Peace and Love Everyone!
Before I continue with my blog story, I thought that I would post the chapters again in sections so that you can remember the story. In 2 weeks I will continue Chapter 11 for ‘The World of Dreamers’.
Chapter 1
She reached over and rested her hand on his chest. He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it.
“Yes, my love.” His baritone voice rumbled in her head.
“Just wanted to see if you were still with me,” She thought to him. To herself, she asked why do I let him in? I cannot keep doing this if I’m to finish my work.
“Mhm,” he mumbles while pulling her closer.
She couldn’t help but think that next to her he was sultry. His muscular form fit to her curves like he was her second skin.
She could not deny him now, but she refused to give him the whole night. Each time they made love, a series of questions would plague her before she decided to leave their dreaming. Why does he being perfect for her seem to freak her out? How is he doing this? Why did I not contact him before? The questions just kept streaming through her consciousness. I’m pretty sure I went to bed alone, she thinks right before she tries to jump up. His voice reverberates through her.
“Daphne, no.” She feels as though he envelops her and his grip tightens. “Time to stop running, mi amor.”
“I need more time Angelo and you just keep making it harder for me to say no to you.”
“I know you need me. You can’t deny it.” There was silence for a moment as he kisses the back of her neck and nibbles at her skin. “Can you even see me?”
“Of course I can see you,” she pushed the thought to him as she thought to herself, of course, I need you, Angelo.
“Daphne, can you see me?”
Daphne knew what he was asking and didn’t want to answer him. If he knew, he would never allow her the time she wanted. She had not even figured out how much more time she needed away from him. Or how much time she could spare away from him. Separating her thoughts and what she thought to him used to be so easy. Now she was sure he heard all of her thoughts.
“No Angelo, you are just a dark shadow to me,” she sadly replied. She could say nothing else. Dreamers don’t lie to their mates. It had been established many years ago when they were children that he was her’s. Her mate.
“I need time, Angelo.”
“Daphne, we don’t have time. Either let me find you or you find me. You have yet to give yourself fully to me.”
“Soon,” echoed in his head as Daphne pulls away and the jerk wakes her up.
Daphne tries to sit up but can’t. She is tangled in her sheets. She had to slide a bit and reach for the lamp on the nightstand. It was bright now and she blinked and squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to help them adjust. Once they adjusted she looked around. Yep, back in her modern white with a little color, apartment. Everything was as it should be, quiet. Finally, she looked down to untangle herself. Her sheet and comforter were thrown or kicked to the edge of the bed. She was tangled in the fitted sheet.
Once she was untangled, Daphne sat up and curled her legs into herself, wrapped her arms around her knees and put her head on them. She focused on her breathing. She took stock in her body. Her muscles ached, her legs throbbed at the meeting of her thighs. She felt tender all over. She wanted to go back to sleep and curl up with him. Still, she knew there were a few more things to do before she could truly connect to him.
“Fuck,” she yelled. There was no one there to answer. She was alone as usual, but in her dreams, he was there. Angelo had found her. Her Angelo. Why was she fighting this? Maybe she should just give in. If she did, her final list would be incomplete.
Daphne had been speaking with someone religiously for months in her dreams but didn’t remember. Then a little more then a month ago she woke up with a start as everything came flooding back. All he had done was touch her. His touch seemed to erase the spell he had woven to make her forget. The last time she had dreamed Angelo was when she was sixteen. She thought she had been keeping him at bay for a month, but almost six months had passed since he had started dreaming her. She had tried to keep him from touching and tasting her. She had wondered during the six months, why she was so drawn to the man who dreamed her? When she realized it was Angelo, everything made sense. It had been excruciating for her to keep them from becoming intimate. Daphne hungered for him immensely.
