The Awakening (8 page)

              Raina drew in a breath. "I was afraid I was going crazy," she admitted. "And I'm scared," she whispered. "Yet not scared.....I, I know I'm being protected all in the same..."

              "Raina they are just dreams!! Your real life is in no danger. Those two men are new, intriguing...and you are seeing into things differently because..." she swallowed. "You know it’s time to move on, and you think the only thing that could pull you from David’s memory would be something supernatural."

              Raina felt the slap of the words. She knew her best friend did not see it as she did. How could she, unless she had experienced the dreams too? Known the realness of them? She bit back the hurt, the rejection she felt not to be believed. But she understood.......she'd have to live this out on her own.

              "Listen Rain...I'll be over tomorrow...we'll talk, hang out...and you can help me with the BBQ plans...it’s supposed to be nice out!"

              Raina blinked back tears. "Sure, I'll make a little lunch...we'll sit on the deck. Sounds good," she said brightly...wiping a tear from her cheek.

              "See you then," Emily laughed.

              Raina pressed end on the call and flopped her cell onto the couch.

              Turk had laid his head on her knee during the call. She scratched him between the eyes. "You believe me don't you boy? You know something is going on."

              He licked her hand and whined softly. His tail thumped on the floor, exciting Percy, who attacked it. Turk didn't even notice, but the action made Raina giggle, and forget her problems for a moment. "What would I do without you boys?"

Chapter 4 The Kicker

Buzz Buzz....the sound was getting pretty annoying to Raina, pretty mundane compared to the thoughts rolling through her brain at this moment. She had just cleaned up her hanging flowers, plucking away the dead blooms...and the bees she had shooed away were back. Buzz buzz....boring into her brain.

              She leaned back into the cushions of the deck chair and closed her eyes, again picturing her mystery Silas...Nolan...Gregor whatever his name was at this moment. The idea that she had conjured up such dreams was ridiculous. It was impossible.....the same man...same grey eyes...grey/silver certainly wasn't a common color...the wavy dark hair...tall frame...lean build...the same scent? It all added up to one of two things...her dreams were extremely powerful...and in essence not dream at all, or she was going absolutely nuts...and about to drag her best friend with her.

              Emily was still trying to assure her friend it was just a very big...albeit bizarre coincidence. She was inside now making them iced tea, and probably trying to make up some other excuse as to why Raina had described in detail Nolan Gregor. How she had also dreamt into existence the very handsome, the very dangerous Thanatos Clay. With his ochre green eyes, his golden hair? It didn't make sense.

              Raina sighed heavily now, and wanted more than anything to sleep. Sleep, which had eluded her these past years, was welcome, and she easily did so at night anymore. The night she meet Silas had been a turning point for her. And if dreams meant seeing him...she no longer fought them. But every dream did not contain him, much to her dismay.

              Emily soon returned with a frosty glass of tea...lemon garnish and all.

              "You sleeping there Rain?" She let the droplets rolling off of the cold glass drip onto her friend.

              Raina squealed against the cold and bolted upright. "I may have been dear friend...but no longer." She reached for the glass with one hand and muted a yawn with the other.

              Emily sat across from her on a matching chair. "I could leave you be...to think, maybe snooze...you're catching up on years of lost sleep." Her concerned eyes studied her friend. "And making up for dreamless nights with very...very vivid dreams."

              Raina nodded...so her she had thought up an excuse to explain away all the odd stories she was hearing from her friend.

              Emily took a deep drink of her tea, her eyes stayed on her friend though, in question. Raina felt the worry coming from that one gaze.

              Turk huffed when Emily had not turned her attention on him. He was rewarded with a scratch on the head.

              "I could take Turkey here for a walk...give you time. I know you have a lot going on in that noggin. Most of it is just as confusing to me." She again gave the collie another pet. "Rain I really don't know what to say about it all. You really always have been a sensitive person...you pick up on so much! I'm the oblivious one."

              Raina sighed and sipped her tea too. She closed her eyes for a moment, and then forced them open.

              "You look exhausted," Emily laughed; though she knew her friend had a solid night’s sleep. “A nap won't hurt you...I'll be gone.... forty five minutes tops...get this wild dog out of your hair?"

              Raina contemplated this. Turk was never a bother...but she just may need a little while distraction free.

              "Besides you're all out of tea bags now....and it’s going to be a warm week. They still allow him in the corner grocery don't they?" She tugged on the pup’s ear and his tongue lolled out in response.

              "Allow? They practically chastise me if I don't bring him," Raina laughed. "Go ahead, he'll love it!" She grasped his collar and hauled him to her. "You wanna go to the store Turk?" She was rewarded with a wet kiss and a dancing collie. Raina roughed his ears. "His leash is hanging on the side of the deck."

              Emily took a couple swigs of her tea and jumped up. "Sorry Percy," she called to the kitty at the sliding glass door. Percy rubbed his paws on the glass and his mouth opened in a meow that was muted.

              Turk was turning in circles, so Emily hurriedly picked up the leash. "Forty five minutes," she promised. She glanced over her shoulder. "Then we'll talk."

