Dream Warriors 3_Kane Read online

  As one, the twins climbed onto the bed, pushing his legs apart and bending his knees. Their clever fingers brushed against his thighs. Heat erupted in his groin and fire coursed through his veins. He hadn’t touched a woman since the succubus used desire to torture him. He needed this! Pleasure would soothe the pain, ease the aching void Delilah had left behind.

  The twins reached the apex of his thighs. He held his breath. Delilah had taken him to the brink of climax again and again, always stopping just before he found release. He trembled. Just the memory of those horrific days made his gut clench.

  “Relax,” one of the twins murmured. “Let us pleasure you.”

  He closed his eyes, concentrating on the caress of their hands and the teasing slide of their hair. One twin cupped his balls, while the other circled his shaft with her fingers. Oh yes! Warm, wet lips closed around the head of his cock, and Chaos opened his eyes. He loved to watch his shaft sink into the willing mouth of -- the twins were gone!

  A blonde knelt between his thighs, her large breasts swaying as she bobbed her head, sliding him into and out of her mouth. Did he even know this one? Her tongue swirled, and her lips tightened.

  Chaos moaned. He may not know her, but she sure as Hades knew how to use her mouth!

  Releasing him suddenly, she crawled on top of him, straddling his hips. “You’re certainly greedy tonight.”

  He watched the jiggle of her massive breasts, scrambling for a fragment of memory. If he had bedded her before, why did she seem completely unfamiliar to him?

  “What is wrong with you?” Her brow creased as she stared into his face. She guided his hands to her breasts. “You couldn’t keep your eyes off these as I danced for your father.”

  Recognition jolted him. The only reason he’d bedded this woman was to enrage his father. But Hades had offered her to Chaos indefinitely when he found out where she’d passed her first night in the Underworld.

  He moved his hands to her waist and lifted her off him. “Go. I’m not in the mood.”

  She gasped. “What sort of game is this? You demanded my favors. Do you think I wanted to pleasure you --”

  “Go!”

  She disappeared.

  Chaos climbed off the bed, gazing about the chamber for his clothing. This wasn’t real. None of it was real. He needed to return to the gallery and continue with the quest.

  A surge of scalding desire inundated his body. His knees buckled and he cried out, grabbing his head between his hands. Images and sensation, memories of faces and bodies twisted through his mind.

  He suddenly knelt in a grassy field, a young woman pinned beneath him. “I don’t think I want to, Chaos. My father will be furious.”

  Alexa! He had few regrets in his life, but Alexa was one. Innocent and trusting, she’d surrendered her virginity along with her heart, and he hadn’t appreciated either.

  “I love you, Alexa. I need this. Don’t you love me, too?”

  Shame stabbed into his heart as he heard his own words. What a manipulative bastard!

  Her blue gaze locked with his, tenderness melting her uncertainty. “You know I love you. I’ll always love you.”

  She unclenched her thighs and framed his face with her hands, drawing his mouth down to hers. He thrust into her virgin passage, capturing her sharp cry with a demanding kiss. She shuddered as he pulled back and whimpered when he drove back in.

  Her core squeezed him so tightly Chaos moaned. Regret struck anew with each forceful thrust, but his body didn’t care. She opened to him, accepting him, surrendered without reservation. He took what she offered and more, reveling in carnal pleasure.

  Panting harshly, he tore his mouth from hers and propped himself on his forearms. He glimpsed the hurt in Alexa’s gaze before she closed her eyes and turned her face away. He’d stayed with her longer than most, teaching her the pleasures of the flesh as penance for his carelessness. By the time he’d lost interest and moved on, she’d been as lusty as he, abandoned and uninhibited.

  He hooked his arms under her knees and drove to the hilt. In the blink of an eye Alexa vanished and a brunette woman appeared. The next thrust brought a different face, a more lushly curved body.

  “No! Phantasos, stop this.”

