The Other Side of Dreams (Nighstalker Novels Book 1)

by Jennifer Tilson

  “You know who I’m talking about.”

  His smile drops. “He doesn’t. Gavyn just has a hard time trusting people.”

  “No, it’s more than that. What did he say to you before Gideon began his speech?”

  “He just asked me to reconsider taking you since you are still so new.”

  “That’s all he said?” Aeryn nods. “And that’s exactly how he said it?”

  “More or less.”

  “Promise me that was all he said.” The magic little words.

  He hesitates before answering. “We should get moving.”

  “I knew it.”

  “What he thinks doesn’t matter. You just need to show him he’s wrong.” I follow Aeryn out of the room and through the castle.

  “Where are we headed? What’s the southeast area?”

  “Your hometown.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small bag that looks like the bag Hanna had given me. He opens it, grabs a pinch of the sand, and hands the bag to me. “Wait about 15 minutes before you take yours. My shell is hidden in the park, so the trek to your place will take some time. I want to be there when you wake in your shell.”

  “Why?”

  “Just promise me you’ll wait to take yours?”

  “Fine.” The reluctance is obvious.

  “Say it.”

  “I promise.” He nods and drops the sand in his mouth. There’s a small gust of wind, and he’s gone.

  …

  It’s good to be home, but it feels different somehow. Something has changed, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Aeryn sits on the floor leaning against the wall when I awake in my shell. He pushes himself up when he notices my eyes open. “I believe that was longer than 15 minutes.”

  “I didn’t exactly have a watch to measure.”

  “Let’s get started.” He leads the way to the living room, and I brush off the thought that he’s stalked me enough to know the blueprints of my house. He pulls out a map, smoothing it on the coffee table as I pour us two glasses of chocolate milk. He laughs when I hand him his cup. “Chocolate milk? What are you five?”

  “Hey, it’s not like I’ve had time to go shopping. It was either this or tap water. And trust me, you don’t want the tap water.” He takes a big gulp of his chocolate milk leaving a milky brown arc on his lip. “Nice ‘stache.”

  He looks at his reflection in the television. “I like it.”

  There’s a knock on the door, and I jump, spilling chocolate milk on the map. “Crap!”

  “Whoa relax, it’s just Hanna.” He grabs a towel from the kitchen and mops up the milk.

  “How do you know it’s her?”

  “Because only a guardian would show up immediately after you arrive. Are you going to answer that?”

  I sit a few seconds longer before moving. I’m still upset with her and don’t feel like fighting again, but he motions for me to answer it, and I reluctantly oblige.

  “Are you ok?” She blurts out as soon as I open the door.

  “I’m fine Hanna. What are you doing here?”

  “I felt you were back, so I wanted to check on you.”

  “Felt? So anytime I do anything you’ll know?”

  “It doesn’t exactly work that way. I’ll know when you’re in danger or enter and leave my world.”

  “That’s great, so you’re like Lassie. You know when Timmy has fallen down the well.” I ignore the hurt in Hanna’s eyes. I have a right to what I said. Hanna lied to me for six years, I can be sarcastic for a few days.

  “Hanna why don’t you come in, we could actually use your help.” Aeryn offers and Hanna gently pushes past me, sitting on the floor next to him.

  “Excuse me? I’m pretty sure this is still my house.” I shoot Aeryn a look.

  “Yes, but you’re still too upset to see she can be of assistance. Just let her help, ok?” I slam the door shut and take my seat on the opposite side.

  “Who are our targets then?” A look of apprehension passes between them. They know something I don’t. The light inside me burns like a bonfire. I’m sick of all the secrets and half-truths. I flip my arms to hide the glowing veins.

  Aeryn clears his throat before finally answering my question. “Our possibles are Jake Harris, Brandon Galloway.” He mumbles through the last name. “And William O’Leary.”

  “Will? Will is one of our targets?”

  “He’s not a target, none of them are, not yet. They’re just possibles.” Hanna answers.

