Page 20 of The Discovered
It was at this point that I became lucid enough to understand this was a dream.
“But it feels real, doesn’t it?” my very realistic Daelon asked. “Admit you want it.” He leaned in close to my face, brushing my upper lip with his thumb. He looked from my eyes to my lips and back again, dangerously, utterly seductive.
“I can’t,” I said, barely audible. I shook my head slightly, and my breath hitched.I don’t know who you are.
“But you do.” There was less than an inch of space between our lips now.
With the smallest movement, I leaned in and met him.
When I awoke, soft rays of light streamed in from the windows. I breathed in shallow gulps of air, and I jumped and nearly screamed when I saw Daelon standing just past the doorway.
“Fuck, Daelon.” A flash of hot embarrassment flooded my system as I covered my face with my arm. “Ever heard of privacy?”
There was the hint of a smirk on his lips. “You were sleeping the day away. I was only making sure you were alive.”
I attempted to collect myself. There was no need for all of this paranoia; he couldn’t see into my dreams.
“What on earth were you dreaming about?”
No, no, please, no.
“Nothing,” I said too quickly. This just might’ve been worse than my nightmares. “I don’t remember.”
“You are a terrible liar.” He raised his eyebrows, regarding me with calculation. “Hmm. What I would give to know…” Compared to his demeanor in the early hours of the morning, this was like night and day.
“Well we don’t always get what we want,” I shot back. Something dangerous flashed in his eyes. “Now go away so I can get dressed.”
He leaned against the door frame, his arms crossed. “You didn’t seem too concerned with that earlier.”
For a moment I panicked, until I realized he was referring to my lack of pants on my way to get water.
“I didn’t think you’d be awake,” I said, but the words came out far too exasperated and flustered. “Now get out before I force you out.”
His eyes narrowed at my threat, but he obliged with an obnoxious grin and shut the door behind him.
For a moment I just lay there, working to slow my breath and racing heart. My power called out to me, frenzied and chaotic, but all I really wanted to do was pull the duvet over my head and hide.
No, screw this. If the boundaries of our working relationship had been breached, he was just as much at fault as I was—with all his little innuendos, flirtations, and weird pet names. I was supposed to be uncovering the source of the evil that haunted my dreams, hunted me, andkilled my mothers. Flirting with the secretive, mercurial witch trainer didn’t seem like it fit into this grand, cosmic purpose they’d laid out for me. I also wouldn’t soon forget his sketchy late night work out session.
When I emerged from my room, Daelon was waiting in the kitchen to practically force-feed me toast. He also had a cup of coffee for me, which was admittedly sweet of him. I still regarded him with caution, grateful he seemed to be back in business-mode after our exchange.
“You’re going to need to grab a jacket. We’re going outside,” he said.
I couldn’t contain my smile. The autumnal weather was in full swing; the tall evergreens, trees with red and orange leaves, and breathtaking mountain landscape were more than inviting. It was my favorite time of year, as it reminded me of some of my most cherished memories with my mothers—holidays, baking, snow, and the changing of the seasons in our cozy village nestled among sloping hills. They taught me little rituals and traditions that reminded them of home, whispered to me as they guided with gentle hands, as if they were passing on the language of a dying world. I hated that I could barely remember any of it.
“Okay, be right back.” I took one last chug of the tepid coffee.
Daelon looked taken aback by my childlike enthusiasm, smiling back in spite of himself. He wore a chic charcoal sweater with faded jeans and hiking boots.
I shot into my room and then re-emerged in a soft, white faux-fur coat to go with my flannel shirt and dark jeans.
“Those shoes aren’t very practical, Áine,” he chastised, eyeing my black wedge ankle boots.
“I don’t care. They’re cute.”
He sighed and shook his head, giving up. He gestured for me to follow him, and we passed through the hall to the other side of the house. We pushed through the door that blended into the glass wall and onto the deck. There was a firepit and outdoor living area to the left and an outdoor bar and more seating to the right, with a tall staircase descending between the two.
I stopped in my tracks. “Sheesh. This looks built for entertaining. Is that… something you do?” I eyed him, watching as his guarded features revealed absolutely nothing.
