All Chapters of Through The Dreamscape: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

"Please," Scarlett whispered, her fingers trembling as they wrapped around Lucien's wrist. His skin felt like ice beneath her touch, and she could feel the inhuman strength in his arm as he held her father aloft. "He's my dad." Lucien's head snapped toward her, his gray eyes nearly black with rage. "Your father?" His voice was a dangerous whisper. "This drunk who reeks of cheap perfume and cheaper alcohol? Who was about to strike his own daughter?" Her father's face was turning an alarming shade of purple, his legs kicking weakly in the air. Scarlett's heart hammered against her ribs. "Please," she begged. "I know he's terrible, but... please don't kill him." Something in her voice seemed to reach him. With a sound of disgust, Lucien released his grip. Her father crumpled to the ground in an unconscious heap, his breathing ragged but steady. Lucien turned to her, the murderous rage in his eyes softening as he took in her shaken state. "Let me walk you home." Scarlett wrapped

Sleep didn't come easily to Scarlett that night. The visitor's room in Lucian's apartment was luxurious enough – all modern furnishings and expensive sheets that probably cost more than her entire wardrobe – but there was something unsettling about trying to sleep in a vampire's house. She kept thinking about all the horror movies she'd watched growing up, where the innocent human falls asleep only to... She shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts. The bed was sinfully comfortable, with its memory foam mattress and Egyptian cotton sheets (of course a centuries-old vampire would have the best of everything), but her mind wouldn't quiet down. Lucian's warning about lucid dreaming kept echoing in her head. For the first time in her life, she actively tried to prevent herself from slipping into that familiar dreamlike state she usually welcomed. When sleep finally claimed her, it was anything but peaceful. The nightmare started slowly – she was walking down a dimly lit corridor, t

Chemistry class was usually Scarlett's refuge – a place where formulas and reactions made more sense than people. But today, Lucian's words about revenge kept echoing in her mind, making it hard to concentrate on electron configurations. "Now, who can explain the concept of hybridization?" Mr. Peterson asked, his eyes scanning the classroom. Before anyone could respond, Lucian's smooth voice cut through the silence. "Actually, sir, I noticed a small error in the diagram you've drawn. The sp3 orbital arrangement you've shown would be impossible given the electron distribution you described earlier." The class collectively held its breath as Mr. Peterson, known for his intolerance of being corrected, examined the board. After a moment, his eyebrows shot up. "Well, I'll be damned," he muttered, then caught himself. "I mean, you're absolutely right, Mr. Salvatore. Excellent observation. In fact, would you like to explain the correct configuration to the class?" Lucian rose grace

Questions churned in Scarlett's mind as Lucien guided her down the concrete stairs from the roof. Each step seemed to echo with Jacob's revelations. *He was supposed to kill my family? No, he specifically said 'line' – like ancestry, like bloodline.* She couldn't stop stealing glances at Lucien's perfect profile as they descended, noting how his jaw seemed tighter than usual, how his usually relaxed posture held an edge of tension. How could she trust someone who was keeping so many secrets? The same person who had saved her life moments ago was apparently involved in trying to end her family line. The contradiction made her head spin. "Lucien," she started, her voice barely a whisper. "Not here," he responded softly, his hand warm against her waist as he guided her. "Not now. Everything will be explained, but we need to be somewhere safe first." The walk back to the gymnasium felt surreal, like moving through one of her lucid dreams. Everything she thought she knew about hers

"How... how are you doing?" Liam asked, his voice trembling as he wiped hastily at the tears threatening to spill from his eyes. In the afternoon light, they glistened like tiny crystals. "I'm... good," Scarlett replied awkwardly, painfully aware of the gulf between them – not just the physical space, but the emotional chasm that had opened since that terrible day with Claire. She noticed his gaze drift past her to where Lucien stood watching them, something complicated passing across his features. Fear? Concern? She couldn't quite read it. Liam took a shaky breath, seeming to gather his courage. His hands were trembling at his sides, and his East Haven uniform looked rumpled, as if he'd been running his hands through his hair all day. "I'm sorry," he finally burst out, the words seeming to tear themselves from his throat. "I'm so sorry I didn't believe you before." The words hit Scarlett like a physical blow. How long had she waited to hear those words? How many nights had she spe