Page 31 of Charming Her Monsters

I feel a kiss on the top of my head and drift off, happy to know my two monsters are safely in my bed.

* * *

Darkness surrounds me, but I know I’m not awake or in bed next to my guys.

No. I’m lost in a forest.

When I allow my consciousness to reach out to the dark, like Osen inadvertently showed me how to do when he took over my body, I sense I’m in Elfhame.

Not that I’m all that familiar with the fae realm, but I had a good dose of the energetic feel of the place during our cross-realm trek to Maxum’s home.

Why am I here?

Of course, my first instinct is to wonder if I’m reliving another one of Osen’s memories. I don’t have the same sensations as I did when we were connected, though.

I fear, once again, that our incubus is lost.Ours. When did I claim him as mine?

Even though he’s inhabited my body and brought me immense sexual pleasure, I don’t know if I have the right to claim him that way. Or in any way.

“Osen?” I whisper. It’s my voice, not his, that cuts through this dark quiet.

So if I’m not in his memory, or anyone’s memory, where am I? And why? Maybe I have dream magic as Maxum suggested.

This feels too tangible to be a normal dream.

Eerily, I can hear a woman hum a song—like a lullaby. It echoes around me, from everywhere and nowhere. This song feels familiar.

It sounds a bit like… my abuela?

Now, I’m very confused. If my grandmother was a witch, why is she in the fae realm?

“You shouldn’t be here, mija.”

“Abuela?” I ask. “Where are we? Are you alive?”

“You are here, because your pendant is gone,” she says.

Is this real? Is this now?

“How do you know about the pendant?” I ask, “Why did you suppress my power?”

“I meant to come back and teach you about your power. I didn’t get the chance.”

“Are you working with Rob? Did you kill Osen?”

“No. Never.” I can almost hear her shaking her head. “Your pendant was meant to protect you… hide you… from those who would harm you or use your power.”

“What powers?” I wonder if there’s more than my mediumship and dream magic. “Why would someone want to harm me? Or use me? Why me?”

“There are always those who crave more power,” she answers cryptically. “Those who are filled with hate and bigotry.”

“What power?”

“You already know you are unique.”

“What? Because I can channel the soul of a supernatural being?”

“Yes, that sort of gift hasn’t happened before.” She sounds so sad.

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