CHAPTER 150: CHAPTER 150: THE MORNING AFTER DREAMS

MAILAH WOKE UP to the pleasant warmth of morning sun—and the far less pleasant weight of Shadow planted on her chest, staring like a furry little warden.

"You’re heavier than you look," Mailah groaned.

Shadow meowed—a sound that managed to convey both judgment and demand.

"Fine, fine. I’m getting up."

The cat leaped off with feline grace, padding to the door and sitting with her tail swishing impatiently. Mailah dragged herself out of bed, her body feeling strangely heavy, like she’d run a marathon in her sleep.

The dreams.

They came flooding back in a rush—not the garden this time, but a library. Endless shelves of books that whispered secrets when you passed them. And Grayson, solid and real, teaching her how to navigate the dream realm, how to recognize when she was dreaming, how to wake herself if she needed to.

He’d kept his promise. He’d visited her dreams, but instead of romance, he’d given her knowledge. Tools. Protection.

It was possibly the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her.

Shadow yowled again, more insistent this time.

"I’m coming, your majesty."

Mailah threw on clothes—jeans and a soft sweater that felt like armor against whatever the day would bring—and followed Shadow downstairs.

The kitchen was already occupied. Lucien was attempting to make coffee with the kind of intense focus usually reserved for defusing bombs. Elin sat at the table with her camera, scrolling through photos. Oliver leaned against the counter, watching Lucien’s coffee-making attempt with barely concealed concern.

"Should we intervene?" Oliver asked no one in particular.

"Let him learn," Elin said without looking up.

"Learn what? How to burn down a kitchen?"

"Character building."

Lucien glared at them both. "I can hear you. And I’m doing fine."

The coffee maker chose that moment to make a sound like a dying animal.

"You’re doing great," Mailah said, unable to keep the amusement from her voice.

"Thank you, Mailah. At least someone appreciates my efforts."

"Where’s Grayson?" The question was out before she could stop it, and she felt heat creep up her neck at how eager she sounded.

Lucien’s grin was absolutely feral. "Oh, he’s been up for hours. Holed up in his study, probably brooding artistically about forbidden love and demonic restraint."

"Lucien," Oliver warned.

"What? I’m just saying what we’re all thinking."

"We’re not all thinking that," Elin said, though her lips twitched.

"You’re all thinking that," Lucien insisted. "The tension last night was so thick I could have spread it on toast."

Mailah wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. "Can we not—"

"Not discuss the obvious sexual tension between you and our resident tortured incubus? Where’s the fun in that?"

Shadow chose that moment to launch herself at Lucien’s leg, claws out.

"OW! You demonic beast!"

"She’s defending Mailah’s honor," Elin observed. "Good cat."

Shadow purred smugly and returned to Mailah’s side, looking extraordinarily pleased with herself.

"I’m being attacked by a cat and no one is helping," Lucien complained, rubbing his leg.

"You deserved it," Oliver said mildly, finally taking over the coffee maker before Lucien could cause actual damage. "Leave Mailah alone."

"Fine, fine. But for the record, I’m rooting for you two. In case that wasn’t obvious."

Before Mailah could respond—though she had no idea what she would have said—Grayson appeared in the doorway.

He looked exhausted. His hair was disheveled, his shirt slightly rumpled, and there were shadows under his eyes that suggested he’d gotten about as much sleep as she had. But when his gaze found hers across the kitchen, something in his expression softened.

"Morning," he said, and the word felt weighted with everything they couldn’t say in front of an audience.

"Morning," she managed, her voice steadier than she felt.

The air between them crackled with awareness. Mailah could feel the memory of his shadow-form beside her, the ghost of his almost-kiss on her forehead, the way he’d looked at her like she was the answer to questions he hadn’t known how to ask.

Lucien coughed loudly. "Right. So. Varrow."

The name dropped like a stone into still water, shattering the moment.

Grayson’s expression shuttered, going from soft to tactical in a heartbeat. "We need to discuss strategy."

"Over breakfast," Oliver said firmly, setting down mugs of coffee that actually smelled decent. "We’ll think better with food."

"I’ll cook," Elin offered, standing and moving toward the stove with practiced efficiency.

"You cook?" Lucien asked, sounding betrayed.

"Unlike some people, I have useful skills."

"I have useful skills!"

"Name one."

"I’m excellent at... moral support?"

"That’s not a skill."

"It should be."

While they bickered, Grayson crossed the kitchen to stand beside Mailah. Not touching, but close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off him.

"Did you sleep?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. You?"

"Not particularly."

"Grayson—"

"I don’t regret it," he said, cutting off whatever she’d been about to say. "Last night. I don’t regret any of it."

