss and she was unwilling to give it up. She'd had the most horrible nightmare. It was so real, more so than any of the others she'd ever had.

  She dreamed about this thing, this monster that claimed to be a part of her. In the dream, Rachel was this thing, and she damn near killed Trent and his new girlfriend.

  That was no dream, Somnus' voice said in her mind. You found your power, and it was to protect me. I have never been so proud of you before.

  Am I really this thing? she asked him. Am I really some kind of demon?

  Absolutely not, Somnus told her. You're a fury. A descendent of Hades, and a damned powerful one at that. You always have been, but you just needed the right motivation to let it out.

  I could have killed someone, she thought to him.

  But you didn't. And you won't. Now you know this, this is part of who you are. You are one. Of course, the idea of having two mates isn't that bad...

  Rachel picked up her head and gave him a hard look. She playfully smacked him on the arm before shoving herself off him.

  "What?" he laughed.

  "You know what," she answered. "You're such a guy."

  "Yes," he agreed. "Yes I am." He rolled them both so he was on top of her, pinning her to the bed with his weight. “Maybe I need to remind you.”

  Rachel moaned as he ground his erection into her core, cursing the clothing between them. “I guess you better start reminding me then,” she laughed, arching up to meet him.

  “I’ll remind you, alright,” he growled, kissing her neck. “Again and again and again.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  "So, now that you have your fury under control, what are we going to do about this demon?" Angel asked Rachel from his chair. He was sitting behind his desk, papers piled up on every square inch. He looked up over the top of his computer monitor and smiled at her.

  "I'm not sure I do have her under control," Rachel said, "but I'm working on it."

  "You'll never control her," Angel said. "No better than you control your human side. She is you. Do not forget it. Accept her as your other half, and eventually the magic will meld together on its own. You will be able to access those powers as if you'd had them your entire life."

  Rachel nodded, still feeling unsure—but more willing to try than ever before. "Somnus says he loves us both."

  "Makes sense," Angel said. "You are the same person."

  "It's strange," she admitted.

  Angel pushed his chair back and turned to fully look at her. "Somnus is a demigod as well. He was raised to accept, acknowledge, and use his powers. It is his nature. You, however, were not. Having been raised as human, you did not know who you were. You did not know to use powers that you weren’t aware you had. Over time, you became as human as anyone else. Those powers were dormant. Until now."

  She watched him get up and move across the room on silent feet. "Powers are a gift. You must learn to use them, and you must learn to control them. You will. But the fury, she is a part of you. You are the fury. You will always be the fury. Your human half allows her to hide when necessary, but in my opinion, she never needs to hide. You should embrace that side of you."

  "She's dangerous," Rachel reminded him.

  "Come," he said, taking the chair on the far side of his desk and moving it around so it was in front of the computer screen. "Sit."

  Rachel did as the Clan Leader told her.

  He took his own chair and began typing away on his computer. "I had to do some research myself. Furies are rare to begin with, even more so in this day. However, the facts will not change. Yes, the fury is dangerous, but no more so than any other paranormal creature. Vampires can be very dangerous, as can werewolves, fae and witches. It's all about the intent. You won't harm anyone that you don't want to."

  "All I felt was angry," Rachel reminded him. "All I wanted to do was punish the evil. That's not me. I am a peaceful person. I know because I spent years in therapy to get that way."

  "You denied yourself," he said.

  Rachel looked at the depiction of a fury on the screen. Large black eyes and wings like a bat stared back at her. It was scary, but at the same time, it was kind of beautiful. "And here I was afraid that I was half-gnome or something."

  Angel laughed. "I'm afraid not," he said. "And if I may say, you are much cooler than a gnome. You are a striking and fearsome woman that I do not plan on crossing. You are also the perfect mate for my nephew."

  "Yes, she is," Somnus said, entering the room. "I wondered where you ran off to."

  "I didn't want to wake you," she admitted. "Angel was just explaining to me about this whole fury thing." Logically, she understood exactly what Somnus and Angel were trying to tell her. However, she could feel the Fury inside of her, waiting, growling, itching for a chance to be free. She didn't know how she could accept it as part of herself, but that was what she had to do.

  "I have no doubt in my mind that you'll be completely in sync in no time," Somnus assured her, and she believed him. There was something about the look in his eyes, the way he had complete confidence in her that gave her the strength to believe it too.

  "My mate is waiting for me," Angel said, smiling and walking around the couple. "No funny business in my office." He winked at Somnus, who blushed, and then left the room.

  "He has a point," Rachel told her mate. "We do have to figure out what to do about the demon."

  "Baku is a necessary evil," Somnus told her. "We will have to find a way to stop him, but we can't kill him. Humans need bad dreams too."

  "But his? Surely he isn't the only nightmare demon?" she pointed out.

  “No, but we can't upset the balance," Somnus said. "I talked to Angus and he is doing some research too. He's very happy for us, by the way."

  Rachel shook her head. "I didn’t want to believe it when you said I had big power."

  "Big three power," he corrected.

  "Whatever," she continued. "But even at that, I never dreamed that I would be a Fury. The thing I saw in my dream was the scariest shit I'd ever seen in my life. How can I accept that it’s a part of me?"

  "Scary, yes," Somnus agreed, pulling her into his arms. "But also, the most amazing creature I've ever seen. She is you, and you are incredible."

  "Angel said something about her not having to hide," she said. "How can I let her out, though?"

  "Furies do more than scare people," he told her, sitting down and pulling her into his lap. "They are good creatures at their core. They won't hurt an innocent soul, but will scare the shit out of the ones who have wronged another. I'm not surprised that your magic comes from her. And as far as hiding, I wouldn't. You're beautiful, no matter what form you take."

  "That is not beautiful," she said, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "And damn it, I need a haircut."

  Somnus laughed. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

  Rachel didn't hesitate to take his hand and let him lead her to his parents' room. "I don't want to go into your mother's room," she said carefully.

  "I want you to see something and this is where it is," he told her, opening the door wide.

  It was empty, of course, but Rachel still felt like they were invading the goddess' privacy. Som
nus led her through the main bedroom and into a room that felt like an altar. In the center was a shallow, circular pool. "I wish I had a pool in my bedroom," Rachel said sarcastically.

  "It was a wedding gift from her sister," Somnus told her. "The Oracle wanted Mom to always know what she was up against, so she gifted her with a seeing pond."

  Rachel nodded, but didn't say anything. Her mate led her to the edge and then sat down next to the stone pool.

  "When you look into the reflection of the water, you see what you need to see," Somnus explained. Rachel sat next to him, but made a point to not look into the water. "Go ahead," he encouraged her.

  "What if I don't want to see it?" she asked, suddenly afraid. She was afraid that she would see the Fury. Me, she reminded herself, and that meant that she was scared of herself.

  "You won't be sorry," he said, taking her hand and squeezing it.

  Rachel looked over the edge of the pool. Her reflection stared back at her, but it was different. It was as if two people were staring back at her, one over the other. The face of the Fury was faint, ghosted out, but it was still there. The Fury was making the same puzzled expression that she was. When Rachel raised her brows, the Fury did too. When she smiled, so did the Fury.

  That was when Rachel realized that the Fury wasn't as scary as she'd thought. In fact, when she smiled, those black eyes and pale blue skin were very pretty. The wings that rose up behind her were solid and smooth, moving ever so slightly as if they were just an extension of the Fury’s body. When Rachel opened her mouth, she saw the Fury’s fangs.

  "Those are weird," she said, touching her own mouth.

  "Those are hot," Somnus corrected her. "I can't wait for you to use them on me."