"Kessar took them. He sent his agents out to take Enlil and then bring him to the caverns. Enlil had long enough to hide the Tablet before he was captured, and once he was in Kessar's presence Kessar bled him dry... in more ways than one. Kessar is even more dangerous than you think. And now that he's been freed..."
"What freed him?" Sin asked.
"The locks on their prison are weakening along with the Dimme."
Kat frowned. "But why hasn't Kessar come out before this?"
"He was being held in a different part of the cavern that had a separate locking system. Now that system has weakened to the point he and his worst disciples are able to be free. He wants total mayhem and bloodshed. Most of all, he wants Sin to suffer for helping to lock him in there."
Kat made an exaggerated happy shake. "Oh, this just gives you the warm and fuzzies, doesn't it?" She sobered. "I vote we unleash my grandmother and let her eat the whole lot of them."
"Your grandmother?" Zakar asked.
Sin laughed in a low tone. "Apollymi."
Zakar paled. "How well imprisoned is she?"
"Well enough we're basically safe from her wrath."
Kat's eyes lightened. "But I can invoke her powers if I need to."
The men gaped at her.
"You can do what?" Sin asked. This was the first time he'd heard this part of her powers.
"Invoke her powers," she repeated. "Sweet sixteen birthday present. Anyone who messes with me gets a taste of Atlantean destruction. It's why I said Deimos is no problem for me. I can take his ass out, blindfolded, and beat him."
Sin was glad to have that knowledge. However there was one drawback to it. "But we have to keep you charged."
She nodded. "It helps."
"Good," Zakar said. "We have at least one surprise they don't know about. But both of you have to remember that in dreams nothing is what it seems. They may attack you as demons, but they may not. They could come at you as your best friend." He looked at Kat. "Your mother. Your brother. Anyone or anything that you're close to. They are masters at this and they've had a lot of practice. They can't really hurt you, but they can disturb your sleep enough to impair you while you're awake."
Sin rubbed his hand over his face as he considered that. Damn.
"Kytara?" Kat shouted out suddenly. Her voice echoed around them.
Sin scowled at her. "What are you doing?"
She folded her arms over her chest. "I want to sleep in peace at night. Be damned if I'm going to let some two-bit piece of demon like Kessar keep me from resting. He thinks he's a badass? Well I know a few myself." She paused before she shouted again. "Kytara!"
"Stop yelling at me." A woman almost as tall as Kat appeared behind her. She had wavy black hair, porcelain skin, and large eyes so blue they didn't look real. She was dressed in a black leather pantsuit with a silver loop belt and four-inch-heeled boots.
Kat smiled as she turned to face her. "There you are, my evil friend."
Sin was wary over Kat's greeting. "Evil?"
"To the core of her rotten soul."
"It's true," Kytara agreed. "There's nothing like a bitch in heels, of which I'm the biggest." She turned back to Kat. "I know there has to be a point to this, since you're in a dream with gorgeous twins and nobody's naked. I could have sworn I taught you better, Katra."
Sin crossed his arms over his chest as he narrowed his gaze on Kat.
Kat held her hands up in mock surrender. "She didn't mean it like that. I never did such a thing."
"Umm-hmmm," he said, not believing her for a minute. No wonder she'd been so skilled.
"It's true. Kytara, tell him."
"Tell him what?" she asked innocently. "Kat's a raging nymphomaniac."
"Tara!"
"Oh, all right," Kytara finally conceded. "She's so bland she makes plain toast look spicy."
Kat's look of agitation only increased. "Thanks a lot."
Kytara laughed. "Well, you are. You're too much of a goody two-shoes. I've been nagging at you for years to loosen up. Now why am I here if not to help you strip these two naked and have some adult fun?"
Zakar stepped forward. "I think I like her suggestion."
Sin stared him down.
At least to a degree. "Look, I've been trapped in that cave with those bastards gnawing on me for centuries. It'd be a really nice change to have a goddess nibble on me."
Feeling sorry for him, Sin ignored his outburst. "We have demons who are going to try and attack us in our sleep."
"Skoti?" Kytara asked.
"No," Kat said. "Gallu demons."
"Ooo." Kytara looked like the mere thought gave her an orgasm. "They're a bloody lot. I like it."
Sin was confused by her eagerness. "I thought the Greek Oneroi were devoid of emotions."
"They are," Kat explained. "Kytara is a Skotos. She sucks emotions from dreamers and uses them for her own."
Kytara smiled. "It's the only way to live. Really. The Oneroi are just too stodgy for words."
Sin had no comment to that.
But Kat gestured to the three of them. "We don't want the gallu attacking us at night. Can you watch our backs while we sleep?"
Kytara bit her lip and wiggled her hips as if she enjoyed the thought way too much. "Voyeurism... kinky. I like it even better."
Kat shook her head. "You are the worst."
"Of course I am. Isn't that why you called me?"
Suddenly the idea of having her here didn't seem so bright to Sin. Having a Greek Oneroi in his dreams just seemed like asking for trouble. "Curious... Can you wander over to the gallu and spy on them while they sleep?"
She brushed a finger along the edge of his chin and gave him a sexy smile. "In a dream, baby, I can do anything I want."
Kat pushed her back, away from Sin. "And keep your hands off that one, Kytara, or lose them to some big mean hand-eating dream monster."
She gave Kat a knowing look. "Yes, ma'am."
Sin found Kat's jealousy amusing and flattering. But right now they had more important things to focus on. He cleared his throat to get their attention back on the matter at hand. "Will you watch them then?"
"Depends." Kytara paused for effect before asking, "Is he a good-looking demon?"
Kat nodded. "Very."
"Ooo, gotta go check it. Later." Kytara vanished instantly.
Sin crossed his arms over his chest, grateful to have some space away from the Skotos. "You have interesting friends, Kat."
"True, and sometimes they're very helpful."
Zakar sucked his breath in sharply as if something had just struck him in the chest.
Concerned for him, Sin put a hand on his brother's back. "Zakar?"
"They're trying to find me." He shoved Sin away from him and staggered to his left. "Run."
"I won't leave you here to face them."
Zakar gave him a furious glare. "It's only a dream. Go."
"Then what's the harm in my staying if it's only a dream?"
Zakar shook his head. "You don't know what you're doing."
"Yes, I do," Sin said emphatically. "I'm protecting my brother."
"One quick question?" Kat asked, distracting the two of them. "Can you kill the gallu in this realm?"
"No," Zakar said. "Why?"
Kat pointed behind the men. " 'Cause they're here."