In My Dreams: Werewolves and Witches

By Audrey Sault

Amber Byrnes is a lonely single lady whose only male companion is her beloved cat. She loves to escape into her fantasy novels and dream of another life for herself. Luckily for her she has someone very powerful watching over her who can make her dreams come true. Well, some aspects of them anyway.

Suddenly Amber finds herself with a lot more excitement in her life. Asleep and awake, slow, boring and lonely is no longer an option as Amber discovers some things about herself and her family heritage that are strange and wonderful and a little bit dangerous.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Mar 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503503793

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

H e pushed my body against the cold tiles in the shower. The coldness burned against my warm back. He wrapped his arms around my waist and moved in closer to kiss the sweet spot on my collarbone. It sent a jolt of electricity through to my core and I reached up to his mop of jet black hair to run my fingers through it. His kisses were moving up my throat and along my jaw and his hands were gently kneading my behind. I gasped as he lifted me up so my legs wrapped around his waist. Oh God, he is so strong. He was still nuzzling my throat, licking and nibbling and groaning like he was starving and wanted to devour me. I ran my hands over his strong shoulders and down to his muscled chest and I gently pushed him back. I wanted to look at this man. My god he was beautiful! His large eyes were the colour of the deep blue ocean. His skin was perfect, a light olive complexion. A strong jaw and straight nose, and his mouth, oh my, those lips were perfection. How could someone this perfect be with me? He was every girl’s tall, dark, mysterious and incredibly handsome dream. I drank in the sight of him. He smiled mischievously like he knew what I was thinking. Could he read my mind I wondered? My eyes travelled down his chest to his incredible eight pack abs and I think I started drooling. He leaned towards me and pressed his forehead against mine as he inhaled deeply, and a low quiet growl rumbled from his th roat.

Mm, he groaned.

Oh fuck this man cannot be real. His lips met mine and that electrifying shock hit me again. But that was nothing compared to when he parted my lips with his tongue. My legs, which were still around his waist, began to shake as our tongues did a dance in our mouths. He gently lowered my legs to the floor and began to squeeze my breast and my nipple. It instantly hardened and I involuntarily groaned in pleasure. He stopped kissing me to look at my face with a cheeky grin then he moved his mouth over my nipple and sucked it. I gasped and scratched my nails down his back as he chuckled. He smelled incredible. Like a pine wood forest after it rains. Fresh and intoxicating. His hand started moving across my stomach and down between my legs and he slid his finger inside me. I was so wet, and not just from the warm water of the shower. He started to rub me and my legs went weak again. If he keeps going like this I won’t last very long! My breathing was faster and my heart was pumping as the pressure was building. I wanted release but I didn’t want it to stop either. It felt so damn good. I could feel his huge erection against my side and I have never wanted anything so badly in my life. He kissed my mouth again and his tongue touched mine sending me over the edge. I was throbbing and convulsing as he held me to him tightly. Who is this man? He is like a god! I realised I didn’t know him. How did I find myself in this situation? It was like I just appeared in the shower with him. I looked around and realised I didn’t recognise my surroundings. Where the hell am I? He must have sensed my sudden confusion and he quickly tried to distract me with more passionate kisses. And god damn it, it worked. I lost myself in those amazing mind blowing kisses. He turned me around so my back was to him and kissed me again. My nipples were so sensitive that it made me gasp when they touched the cold tiles. His arm wrapped around my waist and he slightly lifted me up. He was tall, around 6ft 3 and I am only 5.5. He made me feel tiny. His breath was hot on the back of my neck as he entered me from behind. Oh. My. God. He felt so big. It almost hurt. In fact it did, but fuck it felt good too. Slowly he started to push into me. I had to brace myself against the wall but he supported me with his strong arms as well. We got into a rhythm and we seemed to know when we needed to go faster. He was grunting and groaning and I could feel his legs were starting to shake. Well at least I’m not the only one whose legs wobble. I could feel him growing inside me as the pressure built. It was building for me too and I knew it wouldn’t be long before I lost my control. I didn’t want it to end. My whole body was tingling and I felt like this stranger couldn’t get enough of me. It felt good to be wanted. He groaned and breathed hot sweet breath into my ear and reached down in front of me to touch my swollen nub. Oh dear god! I shuddered and my whole body spasmed against his chest as he thrust several more times into me then he let go himself. I felt the warmth of it inside me as he throbbed. Sated we sank to the bottom of the shower where he held me tightly against his chest. He kissed me again, this time more slowly. It was nice to be held like this. I could have stayed like this forever. He tilted my chin to look in my eyes.

You are amazing, he said and grinned at me.

