Free Lie Down with Dogs by Hailey Edwards

ID.
    She turned and winked, and I scowled. “How do you do that?”
    “This—” she gestured down her body, “—is a magic bikini.”
    I cocked a dubious eyebrow. “It is?”
    “No man can resist me when I’m wearing it.” She grinned. “It works like a charm. Get it?”
    “Oh, I get it.” She didn’t need magic to charm men. Her natural charisma had them eating out of the palm of her hand. If I didn’t know how hardcore the kitsune dating scene was, I might be jealous.
    Pulling one of my moves, she tugged a keycard from her top. “Do you want to hold on to this?”
    “Sure.” Figuring it was safer with me, I stuffed the card into the side pocket of my bag. I rented a locker for the week and got a key on an orange plastic coil bracelet in return. Once I stashed my bag, we found the launching station.
    After a few false starts, where I tried to get Mai into her inner tube without her actually getting wet, a pair of lifeguards climbed from their respective towers to lift her and center her on her float while I gawked. Flirtatious laughter trailed after her as her float was snared by the current, and she was swept away from me.
    I managed to flip myself—twice—before ringing the hole with my butt instead of my thigh. The lifeguards never batted an eye. They were watching Mai arrange herself as artfully as one can while sitting prim and proper in the center of a giant, inflatable donut while dunking one’s ass into icy water.
    Trusting she couldn’t stir up too much trouble while confined to her inner tube, I arranged my limbs for maximum relaxation potential. I leaned my head back and shut my eyes to block out the glaring lights. Stifling a yawn, I fought the urge to nap. But between the early start and the tense trip, I couldn’t resist. I dozed.
    ––––––––
    “W here are you?”
    My head snapped up at the sound of Rook’s voice, and my hands scrambled for purchase on the same narrow limb where I woke last time. Heart in my throat, I crept toward the tree trunk and held on.
    “That’s a damn good question,” I snapped.
    “We already covered this.” He looked bored. “You’re in a dream.”
    I had to ask. “If I die in this dream, will I die in real life?”
    “You won’t fall.” A fierce glint shone in his eyes. “And you won’t die. I won’t allow it.” The spark in his gaze ignited as he studied me. “Where are you?”
    I glanced down and noticed I still wore my swimsuit. “Oh. I’m at a pool.”
    He bolted upright. “You’re sleeping in the water?”
    “Not exactly.” I flushed as I realized he was right. I had fallen asleep in the lazy river. “I’m in a float that protects me from drowning.” I hoped. “Plus, there are lifeguards on duty. They watch over everyone.”
    Especially foxy ladies in bikinis...
    Seeming mollified, Rook reclined once more. “This is not ideal.”
    “Tell me about it.” Even if my body was asleep, he was keeping my mind awake and exhausted.
    “This is the only way we can communicate.” He smiled slowly. “For now.”
    I glowered at the reminder I would be hauled back to Faerie all too soon.
    A thought occurred to me. “Hey, what happened last time? You just vanished.”
    His smile widened. “Were you concerned for me?”
    “No.”
    “You’re a bad liar, Thierry. No matter. I can teach you to be a better one.”
    I bet you could. “What is the purpose of these dreams?”
    “I told you.” He rested his elbows on his knees. “I must educate you if you are to survive here.”
    I had trained one way or another for the last six years. This was familiar territory. “When do we begin?”
    He waved a hand at my swimsuit. “Once you’re dressed more appropriately.”
    “This is a dream, right? Can’t you just snap your fingers and make it happen?”
    “I could,” he admitted, staring so intently I crossed my arms over my chest. “But we have time. Besides, I would prefer knowing that your body is safe while I have your