by Unknown
“That's wonderful but no,” I admired his beautiful wings before he refolded them. “I need to get into the Realm of Dreams. Kirill has come under the influence of a Russian dream goddess and left me for her. I can't breech her wards so I need to go in another way. If I can get into his mind, maybe I can undo the damage she's caused.”
“A Russian dream goddess?” Morpheus frowned. “Do you mean Nastasija?”
“Yeah, that's her,” I frowned. “You know her?”
“She's a dream deity, of course I know her,” he shrugged. “She's kind of a recluse but then most of us are.”
“We sent Kirill out to talk to her back when we were trying to figure out who you were,” I nodded. “Now it looks like she may have taken a liking to him.”
“Well, he's pretty buff,” Morpheus nodded and smiled at me. “No? Too soon for levity?”
“No, it's fine,” I gave a little laugh. “I'm just anxious to get to him. Do you mind if I use the Gates of Horn?”
“Not at all but if I may offer some advice?”
“Yes, of course.”
“We should get into Nastasija's head first,” he grinned devilishly. “That's where the source of the spell is and so that's where we should go.”
“We?”
“You think I'm letting you go in there alone?” He scoffed. “Two dream gods are better than one.”
“But I'm not a dream god.”
“You're a fey,” he harrumphed. “You kind of outrank me.”
“Thanks, Morpheus.”
“I owe you, Vervain. If I can help you in return, it'll be my pleasure.”
I walked with him to the Gates of Horn, which were made of, well, horns. As in antlers. Lots of them. From all kinds of critters. They were gates a mountain man would envy. Morpheus placed his hand directly in the center, at the junction where the two doors met. They swung open silently at his touch, revealing a world of midnight blue mist and flowing veils that hung suspended in mid-air.
Each veil was a door into someone's dream. There were millions of them, stretching on endlessly into the mist, hanging everywhere without rhyme or reason. I frowned, realizing that I had no idea what Nastasija even looked like. All I had was her name.
“Can we find her with just a name?” I asked Morpheus.
“I know more than that about her,” he reassured me. “We actually met once. Here,” he held his hand out to me, “we'll find her together.”
I put my hand in his and he closed his eyes, a look of concentration settling over his face. When we started to move, I closed my eyes too. Sometimes it's better not to look when you traveled with a god. I felt the moment we settled into place and opened my eyes to find a blue veil hovering before us.
“Nastasija?” I looked to Morpheus for confirmation.
He nodded and pulled aside the veil. Inside, Nastasija's dream was a lavish room more suited to a Moroccan Princess than a Russian goddess. There were thick carpets over the floors, low tables over those, and piles of pillows everywhere. A fountain bubbled happily under a sky light of cut stone that cast a pattern of sunbeams everywhere. Potted palms curved languidly over a couple sitting next to the fountain. The man laid in the woman's lap and her delicate, pale hands traced over his skin lightly. She hummed softly, happily.
I growled and started forward but Morpheus reached out a hand to stop me.
“This is her dream, remember?” He cautioned me. “That's not really Kirill.”
“But now I'm absolutely certain that it's her who has him.” I narrowed my eyes on her. “And what she wants him for.”
“Yes, I think we can safely assume that,” Morpheus looked over the blonde woman who touched Kirill like he belonged to her. “This may be to our benefit.”
“How so?”
“You would've had to search her mind through her dreams,” he shrugged. “It could have taken you all night to find the link to Kirill and thus the magic binding him. Now, we need only go through his image.”
“Through his image?” I didn't like the sound of that.
“Again I remind you that this isn't really Kirill,” he said patiently. “What it is, is a link to Kirill. She's established a connection to him through magic so when she dreams of him, that connection automatically attaches itself to her imagery of him. It's akin to the link humans create with gods through idols.”
“Pardon me? A link through idols?”
