The Nightmare Inflictor Read Free Page A

I’ve inflicted, but will shift to white the longer I resist my hunger. “People who see me are going to judge me. This is so embarrassing.”
    Alyssa leans on her hands and stretches her legs out. “It’ll be fine. No one will even pay attention.”
    “I hope you’re right.” I push to my feet. “I guess I’ll go get it over with. Wait for me here?”
    “How about the dining hall?” Alyssa gets to her feet next to me.
    I nod. “I’ll see you later.”
    I turn away from Alyssa and glide in the direction of the guest apartment building. A garden nymph with strawberry blond hair and freckles tends to one of the large gardens. One of the four council members, Mr. Soto, stands nearby and watches the nymph. He looks up and meets my gaze. His brows furrow and his lips twist to the side. He’s not my biggest fan. I lift a hand to wave, and he turns his gaze back to the garden. I really hate this place sometimes.
    I entered the guest apartment building and am greeted by a pixie lounging on the couch. His feet are propped on the coffee table and he mindlessly flips through the channels on the television. I glide past him into the hallway without saying anything. This is embarrassing enough as it is. Half of the guest apartment doors are closed and I head in the direction of the stairs that lead to the second floor.
    I can sense the dreamer already. Sadie Marin, a shifter from Texas, is behind the first door on my right. I quietly open the door and glide into her room. She sleeps on her back under the plain, light blue comforter. Her brown hair veils her face and spills over her pillow. She’s young, probably eighteen or nineteen, and I bet she was interviewing for permanent residency here at the compound. If she’s accepted, my nightmare inflicting today will guarantee that we won’t be friends when she moves in. I tend to leave a negative impression on people so I wouldn’t blame her. If I were normal I would be scared to be my friend, too.
    I stand over her and brush her hair from her face. She’s deep in a dream and I can taste the sweetness of it already. My fingers trail from her cheeks to her temples and the world darkens as I invade her mind.
    I’m standing in a bedroom with posters of actors tacked to the walls. A laptop sits on a corner desk without a chair in front of it and there’s a pile of dirty clothes on the floor. The black-and-white checkered bed is unmade and the pillow rests on the night table. This room is well lived in.
    A scream rips through the air and I can tell the shifter was already having a nightmare. I lick my lips and taste blueberries in the air. I run my fingers along the torch lamp and it explodes, plunging me into darkness.
    Sadie screams again from another room. Gliding to the door, I thrust it open, splintering the wood as its hinges snap from the force. The door falls into the hallway and lands against the opposite wall. I lower my boots to the floor and the house shakes with every step I take. I saunter down the hall to the stairs and glide down, stopping at the bottom to stare at my reflection in the big wall mirror. I like these nightmares the most. This shifter is afraid of apparitions and I enjoy playing the part of ordinary monsters.
    The mirror shatters and sparkling pieces clatter across the floor like an explosion of stars.
    “Why are you doing this?” Sadie tugs on the handle of the front door, but it doesn’t open.
    I pick up a vase of dead flowers and the throw it at the door. Sadie drops to her knees as glass rains down on her. Her puffy red eyes shine with tears and black mascara streaks run down her cheeks.
    “No! Stop it!”
    I pick up a picture frame off the side table and throw it at her. She sobs into her hands, but doesn’t move. The air clouds with glittering dream dust and I suck in breath after breath of her nightmare.
    I trash the place until the dream cracks. Sadie, frozen with fear, lies on the floor near the door. I waltz up to her, bend down,