  “What does that even mean?” I push the map, and it falls to the floor. Hanna quietly returns the map to the table, smoothing out the folds, unfazed by my small fit of anger.

  “It means there is a possibility they are Nightmares, but they aren’t targets until it’s confirmed,” Aeryn answers this time.

  “Was this another fact you two promised not to share?”

  Hanna keeps her eyes on the map, smoothing out the last crease.

  “I already told you Will isn’t a Nightmare, but since you two have this all figured out, why don’t you guys handle it without me.” I storm off, slamming the door to my room, I’m sure old lady Barbara will give me a piece of her mind tomorrow about all the noise.

  I grab my phone to dial Will’s number but end the call after the first ring. With how I’m feeling right now, I might tell him everything, and that would put him in even more danger. The less he knows about all this, the better off he is. I grab the picture of my mom I keep stuck to my mirror before taking a seat on my bed. I wish I could talk to her, all of this might be an easier pill to swallow if it had come from her. I try to imagine what insight she would have on this, but all I hear is my dad’s voice. Trust your instincts bug. It’s the only thing you can trust.

  It just feels like a bad dream, like I could wake up at any moment, and I would be a little girl again with my mom hugging me, saying it was all going to be ok. I wipe away a tear as knuckles rap against the door. I don’t want either of them to know I’m in here sobbing about the loss of my old life, my normal life. “Nadia?” It’s Aeryn. I return to my spot on the bed after opening the door.

  “I’m sorry.” He says.

  “Sorry for what?” I ask, a little too bratty.

  “Everything. My apology list is as long as my arm.” I spot a smudge of dirt on his neck as he takes a seat beside me. A hazard of stashing your shell in a park. “I’m sorry for not telling you Will is a possible, and for keeping stuff from you. I try to decide what’s best for you to know and what we should wait to tell you. Maybe I’ve made the wrong choices and some facts I was ordered not to say. It’s hard to know how much one person can handle.”

  “I should be the one to decide what I can and can’t handle.”

  “You’re right, but you have to understand there are some truths I had to keep from you. If the first thing I said to you was one of your best friends might be a Nightmare, and the other was your guardian, you would have thought I was crazy.”

  I want to be mad at him, but I’m not. “I still think you’re crazy.” A smile tugs at my lips. “But why is Will a possible?” I can’t say it without sounding sarcastic.

  “Partially because of what I’ve seen while following him, and partially because of the feelings Hanna has been having.”

  “So, because you and Hanna don’t like him?” It comes out harsher than I intend.

  “Guardians get feelings for a reason, Nadia, it’s what we do.” Hanna pleads as she comes out from hiding in the hallway.

  “That’s why she was hanging around that Thatcher guy so much,” Aeryn adds.

  “I’m pretty sure I know what feelings she was having about him.” I bark, and Hanna retreats a few steps.

  “No, she had a feeling he was a Nightmare, so she’s been trying to investigate him.” Aeryn reasons.

  “Then why isn’t he a possible instead of Will?”

  “Because he didn’t pan out. He has nothing to suggest he was going after you.”

  “And just because he wa
sn’t going after me means he isn’t a Nightmare?”

  “It’s hard to explain.”

  “All of this was hard to explain. You could at least try.” He hesitates before speaking.

  “Nadia, you’re more valuable and vulnerable than you realize. If the Nightmares get to you before you can control your light, you’re as good as dead. If there is a Nightmare in this town, it would have been sent for you.”

  “He’s not a Nightmare.” I sound like a pouty five-year-old.

  “I hope you’re right, but it’s my job to make sure.”

  “Fine, let’s talk to him clear this up.”

  …

  “Thanks for coming over.” I wrap my arms tight around his neck before he walks inside. My way of silently apologizing for the investigation about to unfold. He takes a seat next to Hanna, while I find mine next to Aeryn. His comfort level must have already plummeted if he’s choosing to sit by her willingly.

  Will and Aeryn exchange glances until finally, Will speaks, breaking the awkward silence. “Uh...it’s nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise.” Aeryn’s tone is skeptical. He’s trying to read Will’s every twitch and mannerism.

