Deviant (Blendling Trilogy #1)

Chapter Twenty

I'm having a lucid dream, the kind where I'm dreaming but not quite. I've had dreamscapes before but none like this, mostly I dream about the atrocities being performed by the Reaper. In this dreamscape, I'm in a poorly lit room in what appears to be a cellar of sorts. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I make out four figures huddled together. One of the figures suddenly rises and I see that it's Jacqueline. Her usually impeccable appearance is riddled with scratches and bruises, and she's filthy. She rushes forward to hug me.

"You're okay" she whispers in relief. "The others?"
"They're fine" I reply and she lets out a ragged breath.
"Please remain safe, hide until the issues blow over."
"What's going on, where is my mum?" I ask and she sighs, pointing to the the other three figures. I see that they are Gerry, Bass and mum. The are asleep. I smile in relief.
"Sanchez has taken over the California Council. He's rallied most of the Blendeds and some Changelings into his war, promising to revive the old ways. The Council members who refused to support him were butchered along with their families. He has proclaimed himself overlord and is going after all the old families. We believe he's currently pursuing the California Changeling Council but there's no proof yet."

"What has this got to do with us?" I ask
"Apparently he tried to convince Pa Deveraux to partner with him and killed him when he was refused. He asked me to swear allegiance to him when he took me" she says with a haughty air. "Imagine me bending a knee for that dwarf." I smirk at her.
"So..."
"You must promise to stay hidden. One of the people that attacked your house was an owl shifter. He observed from the air. He saw Cameron, he's become number one threat because of what he is. They figured it..."

Whatever she was saying was suddenly cut short as I'm forcefully yanked out of the dreamscape. At first, I assumed that I had woken up, that that's why it ended but as I take in my surrounding, I realize that I'm in another dreamscape. I'm sitting on a plush armchair in a luxuriously furnished living room. Sitting before me is a man smoking a fat cigar. His face, for some reason, is shaded by dark shadows and I can only see the light on his cigar butt.
"You look just like me!" A voice uncannily like mine says in surprise. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree eh"
"Who are you?" I whisper and he leans towards me. His face is gradually lightened and I gasp, recoiling in horror.

The person before me is not a man at all, but a boy; a boy who was my mirror image. He had my dark looks and chiseled features. I watched him put out the cigar and he rose from his seat to pace in front of me. He looked to be the same height and size as I was. He was a complete a copy of me, albeit a very debonair version. I swallowed uneasily.
"After all these years, I finally got to you" he says, stopping to eye me, as if committing me to memory.
"What do you want?" I ask defiantly. There was no question in my mind about who he was, but I'm in denial.
"Is that any way to talk to your father?" He smirks
"My father is dead"
"Oh I'm very much alive. Tell me, how did it feel? I mean your first kill. How I wish I was there to talk you through it. At least tell me you enjoyed it" He rambles
"How do you know..." I began and he cuts me off with a laugh
"Come on. I have neither been able to find you, nor enter your dreams and I have been trying for years. You must have crossed a line, taken a life, because I can do it now. But no matter, now that I have found you, I will make up for lost time."

I shrink further into my seat as he leaned forward to sniff my hair. His smell wraps around me and I have to shake my head to clear the fog that suddenly enveloped my mind.
"You smell like an incubus. Why do you smell like one? Is that your preferred strength? I like it" he nods in approval. "Incubi are one of the most selfish Odda out there, they take without giving in return."
"Get away from me" I shove hard but he doesn't move an inch. He tuts
"That's no way to treat your old man." He smiled and I refrained from pointing out that he wasn't old. "Where are you? I still can't find you and it's frustrating. Some strong magic must have been employed to shield you from me, I wonder why."

"Listen punk." I began, shoving out of my seat. He takes a step back in surprise. "If you ever find me, you'll also find a blade in your rotten heart. I will kill you if you come close to me. I have enough people gunning for me without adding you to the list"
"Wow" he says with a straight face. "I'm quaking in my shoes"
"Just stay away from me"
"No can't do" he replies and begins to pace again. "I will find you and when I do, I will teach you some manners. Meanwhile, who is gunning for you? You better be safe because if anything happens to my boy, I will be very pissed off. I will level cities in my wrath"
"You're sick!" I cry
"So I've been told. Just tell me where you are so I can come to defend you"
"I'm not that stupid. You tried to kill me once, I won't give you a chance to succeed"

He stops suddenly and rounds on me, I stumbled and almost lost my balance.
"Keep your secrets then. Now that I can enter your dream, it's only a matter of time before I can find you. I will leave you with a parting gift so you remember your pops" he smiled. "I took it from the oldest succubus while I carved out her heart. Use this gift wisely and do me proud"
"I don't want anything from you" I step further away from him.
"You're still getting it"

He lurches forward suddenly and seizes my shoulders. I try to struggle but find that I'm paralyzed from head to toe. With a small smile, he leans in to kiss me. My brain kicks into high gear as something cold escapes his mouth into mine. The cold spreads through me before settling in the pit of my stomach as a delicious warmth. He releases me and I fall back into my seat.
"It can turn pain into pleasure and vice versa. Stay alive son, we'll meet soon." He says and waves in front of my face. I snap awake.