Thanks to my muses. For some reason I just had to. I'm playing a little loose with the Dream Hunters. Bear with me.

 

Any characters you recognize belong to Sherrilyn Kenyon or Laurell K. Hamilton. I’m just doing this for fun. This is rated NC-17 for a bit of naughtiness.

 

Nate’s Intro 14

 

I decided to go back to work the following night. I was not going to be intimidated, not by a vampire or a shifter, especially since they both agreed I was some kind of problem.

 

I went in around six. I wanted to catch Myra. I was worried about her. Something just didn't feel right. Her truck wasn't in the lot but maybe she'd left early. I'd see if I could get her home number from Mitch.

 

Speaking of the 'boss,’ he was standing just outside his office door when I got off the elevator. He motioned for me to join him. I walked past him, into the office and took a seat in one of the leather chairs. He closed the door, walked over and sat down on a corner of the desk.

 

After a couple of minutes of weird silence and staring at me like I'd grown a set of horns, he finally got to it. “Wanna tell me where the hell you've been for almost a week?”

“I....” I started.

 

He held up a hand. “You have no idea how much overtime pay you and Myra have cost this station.  She goes. You go. She calls in sick. You don't even call. I don't know what the hell is going on with you two but either it stops, or I will fire one of you, probably you. I don't give a damn how special Acheron thinks you are.”

 

I had to laugh at that. The only thing Ash found special was Simi. “Have you talked to Ash?”

 

He shook his head. “Not for days. The last I heard they were having a Daimon problem and you're my problem.”

 

I grimaced at that. “Look, You wanna know where I was? I was in the District. The mayor wanted to find out what I was all about. I told him; he didn't believe me.”

 

He looked surprised. “You mean the Master of the City?”

 

“Whatever.  He thinks I'm a threat. One of his enforcers put a slug in my gut. I spent three days just healing.”

 

He was quiet for a moment. “You having trouble healing?”

 

“I guess my abilities are dampened here. Myra helped me get out. I hope she's okay.” I looked questioningly at the radio manager.

 

“She sounded a little drained. Said she hadn't been sleeping well.” He admitted.

 

“That makes two of us. Anyway, barring any unforeseen problems, I'm back.”

 

The next thing he said surprised me. “People have been calling asking if you left the station. You have quite a following.”

 

“Really?” He nodded as something else occurred to me. “You need me to cover Myra's shift until she gets back?”

 

He raised an eyebrow. “What about the sun?”

 

I shrugged. “I'll manage.  Do you happen to know her number? Myra's?”

 

He shook his head. “She said she was staying with friends.  If they come after you again, let me know.”

 

“I told them everything that Ash said I could tell them.  I hope it was enough. I wish she'd call and let me know she's okay.”

 

“You like her?” My boss asked me.

 

“I just don't want to see her in trouble or hurt.” I explained.

 

“Uh huh.”

 

 I stared at him. “What?”

 

He just shook his head. “Go get ready for your shift.” As I rose to leave, he called, “Nathan?”

 

I turned back to him. “Yes?”

 

“I do need you to pull Myra's shift until she gets back.”

 

“Sure.” I walked out closing the door behind me.

 

The night went by slowly. I tried to take a lot of requests. I talked to some of the callers, probably longer than I should have, but it was my first night back.  I half expected one of the vamps to call, maybe even Nathaniel, but they left me alone amazingly enough.

 

Before I left the building, I scanned the lot for any sign of trouble. There were no strange cars outside. Mine seemed fine. Of course I didn't really know what these people were capable of. So when I got home and inside my apartment safely, I was more than grateful.

 

That is until I fell asleep and the dreams started. There are two types of Dream Hunters, the Oneroi and the Skoti.  The Oneroi are dream warriors. They protect humans, apollites, and Dark Hunters as they sleep. The Skoti on the other hand, weave every sort of dream from a vivid sexual fantasy to an even more vivid nightmare. They feed off the sexual desires and nightmares of their victims.  The Oneroi try to keep them in check. The only emotion the Skoti feel is pain.

 

I was floating downward through the sky. My parachute had opened and I was heading toward the earth in a lazy descent. The German fighter came in guns blazing. There was sudden, brilliant pain in my chest. Then the chute began to spiral out of control. I could hear my brother screaming. No. I was screaming. I tried to wake up, but I felt something pulling at me. 

 

The scene changed. I was lying in a field, a mist surrounding me. A voice glided through my head.

 

It was a Skoti. “You have such wonderful terrifying dreams Dark Hunter.  I enjoy them very much especially when I have you trade places with your brother.”

 

“I'm glad you're having fun C'Azim. Now let me wake up.”