  Chaos tossed his head, trying desperately to withdraw, but some unseen force drove him on. Each deep thrust brought a new woman, another reminder of his selfishness. He screamed, battling the compulsion; still, the transformations went on and on. Shocked and sickened, Chaos watched the obscene review of his shallow life.

  Chapter Six

  “Should we go in after him?”

  Kane stared at the image of Phantasos and spread his hands in a bland gesture. “This is all new to me. What exactly did you see in the disk?”

  “I saw a hand pass through the window, just like Chaos’s hand passed through.”

  “What do you see now?” None of this was playing out the way Kane expected. He’d thought one clue would lead to the next, but the crystal disk seemed to be the only clue. The quest had yet to reveal anything they didn’t already know.

  “It’s focused on the next brother now. What was his name again?”

  “Phobetor,” Kane grumbled. “If we’re supposed to go play with Phobetor, then Chaos got off easy. Phobetor creates nightmares. He’ll determine what frightens you most and create images to --”

  “That’s where the word phobia comes from.”

  “Exactly.”

  She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and looked into his eyes. “What are you afraid of?”

  “It doesn’t matter. Phobetor has no power over me. I’m a part of the Dream Realm.” If it hadn’t been for his unwanted trip into the past, he would have believed his own assurance. Dream Warriors didn’t dream, but something or someone had triggered his memory. He moved closer, needing to touch her, needing to shelter her from more unhappiness. “I think we both know what frightens you.”

  She glanced at the clock on the wall and heaved an audible sigh. “It’s already nine-forty and we’ve hardly begun. Chaos better come back with the clue.”

  “I can go in first and see if I can locate the clue without you having to enter Phobetor’s domain.”

  “I’ve had nightmares for years. This is nothing new.”

  She reached for Phobetor’s likeness, but Kane caught her wrist. “Let me go first. I’ve been a Dream Warrior for the better part of two millennia.” He manifested his sword, then intertwined their fingers and led her through the portal.

  Having expected to emerge in City Park, he staggered to a stop, and swept the scene with a startled glance. Oil lamps illuminated the opulent common room of his villa in Byzantium. A balmy breeze caressed his skin, rich with the familiar scents of sandalwood and jasmine.

  “Where are we?” Dora’s voice sounded hushed with confusion.

  He shook his head, unable to accept what he saw. “This was my home when I was mortal. I don’t understand why we’re here.”

  “It’s all right if we relive my past, but not yours?”

  The challenge in her tone was warranted, so Kane didn’t reply. His chest tightened, making each breath an effort as dread washed over him. He really didn’t want to see this again.

  “Who were you in life? What year is this?”

  “I died before Constantine became sole emperor of Rome.” She stared back at him with a blank expression, so he clarified. “It’s almost thirty years into the fourth century.”

  “You’re Roman?”

  “I was a Roman citizen, but I was born in Greece. This is Byzantium, soon to be renamed Constantinople.”

  She looked around, her eyes wide with wonder, her cheeks flushed. “This place is gorgeous.”

  “It’s actually rather modest by Byzantine standards.” He shook away the ghosts. “Does the disk offer any suggestions on where to begin our search?”

  Opening her hand, she gazed into the disk, repositioned it twice, then shook her head. “It’s clouded over. I think we�
��re on our own.”

  “Let’s get this over with.”

  He strode across the room and down a corridor. Dora followed in his wake, her steps more hesitant. He’d pictured Lyra with Chaos ever since he learned of his half-brother’s treachery. Apparently, Phobetor was determined that he experience the incident firsthand.

  Expecting the harsh breathing and moans of coupling, he slowed his pace as sobs reached his ears.

  “I don’t understand!” Lyra’s heartbroken tone stabbed through him. “Why would he accuse me of so foul a deed?” He peeked into their bedchamber and saw his wife weeping in the arms of her handmaiden.

  “Damn. She really does look like me.” He glanced at Dora, and she offered a tentative smile. “The past can’t be changed, so we should learn from our mistakes and move on.”

  “The clue is in there with them.” He raked his fingers through his hair. His stomach knotted at the prospect of looking into Lyra’s tormented eyes. “Phobetor expects me to face my deepest fear.”