  “What’s going on?” Will asks, eyeing the room.

  “We just wanted to hang out and—”

  “Why do you have so many pictures of Nadia?” Aeryn cuts me off, and my mouth hits the floor. I imagined this conversation would be a little more elegant than that.

  “What?” Will tries to catch my attention, but I turn away, wrapping my hands around the back of my neck. I don’t want him to know I helped plan this attack on him.

  “Why do you have so many pictures of Nadia?” Aeryn says it slower, enunciating every syllable.

  “I don’t know wha—”

  “Don’t play ignorant. I’ve seen them.” Aeryn cuts him off.

  “What do you mean you’ve seen them?” Will’s cheeks start to blush, and mine follow suit. I clench the cushion in my fists to keep from launching myself out of the room.

  “I’ve seen you pull out that little notebook and stare at the photos of her.” This is much worse than I imagined. My knees bounce up and down as I chew on the corner of my lip.

  “You’ve been following me? Spying on me?” I can see the hurt and anger all over Will’s face.

  “Is there a reason you’re getting so upset?” Aeryn’s voice remains calm.

  “Yeah, there is, it’s because I’ve been followed by a lunatic.” Will turns to me. “Did you put him up to this? Did you hire some creep to follow me around?”

  “What? No. Will I—”

  “Whatever, I’m out of here.” He stands up, but Aeryn blocks his way to the door.

  “You didn’t answer the question.” Aeryn reminds him.

  Hanna stares at them like a deer in headlights. This wasn’t what she expected either. Pushing myself off of the couch, I take a couple steps towards them. I don’t have a plan but maybe reminding them of my presence will be enough to stop whatever fight may happen.

  “You want to know? It’s because I’m in love with her.” I sit back down, finally looking at him. “And don’t look at me like that, Nadia. You know this, it’s not like it’s some big secret. I not so secretly pine after you because you won’t give me the light of day. I thought I could find out stuff you liked and take an interest in it, to get closer to you. But if you wanted me out of your life, you could have just said so. You didn’t need to hire some goon.” Will pushes past Aeryn and I shudder when the door slams.

  My mind races to old lady Barbara before I push myself off of the couch. Aeryn grabs my hand as I try to follow Will, but I rip it away pushing him back. “Will!” He’s already in his truck. “Wait, please.” He hesitates for a moment but backs onto the road not looking back. I fight the urge to chase him, remaining in the driveway until I can no longer see the glowing red of his tail lights.

  CHAPTER 13

  IT’S BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE we investigated Will. Aeryn finally admitted he should have trusted my judgment and apologized, but that doesn’t fix my relationship with Will. We humiliated him. What could ever fix this? I’ve tried to apologize and explain my actions, but he’s been avoiding me since that night. Every time my phone buzzes in my pocket, I think he’s finally forgiven me, but it’s never him. Aeryn follows our second possible while I spend most of my time staring at my cell phone. “So, what’s the deal with this Brandon Galloway?” Hanna asks pushing the container of fried rice towards me.

  “He’s a law student. Graduating next fall.” Aeryn says between bites of noodles.

  “Why would a Nightmare waste time going to law school?”

  He shrugs. “Our concern comes from a research paper he wrote about the effects of dreams and nightmares.”

  “If a Nightmare was so desperate to go to school, he could have at least finished my classes for me,” I say passing the fried rice to Aeryn and grabbing the box of spring rolls.

  Hanna grabs the rolls from me. “You’re almost finished. I, on the other hand, still have another year. Or two.”

  “It’s not my fault you skipped all of your classes freshman year.”

  “The parties Nadia, so many parties. How was I supposed to make it to morning classes?”

  “What about your afternoon classes?”

  “I had already ruined the day by missing the morning ones. There really was no point in attending the evening class.”

