The Knight of Her Dreams (Dragons and Dreamphasers) (23 page)

One other watching at a
table nearby looked equally interested in his distraction, listening in
secretly.

Dominick smiled as he
continued to toy with his drink, never actually drinking it, but staring ahead
blankly while thinking of Julianna.  Tonight perhaps she’d tell him more of her
nephew that she adored so.  With her liking for children, he supposed she might
like one of her own someday.

If it was possible, he
would have gladly obliged her there, but alas, the dream-state only provided so
much reality. 
A matter of no consequence right now
, he decided finally,
turning his thoughts to brighter things.

Maybe this evening, they
could have a romantic dinner beside the silvery ocean.  The dream’s night sky
could be filled with bright rainbows—reminding him of her blissful words
comparing them to their time together last night—and likewise, accompanying
soft music could be made to fill the air.  After dining, he had the perfect
place to show her afterwards... but that would have to wait for now.

Glancing up at the clock on
Lost Limbo’s wall, a frown replaced his brightness.  There were still many
hours to go before he could see her.  Damn, but time could go so slow when one
anticipated a rendezvous with a loved companion.

He stopped himself
abruptly.  There it was again. 
Love
?

But was it really love or
just something that resembled it to the point of maddening illusion?  Maybe
tonight he could ascertain the truth once and for all, and perhaps also find
out her feelings on the matter.  He was a bit afraid that she’d proclaim last
night to have been wonderful, but that a continued relationship could never be
between them—and surely she was justified in believing so—although he planned
on taking steps to investigate the real truth to that.  For he certainly didn’t
want to lose her now, since he so valued their time together.

“Dom!” yelled Buddy,
snapping his attention back again. “It’d be nice if you paid attention to us
for a few minutes.  Where
is
your mind anyway?  Off daydreaming
with that ability of yours?”

A smile of consideration
crossed Dominick’s face in silent response.  Daydreaming, he mused... a
possibility he hadn’t considered.  It would certainly be nice to see Julianna
right now, and although he didn’t make a habit of it, he knew it was possible.

But not an option he’d use,
since to be honest, he didn’t want to interfere with her daytime life.  After
all, he couldn’t keep her mind suspended in a perpetual dream, now could he?  A
person had to eat, and while one could do so in the dream-state, it wouldn’t be
of any use to the person’s physical body which would remain unnourished.
Besides that, she’d briefly mentioned having a job too, which he wasn’t about
to risk jeopardizing.

No, he’d see her in a few
hours, and that was that.

A sudden searing pain in
his arm jolted him back to reality again.  “Ow!” he exclaimed, glaring at
Inferno.  “What was that for?”

“Ah, the dreamer boy
returns,” sneered Buddy.  “How honored we are.”

Ignoring his remarks,
Inferno shook his head apologetically.  “I didn’t use enough heat to burn you,
Dominick,” he said quietly.  “It’s just that when you’re off in dreamland, it’s
very hard to pull you back.”

Dominick was silent for a
moment before smiling.  “Okay, I’ll buy that,” he laughed.  “Just make sure you
don’t try the same stunt at night, or I won’t be responsible for my less
tolerant reaction.”

Inferno’s eyebrows quirked
up curiously.  “Question.  Are you still seeing that girl you were chasing?”

“Yes, I’m definitely still
seeing her,” he replied happily.  “Although last night I’d say the chasing most
certainly ended.”

Buddy gaped at the
implication.  “Dom, you didn’t...”  Silence.  “Oh, Chaos, you did,” he sighed. 
“Well, maybe it’s for the best.  Now you can leave that poor girl alone,
and...”

Dominick’s expression was
stern.  “You know, it would be wonderful if my closest friends would start
remembering for the umpteenth time that I’m not my brother.  When I said the
chasing ended last night, I meant as in we’ve found that we’re mutually happy
together.”

“You’re not going back to
see her again, are you?”

“Yes, I am,” he said
evenly.  “I promised her I would.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised! 
Far be it from you to... you did what?”