Daphne stretched before getting out of bed. She could not go back to sleep now. He would be waiting. Maybe in a short while. She made a beeline for her kitchen to make sure she was hydrated. Took her time drinking two glasses of water. On her way to the bathroom, she looked into her full-length mirror. She was glistening all over. Her pinned up hair was now a mass of large braids everywhere. Her cap must have fallen off with all the lovemaking. She could see her stomach slightly swollen. Her body getting ready for their child after their bonding. If she didn’t bed him within the next thirty-six hours her body would shed the womb and start over. Since she had no contact with her mate for over five years her body didn’t menstruate. Now it did. Over the last few months, her menstruation had been making her sick. Most of her kind had a child by her age. She had not. She had put off conception for years. She wasn’t supposed to be away from him that long. Her body would rebel until her first child.
“Oh, Angelo. Is it really you? Why can’t I see you at all?” She asked the air as she pulled out the bobby pins and tied her long thick braids into a big bun.
Daphne couldn’t help but think of him. He felt heavenly next to her and inside of her body as they lay in the dreaming together. She felt the heat of his body even though he wasn’t there with her. He had dreamed of her. How did he manage that? Daphne knew that her mate was not of her people. So how did he find her? One answer came to mind. MOM.
Chapter 2
“You dreamed about him again didn’t you?”
“Tina, I don’t want to talk about it. We need to set up my schedule for next week.”
“Come on Daph, you gotta fill me in.”
“No, I don’t gotta do anything.” Daphne crossed her arms over her full bosom. She was trying not to think of him at all today now Tina had ruined that.
“I know you don’t like to talk at the office. How about lunch?”
Daphne shook her head as she looked around the main office through the glass walls. “Why do I keep you as my assistant if you don’t know my schedule?”
“Ohhh, I forgot. Dinner then.”
“If Chance leaves my side. Maybe.”
“Daphne, darling.”
“Sure Chance just walk into my office unannounced.”
“Well your assistant here, was not at her desk,” Chance haughtily replied as he pointed at Tina. “Now let me look at you. Hmmm. Someone’s been getting some. You’re glowing.”
“Is it that obvious?” Fuck glowing, Daphne thought. I didn’t know people could see that. Or maybe people don’t see what I see.
“Well, people were whispering this morning about how you weren’t your usually bitchy self. They said you replied to their greetings. Derrick’s remark I really will not repeat, but it was basically, I told you so.”
“Thank you, Tina,” Daphne replied with disdain. She paused looking around her desk finally lifting a few papers. She grabbed a legal size envelope but still searched for her notebook. “Have a seat Chance, let’s get started.”
“You, keep thinking that I’m staying here in this stick up your ass, conservative office.”
“Keep your voice down,” requested Daphne.
Chance sucked his teeth. “Fuck you and fuck them.”
“Damn, you’re so dramatic. And fuck you too.”
“Oh look at Miss Thang. But you know I don’t swing your way right?” Chance paused to watch Daphne smirk and roll her eyes. “Anyway, it makes you money so stop complaining. Tina grab your TN and find Miss Thang’s TN and meet us at the elevator. Let’s go. This place drains all the thrill from you the longer you stay.”
“So maybe we should sit,” Daphne replied slowly getting up from her seat.
Chance didn’t reply but crossed his arms in front of him.
“Standing reservation here we come.”
Chance’s driver took them to their usual Japanese spot on Tenth and Fifty-first street. They were shown their usual table by the window at the front of the restaurant.
“Ms. Jones, will you be having your usual?”
“Yes, but instead of the okra, I’ll have the tempura crab.”
“I’ll have my usual,” stated Chance when the waitress turned to him.
“I need to look at a menu first.” You should have seen the servers face. She knew Tina didn’t need a menu.
“Tina.” Chance and Daphne shout-whispered together.
“Baby girl don’t even go get one,” Chance said to the waitress. “Now, Tina we’ve been coming here twice a month for the last year. Why don’t you have a go to? It’s not like you order anything different after seeing the menu.”
“I may want to taste something different.”
“Yeah right. Please, heffer.” Chance turned toward the waitress, “Ms. Amanda, please bring Tina her usual and a round of Pinot for everyone.”
“Yes, sir.”
Tina sucked her teeth. “What’s the rush?” Tina looked at Daphne.
Daphne shrugged her shoulders and turned towards Chance. “Chance?”
“I want to show you my new set up before you tell me not to sign the contract.”