Suddenly we were screaming and scrambling to get out of the shower as the water turned icy cold. He chuckled and handed me a towel then wrapped one around his own slim waist. Jaw dropping is the only way to describe him. He turned his back and started to walk out of the room. I noticed the tattoo on his shoulder blade then. It wasn’t very big and not what I would expect on a man like him. It was a small dream catcher. Like the ones the American Indians make and you hang them up around you room and they’re supposed to catch the bad dreams before they get to you in your sleep.

******

I stirred and felt hot so I stuck my legs out from under the covers in an attempt to cool myself off. It was the middle of winter and I wondered why I was so hot. I rolled over and my arm felt the cold and empty sheets next to me. I felt a pressure at my feet and then the tiny feet were making their way towards my face.

Hi, I mumbled.

Zeus rubbed his furry face against mine and purred as he encouraged me to get out of bed. The only male in my life was relentless when it came to his breakfast. I grinned to myself and shivered as I got up and put on a robe. Walking out to the kitchen I put on a pot of coffee and looked out the glass back door. It looked as though we were going to have some sunshine today, though I knew it would still be cold. Coffee in hand I settled on the couch to enjoy the peace before I started my day. My morning ritual is to drink my coffee and read my fantasy novels.

I wondered about my dream. I couldn’t shake it. It seemed so real. As you would have guessed by now I am a single girl who lives alone with her cat. How very boring right? A bit tragic really. I am thirty-one years old and I really don’t get out that much. I live in a small country town on the outskirts of Melbourne in Australia and as my mother spent so much money on my art school education I feel I owe it to her to at least try to make some money from it. I do ok I guess. I sell a lot of abstract paintings and scenic photographs at the markets. My photography has kind of taken off lately, ever since my best friend got married and couldn’t afford a real photographer. I offered to do it for her as a wedding present and they turned out amazing. Since then I have had quite a few weddings to do and while I do love it and it gets me out of the house it does make me feel a little lonely. You know having to be around all that mushy romance then coming home to have a conversation with my cat is a bit of a letdown. So to escape the boring, lonely life I’ve made for myself, I read. Perhaps that’s why my imagination went a bit wild last night in my dream. Or maybe I’m starting menopause or something and the hot flush produced a hot dream. I only wished I could dream like that every night. I finished my coffee and realised that I hadn’t paid any attention to the book I had in front of me. Geez where is my head today?

With my morning ritual out the way I showered and dressed then I headed out of town to visit my mother. She was on her own now. My dad having died tragically in a car accident when I was ten. We regularly caught up for lunch once a week. I loved my mum immensely. We were very close and I considered her one of my best friends. We talked about anything and everything. Today mum wanted to go for a drive way out of town to look at some new shop that one of her friends had told her about. Apparently they had a bit of everything there, a small café included at the front of the shop that made the best cheesecake and coffee and a small new age shop out the back that sold books on meditating and crystals and tarot cards. They sold handmade crafts and clothes and even had a resident psychic. My mum had said she wanted a new scarf and as she was a big advocate of supporting the locals she thought she’d try and find one there.

It took us an hour and a half to get to this little shop that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. How did these people get enough visitors through to survive? To my surprise the tiny cafe was quite crowded. We actually had to wait for a table. We were given a number and shown through to the back where the shop was. There was a beautifully stunning lady leaning on the counter, flicking through a book. She looked to be in her early thirties, quite tall and slim with midnight black hair that was so incredibly shiny and sparkly dark blue eyes that looked like you could swim in them. I couldn’t help but stare at her and I instantly felt jealous of her beauty. She looked up at me and smiled.

Hello, just let me know if you need any help, she said.

Mum had already started going through the racks of clothes. Some large crystals caught my eye and I made my way over to them. There was so much crammed in this small space but it was very organised too. Everywhere I looked something different caught my eye. There were even trinkets hanging from the ceiling. Interesting mobiles made up of beautiful fairies and ugly witches on broom sticks. Stunning stained glass windows throwing coloured lights around the room made it feel warm and comforting. I could smell the homemade soaps near the counter and I made my way over there to investigate. I couldn’t help but pick them up and smell each one. I picked up a dark blue green coloured soap and sniffed it. Oh god! It smelt like him! The man from my dream. I felt my face flush and my heart thump in my chest. I could feel eyes on me and looked up to see Miss Beautiful looking at me quizzically.

Are you ok? she asked.

Um, yeah this just reminds me of someone that’s all, I replied.

