like any kind of Kindred I’ve ever encountered.”
“Describe him.” Sophie leaned forward eagerly. “What does he look like?”
Alli explained about the beautiful thug face and the strange, mirror-like eyes that seemed to glow in the dark and reflected her own visage back at her when she looked into them.
“But his tongue is the worst part,” she said as Sophie listened with interest.
“Worst how? What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s pointed—sharp. Like…like a needle or a stinger or something.” Alli waved a hand in the air, gesturing distractedly. “I can’t explain it but it scared the hell out of me!”
“As well it should.” The deep, grave voice made her look up.
Alli blushed when she saw that Commander Sylvan—the head of the Kindred High Council—had come back into the room. She didn’t mind confiding in Sophie about the weird dreams, but Sylvan was, in effect, her boss. You didn’t tell your boss you’d been having scary sex dreams about a guy with mirror eyes and a needle tongue who promised to make all your darkest fantasies come true.
“Oh, uh…” She cleared her throat, uncertain of what to say.
“Why?” Sophie asked, to her relief. “Do you think there’s some significance to what Alli is dreaming about?”
“I do and I think it’s very serious.” Sylvan frowned and settled himself on the couch beside his wife, across from Alli. “How long have you been having these dreams, Councilor Allisandra?”
“Um, six months—give or take,” Alli admitted. “Ever since I agreed to take the job as legal consultant that you offered me. I think I had the first one the night after I first visited the Mother Ship.”
“I see.” Sylvan nodded thoughtfully.
“But I can’t be Dream Sharing with anyone,” Alli rushed on. “I mean, as I was telling Sophie, this man isn’t like any kind of Kindred I’ve ever seen or heard of.”
“He is not like any Kindred any of us have seen,” Sylvan acknowledged gravelly. “At least in this universe.”
“What?” Alli and Sophie exclaimed at the same time.
“What are you talking about, honey?” Sophie asked, looking worried.
“We all know there are other universes, parallel to our own,” Sylvan reminded her. “We’ve known it for ages. And in almost every one that we have studied, the Kindred are there. They might not always have our same past or patterns, but they are there.”
“So…what does that mean?” Alli shook her head, perplexed. “That a Kindred warrior from another universe is singling me out, somehow?”
“The male you are dreaming of fits the description of a Kru’ell One,” Sylvan said. “A type of Kindred that does not exist in our own reality—thank the Goddess.”
“Why do you say that?” Alli put a hand to her throat, feeling cold all over. “I thought all Kindred had the same core values. Even the Dark Kindred, when their emotions are restored, are respectful and protective of women. They’re all basically good guys.”
“Not the Kru’ell Ones.” Sylvan’s deep voice was grim. “The legend goes that they come from a universe where there is no Goddess. Instead of the Mother of all Life, they were created by the Cruel Father—a Dark God—one who holds no regard or respect for females.”
“But…what does that mean?” Sophie asked, frowning.
“It means they are the only species of Kindred ever who would or could take a female against her will.” Sylvan shook his head. “Or at least, against her conscious will.”
“What does that even mean—conscious will?” Alli said flatly. “No means no.”
“It’s said the Kru’ell Ones are able to delve into a female’s subconscious and find her darkest dreams,” Sylvan said. “They act on what she craves, not on what she says she wants.”
“So they make all your sexy fantasies a reality?” Sophie looked at her husband with interest. “Sounds kind of hot, actually.”
“No, talana.” Sylvan shook his head, frowning. “Some dreams are better left unrealized. Not everyone can face up to having their fantasies made into reality. It can break you mentally and emotionally if you’re not strong enough to withstand the intensity of your own desires.”
Alli felt her skin break out in goosebumps again.
“I know all your darkest desires. And I’m going to make them come true—whether you want me to or not.”
The shadow man’s voice echoed in her head, so real she could almost swear she heard it whispering in her ear.
“But…but why?” she heard herself asking. “Why would the, uh, Kru’ell Ones want to do things like…like that to women?”
Sylvan shrugged.
“As to that, there are different theories. Some say they’re just Sadists, enjoying the agony of others.”
“But you don’t