Read Online The Changeling (Book One of The Síofra Chronicles) by K.R. Wilburn - Free Book Online Page A

into my bed.  I looked at the book of mythology that I had put on my nightstand longingly but realized I was too tired to read it tonight.  I resolved to examine it in more detail in the morning and pulled the covers up to my chin, hoping for a deep dreamless sleep. 

Chapter Seven
     
    I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. Or maybe I wasn't asleep after all.  The tang of salt filled my nostrils, and I jerked my eyes open and sat up so fast it was like a spring had vaulted me back up. 
    I was on the damned beach.
    "You have got to be freaking kidding me," I growled, flinging myself back onto the ground and shutting my eyes tightly.  If I ignored it, the dream would change. It would go away.
    "That doesn't look comfortable." Aleksander's voice carried on the breeze, and I opened one eye and turned my head toward the sound. 
    He was sitting on a large rock a couple of feet away, the corners of his mouth lifting in amusement. 
    "It's not. The sand is damp, but I'm hoping that, if I ignore you, you'll go away."
    "No such luck," he said with a smirk.  "I'm not going anywhere.  I'm your Caomhnóir so I have nowhere else to be. You are the sole recipient of my attentions."
    I glared at him, ignoring the way my heartbeat sped up at his words.
    "So do you believe me now?"
    "No,” I said stubbornly, dragging myself up to a seated position.  "I don't want to believe you."
    "Desire doesn't alter reality, Cassie.  Whether you want to believe me or not, this is real, so I suggest you cancel the pity party and we can move on to something productive."
    "I'm not throwing a pity party." I glared at him. 
    "Aren't you?" he asked, standing up and reaching out a hand. “I’m hoping that there will at least be cake.  A party isn’t really a party unless there’s cake.”
    I ignored his hand and climbed to my feet by myself, brushing damp sand off my arms and legs and grimacing as it chafed my skin.  Aleksander reached out and stilled my hands with his, pulling them down to my side as he gently wiped the sand from my skin, soothing rather than irritating it. I inhaled deeply, trying to suppress the tremble beginning in my limbs.   
    "So what happens next?" I asked grudgingly.  I focused my gaze on the moons rising in the distance and refused to look at him.  I wanted to be mad but the look in his eyes was quickly diffusing my anger.  It wasn't his fault I was dreaming of this place again.  
    "Next we talk about what happened last night.  It’s important to discuss what happened with your friends’ dreams and your negative reaction."
    "What is there to talk about? You basically invaded my friends’ privacy and dragged me along for the ride.  It was creepy and wrong and I want no part in it."  Just thinking about watching their dreams made me feel dirty. I swung my eyes back his way, my brows knitting together in a frown.
    He pulled a hand through his unruly hair and let out a frustrated sigh. "Cassie, it's not what you think.  I tried to explain this to you last night but you didn't want to hear anything I had to say.  If you’re ready to listen, perhaps I can explain why we watch the dreams.  Maybe if you understood why, you would feel better about it and know that we mean no harm.  We are there to protect mortals.  There's no entertainment value in it."
    He held his hand out to me. I ignored the shiver that ran through my body as my fingertips made contact with his.  He let out a breath and closed his eyes for a moment, his face screwed up like he was concentrating on something.  Opening them, he led me into the forest, never relinquishing my hand.
    I wanted to pretend like I didn't enjoy the feel of his hand around mine, but it was difficult to ignore the butterflies dancing in my stomach at his touch.  His hand was warm, and the firm pressure was comforting.  He wasn't the reason for my frustration, and it was time I stopped punishing him for it and gave him the chance to earn my anger instead of