She smiled and nodded. I started thinking about my dream again and decided to ask the lady about dream catchers. She pointed towards the back where there was a tree branch stuck into a pot of dirt. There were about thirty dream catchers hanging from the smaller branches in all different sizes and colours. They each had stones, beads, feathers and shells woven into them. Each one was different from the next. One stood out immediately, it was a dark blue colour with long shiny blue black feathers hanging down from the bottom. In the centre there were shiny bright blue beads and a tiny sea shell woven into the intricate spider web pattern. I took it off the stand and felt the blue material and feathers. It was so soft and I couldn’t stop stroking it. It was like a puppies ears that you couldn’t resist. The price tag told me it was only fifteen dollars so I placed it on the counter in front of Miss Beautiful. She looked up from her book with raised eyebrows and a crooked smile that said she knew something I didn’t.

Interesting, she mumbled to herself.

I don’t think she realised I had heard her.

Mm sorry what? I said.

Oh nothing, it’s just that this particular catcher was just bought in this morning by a new supplier. I guess I didn’t think it would sell so quickly, she replied.

I could tell that she was lying to me. She seemed as though she was holding something back. I’m not normally a suspicious person but there was something off about this lady. She rang up the til and I paid for my dream catcher then went to see what my mother was up to.

How are you going there Mum?

She held up a couple of scarves for me to look at.

Which do you think? I can’t decide. The blue one or the green one? she asked.

I always loved green on my mother. She had this gorgeous coppery blonde hair and green always complimented it perfectly. To this day I don’t know if it is a natural colour or out of a bottle but it always stays the same. However today I was in a blue mood and after I’d just brought my blue dream catcher I chose the blue scarf for her.

It’ll bring out your blue eyes mum, I said.

She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. That was her sarcastic look.

Really? I thought you liked green, she said.

I do Mum but I’m having a blue day today. I showed her my dream catcher.

Ooh its lovely. But why a dream catcher? I didn’t think you believed in that stuff anymore.

I just liked it and I had a wicked dream last night that I will tell you all about over lunch. I said with a smirk.

My mother’s eyes lit up.

‘Ooh exciting," she said.

Number twenty four, the waitress from the café called through the door.

We looked up at her and nodded. I’ll just buy this and meet you in there, Mum said.

Ok, I followed the waitress in and she seated me then left to get water and glasses.

I started to look through the menu whilst waiting for Mum. Knowing the cheesecake had been highly recommended I decided I’d have a salad for lunch then spoil myself for dessert. Mum took a seat and a minute later the waitress was back to take our order.

I relayed my dream to Mum over lunch excluding the x rated parts of course. At first she was excited and threw in little comments occasionally but when I told her about the tattoo she changed her demeanour abruptly. She almost seemed to get angry with me.

Is that why you brought that dream catcher?

I felt my face flush with embarrassed heat, Well yes it is. It just reminded me and it was such a good dream I thought that if it happens again maybe I’ll be able to catch it and keep it, I said with a chuckle trying to improve her mood.

Hmm, was the only reaction I received as she folded her napkin which indicated she was finished with the meal, and the conversation it seemed?

Are you ready to go? I asked her.

Yes. I suddenly don’t feel very well. She gave a half-hearted smile as she stood and shrugged into her coat.

Ok, I said. I just want to get some of that homemade soap from the shop before we go. I passed her the car keys. You can go sit in the car if you like.

Ok dear. Yes I think I need some fresh air anyway. She took the keys and went outside.

I was puzzled by her reaction. My mother had always been a very spiritual person and I thought she would be pleased with my purchase of a dream catcher. We even had some Native American blood in our ancestry, dating back a couple of hundred years of course, but it was there. Perhaps she was feeling a little off and her reaction had nothing to do with my dream. I guess maybe I’ll question her about it later when she’s feeling better. I made my way into the shop and back towards the soap. Miss Beautiful was watching me. She smirked at me as I looked at her. She knew she made me uncomfortable and I didn’t know why that was; there was just something off putting about her.

Did you need help with something? she asked me in a sweetly sarcastic voice.

I swallowed as I picked up some soap. Yes I’d like some of this soap please, I tried to sound confident.

Leave her alone Petra. The voice came from behind a doorway covered by strips of hanging beads. It was located in the very back of the shop slightly behind a book shelf. I looked at Miss Beautiful, Petra, and she seemed sheepish, as though she’d just been reprimanded by the principal. I turned and was greeted by a friendly smiling face of a tiny old lady. She looked ancient yet vibrant at the same time. I could not begin to even guess at her age. She held her hand toward me as she tottered in my direction.

Don’t mind her; she just doesn’t want to be here helping out her grandmother. Thinks she’s too special to tend to customers, she said with a wink.

