by Jen Robyn
Copying his manner, she leaned back parallel to him as before. He glanced her way with a smile, admiring her sudden bravado, although inwardly he wasn’t too thrilled that they only had a short time left together. Yet after the fiasco this evening, he’d decided long before that he wasn’t going to continue with any romantic overtures this night. Julianna had been duly frightened, and he wasn’t about to take undue advantage of the situation.
Surprisingly enough, he didn’t mind so much that their meeting had been mostly platonic this night, even with their recent dispute still left in the air between them. He was rapidly coming to notice that she had a great deal more than just physical appeal, with a most intriguing spirited nature. A fact that he’d have to be sure to keep from Riff, lest his brother become curious enough to seek her out for himself. At the mere thought, his expression darkened. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Riff had interfered with women he’d known, sparking no end of fights in the past.
However, as far as Julianna was concerned, Dominick knew that he’d annihilate Riff if he so much as appeared to her, let alone touched her, or…
He glanced up sharply upon accidentally tuning into his silent companion’s troubled thoughts. It was a good thing his dreamphasing powers extended to this. Her earlier expressions of anger and bravery were completely gone, and she was now staring wide-eyed at the outer space, her hands white as they clenched the armrests of her seat.
She’s truly convinced this is real! he mused in wonder.
Not that she’d dealt with dreams as frequently and thoroughly in the ways he had, to nearly always know the difference from reality, his mind supplied. Their earlier argument faded from his mind instantly, replaced by a need to reassure her.
“Julianna, I meant what I said before,” he said seriously, prying one of her hands free to clasp it tightly. “This is a dream. There’s no need to be afraid of that swirling pile of interstellar gases or that distant garbage scow.”
Despite the many negative aspects of the situation, a slight laugh escaped her. “Isn’t garbage scow a bit too regal a title for that thing?”
“You’re right. A dumpster is more like it.”
He could sense her fear ease slightly as he pulled her close, and to his surprise, she didn’t back away or protest. “Julianna,” he whispered, “Whether or not you believe what I told you about where we are, I just want you to know that I am sorry I led you to believe we were strangers again yesterday. And truthfully, I didn’t return merely out of wounded pride from our first meeting. I came back, because as I’ve said, you haven’t left my thoughts since we met.”
Julianna gave him a skeptical look. “You didn’t tell me our ship was running low on oxygen too. Obviously your mind isn’t getting enough to think rationally.”
He gave a low chuckle, hugging her tighter. “You impossible minx! I try and compliment you, yet you turn my words into just the opposite.”
“Maybe because I find them hard to believe.”
“The only thing hard to believe around here is how a woman as beautiful as you can come to think so little of herself. A fact I intend to work on remedying, despite your constant attempts to thwart me.” At first she emitted a sound of challenging disbelief, but then simply smiled faintly. Even if he hadn’t seen this, Dominick could sense that despite her silence, she was softening towards him. “Will you forgive me, my lady?” he murmured against her ear.
She shrugged once with a smile. “Well, I suppose I’ll have to. If not, you’re liable to pester me about it for countless other nights.”
“Countless nights, eh? Hmmm… sounds interesting.”
“Now who’s impossible?” she laughed, rapping him lightly on the shoulder. A moment later, Julianna gasped as the rest of the ship’s cabin lighting unexpectedly went out around them, except for a dim red glow. Apparently, their ship’s remaining power was rapidly draining away. Clutching her companion against the near-total darkness, she glanced up at him with fear-rimmed eyes. “Dominick, you seemed so certain that this is a dream. Is it really true?” He nodded against the top of her head, and she relaxed slightly. “I trust you,” she whispered.
In spite of her words, Dominick could sense her lingering doubts, but was still gladdened. Just to hear her speak of trust was a step in the right direction, given her past history with the men she’d known.
“Don’t worry, Julianna,” he murmured soothingly. “When this dream ends, you’ll be safe right back where you started.”
