DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HOLLOWS BY KIM HARRISON!

RPOV

I opened my eyes to a dark room, feeling cozy in my bed. The only light came from a candle on the nightstand. I yawned, stretching my arms over my head and pointing my toes. The soft popping of my joints felt nice, so did the silk covers on me. I really needed to ask Al where on earth he got his sheets. With my palms on the mattress, I pushed myself to sit, glancing around the bedroom that Al had given me in an attempt to keep me safe, though I suspected that he used it when I wasn't here. I couldn't care less as long as he stayed out when I was occupying it.

How long had I been asleep? I wondered. Al had told me that my aura was weak, and to not tap a line until he gave the okay. But how was I going to let him know that I was awake? If only he hadn't closed up the hole he'd made when his aura was stripped to nothing and he'd wanted access to his spelling kitchen. Hoping that he'll hear me from behind the thick walls, I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled out his name.

No answer. Again, I called, "Al!"

I yelped when a heavy hand landed on my shoulder from seemingly out of nowhere. Twisting in the sheets, I got on my knees. Al's red goat eyes met mine, glinting with humor. Son of a bitch. "Is it really necessary for you to scream?" he asked.

I narrowed my eyes as he sat on the bed a foot from me. "Were you watching me sleep?"

"I was just watching over you." he said innocently, but the damn smirk on his ruddy face ruined it. "Making sure your were safe, is all."

"I thought I told you to stay out of here when I slept." I scolded, though I don't know why. The demon wouldn't listen. Or care.

And sure enough, he grinned devishly, saying, "But I like watching you as you rest."

"It's creepy." I sat back down and popped some pillows behind me to lean against the head board. "What time is it?" I eased myself back gingerly, almost crying with how comfortable I was. How was it that on my bed, that was inside a church, cannot compare to Al's bed in the demonic ever after?

Al looked to his wrist as a watch appeared. I did a double take as I realized it was twin to the watch I had beaten with the meat tenderizer. "Ten past midnight."

I've been asleep for over twelve hours? Dying takes a lot out of a person, I guess. "And you've been here the entire time?"

Frowning, Al lowered himself to lie on his back, his head resting on a stray pillow inches from my knee. "I spoke more with Dali." He closed his eyes, looking nothing like the pride-driven predator he was, but a harmless exhasted man who had a very long day. "When you aura is in better shape, we are going to make him a new tulpa for Dalliance."

"Why?"

Al peeked up at me. "Consider us lucky that that's all he's charging us."

I stared at Al for a few more seconds. It's been over twelve hours, I thought, maybe I can tap a line, now? Being careful so as not to alert him, I sent a quiet thought to the nearest ley line, quickly finding one. A searing pain hit me like a slap as I barely touched it. I gasped and immediately let go. Al was on me in the same second.

"Stupid," he whispered to me in annoyance, his breath hot on my face. "Did I say that you can touch a line yet, student?"

Panting, I said, "I thought it would be better after twelve hours." Putting my hands on his shoulders, I tried to shove him off me. "And get the hell off."

He growled and pushed away from me. "Why is it that you never listen?" he grumbled under his breath. "Perhaps if I gave you one good smack on your pretty little ass, you'd begin to behave yourself."

"Or I'll be a whole lot worse." I muttered, holding my head. If he began slapping me again like those first few months I was his student, I swore I'll fry his tackle.

"You are, after all, a child," he mused out loud, "I can't imagine why Dali deems you responsible enough to bear a child of your own."

"And I can't imagine why he deemed you soft enough to care for a child." I mocked.

"You'd be surprised, itchy witch."

I rolled my eyes, then got an image of Al cradling a newborn in his arms, him soothing the baby as they cried for a warm bottle. Now that's plain creepy, Al caring for a child.

"If the child were mine." Al murmured, so quietly that I wondered if he was talking to himself. Clearing his thoughts echoed mine. I looked at him as he stood with a ram rod stiffness, his face blank, but for the barely-there longing in his eyes. He wants kids?

Uncomfortable, I asked, "So, when I can I go back to my church?"

He sighed, "Wait until your aura grows another quarter centimeter." I huffed, and shoved the covers off me, a moment of relief going through me while I looked at the cotton, gray pants and black t-shirt. And Jenks made fun of me for taking pj's here. "You should keep your ass in bed." he finished.