 

The Dream Hunter taunted me. “Not yet.  Do you know what she dreams of, your lady friend? Myra is it?  She has some very naughty dreams about you Hunter, very naughty indeed.”

 

“Aren't there enough women in your own time to screw with or maybe they just don't have time for you?”

 

He laughed and I felt like my head was going to explode. “Her fear is even stronger in her dreams, especially now.”

 

He was so damned confusing. “What are you talking about?”

 

“Let me show you.”

 

I was suddenly standing in a wooded area at the edge of a tree line, looking out onto a clearing.  There had to be twenty or so people there. They stood in a semi circle. In my dream state I could move among them without any consequence.

 

I moved to the front of the group. Sitting on what appeared to be a throne made of rock was Richard.  Kneeling in front of him, head bowed was Myra. A man was on either side of her. I recognized Jamil, the Asian one I didn't.

 

Richard’s voice boomed in the quiet clearing. “For going against my orders and helping him escape, I have decided that I will give you to Jean Claude until next full moon. He will feed from you when he chooses.”

 

She was shaking. Tears flowed down her face.  Richard motioned for the two men to stand back from Myra. He stood and walked over to her. Putting his hands together as if he were praying, he stood motionless for a few moments. The others moved back. He suddenly thrust his hands out and down toward Myra.

 

She started to convulse. Skin split and a clear liquid shot out of her body. The next thing I saw was a beautiful white wolf lying at Richard's feet. Somehow he had forced her to change. She lay on the ground at his feet, breathing heavily and whimpering.

 

I wanted to touch her, to comfort her, but was yanked back into my own nightmare. Watching my twin die again, I woke shaking, covered with sweat.

 

They say revenge is best served sweet and cold.  I couldn't wait to serve some up to the doggie king.

 

“You can't do that.” The voice was ethereal, an Oneroi.

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because it would only bring her more problems.” He explained.

 

He was right. I knew it. A mist appeared at the foot of the bed. I could barely make out D'Alerian's form. He was a warrior as well as a healer and would step in to aid the Hunters when they were injured. He was also a friend of Acherons.

 

“I don't know what else to do. I can't kill the bastards.” I told him, frustrated.

 

He agreed. “No you can't. It would give Artemis one more reason to brand you rogue.”

 

“I didn't know that woman was one of her handmaidens.”

 

He nodded. “You were tricked. She knows that.”

 

“Then why did she send me here?” It made no sense.

 

“Artemis didn't send you here. What do you remember after the bolt hit you?”

 

I struggled to remember. “Just floating through blackness, a heaviness.”

 

“You were in the abyss. She wanted you to become aware surrounded by nothing in a complete void.”

 

“Then who over ruled her?”

 

D’Alerian told me. “Ash with a little help from the Fates. One day you'll know.”

 

“Know what!” I demanded but of course I was talking to thin air.

 

I looked at the clock. Myra's shift started at two. It was noon. I got up, showered, shaved and dressed in under an hour. If anybody were waiting for me at the station, they wouldn't expect me to be there at one in the afternoon, plus for me. Of course it wouldn't matter a whole lot if they were waiting in the morning.

 

I opened the door slightly and peeked outside. A cloudy day, it was actually chilly. I half expected it to snow soon. I locked the front door and dashed to the car.

 

The drive to work proved uneventful though all the Christmas decorations made me a little homesick. Maybe I should decorate, put up a tree at least. I'd have to think about it.

 

I pulled into the parking lot and sat there with the engine idling for about ten minutes. It was weird being here in the daylight but I promised Mitch. I killed the engine, got out and locked the door. I headed inside.

 

Myra stuck pretty much to the play list. So I would too until that is my show started. Then all bets were off. Mitch let me choose most of the music I played. I did use the play list as well, sometimes. I was about half way through Myra's shift when the house line rang.

 

“93X. This is Nathan.”

 

“I'm sorry you have to pull my shift.”

 

It was Myra and I breathed a sigh of relief. “It's good to hear your voice. I was worried.”

 

“I'm alright.” She tried to assure me.

 

“I know better.”

 

There was a long pause from the other end of the line and I didn’t think she was going to answer.

 

She finally did. “I chose to help you. I'm not sure if I did really.”

 

“I wish I could undo everything.”

 

“Only some of it. I should be back on a couple of days. Can you handle things until then?”

 

“Sure.” I shrugged though she couldn’t see it.

 

“Thanks. Bye.”

 

I didn't want to let her go just yet. So I asked before she could hang up. “Myra?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I need some help finding a tree and some decorations.”

 

“You're going to decorate?” She sounded a bit surprised.

 

“Yeah. Can you point me in the right direction?” I asked hopefully.

 

“I'll let you know.” The line went dead before I could reply.

