Ficathon piece: Hypnic Kick
Title: Hypnic Kick
Author: scifichick2012
Rating: Mature
Characters/Pairings: Helen/Kate
Warnings/Spoilers: Sex, violence, no spoilers.
Summary: Subconscious desires and strange behaviors surface as our intrepid heroines find themselves unwitting pawns in a struggle between two abnormals.
Author's Notes: Written for the Sanctuary Fic for All Ficathon, I was assigned to write on one of geonncannon 's prompts. I think I actually ended up including two... Anyhow, enjoy! (And for nit pickers out there, yes I know the term is actually 'hypnic jerk' but this sounded better.)
“However vague they are, dreams have a way of concealing themselves and leave us no peace until they are translated into reality…”
- Lin Yutang
**
“Come on, this is amazing.”
Kate took the girl’s hand and led her off the elevator and into the main lab. Abnormals stepped up to the glass, peering curiously at the new guest; the short, curvy Alice with her dark hair and tanned skin.
Alice drew her hand away from Kate, curling both hands into fists under her chin. “And I’ll be safe here? He doesn’t want me to know what I can do…”
“First of all, Magnus is talking to your dad,” Kate said. “She can talk sense into anyone.”
The girl’s eyes widened, but she said nothing.
“Second, even if she can’t, you’re here. I promise you’re safe. Trust me, we’ve handled much worse things than you.”
From his habitat Steve let out a noise of agreement that made Alice jump. “She’s really talking to my dad?”
“Yeah, I’m sure she’ll convince him this is the best thing for you.”
“He’s just…dangerous.”
“Dude, seriously, remind me to tell you sometime about who Magnus dated in college. She’ll be fine, trust me.” Kate gestured back to the elevator. “Come on, I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.” She paused, noticing Alice was still hesitating.
“All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream…” Alice murmured.
Kate raised her eyebrows. “Huh?” Weirdo.
“Poe. Nothing, never mind …” Alice murmured and they went back the way they had come.
**
Kate was curled up with her laptop before the fire in Magnus’ study when the doctor returned later that evening. She entered the room and dropped into the armchair across from Kate with a heavy sigh, kicking her shoes off. Kate watched her, surprised by the obvious show of weariness and frustration.
“So no luck with the dad, huh?”
“Not what I had hoped, no,” Helen said. “He won’t force her to come home, but he isn’t happy about this. Said something about ancient lineages and none of our business…He wants to take her back to their family in Greece but she refuses, apparently.”
“Nothing too out of the ordinary with the family issues then?”
“No.” Helen smiled at her lightly. She got to her feet. “I think I will retire for the evening, if you don’t mind. Tomorrow we can begin working with Alice if she still desires that.”
“Sure, I probably should hit the sack myself.” Kate said, closing her laptop. “Let me know what I can do to help with Alice. I know we’re a bit short staffed with the guys off chasing sea snakes in Australia.”
“Yes…” Helen paused beside Kate’s chair, reaching out to give her shoulder a light squeeze. “I do appreciate the offer, Kate, it will be a big help.”
“Yeah, sure…” Kate turned to look up at her just as Helen lifted her hand, and involuntarily grazed her fingers over Kate’s cheek and lips. Kate shivered, though more from the oddly calculating look that passed through her boss’ eyes than the accidental contact.
Helen muttered something under her breath, ran her hand through her hair, gave her head a little shake and smiled at Kate. “Sleep well, Kate, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
**
Kate opened her eyes to the fuzzy darkness of her room. She noticed that her door stood open just a crack and from out in the hall she thought she heard the sounds of someone walking. Heart pounding in her ears, Kate rose to her feet and walked over, slipping through the door, leaving it open enough that the dull light from her bedroom windows permeated the shadows.
“Hello?” she whispered, sure that she was about to uncover something terrible.
A hand closed around her arm, Kate shouted dully, but it was only Magnus stepping out of the shadows. She had changed clothes, though certainly not into pajamas; now it was tight black pants and leather vest, unzipped just enough to show a hint of… “Kate?”
“Weren’t you going to bed?” Kate murmured, trying to clear her head and not stare. She could still hear the rushing, pounding noise in her ears.
Magnus’ face seemed to flicker in the moonlight. “I have some things to take care of. Are you frightened?”
“Yeah.” The adrenaline pounding through Kate made her shake and tremble so violently that she had to lean back against the wall. “You just startled me…I woke up and heard someone moving out here…didn’t know…”
“Oh…” Helen brushed her fingers over Kate’s cheek, then rested her hands on her shoulders as though trying to hold her steady. “I am sorry…”
“No, its okay, I should really just…” Kate looked up at her. Her legs didn’t seem to want to work, and upon realizing this she was seized with an unfounded terror.
Helen moved closer, half-lit by the dim light from the open door to their left. She pressed Kate back against the wall, hands moving to her waist. Kate brought her hands up to rest on the other woman’s cheeks, she couldn’t smell her but she could certainly feel as a soft mouth pressed against hers, tender at first then rough, lips parting, tongue pressing against her own.
Kate whimpered. She wrapped her arms around Magnus and pulled her closer. Magnus slipped one knee between hers.
“Oh, shit, wh-what…” Kate gasped, heat rushing through her as Helen ground her hips forward.
Kate worked her hands between them, unzipping Magnus’ shirt, caressing her skin. She slipped her hands around to trace the curve of Magnus’ back. Moving her hands lower, they brushed against something cool tucked into the back of her waistband. A hand slipped into her own pants, fingers teasing over sensitive flesh. Kate trembled, digging her fingers into Magnus’ back as she held on tightly.
“Beautiful,” Helen whispered against her ear, pressing two fingers into Kate and twisting them slightly. Kate began to tremble harder, pressing her lips to Helen’s pulse point.