“Don't you know about that?” He looked surprised. “Haven't you ever heard of humans hearing voices speaking to them through statues of gods? Or having statues come to life? Move? Bleed? Cry? Gods have used the links created by human belief to encourage, warn, support, or advise their followers. It's safer for us that way. Kind of like a rock star calling a fan on his cell phone instead of showing up at their house for an unannounced visit.”
“Yeah, I can see how that might be risky,” I frowned and stared at the image of Kirill. The woman he laid on was slight in figure, with a teeny tiny waist, teeny tiny hands, and teeny tiny boobs. She was graceful and ethereally beautiful. I wanted to tear her into teeny tiny bits.
“So how do I go through Kirill's image?” I frowned as another thought occurred to me. “And why hasn't she spotted us yet?”
“Do you want her to see us?” He countered.
“No.”
“Then that's why she hasn't.”
“Are you saying the Realm of Dreams responds to my wishes, even unspoken ones?”
“Now it does,” he grinned. “Once you realized your power here, you opened yourself up to it. You basically gave the realm permission to obey you, if that makes any sense.”
“I think it does,” I gave a little chuckle. “There are no limits here and we are in control. We can do whatever we wish.”
“You can do whatever you wish,” he corrected. “We're in a god dream and a dream god's dream at that. I have no power here but you do. Your fey blood outweighs her Atlantean. This is your world, she's just a visitor.”
“Good to know,” I grinned maliciously and started forward. “So, if I'm understanding you correctly, all I have to do is reach into that image of Kirill and focus on finding the magic that's bound to him.”
“Yes, precisely.”
“And then what?”
“And then, Godhunter,” Morpheus grinned. “You tear it out of her and destroy it.”
“I think I can manage that.”
I stopped in front of the happy couple and knelt. I was inches away from her and Nastasija didn't have a clue. It was kind of satisfying but then she lowered her lips to Kirill's, his elegant hands sinking into her hair, and it ceased to be amusing. I started to reach forward but Morpheus stopped me once more with a hand on my shoulder.
“Yes?” I looked back at him with a lifted brow.
“I just thought I should warn you that doing this will awaken the goddess while your lover will still be sleeping. She may restrain him in some way. Perhaps try to prevent him from returning to you.”
“So what do I do?”
“I don't know,” he shrugged. “I just thought I should warn you.”
“Okay, yeah, thanks for the warning,” I sighed. “Just let me think a second.”
I stared at Nastasija as I pondered. Agh, I wanted to pry their lips apart. I wondered if she was making him dream of her as well. This image of Kirill could be more of a link to him than Morpheus thought. Which gave me an idea.
“Okay, I've got it,” I declared. “I need you to go into Kirill's dreams. Can you do that?”
“Sure,” he shrugged and waved a hand at the dream Kirill. “I've already got a location on him.”
“Good,” I nodded. “Get in there and wait. When you see him become himself once more, which I'm sure will be quite obvious, tell him to wake up and trace home as soon as he can. I'll keep Nastasija here for as long as possible.”
“Do you think she'll fall for your distractions?”
“I'm not going to use a distraction,” I grinned. “I'm going to test my
power over the Realm of Dreams.”
“Oh,” his eyes went wide. “You're going to trap a dream goddess in her own dream? Damn, I wish I could stay to see that.”
“Do you think it'll work?” I asked hopefully.
“Haven't a clue,” he shrugged with a grin, “but if anyone can do it, you can. Good luck, Vervain.”
“Thank you,” I nodded. “Take care of Kirill for me.”
“Consider it done,” then he went back to the veil and left the dream.
“It's just me and you now,” I said to her as I sank my hand into Kirill's chest.
It was a good guess on my part. The link was right in the region of where his heart should have been. I felt it immediately, a burning cord of red. The color of power, of dominance. I grabbed hold of it and pulled. Changing someone's free will was difficult, keeping it changed took even more energy. Kirill's soul was in a constant battle to reassert itself. So when I went in, I tipped the scales in his favor and Nastasija's magic practically flew out of him. The bond broke and the dream image of Kirill disappeared with it.