  “You told me you found out about Hades after you died. Did you know Chaos existed when you found out Lyra was pregnant?”

  He shook his head, unable to speak past the lump in his throat.

  “All you knew was your wife had conceived while you were nowhere around. You came to the only conclusion available to a rational man.”

  The bedchamber was filled with memories of events he couldn’t change. He leaned down and brushed his lips across Dora’s mouth. “Thank you.”

  She slipped her hand into his and squeezed his fingers. They stepped through the threshold together.

  * * * * *

  The scene twisted out of focus and reset in a new location. Dora yelped, holding tight to Kane’s hand. Trees sprang up around them. A gravel path rolled out beneath their feet and the dramatically arched ceiling became a starry sky. Crickets chirped and barren tree branches scraped against each other.

  She’d been prepared for this when they stepped through the portal. Why had she relaxed her guard? Because that’s exactly what Phobetor intended. Tension gripped her stomach. She consciously relaxed her abdominal muscles. Kane was at her side. That alone made this different than all her other nightmares.

  “Guess you don’t have to ask where we are.” She tried to sound casual, though dread rolled through her in sickening waves. This was the spot her sister had died, yet she was alone with Kane.

  “Phobetor is fond of head games.”

  “I gathered that.”

  As if to reinforce Kane’s opinion an inhuman moan disturbed the night. Dora turned in a slow assessing circle. There was no one else around. A fist punched through the grass and grabbed her ankle. Dora screamed.

  Kane drew his sword and swung at the creature, detaching its hand from its arm. The hand went limp and fell to the grass, while the creature crawled out of the ground. She kicked it in the face. It kept coming. Kane stabbed it in the chest. A piercing shriek escaped its mouth, but the creature advanced.

  “Duck!”

  Dora dropped to a crouch as Kane swung his sword in a wide arc. The creature took two wobbly steps before its head toppled to the grass.

  “This is sure as hell different.” Dora panted. “What was that thing?”

  “Zombie, ghost, ghoul, take your pick.” Kane rotated the head toward her with the toe of his boot. “Don’t you recognize that face?”

  Her heart gave a mighty lurch. “Oh, my god. That’s the one who held me.”

  “You’re part of the afterlife and so are they. This could be interesting.” He nodded toward the two semi-decomposed bodies lumbering toward them. “Don’t be fooled by their appearance. They’re probably more agile than they look.”

  Dora forced herself to watch them, taking comfort in the fact that she could interact with them now. Flesh hung from their bones in grotesque ribbons, their features eroded by decay.

  Focus, be calm; rely on your skills, not your emotions.

  Kane advanced on one, forcing them to separate. Dora turned her attention to the remaining creature.

  “I hope you can still feel pain.” She jumped into the air, launching her foot into the creature’s throat. It grunted and staggered back a step. It shook its head and rubbed its throat. She kicked the middle of its chest. With preternatural speed, the creature grabbed her leg and flipped her onto the ground. She rolled. Getting her legs beneath her, she leapt to her feet.

  She smashed her forearm against its jaw and slammed the heel of her other hand under its chin. Its head snapped back as its hand closed around her wrist.

  “The head has to come off, or it won’t stop.”

  Acknowledging Kane’s warning with a definitive nod, she kept her gaze fixed on her opponent. She twisted her wrist within the creature’s bony grip, aligning her arm with the seam of its fingers. With one sudden jerk, she freed her arm and sent it staggering backward with a vicious kick.

  Kane swung his sword and jumped aside as the creature fell to the grass. The bodies disintegrated, leaving Dora alone with Kane.

  She wiped her sleeve across her brow, her heart pounding. “That would have been a lot more fun if they weren’t already dead.” Panting softly, she let her focus expand. “Are they really dead, or is this just a dream?”

  “We’re in the Dream Realm.” He looked around as he sheathed his sword. “The past can’t be changed, so this must be the future.”

  “You can travel through time in the Dream Realm?”

