Hunted

Chapter 7: Soulmate

Rykan continued being in my dreams for the rest of the week and into the next. Every night followed a similar pattern. He'd scold me for not showing up in the forest and get frustrated then eventually pull me into his lap and start asking me more questions. At this point, I was pretty sure he knew more about me than Evan did. He knew that I loved pool, plants and tea. He knew my favorite desserts, my favorite books, things about Evan and I, things about me I normally didn't like to talk about but it was different with him.

Except Rykan wasn't real and I needed to remember that. Or at least, I was trying very hard to convince myself he wasn't real. It wasn't easy, my mind gave him a lot of character. I wasn't the only one answering questions. He told me about his favorite things, the people he was closest to, his interests. He was far more interesting than anyone I knew that was actually real.

Thursday I found myself back in the dream and as usual, he was standing a few feet away from me with arms crossed, brooding. He was damn good at brooding. Brooding was something I apparently found very sexy.

"I know. I wasn't there," I said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Why won't you come to me?" He sighed. "Don't you like spending time with me?"

"I do but there's the whole issue of this being a dream," I said, walking over to him.

He growled and pulled me against him, pressing a kiss against my lips that left me breathless and needy.

"I'll ask again and I want a real fucking answer this time," he growled. "Why can't you just go? If it's a dream then there's no harm done and if it isn't then I can finally fuck you like you've been begging me to for the last two weeks," he groaned.

"Okay, first of all, I'm still married and if you ended up being real I'd feel super guilty for the way I've been with you. Secondly, I..." I stopped, turning my face away.

"Tell me, Kora," he urged, wrapping his arms around me.

I sighed, feeling embarrassed for even thinking it. "If I go to the forest and you're not there then I have to confront the fact that I'm insane and pathetic enough to try to meet a guy from a dream and I'm depressed enough as it is, I don't need to make myself feel worse."

He frowned and didn't say anything right away, just stared at me like he was trying to solve a problem. Now I felt even more embarrassed. In my own dream. God, Kora, maybe learn to keep some part of your life together, for fuck's sake.

"Tell me where you live, then," he suggested, nuzzling my nose.

"What?" I said, frowning.

"I said-"

"I know what you said I just think my crazy has actually infected my dream man's head now," I said.

"Kora," he said, narrowing his eyes. "If you won't come to me I'll come to you. Tell me your address and I'll come get you."

"You're insane," I said, shaking my head and pulling away from him.

"Just tell me."

"Why? So I can sit here wondering if by some miracle you're real and actually going to show up at my house?"

"Trust me, angel," he said, gripping my hips and pulling me against him, his eyes darkening. "I won't keep you waiting."

"All right, let's say you are real," I said, rolling my eyes. "Why are we dreaming like this? Why did your marks appear on me in real life?"

"Because you're my mate. I told you that already." He said it as if it was so simple. Well, even dream men couldn't be perfect. "I'll be linked to you like this in our dreams until we're together."