“With you?” she asked.
A sad smile crossed his face. “Unfortunately, no. Your waking world isn’t mine to join you in, sweetheart. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until tomorrow night if you want us to meet again. Would this be all right with you?”
“Yes. I’d like that,” she replied, holding him tightly. She missed seeing his pleased expression over her quick response, but she did remember something from earlier, immediately releasing him. “You were hurt. I shouldn’t...” Her words trailed off as she noticed that the bloodstain on his arm was gone, as well as any signs of his shirt being torn. Glancing up at him in amazement, she fairly gasped, “It is a dream, isn’t it?”
Smiling gently, Dominick nodded, nearly laughing at his oversight that could certainly have convinced her sooner. Once he’d had a moment to do so, he’d taken care of quickly healing his arm, since it wasn’t difficult to do in dreams.
Gladdened that he wasn’t hurt, Julianna hugged him again, brightened by Dominick’s honesty but saddened by the truth that she’d soon be returned home without him. Even if he’d just read her thoughts now, she didn’t mind this time.
“Until tomorrow then,” he whispered, kissing her softly. “Now… close your eyes and relax. I won’t let anything hurt you.”
She nodded against him, following his instructions. A smile crossed her face as she felt his hand lightly brush against her cheek, while at the same time, she heard him humming a pleasant and unfamiliar melody, no doubt to soothe her further. It worked.
But as the sound of the ship being pulled into the unknown vortex drowned out the gentle music, Julianna’s eyes shut tighter and her hold on Dominick strengthened. She knew she trusted him now, understood that this was a dream, and felt confident that he wouldn’t lie to her about their predicament.
Unless… Was there another explanation regarding his healed arm after all? Had he just said those things before to dissuade her mind from the probability of this being the end? In spite of her best intentions, the fear crept back.
There was a thundering sound as the ship was being crushed, and Julianna screamed.
Chapter Five
She kept on screaming as she sat up in bed.
Even when it sank in that she’d been dreaming, Julianna was still shaking. She didn’t need to feel her pulse to know her heartbeat was racing, nor to ask why her curls were now plastered damply against her forehead. That dream had been a nightmare in nearly every perspective.
Except for one thing... Dominick had reappeared to join her again.
Glancing down, she saw her book lying on the floor. Well, that certainly explained the science fiction scenario of her nightmare. And her situation had been similar to what she’d read, where a pair had fled from a squad of renegade spacemen. Luckily, they’d been as fortunate as the characters in escaping, although flying into the Warp Zone itself hadn’t been pleasant.
As for Dominick’s reappearance, surely it was due to her constant thoughts of him the day before. And as this dream was as vivid as the last, she remembered with dismay some of her last words spoken.
She’d agreed to meet him again the following night.
Her mind returned to their other meeting at the ball, and she worried that it was only their unforeseen state of conflict last night that had kept him from making advances towards her again. What if tomorrow presented a quiet scene? Would she be reduced to having to fend off the charming rogue instead?
His kisses did have a way of bewitching her, but still
…
“Julianna!” a pair of voices called out discordantly, causing her to gasp. She looked up with relief as her two older sisters ran into the room. She’d nearly forgotten Crystal and Vicki lately since her own thoughts were so preoccupied.
“We heard you scream,” said Crystal, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “I-I guess I had a nightmare.”
Both of her sisters exchanged knowing looks, as Julianna’s overactive imagination often led to them over the years, and this was by no means the first time they’d come running to her, though more often it happened in the middle of the night.
Vicki gave a short laugh, emphasizing the dimples in her chin. The middle sister at nearly twenty-eight, she acted much younger than her years. Her formerly straight, dark hair—once reminiscent of their father—was now a golden blonde permed with short curls. Unlike the others though, she had the same blue eyes as their father, although like Crystal, both were fairly tall.