"Then can you jump me to the kitchen or something?" The black marble floor was cold on my bare toes, but the coolness felt nice. "It's boring here, and maybe I could work on my Latin."

Al grinned at me. "Fine," he agreed, "but, remember, you said it." He grabbed my elbow and pushed me into his chest. Eyes wide, I stared up at him. He just smiled all the wider, his blocky teeth showing starch in the dim lighting. His arm went around my waist, bringing me closer to his warmth.

One second we were in my, or Al's, whatever, bedroom, then we were standing before the fireplace in his library. It hurt like hell. It was as if I was standing in fire and my skin was burning away to leave the hot flames to crawl along my exposed muscles, and then began to char my bones to ash.

The gentle pressure on my cheek brought me to open my eyes, since apparently I closed them against the pain. Al's face was inches from mine, his breath going into my lungs. "That's the reason why I wanted you to stay in the bedroom." His grin held humor, but his eyes were filled with concern. I didn't say anything, just unhooked my arms from where I had unknowingly wrapped about his waist and walked shakily to the nearest chair. He couldn't have told me that before?

I sat, sighing in relief and pulling my feet up on the edge of the chair. My forehead touched my knees. I could hear Al going to tend the fire. "Hungry, Rachel?" he asked.

I lifted my head. Food did sound a bit appetizing. "Okay."

Five minutes later, Al and I were taking our first bites into the cheese sandwiches he'd made. After a few more bites, I raised the cup of steaming coffee to my lips, and took a large gulp. Al had taken the coffee grounds from me two weeks ago, and though the hot, bitter drink still managed to get a hint of burnt amber, it was a far cry better than the stuff that demons had in the ever after. That's why I hadn't given Al any crap.

Another five minutes passed. The sandwiches had been eaten, the coffee had been drunk. Al sat on his couch, directly across from me. Al had his red goat eyes watching my every move and it was getting tiresome. The next time I see Trent, I am going to shove a five-hour energy drink down his throat every damn five hours. Let's see if he'll ever fall asleep again, the little cookie farts.

Al cleared his throat noisily, then said, "I believe you've been up and about long enough. Let's get you back to bed."

My chin rose an inch and I brought my legs up to rest my heels on the edge on my seat. I wrapped my arms around my knees and hugged them to me in a vain attempt to bring me warmth since Al's blazing fire was just out of reach. "I haven't even been here fifteen minutes!" I complained. I wanted to lie in warm water, preferably with lots of bubbles to hide my lady bits, not that there was much, but still. I wanted to have a bowl of ice cream with sprinkles in my soapy grasp. And maybe a glass of Trent's white wine balanced on one knee. And soft jazz playing in the background. Now, that sounded great. Not going back to sleep in Al's, er, my bed. I don't care how comfortable the mattress was, or of how silky the silk sheets felt on my skin, like I was being caressed . . . Okay, maybe it wasn't such a bad place to go. But I wanted a bubble bath, damn it.

Seeming to be pleased, Al stood, trying to fight back a smile, and walked to one of his many bookshelves, quickly returning after he grabbed a thick text without even looking at it. I jumped at the loud boom when Al dropped it on the coffee table. I scooted to the edge of my seat to get a better look. The tome had no spine, the cover was falling off, and it smelled like dandelions, leather, and dried blood. I stared at Al curiously. "Read this." he ordered.

"What's it about," I asked consciously, lifting the worn-out demon text to find it was a lot heavier than it looked. Sort of like me, or so I have been told. This was going to take a while to read. Hopefully it wasn't all Latin.

"The curse on us. Somnium volunt." he said. "I'll be in my spelling kitchen. If you need me, shout." And he left with a pop.

There's a whole book on just that curse? I thought. Intrigued, I pulled it on my lap and leaned back on the chair. Trent's entire library only had about a dozen pages or so. I bent my head, tucking the stray curls that fell about my face behind my ears. As I skimmed through the text, I came to find that each opened up pages had a Latin version of one of many of the dream wish curses on the left page, and a complete English translation on the right. My worry evaporated as I subtracted a few hours from my finishing the entire thick tome. Keeping my eyes on the right side, I found the dream interpretation, dreamy, love-letters, and the rest that Trent had explained to me.

