Succubus Shadows Chapter 17

My initial cadence with the Oneroi had been a mixing of confessedly and false fantasys. As time went on and I re eithery had no expressive style of saying how oftentimes of it did go on the majority of them give forwardmed to be trus iirthy wholenesss. They were either visitations of awful memories or frequently glimpses into my current life, nastyt to demoralize me and lick me homesick.I was sedate torn apart, dumb feel more animal than hu human being or succubus orwhatever. Yet, the fleeting typographys of cause within me wondered at the sudden escape of handcrafted visions. One might argue the Oneroi were being lazy. They were scarcely giving me recycled material, and whe neer I did weigh my friends in the solid ground, I got the impression that it was little a dream and more give name the Oneroi flipping me onto a TV channel to gravel sure I stayed distracted and gave them roundthing to throw off of. It nigh felt same(p) they were gaugeing to keep me busy becausewell, they were busy. further wherefore? What had happened? What had Dante been slightly to tell roman letters and the others? Was it enough to make the Oneroi pull somewhat of their attention from me? Or were these simply more mind games symboliset to leave me in convulsion?I kept hoping Id operate a follow-up to what had happened with Dante, further the Oneroi had other separate of the life Id left behind to supply me. Or, well, parts I hadnt left behind. Sim whizz was still impersonating me, and the Oneroi precious me to experience.Adding insult to injury, she was helping Maddie and curing with the wedding. The iii of them were out patty shopping, and honestly, I was almost more surprised to eat up note Seth in that lo shake offion than I was Simone in her disguise. Hed pretty much kept absent from the wedding planning as much as possible, using the pretense that he was no good at closings and was dexterous to let Maddie run things the way she deprivationed.I didnt doubt the first part of what he utter precisely wondered closely the second. In my key outt of hearts, the one that reckond he was still in love with me, I in secret hoped he was passing it to Maddie just because he was indifferent to it tot lonesome(prenominal)y. I wanted to believe that he unfeignedly didnt c ar approximately the planning because he didnt c ar about the wedding.It was clear, however, that I cared. Or rather Simone cared. Considering my hesitance at dress shopping, you would lay d companionship judgement Maddie might notice the sudden increment in zeal. Nope. Maddie was alike caught up in her own bubble of happiness and welcomed my assistance.So, the three of them set off on a cake adventure, visiting all the bakeries Maddie had compiled and be on a list pulled from hours of network research.You want it creamy, verbalize Simone, licking methamphetamine hydrochloride off her fingers at a bakeshop in Belltown. real, it was more like sucking. This is a little likewise sugary. The threesome sit at a table where they had been provided with a plate of samples.Thats the point, verbalize Maddie. She was eating a bite-size piece of chocolate cake in a much less come alivey way. Mega sugar rush.Yeah, but if you draw too much sugar, it just tastes grainy. You want it to slideway slump oer your lips. She turned to Seth. Dont you imply so?Seth had taken a bite out of a piece of marble cake. It is agreeable of grainy.Simone gave him a agnize pull a face, one that seemed to say, See? I know you better than e trulyone else in the solid ground.Seth held her look for a moment, but his expression was un renderable. He turned toward Maddie. But we can do whatever you want.No, no, she state, not sounding too disappointed. This is for both(prenominal) of us. I want it to be something you like too.Seth gave her a ruinous smile. Does it matter? It all gets shoved in the pillow slip bothway.Maddi es eyeball went wide. No, it doesnt Dont crimson theorize about doing that.Guess you wont know until the time comes, huh? His smile had grown.Seeing him play with her made me (figuratively) squirm, but I took comfort in visual perception a flash of annoyance in Simones eyes. Maddie was succeeding where Simone couldnt. That was how it should beor was it? Maddies illiterate triumph everywhere Simone meant she hadwell, triumphed over me. Or had she? Simone looked like me but wasnt truly me. Damn. This was all so confusing.Seth wouldnt do that, utter Simone, resting her hand on his shoulder in what was supposed to be a hearty way. Maddie couldnt see it from her vantage, but Simones fingers lightly fleecy the pole of his neck. non if he wants a good honeymoon.She spoke lightly, but there was a sly undertone there. Having her sex life brought up in humans made Maddie blush. Seth had shifted uncomfortably, but the solid ground was unclear. Simones fingers? The mention of sex? peradventure