Shifting the Night Away (45 page)

Jenna answered by moving up and down on his lap. He answered her by trying to match her rhythm. In the past he hadn’t made love to Isabella. That was saved for the wedding night. Now, he released a century of missed moments and passion on her and she responded openly to his desire. Taking and giving just as much. They both worked each other to a frenzy and when she crashed into her orgasm, he joined her moments later, filling her with his seed.

Exhausted, she dropped her head to his shoulder. He held her in a tight embrace. Now that he had her he was never going to let her go. She was his. He’d find a way to make her a wolf so she could spend centuries with him. If he couldn’t, he’d die at her side and they’d come back as humans in another life, with another chance.

“I can’t believe you’ve returned to me.” His eyes were moist with unshed tears. “By the Gods, Serendipity was right. You’re back.”
 

Jenna’s fingers caressed the scar at his neck. She didn’t want this moment to end, the longer she kept him in her arms the longer she’d keep the night terrors at bay. “What happened to your neck?”

It was the only scar on his body that remained after the change. Every other wound healed as if by magic, or perhaps the highly accelerated metabolism of the wolf. But this was his maker’s mark. Serendipity was in such a frenzy to save both of them that she didn’t calculate the best place to mark them. She slashed and bit their bodies hoping the virus would take root and claim them as a wolf host.

“The night I was… unable to save you.” The words tasted bittersweet on his tongue. “A werewolf named Serendipity came to our rescue and tried to save both of us. You were too far gone and rejected the wolf, but I accepted the symbiotic relationship.” He swallowed hard. “This is the mark that stayed behind, it’s called a maker’s mark. It runs from my neck to just below my heart.” He looked at her strange yet familiar eyes. “How come you’re so comfortable with all of this?”

“You come to me in my dreams all the time. Although today was a little different, but I’ve loved you all my life. Soon the nightmare will come and my murderer will kill me, but tomorrow you’ll be back, a present to unwrap and cherish.” She looked at his scar. “I never saw this in my dreams before.”

“That’s because you’re not dreaming.” Worry creased his forehead. Did she think what they just shared was a dream? Would she regret being with him in reality? Fear seized his heart. Would she reject him?

She laughed nervously. “Of course it is, silly.” She stood up and put her clothes back on straight. Her bare feet padded back to the bed. Readying herself for her killer, pulling away from her lover was excruciatingly painful.

“No, Isabella… I mean, Jenna. This is real. You’re not asleep.”

“But… that can’t be. You haven’t changed.”

“Believe me, I’ve changed. As I’m sure you’ve changed. But we are still the same souls.” He joined her on the bed. “I’m here now, and I’m going to protect you. I’m going to help you with the nightmares.”

Jenna knew what she was hearing was just part of her dream, but she wished it was true. What she wouldn’t give to have her dream man come to life and protect her.
 

She didn’t answer him, but the hope in her eyes was all he needed for now. He just prayed when she discovered what they’d done was real she’d forgive him. “Tell me, why are you here?”
 

“I couldn’t take the nightmares anymore.”

“What nightmares?” She keeps talking about these night terrors, a killer, and dreams they’d shared. He wanted to fix everything for her. He had a do-over, and he was going to make sure she was taken care of this time.

She shook her head, “it doesn’t matter. Kiss me again. I need you, Michael.”

How could he turn her down? He nipped her lower lip and she opened for him. This time restraint was something he had a hold of. He wouldn’t make love to her again until she knew the difference between dream him and real him. His kiss was gentle and flooded her with so much emotion.

“Tell me about the dreams.” He insisted when he broke the kiss.

“She dreams of me.” Doctor Jonas tossed Clara into the room, ripping some of her hair out in the process. He wasn’t the same mild-mannered looking man. His short, stout appearance morphed into a taller, more muscular man. His coloring changed from pale white to blue and red marble. Black wings spread from his back.
 

“Well, now that is different.” Jenna hopped out of bed, ready to face the nightmare head on. “Michael you should leave, he’s after me. You’re never here during this part.” She glanced back at Clara who was picking herself up off the floor.

“What the hell is happening?” Clara’s voice was an octave higher than normal.
 

“I suppose you’re here to help me with those techniques you gave me?” Jenna smiled a grateful grin. “I appreciate it, but you should really go now.” Things were different. The nightmare was always her, alone, facing down her killer - never a demon, just a faceless man. She glanced around the room looking for some sort of weapon. She’d never fought back before, was always gripped with fear, but now, surrounded by people who were helping her she felt empowered.
 

“You two have been the bane of my existence for over a century.” The demon spat, his eyes turned an ugly yellow. “I’m going to enjoy this.”

“Why?” Michael needed to understand why this demon took his mate away, why he tried to kill him. He’d hear his excuses, and then he’d rip the ugly son-of-a-bitch apart with his teeth.

“I suppose you deserve to know. You were part of a royal kill list. I was sent by my father to extinguish your life so the one he wanted in power could take the throne. But you… didn’t die!” He slashed a jagged dagger in Michael’s direction. Michael dodged the blow and managed to pull Jenna with him securing her behind him.
 

Clara used the distraction to position herself behind her demon boss. Now she just needed a weapon. Her eyes narrowed on the IV stand and she crept toward it. She didn’t know what was going on, but she’d been attacked before and didn’t fight back. This time was different. She knew how to protect herself…against a demon, not so much, but at least she had help.