She arched her back, pushing against Magnus’ chest and moved her hands to her waist again, tugging at the object hidden in her waistband. She slid the knife slowly out of its sheath, the flat of the blade pressed against Helen’s back, finding the slow hot and cold of the metal blade on the woman’s skin utterly sensual.
“Drop it,” Helen whispered, and rubbed her thumb lightly over Kate’s clit.
Kate cried out as she came, and with the aftershock of her orgasm still washing over her, pulled the knife upwards, holding it in the light. Hot blood ran down the blade and over her arm.
Helen looked at her in shock, putting her hands against her back. The shock turned to a wicked smirk. “It’s not my blood.” She stepped back from Kate.
With her muscles frozen and Helen no longer supporting her, Kate pitched forward, unable to catch herself as the floor rushed up at her.
**
Kate jumped, her eyes flying open. She clutched the blanket to her chest, still feeling the handle of the knife, though her hand was empty. Slowly she sat up, taking deep breaths of the cool air slipping in through the open window. The dream remained vivid in her mind, vivid enough that she still felt hot and slid her hand down to press against the wet fabric of her panties, whimpering softly at the memory.
She gave herself a shake and forced herself to stand. After a moment Kate grabbed a pair of sweatpants from a nearby chair and slipped into them, heading out into the hall. She seemed to be heading automatically down to the kitchen, already thinking of raiding Magnus’ tin of expensive cocoa from Paris. After a dream like that, it was the least Magnus could do for her.
Kate made it down to the second floor landing when she stopped. A few of the lights in the corridor were lit, throwing sharp shadows against the closed doors of the guest quarters. Two figures stood down at the end near the window, and Kate recognized both of them.
“Doc? Alice?” she said, walking over. The scene was so bizarre that the thought that she was still dreaming briefly crossed her mind. “What’re you guys doing?”
Helen still wore the clothes she’d had on earlier, the jeans and button down shirt, she obviously hadn’t made it to bed yet. “Nothing, Kate, go back to sleep.” Her words sounded oddly slow and drawn out.
Kate was about to turn away, when she met Alice’s eyes. The girl stood behind Magnus with her back against the wall, her expression wide and worried. Kate saw her glance at Magnus’ lower back, and something from the dream, which had already begun to slip away from her, abruptly returned.
“Magnus?” Kate said, walking over so she was standing face to face with the other woman. Helen did not respond. She stared at Kate with a glazed over look. “Helen…what’re you doing?” Kate waited for a response, and when she got none, wrapped her arms around Helen.
She slid her hands down her back, and sure enough could feel the knife tucked into the waistband of Magnus’ pants. Shocked, she stepped back. “Seriously, what - “
“Go back to sleep, Kate!” Magnus growled, pushing her back suddenly. She turned, yanking the blade out and advancing on Alice. Alice screamed, covering her face with her arms.
“The hell! Magnus, stop!” Kate lunged forward, grabbing Magnus and attempting to wrest the knife from her.
They struggled for a few minutes before the knife went flying. With a growl, Magnus threw a punch, her fist connecting hard with Kate’s jaw. Kate fell back hard against the wall, then slid to a limp heap on the floor.
**
Voices woke Kate in the morning, and a hand on her shoulder.
“Kate?” Magnus’ voice floated down to her. “Kate, are you alright?”
Kate opened her eyes and sat up. Magnus was looking at her with an almost fearful expression. “God…” Kate rubbed the back of her head. “What…” It came back to her in brief flashes and glimpses, first the strange dream, then the strange nighttime encounter. She remembered the knife blade flat against…no she remembered the knife in Magnus’ hand. “Alice! Is she okay?”
“Alice is fine,” Magnus murmured. “She claims she slept through the night and has no idea why you’re lying out here…”
“You punched me!” Kate cried. There was a slight cough and it was then she realized Will was standing over her as well, he and Henry must have returned. “Magnus?”
She shook her head. “I dreamt about…about fighting you. But it was a dream, nothing more…”
“No, doc, I woke up and found you here trying to attack Alice with a knife, you didn’t dream anything!”
“Hey, hey, guys, seriously,” Will said, kneeling by them. He put a hand on Kate’s shoulder and gave Magnus a look. “There’re like five security cameras in this hall, we can have Henry pull up the feed from last night.”
Kate rolled her head, trying to stretch the stiff and sore muscles of her neck. “I know what we’re going to see.”
“Kate.” Magnus pursed her lips and took a deep breath. She reached out to touch Kate’s arm. “I think I should look you over in the infirmary, in case there was any damage done…”
“Sure…” Kate put her arm around Magnus’ shoulders and let the doctor support her as she stood, her legs shakier than she’d expected. Leaning close, her face pressed for a moment against Magnus’ neck and another memory, one of heat and soft skin, came floating back to her, the last remnants of a dream she had nearly forgotten. “Something seriously freaky is going on here.”
Will watched them with a raised eyebrow. “I’ll go get that footage from Henry, I’ll meet you in the infirmary.”
Kate watched him go with a slightly worried expression. Part of her didn’t want to be left alone with Magnus, but looking up at her, Kate saw nothing of the woman who she ran into last night. Now, if anything, Magnus’ face held faint traces of the confusion that was now rushing through Kate. Resignedly, she leaned into the other woman’s body, letting herself be led downstairs to the infirmary.
**
“We saw the video, it’s exactly like you described it. And Alice was there.”
Kate leaned on the back of Henry’s chair, staring at the computer screen. She had come up after being checked over, and the guys had quickly closed the door behind her. Now she watched the black and white video feed with a frown on her face, seeing everything play out just as she remembered.
