355- The Man in Her Dreams
POV Seraphine Valerian:
I brought my hands to my chest, where my heart pounded wildly. And it worsened when someone stopped behind me. Fear paralyzed me for a moment.
I turned slowly, seeing the darkness through the thin gray mist. In the middle of it, golden eyes shone like an animal’s in the night. He was tall, large, threatening.
I froze, knowing there was nowhere to escape. My legs weakened, panic rising fast. The creature—or the man—would push me over. He was a threat.
I remembered him, from previous dreams. Not knowing if this was just another one or reality. The faceless man of a lifetime. Keeping me captive—uncertain, curious. Always desperate to see him and understand his intentions.
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Tremors ran through my body—from the cold, from the fear. I could never ask anything, and he never spoke either.
It was at that moment that the man stepped forward, emerging from the shadows. For the first time, I saw him completely.
Dressed in black, thick hair between dark brown and mahogany, thick brows, piercing golden eyes. Strongly masculine features, a faint shadow of beard along his hard jaw.
“Viktor…”
My voice finally came out as certainty settled in. It was him. It had always been.
He reached out and grabbed my shoulders. He didn’t push me. He pulled me away from the danger, drawing my body into the protection of his arms, holding me tightly.
I felt his lips against my hair, his protection and intensity. I clung to him too, relieved. He wouldn’t hurt me. Not once had he done that. Even from afar, he had been with me. In my dreams.
Now it was real.
I woke abruptly, breathless, with the sensation that I was being held. It was horrible to find myself alone.
“Viktor…”
I whispered his name again, sitting up with my hand on my chest, the loneliness aching.
I looked at the empty room in the dim light, filled with need. That’s why I jumped out of bed without thinking and stepped into the hallway. It was madness, but I couldn’t stop myself.
I opened the door to his suite and entered, stopping there, letting the golden light from the corridor spill onto the bed. I held my breath when I saw him.
He was sprawled out, sleeping, his face turned toward me, features relaxed. Hair messy, beard more visible. Wild. And completely naked.
I didn’t move, my breath caught, my heartbeat racing. My eyes traced every inch of him—his toned abdomen rising and falling, sculpted chest, muscular arms at his sides.
Long, strong legs, one stretched, the other bent. Fine dark hair. His large length resting to the side, surrounded by thicker trimmed hair. All of him virile and beautiful, stirring my desire, making my mouth water.
I gripped the doorknob, aching to taste him, to press myself against his warm skin, to feel him until pain turned into pleasure.
It was a struggle not to climb onto the bed, desire pulsing and intense, my body burning with need.
I was emotional too—for finally seeing his face in my dream.
For understanding that what connected us was far greater than I could have imagined.
Fear swept through me—of everything I felt, of what I couldn’t explain.
I stepped out slowly, closing the door behind me, shaken.
I lay down alone, unable to stop thinking about him.
(...)
POV Viktor Averwyn:
“We had no attacks during the night.”
Cezar began explaining as soon as I arrived at the office the next morning. I sat down while he briefed me on everything before heading home to sleep.
I checked the cameras, reviewed the sensors, confirmed we were ready for new assaults from the surrounding areas. And I answered clients from outside as if we weren’t in the middle of a war. Work in the mines continued.
All the while, anguish stayed with me, the worry for Adelina tearing me apart from the inside. As well as concern for the lives here, under my responsibility.
I felt an absurd rage toward everyone—Konrad, Lucian, the Elders, even Aldren and Edric. For not listening to me, for believing what had been presented as truth.
I pushed away the memories I had of Lioara and the white-haired man, the suspicions that they were my parents, the young Edric, the teenage Aldren. I didn’t want to think about that shit anymore or tear myself apart with doubts while we stood on opposite sides. I had too much to deal with in reality.
It was nearing lunchtime. Movement in the forest continued, as I saw on the cameras. At any moment they could advance again. I decided to stay there longer, until someone came to relieve me.
I stood and poured myself a generous glass of țuică, the burning drink helping ease my restless mind. I sat again, the glass on the table.
Then that strange sensation came—something wavering, trembling before my eyes. I knew immediately what it was and didn’t resist.
The scent of snow and fire grew strong. A pleasant warmth. A large room with walls made of thick logs. Firewood burning in the fireplace. I was there—perhaps sitting in an armchair. I couldn’t see myself, but I felt it. Present in another place.
Voices reached me. Laughter. Nearby, in an adjoining room. The smell of cookies baking drifted toward me. A child’s voice pleaded:
“I want more, Mom! I want all of them!”
“What a greedy little wolf!”
Her laughter was warm. The black-haired woman.
Love flooded me, overwhelming. I wanted to stand, to go to them. But I had no control over it. I was reliving something that couldn’t be changed. Lost in the past. That certainty stirred everything inside me.
“I bake them, and he eats them?” a boy’s voice complained, already deepening. “He should help too!”
“I just want to eat!”
More laughter. I think I smiled along.
Footsteps approached and I saw the tall man come closer, settling into the armchair across from me, stretching his legs. He was strong, robust, with long white hair braided. Smooth, tanned face. Bright blue eyes fixed on me.
“Will there be any cookies left for us?”
He was amused.