Page 10 of Wicked Dreams

My stomach revolted with the thought of having to bury myself deep inside this woman, a woman who wasn’t Olivia. But I pushed the thought away and willed myself to finish the task at hand. I’d done this countless times before, each time twisting my guts with remorse. The only way I was ever able to finish was by thinking back on the times Olivia and I shared, hiding away from the king while I fucked his future queen any way she’d let me. The memories were so vivid. I could remember the sweetness of her taste on my tongue, like strawberries in the summer. I could remember the way she smelled of fresh cut roses and jasmine, the scent filling my nostrils. And I could remember just how hot and tight she was around me. Just imagining it pushed me over the edge, and I thrust deeper and harder until I was tearing apart at the seams, spilling every last drop.

My hips slowed as her muscles began to contract around me. A warming feeling settled over me. It was hot and heavy as I absorbed her soul. And even though I hated what I’d become, it rejuvenated me, causing me to feel stronger and more powerful. I caught my reflection in a mirror. My red eyes and distraught face gazed back at me. Anger and soul stealing always made my damn eyes red.

With much effort, I forced myself to look away and to see the woman I’d taken rather than the woman I’d envisioned. She was now limp in my arms. Her eyes were wide, but they were glassy and frosted over. Her red lips were dry and turning purple. And her once smooth, tan skin was pale and felt cold and hard to the touch. Thankfully, they never saw it coming. Their souls were ripped from their bodies so fast, they felt nothing but the pleasure I gave them. At least that’s what I told myself whenever I looked down at their faces afterwards.

Remorsefully, I removed myself from her and placed her gently on the couch, covering her body with a throw blanket that was tossed over the back.

Why did I feel the need to cover them afterwards?We were only in a dream. When their bodies were discovered, they were exactly as they were when they fell asleep: safe and warm in their beds. I guess it was my way of showing my regret. My respect for the dead. It just didn’t feel right if I didn’t cover them.

As their brains finally died, I was tossed out of their dreams. Part of me knew they were still alive for a few moments after their souls had been taken. Their bodies wanted to live but couldn’t. Not without their souls. They dried out like the dead the instant their souls were mine, leaving behind struggling, confused shells of what once was.

It sickened me. Without a word, I grabbed my clothing and left the room behind me as I forced my way back into Hell, refusing to feel bad for delivering the latest woman to its hot depths. I was only doing what Ihadto do. If I didn’t take the souls I needed, I’d vanish — cease to exist. And there was no way in hell I would let that happen. Not since I’d finally found Olivia.

I stepped back through the projection and turned to look over the flashing images, hoping for a glimpse of my girl. I watched as dreams played out before me, none of the women in them even remotely as beautiful as Olivia. But then, there she was.

Olivia came into view. Without thinking, I stepped forward, walking into her dream. I only needed a moment. I couldn’t control myself.

I found myself in a darkened corner of a bedroom, only I wasn’t alone. Olivia was there, along with some teenaged prick. Immediately, I could tell this wasn’t some fantasy — it was a memory.

“Take it off for me, baby,” he breathed out.

With shaking hands, she pulled her tank top off, revealing a white bra. His hands flew up and cupped her large chest, making a deep growl escape my throat. She was mine.Who the fuck did he think he was?No one touched her!

“God. Just how I imagined,” he moaned as his lips pressed to her toned stomach.

I couldn’t hold back any longer. I ran forward and grabbed ahold of him by his shirt, dragging him up to my level. Olivia stumbled backwards, watching as everything unfolded, her vibrant green eyes wide with fright.

I threw one punch, landing a solid hit to his jaw, and then another to his stomach. He groaned with the hits and doubled over.

“Don’tevertouch her again,” I spat out as I opened the door and threw him from the room with my chest heaving in anger. I knew this wasn’t real. It was just an ugly dream that was haunting her. Lucky for the teenage jockstrap because if it had been real, he wouldn’t have been so lucky. I’d have beat his ass into the next century for even thinking about touching her.

I locked the door and turned around to face her. “This doesn’t change anything, you know? Whatever happened that night, it still happened. This is nothing but a dream, andthatwe can control.” I bent down and picked up her shirt, handing it over.

She quickly took it and slipped it on, covering up the body I longed to hold again. “Donovan? How’d you get here? You weren't here that night.” She sat down on the edge of the bed, and I sat next to her.

How could I put it, so she’d understand… or believe me?

“Let’s just say that… I’m your subconscious, and this”—I motioned around the room— “is your nightmare. I didn’t change anything that happened that night. Right now, I’m just trying to protect you from reliving a traumatic memory. And maybe you were looking for someone to help. So here I am.”

“My subconscious?” Confusion laced her delicate voice.

I nodded my head. “That’s right. I know your secret wishes and deepest desires.” I flashed her a grin as I waggled my eyebrows in her direction, wanting her to smile for me and relax.

“What do I desire?” she whispered, leaning in until her shoulder pressed against mine. Her touch sent the flames within me into a reckless wildfire. It took me a moment to compose myself. I knew what she wanted. She wasn’t the girl I’d once known. This Olivia was barely being held together, tormented and torn down daily.

“You want a normal life. You want friends. You want to be accepted. You want… love.” With each word, I moved in a little closer until we were practically nose-to-nose. I wanted her so badly, the fire within choking me from all the desire it ignited. She was righthere. I could kiss her. I could touch her. My beautiful girl sat beside me, staring at me with so much curiosity that I could barely stop myself from bursting out with our story, begging her to remember me. Rememberus.

I licked my lips, and her eyes fell to my mouth. I could try. Ihadto try. “Let me show you.”

Without further warning, I pressed my lips to hers and a flood of emotion and wanting washed over me. It was nothing compared to how I felt moments ago. This was amplified by the taste of her lips. By the breath she gasped out into my mouth. The way she felt so close to me. Two hundred years of missing her and yearning for her all poured out of me at once, and I was completely lost to the heightened emotions she brought back.

Somewhere deep inside of her, she remembered me. I could tell by the way she kissed me. Her soft lips and strong tongue danced alongside my own, and her hands found their way into my hair, threading the strands between her fingers as she pulled me closer. A soft moan escaped her lips, and it fanned the fire burning inside of me, bringing my dick to life.

I was nowhere near done with her when she pulled away, her wide, green eyes locked on mine and her lips swollen from our kiss. They parted as if she was going to say something. I prayed for her to say something. Say she remembered me. To say she missed me. To say she’d been searching for me for as long as I’d been searching for her. But before any words could escape, she slowly faded away, leaving me sitting alone on the bed as she drifted back to the waking world.

To a world I didn’t belong to.

Olivia

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