Page 40 of Sweet Dreams

I should not want to hurt my future in-laws, correct? But, at the same time that thought flickered across my mind, I found myself sitting at my mates side, facing her grandparents.

After everything that had been revealed, I was quite certain that this may be the final straw holding Lulu’s strange calmness to the news that her grandmother was a witch and her grandparents had been married for over a hundred years instead of just fifty.

Yet, my beautiful human remained quiet, silent as we stared at them and they stared back.

They were mates, too, surely they understood that even bringing up the idea of being separated from my mate so early in our relationship was making me feel murderous.

Wait.

My head cocked.

That’s exactly what they were doing.

“I see what you’re doing, Mr. Yale, but I’m not going to stride out.”

Lulu flinched at my side, turning her face to look up into mine. I could see the confusion there. “Some members of my kind, demons in general, can be a little reactive,” I looked pointedly at Mr. Yale, “Especially, when being separated from their mate is brought up.”

Her mouth made a tiny O as recognition dawned on her. Lulu turned from me to glare at her grandfather, “Stop trying to start a fight, Grandpa. We are here to talk.”

“You are here because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself,” Mr. Yale huffed, he pinned me with another sharp look. “My Lulu will not be held back by a demon who is only around part of the time.”

That surprised me. “What do you mean?”

“We know the incubi serve Lord Arafel,” Gigi said gently, “They always have. Which means you will not be in the living world often.”

Sensing the growing distress I’d been waiting for, I reached over and settled my hand on Lulu’s thigh. The delicate muscles there, which I’d just had my claws wrapped around, flexed. I debated about how to respond. How to explain why I was here, when in all reality, I wasn’t completely sure of the answer.

“Lulu….”

“What is he saying? Arafel? Who is he?”

I swallowed, those were easier questions. “Lord Arafel is one of the sons of Lucifer. He rules my people’s area of the Underworld.”

Her eyebrows were so high I wasn’t sure she would even think straight now. But, when Lulu didn’t faint or call me a liar, I kept going, my voice gaining volume and confidence as it went.

“I commonly come into the living world as I was never very good at dreamwalking like my brethren. I only ever came into Lulu’s dreams. And when I voiced my disinterest, Lord Arafel procured me for other tasks.” I looked to her, “You have to understand that magic is currency where I am from. I spend my days measuring the power that is keeping the Underworld alive and functioning.”

Lulu seemed to be thinking about it hard. “You’re an analyst?”

I couldn’t stop the laugh which in turn made her smile a little. Her leg under my palm relaxed a fraction. “Basically.”

Mr. Yale snorted, but didn’t contest my response. Lulu’s face sobered, “And you live there? In the Underworld?”

“I do, but it’s nothing like you probably think it is. It’s a mirrored reflection of this world a long time ago. I think you would love it. As soon as I figure out how to make you coffee there.”

Lulu’s lips quivered, “I’m sure. But..how did you get here?”

“Lord Arafel’s magic can send us back and forth,” I hesitated for only a moment. “I’ve never shown anybody this, not even Traum.” I pressed against my skin, letting the magicked away ring on my right hand finally show. A perfectly intact obol coin, soldered into a ring came into view on that hand. Lulu’s brows furrowed as she leaned down. “What is that? God, I sound like a broken record,”

I held my hand up so each of them could see the ancient coin. Gigi must’ve recognized it because she nodded slightly as I began to speak.

“Once, Greek obols were used for a passed soul to pay entry into the Underworld. But now, we use them to travel between words. This one was blessed by Lord Arafel and allows me to travel back and forth as needed.”

I took a short breath, “And as far as Lord Arafel is concerned, I was sent here for only one reason…” Since when did I sweat so much? I could feel the perspiration breaking out against my skin as I revealed my secret. “I was sent here to find out if mate bonds generate power in the living world.”

Silence. None of them even blinked for a long moment. Finally, Gigi’s head tilted, “What do you mean?”

“They’re finding that relationships, especially bonds, in the Underworld are responsible for creating more powerful matches. Lord Arafel’s soul mate is a unique situation perhaps, but now we’ve been looking at mate bonds between the demon kind.” I turned to Lulu, “My eldest brother, he and his mate are among the most powerful our elders have ever seen. Traum and Bailey, even though she has no magical abilities, have nearly quadrupled his power since they have been together. Something is changing.”