Basically, Vicki was the bubbly spirit in the family who managed to find humor in everything. Her fiancé Luke certainly appreciated this aspect, and for the second time, Julianna was soon to be a bridesmaid.
The eldest sister Crystal was thirty-two, having been married for nearly ten of those years. Similar to their mother, she had long, brown hair that fell past her shoulders and brown eyes, maintaining her composure with a parental smile. She was the career-oriented dynamo of the family, managing a top notch position in a business while managing her five-year-old son Sam, affectionately called Sammy by all. Proud pop Jerry—now thirty-six—who’d come from a large family himself, instantly took to Vicki and Julianna as a loving older brother.
After the sisters’ parents both passed away—eleven years ago their mother, and nine years ago their father—Jerry and Crystal left their apartment to move in with the girls. Vicki only stayed at the house over the summers, as she was in college at the time. But as Julianna was just sixteen, she’d almost come to regard Crystal as a second mother. Fortunately, Jerry had a successful business career of his own, which gave them a fairly comfortable living.
Having started school very young, Julianna was seventeen when she’d gone to the local college, but as she was less independent than her sisters were, she’d decided to commute instead of living in a dormitory. Crystal didn’t mind at all, and Julianna certainly proved her worth. Not only scholastically, but also in helping Crystal both before and after Sammy was born.
Since Julianna always loved children, she and her young nephew took to each other right away. And to her delight, one of Sammy’s first words was her name. She’d always felt a bit funny about having the name Julianna, since Crystal and Vicki were much more common, but before her mother died, she told Julianna that she’d always thought the name was pretty from one of her ancestors, and so had bestowed it on her youngest daughter. For the most part; however, the people she knew—including her family and little Sammy—generally called her Julie.
Only with Dominick had she failed to mention this.
She rather liked the way he said it in his own way, when he’d look in her eyes and…
Abruptly rubbing her eyes to brush the last remnants of sleep from them, while dodging the morning rays of the sun, Julianna turned to her clock. “Eleven-thirty?” she murmured, privately angry with herself for having overslept again. It was an annoying habit she’d never been able to kick, even sleeping late as a baby. Thank heavens it was the weekend, so responsibility wasn’t about to bust down her door with reprimands. As her sleepy thoughts faded, she turned to her sisters with alarm. “You’re back from your trip a day early. Is something wrong?”
Crystal smiled as she sat beside her sister. “Ever worrisome, Julie,” she replied, “but no, we just decided we’d had enough of the shore for the week.”
“That and the weather kept raining most of the time,” Vicki supplied with a cheerful laugh. “Not to mention, we couldn’t seem to convince Sammy that we weren’t leaving his Aunt Julie for good. He’s still asleep from the car trip, but he should be awake soon.”
Julianna smiled warmly. She’d be equally glad to see her reddish-haired little nephew, not quite remembering when a week took so long to pass. True, it had been by her own choosing that she’d wanted some time alone, instead of going with the others, but now that they were back, she was more appreciative of having the family with her again.
Especially since she’d now have other things to replace her thoughts with, leaving no room for thinking of further encounters with Dominick, either when awake or asleep.
*****
It had turned into one hell of a night!
Or more accurately, a night of... well, never mind.
While busying himself with work around the island earlier, nothing he did seemed to distract his thoughts from meeting Julianna again tonight. Not even meeting his friends at Lost Limbo managed that.
The sun was finally setting, drawing his attention to the sky and its everchanging myriad of colors playfully fading.
“Sounds like that girl’s dreams are dangerous,” commented Inferno, as if sensing where his thoughts were. “I’m sorry I suggested you follow up on your association with her.”
Dominick smiled, keeping his voice quiet as if guarding a secret. “Despite it all, I’m not. Twice now, nothing’s happened, yet I’m twice as interested in her.”
“No doubt simply because she has eluded you twice,” Buddy added with a sneer. “And I’d appreciate it if you’d tell Jarissa so, because she hasn’t said a word to me since yesterday over your latest dreamphasing affair.”