She held my hand and gently rubbed it between hers as she looked into my eyes. I’m Silva, she looked expectantly at me. I was kind of mesmerised by her and it took me a moment to realise she wanted to know my name.

Oh, huh, sorry, I’m Amber, I stammered. Is this your place?

Yes it is. Do you like it?

Yes I do. It’s very interesting.

She nodded knowingly. What is it you seek Amber?

The question puzzled me. I just wanted some soap. Some incredible smells like a sex god soap. Just soap.

Soap, I replied.

Hmm, really? she shook her head. I think you seek something more. She squinted at me. Would you like to come in the back and have a reading? she asked.

A reading! Oh God, she’s the resident psychic! She can probably read my mind. Oh God and see my dirty little thoughts.

I felt my face flush with heat and she smirked at me. Shit she does know what’s in my head.

Oh I’d love to but my Mum isn’t feeling well and she’s waiting in the car for me. Maybe some other time.

She seemed disappointed but smiled anyway as if she understood. Why don’t you make an appointment, then you can come back on your own and we can explore what’s going on in there, she said as she pointed towards my forehead.

I didn’t want to see her disappointed so I nodded.Ok, I said.

Petra thumped a book on the counter and let go a very audible sigh as she found the page she was looking for. She ran her finger down the page. Ok, there’s a free spot tomorrow at eleven, or else you’ll have to wait til next week.

Oh. Well I’m actually busy tomorrow, I said, not wanting appear too keen. I actually was kind of curious as to what she would tell me.

Well what about Tuesday at ten o’clock? Petra asked. She seemed to be enjoying the fact that I was a little uncomfortable.

Hmm, that should be ok, I said. I smiled at Silva and raised my eyebrows at Petra. I’ll see you then Silva." I said and I shook her hand. I turned and started to leave when Petra called out.

Wait. You forgot your soap. She smiled sweetly as she handed it over. You can pay for it next week.

Oh. Thank you. I said. Perhaps I had misunderstood Miss Beautiful. I left the shop and walked through the café out the front door to the car park.

Mum was waiting in the car with her head leaning back on the seat and her eyes closed.

Are you ok Mum? I asked.

Hmm, yes I’ll be fine. I just have a bit of a head ache.

The trip back to her house was long and quiet. I was worried about her but I didn’t want to press the issue. I dropped her off and continued back towards my part of town to pick up some groceries before I returned home.

I was in my own little daydream world, fantasizing about my dream lover whilst I aimlessly wandered the small supermarket with my trolley. I was staring at the cat food section, not concentrating at all when a familiar voice startled me.

Well well, if it isn’t Amber Byrnes.

I spun around to face the muscular chest of my ex-boyfriend Brandon McDonald. We had broken up a year ago but I still found him incredibly sexy. He was close to six feet tall with dirty blonde hair and wicked blue eyes. But I think it was definitely the dimples and devilish grin that sucked me in each time. The trouble was those features sucked in a lot of women. We had been together for just over eighteen months when I found out he had been cheating on me for the last six of them. Not just with one woman but several. I had only just recently started to get over it. I still felt dirty when I thought about it.

He looked me up and down as though appraising me and raised his eyebrows flirtatiously.

You still look good Babe. Have you moved on from me yet? Or are you still by yourself?

No Brandon I’m still single and loving it. Thankyou very much.

You know if you ever get horny Babe just give me a call. He winked and stepped towards me.

My mouth went dry at his close proximity. He smelt so good and I shivered a little at the memory of how he used to make me feel when we made love. He was a damn good lover, but he was also the greatest jerk on earth. I placed my hands on his firm chest and pushed him away.

Not even if you and I were the very last people on this earth Brandon. But thanks for the compliment.

I grabbed a few cans of cat food and threw them in the trolley as I pushed it away.

Oh come on Amber. Don’t be like that. I’m a different man now. I’ve learnt my lesson. How about I come over for dinner and we can talk. I miss us. He said as he walked beside me.

Geez Bran, desperate much? Surely you haven’t used all your resources up. There must be at least one girl out there that doesn’t know how much of a using prick you really are.

His face dropped and his shoulders slumped. Obviously that comment had stung a little and I almost started to feel bad about saying it, but he did deserve it. He looked at the floor like there was something interesting down there.

Ouch. He said. That was a low blow.

Yeah well what you did to me and those other girls was so much lower Brandon. You need to grow up and get over yourself. Perhaps try to think about the consequences of your actions and how easy it is to hurt people. I started to move away but thought of something else to say.

"You may think you’ve changed Bran, and maybe you have, I don’t know, but you hurt me really