both. Simone removed(p) her hand, seeming innocent to all the foundation, pull up Seth and me.Maddie seemed eager to change the dependant from the romantic goings-on of a honeymoon. I hypothecate you should at least pick the cake flavor, she utter. Im choosing so much else.I dont know, utter Seth. He still seemed uncomfortable. I dont care if you do it.Yeah, but she wants you to, said Simone. hap on, make one firm decision here. You cant go wrong. Maddiell eat anything you pick.Loaded statement. uncomplete Seth nor Maddie acted as though they read anything into it, but I had a soupcon Simone had intended it as a speech to Maddies very buxom figure.Exactly, said Maddie. Whats your deary flavor?I bet I can guess, said Simone. Chocolate.Strawberry, said Maddie.Losers. It was vanilla.Vanilla, said Seth.Maddie groaned. Naturally. Well, theres one decision made. She rose from the table. Lets try a few other places and get the rest of this taken care of. non much left after this. They reached the door, and Maddie stop to glance at Simone. Oh, hey. Will you do me a favor? Will you take Seth tux shopping?What? asked Seth. No neutral face now. He was shocked.Maddie grinned. If you dont bewilder a keeper, youll show up at the church in a nightstick Idol T-shirt. And its bad luck if I go with you.I thought that was just for the bride, said Seth.I want to be surprised, Maddie countered.Of course Ill go, said Simone, spewting her lace around Seth again in that friendly way.Maddie beamed, and the bakery faded awaytransforming into Eriks store.Erik sat at a dispirited table with Jerome and Roman, and so help me they were swallow tea. Even Jerome. Roman was visible, which made me think Jerome must turn over decided they no longer needed to fear the eyes of higher powers who might wonder why my human roommate kept tagging along with Seattles archdemon.Erik was tapping his tea cup thoughtfully. If your theory is right, it would inform a lot. These words were directed at Roman. The dream quality of the visions. Mr. Jeromes complete unfitness to find her.Jeromes slightly arched eyebrow was the altogether indication of his displeasure over the word inability.Erik continued, eyes on his cup as he pondered it all. And youre rightof all the creatures you suggested, Oneroi or Morphean demons make the most sense.Oh I thought in triumph to the Oneroi. How do you like that, bitches? My friends are on to you. No response came. No dissolving of the dream, as I would deliverance expected.But why her? asked Roman irritably. I had a olfactory perception hed taken credit for the dream bringing close together, shield Dante from Jeromes wrath. wherefore a succubus? Dont they only care about human dreams?Theyre fastened to Nyx, pointed out Erik. Oh, yes. My friends were smart. Smarter than Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys put together. Maybe even Matlock too.The why is irrelevant, said Jerome, public speaking at last. Whether its O neroi or Morpheans is also irrelevant. If somethings taken her to the institution of dreams, shes completely inaccessible.Roman frowned. Why? Cant you just go in there and pull her out now that you know?Jerome gave his son a smile that almost, almost seemed genuinely amused. Youre fractional-human, and it shows. Greater immortals cant go there. We dont dream. lone(prenominal) humans do. The way is barred to us.Because you waste no hopes or imaginings of what might be, said Erik. His manner and tone clearly indicated he believed such a thing to be a failing for angels and demons. You need a soul to dream.Well, if Im half-human, then Ill go there, said Roman obstinately, cutting off any retort Jerome might agree given. I dream. So I can enter, right? And I can take on whatevers there. thither was so much goal in his voice that I half believed he could take on an military of Oneroi right now.You pick up no idea what youre talking about, said Jerome. Clearly. Do you have any ide a what the dream world is like?Do you? asked Roman dryly. I thought you couldnt go there.Dreams are what elicit human existence. Dreams of power, love, revenge, redemptionthe dreams of mankind are vast, uncountable. Humans dream both vigilant and asleep. Those hopes and fears are what put them at lay on the line they gamble their lives and souls on dreams. You go into the world of dreams, and its like stepping into a blizzard. Every scrap is some human imagining flitting by so quickly, you cant even see it. All you see is a blur, a tangle of longings and chaos. If Georgina is there, she is one of those snowflakes. You would never find her soul.Heavy silence fell.Finally, Roman said, That was like poetry, Dad.But hes fix, Erik told Roman. more than silence.Roman glanced between the two of them incredulously. So thats it? Its hopeless? Youre giving up without even trying to find her?Trying is hopeless, said Jerome. Demons might not dream the way humans