“Magnus looks like a zombie,” Henry murmured, raising his eyebrows.
“Yeah, I noticed that.” Will leaned forward and paused the video. “I almost wonder if she was sleepwalking.” He was silent for a few minutes, frowning down at the still image of Magnus on the screen. “What do we know exactly about Alice’s abilities?”
“Nothing,” Kate said. “If Magnus has found anything out she certainly hasn’t told me.”
“Okay, well, I think that’s the first thing we need to find out. Henry and I can check the computer systems, Kate if you could get up to her office and maybe see if she has any notes written down…”
Kate narrowed her eyes. “Dude, what if she catches me?”
“Just be careful,” Will said, giving her a not-so-reassuring nod.
Magnus’ office was mercifully unoccupied when Kate got upstairs. She stood for a few minutes listening at the doorway for any footsteps down the hall, wondering if it would be the Helen of this morning or last night that she would encounter first. Finally Kate went and sat behind the desk, flipping through the neat stacks of papers and carefully opening drawers.
After a moment she rolled her eyes, “Of course…” she muttered, noticing a clipboard sitting on top of one of the stacks, with Alice’s name written at the top of a standard intake form. Most of it was basic medical information that meant next to nothing to Kate, but at the very bottom in the notes section Magnus had written a single word - Oneiros - with a question mark after it.
Unfamiliar with the word, Kate flipped through the other papers on the board, but found only notes on other patients. She grabbed a pen and a post-it note, planning on asking Will about the term, or at least checking it out on wikipedia. She didn’t realize someone else had entered the room until Magnus spoke.
“Kate, what are you doing?”
Kate looked up at her. “Just checking something.” She didn’t like the way Magnus walked towards her, slowly, almost menacingly. She decided to try for a distraction. “What’s an oneiros?”
Magnus blinked. “If I knew, I would have told you.”
“Well you obviously do,” Kate said, getting to her feet, “if you think Alice is one.” She reached for the clipboard to prove her point, but Magnus grabbed her by the wrist. “Hey!”
“No one asked you to go through my things, Kate.”
“Well, actually Will did, but…” Kate winced. Shit, why did she say that?
Magnus tugged her away from the desk. Kate tried to take a step backwards, but found herself with her back up against a bookshelf. The similarity to her dream was enough to send a little shudder through her.
“Kate, what is going on with you?” Magnus murmured, releasing her wrist, but still standing in a way that prevented Kate from moving. “You’re going through my files, accusing me of attacking one of my patients…”
“I don’t know, Doc, you’re the one doing all the freaky shit.” Kate swallowed thickly and thought of the knife. She put one hand on Magnus’ lower back, but felt nothing, the movement serving only to pull the other woman closer to her.
“No, Kate.” Magnus braced her hands against the wall, leaning in. “I think you’re having trouble distinguishing dreams from reality.” She tipped her head, placing a feather light kiss on the side of Kate’s neck.
Kate sighed. “Wrong again. I know I’m dreaming.”
“Lucidity is so wonderful, isn’t it?” Magnus wrapped her arms around Kate’s body, pulling them flush against each other. “Tell me, Miss Freelander, do you know what a sleep start is? Also known as a hypnic jerk or kick?”
“I’m not the doctor here,” Kate muttered, draping her arms around Magnus’ shoulders.
“Look behind you.”
Kate turned her head, looking back over her shoulder. The bookshelf she had been leaning against now had crumbled away, revealing a straight drop through the floor to the stone of the entry hall below.
Abruptly Magnus opened her arms, letting Kate fall back through the hole. Kate yelled as the floor rushed up to her…
…and woke suddenly, still sitting in the chair behind Magnus’ desk. Outside the windows night had fallen, and she had no idea how late it was. A clipboard sat on the desk in front of her, but it contained inventory lists, nothing referencing Alice. Kate’s hand, which had held the post-it note in her dream was still clenched in a tight fist, though it was empty.
She remembered the word she had written on it, though.
**
After doing a quick check on the computer, Kate ran back down to Henry’s lab, glad to find both him and Will still there. “Guys! Don’t ask how I know this, but I know what Alice is…”
“Yeah, so do we. Found it in Magnus’ computer files.” Will turned to look at her. “What took you so long?”
“I fell asleep,” Kate said. Judging by the worry in both men’s faces, they had reached the same conclusion about Alice’s abilities. “Don’t worry, it helped me. So, she’s an oneiros…”
Will nodded. “A being from Greek mythology, associated with Morpheus, the king of dreams. They’re often representative of aspects of dreaming, controllers of dreams, stuff like that…”
“So she’s been manipulating mine and Magnus’ dreams?”
“Not just her,” Henry said, gesturing to some files he had open on the computer. “From the notes Magnus took when talking to Alice’s dad, he’s the same.”
“There have been other cases of ancient abnormal races killing members of their own just to keep their kind secret from everyone else,” Will said, folding his arms over his chest. “Alice’s dad could be trying to do that, or at least to scare her into returning to him. And seeing as Magnus came so close to him…”
“Well, whatever it is, we need to get him to stop.” Kate sighed. “Look, he doesn’t know we know his little game. Couldn’t we use that advantage to, I don’t know, pick him up and bring him here?”
“Someone would need to stay here and make sure the doc doesn’t do anything to hurt Alice though,” Henry pointed out.
“Yeah.” Kate took a deep breath. “You two go pick up Dad, I’ll hold down the fort. And seriously, guys, be careful. These things can get in your head without you noticing, and nine times out of ten you don’t even know you’re dreaming until after you wake up.”
Henry and Will exchanged a worried look, but nodded. Henry began reaching for various weapons laid out on the workbench. “We’ll be fine. You be careful too, Kate.”
