Page 33 of Wicked Dreams

“You know Olivia?” I asked him, kneeling down to his level.

“Butt Whore? Yeah, who doesn’t?”

Without warning, I stood and kicked him in the stomach. He curled up in a ball with a groan. “Hey, what was that for?”

Looming over him, I planted a foot on either side of his body and grabbed him by his shirt. “You’renevergoing to call her that again. In fact, you’re never going to touch her again. Got it?”

He tried shoving my hand off him but failed. “Get off of me, man.”

I pulled back my fist. “Isaid, you’re going to leave her alone. Don’t talk to her. Don’t even look at her. Got it?” I threw my fist forward, landing a solid hit to his nose. Blood immediately started spewing.

“I got it!”

I released his shirt and stepped away. I paused, reaching down and scooping up the ball as I walked back over to him. “If youeversee me again, you better fucking run. You got off easy this time.” To make sure I got my point across, I hurled the basketball straight at his face. He took a shuttering inhale, and the next thing I knew, I was back in my apartment, kicked out of his dream because he woke up.

Donovan

“Igot here as fast as I could,” Abe declared, stepping into my living room.

“Not fast enough,” I shot back as I paced my room. “I wasthere. I saw her. Just like you said I’d be able to.”

A wide grin spilled onto his face. “Fuck yeah! You’re close!”

“I am.” I stopped my pacing and stared at him. “I’m scared.”

“Scared?” He blanched at my words, looking at me like I was nuts. “What’s to be scared of? You’re probably only a fuck or two away from getting your girl back. What’s the fear in that?”

“I’m afraid of what it could mean.” I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants. “What if she freaks out when she sees me? She thinks I’m just a dream. What if she’s so terrified she won’t talk to me? What if she realizes that the dreams are what made her want me? What if—”

“What if you’re just being a big pussy and she loves you and fucks your brains out and you’re together again for eternity?”

I nodded, swallowing hard. “You’re right. I’m being dramatic.”

“To be fair, it’s understandable.”

“Her birthday is a few days away. I want to be able to show up for that. Are you sure about what you say, Abe?”

“Yes.” He nodded solemnly. “Gather enough souls. Go to her and make her yours. Make love to her. I’m positive everything will be fine.”

“How do you know?” I narrowed my eyes at him. I’d never really been the trusting sort after all. It didn’t matter that he was my best friend. Something was niggling at me. Maybe it was because it seemedtooeasy. And nothing in my existence had ever been easy.

“Honestly?”

“I don’t want a damn lie,” I growled at him.

“I overheard Malachi bragging about it like fifty years ago down at the bar. Saying the devil told him that you could get enough souls to make it to the surface. Last night I confirmed it. He got drunk and was trying to fuck Celeste. She told him he wasn’t half the demon you are, which pissed him off. Then he went off on a tangent about how you’re nothing but an incubus now. Well, you remember how Celeste was. I think she wants you to succeed just as much as you want to. She started questioning him. Told him she’d suck him off if he told her what happened to you. And he did. Right down to revealing the devil’s secrets.”

“And you’re sure it wasn’t some kind of trick to screw me over?”

“I’m positive. He was wasted on every kind of mind-altering substance we have down here.”

I nodded, rubbing my face. This was good news.Greatnews. I was so close to getting Olivia back I could barely contain my excitement. I looked over at Abe. He had a strange look on his face.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“What? Nothing.” He shook his head, clearing his throat. The look melted off his face, and a smile replaced it. “Malachi didn’t get any from Celeste.”

“No?” I snorted.

---