“She asked me to meet her
again tonight, and I promised I would.”  He couldn’t help giving a wearied sigh
to his gaping friend.  “You’re reading something negative into something that
is completely the opposite.  The entire time I spent with Julianna last night
brought me more happiness since I can’t remember when.”

The piercing sound of
breaking glass abruptly jarred him into turning, along with the other occupants
of Lost Limbo, to face an angry Sionne who now stood.  “Well, well, well... so your
new harlot has a name,” she hissed softly.  “Julianna, is it?  From which
corner did you dredge
this
one up, Dominick?”

He smiled darkly.  “Sionne,
if you were a man, you’d be missing several teeth right now for your insults. 
As it is, it’s none of your business.”  He tried to turn away again, but she
grabbed his arm.

“Your grandfather will no
doubt see differently, since he’s already decided we’re to be betrothed.”

“Really?” he chuckled,
becoming serious.  “Then I’m happy to hear it, and I accept completely.” 
Sionne began to smile triumphantly, while his friends could only gasp.  “Though
you’re a bit younger than I’d have expected for a new step-grandmother, I’m
sure you’ll be very happy together.”

Moments later, the whole
place erupted into laughter, including Buddy and Inferno, with the exception of
Jarissa.  Dominick maintained his composure with an icy smile, while Sionne’s
hands curled into fists, her face red.

“I’m sure your grandfather
won’t be quite so pleased by your amused mockery!” she yelled above the
laughter, storming out angrily.

“Good one, Dom,” chuckled
Buddy, slapping his shoulder good-naturedly.  “She certainly had that coming.”

“Oh, really?” snapped
Jarissa, her devil horns blazing red as he abruptly quieted.  Turning to
Dominick, she met his nonchalant look with ire.  “You have a hell of a nerve,
treating poor Sionne like that.  She’s done nothing but strive for a bit of
kindness from you, yet all you can do is flaunt your illicit liaisons in her
face and humiliate her.”

“
Poor
Sionne
brought it on herself,” he replied evenly.  “Although leave it to a guardian
devil to defend those with questionable motives.”  Even as Jarissa silently
fumed, he continued, “Sionne knows we’ve never been a couple, I never agreed to
a betrothal with her, and certainly have no ties to keep me from seeking out
someone else if I choose.”

“We
all
know
that,” Inferno said meaningfully.  Even Psych nodded.

“Maybe.  But speaking of
liaisons, Kiri overheard that you managed to seduce that innocent girl in her
dreams.”

Dominick’s expression
darkened again as he turned to Kiri, who now stood beside her friend.  “Next
time, you’d best eavesdrop a bit more carefully,” he hissed.  “I didn’t seduce
Julianna.  What we shared last night was completely mutual.”

“For one night,” she
sneered.  This time it was Dominick’s gaze—not Inferno’s—which seemed to shoot
real fire at her.

“As I just told Buddy, we
happen to be meeting again tonight,” he retorted.

“Yes, and perhaps for a few
days more, if she’s intrigued you that much.”  Her eyes became accusing.  “But
beyond that, we all know it’s a matter of time before you tire of her.  The
only difference is, when your days of meaningless loveplay with her are over,
you’ll leave without consequence, while she’s left alone with yet another
rejection.”

This time, Inferno and
Psych both stood up.

“Kiri, that’s out of line,”
he protested.  “Aren’t you judging a bit prematurely?”

“Yes,” agreed Psych,
“Dominick would never treat a woman that callously.”

“I
know
what
I saw!” Kiri exclaimed.

Dominick had been silent
for long moments, all too conscious of Buddy’s questioning eyes upon him, but
before Kiri could retort further, he broke in, silencing all.

“Your words twist things,”
he said finally, barely controlling his anger, “so allow me to clear up what
you
think
you saw.  As to our meaningless loveplay as you call
it, I can assure you that you’re
completely
wrong on that count,
and you have no right to insult us like that.  I already said it was mutual,
and it has more meaning to us than you’ll ever understand.”