“Yeah, don’t worry about me,” Kate rolled her eyes. “If anything she’ll either just sucker punch me or we’ll end up having hot, angry les - “ She paused when she realized both men were staring at her open mouthed.
“What was that?” Will said, raising his eyebrows.
Kate shook her head and grabbed one of the stun guns from Henry’s hand. “Nothing, I’ll see you guys soon.”
**
To her relief, Kate found Alice safe and sound in the library, reading in one of the armchairs. Without any explanation, or even asking where Alice had been during all of this, Kate went to stand in front of her, arms folded.
“Just tell me one thing, can you at all override what your dad’s doing to Magnus?”
Alice gaped at her for a moment before shrugging. “I don’t know, I’m not as powerful as him, obviously. I was never able to make you do anything in your sleep, just to access your dreams. And even then, I was never fully in control of them, your subconscious still held a lot of sway.”
“If Magnus comes at you again, under your dad’s control, you’re saying there’s nothing you can do?” Kate said. She was beginning to feel anxious, like something was getting ready to happen. “Alice, there’s gotta be something you can do. I can’t fight a dream.”
“I don’t know…” Alice whispered, then yelped and jumped to her feet when the doors to the library opened and Magnus strode in.
Kate swore loudly, recognizing the glazed over expression and odd way Magnus walked towards them. “Seriously, why didn’t we slip her some caffeine pills or something…” She placed herself between Alice and Helen. “Doc, wake up! Come on…” In her pocket her phone buzzed, but Kate pointedly ignored it.
To her surprise, Magnus’ eyes slipped shut and she slumped backwards onto the couch behind her. Kate immediately rushed over, patting her down and making a soft noise when she discovered the gun holstered where the knife had been previously. She held it up for Alice to see, and both exchanged looks that were half worried, half relieved.
“Something must have happened to my dad,” Alice murmured. “He lost his hold over her…”
Kate nodded. “That’s good, maybe that means the guys got him alright.”
A quarter of an hour passed and Magnus did not stir. Kate remained vigilant, though she did check who called. It had been Will, though neither he nor Henry answered when she tried calling their cell phones.
“Kate…” Alice said, breaking the silence. She pointed at the empty doorway.
Kate looked up, frowning. After a moment a dark haired man stepped into view, bearing enough family resemblance that he had to be Alice’s father. He wore a smirk and his wrists were bound, but as he stepped closer Kate saw a smear of blood on his knuckles that didn’t seem to have come from him.
“Where are Will and Henry?!” Kate cried, any relief she’d felt earlier slipping away. She held up the gun that she had taken from Magnus.
Alice’s father smirked. “They’ll be alright, once they wake up.” He tipped his head and looked down at the couch.
Magnus eyes fluttered open. Her hand shot up, twisting Kate’s wrist, forcing her to drop the gun. Before Kate even had time to react, Magnus held the weapon once again, standing with it aimed at Alice.
“You are my daughter, Alice,” her father said grimly. “But when you put our whole race at risk, even that can’t help you. Our powers are beyond why you could ever understand…”
Alice whimpered, backing up. “Kate…” she whispered. “Kate, give her a kick…”
At first Kate could only stare at her blankly, then she realized what Alice was asking. There was one way to fight a dream, and that was to bring it to an abrupt end. Kate walked over to Magnus, holding both hands up.
“Sorry about this, Doc.” Kate threw herself forward, sending both her and Magnus toppling over and landing with a thud on the ground. Wincing past the pain shooting up one arm, Kate looked down.
Magnus’ eyes were open, still dazed, but it wasn’t the same sort of sleepwalker haze she’d had before. She blinked a few times. “Kate, what the…”
Alice screamed. Magnus shoved Kate to the side, sat up, and fired her gun. Alice’s father fell to the ground mid-sprint, clutching his now injured leg and groaning in pain.
“Good lord,” Helen said, staring around. “What the bloody hell just happened?”
Kate looked up from where she lay sprawled on the floor. “Long story.”
**
Magnus, thankfully fully conscious, walked into Kate’s room a few hours later. “Alice’s father is recovering in isolation. That should give us time to decide exactly what it is that needs to be done with him.”
“Great…” Kate crossed her legs and motioned for Magnus to sit on the edge of the bed. “So what now? Can you find a way to control his ability, or are we going to need to get Leo Dicaprio in here?”
Chuckling, Magnus sat. “I don’t know. We need to study his ability more, certainly. Dreams and sleep are complicated and dangerous things to interfere with, I would hate to inadvertently cause more damage to people by neutralizing him…”
“You think the Oneiroi might have some normal effect on people’s dreams?” Kate asked.
“It’s entirely possible that they’re a part of our lives and we simply don’t notice,” Helen said, glancing at her. A light smile crept across her face. “ But after all, not all the dreams were bad, now were they?”
Kate felt her face flush. “Uh, what?”
“Unless I’m very much mistaken, you know very well what I’m talking about,” Magnus murmured, reaching over lightly squeeze Kate’s leg. “The oneiroi are powerful, but so are our subconscious wills and desires.”
“Okay, now I think I am still dreaming,” Kate mumbled, watching the fingers on her leg inching higher.
Magnus arched one eyebrow and lifted her hand. Suddenly she pushed Kate back to the mattress.
“Ow! What the hell?!” Kate struggled to sit up, now finding herself a hair’s breadth from the other woman, enough to feel Magnus’ breath playing softly on her lips.
“That didn’t wake you up, did it?”
Kate leaned in. “Still, we could be buried in some crazy levels of my subconscious. The Oneiroi are still here, aren’t they?”
“Then it is a wonderful dream,” Magnus whispered, her hand once again moving lightly over Kate’s thigh. “Care to go a little deeper?”
