Free Shadows of Bourbon Street by Deanna Chase

because he’s a dreamwalker and is my mate,” I said.
    She let out a low, chuckle. “Well, that’s true enough. The dreamwalker part, anyway. I’m not sure him being your mate has much to do with it, other than he probably stores some of your power.”
    “I’m not magical,” Kane said, his eyes narrowed as he studied her. “I can’t siphon her powers.”
    “Not in a way that you’d recognize, you don’t.” Dayla walked back to us and once again perched on her chair, still holding the daisy. “Take a seat, Fiona. It’s time to educate these two.”
    Fiona refreshed Dayla’s tea and her own and then sat back, saying nothing.
    Kane and I glanced at each other before settling into the loveseat once more.
    Dayla took a sip of tea before asking Kane, “Are you aware of the history of dreamwalkers?”
    “No. Not really. I only know that I can and do dreamwalk those I’m close to. It’s not unlike those who can travel while dreaming, except I’m able to slip into the conscious mind of those I dream with.”
    “Yes, that’s how it works,” she agreed. “But do you know why?”
    He shrugged. “No. I don’t know any other dreamwalkers.”
    “I see. There are only two possibilities as to why an individual has supernatural gifts such as yours. One is to be descended from angels like your fiancée here.”
    Kane stilled and shifted his penetrating gaze between both Fiona and Dayla. “And the other? I’m guessing my family tree doesn’t include angels.”
    She shook her head. “Definitely not angels. But a witch? You would have to. Not a white witch or earth witch. No, it’s likely she’d be a sex witch.”
    My eyes all but popped out of my head. I’d recently been possessed by a ghost who’d been a sex witch. She’d even once lived at Kane’s family home, Summer House. They very likely were related. It had been one of the most awful experiences of my life, one I was still recovering from.
    Dayla took a long sip of her drink. Then she tilted her head and said, “And she’d had to have attracted the attention of a demon.”
    The blood in my veins turned to ice. Camille had been trying to get away from an evil entity. Had he been a demon? He’d had no humanity at all. And his presence had been chilling.
    “Yes, it’s almost impossible to even think about,” Dayla said quietly, no doubt reading the horror in my expression. “But it happens. Though not as much as it used to.” She turned kind eyes on Kane. “I’m afraid you are indeed a descendant of a sex witch and a demon. The reason you can shadow walk is because of your demon ancestry.”
    Kane’s face went white with shock. Revulsion mixed with betrayal and the primal need for revenge rumbled through his emotions, pouring into me through our joined hands.
    “Kane.” I caressed his palm with my thumb, trying to soothe him. “It’s all right. You’re not a demon.” Then I snapped my head up and met Dayla’s eyes. “Right?”
    “That’s absolutely correct, but dreamwalking is a trait of a demon and it’s the only way it’s possible. So Chessandra was technically telling the truth when she said he could shadow walk because he’s a dreamwalker. She just didn’t tell the whole truth.”
    It was my turn to stand and pace. I walked the length of the room, trying to contain my frustration at being left in the dark. Why hadn’t she told us? I spun to ask just that but stopped when I saw Kane. He was standing next to Dayla, and she had both hands on his cheeks as if she was going to move in for a kiss.
    “What the—” I started.
    Fiona waved a hand and silenced me. I worked my mouth, trying desperately to get the words out. They wouldn’t come. Red spitfire consumed me and power built in my chest. How dare she spell me into silence? Danger or no, something snapped inside me and power crackled at my fingertips. If they’d silenced me, what had they done to Kane?
    I tried to move forward, but my feet were cemented to the dark hardwood