“Chance, we’ve discussed this. But since you’re hell-bent on taking the contract I’ve made amenable changes to it. If they sign it everyone wins. If you sign the other contract, you’re screwed.”
“Of course, Ms. Thang. Still, you’ve got to see my new show. I’ll get you tickets.”
Daphney rolled her eyes before sipping on the wine the wait staff just brought.
“What kind of name is Daphne for a Black woman anyway?”
“Chance we are not discussing that again.”
“You don’t even look like a Daphne.”
“Okay, one of those days,” Daphne murmured as she signaled for her second drink to be brought to her.
“Yes one of those days, bitch. Still, you haven’t told us about lover boy.”
“Yeah Daph, tell us.”
“Tina, you know I hate the nickname ‘Daph’. And Chance I don’t want to discuss him.”
“Girlfriend you ain’t getting off that easy. Spill. What does he look like? How does he sound? Is it him?”
“I don’t know what he looks like.”
“Sorry, what are you talking about?”
“I couldn’t see him. He was covered in a shadow.”
Chance steepled his hands and smiled behind them before he leaned forward. “Has that ever happened?”
“No Chance. Never.” Daphne sulked a little while the table was filled with their food. “I have always been able to see the person I’m dreaming,” she said when it was just them again.
“As long as I’ve known you you’ve had a gift. No detail escapes you.”
“Tina, I can still tell you about his bedroom or his apartment. But anything about him physically, nothing more than a muscular shadow.”
“How long has the shadow been happening?”
“From the time he found me. Chance I need you to drop this topic. Tell us about your show.”
“Wait. He found you? I thought he couldn’t do that.”
“Chance, these last few months he’s been initiating the dream. He wanted to know why I didn’t dream him if my gift was unbound.”
“Unbound?”
She started to try to explain it to Tina, but Chance cut in. “Let me. Ever since a child Tina, Daphne could visit and talk to people in dreams. As a child, Angelo was her dream playmate. But her mom thought she was cutting herself off from life and getting too comfortable with Angelo.”
“You see for us Dreamers, like myself our first dreaming is our mate. I dreamed Angelo. We would talk and play together in the dreaming. It was enough for me. If I wasn’t playing with my older brother I was in my room by myself. I didn’t feel the need for a lot of friends. My mom got worried. Most of us get our gift between eleven and fifteen. I was seven.
“My mom didn’t even know I knew about going to have my dreams bound. But the night before we went to our senior Dreamer, I played and said goodbye to Angelo.”
“Wait, wait, wait. I thought usually by some mysterious circumstances, a Dreamer actually meets their mate before their twenty’s?”
“They do Chance. But I had my dreams blocked again when I was sixteen. The older you are when they’re blocked the longer it lasts. I said goodbye to Angelo again after my sixteenth birthday. If there is no connection, partners can’t find each other. My block lasted a few years short of a decade.
“Even when it came back, I never dreamed Angelo. About six months ago he dreamed me. He was angry that I could sleep without dreaming him. He said that our separation wasn’t suppose to last this long.
“I didn’t remember most of it for a few months. He said he didn’t want me to block him again, so he had help making me forget.” Daphne pause for a moment trying to gather herself. “I really wished you left it alone. I told you I didn’t want to talk about it.”
Chance touched Daphne’s hand and she looked up, tears were streaming down her face.
“Please just leave it. Please.”
“Daphne, what’s wrong?” Daphne didn’t answer Tina, but continued to eat.
“Tina, Dreamers shouldn’t be without their mates past their teen years. They are also not part of our world. They are a gift from the heavens. You don’t usually meet a Dreamer in person. They are the energy in the background. They are muses to musicians and other artists in their dreams. And the energy that creates a loving community. They go where they are needed, where they feel positive energy in short supply and they dream different people to help them find balance in their lives.
“The connection a Dreamer has with their mate is what they need to help positive energy grow. It also keeps their energy balanced. Daphne here has ignored her mate for way too long as she chased being an entertainment lawyer. Now that her mate has found her, she has to follow her destiny.”
“Daphne, it can’t be that bad. It sounds beautiful.”
Daphne wondered how Chance knew so much about her kind. She had never told him that much. “Okay Tina, then you give up your dream of filling my shoes at the firm and go home, stay there and only help people with their dreams.”