 

I ordered pizza for dinner around eight. Something about a large pepperoni pizza with extra cheese appealed to me. I had plenty of coke from the machine in the lounge. Anyway, I was in my own element now, hard rock and alternative music. I cued up Chevelle, Papa Roach, Incubus and Godsmack. Then I sat down to eat my pizza and take a few requests in between bites.

 

“93X. What can I play for you?”

 

“Hi. I'd like to hear Bullet with Butterfly Wings.” It was a woman. Her voice was so quiet I asked her to repeat the request. She did and giggled about it.

 

“Are you a Rat in a Cage?”  I teased her.

 

“No. I am a scientist in a lab though.” She explained.

 

“Ah. So you just play with the rats in the cage?”

 

“I play with a lot of animals.” She told me and it sounded like there was more to answer than what was on the surface.

 

I frowned although she couldn't see that. “Okay. Ms. Scientist. I'll play that as soon as I can.”

 

She thanked me and hung up. The next caller I recognized. It was the Goth Princess and the caller ID showed the same phone number as Ms. Scientist, hmmm.

 

Luna told me. “I'd like to hear a song too.”

 

I shook my head. “Let me guess. Some Marilyn Manson? Disturbed?”

 

“I was thinking more along the lines of Papa Roach. You know ‘Getting Away With Murder’?”

 

“That's coming up actually.” I told her.

 

“Ah. So are YOU getting away with murder?” She asked.

 

“I wish.”

 

Her voice was a mere whisper as she told me, “I do all the time.”

 

The hair stood on the back of my neck. She was laughing when she hung up. I finished the rest of the shift with that laugh in the back of my mind. I had no doubt she meant it but was it meant to scare me or to warn me? Either way, I didn't much like it.

 

The dreams were back and more graphic than ever. I was really getting tired of them. So I decided to just get up and watch some television. It was like that for two days straight.

On the third day I gave up. I let the dreams play out. It was that or not sleep and I was getting pretty tired.

 

When walked off the elevator that afternoon, Ellen grabbed me. “I'm covering Myra's shift.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because we're going to look at Christmas stuff.” Myra replied.

 

I wheeled around toward the lounge. She was standing in the doorway. I walked over and pulled her in to a hug. She was stiff at first, unsure. Then she kind of melted, putting her arms around my neck. I moved back a little. I wanted to see her face, see if I could read anything in her eyes. That's when I noticed the two tiny marks on her neck.

 

I touched them gently. “I am so sorry.”

 

She smiled sadly. “I chose to help you.”

 

Ellen’s voice cut in. “You two need a room?” We both stared at her so she explained. “Go before the boss sees you.”

 

I shook my head. “He isn't gonna be happy, because of the overtime.”

 

Ellen grinned. “He'll be okay with it. You're paying my overtime.”

 

I didn't have time to question that.

 

“Come on.” Myra told me as she pulled me toward the elevator.

 

“Bring me some peppermint sticks!” The other woman yelled at us.

 

“I will.” My friend assured her.

 

Once we were in the elevator, I had a chance to ask her, “I'm paying her overtime?”

 

Myra smiled. “It's a compromise. We have a lot to do.”

 

I looked at her, concerned. “Isn't this going to get you into more trouble?”

 

She shook her head. “Not if they don't know. They think I'm working. Let's take your car.”

 

“Okay. Sure.”

 

I still scanned the lot. I noticed she looked straight ahead. We drove around town for a bit just talking. Every time I asked her about what had gone on the past few days, she would change the subject.

 

She finally told me. “We'll shop for decorations first, give the sun time to set. Then when it's safe we'll find a tree. What colors do you like?”

 

“Blues and silvers I guess.”

 

She asked, “Live tree?  It has to be a live tree and we'll get a wreath.”

 

She was doing everything to avoid any discussion of the punishment she received. It was like a Stepford Wives’ moment. We shopped at Wal-Mart and a few other box stores before hitting the mall. As luck would have it, there was a guy there selling trees too. We found blue ornaments, silver garland, and small multi-colored lights that blinked.

 

We stopped to have something to eat at a little bistro in the mall. By the time I actually bought the tree, there was enough stuff to decorate two. The tree salesman and I tied the seven-foot blue spruce onto the roof of the viper. I could just imagine the sap oozing all over the paint job.

 

“Where to now?” I asked her.

 

She looked at me with those blue eyes and I swear I was looking at a different person.  “Your place. We still have a lot of work to do.”  She squeezed my hand. “I love decorating.”

 

“Good. Cause I haven't done it in awhile.”

 

“Are we still on the same subject?” She teased.

 

“You tell me.”

 

I put the car in gear and pulled out of the lot. We stopped by the station to give Ellen her peppermint sticks and then headed on to my place. By the time we got everything unloaded and inside it was almost time for my shift to start. Myra got Ellen to cover for another hour.