              Raina nodded, watching them bound away. Drawing in a deep breath, she laid back once more. The tinkle of the ice in the glass was musical, as she set it on the table beside her. The birds singing above were louder today. They had multiplied in number, and were creating nests in the trees behind the house.

              The trees behind the house. She smiled....she had grown to respect those trees. If they could hide what she thought they were hiding...they deserved respect. She listened now as leaf brushed against leaf. But today was not a day for them to harbor mysterious men... it was to provide home to the fluttering masses.

              Raina stretched, enjoying the warmth of the sun that the clouds were allowing occasionally through. She felt herself relax, letting all the other worries filter out...even tuned out the droning bees.

              She jumped when she heard the slam of a car door in front of her house. She paused, then heard the undeniable rap of a knock at her front door. She jumped up and ran to the fence, opening the latticed door to the side yard.

              "I'm back here," she called. She assumed it was delivery, she was expecting some new books. Then she froze...remembering what a knock at the door had meant yesterday. She slowed her feet and she peaked around the house coming to a halt, seeing the red Charger in her driveway.

              She looked to the door, and swallowed. The tall figure turned to her. He was more beautiful then she remembered, and she struggled to find breath, let alone words.

              "Good morning." He sounded a little rough too, as he cleared his throat.

              His lean frame was clad in a dark suit now...no jeans and t-shirt. His hair was neat and in place, not all tousled as she remembered. Those eyes though...they were just as warm and mesmerizing. He was a sight....a wonderful...lovely sight.

              His lips twitched, as though he wanted to grin, or laugh at something.

              "I...I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Brad said you were, but I needed to check. I felt so bad running off...it’s just, it was a bit startling for me too." He moved toward her.

              "Because we had already meet, or because of my fainting?"

              He looked confused. "We had only just met." His eyes blinked in innocence.

              "Just?" Raina held back her questions, but they flooded her brain. Was he toying with her? Was she nuts? Was she dreaming again? She wondered if she really was going insane.

              "I've just never had a female faint at my appearance is all." He grinned, giving a slight shrug.

              Raina shook her head. "Don't play games Silas." She turned about and headed to the back yard. She couldn't explain her irritation at his words.

              He must have taken her exit as an invite. He was close behind her. She sat down, and he followed her example.

              "It’s Nolan by the way," he said gently. "Not Silas...as in, of the forest." The grey eyes drew a path to the trees in the back.

              "I know," she whispered. "Silas wears jeans."

              He chuckled at this...a strange thing to laugh at, unless you knew what it meant. She had him there, and his quick sobering proved that.

              "This isn't another dream is it?"

              He gave a shrug.

              Raina looked him over. "You are dressed for work though...I've never seen you this way. It has to be real."

              He shrugged out of the expensive jacket, laying it along the back of his chair. "Dreams are strange like that I guess." He grinned.

              Was he humoring her senseless jibber jabber?

              "Brad says you are the responsible one though. You wouldn't leave work just to come see how I was doing. You could have called."

              Nolan leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. The movement made the well-made shirt stretch across his sculpted shoulders. "I wouldn't have been able to see you though, Aelan."

              She sighed. "Aelan? Silas calls me that...how would real life Nolan know that?" She knew then...she was sleeping.

              She sat forward like he was. "Am I going crazy then? Why are my dreams so vivid? Why are they showing themselves in real life?" Why am I saying this to a potential real life person? Oh for sure he'd run for the hills now!

              Nolan grinned. “Raina, this is real life." He reached out and touched her hand. "See?" He quickly drew away though, not prolonging the touch. His hand moved to the back of his neck.

              She felt the delicate ribbons of electricity where he touched her. "That’s the thing about dreams....well, dreams with you in it...I feel...I smell the air...I smell you. These are extraordinary dreams."

              He swallowed. His eyes caressed her face and there was something there in his face...a struggle, a battle as to what to say. "I have two choices," he said softly. "I let you believe this is all a dream, and all the other times were as well......"

              She drew in a steadying breath. "Or?"

              He lifted his eyes to hers. “Or I can be selfish...and let it be real. If these are dreams...then I'm really not a part of you...I am just your imagination. If this is real though.....I..." he sighed. "This must sound crazy to you."

              Raina felt her heart slam against her ribs. "That’s the scary part. It doesn’t," she squeaked.

              He smiled, loving her pure honesty. “So, I have to decide. It’s not an easy decision, as you can see."

              Raina reached for, and tugged his hand, inviting him to the ottoman beside her. She felt his hesitation, but he moved to the long ottoman without a real fight.

              She couldn’t take her eyes from the beautiful face. Needed him a bit closer to her. "I have to admit though; if you were a dream this would be a lot less complicated."

              He shook his head. "Nothing has to be complicated...I simply disappear is all."

              Raina frowned,

              "Is it what you want though?" he whispered.

              "I'd rather have the complication," she sighed. "I'd rather be the crazy girl that dreamed you into real life."

              He sighed. "I always complicate things," he growled.