“Oh.”
“Dreamers’ partners take care of their Dreamer’s needs as they fulfill their place in the world with peace and love. Angelo would have to give up a lot too. Maybe not as much.” Daphne knew she could no longer stay away from Angelo. She needed him now. Her body and heart ached for him. Now that she had connected with him she was beginning to feel as though half of her were missing when he wasn’t around. She hadn’t felt that before Angelo started dreaming her. She had started to feel as if she could live without him. “Chance how do you know so much?”
“There are volumes in the Strand dedicated to your kind and what they do here on earth.”
Daphne raised her eyebrows while she thought ‘wow volumes on my people.’ The table was quiet now. Everyone wrapped in their own thoughts. Daphne knew her time was limited now. She had made love to Angelo in their dreaming. He would find her soon and she would assume her Dreamer duties.
“Wait, Daphne. How did Angelo find you?”
“My mom lead him right to me. Only she could make me forget reconnecting with him. She grows tired of me shirking my responsibilities and vowed to connect us.”
“Damn,” exclaimed Chance.
“It’s not so bad Daph. You’ve been lonely for so long.”
“Yes,I have. The price of following my dreams, Tina.” Now I can no longer avoid him, Daphne thought to herself. I need to feel Angelo. The more she thought about him she knew that she needed to dream and connect with him. It had been way too long and she had been feeling the effects of being alone for longer then she would like to admit.
They finished the rest of their meal in silence. Each person wrapped in their own thoughts. Chance was the first to get ready to leave.
“By the way, thanks for the contract. I hope they sign it,” Chance stated as he got up and gathered his things to leave.
“No problem, that’s what I’m here for.”
They said their goodbyes. Daphne and Tina usually stayed a little longer to discuss how Tina could help with a client for the week. There were certain things they didn’t speak of in the office.
“So what do you need boss?”
Daphne explain the client list for the week and what each client needed. “I’m going to take the rest of the week off. I need time. Complete the contracts for me and set conference calls for next week. You can courier the contracts to each person.”
“Sure. I’ll email you the files when I’m done.”
Daphne was finally coming to terms with her role in life. She could still help her special clients and complete her responsibilities as a Dreamer. Now, she couldn’t wait to feel her Angelo. She wonders if her mom helped him, why didn’t he just come to her?
Chapter 3
As Daphne walked into her apartment, her cell rang. She set her things on the counter and dug it out of her bag. Her mom. She was not in the mood to speak with her at all. She slid the bar on the screen but said nothing.
“So my lovely Dreamer, how are you?”
“Tired, mom. The job and the dreaming take a lot out of me.”
“That’s why all Dreamers have a mate.”
“Did you have to help him dream me? Why not tell him where I am? How did you know it was him?”
“He told me something about you from when you were seven. And of course I had to help him, it’s past time, Daphne. But I figured if he just showed up at your door you would send him away. Still, he’s in New York. You know the council will no longer abide by your need to be alone to pursue a career while helping only a few people here and there.”
“But mom.”
“Daphne Cassandra Jones.” Her mom took a breath before she continued. “Darling we need you. You’re a powerful Dreamer. Dream him, get pregnant and assume your role. I don’t care about the ceremony. Stop stalling. You sound exhausted. Get some sleep. He’s home today, help him find you.”
“Mom, one more thing.”
“Yes.”
“I can’t see Angelo.”
“Your own fault. If you don’t pair with him soon you never will. It may already be too late.“
“Mom?”
“He’s fading from you, Daphne. Just like the tales I told you when you started dreaming again. You are starting to lose your connection to him. Baby girl, open yourself to him. You won’t be disappointed, he’s dreamy.”
“Mom.” Did her mom just say he was dreamy? She sighed. Now she was worried. Daphne definitely didn’t want to lose Angelo.
“Remember, lock everything, doors, and windows. Maybe even set up your wards. Crank up the AC and go to him. Clean first, eh.”
“Yes, mom.” Daphne didn’t want to tell her mom her wards were long gone. She had no idea what happened to them and she had not taken the time to create new ones for each door and window. She knew that was a dangerous way to operate, but she didn’t have any problems.
