Cupid & The Cursed Cup (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 9

Her eyes closed, hoping sleep would come quickly, knowing it usually took ages to switch off to the world. Not this night, sleep enveloping her, entering the dream world before she could think another thought. There she stood, in an exquisite garden, her bare feet brushing softly against lush green grass, the scent of flowers intoxicating, radiantly beautiful butterflies dancing before her, wings of turquoise and emerald green. Others of the deepest crimson hue. A sound of water dancing over pebbles as her legs carried her towards a billowing white tent, a warm breeze caressing her body as she moved. A dream, but not a dream. Too vivid, too real. That was it. She was actually there, in whatever place this was, in whatever moment this was.

Her hand reached out, pulling back the entrance, her eyes falling upon the person waiting for her. "I wondered how long it would take for you to get here."

"How? How am I dreaming this?"

"Isn't all life a dream? Come, lie with me. Let me show you who I really am."

"I can't. I want to..."

"I scare you. You are safe. I will guide you."

She moved closer, her body willing, her mind hesitant. "N, I haven't...not with. I want to resist, but I'm drawn to you. Your eyes pull me in, make me want to do things..."

"These eyes," Nicole replied, their colour changing to a luminous amber.

Waverly knelt beside her, forcing her own eyes to close, knowing if she continued to look into Nicole's mesmerising eyes she would succumb to her own impulses. "Why do you consume me?" she asked.

"I'll go slow, I promise. We have all the time in this world. We have eternity."

"N, I'm not ready. My god, your body. And, your eyes. I can't look at them."

Waverly felt her own body shaking, wanting to, not wanting to, torn between burning bodily desire and her mind overthinking everything. "I so could, but I hardly know you. N, I've only known you a day and I'm here with you, about to..."

"I could be with you in your waking dreams too, if you so wish."

"Oh God, I wish. More than anything, but I can't. Please, I must go."

"I'll be here if you change your mind," Nicole said, patting the space beside her, that now familiar smirk appearing.

Waverly got up, looking behind as she left the tent, knowing she would be back.

Waverly's phone buzzed. Holliday wanted her to meet him at the cathedral to view the missing stonemason footage with him. She looked at the time. 7am. Definitely a workaholic, she thought, as she grabbed a towel on route to the bathroom. Heading downstairs, she glanced in on Nicole. Fast asleep, snoring, that erotic dreamlike moment still as fresh, a shiver running through her body.

She closed the door to the lounge, entering the kitchen, flicking the switch on the kettle, pulling out a pot to make porridge. Stirring the stodgy grey mixture her mind drifted to the events of the past few days, sifting through the puzzle pieces she had so far, more and more questions formulating.

One kept rising to the surface. One for which she wanted an answer, one she needed an answer. What were those mossbacks after? Their persistent pursuit along the canal made real her deepest fear, one that started when she was young and had remained with her ever since. Show her a spider she was fine, clowns to her were cute and she could never imagine ever being scared of a bee, or a wasp. Yet, someone following her, someone chasing after her, was the very stuff of her nightmares. As a child she would wake the whole house with her screams, terrified of being taken. Her parents understood. So did Wynonna.