 

Myra decided that the tree would look best in the corner by the front window. I never looked out it so I agreed. After several attempts at getting the base of the tree to fit in the stand, and trimming off several of the lower branches, we finally got the thing standing upright.

 

The phone rang. It was Ellen. I told her I was on the way.

 

I turned to Myra as I hung up. “Come on. I'll take you back to your car.”

 

“You go. I'll finish trimming the tree. I can always call a taxi.” She assured me.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

She smiled sadly. “Gives me something to do besides thinking.”

 

I didn't know what to say to that. So I left.

 

Ellen had just finished the news and weather when I walked into the studio. She put on some ads and took off the headset. “Someone was here looking for Myra.”

 

“Male or female?” I asked.

 

“Some big Asian guy. Said she was late getting back to work.” My coworker told me.

 

I got worried. “You didn't tell him where she was. Did you?”

 

“Only that she went to do some shopping. He seemed like bad news.” She gave me a look that said ‘how stupid do you think I am’ as she explained.

 

“Yeah.” I agreed. “Hey let me know how much I owe ya.”

 

“Oh I will.” She winked and walked out.

 

I slipped on the headset, adjusting the fit, and cued up some music. “Alright, let's get those requests in people. I've got some P.O.D, I.C.P., Slip Knot and Incubus coming up. Let's see where the night takes us.”

 

I slipped the headset off, hit the switch for the in studio speakers and watched the lines light up. I was sitting there later during the news and musing about the day’s events. That little voice in the back of my head was telling me to be extra careful, about what I wasn't sure. Maybe I didn't really want to know.

 

The rest of the shift went smoothly. I had called the apartment a couple of times to see if Myra was still there and got no answer. Her truck was still in the lot when I walked outside. Maybe she took a taxi like she said she would.

 

I drove home the same way as usual, no tails that I could see. When I pulled up in front of the apartment I saw the tree lights twinkling through the window and the wreath that she insisted should have red berries on it, was on the door. It seemed to pull home a little closer.

 

I went inside and found an empty pizza box and a couple of empty soda cans on the table. I threw my jacket over the back of the chair and turned to look at the tree. It looked really nice. She'd done a good job. I unplugged the lights, locked the door and walked back to my room. I didn't even turn on the lights. I just pulled off my clothes, got under the covers and laid up against a very warm body, very soft. I jumped up throwing the covers off and reached for the light switch. Myra lay there looking at me with a sleep filled expression.

 

Saying the first thing that popped in my head, I asked. “What are you doing?”

 

“I was sleeping. It got late and I was tired.” She explained as she pulled the covers back up. “I'm not a bed hog. It's big enough for both of us.”

 

I started putting my jeans back on. This was not a good idea.

 

She saw what I was doing. “Nathan, please. I'm not going to jump you, just sleep. That's all.”

 

She held out her hand. Against my better judgment I took it and climbed in beside her. I turned on my side toward the door. Her arm came across my waist and she snuggled in behind me. I wasn't sure if it was the warmth of her lying next to me, or my need for touch. Whatever it was, I slept better than I had in days.

 

Waking at eleven, I eased out of bed and went across the hall to shower. Somehow I wasn't surprised when the curtain opened and she joined me. I started to protest but she pulled my head downward and kissed me. If I had a soul it would have been gone when she pulled back.

 

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close, trailing kisses down her neck to her shoulder. We stood there until the water ran cold touching and exploring each other. I reached behind me and shut off the spray.

 

Picking her up, I stepped out of the shower, carried her into the bedroom and tossed her onto the bed. My heart was racing as I lie down beside her and let my hand move down her body. Her breathing increased the closer my hand got to her core. Using her own hand she guided my fingers inside. She was hot and wet and it was all I could do not to take her. She pulled me down into another one of those kisses that could melt the polar ice cap.

 

She pulled my hand away and moved up to her knees. She pushed me down on to my back, straddling me, and taking me inside her. She smiled down at me as she set up a rhythm. I let her have her way for a bit. Then I abruptly rolled us until I was the rider, setting a different pace. She arched her back and dragged her nails down my own back as she climaxed. I bent my head down and kissed her.

 

Her scent was overwhelming. It was like a forest after a spring rain. I couldn't help it. It sent my emotions and everything else over the edge; I tasted her. I sank my fangs into her neck and as soon as I did it I jerked back.

 

Getting off the bed I rushed to the bathroom. I washed the blood from my mouth. I had never lost control like this. Damn this place!

 

Myra slipped her arms around my waist and laid her head against my back. She told me everything would be all right. That should have been my first clue. It was one of many I would ignore in the next few days.