did, but I suspect even h e could picture what his superiors would do when they found out hed lost a succubus. Human magic could access the world of dreams, but itd do no good. He glanced at Erik, who nodded.Someone lost among all that couldnt be called back. Not even the severeest religious rite could do it. Her soul would never hear anything we could muster.Romans face was a mixture of emotions. Anger. Disbelief. Andresignation. That didnt surprise me. Jeromes face did, however. He had stiffened at Eriks words, a spark of insight flashing in those cold, dark eyes.But you could do the ritual, correct? he asked Erik. Youre human. Youre strong enough to turn over the way.Erik eyed him warily. Yesbut by your own admission, it would achieve nothing. The connection you had to her was theoretically strong enough to possibly summon her back, but you cant enter. All wed have is a unprofitable doorway.Jerome stood up abruptly. He glanced at Roman. mention your own way home. The demon vanished with a showy poof o f smoke.And I vanished back into the Onerois prison. They stood there in the dark, glowing from what theyd taken from me. In dreams, though I suffered, I never felt the horrific personal effects they caused until I returned from them. That was when the agony, energy loss, and confusion tote up me. Yet, this time, I wasnt completely lost to despair.You were wrong, I said. I tried to put some smugness in my voice, but it came out burly from my exhaustion. Good God. I was so, so tired. I guess dreaming didnt necessarily mean sleeping. My friends have figured it out. They know where I am.As always, One and ii were closely impossible to read. What makes you think that was a true dream?Excellent question. Gut instinct, I said.You believe you can trust it? asked One. aft(prenominal) all this time? After so many dreams? How can you tell whats real and unreal?I couldnt. I knew when the memories were true for now but the real world scenes were harder. Maybe it wasnt my gut so much as my blind optimism that believed what Id just seen was real.Two guessed my thoughts. You hope. And weve fed that hope, making you think you have a chance. So you will wait. And wait. And wait.It was real, I said firmly, as though that would make it so.Even if it was, said One, it meant nothing. You saw for yourself. There is no way to bring you back.Maybe that was the lie, I said. Maybe the rest was true. You fuse it. They figured out where I was, but you didnt show me the part where they learned how to rescue me. Theyre going to do that ritual.They will fail. vigour can pull your soul from here.Youre wrong. I didnt even really know what I was saying. My essence felt like it was wild apart, and really, the only thing I knew to do was to keep contradicting them.And you are naive. You always have been. Lesser immortals carry that weakness over from their human days, and youre one of the worst. Our mother to the highest degree used your weakness to free herself from the angels. pre sently it will be your downfall.What do you mean Nyx almost used it?The Oneroi exchanged glances very, very pleased ones. Your dream. Your fantasy, explained Two. The one she promised to show you if you freed her. You wanted so badly to believe it was possible, that you nearly gave in.For a moment, I didnt see them or that perpetual blackness. I was in a dream of my own creation, not theirs. The dream Nyx had sent to me over and over had been one of my coming(prenominal), with a home and a baby and a man. A man I loved whose identity remained a mystery. Nyx had never shown me the ending. Never shown me the man in the dream.You are so full of shit, I said. You assign Nyx shows the righteousness the future. But how could that vision have been true if Im also supposed to be locked here for all eternity? They cant both be true.The future is always changing, said One. That was true when she showed it to you. Your path shifted.Oh, come on Whats the point of having a vision of the f uture if it can change at any moment? Thats not a truth or a lie. Thats a guess. And I never believed her anyway. What she showed me was impossible even if I wasnt here with you two assholes.You will never know if it was, said Two. Then, he reconsidered. Actually it was possible, but you will live with the knowledge that its a future thats been taken from you.You cant take what I never had, I growled. Succubi cant have children. I could never have that kind of life.What I didnt add was that one take aback thing had come from the dream. In it, Id had two cats. At the time, Id only had one Aubrey. Not long after, Id found Godiva, who was the other cat in the dream. Coincidence? Or had I truly been on the path to that future, only to have it ripped from me now? As always, the Oneroi could see into my heart and knew what I was thinking.Do you want to see? asked One.See what?The man, said Two. The man in the dream.