Author: scifichick2012
Rating: Mature
Characters/Pairings: Helen/Kate
Warnings/Spoilers: Sex, violence, no spoilers.
Summary: Subconscious desires and strange behaviors surface as our intrepid heroines find themselves unwitting pawns in a struggle between two abnormals.
Author's Notes: Written for the Sanctuary Fic for All Ficathon, I was assigned to write on one of geonncannon 's prompts. I think I actually ended up including two... Anyhow, enjoy! (And for nit pickers out there, yes I know the term is actually 'hypnic jerk' but this sounded better.)
“However vague they are, dreams have a way of concealing themselves and leave us no peace until they are translated into reality…”
- Lin Yutang
**
“Come on, this is amazing.”
Kate took the girl’s hand and led her off the elevator and into the main lab. Abnormals stepped up to the glass, peering curiously at the new guest; the short, curvy Alice with her dark hair and tanned skin.
Alice drew her hand away from Kate, curling both hands into fists under her chin. “And I’ll be safe here? He doesn’t want me to know what I can do…”
“First of all, Magnus is talking to your dad,” Kate said. “She can talk sense into anyone.”
The girl’s eyes widened, but she said nothing.
“Second, even if she can’t, you’re here. I promise you’re safe. Trust me, we’ve handled much worse things than you.”
From his habitat Steve let out a noise of agreement that made Alice jump. “She’s really talking to my dad?”
“Yeah, I’m sure she’ll convince him this is the best thing for you.”
“He’s just…dangerous.”
“Dude, seriously, remind me to tell you sometime about who Magnus dated in college. She’ll be fine, trust me.” Kate gestured back to the elevator. “Come on, I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.” She paused, noticing Alice was still hesitating.
“All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream…” Alice murmured.
Kate raised her eyebrows. “Huh?” Weirdo.
“Poe. Nothing, never mind …” Alice murmured and they went back the way they had come.
**
Kate was curled up with her laptop before the fire in Magnus’ study when the doctor returned later that evening. She entered the room and dropped into the armchair across from Kate with a heavy sigh, kicking her shoes off. Kate watched her, surprised by the obvious show of weariness and frustration.
“So no luck with the dad, huh?”
“Not what I had hoped, no,” Helen said. “He won’t force her to come home, but he isn’t happy about this. Said something about ancient lineages and none of our business…He wants to take her back to their family in Greece but she refuses, apparently.”
“Nothing too out of the ordinary with the family issues then?”
“No.” Helen smiled at her lightly. She got to her feet. “I think I will retire for the evening, if you don’t mind. Tomorrow we can begin working with Alice if she still desires that.”
“Sure, I probably should hit the sack myself.” Kate said, closing her laptop. “Let me know what I can do to help with Alice. I know we’re a bit short staffed with the guys off chasing sea snakes in Australia.”
“Yes…” Helen paused beside Kate’s chair, reaching out to give her shoulder a light squeeze. “I do appreciate the offer, Kate, it will be a big help.”
“Yeah, sure…” Kate turned to look up at her just as Helen lifted her hand, and involuntarily grazed her fingers over Kate’s cheek and lips. Kate shivered, though more from the oddly calculating look that passed through her boss’ eyes than the accidental contact.
Helen muttered something under her breath, ran her hand through her hair, gave her head a little shake and smiled at Kate. “Sleep well, Kate, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
**
Kate opened her eyes to the fuzzy darkness of her room. She noticed that her door stood open just a crack and from out in the hall she thought she heard the sounds of someone walking. Heart pounding in her ears, Kate rose to her feet and walked over, slipping through the door, leaving it open enough that the dull light from her bedroom windows permeated the shadows.
“Hello?” she whispered, sure that she was about to uncover something terrible.
A hand closed around her arm, Kate shouted dully, but it was only Magnus stepping out of the shadows. She had changed clothes, though certainly not into pajamas; now it was tight black pants and leather vest, unzipped just enough to show a hint of… “Kate?”
“Weren’t you going to bed?” Kate murmured, trying to clear her head and not stare. She could still hear the rushing, pounding noise in her ears.
Magnus’ face seemed to flicker in the moonlight. “I have some things to take care of. Are you frightened?”
“Yeah.” The adrenaline pounding through Kate made her shake and tremble so violently that she had to lean back against the wall. “You just startled me…I woke up and heard someone moving out here…didn’t know…”
“Oh…” Helen brushed her fingers over Kate’s cheek, then rested her hands on her shoulders as though trying to hold her steady. “I am sorry…”
“No, its okay, I should really just…” Kate looked up at her. Her legs didn’t seem to want to work, and upon realizing this she was seized with an unfounded terror.
Helen moved closer, half-lit by the dim light from the open door to their left. She pressed Kate back against the wall, hands moving to her waist. Kate brought her hands up to rest on the other woman’s cheeks, she couldn’t smell her but she could certainly feel as a soft mouth pressed against hers, tender at first then rough, lips parting, tongue pressing against her own.
Kate whimpered. She wrapped her arms around Magnus and pulled her closer. Magnus slipped one knee between hers.
“Oh, shit, wh-what…” Kate gasped, heat rushing through her as Helen ground her hips forward.
Kate worked her hands between them, unzipping Magnus’ shirt, caressing her skin. She slipped her hands around to trace the curve of Magnus’ back. Moving her hands lower, they brushed against something cool tucked into the back of her waistband. A hand slipped into her own pants, fingers teasing over sensitive flesh. Kate trembled, digging her fingers into Magnus’ back as she held on tightly.
“Beautiful,” Helen whispered against her ear, pressing two fingers into Kate and twisting them slightly. Kate began to tremble harder, pressing her lips to Helen’s pulse point.
