Dragonswan.doc by Unknown Page B

teeth in disgust as she recognized
    the sound.
    "What the hell is that?" Aidan asked.
    "Timor."
    "I hope old Tim's an ex-boyfriend."
    How she wished. "No. He's the personification of human fear."
    "Oh, goody," he said in a jovial tone. "Just what I wanted to add to my dream. Should we invite him over
    for tea?"
    While she found his sarcasm entertaining, it still failed to make her laugh or smile given their worsening
    situation. "Aidan, this isn't a dream. I mean, yes, we're in a dream state, but when you wake up, it doesn't
    mean that Dolor won't be real. He is real and he's out to kill you."
    He moved away from her. "Fine. Bring him on. I will be the last one standing."
    "Bravado doesn't defeat a god."
    "Then what does?"
    She really wished he hadn't asked that particular question. "I don't know. Each one of us has something
    that will render us weak and allow someone to kill us. But we're not real big on letting other people know
    what those weaknesses are."
    "And neither am I. I have no intention of letting anyone or anything knock me down."
    She admired that about him, especially since he was human. "I want you to hold tight to that courage,
    Aidan. It might be the only thing that saves your life."
    And with that she pulled him toward her and kissed him.
    Aidan's breath caught at the forgotten sensation of a woman in his arms. She tasted of bliss and woman.
    Of wicked delights. And God help him, he wanted more of her.
    His heart thrumming, he deepened the kiss as he pulled her even tighter against him.
    Leta couldn't think straight as her tongue danced with his. It'd been centuries since she'd last kissed a
    man. Centuries since she felt this compelled to touch a man unless she was throwing a punch at him.
    Aidan's desire set fire to her own bound emotions. But more than that, they unleashed the long-buried
    part of herself that missed her family. Closing her eyes, she remembered her husband and that miraculous
    feeling of belonging. Of loving someone and being loved by them.
    She missed it so much. Craved it even more. No one should have to spend eternity alone, isolated from
    everyone, devoid of all emotions. What Zeus had done to her kind was deplorable.
    Again, she heard the cry of Timor from across the sea that splashed against the crystal sands. Dolor was
    trying to use him to break through the barrier of the dream world so that he could fight them on the mortal
    plane where they were weakest. She needed to wake up Aidan and make him understand the threat they
    posed to him.
    "I'll see you on the other side," she breathed before she pushed him away and forced him to wake up.
    Aidan jerked awake. His heart pounding, he lifted his arm from his face to try and get his bearings. His
    movie was still playing in the background as the logs popped and settled around him.
    It was then he saw Leta at his feet.
    She blinked her eyes open as if she too were just waking up.
    "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded.
    Leta started to answer, only to realize that if she told him, he'd toss her out. He would never believe her
    in this realm.
    Dear Zeus, how was she ever going to convince him of the truth?
    "Aidan…" She hesitated as she tried to think of something reasonable to say to him.
    "Leta…" he mocked. "I told you to stay out of here."
    "I know you did. It's just that I wanted to see you for a few minutes and you were asleep. I didn't want to
    disturb you."
    "So you slept at my feet like a puppy? No offense, but that's creepy as hell. Next thing I know, you'll be
    trying on my clothes and sleeping in my bed."
    She scoffed as she pushed herself to her feet. "Brad Pitt you're not."
    "You're right. I'm the man who kicked him out of the number-one slot for best-looking actor three years
    in a row."
    Leta rolled her eyes. "That's some ego you've got there."
    "Yes it is and it's constantly being reinforced by women willing to do anything to get my attention." He
    raked her with a cold look. "How far are you willing to