I don’t slow down, nor do I respond.
I continue on my way down the hall. Only, this time, a wide, eager grin pulls the corners of my mouth.
Oh, I’ll be ready, Logan Hendricks. Don’t you worry.
Epilogue
I’m in a fancy bedroom. It reminds me of the penthouse in Chicago—the one Logan and Master Patrick had taken me to all those years ago. Only, this room has more gilded décor than the post-modern style of the elegant hotel room.
I sit in the middle of a king size bed, covered by a pristine white duvet. Expensive oil paintings catch my eye, and I take a second to admire their stunning beauty.
I toss the covers off, determined to go take a closer look at the artwork, but stop and frown when I see the sleek, black nightgown hugging my body. I’d never wear something like this.
“Little mountain. You’re awake.”
My head whips toward the sound.
Leaning against the doorframe is none other than Belial. The handsome higher demon wears a loose tunic shirt and a pair of well-fitted black trousers. His attire is casual, and it catches me off guard.
Belial returns my scrutiny. His eyes flicker over the length of me with an unreadable expression. “I’ve been trying to get through to you for days. I believe our most recent encounter finally solidified the link between us.”
I pull the covers to my chin to hide my exposed flesh. “What are you talking about?”
“Dream sharing,” he gestures around the room. “I imagined my personal quarters and pictured you here. Though,” his gaze heats, “my imagination didn’t do you justice.”
Personal quarters?
“What do you mean?” I ignore the thinly-veiled flirtation, and the panic his word choice elicits within me. “What is dream sharing?”
Belial tsks, shaking his head. “Those Guardians do like to keep the young one’s ignorant, don’t they?”
I don’t respond. My mind is racing, struggling to understand how I could’ve ended up in the higher demon’s bedroom. Did he kidnap me from the academy? He must have. The last thing I remember was reassuring Cortney I survived the junkyard attack unscathed before I passed out in my bed. Belial must’ve snuck into my dorm and taken me while I slept.
“Dream sharing is exactly what it sounds like,” Belial continues his explanation. “At this moment, you and I share this dream. I constructed the scene, but both of our minds fill it.”
Frantically, I look around the room. Panic spikes. Normally, my dreams are fuzzy and distorted, but the world is sharp and clear. The memory of blurry purple orbs hits me, and I look back at Belial as the realization hits me. “You’ve tried to dream share before?”
He nods. “Like I said, I’ve tried for days. This is the first time I’ve been able to converse with you. Normally, you appear in a dazed, comatose state.”
Oh my god.
I leap up from the bed, no longer bothered by my scantily-dressed state. I move to the other side of the room, as far away from him as I can manage.
“Stay back,” I command, even though Belial hasn’t so much as twitched.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he says with an exasperated sigh.
“Then release me from this dream.” My back hits the wall, knocking a framed portrait sideways.
“Tonight, I will. But only after I’ve said what I need to say.”
My fingers dig into the wall behind me, helping to keep me upright. “What is it?” I hiss between clenched teeth. “What do you want?”
He drops his arms and stands up straight. “I know what the Hendricks boy is trying to do. I wanted to warn you to keep your distance from him.”
My mouth goes dry, but I shouldn’t be surprised. Belial is an original. No doubt, he has many spies to help keep him informed.
I swallow and ask, “Why?”
“Because he is very likely to get himself killed, and I would prefer if you didn’t meet the same fate.”
My pulse races and fear floods my veins. “Why do you care? I’m not even a Guardian. I’m no threat. I’m nothing to you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, little mountain.” He smiles, and I’m annoyed to admit it makes him look even more attractive. “You are very important to me. I will do what I can to keep you safe until you come into your magic. Until then, I caution you to not put yourself in dangerous situations.”
Funny enough, I would consider speaking with Belial the most dangerous situation I could ever put myself in…
I have half a mind to ask why I matter to him, but I know Belial will only give me a roundabout or dismissive answer. What matters more is to get out of this dream. I’m not in the mindset to search him for information. And if I heard him right, he insinuated there’d be more dream sharing in the future. I need to speak with Logan and come up with a game plan for when that happens.
