‘Don’t be ridiculous!’
‘There was a trap on the ground. Pegasus got caught in it. Did you set it?’ I glare at him. ‘No wonder they don’t like you.’
‘What trap?’ he snarls. ‘What are you talking about?’
His anger gives me pause. ‘Th – there was a trap when I woke up here the first time,’ I stammer.
‘Where?’
‘I don’t know! It was back there somewhere!’
Dante’s face twists. ‘The Department.’
‘Do the Department and the Mayor work together?’ I ask. ‘Lilith mentioned them too, as well as–’
He interrupts. ‘You met Lilith?’
‘Y–yes. So?’
His eyes glitter. ‘Zoe what?’ he asks silkily.
‘Excuse me?’
‘What’s your last name? Who are you really?’ His voice is steely.
‘I might ask the same of you. Except,’ I fold my arms, ‘obviously I didn’t take enough damn pills before I went to sleep. I just need to up my dosage. You’re not real. This forest isn’t real. None of this is real.’
‘Oneironautics?’
‘Exactly.’
A slow smile spreads across his face. ‘Well, I must disabuse you of that notion. Then we can continue this conversation tomorrow night instead.’
‘Um...’
He steps towards me. Suddenly nervous, I stumble back and he laughs softly. ‘You see?’ he says. ‘You should avoid drugs. Because with drugs you’re not wholly in control of yourself.’
I back up further until I’m pressed against the cold bark of a tree. Dante keeps on coming. ‘Don’t hurt me,’ I squeak.
‘I’m not going to hurt you, Zoe. I’m just going to make sure you remember me when you wake up. It’s time you stopped thinking this is all a normal dream.’
I swallow. ‘Leave me alone.’
‘Are you sure?’ He brushes his thumb gently against my lips. ‘So soft,’ he murmurs.
I shake my head. ‘I don’t think this is a good idea.’
‘No?’ he stares at my mouth. ‘I think it’s an excellent idea.’ He leans down and kisses me, the stubble on his chin scraping against my cheek.
I forget to breathe and kiss him back. He tastes both masculine and minty all at the same time. I reach and entwine my fingers in his hair. ‘I don’t even like you,’ I whisper when his mouth moves away.
Dante laughs and trails his tongue lower down my skin. I feel him nibble the base of my neck and a tingle ripples through me. Then there’s a sudden sharp burst of not unpleasant pain as he pulls away. He stares down at me, his skin flushed, breathing hard.
‘Who’s not in control now?’ I ask shakily, trying to ignore the flutter of my heart deep in my chest.
Dante’s eyes rake my face and his mouth tightens. I feel myself being pulled away, despite my attempts to stay. When I open my eyes again, I’m lying in bed, my legs entwined with the duvet and a faint sheen of sweat on my brow.
I raise a hand to the throbbing heat on my neck. It sears me, even though the rest of my skin is covered in goosebumps. Half falling out of bed, I switch on the light and examine myself in the mirror.
‘A goddamn love bite,’ I say aloud in disgust. Then I brush the small bruise with my fingertips and bite my bottom lip.
*
I flush the remaining pills down the toilet, watching them swirl away into sewer oblivion. The good doctor might have been able to explain away my previous side effects as sleepwalking but there’s no way I could give myself a love bite. I have no choice but to stop prevaricating and start believing. What I experience when I sleep is real. I’d known it deep down – I just hadn’t wanted it to be true.
Now all I have to do is to avoid touching anyone so I can stick to the Dreamlands and prevent myself from being taken into someone else’s dream. That should be easy for an agoraphobic like me. Besides, the Dreamlands aren’t so bad; at least there I have some semblance of control. As long as Dante isn’t around.