Incubus [malexmale]

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Thirty-Nine (Alexius)

My dreams were empty and gone.

I didn't go anywhere special, or at least, I didn't remember it. I only woke up feeling sluggish and lazy, the first time in a long time that I'd woken up feeling like this. I felt heavy and exhausted, but not enough to sleep anymore. I didn't want to move, though. I suddenly felt very warm and comfortable. I was lying on something soft, but I could feel the sunlight warming my eyelids and face, pouring through a window somewhere, which made me realize that I was no longer in the tent back in Xolun.

I was in Erini.

I forced my eyes to open, revealing a blurry brown ceiling. I blinked a few times and focused in on what looked like a small cheap chandelier made of black chains that led down to eight small cage-like objects that led lightbulbs in them. I frowned sleepily, lifting a heavy, numb arm so I could rub my eyes with my knuckles. I dropped my arms to my sides tiredly, then tilted my head to look around a very nice, homey looking living room.

A fireplace nearby crackled and sparked, sending smoke climbing through the chimney. The floors were made of sleek dark wood that matched the ceiling. The walls were painted a very light sky blue color and designed with little vertical white curves, twice dotted. The sofas were made of shiny brown leather. My eyes next fell on the dog that was lying beside the sofa I was sleeping on. I'd never seen a dog like this before, I noted. A large furry thing with a black muzzle and black that reminded me of Egyptian make up around a pair of large brown eyes that gazed up at me sleepily. Its fur was mostly made up of a tan shade that faded into patches of darker brown, lighter brown, and black that road along its back and long, slightly curled tail. A pair of ears stuck straight up, twitching every so often from voices that came from somewhere else in the house.

I shifted a little, but I was too tired to get up. My body still felt heavy and numb, at the same time, I didn't know where I was specifically in Erini and that alarmed me. I managed to roll on my side, the sofa squeaking and grunting every time I moved. I pressed my cheek against the soft cotton pillow my head rested on before I put my hands on the sofa cushions, trying to get up, but my arms trembled and I fell back on the sofa, gasping hard in surprise.

The dog at my side jumped to its large paws, its tail lifting and wagging excitedly, perked ears flickering. It cocked its head from side to side before it came forward, poking its cold wet nose to my cheek. I tried to speak, but my throat suddenly ached and my mouth was so dry, it felt like I had just swallowed a bunch of sand. I coughed, clenching my hand weakly on the pillow and shifting a little to try and get on my side and get up that way. The dog whined and whimpered, pushing at my face with its nose before it gave up trying to stop me and went to fetch its master.

I looked up, half expecting to see Killian, only to have a familiar brunette with bouncy curls and a pretty sundress come into the room with the dog following at her heels. I recognized her as Mallurak's wife, Gracie. Mallurak, the ahnz cambion I had meant while I was dream walking. I was in their home? She approached me with a small silver tray where lemonade sat in a pitcher along with a flower decorated cup and a plate of toasted bread with butter glistening on top.

"Morning, sleepy head," She greeted softly, smiling at me as she poured the lemonade into the cup, "I'm glad I'm the one who caught you. Mallurak's still sleeping. So are your friends. Here, have a cup of lemonade. It's homemade." She handed the cup to me and I went to grab it, but my fingers slipped around it. Thankfully, Gracie caught it before it could spill, then scooted closer to me.

"Here, lie on your back so I can help you drink." She offered. I really didn't want to accept her offer. I'd had enough charity offered to me, then used to beat me to know that it didn't come without a price, but my throat was raw and I couldn't even manage to gather saliva with how dry my mouth was, so I gave up and obeyed, rolling onto my back again. Gracie slipped her hand under my head, making me bristle a little, but there was nothing I could do and I would never hit a woman anyway. She tipped my head up with one hand, using the other to guide the lemonade to my lips, which I parted eagerly, accepting the sweet liquid gratefully.