She never thought that her beloved Angelo would fade from her. There are so few stories of Dreamers who lose their mates. She only remembered the story of her distant cousin. He lived in the world now, disowned by her people. Mom said he was headstrong and refused to open himself to his mate. He had spent years avoiding her. When he decided to follow the path it was too late. She was merely a shadow who didn’t respond to him in dreams anymore. He lost his ability to dream soon after that. For his safety and the safety of their people, he was cast out, never to contact anyone not even his mom.
That brought a host of new worries to Daphne. She also had spent years avoiding Angelo. If she hadn’t had her dreaming blocked at sixteen she would have been bound to him already. That was exactly what she was trying to avoid. They needed time to grow and become who they were. Daphne remembered Mama Blue saying ‘the only reason I’m binding your dreaming in this late stage is that I believe it will make you one of the most powerful Dreamers to live. But you must be careful. Too much time away from him can cost you the very thing we are magnifying.’ She had explained to Daphne that in all of her history no Dreamer was blessed with their gift so early and that her mother had made the right decision to bind her when she was so young.
Daphne took a deep breath and followed her mom’s instructions. She locks the door of her apartment and the one that led to the patio from her bedroom. She took a walk around her apartment to close any open windows before turning the AC on. Most people didn’t have their AC on in fall or winter. It was just part of life for Daphne. As a child, her parents had slept with downs and furs on their bed to keep them warm in the cold months. The cold air circulating should make it harder for the Chaser’s shadow to move freely in a Dreamer’s home. It was also supposed to obscure their dream portal. So for safe measure, she turned the AC on high.
Looking through her closet she even found a ward for her room and hoped that it was enough. Just before going to take her shower, she made sure to turn on her alarm for the condo, switch off her intercom, lite some lavender incense and crank up Elvis Crespo on her home speakers.
All of the preparation seems to weigh Daphne down. At least now she was all clean as she took one last glance around her apartment before sliding her half wet body to bed under her thick furs and down covers. Darkness soon welcomed her. When she finally dreamed her Angelo, she was too tired to call to him. She could not reach through to his dreaming. She knew that was a bad sign. She now realized they had not shared a dreaming in five years. She had not connected to him in her dreaming once in all those years. Him dreaming her had only prolonged their connection, it had not strengthened it as her reaching out would have done. How would she connect with him now? She decided to do the only thing she could, keep her dreaming open and watch him for a while. He seemed beside himself, pacing the bedroom floor. His room was bright unlike hers. Still, she watched in hopes that he would feel her energy and turn. Lucky for her, he did.
“Daphne. Why are you there?” Angelo sounded so cross to her. She could only give a faint smile.
“Angelo, I’m here of my own free will. Join me.”
“I’ve longed to hear those words. But, I won’t come to you. Your space is not safe. Do you need help getting to me?”
“Yes, take my hand.” Daphne reached up. Her fingers barely made it through to his dream, but he reached through to her and grabbed her arm. Once he touched her, her surroundings became bright. She stepped from her bed to his. She was no longer in her Manhattan home but with him. Funny how she didn’t know where that was.
Angelo was now a little clearer to her, not so much a shadow as blurred.
“Daphne, you look exhausted. Who is draining you?”
“Work really.” After she answered she thought about all the instructions her mother had given her. “Wait, you think I have a Chaser?”
“You do. Our link has been severed several times before I could connect to you. I didn’t say anything in our dreams because I didn’t want them to find out I knew. Whoever they are.”
“Is that why you refused to come through to me.”
“One. Plus your mom said it’s the best way to safeguard your soul.”
“You’ve been hanging around mom?”
“We’ll discuss that later. We need to fully connect.” As he spoke, Angelo pulled Daphne down on the bed with him. He kissed her gently as he stroked her cheek with his thumb.
“We don’t have to rush. I closed everything and put on the AC.”
“You think that matters?”
Daphne didn’t understand the rush, but she allowed him to get close to her. She treasured their soul’s touching as much as he did. She had worn very little to bed in anticipation of this time.