  “The only temporal restriction that applies to the Dream Realm is the inability to change past events.”

  She chuckled. “Was that a yes?”

  “I’m able to access the dreams of anyone, regardless of the era.”

  “Have you ever tried to let Lyra know what really happened?”

  He turned his face away and rubbed the back of his neck. “That would violate the temporal restriction.”

  “Dora?” Her heart leapt at the sound of Beth’s voice. She was afraid to turn around, terrified she’d find another decomposing ghoul.

  Kane looked beyond her and smiled. “It’s all right.”

  She slowly turned to face her sister. Her pulse raced so fast her vision blurred and her chest ached. Transparent and shimmering, Beth’s image was barely discernable in the moonlight. Dora covered her mouth with her hand, wishing she could wrap her arms around Beth and hold her close.

  “I can’t stay long. I really shouldn’t be here, but you know me. Rules were never my strong suit.” Beth smiled and Dora sobbed, no longer able to restrain her tears. “I just wanted you to know how proud you’ve made me.”

  Kane wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.

  “I love you more than you can imagine. That’s why I fought my way here.” Beth’s image intensified, revealing her stubborn expression. “The key to this whole crazy puzzle is right under your nose. Whenever a soul is forced into the afterlife, they’re allowed one final request. The request isn’t always granted, but the procedure is the clue you’re looking for.”

  Her image wavered, the light dimmed. “Wait!” Dora forced the word past her dry throat. “I love you, Beth. Do you know how much I loved you?”

  “I know.” She smiled again. “I’ve always known.” Her face raised, her gaze focusing on Kane. “You better make her happy, or I’ll find you.”

  Chapter Seven

  Dora looked at the clock on the wall of the exhibition and shook her head. “It’s still nine-forty. Only a few seconds passed.”

  “Time has no meaning in the Dream Realm.”

  “I didn’t really understand, until now.” She was still shaky from her emotional reunion with Beth. “What do you think she meant? Should I use my request to find out Delilah’s real name?”

  “Who would you ask? Hades doesn’t know her name.”

  “And Hades is the one who will grant my request?” Dora shuddered. She didn’t want to belong to the Underworld. Being dead was bad enough.

  “I honestly don�
�t know. Hades said he would research your options.”

  Dora rubbed her thumb across the disk and waited for the clouds to clear. “It’s showing the first brother again. Either Chaos is still in there, or he didn’t find the clue.”

  Kane hesitated. His gaze searched her face. “You were amazing during Phobetor’s test. Are you sure you’re up to this?”

  “If I was so amazing, why are you asking?”

  “An awful lot has been piled on you all in one night.” He brushed the back of his fingers against her damp cheek. “I just want to make sure --”

  “Is this because I cried?”

  He shook his head. “Phobetor isn’t half as twisted as Phantasos. I suspect as soon as we cross that portal… I’m afraid he will use my attraction to you to manipulate us.”

  “First of all, you know the attraction is mutual; and second, I’m pretty sure I can control myself.”

  “Like you did in the dojo?”

  She gaped at him.

  “I don’t mean to be insulting, but Phantasos can create compulsions much stronger than any incubus.”

  Dora crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to smile. “Time stands still while we’re in there, right?”

  He nodded.

  “If you can’t resist me,” she shrugged, “we’ll just work out some of our frustration and then go find the clue. I’m not opposed to the idea of continuing what we started in the dojo.”

  His gaze focused on her mouth. “Are you sure?”

  She took his hand and turned toward the windowpane. Pressure compressed her body, then released with a subtle pop. Using the portal was far less disorienting than being teleported. They emerged in her dojo, and Dora chuckled.

  “Did he hear our conversation or is this a coincidence?”

  “As close as we were standing to the portal, I doubt it’s a coincidence.”

  Kane strode across the mat and tried the door. “We’re locked in.”

  The door leading to her small office and the alley beyond was missing, confirming his conclusion. “I don’t feel an uncontrollable urge to jump your bones. Should we look around for the clue?”