Only in Her Dreams by Christina McKnight Read Free Book Online Page B

happened, he needed to crush every illusion she had of who her father is; where her father’s loyalty stood and all the dark secrets they’d kept from her.
    The men around them began to stir out of their drunken stupors and others pushed humans away, urging them to retrieve their clothes and get lost.
    “Of course, Master. When do we leave?” Alexander’s head bowed in subservience.
    “We ride at midnight. Select three others to travel with us.”
    “We ride, Master?”
    Darius waved his hand, dismissing Alexander’s question, and moved through the house to his room. After twenty-two years he had something positive to report.
     

Chapter 8
     
    Darius preferred to let his brothers believe his powers had indeed been stripped, gone with his banishment. That’s where his deal with the Dark One came in handy. He’d had a link to the girl for years now, bringing a dark presence to her dreams--her nightmares. Which made it all the more galling that he’d been unable to track her exact location.
    Closing his eyes he concentrated on the dark side. A thrill coursed through his body every time he traveled to this forbidden land. He would lead these people, his type of people.
    His eyes opened and he stood in front of a rusted, black iron gate. It parted to allow him entrance.
    He proceeded down the fog-ridden path toward the castle in the distance. It was an imposing structure covered by black tinted ivy. Everything in this place held a black tint, the streets, the building, and most of all—the people. Soon-to-be, his people.
    As he approached the massive fortress, the doors glided open of their own accord. The interior was as dark and fog laden as the exterior, dim candles shown upon the carpeted floor he moved across.
    “The Dark One will see you in the billiards room.”
    Darius stiffened and stopped his progress, turning toward the voice behind him.
    No one was in sight. What the fuck?
    He straightened his shoulders and continued through the foyer and down the hall leading to the billiards room. Again, doors parted and he entered.
    The Dark One lounged against the far wall cue stick in hand. He studied the freshly racked pool table. “You’re in time for a game. Grab a cue, Darius.”
    “Yes, my lord.” Darius retrieved a cue stick from the wall and turned toward the table. The Dark One leaned across the table, aiming for the racked balls.
    “I hear you have good news for me,” he said as his stick connected with the white cue ball. On impact, the colored and striped balls rolled toward the corner pockets.
    Darius watched in awe. Every ball found its home in a hole, ending the game before it started. What the fuck?! He thought to himself, for the second time in less than ten minutes.
    “Well?”
    “Yes. My informant gave us accurate information about where the girl lives,” Darius said.
    “Have you confirmed this for yourself?” The man stood straight and returned his stick to the rack on the wall. He faced Darius across the table, hands on his hips. The man was intimidating, the thing that nightmares were made of.
    “Of course.” I’m not an idiot.
    “Well?”
    “Well…what?” Darius asked. Standing around a pool table, in such a casual setting should be relaxing, but he was on edge.
    “Why is Erebos not yet mine?”
    Good question. How to answer that without getting his ass set on fire, he wondered. “I’m working on it.”
    “Work faster. I’m in need of a new home, this one’s going to shit.” The Dark One stared at Darius, no hint of a joke on his face.
    “I don’t plan to drag this out longer than necessary.”
     

Chapter 9
     
    “Oneiroi...What the hell is that?” She’d expected him to say a lot of things, but this wasn’t one of them. She wasn’t even sure she believed in heaven or hell, let alone the existence of Zeus, Morpheus or Greek mythology. “Let me get this straight...you’re an Oneiroi and you’ve been sent by some Greek god to protect me from the evil