She arched her back, pushing against Magnus’ chest and moved her hands to her waist again, tugging at the object hidden in her waistband. She slid the knife slowly out of its sheath, the flat of the blade pressed against Helen’s back, finding the slow hot and cold of the metal blade on the woman’s skin utterly sensual.
“Drop it,” Helen whispered, and rubbed her thumb lightly over Kate’s clit.
Kate cried out as she came, and with the aftershock of her orgasm still washing over her, pulled the knife upwards, holding it in the light. Hot blood ran down the blade and over her arm.
Helen looked at her in shock, putting her hands against her back. The shock turned to a wicked smirk. “It’s not my blood.” She stepped back from Kate.
With her muscles frozen and Helen no longer supporting her, Kate pitched forward, unable to catch herself as the floor rushed up at her.
**
Kate jumped, her eyes flying open. She clutched the blanket to her chest, still feeling the handle of the knife, though her hand was empty. Slowly she sat up, taking deep breaths of the cool air slipping in through the open window. The dream remained vivid in her mind, vivid enough that she still felt hot and slid her hand down to press against the wet fabric of her panties, whimpering softly at the memory.
She gave herself a shake and forced herself to stand. After a moment Kate grabbed a pair of sweatpants from a nearby chair and slipped into them, heading out into the hall. She seemed to be heading automatically down to the kitchen, already thinking of raiding Magnus’ tin of expensive cocoa from Paris. After a dream like that, it was the least Magnus could do for her.
Kate made it down to the second floor landing when she stopped. A few of the lights in the corridor were lit, throwing sharp shadows against the closed doors of the guest quarters. Two figures stood down at the end near the window, and Kate recognized both of them.
“Doc? Alice?” she said, walking over. The scene was so bizarre that the thought that she was still dreaming briefly crossed her mind. “What’re you guys doing?”
Helen still wore the clothes she’d had on earlier, the jeans and button down shirt, she obviously hadn’t made it to bed yet. “Nothing, Kate, go back to sleep.” Her words sounded oddly slow and drawn out.
Kate was about to turn away, when she met Alice’s eyes. The girl stood behind Magnus with her back against the wall, her expression wide and worried. Kate saw her glance at Magnus’ lower back, and something from the dream, which had already begun to slip away from her, abruptly returned.
“Magnus?” Kate said, walking over so she was standing face to face with the other woman. Helen did not respond. She stared at Kate with a glazed over look. “Helen…what’re you doing?” Kate waited for a response, and when she got none, wrapped her arms around Helen.
She slid her hands down her back, and sure enough could feel the knife tucked into the waistband of Magnus’ pants. Shocked, she stepped back. “Seriously, what - “
“Go back to sleep, Kate!” Magnus growled, pushing her back suddenly. She turned, yanking the blade out and advancing on Alice. Alice screamed, covering her face with her arms.
“The hell! Magnus, stop!” Kate lunged forward, grabbing Magnus and attempting to wrest the knife from her.
They struggled for a few minutes before the knife went flying. With a growl, Magnus threw a punch, her fist connecting hard with Kate’s jaw. Kate fell back hard against the wall, then slid to a limp heap on the floor.
**
Voices woke Kate in the morning, and a hand on her shoulder.
“Kate?” Magnus’ voice floated down to her. “Kate, are you alright?”
Kate opened her eyes and sat up. Magnus was looking at her with an almost fearful expression. “God…” Kate rubbed the back of her head. “What…” It came back to her in brief flashes and glimpses, first the strange dream, then the strange nighttime encounter. She remembered the knife blade flat against…no she remembered the knife in Magnus’ hand. “Alice! Is she okay?”
“Alice is fine,” Magnus murmured. “She claims she slept through the night and has no idea why you’re lying out here…”
“You punched me!” Kate cried. There was a slight cough and it was then she realized Will was standing over her as well, he and Henry must have returned. “Magnus?”
She shook her head. “I dreamt about…about fighting you. But it was a dream, nothing more…”
“No, doc, I woke up and found you here trying to attack Alice with a knife, you didn’t dream anything!”
“Hey, hey, guys, seriously,” Will said, kneeling by them. He put a hand on Kate’s shoulder and gave Magnus a look. “There’re like five security cameras in this hall, we can have Henry pull up the feed from last night.”
Kate rolled her head, trying to stretch the stiff and sore muscles of her neck. “I know what we’re going to see.”
“Kate.” Magnus pursed her lips and took a deep breath. She reached out to touch Kate’s arm. “I think I should look you over in the infirmary, in case there was any damage done…”
“Sure…” Kate put her arm around Magnus’ shoulders and let the doctor support her as she stood, her legs shakier than she’d expected. Leaning close, her face pressed for a moment against Magnus’ neck and another memory, one of heat and soft skin, came floating back to her, the last remnants of a dream she had nearly forgotten. “Something seriously freaky is going on here.”
Will watched them with a raised eyebrow. “I’ll go get that footage from Henry, I’ll meet you in the infirmary.”
Kate watched him go with a slightly worried expression. Part of her didn’t want to be left alone with Magnus, but looking up at her, Kate saw nothing of the woman who she ran into last night. Now, if anything, Magnus’ face held faint traces of the confusion that was now rushing through Kate. Resignedly, she leaned into the other woman’s body, letting herself be led downstairs to the infirmary.
**
“We saw the video, it’s exactly like you described it. And Alice was there.”
Kate leaned on the back of Henry’s chair, staring at the computer screen. She had come up after being checked over, and the guys had quickly closed the door behind her. Now she watched the black and white video feed with a frown on her face, seeing everything play out just as she remembered.
