Charade (Heven and Hell #2)(48)
Author: Cambria Hebert

“I asked you, how do you like it!?” he roared, his voice stinging my ears. I forced myself not to cringe and turned my attention to the castle.

It was impressive. If you liked Goth architecture. The place was incredibly large with walls that were made of black, unpolished granite. There were iron bars for windows and a gloppy moat of that thick, gross water all around. There was a tower to the right that rose out of the structure and jutted into the sky. From inside the walls, I heard screaming.

I shrugged, trying to seem bored. “It’s okay.”

Anger, strong and hot, burned through his eyes, which were an alarming shade of blue. But then they flashed red. “You dare speak to me that way?”

My stomach cramped. Show no fear. That’s what Sam would say. What I wouldn’t give to see him right now. I lifted my chin. “Yes.”

With a roar, he reached into the oily water and pulled out a demon. It was the same kind that tried to kill me before: half crocodile, half man. He ripped its head off without pause and threw the head at me. It whizzed by, making all the hair on my arms stand on end. The headless body fell back into the water. With his show of temper gone, he laughed, chuckled actually. I wanted to run. “Your defiance surprises me.”

“I’m leaving,” I stated, having no clue how to get myself to wake up. This dream was so real I would have sworn I was in this place.

He laughed. I took that as a no to my previous statement.

“Where am I?”

“Learn the place well, little one. Someday you will call it home.”

Never. I would die first. “Do you live here?”

“When it suits me.”

I began to feel detached from this place, like I was viewing it from afar. I welcomed the sensation.

He screamed and punched the ground. “You will not go until I allow it!”

My head began pounding, the front and back warring with each other again. “What do you want?” Although I already knew.

“Tell me where you hide the Map. Give it to me. I will make you my queen and you will rule here.” Power rushed toward me, calling me forward. I denied it.

I still didn’t know where here was. “Never.” I took a step back as the world around me began to fade. I wanted to go home.

He screamed, his eyes turning red and I knew he was going to hurt me. I squeezed my eyes shut.

Nothing happened.

When I opened my eyes, I was in bed. I gasped and sat up, pressing myself against the headboard, and glanced at the clock. I had only been asleep for an hour. It felt like eternity.

“I’m sorry I’m so late, baby.”

My eyes snapped over to the foot of the bed where Sam was sitting, pulling off his shoes. God, my head hurt.

“Sam?” I whispered, hoarse.

His eyes flashed up to mine, gold sparking the hazel depths. “Someone was here?” He leapt to his feet and prowled around the room. He stopped at the window, making sure he had locked it behind him, then paced around, looking for someone to kill.

“No one,” I rushed out. “I had a bad dream.”

Was it really a dream? It felt so real. My head wouldn’t stop pounding, leaving me feeling exhausted and weak.

“Again?” He rushed to my side.

His quick movements made me dizzy and I leaned over the bed to retch. Thankfully, my belly was empty so nothing came up.

“Oh, Hev.” He scooped me up, making the world tilt again. My stomach heaved.

“Head hurts…” A tremor stole through my body. I knew the feeling. It was exactly the same from when my aura reading ability exploded into my head. Was a new supernatural power trying to assert itself?

He looked me over, panic seeping into his golden eyes. “Your clothes are filthy,”

“It wasn’t a dream?” I groaned, my head hammering. My limbs began to shake uncontrollably.

The next thing I knew, Sam was leaping out the window with me in his arms, landing in the darkened yard.

Another tremor licked through my body, making me moan.

Sam tilted his head to the sky and roared “Airis!”

My eyes fastened on a star that was shooting from the sky. It looked like a tear, trailing through the clouds. Everything went white.

*   *   *

“Something is wrong with her,” Sam said urgently. His loud whisper only irritated the pain shooting through my skull.

“Bring her to me,” I heard Airis say from a short distance away, but I didn’t lift my head from Sam’s chest to look.

I felt a soothing hand touch my cheek and peace and light flowed through me. The warring sides of my skull called a truce and left me peacefully alone. I let out a sigh.

“Thank you,” I told her, feeling better than I had in days.

She inclined her head.

“How did you do that?” Sam asked, his voice holding a trace of bitterness.

If Airis noticed the bitter tone Sam spoke with, she pretended she hadn’t. She looked down at me serenely and smiled. “Celestials have the ability to heal, but I am afraid that it is only temporary.”

The thought of another round of skullboxing made me want to cry.

“What’s going on?” Sam demanded.

“It is good you came to me,” Airis continued, her eyes glancing at Sam. “There is something you need to know.”

“I’ll do anything for Heven,” he said, and there seemed to be some type of warning to his voice. Now wasn’t the time to ask him about it, so I pushed it away and wiggled out of his arms. When I was on my feet, I faced Airis. I knew whatever she had to say was not good, but I couldn’t run away.

“Something’s gotten into my head,” I said with certainty.

Sam’s eyes widened.

Airis nodded. “I’m afraid so. There are a few very powerful demons that house a very rare ability. When a person loses consciousness, their mind becomes vulnerable. Dream Walkers forge a path into your mind and leave behind a thread so that they may find their way back. They can then come and go as they please, but the person must be asleep.”

“Why would they do this?” Sam asked.

“In Heven’s case, the demon must be trying to discover the location of the Treasure Map.”

“The demon from the lake,” I began. “It must have happened then. He tried to get me to tell him where the scroll was, but I wouldn’t. He’s been looking around in my head ever since.”

“How do we get him out?” Sam demanded.

“It is very important that you do it quickly,” Airis explained. “The longer he is there, the more power he gets. If left there long enough, you won’t have to be asleep for him to get in your mind.”