  Aeryn pushes the food container into the center of the table and stands to retrieve his jacket. “Well, it doesn’t appear I will have anything beneficial to add to this conversation since I never went to college.” His eyes fall on Hanna. “Or skipped college classes. So, I should get going. Brandon is a creature of habit and should be headed to his night class soon.”

  “Should I feel bad that a Nightmare is a better student than me?”

  “Yes.” Aeryn and I say in rhythm, and Hanna shrugs.

  “I’ll be back soon.”

  “Wait, shouldn’t I go with you?” I say taking one more bite before fetching my flip flops from the closet.

  “It would be easier if I go alone.” He eyes my questionable choice in footwear.

  “What if he is a Nightmare? Won’t you need backup?”

  “Are you worried about me?” Even when he’s smug, he’s charming.

  “Not worried, I just want to try using my light again.”

  “And there’s the reason it would be best if I go alone. You’re still trying. You need a little more practice before facing a Nightmare.”

  “Then why did Gavyn agree to this?”

  “Because you had a connection with one of the possibles. It made it easy to get to him.”

  “Wow. Ok, I don’t know what I was expecting.”

  “I’m sorry, but we needed the upper hand.”

  “It’s fine, at least I got the truth this time. Just go track down your guy. I have some studying to do anyway unless I want to end up a college dropout like Hanna.” I toss my shoes in the corner and grab my textbook from the kitchen counter.

  “Hey, I am not a dropout. A college fail-out is an honest possibility though.”

  I ignore Hanna, pretending to read my book. “It shouldn’t take too long,” Aeryn says before slipping out.

  “So, do you want help studying?” Hanna offers, placing the leftover food in the refrigerator.

  With Aeryn gone, the reality of my fractured relationship with Hanna comes crashing down. “No thanks, I’ll just study in my room. I need some peace and quiet.”

  “Oh. Sure.”

  “Help yourself to whatever,” I say before locking myself in my room.

  When Aeryn returns, he’s positive Brandon isn’t a Nightmare. “We should proceed to our last possible once we’ve reported to Gavyn.”

  Each night, we have to report our findings to him and the other Nightstalkers. A couple of the groups have ensnared Nightmares, but most have come up empty like Aeryn, and I. Gavyn and his team have been successful in fi
nding the portal, but to close it, they first have to find out how the Nightmares managed to open it.

  To make matters easier on all of us, Hanna has been staying over at my place to guard both of our shells while they rest and we return to Dream Haven. “Can I ask you something?” I ask Aeryn as we head back to my home in Dream Haven.

  “Does it matter if I say no?”

  “What happens if you touch a night snare?”

  “For most of us, nothing would happen. But those who are not in full control of their light, like you, could take in some of their darkness.”

  “That’s why Gideon told me not to touch the one on his desk.”

  He nods. “Darkness can be tempting, it’s more difficult for those who are new or weak.”

  “So, if we catch one, don’t touch it. Got it. Can I ask you something else?”

  “You don’t have to ask permission to ask a question.”

  “Right. Why does Gideon keep one on his desk?”

  He looks down at his feet. “That’s something you should ask Gideon.”

  “Ah, we’re back to that?”

  “To what?” He asks with a small laugh that lifts his shoulders. “You not answering my questions.”

  He laughs louder this time. “That isn’t my story to tell.”

  “Ok then, let me try a different topic. How did the Nightmares open the portal?”

  “That’s a good question. One we can’t answer yet, which is why we’re so worried. They’ve been trying for years without success, and we haven’t been able to determine what changed, or what allowed them to open it.”

  “How are we able to cross over so easily?” The key wiggles in the doorknob as I try to unlock it.

  “It’s not exactly easy. Since you aren’t in full control of your light, you don’t feel it, but we leave a part of us with the shell. It may not be complicated for us to travel realms, but it’s not easy.”

  “Ok, it’s not easy, but it’s possible with the shells. Why don’t they just use shells like we do?”

  “They’ve tried. Most of the Nightmares are unable to control their darkness, and it destroys the shell.”

  The lock finally clicks and the door swings open. “Does Gavyn have a theory about how they opened the portal?”