“Magnus looks like a zombie,” Henry murmured, raising his eyebrows.
“Yeah, I noticed that.” Will leaned forward and paused the video. “I almost wonder if she was sleepwalking.” He was silent for a few minutes, frowning down at the still image of Magnus on the screen. “What do we know exactly about Alice’s abilities?”
“Nothing,” Kate said. “If Magnus has found anything out she certainly hasn’t told me.”
“Okay, well, I think that’s the first thing we need to find out. Henry and I can check the computer systems, Kate if you could get up to her office and maybe see if she has any notes written down…”
Kate narrowed her eyes. “Dude, what if she catches me?”
“Just be careful,” Will said, giving her a not-so-reassuring nod.
Magnus’ office was mercifully unoccupied when Kate got upstairs. She stood for a few minutes listening at the doorway for any footsteps down the hall, wondering if it would be the Helen of this morning or last night that she would encounter first. Finally Kate went and sat behind the desk, flipping through the neat stacks of papers and carefully opening drawers.
After a moment she rolled her eyes, “Of course…” she muttered, noticing a clipboard sitting on top of one of the stacks, with Alice’s name written at the top of a standard intake form. Most of it was basic medical information that meant next to nothing to Kate, but at the very bottom in the notes section Magnus had written a single word - Oneiros - with a question mark after it.
Unfamiliar with the word, Kate flipped through the other papers on the board, but found only notes on other patients. She grabbed a pen and a post-it note, planning on asking Will about the term, or at least checking it out on wikipedia. She didn’t realize someone else had entered the room until Magnus spoke.
“Kate, what are you doing?”
Kate looked up at her. “Just checking something.” She didn’t like the way Magnus walked towards her, slowly, almost menacingly. She decided to try for a distraction. “What’s an oneiros?”
Magnus blinked. “If I knew, I would have told you.”
“Well you obviously do,” Kate said, getting to her feet, “if you think Alice is one.” She reached for the clipboard to prove her point, but Magnus grabbed her by the wrist. “Hey!”
“No one asked you to go through my things, Kate.”
“Well, actually Will did, but…” Kate winced. Shit, why did she say that?
Magnus tugged her away from the desk. Kate tried to take a step backwards, but found herself with her back up against a bookshelf. The similarity to her dream was enough to send a little shudder through her.
“Kate, what is going on with you?” Magnus murmured, releasing her wrist, but still standing in a way that prevented Kate from moving. “You’re going through my files, accusing me of attacking one of my patients…”
“I don’t know, Doc, you’re the one doing all the freaky shit.” Kate swallowed thickly and thought of the knife. She put one hand on Magnus’ lower back, but felt nothing, the movement serving only to pull the other woman closer to her.
“No, Kate.” Magnus braced her hands against the wall, leaning in. “I think you’re having trouble distinguishing dreams from reality.” She tipped her head, placing a feather light kiss on the side of Kate’s neck.
Kate sighed. “Wrong again. I know I’m dreaming.”
“Lucidity is so wonderful, isn’t it?” Magnus wrapped her arms around Kate’s body, pulling them flush against each other. “Tell me, Miss Freelander, do you know what a sleep start is? Also known as a hypnic jerk or kick?”
“I’m not the doctor here,” Kate muttered, draping her arms around Magnus’ shoulders.
“Look behind you.”
Kate turned her head, looking back over her shoulder. The bookshelf she had been leaning against now had crumbled away, revealing a straight drop through the floor to the stone of the entry hall below.
Abruptly Magnus opened her arms, letting Kate fall back through the hole. Kate yelled as the floor rushed up to her…
…and woke suddenly, still sitting in the chair behind Magnus’ desk. Outside the windows night had fallen, and she had no idea how late it was. A clipboard sat on the desk in front of her, but it contained inventory lists, nothing referencing Alice. Kate’s hand, which had held the post-it note in her dream was still clenched in a tight fist, though it was empty.
She remembered the word she had written on it, though.
**
After doing a quick check on the computer, Kate ran back down to Henry’s lab, glad to find both him and Will still there. “Guys! Don’t ask how I know this, but I know what Alice is…”
“Yeah, so do we. Found it in Magnus’ computer files.” Will turned to look at her. “What took you so long?”
“I fell asleep,” Kate said. Judging by the worry in both men’s faces, they had reached the same conclusion about Alice’s abilities. “Don’t worry, it helped me. So, she’s an oneiros…”
Will nodded. “A being from Greek mythology, associated with Morpheus, the king of dreams. They’re often representative of aspects of dreaming, controllers of dreams, stuff like that…”
“So she’s been manipulating mine and Magnus’ dreams?”
“Not just her,” Henry said, gesturing to some files he had open on the computer. “From the notes Magnus took when talking to Alice’s dad, he’s the same.”
“There have been other cases of ancient abnormal races killing members of their own just to keep their kind secret from everyone else,” Will said, folding his arms over his chest. “Alice’s dad could be trying to do that, or at least to scare her into returning to him. And seeing as Magnus came so close to him…”
“Well, whatever it is, we need to get him to stop.” Kate sighed. “Look, he doesn’t know we know his little game. Couldn’t we use that advantage to, I don’t know, pick him up and bring him here?”
“Someone would need to stay here and make sure the doc doesn’t do anything to hurt Alice though,” Henry pointed out.
“Yeah.” Kate took a deep breath. “You two go pick up Dad, I’ll hold down the fort. And seriously, guys, be careful. These things can get in your head without you noticing, and nine times out of ten you don’t even know you’re dreaming until after you wake up.”
Henry and Will exchanged a worried look, but nodded. Henry began reaching for various weapons laid out on the workbench. “We’ll be fine. You be careful too, Kate.”
