In Her Dreams by Bolryder, Terry (short novels in english TXT) 📗

around Joey’s hand, and a glowing miniature blue whip appears in his palm.

He makes a yelp and tries to start flinging it around at imaginary foes in front of him, but the whip disappears, leaving only a few crackles of electricity in the air around his hand.

I jog to the backyard just in time to see Reve smile and pat a happy Joey on the head, ruffling his red hair. My protectiveness wants me to step in, but the moment is so sweet and innocent.

And Joey looks from Reve to me with such pride.

He runs up and throws his arms around my waist and looks up at me. “Did you see that? I had a whip! I’m cool like Reve.” He points, and I try not to feel slightly jealous at his admiration. “He’s a superhero. Now I’m one too.” Joey sucks in a deep breath. “And did you know I always thought I had wings, and I do? That’s so cool. You do also!”

He grins, and I’m grateful for the imagination of a child that takes in all of this and doesn’t even wonder at it.

What would have happened, though, if Reve hadn’t shown up? Would Joey, like me, always have stayed dormant? No whip, no adventure?

I grin, thinking that no matter what, this has been an adventure.

Reve stands and talks to Jerrek for a moment while I let Joey excitedly tell me all about using his whip.

God, I love this little man. I would do anything for him, I think, stroking my hand over his back.

One day, will he grow strong and proud like Reve? It’s so hard to imagine, but it makes my heart hurt and swell at the same time.

My little warrior.

I bend down to kiss Joey on the top of the head, and he pretends not to like it while blushing. Then he runs off to try pulling out his whip again, gesturing wildly in the air.

“See?” Lorien says, catching up to us. “Not a problem. Young warriors love training.”

I smile, relief waving over me. “I guess so.”

Reve joins us, and my whole body sparks just at seeing him. So handsome, so tall. Those teal eyes, that ash-blond hair that hides his true hair.

He’s wearing a white tee shirt today that is absolutely devastating on his pectorals, and his whole good-guy bearing is just really doing it for me today.

To be honest, it does it for me every day. But today, with the sunlight and friends and my son actually happy, I’m just feeling good.

And it’s scary but relieving to just accept that feeling good might be the norm from now on.

“How about a date?” Reve asks, sliding in and putting his warm, reassuring hand on my waist. There’s something so calming and healing about just being around him. His soothing energy. The sense that I am utterly safe with him around.

Even if it’s just his self-control, which both Lorien and Jerrek say is the best of all three of them.

But he still almost lost it with his whip that day. However, I can’t hate him for it. Mark deserved it, and Joey is fine with it, and life is moving on.

So I guess I can too.

“A date?”

“Yes,” Reve says. “Tess and Lorien offered to watch Joey, who of course insists he doesn’t need a babysitter.” Reve’s eyes twinkle with fondness. “He’s going to be a good little warrior, that one. Independent but strong and moral. He knows what’s right and wrong. You’ve trained him well.”

I grin. “I worked hard. I’m not a dream fae you know.”

“Not yet,” Reve says. “You will be.”

My chest tightens slightly, but I just smile. In my mind, it’s too late to be anything but human, but I’m here to enjoy the ride. “We’ll see. What did you have in mind for a date?”

“Sunset drive?” Reve asks. “Show me some of your world when it’s prettiest. Then we can stop and eat a picnic, made by me of course, and just talk.” He wiggles his eyebrows. “See what happens.”

I giggle, shoving at him playfully. But then I run to my room to get ready because, after everything that’s happened, I could really use a date.

14

Reve

I am highly suspicious of my mate’s vehicle.

It makes terrible noises, like metal clinking and rumbling in a cylinder, and it stops very roughly.

It almost smells vaguely of human blood or perhaps rust, as Jen would say.

It didn’t start the first time she put the key in, and she had to press the accelerator multiple times, uttering some prayer to her deity as if pure luck could make this machine go.

It did start but then appeared to have trouble stopping, with Jen slamming hard on the brakes multiple times.

I offered to take a look at it, but she said to wait until after the date.

That the car had never let her down, unlike most things.

And I don’t want to ruin things by arguing with her.

But it seems like the car is going to let her down eventually.

And I get that money is tight due to Joey’s new private school and Jen’s high bills.

But I can literally make her a new car. Or buy her one. Or fix this one.

And yet this is what she insists she drives.

But I try to remember Jerrek’s advice, that I need to respect what Jen wants no matter what.

Still, if this car tries to betray us, I’m transforming it in an instant, no matter what Jen says.

As we stop at a stoplight, I pray that this beast doesn’t break down completely, leaving us at the mercy of any human blowing through the intersection.

Not only do humans pilot extremely fast, heavy vehicles at all times, but there is nothing to make sure they aren’t piloting them drunk, on drugs or otherwise compromised.

There are punishments, yes, for after.

But considering anyone in any condition could be on the road at any time, I don’t feel that safe here.

Even if I could just poof Jen and me out of trouble.

Jen looks right and left,