Flipping to a random page, I read out loud in Latin, "Somnium censuram." Or dream censorship. Used on children. Parents put this version of the dream wish curse to prevent rated R dreams. Occasionally, used on spouses. Dolorem. Pain. Was used on enslaved elves so that even in sleep, the demons were able to torture them. Wincing, I turned the page. Tempestate providentia. Weather forecast. To predict the weather.

Visitabo. Punish. To punish someone. That was all there was; most of the page had been ripped off. The warning bells in my head gonged. Out of all the demon texts Al had me study from, this was the first with somewhat of a page missing. Al took care of his books. He would have fixed the damage. Hoping it was nothing, I yelled for my teacher. Can't be too safe, right?

"What now?" Al bellowed, misting into existence in front of me. "I haven't even been gone twenty minutes." But then he choked in his charade, peering closely to the torn up page in my hand. "You little bitch!" he shrieked, yanking the book out of my lap. Startled, I recoiled from him. I yelped when he got a firm hold on my neck and picked me up to glare into my eyes. Cut off from oxygen, I kicked at him, but he only squeezed my neck tighter with both of his hands. "Bitch," he seethed. "I allow you to study from a precious tome as it might save your ass. And you ruin it!" He shook me twice, then flung me over his head. A rush of air sounded in my ears, and I crashed into the back of the couch, my body weight tipping it back, and I rolled on the floor. Al's buckled boot was there waiting for me, and I screamed when he kicked my arm, hearing as well as feeling a crunch as his kick broke my arm. "You destroyed my book!" he raged, kicking me again, but on the head this time. Pain blossomed anew, blackening my vision, and I groaned. What the hell is wrong with him?

"I didn't do anything," I rasped, getting on a hand and my knees. My other arm was useless. Al only snarled, twisted a fist in my hair and forced me to feet, my cry of pain not phasing him. His heavy hand gripped my hurt arm, and he squeezed it. Scream after scream left my throat as I had a deja vu moment from when Piscary, my roommate's former master vampire, had done the same.

On instinct, I tapped a line, and did my best to ignore the fire that burned me. Gasping, I flung a huge wad of unfocused energy at him. Al was flung back. He hit the wall behind him hard as I fell on my butt. Clutching my arm to me, tears spilled over my eyes, feeling hot on my cold skin. I glanced at Al, terrified. But he was passed out, slumped on the floor. I swallowed, pulling my knees to me slowly. I sobbed, still keeping a sharp eye on Al. All for a damn page of a book that I didn't even tear out.

My eyes were still on him when his red eyes opened in a flash. He blinked rapidly, sitting up and holding his head with one hand. When his eyes met mine, anger flared and he pounced on me. I set up a circle just as he landed on it and a painful burn spread through me. This wouldn't hold him back, but at least I had some time to explain.

"Al!" I screamed, feeling him poking at my undrawn circle with his chi through the pounding in my skull. "The page was gone when I got to it!" He pushed harder, and I gritted my teeth, tears falling down my face. "Why else would I call you?" I yelled at him. Al halted in overpowering my circle, growling at me. "I'd never do that your books, Al! I know how much they mean to you!" The gasp that escaped him gave me hope. If he believed me, maybe he wouldn't kill me.

"What?" he whispered.

"I didn't do that." I said, fire travelling over my skin.

Many emotions passed over his face fast. The only ones I'd been able to catch were disbelief and regret. Al got his feet but before he said anything, I felt the first hints of passing out. Recognizing them as well, Al spoke softly, "Drop your circle, Rachel." Still, I held it up, numbness replacing the pain. "I won't hurt you." he added, understanding my reluctance.

I stared at him until his face became fuzzy, and I released the line, shivering when a pulse went through as my circle dropped. Al knelt before me. Slowly as to not startle me, he put an arm around my shoulders and another under my knees. "There," he soothed, holding me close to his warm chest. My consciousness was fading, but I forced myself to stay awake. I didn't know what he'll end up doing if I wasn't awake to protect myself. "Now hold on, okay?" he whispered. "Let me just pop you to bed, then we'll talk."

The last thing I remembered was the heat that swallowed me whole.

Well, I hoped you all enjoyed that:)