“Yeah, don’t worry about me,” Kate rolled her eyes. “If anything she’ll either just sucker punch me or we’ll end up having hot, angry les - “ She paused when she realized both men were staring at her open mouthed.
“What was that?” Will said, raising his eyebrows.
Kate shook her head and grabbed one of the stun guns from Henry’s hand. “Nothing, I’ll see you guys soon.”
**
To her relief, Kate found Alice safe and sound in the library, reading in one of the armchairs. Without any explanation, or even asking where Alice had been during all of this, Kate went to stand in front of her, arms folded.
“Just tell me one thing, can you at all override what your dad’s doing to Magnus?”
Alice gaped at her for a moment before shrugging. “I don’t know, I’m not as powerful as him, obviously. I was never able to make you do anything in your sleep, just to access your dreams. And even then, I was never fully in control of them, your subconscious still held a lot of sway.”
“If Magnus comes at you again, under your dad’s control, you’re saying there’s nothing you can do?” Kate said. She was beginning to feel anxious, like something was getting ready to happen. “Alice, there’s gotta be something you can do. I can’t fight a dream.”
“I don’t know…” Alice whispered, then yelped and jumped to her feet when the doors to the library opened and Magnus strode in.
Kate swore loudly, recognizing the glazed over expression and odd way Magnus walked towards them. “Seriously, why didn’t we slip her some caffeine pills or something…” She placed herself between Alice and Helen. “Doc, wake up! Come on…” In her pocket her phone buzzed, but Kate pointedly ignored it.
To her surprise, Magnus’ eyes slipped shut and she slumped backwards onto the couch behind her. Kate immediately rushed over, patting her down and making a soft noise when she discovered the gun holstered where the knife had been previously. She held it up for Alice to see, and both exchanged looks that were half worried, half relieved.
“Something must have happened to my dad,” Alice murmured. “He lost his hold over her…”
Kate nodded. “That’s good, maybe that means the guys got him alright.”
A quarter of an hour passed and Magnus did not stir. Kate remained vigilant, though she did check who called. It had been Will, though neither he nor Henry answered when she tried calling their cell phones.
“Kate…” Alice said, breaking the silence. She pointed at the empty doorway.
Kate looked up, frowning. After a moment a dark haired man stepped into view, bearing enough family resemblance that he had to be Alice’s father. He wore a smirk and his wrists were bound, but as he stepped closer Kate saw a smear of blood on his knuckles that didn’t seem to have come from him.
“Where are Will and Henry?!” Kate cried, any relief she’d felt earlier slipping away. She held up the gun that she had taken from Magnus.
Alice’s father smirked. “They’ll be alright, once they wake up.” He tipped his head and looked down at the couch.
Magnus eyes fluttered open. Her hand shot up, twisting Kate’s wrist, forcing her to drop the gun. Before Kate even had time to react, Magnus held the weapon once again, standing with it aimed at Alice.
“You are my daughter, Alice,” her father said grimly. “But when you put our whole race at risk, even that can’t help you. Our powers are beyond why you could ever understand…”
Alice whimpered, backing up. “Kate…” she whispered. “Kate, give her a kick…”
At first Kate could only stare at her blankly, then she realized what Alice was asking. There was one way to fight a dream, and that was to bring it to an abrupt end. Kate walked over to Magnus, holding both hands up.
“Sorry about this, Doc.” Kate threw herself forward, sending both her and Magnus toppling over and landing with a thud on the ground. Wincing past the pain shooting up one arm, Kate looked down.
Magnus’ eyes were open, still dazed, but it wasn’t the same sort of sleepwalker haze she’d had before. She blinked a few times. “Kate, what the…”
Alice screamed. Magnus shoved Kate to the side, sat up, and fired her gun. Alice’s father fell to the ground mid-sprint, clutching his now injured leg and groaning in pain.
“Good lord,” Helen said, staring around. “What the bloody hell just happened?”
Kate looked up from where she lay sprawled on the floor. “Long story.”
**
Magnus, thankfully fully conscious, walked into Kate’s room a few hours later. “Alice’s father is recovering in isolation. That should give us time to decide exactly what it is that needs to be done with him.”
“Great…” Kate crossed her legs and motioned for Magnus to sit on the edge of the bed. “So what now? Can you find a way to control his ability, or are we going to need to get Leo Dicaprio in here?”
Chuckling, Magnus sat. “I don’t know. We need to study his ability more, certainly. Dreams and sleep are complicated and dangerous things to interfere with, I would hate to inadvertently cause more damage to people by neutralizing him…”
“You think the Oneiroi might have some normal effect on people’s dreams?” Kate asked.
“It’s entirely possible that they’re a part of our lives and we simply don’t notice,” Helen said, glancing at her. A light smile crept across her face. “ But after all, not all the dreams were bad, now were they?”
Kate felt her face flush. “Uh, what?”
“Unless I’m very much mistaken, you know very well what I’m talking about,” Magnus murmured, reaching over lightly squeeze Kate’s leg. “The oneiroi are powerful, but so are our subconscious wills and desires.”
“Okay, now I think I am still dreaming,” Kate mumbled, watching the fingers on her leg inching higher.
Magnus arched one eyebrow and lifted her hand. Suddenly she pushed Kate back to the mattress.
“Ow! What the hell?!” Kate struggled to sit up, now finding herself a hair’s breadth from the other woman, enough to feel Magnus’ breath playing softly on her lips.
“That didn’t wake you up, did it?”
Kate leaned in. “Still, we could be buried in some crazy levels of my subconscious. The Oneiroi are still here, aren’t they?”
“Then it is a wonderful dream,” Magnus whispered, her hand once again moving lightly over Kate’s thigh. “Care to go a little deeper?”