Nastasija screamed in horror, pulling back from the empty space that had held Kirill, as she searched the room. I stood up, looming above her, and let her see me. Her eyes went wide with shock, her mouth falling open. She knew me, I could see the recognition in her eyes, and I wondered if she'd spied on me or if Kirill had shown her a picture. Whatever the case, she knew who had invaded her dream and she also knew she was no match for me.
“You,” she hissed and scuttled back on the pillows away from me. “You'll never get him back. I'll hold him by force if I have to.” She looked so smug for a second and then her face changed. It became more and more anxious until she finally blurted out, “Vhat have you done to me? Vhy can't I return to my body?”
“Because I don't want you to,” I grinned maliciously and flung myself down on a pile of pillows.
“Your vants mean nothing in my dream,” she snarled, her accent so similar to Kirill's. “I'm a dream goddess, my power is supreme here.”
Huh. Maybe she didn't know she was outgunned.
“And I'm fey,” I said conversationally, as if I had all the time in the world. I imagined a drink and it appeared in my hand. I took a sip and enjoyed the sweet pineapple taste of a plantation iced tea. “We made this realm, you know.” Then I widened my eyes at her blank look. “Oh. You didn't know. What kind of a dream goddess are you that you didn't know who created the Dream Realm?”
“I never even vondered,” she growled. “It doesn't matter. You don't deserve Kirill. He told me of your other lovers, about how he has to share you. Ve talked for hours vhen he came to see me ze first time. Zat time you zought I may have been plaguing your dreams. Now here you are in mine. Vhy did you send him to me if you vere already so powerful in zis realm?”
“Back then, I had no idea of my power here,” I took another sip of my tea. “I discovered it through that situation but never mind all that. Back to Kirill. It's not about deserving or undeserving. We found each other, we saved each other, and we love each other. Kirill will never be yours because he's already given his entire heart to me.”
I realized it was true as I spoke the words and also realized how much of a fool I'd been to have believed that he would ever do or say those things to me. I should have trusted in Kirill. Trevor had, why hadn't I? Maybe it was because there was some truth in what Nastasija had said. I didn't deserve him. I didn't deserve any of them and everyday I was surprised to find that they still loved me, still stood beside me. Not because I doubted them but because I doubted myself. My worth.
Speaking with Nastasija was accomplishing something very important for me. It was showing me that doubting myself was just as bad as doubting them. I was separating us when we weren't separate. We were bonded together and made into something greater than ourselves. I needed to start trusting in us.
More love might mean more heartache but it also meant you had more strength to endure it.
“He had no other options,” Nastasija was continuing through my epiphany. “You are his Tima and Intare love their goddess, it's a part of the magic.”
“Not anymore,” I shook my head, smiling with the new certainty that was filling me with a near to bursting happiness. “My Intare are free to love whomever they wish. Kirill came to me on his own and he bound himself to me knowing fully what he was getting into. No one will take that from us, not with magic or seduction. I will always find him and bring him home and he will always come home to me if he can. You are the one who tried to take away his choice, his will. I'm the one who frees him.”
She screamed in rage and flew at me, hands twisted into claws. I gave her a pitying look and waved a hand in her direction. She went sailing backwards to land in the fountain. Before she could come at me again, ropes appeared out of nowhere and tied her arms firmly back, around the central column of the fountain. She glared at me as water continued to pour over her shoulders.
“Now,” I sat back and took another sip of my tea. “Let's just wait here awhile so I can be sure Kirill's had enough time to get home safe. We can get to know each other better. For instance, has Kirill told you I'm a dragon as well?”
I smiled as her eyes widened and the color drained out of her already pale face.
Chapter Forty-Nine
I held Nastasija in her own dream for quite awhile, just to be sure. I knew this would be our only shot at getting Kirill out of her clutches. We had a nice chat about what I would do to her if she ever came near me or mine again. I stayed so long in fact, Morpheus ended up coming back in to get me.
