MIDDLE GROUND

4

I must be dreaming.
I must be dreaming.
I must be dreaming.

So what's the harm in allowing him into my room to talk?

Nothing.

This is definitely a dream or a nightmare.
Maybe sex dream...

I heard a chuckle that wasn't evil but definitely dark coming from behind me. "Have you ever heard of personal space?"

"I could just carry you."

"No, I'm good. Jeez back off buddy. Woke up on the wrong side of the imaginary bed today?"

"Again, not a ghost or a nightmare. Move it, love or I'll have to punish you. And trust me when I say this wouldn't be a punishment that..." I looked behind me because he stopped talking. He licked his lips as his eyes took me in from head to toe. I'd seen men, and some women, do this to Liv but I wasn't used to it.

"That would what?" I tried to sound seductive and even lift my eyebrow with a come-hither stare. I wasn't very good at flirting.

"Are you trying to flirt with me, love?" He doubled over laughing. LAUGHING. AT ME. "Oh girly I'm not going to spank that All-American, peach or apple pie ass to get you wet."

Oooh kinky!

He got very serious and that chill ran back down my spine. "When I punish you it won't be to get your panties wet. So let's get upstairs before I literally take you over my knee and show you what real pain feels like."

Oh fuck.

I unlock my bolted room, keeping the heavy door open for him.

"So what do you want to talk about...umm...I'm sorry I didn't catch your name." Between the sobering sight of Leonard's dead body and the weird kind-of sexual punishment talk, I'm on the verge of laughter. I try my best to hold it in.

"Oisin, but you can call me Master." He nonchalantly says as I sit across from him.

"So, Ocean, what is this all about?"

"It's pronounced O-sheen but you are to call me Master, little lamb."

"Master." I bow my head coughing to hide my chuckle.

"Why are you laughing? Are you having a psychotic breakdown or something?"

"I dunno, you tell me...Master."

I'm giggling so much I can barely breathe. Taking a deep breath I feel the fit of giggles going away until I say, "I'm sorry, Master."

"What is so funny, love?" Even his twinkling blue eyes start to sparkle while he tries to suppress a laugh. It seems my giggle fit is contagious.

"Maybe subconsciously I've wanted to be a submissive. Dominated. So I've subconsciously created you in my dream, Master Oisin."

It's simple pop. psychology really.

"So you think I'm a figment of your imagination? Like some unicorn that shits rainbows?" He stood up and loomed over me. "Ah, lassie, I'm very real. And this? This is no dream but I will make your life a living nightmare, so cut the shit. Even if you were a good girl I wouldn't dominate the likes of you. No matter how often you want to submit to me."

"Want to submit? S-So this isn't a sex dream? You don't want me?" If this was a dream, which it must be, I'd want him to want me, right? He was scary but his musk was intoxicating, some sort of spice-woodsy blend. His breath wasn't minty fresh but something about it made me want to taste him.

He grabbed my arms and lifted me up so we were face to face. "Bloody hell, do you have any self preservation?" Oh he looks angry. Black eyes that seem to just keep bleeding in his iris. "You're not afraid a strange large, not human being, who just murdered your friend Lenny back there, is alone with you in your room and that my plan is to take you away from here against your will and most likely, if you have any idea how these things usually turn out, kill you... instead your afraid I'll reject you?" He laughed melodically while his grip tightened. "Lassie, you have no idea how frightened you should be. Your friend and the bartender lad are demons. Tricksters. Watchers. Shapeshifters. Not human. You've seen my true form, so ya can't deny that I'm not human. Your selfish twat of a mum, Kathy, made a deal with the devil. She's allowing you to live out her maternal generational debt that she owes me and my family."

"W-what are you? How do you know my mom's name? This can't be real! WAKE THE FUCK UP!"

I felt something hit my head and then there was nothing.