Her heart did something complicated in her chest. "Me neither."

"Good." He paused, his voice dropping even lower. "The dreams. Did they help?"

"Yes. How did you know I’d need to learn those things?"

"Because if Varrow is coming, and if that woman from the shop is connected to him, then the dream realm might become a battlefield. I needed you to be able to protect yourself there."

The implication made her stomach drop. "You think they’ll attack through dreams?"

"I think they’ll attack however they can. And you—" His jaw clenched. "You’re a vulnerability. For me. They’ll use that."

"So you’re teaching me to defend myself."

"I’m teaching you to survive."

The intensity in his voice made her chest ache. Before she could respond, Elin called out, "Breakfast is ready. Stop being adorably intense and come eat."

"We’re not being adorably intense," Grayson said flatly.

"You absolutely are," Lucien confirmed. "It’s disgusting and I love it."

They gathered around the table—scrambled eggs, toast, fruit that Shadow immediately tried to steal. It should have been pleasant, domestic. Instead, it felt like the calm before a storm.

"So," Oliver said once everyone had food. "Varrow. What do we know?"

Elin set down her fork carefully. "He’s old. Powerful. He feeds on fear and control—not literally, but psychologically. He builds empires of influence and then burns them down when he’s bored."

"And he wants you," Grayson said. "Why?"

"Because I escaped him. And he doesn’t like things that escape." Elin’s voice was steady, but Mailah could see the tension in her shoulders. "He’s also heard about you, Grayson. A demon who’s been abstaining for centuries, who’s started feeding again. You’re... interesting to him."

"Interesting how?"

"The dangerous kind of interesting. The kind that makes powerful beings want to either recruit you or destroy you."

"Great," Lucien muttered. "We’re on the supernatural radar for all the wrong reasons."

"There’s a right reason to be on the supernatural radar?" Oliver asked.

"Fair point."

Mailah’s mind was racing. "What about the woman from the shop? Could she be working for Varrow?"

"Possibly," Grayson said. "Or working against him. Or playing her own game entirely."

"That’s not helpful."

"Welcome to dealing with ancient supernatural entities. No one’s motives are ever clear."

"The vial," Elin said suddenly. "The memory vial she gave us. What if it’s not a tool? What if it’s a trap?"

Everyone went still.

"Explain," Grayson said, his voice sharp.

"Think about it. She gives us something that promises truth, that promises to expose secrets. We’re already on edge about Varrow, already suspicious of each other. What happens if someone uses that vial and sees something they can’t unsee? Something that breaks the trust we’ve built?"

"We fall apart," Oliver said quietly. "And then we’re vulnerable."

"Exactly."

Lucien leaned back in his chair, running both hands through his hair. "So the vial is leverage. Not for us—against us."

"Maybe," Grayson said. "Or maybe it’s exactly what it claims to be, and we’re overthinking it."

"When has overthinking ever hurt anyone?" Lucien asked.

"Constantly. All the time. That’s literally how most disasters start."

Shadow jumped onto the table, ignoring everyone’s protests, and batted at Lucien’s toast.

"Even the cat thinks you’re wrong," Elin said.

"The cat is a thief and a menace."

Shadow hissed, but it lacked real heat. She grabbed the corner of Lucien’s toast and leaped off the table with her prize, settling in a sunny spot by the window to eat.

"I’m being bullied by a feline," Lucien said mournfully.

"You’re being kept humble," Oliver corrected.

Despite the tension, despite the threat of Varrow and the mystery of the vial, Mailah felt something warm settle in her chest. This. This strange, chaotic, impossible family. They were facing down supernatural threats with terrible coffee and stolen toast, and somehow it felt right.

She caught Grayson watching her, his expression unguarded for once. When she smiled at him, something in his face softened.

"Right," Lucien said, standing and collecting plates. "We need a plan. A real one."

"I’ll reach out to my contacts," Elin said. "See if anyone knows what Varrow’s next move might be."

"I’ll reinforce the wards," Grayson added. "And contact Dr. Morrison about the vial."

"What about me?" Oliver asked.

"You can help Lucien clean up."

"That’s not a real job!"

"It is now."

Oliver grumbled but stood anyway, following Lucien to the sink with exaggerated martyrdom.

Mailah started to stand, but Grayson caught her wrist gently. "Can I talk to you? Privately?"

Her pulse jumped. "Of course."

They stepped out into the villa’s garden, where morning light painted everything in shades of gold and green. The air smelled like lavender and rosemary, peaceful in a way that felt almost aggressive given everything else.

Grayson didn’t speak immediately. He stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at the cypress trees in the distance like they held answers.