“Daphne,” Angelo whispered. “Don’t say anything. Look up and a little to your left. I need you to close the portal.” His lips tickled her earlobe as he spoke. She giggled.
She didn’t understand why he would tell her that. Before Daphne even looked she replied. “No, I will physically be stuck here and I don’t know where here is. I’m not prepared for that.”
“Look up Daph.”
This time she did as told and saw a shadow lurking around her bed. Its movements were jerky as if it was jumping each step. She thought she put up a ward for her room. Then she saw a hand. It had found her portal. Angelo was right she had a Chaser. A powerful one. It couldn’t reach through but it could pull her back through her portal. She couldn’t allow herself to be pulled back now. Daphne thought of the last few minutes. She couldn’t even call to Angelo or reach through to him. She may never find Angelo again if their link is broken now. She didn’t know much about what Chasers did to Dreamers and that scared her.
Not knowing what else to do, Daphne tugged at the center of her soul. Somehow that strain helped to pull her body through her portal and close it behind her. Once connected to her soul again, her body began to violently shake. She felt frigid. She could barely move, even to look over to Angelo’s physical form was almost impossible. He was still asleep. Trying to grab the sheet was in vain because she couldn’t stop shaking enough to grab or pull it. As if he felt her struggle Angelo awoke and turned to look at his love. He quickly grabbed the blanket and threw it over her before he pulled her closer.
“I wasn’t sure I could do that, or if I should have done that,” Daphne said with difficulty as her teeth chattered. “I shouldn’t have had enough energy to do that. I’m so cold.”
“I got you, love. You’ll be warm soon.” Angelo undressed and got as close to Daphne as he could. Then he turned on the electric blanket. “I know it was just a shadow of a hand, but did you recognize anything?”
“Yes, I think so,” She replied through chattering teeth. It was always said that a Dreamer often knows their Chaser. Could it be who she felt it was?
They were quiet for a while. “Daph, love you can’t fall asleep. Are you okay?”
“I will be. Just never did that. I’m warming up so the shaking should stop soon.” When her body calmed down, she looked up at Angelo. “You saved my life.”
“A mate should protect his Dreamer.” She smiled as he hugged her tightly.
“Thank you, Angelo. Thank you for waiting for me and for coming to me when I wouldn’t come to you.” Daphne turned to him and lay her head on his chest as she wrapped her arms around him.
“Of course. It’s been years since I’ve seen your physical form.”
“I was a child and I didn’t want to scare you.”
“You’ve come to me as you many times after that.”
Daphne smiled. “Of course I came as myself. I wanted you to recognize me.”
“I’ve always thought you were beautiful. Now that you’re here with me I can see how gorgeous you really are.”
“Thank you, my love. I’ve always thought you were handsome. Well more when I was a teenager than a child anyway. You’ve definitely developed in all the right places.”
“Really? So you like my muscular body?”
“Very much so. Among other things,” Daphne insinuated as her hand glided over him.
“So how are we joining?”
“You’re the only man who has loved me in the dreaming and the only man who will ever touch me physically.”
Angelo smiled and kissed the top of her head.
“I want and need us to bind ourselves. It’s the only thing that will give me a fighting chance with a Chaser.”
“Daphne, I’ve been waiting for you to come to your senses.”
“You know I did it for us, right Angelo? You understand?”
“I do, but you put yourself and your people at risk. You’ve taken too long to connect us.”
“I’m truly sorry. I’m so glad you saw me. I was so scared when I couldn’t come into your dreaming.” She kissed his chest and lay her hand over his heart. “I didn’t even think about that or a Chaser. It’s not like anyone has seen them in decades.”
“Oh, there are always Chasers. They’ve just been living by other means. This one will not go so easily Daph. You have unknowingly made things dangerous for us,“ he cautioned as he held her close.
“Will we survive this?”
“No doubt. I said you made it dangerous, not impossible. We will survive this.”
The image used today will be the image used for this story from now on. It was created by my son for me when I told him what the story was about. I will reveal the full picture withing the next few blogs.
Remember to check back Wednesday for my Movie review.
Stay tuned………
LeticiaEdghill 