16. CATALINA

SIXTEEN

catalina

Adjusting the sports bra around my torso, I dipped to clutch Asher’s shirt where I’d dropped it before showering.

“Idiot vampire,” I snapped at the inanimate object. I tipped my head back. The emotions rioted in my chest, and I was angry. How could he bite someone else? Why did it hurt?

Bunching the linen cloth, I tossed it to the corner of the room and dropped into my bed with a huff.

It was around seven in the evening. I’d slept a long damn time in Asher’s comfy room, a room I was sure hosted many women. I rubbed my face and groaned.

If Asher was okay with biting her, what was to say he wouldn’t sleep with her? In so many words, he said he didn’t do monogamy. Binx’s front paws pressed into my arm and he peered at me. It was so eerie. His claws extended and pricked my arm. I yanked my arm away from the demon cat. Just add to the agony, Binx.

I could be cool about this, after all, he was only my first lover, kind of... I bit my lip recalling his delicious, pierced dick. But it wasn’t like I was actively trying to not be with others, it just worked out that way with the lack of opportunities and being on the run.

My ass had been taken, by force, and that was the extent of my experience. I puffed my hair out away from my cheek.

“I’m internally rambling, Binx.”

He meowed and climbed on my chest and tucked his paws beneath his chest. He was heavier than he seemed, but the weight was comfortable.

My eyelids drooped, growing heavier. The nightmare from yesterday teased the edge of my thoughts... Those eyes...

My eyelids sprang open and I sucked in a breath, shooting straight up. I was back in that dark space. The cool surface of the tile pressed into my thighs and I shot to my feet. These nightmares were surreal. How did I recall this when I was awake?

Was this lucid dreaming?

A thud brought my attention to the left and I fisted my hands, stepping back from the heavy red gaze. The figure suddenly burst forward with speed too quick for my eyes to catch. I squeezed my eyelids together as a grip slammed me against the wall.

Just a nightmare. Just a nightmare.

The hair escaping from my ponytail tickled my cheek. The strand waving back and forth from the harsh breathing coming from the thing grabbing me. By his rough palms, I could tell he was male. The large pawing hands engulfed my arms. I kept my eyes closed, breathing slowly. It couldn’t be the Pale One because the massive body felt too muscular. It wasn’t the skeletal monster that had profoundly scarred me.

My heart pounded against my chest, ready to burst. I gritted my teeth. This was a dream, this wouldn’t hurt me, I needed to defeat my fear.

Lifting my head, I glared into the face peering down at me. This close, I made out that his hair was white and long and the shoulders were a wide shadow, larger than I’d ever seen. He didn’t move, just continued watching me eerily.

I wiggled in his grip, but he didn’t loosen it and snarled.

Squeezing my eyelids shut, I imagined myself back in my room, waking up next to Binx. The thin skin of my eyelids turned yellow and they fluttered open.

I was in my room, the light came from the lamp beside the bed, but somehow, the white-haired beast of a man was still with me, pinning me against the wall. I angled my head to the side but didn’t see Binx, and my bed was made. My mattress was no longer on the ground, instead, the room was beautifully furnished with a caramel bedframe of my dreams—literally. Now that I was getting a good look around, I noted the fuzzy filter surrounding everything.

I craned my neck to get a look at his face.

I took a deep breath.

The sharp angles of his face created an indent to his cheeks, chiseled and abrupt. His thick brows were dark, a contrast to the white hair. The vampire tilted his head to the side, red eyes devouring my face. His attention dropped to my neck and his fangs sprang out. The scrape of his palm slid down the wall as he dipped toward my neck and nestled his nose in the crevice. My heart pounded, but I remained still. As odd as this all was, it was a dream.

He suddenly struck, teeth burying into my neck so hard it burned. I screamed and he continued gnawing into me. I could feel it as if I were awake. This was like some sick version of sleep paralysis.

The dragging sucks burned, but it felt off, like there was a sheet of wax paper between us.

“No,” I shouted, slapping his shoulder.

He growled against my throat, and I slapped him again. The teeth retracted from my neck with a wet slurp.

I put my palm up, facing him. He glowered, blood dripping down his chin and staining his teeth. The big vampire inched forward, and I instinctively flattened my palm against his chest, breathing hard. The hard muscle was silky and smooth, the bronze skin matching mine. The vampire jerked, startled as he looked down at my hand against him. His wideness made me feel smaller than I’d ever felt, and Asher already dwarfed me in height.

Poking my other finger near his face, I cleared my throat. “No.” His brows furrowed so hard I was positive he didn’t understand. The odd blank eyes didn’t tell me much. My eyes flicked to the side, and I clocked the door.

Even if this was a dream, there was a level of reality. I gave into the urge to take off at a sprint but didn’t get far. Running face-first into his chest, I grunted as the sting radiated. He roughly grabbed my arms and tossed me on the bed. I bounced with a scream and his heavy body settled over my back, his teeth slamming into my shoulder.

I sucked in a shaky breath and shook as he sucked. The odd sensation causing a pulsing at my core. I could feel his body pinning me and his teeth in me, considering the height differences.

I rolled my hips up, trying to buck him, but he thrust down, his hard cock digging into the cleft of my ass.

Was this some vampire fantasy I’d conjured? That idea enhanced when a gush of wetness spread between my legs. I liked his domination.

I groaned and tipped my head back, grinding up as my heart battered against my ribs. Panting, I continued to grind, but he seemed lost in biting me. His teeth extracted and he slid them into another spot. Each stab of his incisors added to the gathering wetness.

Nails pierced my arm and I shot up in bed, panting. I scrambled for my inhaler, sucking in medication. Able to breathe, I hugged Binx to my chest.

“Thank you for waking me up,” I rasped and patted my neck, but there was no bite.

That dream felt so real.

The memory faded along the edges, and I couldn’t get a full grip on it. I groaned, rubbing my forehead. Binx grumbled on my chest. I stayed up for as long as I could, trying to find shapes within the popcorn ceiling. This must be some weird side effect from Asher biting me, it was bringing nightmares to the forefront.

Though, why would I not conjure the creep that initially starved me and instead some wide-shouldered hunk. Beats me.