Thank. Fuck.
It was working.
Her essence was, slowly but surely, responding to mine.
“Is this a dream?” she asked, her soft voice filled with wonder as her shoulders relaxed. She took in the life of the room again, the blooming flowers and the vines slithering up the walls and covering the ceiling in an earthy glow.
I glanced over my shoulder at Elana and Vape. “I’ll
talk to her.”
Elana nodded, understanding that this required delicacy, or we risked overwhelming Claire. Again. “We’ll be downstairs, should you need us,” the elder murmured.
Vape tilted his head to the side. “One thing first. I sense water. And air.”
Yes, I did, too.
And it seemed to be coming from Claire.
She blinked those big blue eyes at me, her brow furrowing. “Who are you?” she asked, her tone holding a hint of marvel. “Why am I dreaming this?”
Yeah, time to have a chat. “We’ll be down in a bit.” I didn’t wait for Vape or Elana to reply before softly closing the door and locking myself in the guest room with Claire. We needed privacy for this discussion.
Claire twirled, her skirt riding high on her long, sexy legs, her arms loose at her sides. She tilted her head back on a smile filled with wonder and excitement. “Oh, it’s beautiful here. I feel so alive. So… happy.” More dancing, her Spirit clearly drunk on mine. Apparently, I’d soothed her a little too much.
Right. Time to ground her.
“Claire,” I murmured, sitting on the bed of flowers she’d awoken upon. The mattress beneath was made of earth, the bed frame crafted from the trees outside. I preferred more modern accommodations, but every fae embraced the elements differently. It seemed Claire liked this style of décor. She bent to touch the roots decorating the floor, her skirt lifting to reveal the curves of her ass.
“Claire.” Her name came out a bit strangled this time, my need for her to, well, stop, taking over. “Can you look at me, please?”
“Oh, yes.” She turned, her gaze traveling over me with unveiled interest. “I will happily look at you. But as it’s my dream, I’d really prefer you without clothes so I know what I’m working with here.”
I coughed as a jolt of heat seared my insides. “Okay, well, first things first. You’re not dreaming.”
“Riiiighhhhtt,” she drawled. “We’re playing hard to get. Is that it?”
“No, we’re not playing anything. You’re not dreaming. This is the Fae Realm, where I brought you after the fire.”
Her brow furrowed. Then she burst out laughing and folded over from the force of it.
I supposed, in her shoes, I’d react similarly. The world around her was nothing like the one she’d grown up in, her version of a forest a destructed beast due to humanity’s lack of understanding. Fae, however, embraced the wilderness, allowing it into our homes and living peacefully with nature rather than against it.
“Claire, I’m telling you the truth,” I tried again, my voice soft. “I meant to ease you into this, to bring you here of your own free will, but burning down the bar forced my hand. Your powers are awakening now that the charm has finally worn off, and you need to be among your kind.”
She laughed harder, sitting on one of the roots on the floor, her arms wrapped around her middle. “Oh God, seriously. This is the most fucked-up dream I’ve ever had.”
“Because it’s not a dream,” I replied through my teeth. “You’re in the Fae Realm.”
“Uh-huh.” She wiped at the tears beside her eyes. “Because fairies are real.”
“Not fairies. Fae.”
“There’s a difference?”
“Yes. Fairies are a myth. Fae are real.”
“Oh. Okay. That clears it up.” She fought a smile and lost, her lips curling again as another laugh fell from her mouth.