I could get used to this.
I’ll need to leave her in the morning and head back to Prague. There were family arrangements that needed to be made. Surely my father had put descriptions of a lavish ceremony and feast in his will.
Annoyance hit me at the thought. The last thing I wanted to do was deal with his followers and prisoners. Like a mad man, he’d filled that decaying castle up with deranged people worshiping stars and animal skulls. Some even thought he was a god.
None of that stuff had occurred while my mother was alive. We’d been a normal family before her death. Afterwards, it was a castle of chaos.
Due to my father’s descending madness, I spent my years in my room with books and later my computer. I found refuge in those objects.
Perhaps. . .my father’s body can wait one more day. The funeral doesn’t have to be tomorrow. Yes, we can wait a few days. There won’t be a problem with the delay.
With those thoughts swirling in my mind and her warmth surrounding me, I fell asleep.
But I found no rest.
In my nightmare, a blood moon hovered above.
I stood in front of a grave.
And I felt so lost.
So utterly empty and alone.
A deck of playing cards lay on top of a blank headstone. I stared at the cards in confusion. I didn’t feel lucky, but there was an urge to gamble it all away.
I just had no idea what I would be betting on.
A howl sounded off in the distance.
I looked up from the cards and froze.
Terror beat within my chest.
Silver wolves circled me. Saliva dripped from their fangs. Hunger blazed in their red eyes. Rotting trees stood behind the creatures.
I edged back and bumped into something.
Turning around, I spotted what had blocked my escape.
Sasha lay naked on the ground.
“W-what are you doing here?” My body trembled in fear. “Kazimir killed you.”
Before he could answer, a gruff voice sounded behind me. “What are you doing here, Mikhail?”
I turned around. “Father?”
“Mikhail?” Father called me by my birth name again, rose, and towered over me. A cloak hid his face and body, but I knew deep down inside that he wasn’t completely whole under the dark fabric.
The red glow from the moon fell on part of his face, but still I couldn’t see him.
“Why are you here?” he asked.
“I. . .I miss you.”
“Never miss the ones that die, because they never miss you.” My father glanced over his shoulder as a wicked snicker left him. “Goodbye, son.”
I looked at what he was staring at. My mother stood far away. My father turned around and headed in her direction.
“Mom?” I made the motion to walk towards her, but Sasha rose from the ground and grabbed me with those huge hands.
I fought against him. “Father, Help me!”
Darkness pushed away my view of both my parents. Still, Sasha wrestled with me, dragging me down to the ground.
“Let me see,” Sasha whispered in my ear. “How do you know, if it’s big? Let me see.”
“No!” I tried to punched at his arms.
“Let me see, Misha.”
“Get off me!”
“How will you ever know how big your cock is, if you won’t let me see?”
And then I woke up, gasping for breath.
Sweat covered my body.
My heart hammered.
Someone touched me.
I yanked them to the other side of the bed, gripping them tightly .
“Misha!?” Ava’s eyes widened as she shook against me. “Misha?”
“Shit.” I snatched my hands away and jumped off her. “Damn it. I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
Sweat coated my body.
My hands shook.
“I’m fine.” Panting, she touched her arms where I had held her.
“It was a nightmare.” I stepped close to her, worried that I’d ruined it all. “I’m so sorry. Did I hurt you?”
“No.” She let go of her arms . “I figured it was a nightmare.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve never woken up like that.” I tried to touch her and then stopped myself. “Shit. I can’t believe I did that. It will never happen again. I promise.”
“Misha, I’m fine.”
“Damn it. I’ve never had a nightmare like that. Never.” I rolled to the side of the bed and flipped on the lamp. A small pool of light spilled onto the bed. Shadows swarmed around us like those hungry wolves in the dream.
Shaken, I turned back to her.
Like an angel, Ava sat in the light. Glowing. Shimmering.
Damn it. Why did I do that?
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I swept my gaze over both her arms, too scared to reach out to her.
“I’m fine.” She sat up and grabbed my arm.
“I’ve never woken up like that before.” I raked my fingers through my hair. “I usually never even have dreams.”
“What did you dream about?”
“My father. . .and mother. . .and. . .an old friend, or I guess. . .he was never a friend at all. Either way, they all passed away.”