Page 41 of Bonds of Magic
“Well,” I said after another minute ticked by in silence. “If we’re going to do this, we’d better get started.”
It was an awkward transition, but Cory seemed grateful for it. He marched to the couch and lay down. I pulled my usual chair out from the table and sat across from him, watching.
“You think you can put yourself to sleep?” I asked.
“Maybe?” He didn’t sound sure.
“I’ll talk you through it again. In case it helps.”
I wouldn’t have been surprised if it took him extra time to fall asleep, after the incident in the showers, but he seemed to slide into it easily. I stared at him from across the room, determined not to go any closer.
The kid was stronger than I’d given him credit for. His mom had left before he’d ever gotten to know her, and his dad hadn’t just been a bigot—he’d died before Cory had finished growing up. I wondered idly if that was why Cory had been drawn to Sean. Maybe some part of him thought he deserved to be treated like crap.
I’d never liked Sean, and now I had to figure out the fall-out from tonight’s encounter. Cory didn’t want Sean expelled, but I had to do something to put the fear of God into that kid. And frankly, I still wanted to tell Isaac. I wanted a mark against Sean on his permanent record, in case he pulled this shit again.
I kind of let him be a little rough with me. My stomach clenched. How rough was rough?
Something Cory said during our last lesson resurfaced. That it wasn’t onlywhathe wanted that bothered him, buthowhe wanted it. Did he like it when men pushed him around? Did he think that was what he deserved, after what his dad told him?
I thought about the snippet of Cory’s dream I’d seen in his last lesson. It hadn’t looked rough or coercive, but I hadn’t seen all of it. And Cory didn’t have full control of his powers yet. He shouldn’t be forced into a dream he’d be uncomfortable with, but if he didn’tknowwhat he was comfortable with…
Against my better judgement, I found myself moving to the couch again. His body was warm, and mine responded to hisheat with tingling. Something in my core flared every time I was near him, a bolt of desire that never diminished.
God, I wanted him. But I had to be good.
I still didn’t know why I’d been able to see inside his dream last time. To be honest, I’d tried not to think about it. Part of me thought I’d imagined it. Seen what I’d wanted to see, rather than what was there.
Because how likely was it, really, that I could see into the dream world through Cory? It didn’t make any sense. I couldn’t reach it on my own anymore. Why would I be able to see it through someone else?
But if I could see it, what did that mean?
Could I do anything with it? Did it help me at all? Help Isaac and me in our fight against Argus? Or would it just remind me of what I’d lost access to?
I’d thought Ifeltthe dream world, that night I held Cory’s hand. But maybe it was like a phantom limb. A reminder of what I’d once had. Maybe it was better not to remember.
But still, I reached out for Cory. Not his hand this time. His cheek. I stretched my index finger out and stroked across his cheekbone, and in that instant, an insubstantial scene appeared in the middle of the cabin. Cory and a taller man were moving slowly towards a bed.
Something deep inside me ached. Some that came from touching the dream world again. It was barely there, like gauze in my fingertips, but it was real.
But most of the ache came from a deep need for release. It had been weeks since the last time I’d been with Lew. But I didn’t want Lew now. I didn’t want justanyrelease.
I wanted what I couldn’t have.
Stop it, I scolded myself as Cory lay down on the bed in the dream vision in front of me.This is sick.
I traced my finger down his cheek to his lips, brushing lightly across them, but I made myself pull back after that. The scene in the middle of the room disappeared.
I’d promised Cory I wouldn’t watch him again, and I was going to keep that promise. But I couldn’t bring myself to leave his side. I wanted to kiss him. Wanted to cover his body with mine. Wanted to cry at the ache I felt inside.
My hand was still inches from his face when he opened his eyes. My heart stopped. I had no idea how long I’d been sitting there, unable to move. My breath caught as I looked into his glorious eyes, blue and luminous like misty mountains.
I knew I should stand up and walk away, but instead I brought my finger to his face again, feeling the heat of his skin on mine. All the words I longed to say piled up against my lips.
His eyes went wide. He brought a hand up to touch my finger where it lay on his cheek.
“Cory,” I breathed, intending for an explanation to follow. But I couldn’t think of one.
And before I could say anything at all, Cory sat up. He put one hand on my shoulder, the other on my chest. His fingers gripped the front of my shirt. He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine.