“Are you kidding me?” He said as he walked back into the dream. “What the hell is this?”
“I thought we should play chess while we waited for Kirill to get away,” I explained as Nastasija threw back another shot of vodka. “But Ms Thing doesn't like playing chess. She didn't want to play cards either, saying that the cards would be controlled by me anyway and I had to agree she had a point there. So we decided to drink. It turns out I can make her drunk if I want to.”
“That's not even real vodka,” he pointed out.
“Tastes real to me,” Nastasija slurred in a Russian accent that had grown thicker with the addition of alcohol. “Za lyoo bof!” She slammed back another.
“This is amazing,” Morpheus took a seat beside us. “What is she saying?”
“I don't know,” I shrugged. “I don't speak Russian. Probably Screw you, Godhunter.”
“I say,” she frowned and corrected. “I said a cheering.”
“A what?” I frowned at her.
“A cheering,” she frowned back. “A saying for ven you are vith ze drinking.”
“A toast, you mean,” Morpheus offered.
“Da, zis is vhat I saying,” she shook her head as if she could clear it. Okay, so I might have been having just a little bit of fun at her expense.
“What did it mean?” I asked. “Your cheering?”
“It means, to love,”she sighed and passed out across the short table between us.
“This is so unbelievably cool,” Morpheus picked her head up by her hair and stared into her snoring face. “She's passed out in her own dream. Unbelievable.”
He dropped her head and she landed on the table with a thunk.
“Drinking slows your mind, right?” I winked at him. “In the Realm of Dreams, all you are is your thoughts, your soul, and I have control of it. So, I just wish her drunk and her mind slows.”
“Bravo, Godhunter,” he nodded. “And you may like to know that your lion is home, safe and sound. He's a tad anxious to see you. That's actually why I'm here. He sent me back in to get you. His exact words were: Go get my voman, dream god.”
“No way,” I laughed.
“Nah,” Morpheus chuckled. “He was much nicer about it but he might as well have said that. He looked ready to hurt someone.”
“Well, I'm glad he's home. I'm tired of messing with her anyway,” I waved a hand at Nastasija. “Let's bl
ow this popsicle joint.”
“I have no idea what you just said,” he laughed, “but I'm totally down with it.”
I woke Nastasija up before we left so I could give her one more quick, Stay the hell away from my man warning and then we headed back for the Gates of Horn. They were open and waiting for us when we reached them. We went through and closed them behind us.
“Thank you,” I turned to Morpheus and hugged him. “You were the only one who could help me and you came through for both me and Kirill. That means a lot in my book.”
“I hope you'll allow me to keep being a part of that book,” he grinned. “I like you and your friends.”
“You are one of my friends,” I nudged him with my shoulder. “And you know, we're always looking for new members on the God Squad.”
“I may take you up on that invitation,” he said thoughtfully. “I think I'd enjoy helping others like you helped me. Either way, I'll see you soon.”
“Great, but hopefully not in my dreams. We've had enough drama there,” I laughed and headed back out into the Land of Dreams. It was time to turn into a dragon and fly home.
Chapter Fifty
“Tima,” Kirill was standing within the tracing chamber when I traced in.
“Kirill,” I ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck and burying my face into his chest with relief.
I inhaled deep, pulling in the scent of lion that clung to him even in human form. It calmed me like nothing else could, on a level too deep for words to reach. There were only feelings there and now those feelings were light and fluttery. Butterfly wings on skin. Kirill was home. And by that I meant he was in my arms.
“I'm so sorry,” he whispered into my hair.
“No apologies,” I pulled back and studied his face. It was completely him again. No strange glimmers of someone else in his eyes. “We both messed up but it's Nastasija we should blame.”
“I should have known she'd try something,” he shook his head. “Vhen I visited her she vas very aggressive vith her pursuit. I know vomen like zat. I lived vith Nyavirezi long enough. I should have varned you. Maybe ve could have prepared for zis.”
