Only in Her Dreams by Christina McKnight

between a father and his supposedly adopted daughter. But he’d done what he had to do to ensure her safety. As the only true descendant of Morpheus, she’d one day lead the people of Erebos. That she was female mattered naught to him.
    Saying Lucessa’s name aloud after all these years, and in the company of another, lifted a great weight from Guy. For the first time in twenty-two years. The burden of leading the Oneiroi, staying one step ahead of Darius and his Melas, and keeping his past on Earth a secret had worn heavily on him. He looked as a young man should thanks to the healing environment of Erebos, but his soul was that of a man three times his age.
    The pain of leaving everything behind--the woman he loved and his half-demigod daughter--when duty called was almost too much to bear most days. His father had been right to ban the Oneiroi from traveling between Erebos and Earth. His current situation was proof of that.
     

Chapter 13
     
    Maxim returned to find the house quiet and Goosey sleeping on the end of his guest bed. “Where were you when we needed you, girl?” There was nothing for it. Lucessa loved the useless dog. It was obvious every time they were in the same room. Lucessa would pat the spot next to her and Goosey would rush to her side.
    Looking down, he realized he still wore the pajamas Lucessa loaned him earlier in the evening. He smiled to himself and slipped into the cold bed, pushing the dog off the side. Dejected, she moved across the hall into Lucessa’s room.
    The bed contoured around his body. He settled in for what was left of the night, his mind wandering to Lucessa. Even more attractive than her looks was her spirit. She possessed the soul of a fighter. After her father had died and her mother had succumbed to dementia, she fought to right her life. Again, she hadn’t given up when Greg passed away. And tonight she surprised him as well; the thought of her aiding him in the skirmish sent tendrils of heat coursing to his nether region. The woman was unlike any he’d ever met.
    His last thought as he drifted off to sleep was Lucessa snuggled under her large down blanket across the hall and how he wished he was there, too.
     
    # # #
     
    Lucessa looked out at the clear blue water of Lake Tahoe as she enjoyed the summer warmth. The sky was cloudless, the sun hot, and the water warm to her touch. Impossible for this time of year. It was early November and the first snows of winter should cover the ground.
    Sail boats traversed the water, casting colors of green, yellow, red and purple against the mountains surrounding the lake. From her vantage point she saw snow on the peaks in the distance, and the ski lifts’ unfulfilled stillness rose above the hills. The beach around her was eerily silent; no one shared her enjoyment of the water or the warm sand. The familiar beach was often full to overcrowding.
    A slight movement drew her attention from the view across the water to the trees on the left. A stranger leaned casually against a tall, ancient pine, his feet surrounded by its needles and cones, his hat pulled low over his eyes. The majestic trees surrounded him, making him appear as a speck in the distance, although he was only a few paces away.
    Maxim.
    The name radiated through her body, urging her to seek out the warmth and protection only he could provide.
    He pushed away from the tree and started in her direction. As he came out of the shadows she realized he was wearing the pajamas she’d loaned him. Was it just last night? A part of her wanted to rip the clothes from his body, he deserved so much more than a pair of used night clothes. The loose, plaid pants and white v-neck t-shirt appeared out of place in the summer heat. He approached her, his glowing blue eyes boring into her dark blue ones. There was something different and unique about his eyes. They were spellbinding, unlike her common run-of-the-mill blue. As he neared her, his walk slowed. She feared he’d never