“Clara, I don’t understand why the techniques aren’t working.” Jenna tried to focus on creating a remote out of thin air.
 

“Because you’re not dreaming.” Michael answered for Clara. He watched her out of the peripheral of his vision and knew she was trying to create a weapon from the IV stand.
Clever girl.

Clara managed to break the stand apart at the rivets and created three metal clubs. “Heads up.” She called as she tossed one to Michael and one to Jenna. Michael caught it easily and used his light weight metal baton to block another slice of the dagger toward him.

“I’ve been banished to this disgusting earth plane until I’ve fixed my failed mission.” Spittle seeped out of the demon’s lip creases as he spoke. “Every reincarnation, I’ve killed her. Waiting until she turned twenty-three, torturing her for years with dreams, waiting for you to come and rescue her. Every incarnation you never showed, until this one. Why is that? Is it her last you think?”

“Highly unlikely!” Clara swung the hollow metal baton at his head from behind and smiled as she heard the satisfying crack of his skull. She knew it wasn’t hard enough to kill him, but her distraction gave Michael time to morph into the wolf and lunge for the demon’s throat.
 

Jenna stared in shock for a moment as her dream boyfriend transformed. When the demon flung the wolf across the room she reacted, hurtling toward the once meek doctor, now dangerous demon. Just before the dagger cut into her skin she twisted his wrist and angled it back toward him. The shock of her fighting back was enough of a diversion for her to sink the dagger into his gut. “How do you like being stabbed?” She twisted the knife and watched as the demon’s eyes glazed over. It was that moment she realized what she’d done. She killed a man…no she’d killed a demon… in self-defense, right?

It didn’t matter. She stumbled backward and Michael, in human form, was there to catch her. Clara was trapped on the floor under the lifeless demon’s body. She tried to push it off her, but he was too heavy. “A little help please?”

Tears sprang to Jenna’s eyes, and Michael helped her into the chair then went to help Clara who was now covered in the black goo that was the demon’s blood.

“What do we do now?” Clara asked, the adrenaline coursing through her body kept her analytical mind focusing on the fact that demons and werewolves existed. She believed in past lives, reincarnation, and psychic abilities, why couldn’t the creatures from nightmares exist too?

Michael pulled out his phone and called Seren. “We need a cleanup in…” He looked at Clara, “what room are we in?”

She held out her hand and took the phone to give directions. Michael went to Jenna’s side. “I killed him.”

“Yes, but if you hadn’t, he would’ve killed you.” Michael tried to reassure her, but deep down he knew it wasn’t something she was comfortable with. Her soul was kind, loving and giving, the farthest thing from a killer. She was going to have a hard time dealing with this, but he’d be here for her to help her through it.

“But he’s dead. I had to because he was hurting you.”

“And he was hurting you.” He focused on using her current name. “Jenna, look at me.” She did. “You did what you had to, understand? He was hurting us both. No one will fault you for what happened here.”

She shook her head and burst into tears. She did understand and she didn’t. How could any of this be happening? She was vaguely aware of the other people who entered the room to clean up the mess she made. She was more focused on the arms that held her. How was her dream man alive? How was he here with her, her cherished gift just in time for the holidays? She’d died over and over again on Christmas Eve, but this year she had a feeling she’d find a way to live happily ever after.

Epilogue

Clara watched as her friends; Jenna and Michael, danced in the park to the carolers. He’d just asked her to marry him and she said yes. It was something of a dream, a dream relived, a chance to do things over again, and she was witnessing it with them. Someday she’d find her own dream come true, but for now, she needed to focus on her practice and help Jenna with the preparations of her wedding. She had no doubt she was going to be the maid of honor.
 

In the year since the incident at the hospital, she and Jenna had grown close. She knew becoming friends with a client was a big no-no so she recommended her to her colleague, Roger. After all, a friendship formed in the kind of paranormal experience they shared was one that would stand the test of time. The petty things that could destroy their bond seemed miniscule in the grand scheme of things.

“Are you waiting for me to acknowledge you?” Clara asked Seren. She knew the she-wolf was there without having to turn around. It seemed her third eye was getting stronger all the time, as long as she allowed herself to be open to the things around her she was able to experience things on a different level.

“Very good. Almost as good as shifter senses.” Seren smiled as she stood beside Clara. They both watched Jenna and Michael spin around the snow covered park, avoiding other innocent bystanders and enjoying the last moments of the season. Another Christmas Eve almost gone. The dreams no longer haunted Jenna, and the only thing she needed to come to terms with was the paranormal world that surrounded them, and that her boyfriend, correction, fiancé, was a werewolf. With the dreams no longer tearing her apart, Jenna was able to develop into a strong woman who was more than capable of handling her alpha wolf husband to be.

Clara pulled her jacket closer to her body to stave off the cold. “Too bad you can’t help me overcome the chill.”

Seren shrugged. “You’re human. Weakness like that comes with the territory.”

“Thanks!” Sarcasm coated her words. Clara still wasn’t sure if she liked Serendipity, but she was thankful that she attempted to save Michael and Jenna all those lifetimes ago, it had to mean she was a good person under her overinflated ego- a personality she was learning most shifters shared.

Seren laughed. “I’d give anything to experience the chill of winter again.”
 

Clara never thought of it that way, but it made sense. People, and apparently supernaturals, always wanted what they couldn’t have. “How very human of you.” Clara chuckled at the curled lip Seren gave in response to her tease. “Did you want something or were you just here for the show?”