Dream Phantom

Chapter 27

"How did you get this?" the words were slow to come out of Jax's mouth. Dani's brown eyes bore into her husband's pale face. He was holding her hand in his, rubbing the circle engraved in her palm with both of his thumbs, as if that would erase the horrifying scar.

"I had the strangest dream," Dani admitted. "It was a nightmare like I normally have but this time there was a woman. She called herself Asibikaashi."

"Asib-what?"

"Asibikaashi."

"Who is she?" Jax asked, still holding his wife's hand.

"I don't know but she said she was some sort of goddess. She said that she hadn't touched a human in so long and that's why I had nightmares. She said someone named Ozar was to blame for the murders."

"Who?"

"Ozar. She said he was a dream phantom. She said he was touching humans and killing them," the words tumbled over one another like waves eager to hit the shore.

"Panda Eyes, I love you but you're not making any sense."

"Don't you get it?" Dani asked, pulling her hand away from Jax. "The person or thing that's killing those people- the person that's supposedly going to hurt me- and the person that hurt Oliver are the same."

"Ozar?" Jax repeated.

"This woman, Asibikaashi, made it sound like he'd gone rogue or something. She warned me to find him before he killed more people. I think he's sucking the life out of them and they wind up with this circle on their palms."

"Then why do you have it?"

"I don't think she wanted to kill me. I think she just wanted to warn me."

"She had to harm you to do it?" Jax asked, staring pointedly at her hand.

Dani shrugged, "I may not have believed her otherwise. Would you?"

He gave a terse shake of his head, "I may have dismissed it as part of a nightmare. I'm sorry, Dani."

"It's okay. I would have too. She was the strangest woman. If I had to describe what a fantasy looked like, it would be her. She was beautiful and eerie all at the same time."

"Did she say how to find this Ozar person?"

"No."

"Great," Jax muttered. His mind began to wander and he thought of Omar. He frowned, "Omar. Ozar. There's only a letter difference. You don't think that's a coincidence, do you?"

"You think Omar is Ozar?" Dani gasped.

"He knew about your dreams," Jax reminded her. "Maybe I should pay this guy a visit myself."

"No," Dani stood up and began pacing back and forth in front of Jax. "If he is this Ozar guy, then he's dangerous. Oliver still hasn't woken up. People are dead and it's probably because he touched them."

"So, I won't let him touch me."

Dani leaned forward and pressed her fingers to his forehead, pushing him back.

Jax gave a slight growl of annoyance, "What are you doing?"

"It takes a second to touch you. How long do you think it'll take for him to kill you?"

"Panda Eyes, I'm not afraid."

"Well, I am! I don't want you hurt. You're my husband and you're supposed to do what I say."

The words were out before Dani could stop herself. She noticed Jax's eyes grow wide with amusement.

"W-what did you just say?" Jax asked.