Upon seeing the curiosity on his friend’s face, Inferno related events quickly, earning a surprised laugh from Dominick. “I’ll be sure and steer clear of her then,” he chuckled. “Can’t have a guardian devil breathing fire down my neck.” No, that wouldn’t be advisable! “But if dear Jarissa shows up again, kindly inform her that Julianna’s agreed to see me again this night... by choice.”
Buddy whistled at that, earning a warning look from Inferno. The guardian angel had assumed this Julianna to be different from the rest, but if she’d agreed to another rendezvous with Dominick, it was all too obvious that it could only be for one reason.
Hopefully afterwards, he’d have the decency to leave the girl alone in the future. After all, it could otherwise make his own life miserable in regard to his relationship with Jarissa, who was still fully opposed to Dominick pursuing the supposedly innocent Julianna.
A fact that was now more in question.
Buddy’s expression darkened slightly. “In all fairness, Dom—not to say that I agree with Jarissa’s railing at me over this, of course—you aren’t intending on forcing the girl into anything, are you?”
For the most part, Dominick’s anger was well hidden when it existed at all. This wasn’t one such time.
“What are you implying?” he asked in a deadly voice.
Buddy continued with little heed. “Look, it’s just that you’re so used to charming women, you probably don’t consider one might say no.”
“Take care what you say, Buddy,” Dominick warned slowly, a gleam of anger sparking in his eyes, just waiting to be kindled into a blaze. “For your information, there have been those who declined, and I’ve always respected their wishes.”
“Maybe,” Buddy agreed in a low voice. “But you’ve been acting different towards this one, as if she’s become your sole objective. If she refuses your advances, will her voiced protests be enough to stop you, or will you let your momentary desire blind you to the right and wrong of it?”
Dominick’s fist slammed into Buddy’s jaw faster than he could breathe another word. As he went flailing into another table, shattering it beneath his weight, several women screamed in shock while the men got to their feet. Buddy shook his head painfully, rubbing his sore mouth, as he stared up in disbelief at his angry friend who now stood before him.
“If you ever hint again that I would ta
ke a woman by force, either in the waking realm or the dream-state, you’ll regret the day you joined this universe, guardian,” hissed Dominick.
As he strode by the downed Buddy to leave, he bumped into several stunned females, one of whom drew his angry gaze instantly. “You’d do best to remember that too, Jarissa,” he warned her. “For while I’ve made it a policy never to strike a woman, if you start spouting similar lies about me like your companion, you’ll earn the right to be the first I break that rule for.”
Jarissa merely gaped at his words as he swept past, both Psych and Kiri moving to stand on either side of her, just in case Dominick returned to carry out his threat.
*****
What do you do when your own friends turn on you? Dominick wondered, angrily stalking back to his home. Once in his room, he continued to wrestle with his thoughts. The aggravating part was that the entire day he’d looked forward to seeing Julianna again, but now the voices of reason and chaos started playing back-and-forth in his mind, leaving him unsettled.
If Riff hadn’t been so annoying recently, he might have considered asking his opinion. However, he knew how his ‘dear brother’ would likely respond, since once long ago, they’d had a similar discussion. When he was younger, Dominick had asked what Riff did when the women in dreams refused his advances, and he’d simply replied that he became even more persistent.
An approach that Dominick had never followed himself.
To his way of thinking, he’d never believed it to be a desirable tactic, considering the best liaisons were those of a mutual nature. When Dominick had encountered reluctant women, he’d simply let them go as they wished. Yet Buddy did strike a minor point. Knowing his code of honor at it stood, why then was he finding it difficult to sever his attachment to Julianna?
The answer seemed simple enough, stemming from their first few meetings together.
It had been a responsive woman that kissed him back those nights. Not someone who despised his company, or wished him to leave her forever. For hadn’t she agreed to meet him this night as he’d asked? Yes, the answer was clear enough.