Pushing his chair in
angrily, he stood to face her, continuing, “And before you proclaim yourself
judge and jury over us, Kiri, I think we both know where your venom is
really
coming from.  It’s not
me
who would do something like that, but
your on-and-off paramour Riff.  Instead of railing at me, maybe you should aim
your anger where it really belongs!”

Turning to Buddy and
Jarissa directly, he added, “If the rest of you choose to think the worst of
me, I can’t stop you.  Until this point, I’d credited you as being more
understanding of me than that, so that really saddens me.  But if all this
means you’re forcing me to choose between you and Julianna… then I’m afraid we
have nothing more to say to each other.”

He bit out the last as he
slammed his chair against the table and stormed from Lost Limbo, leaving behind
the gaping guardian pair, while Inferno and Psych unsuccessfully entreated him
not to leave.  Even Kiri looked apologetic at his departure.  Zantarl shook his
head and sighed upon witnessing this.  He could only hope that this Julianna
was worth as much as he claimed.  If not, he feared that Dominick would lose a
lot more than just his heart.

*****

Thank heaven for helpful
siblings to solve a dilemma!

Julianna heard the door shut
downstairs, following Roger’s fairly loud disagreement over Crystal’s
explanation that her sister had suddenly developed a migraine that she needed
to rest out.  He protested that she was fine earlier when he’d spoken with her,
but Crystal was soon backed up by her concerned husband.  Jerry wasn’t a fond
admirer of Roger’s either, and he wasn’t about to let his younger sister-in-law
see the man when she said she didn’t want to.

Quietly peering out the
corner of her window, Julianna saw Roger slam his car door and speed off. 
Sighing in relief that he was gone, she reclined on her bed and shut her eyes
against the darkness.  After completing her aforementioned work early in the
day, and later receiving some helpful advice from Marybeth over the phone, she decided
to put off meeting with Roger until she had more time to think things through.

That is,
if
I decide
to see him again
, her mind amended.

A knock on her door stirred
a glance from her.  “Come in,” she said tiredly.  As Crystal and Jerry’s
smiling faces appeared, Julianna echoed the gesture.

“It took a bit of
convincing,” sighed Crystal, “but he’s gone.”

“So I heard,” Julianna
agreed nodding.  “Thank you both for being so helpful and understanding.”

“Hey, it’s the least a
couple of old folks can do,” laughed Jerry, earning a rap on the shoulder from
his wife.

“Speak for yourself,
mister,” she admonished.  “Just because you think
you’re
over the
hill, doesn’t mean that
I
have to take part in that title.”

Her husband kissed her
cheek lovingly.  “You never seemed to mind the title of being Mrs. Old Timer
before,” he whispered.  Before she could reply, he slipped his arms about her
waist to hug her close.  “Maybe I can remind you of that later,” he added
suggestively.

At Crystal’s quiet protests
about discussing such things now, Julianna’s bright laughter eased any
tension.  “Neither one of you are over the hill, and you’re certainly younger
than any old timers I’ve ever seen,” she commented.  “Now why don’t you go work
this out amongst yourselves, while I prepare to get some sleep?”

Jerry flashed his
sister-in-law a quick smile, but aimed his words at Crystal.  “I’m glad we kept
this tactful sibling of yours with us,” he chuckled.  “Now all that needs to be
settled is our earlier discussion on a sibling for Sammy...”

“Good night, Julianna!”
interrupted Crystal, passing her husband without a backwards glance.

“Maybe you should settle
your present discussion first,” Julianna told her brother-in-law knowingly. 
“Otherwise, Sammy’s liable to remain an only child.”

“Ah, good point.  I suppose
I’d best switch to my alter ego of Humble Husband,” Jerry replied, his eyes
twinkling.  “Good night, kiddo,” he added, just before slipping out the door to
follow his wife.

As Julianna heard him
calling out to Crystal in a sugary voice, followed by her sister’s sarcastic
reply not to use such a tone with her now, she couldn’t help but laugh
quietly.  She was glad her sister had found someone like Jerry.  Despite their
occasional bickering, they really loved each other, and she knew Crystal would
be the first to agree.