Chapter 49

KATELYN.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry, I can't help myself whenever I see you," he said as we sat on a bench near the bridge, watching the snowfall. Eli's face clearly displayed his embarrassment for what he had done. He kept his head down and avoided making eye contact with me while I, on the other hand, gazed up at the sky, allowing the snow to fall upon my head gently.

The surroundings were cold, yet my cheeks felt unusually warm.

"Eli, could you please prepare me for any plans you have next time? It's risky in a place like this. What if Aimee had seen us earlier?" I replied, annoyed but couldn't deny that I enjoyed what had happened.

They say it was a new experience, but it still made me nervous, especially when it seemed like Loraine, and I shared a meaningful glance earlier.

"Sorry, I promise it won't happen again, hehe," he clearly joked now, and let's bet that this scenario will repeat itself.

This is not the first time something happened between us outside. Just recently, we did that in the school's back garden, the apartment building's parking lot, and the school fire exit!

This guy is driving me crazy. I can't figure out what's going on in his mind that he'd think of doing those things in various places.

"Do you want to go inside? It's getting chilly here, Kate. You might catch a cold," he replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you serious? After undressing me earlier, you only think now that I might be cold?" I sarcastically asked him, and he scratched his head.

It was clear that he was concerned about me, so I smiled and moved closer to him. He held my hand and breathed warmly onto it.

"Do you want to stay here a little longer?" he asked, and I nodded. I didn't want the two of us to separate yet.

"I want to watch the snow," I answered, and he nodded in agreement as we stood up together.

"In that case, wait for me here, and I'll buy you a hot drink. What do you want? I'll get it," he asked, still not letting go of my hand.

"Just coffee, not too strong," I replied, and he nodded.

"Alright, I'll be right back." He said goodbye to me and left me on the bench, observing his hurried walk.

I chuckled. It was obvious that he didn't want to leave me here, but he couldn't bear to see me shivering.

I took a deep breath, creating a puff of smoke in the cold air. I looked up at the sky and admired the beautiful full moon.

I put my hands in the pockets of my hoodie jacket and leaned back on the chair. I touched my dream catcher, which Gadreel returned to me earlier this morning before we headed home.

It was strange that he returned it to me after hiding it for a few months. He told me I would need it so that Loraine or Eligor wouldn't read my thoughts.

I didn't know if I should believe what he said about Eli. Yes, I could believe what he said about Loraine, but I disagreed with the accusations he made about Eligor.

I've known Eli for a long time, and I know that the past year we spent together was real and not just my imagination. It's not like my conversations with Loraine, which always seem incomplete or not aligned with my memories.

I also know that Eli wouldn't deceive me, so I'm really puzzled by Gadreel's actions and the things he's been saying to me. I'm not sure if he just wants to ruin our relationship with Eli or if he has some grudge against Eligor.

Where did he get that idea in the first place? Don't tell me he's experiencing the same things I am. I mean, does he also have a sex demon visiting him in his dreams? Or maybe...

"Ah, I don't want to think about it. Those things aren't connected." I shook my head, pushing away the thoughts that were bothering me.

I didn't want to think that Gadreel was also hurt in his dreams, and I didn't want to think that he might end up like John, never waking up from a nightmare.

When I found out the reason behind John's death, I already had some suspicions about what was happening, but I didn't know how it connected to Eligor and Aimee. It was only Eligor and Aimee's story that I shared with him when I dropped him off at his apartment that night, and the next morning, I heard about John's death. Now, I remember that the guy mentioned something about what happened between me and John in college in my dream.

I swallowed hard, my heart racing as I considered the possibilities. But no, I couldn't suspect Eligor because I knew he wouldn't deceive me. Besides, there could be many other explanations for why the guy in my dream knew about John.

"Right, don't think too much, Kate," I calmed myself and dismissed the ideas entering my mind.

"Where is he? Why is he taking so long to buy coffee?" I frowned and glanced at Eligor from a distance, but I couldn't see the vending machine outside the inn, and there didn't seem to be anyone else outside.

I stood up and walked back to the inn. Perhaps Eligor didn't have any change with him, so he needed to get some from his belongings.

"Are you sure? Are you sure he doesn't know what's happening?" I heard Loraine's voice as I took a step closer to the vending machine, and I quickly hid by the side.

"What are you thinking? How would he know about you? He's just a normal person, Loraine."

My ears perked up as I heard Eligor's voice, irritated and unwilling to talk to Loraine.

"Well, it's not the same for me! Do you know what Kate did to me earlier? She asked me things I didn't know, things that felt like I was being tested if I could answer them or not. I know she knows something. So please, Eligor, stop what you're doing and go back to the council before this problem worsens." My forehead creased as I heard Loraine's words. There were many things in their conversation that I couldn't understand.

"I think Gadreel is involved in this. He knows something about us, and he told Kate something." I covered my mouth, not knowing how to react to what I was hearing from Eligor.

From his responses to Loraine, it was evident that they were connected to the strange situations happening to us now.