“Did you hear me, little mountain?”
“Yes.” Fear makes me snap back. “I heard you.”
“And will you promise to be careful? Will you keep your distance from the boy with a death wish?”
His words cause a lump to build in my throat. I choke it back. “I’m always careful.”
Belial’s smile widens. “I’m glad to hear it, little one. Though, my short experience with you indicates the opposite.”
I bite my cheek. No matter what he thinks, he doesn’t know me. I will never promise him anything, and I won’t stop until Logan and I figure out a way to stop demons from taking Guardians.
Belial sighs, almost as if he can hear my rebellious thoughts. “Oh, my mountain, you are going to be a headache, aren’t you?”
Again, I say nothing. I look at the window near me. If I jump, will I be able to jolt myself awake? You can’t really hurt yourself in a dream. Right?
Turns out, I don’t need to formulate my imminent escape.
“Very well.” Belial shrugs. “You can’t say I didn’t try. Until next time, little mountain.” He waves a hand, and the fancy bedroom fades into nothing.
I jolt upright in my bed, gasping for breath.
“Aspen?” Cortney turns on the lamp by her bed. She peers at me through sleepy, bleary eyes. “Are you alright?”
“Y-yeah,” I fumble for a response. My body shakes with leftover adrenaline. “Sorry.”
“Was it a bad dream?”
Belial’s handsome smile fills my head. I shake the image away. “Something like that,” I tell her.
She tries to sit up, but her wobbly arms make her fall back onto her pillow. My friend is tired from training with her mentor this afternoon. “Want to talk about it?”
“No!” I say a little too forcefully. Thankfully, Cortney’s sleep-addled mind doesn’t notice.
I soften my tone. “That’s okay, Cortney. I just want to go back to sleep.”
“Okay.” She yawns. “See you in the morning. Night, Aspen.” She turns off the light and rolls over to face the wall.
“Night, Cortney.” I burrow back under my sheets, taking comfort in the familiar feel of the cotton t-shirt and pajama shorts rubbing against my skin.
In seconds, Cortney’s steady breathing tells me she’s asleep. For obvious reasons, I have more trouble.
First Belial kisses me.
Then he saves my life two—no, three times.
He protects me from Azazel and the mundane demons, and then he pulls me into his dream, a skill I didn’t even know was possible.
Belial has a point: the Shadowguard does leave us in the dark about a lot of things.
I consider texting Logan what’s happened, but I realize I can’t. I don’t even have my mentor’s number. That’ll be fixed tomorrow. We can’t work together without having each other’s contact information.
My thoughts continue down several more sleep-depriving paths before, finally, I begin to feel tired. Shifting on my side, I let my eyes fall closed, resigned to face this newest trial in the morning. For now, I need to rest. After all, I have Combatives and training with Logan tomorrow. I�
�ll need all the energy I can get.
I release a long, tired yawn and succumb to my need to rest.
Just as exhaustion pulls me into sleep, I swear I hear Belial’s faint, soothing voice murmur in my mind, “Sweet dreams, my little Aspen. We will meet again soon.”
Untitled
To be continued.
Also by Samantha Britt
SHADOWGUARD ACADEMY
Demon Guard
Demon Marked
THE DARK FAE TRILOGY
Running From Darkness - Prequel
Stolen by Darkness
Marked by Darkness
Queen of Darkness
CURSE OF THE DRAEKON
Chosen
Possession
Freed
THE FALLEN HAREM
Claimed by the Fallen
Hunted by the Fallen
Protected by the Fallen
Touched by the Fallen
Saved by the Fallen
THE IMMORTAL CHRONICLES
Enlightened
Ensnared
Envisioned
Enraptured
Enticed: An Immortal Chronicles Story
Endured: Thane’s Story
Envied: Gregory’s Story
DUAL COURT SERIES
Will of Fate
Work of Fate
Waiting for Fate
Demon Guard Page 21