Dreams, Messages and Bond

Chapter 8

Isabella

I couldn't sleep.

Ever since the attack, my mind had been racing with questions. My father's disappearance, my strange powers, the mysterious voice inside my head — everything was becoming too much.

I tossed from one side of the bed to the other, pulling the blanket over my head.

Eventually, exhaustion won.

But sleep brought no peace.

I found myself standing in a beautiful garden surrounded by silver flowers. Moonlight covered everything, and a gentle breeze brushed against my skin.

I looked around, confused.

"Hello?"

Someone stepped out from behind a tree.

Alexander.

He wasn't wearing his usual expensive suit. His black shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and his dark hair looked slightly messy.

"Alexander?"

He walked towards me without answering.

"Where are we?"

He stopped directly in front of me.

"You shouldn't be here, My Rose."

Alexander called me "His Rose". Wow!

"Then why am I here?"

His eyes darkened.

"Because you keep appearing in my dreams."

My breath caught.

Before I could respond, he reached for my hand. His touch sent an unfamiliar warmth through my body.

"Alexander...."

He leaned closer, his voice dropping.

"Tell me you don't feel it too. The chemistry... everything Belle."

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

His face moved closer to mine.

Then everything went dark.

I woke with a gasp.

My heart was pounding, and my cheeks fluttered. I sat up, rubbing my face.

It was just a dream.

A ridiculous dream.

Alexander Blackwood was my stepbrother. I had no business dreaming about him like that.

I reached for the glass of water on my bedside table and drank deeply.

Then I lay back down. Unfortunately, sleep came again. This time, I was standing inside a dimly lit room.

Someone was sitting on the edge of a large bed.

Sebastian.

He looked up when I entered, a familiar teasing smile playing on his lips.

"Finally decided to visit me?"

I folded my arms.

"Why would I visit you?"

He chuckled.

"That's not what you were saying in my dream."

I frowned.

"What?"

He stood and walked towards me.

Unlike Alexander, Sebastian always seemed amused by everything. But tonight, there was something different about him.

His usual arrogance had disappeared.

"Isabella," he whispered.

I stepped backwards.

"Don't come closer."

He stopped.

"Why are you afraid of me?"

"I'm not."

"Then look at me."

I lifted my eyes.

His gaze held mine for a long moment before he gently brushed a strand of hair away from my face.

My heart skipped.

"Sebastian...."

He smiled faintly.

"Say my name again. I love it when it comes from those damn lips of yours."

I immediately stepped away.

The room began spinning.

His expression changed.

"Don't run from what you feel."

A sudden golden light flashed between us.

I screamed and woke up again.

This time, I was breathing so heavily that my chest hurt.

I switched on the bedside lamp and looked around.

My bedroom was empty.

No Alexander.

No Sebastian.

Just me and my ridiculous dreams.

I pressed both hands against my face.

"What's wrong with me?"

I had never thought of either of them that way. Alexander was intimidating, while Sebastian was an arrogant troublemaker who seemed to enjoy annoying me.

Yet my dreams had somehow turned them into the centre of my strangest fantasies.

I climbed out of bed and walked towards the bathroom.

As I passed the mirror, I stopped.

My eyes were glowing gold.

I stared at my reflection.

"No. Not again."

The golden colour slowly disappeared.

Then I heard a whisper.

"Three hearts. One bond."

I spun around.

"Who's there?"

There was nothing. No one.

I returned to bed, but I didn't sleep again.

****

The following morning, I entered the dining room wearing a loose cream sweater and black trousers.

Adrian was already seated, eating pancakes.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty."

"Morning."

He looked at me carefully.

"Are you okay? You look exhausted."

"Didn't sleep well."

Sebastian entered moments later.

He wore a black T-shirt and grey sweatpants, his hair slightly damp from a shower.

"Someone looks terrible," he commented.

I ignored him and reached for a glass of juice.

Alexander entered last.

The moment I saw him, memories of my dreams rushed back.

His intense eyes.

His voice.

The way he had held my hand.

I nearly dropped my glass.

Alexander noticed.

"Problem?"

"No."

He narrowed his eyes.

"You're staring."

"I wasn't!"

Sebastian burst into laughter.

"Interesting. She's nervous around Alexander now."

"I'm not nervous!"

"Then why are you blushing?"

"I am not!"

Adrian looked between us, thoroughly entertained.

"What did I miss?"

"Nothing," I answered quickly.

Alexander took his seat.

"Stop bothering her, Sebastian."

Sebastian raised both hands.

"I'm only asking questions."

I lowered my head and concentrated on my breakfast.

But then something happened.

Alexander's hand brushed mine as he reached for the coffee pot.

A strange electric sensation travelled through my fingers.

At almost the same moment, Sebastian looked directly at me.

His expression changed.

For one brief second, his eyes flashed gold.

Then Alexander's did too.

My heart stopped.

I quickly pulled my hand away.

"What was that?"

Nobody answered.

Alexander stared at his fingers.

Sebastian's playful expression disappeared.

Adrian slowly put down his fork.

"Did you guys feel that?"

"Feel what?" I asked.

Alexander looked at me.

"Did you dream last night?"

My stomach tightened.

"Why?"

"Just answer."

I swallowed.

"Yes."

"What did you dream about?"

I looked at Sebastian, then Alexander.

There was no way I was telling them.

"Nothing important."

Sebastian leaned back in his chair.

"Funny. I had a strange dream too."

My blood ran cold.

"What kind of dream?"

He studied my face.

"I can't remember everything. But I remember a girl standing in a garden."

I stopped breathing.

Alexander's jaw tightened.

"Enough, Sebastian."

Sebastian ignored him.

"She looked familiar."

I slowly pushed my chair backwards.

"I have to go."

"Isabella," Alexander called.

But I was already leaving.

I hurried upstairs, closed my bedroom door, and leaned against it.

My dreams hadn't been ordinary.

They had felt real.

Too real.

And if Sebastian remembered the garden, did that mean he had dreamed about the same thing?

My phone vibrated. It was a message from an unknown number.

I opened the message.

UNKNOWN NUMBER: Stop sleeping so close to the Blackwood brothers.

My fingers went cold.

Another message arrived.

UNKNOWN NUMBER: Your dreams are not dreams, Isabella.

I stared at the screen.

Then a final message appeared.

UNKNOWN NUMBER: If you see Alexander or Sebastian in your dreams again, don't let either of them kiss you.

My heart pounded.

Before I could reply, another notification appeared.

It was a photograph.

A photograph of me sleeping in my bedroom.

Someone had been watching me.