"Didn't you mention to me that Gadreel hinted that you're the sex demon visiting Kate? What's wrong with you, Eli? A mortal already knows your true nature, and you're not doing anything? What if this reaches the higher-ups? What if you get into trouble because of what you're doing?"

What did Loraine mean by those words? What did Gadreel say? Does it mean that what Gadreel told me about Eli is true?

Was Eli lying to me? Is he really the guy I always see in my dreams? Is he the one who killed John? Is he the reason for my mother's trauma? Is he the reason why I'm in this situation?

"Eli, if I were you, I would erase Kate's memory and go back to your old job."

"But—"

*thud*

I nearly stumbled, my knees weakening, but I quickly hid and closed my eyes tightly.

"Did you hear something?"

"Yes, let me check for a moment," I heard Eli's reply, and I tightly shut my eyes and hid by the side of the vending machine. I sat there, covering my mouth while clutching my dream catcher.

"Never mind, go back to Kate. She's probably been waiting for you. That coffee you bought is getting cold," I heard Loraine's response as she walked away.

"Okay," Eli's brief reply reached my ears, and I heard him run away from my position. I removed my hand from my mouth and took a deep breath, confirming that they were gone. That's when my knees finally gave in, and tears streamed down my face.

Why is it like this? It feels like the pain I'm feeling now is even more intense than the betrayal Gadreel inflicted on me in the past.

Why is it like this? When I found out that he was the incubus in my dreams, I couldn't explain my feelings. I felt hurt as if a thorn had been pulled from my heart, but a bigger, sharper one took its place.

I still can't believe that everything happening now is real and that the man I love is not normal.

I quickly stood up from my seat and wiped away my tears. I couldn't linger in this situation, especially since I knew they were starting to suspect my actions.

I didn't know what to do, so for now, and I would conceal my emotions and the things I had learned.

And when I'm ready, I need to make a decision right away.

I returned to our room, shared by Aimee and Loraine. Loraine was not there, and only Aimee greeted me as I entered. She was sitting in front of the vanity mirror, brushing her hair.

"Girl, where have you been? We've been looking for you for a while," she asked, and I quickly lay down on the bed, covering myself with a blanket. I didn't want Aimee to see my teary eyes, and I didn't want to talk to her either, fearing that I would cry even more if she asked me about my problems.

"Hey, are you okay, girl?" she asked, and I felt her walking towards my spot and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'm just not feeling well," I replied to her, and she removed the blanket from my face and held my forehead. I knew she saw the redness in my eyes and the puffiness of my nose, but she remained silent and let me be.

"I won't ask you what happened to you because I know you don't like being pried into, but girl, you have a fever, and you need to take medicine before it worsens," she said to me, her face showing concern.

"I don't want to take medicine, Aimee. I'll just sleep it off, and I'll be fine tomorrow, I promise," I replied to her and covered my face with the blanket again because I felt like crying again due to Aimee's evident concern for me.

Maybe I'll just find true love from my friends and family, but love from men? It seems unlikely.

Aimee didn't say anything more and let me rest. But I knew she was allowing me to be, especially now that I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. I hid my soft sobs but couldn't prevent the tears from falling freely.

It hurts so much, and I just want to sleep and never wake up.

I didn't know what else awaited me tomorrow if I still had the right to trust men after everything I'd learned. My mother's voice echoed in my mind, her words constantly reminding me.

I wanted to run into my mother's arms and cry my heart out, to apologize because everything she had said to me turned out to be true, that all her advice was right.

*knock knock*

"Kate?" I covered my mouth when I heard Eligor's voice from outside Aimee's room. Maybe he was wondering why I wasn't there anymore, why he wasn't even waiting for me.

I removed the blanket from my head, and Aimee saw my eyes. My tears surprised her, and I signaled her not to let Eli enter the room. Aimee quickly understood what I wanted to convey and nodded in agreement.

I immediately lay back down and turned away from the direction of the door, clutching the blanket tightly. I heard Aimee open the door and talk to Eligor.

"Aimee, is Kate here? She suddenly disappeared. I just went to buy coffee," he explained.

"It seems like she's not feeling well, Eli. She has a fever right now, but don't worry, I already gave her medicine before putting her to sleep," I heard Aimee's response.

"Can I see her? I just want to check if she's okay."

Why? Why show concern if you're just deceiving me?

"Hmmm... let Kate rest for now, Eli. She looks really exhausted, but I'll take care of her, so don't worry too much."

"But—"

"Come on, Eli. Kate will be fine tomorrow, so go back to your room and rest. Okay, bye!" I heard the door close, and only then did I finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"She's gone, girl. You guys are driving me crazy. Whatever your problem is, talk about it tomorrow. Eli was clearly worried about you."

You don't have to tell me that, Aimee. Just from Eli's voice, I know he truly cares about me. But I couldn't erase from my mind what I had heard earlier, and that was one thing that shouldn't make me fall for his acts of kindness again.