She shouldn’t have fallen asleep in the first place. Her vigilance was waning the farther she drew from Rook Castle. She never would have been caught unaware back home.

She closed her eyes. Hopefully she could fall asleep as easily as she had in the tub. Those few moments of slumber had been bliss, even if they had been cut off rather abruptly and in an embarrassing manner.

But sleep never came. Damien breathed evenly close by, constantly reminding her that she was no longer alone. And when the darkness did come, vivid images from past dreamscapes filled her mind, causing her heart to race and for her to wake. And that dark figure was watching. Always watching.

Time dragged. As she lay on her side, staring at the shadowy area where his back was, her body was almost ready to pass out from fatigue, but her mind would not allow it. Part of her wanted to sit up and scream, another part wanted to curl up and cry. She couldn’t function without sleep. If only there was a way to diminish the images trapped inside her head. Someplace safe for her mind—

Her heart stopped and her middle tightened as she listened to Damien breathe. There was one place full of peace and light, one place that might give her a reprieve from previous nightmares. Those dreams could not follow her there.

Inside Damien’s dreamscape.

Her mouth went dry, and her heart began to beat again, so loud she could hear it inside her ears. She hadn’t dreamwalked since the night she’d chosen to let Damien live, and the memory of his luminous soul had faded in her mind as she was thrust into this new life.

But now it all came back, and with it the craving hunger inside of her to have it.

She clutched the covers beneath her chin. She could almost see the outline of his body from the dim light streaming in from beneath the shutter. The gap between their beds was only about a foot. If she slid to the edge of her own bed and reached out, she might be able to touch—

Damien moved, kicking the covers away from his upper body, and faced her.

Selene froze, waiting to see if he had awakened. Minutes ticked by, but Damien didn’t move again. She let out her breath and her body relaxed. He was now closer to the edge of his bed, and she was fairly sure his hand was hanging over the side. That meant all she had to do was lean a little closer. . . .

One touch, and she would be able to sleep. Just one touch . . .

She pulled her hand out from beneath the blanket and reached over. The moment her hand made contact with his skin, she lightly moved her fingers, feeling along the lines of his knuckles. Then she wrapped her fingers around the narrow part of his wrist.

Within a breath, she was yanked into his dreamscape. Selene changed into her raven form, a feeling of euphoria expanding inside her chest. With a joyous caw, she flew up into the light blue sky, the familiar beach of white sand, gentle waves, and rolling grass meeting her gaze.