Chapter 15 Adaela #4
My fingers traced circles on her back, the tension returning from the turn the conversation had taken.
She paused for long moments, gathering her thoughts.
This was a conversation she wasn’t ready to have with me.
My shadows released, probably from my own concern, cocooning her in protection from whatever nightmares she might’ve been reliving.
She relaxed into me again, pushing her ass back into my hips.
I responded in kind, though another round would have to wait.
“The curse started because I disobeyed Adam in the Garden of Eden. Hashem didn’t believe that I deserved to live in such a paradise, being the first woman to tell a man ‘No,’ and because of that, I was sent to Hell.
Because I said no, I was to live a life of a ‘whore,’ always giving pleasure, but never receiving it.
You’re the first person I’ve touched who I could feel.
You’re the first person whose attraction to me wasn’t because of what I could do for you, but simply because you found me attractive.
The curse could only be broken by two steps—one was to find someone who wanted me for me, but…
” She took a deep breath and stumbled over her words.
“But?” I asked, nuzzling my face into her neck.
She blurted out the next part of the sentence as fast as she could.
It was almost as if she were trying to get it over with and tensed for the blow.
“The steps were that I would have to find someone who wanted me for me, but the only person who would ever be able to do that would be my fated mate,” she said, and she drew away from me.
I pulled her back down automatically, and she relaxed a little into my embrace, but I could still tell how tense she was.
I stopped breathing, body going still. Fuck. If I needed any other confirmation that my ex had lied to me all those years ago, that was it.
I didn’t stand up and run away like I wanted to do.
It wasn’t her fault that my first reaction to almost everything was to run.
It was my gut instinct, and had been ever since my ex that we didn’t talk about destroyed my ability to trust people.
I was under the impression for centuries that my fated mate was dead, but when I hadn’t died with her, I wondered if that really was the case.
I guessed I had my confirmation. Forcing myself to relax, I snuggled closer to Vada.
She was tense with the news she just revealed to me. Even she knew I was about to bolt.
My best friend was one of the Fates, for fuck’s sake.
Granted, the sisters weren’t the only oracles in existence, and there were so many Gods and Goddesses who were weaving webs between the Fates.
I truly believed that the woman from my past was my mate, and that no matter how much I’d wished it wasn’t the case, it was me running from Fate.
Instead, they laid the woman of my dreams right on my doorstep, and here I was, sitting here ignoring all the signs.
As these thoughts were running through my head, I absentmindedly pulled Vada’s hair out of the bun that somehow held up all night.
My fingers ran through her thick, yet fine hair, getting a whiff of brimstone and juniper that I was used to smelling from her.
The tension left my body, and I sank further into the loveseat.
We were laying in a weird wet spot. I was probably going to have to get rid of this couch now. I smirked. Worth it.
“Tell me what’s running through your head right now, sweet girl,” Vada requested.
I took a couple more deep breaths before holding her a little tighter.
I had no idea why, but I’d always loved being big spoon.
Maybe it was because I was tiny and the dynamic of the bigger person always holding the smaller one wasn’t quite equitable.
All I knew was that right now, Vada was a life-sized stuffie, and I couldn’t get enough.
I loved my shadow puppies, but nothing compared to a real being in my arms.
“Well, right now, I’m thinking we should get off this wet loveseat and go take a shower,” I joked.
She laughed and started to stir from our snuggle pile. I held on to her a little longer before releasing her with a huff. My mind and body wanted two different things.
Guiding Vada to my room, I threw my clothes down the laundry chute before making my way to the bathroom. I turned on the water in my giant walk-in shower that could fit a small army, waited for it to heat up, then pulled Vada into the shower with me.
“You have a beautiful home,” she said, coming up behind me and wrapping her arms around me. I soaked in the moment before stepping away.
“I couldn’t ask for anything better. It took many years before I figured out exactly how I wanted it,” I replied, trying to see the place with new eyes.
She gently pushed me back toward the waterfall shower, turning me around toward the wall.
I started to wet my hair down, reluctant once again to wash her scent off me.
I was still quiet, processing the feelings I was having right now as she took my shampoo and squirted some into her hands.
She started gently massaging my scalp, and tingles erupted down my body, pebbling my nipples. I groaned.
“Gods, I can’t tell you how much I love when people wash my hair for me. There’s nothing better,” I said, leaning back into her touch.
“Get used to it, sweet girl. There will be a lot more of this in the future… if you’ll have me,” she replied next to my ear, and I shivered at the quiet timbre of her voice.
“It’s not that I don’t want this, Vada. I do. I’m just so used to being alone. I like my things the way they are. I’m difficult to live with. I’m afraid of getting hurt again,” I said reluctantly. If she could be honest with me, I would be, too.
“Who said we have to move quickly, Adaela? I’ve waited for millennia for you. I can wait longer until you’re sure you’re ready,” she rubbed her fingers through my scalp, and I thought I’d have an orgasm right there. I adored having my hair played with. Almost nothing beat it.
“Breaking out my name now, huh?” I tried to joke.
“Are you sure you’re okay with moving slowly?
I know when you find your fated mate, things tend to progress super quickly.
We’ve only known each other for a couple weeks, yet I think this is the second time we’ve slept together.
That’s fast for me. I’m usually a one and done kind of person.
” I tried to not so subtly hint at the first night I’d met her.
She chuckled. “I know you’re not that. I’ve not known you for long, but what I do know is that your heart is kind.
You love without restriction when you let people in, and you’re a genuinely beautiful soul inside and out.
You put on a persona for others when you’re not sure about them, and you come home mentally exhausted, wanting to escape from the world.
I know you need time to wrap your head around this.
I’ve known for over 100 years that I would find you eventually.
It was why I moved back to Earth. Why I moved here.
I never would’ve imagined I’d find you so quickly,” she stated more seriously.
I was trying not to tense up, not to react.
What she said was sweet, but it didn’t change the position I’d taken that went against everything she was saying.
In reality, my brain was stuck on the fact that Vada had known about me for over a century, and we had no correspondence until she moved here.
I was shocked at the revelation, but also a little pissed off by it.
I didn’t trust that what she was saying was true. I’d already found, and lost, my mate.
My little black heart melted a little bit, though.
I didn’t think anyone had ever seen me as quickly as she had, and the tingles along my skin were good.
It felt right. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I did know that my future seemed brighter now that I was aware of her existence, even if she wasn’t my mate.
Vada went on to tell me about what happened the night before I woke up in her bed.
She recited every last detail about me blacking out and murdering two men.
About me sleepwalking into her bedroom and straddling her.
About how Medb helped her remove the video and the bodies before anyone found out, though the witches discovered them before they were able to remove them from the premises.
I still had no idea why I blacked out that night, but now I was doubly concerned.
I should’ve been able to still function, even being drunk on human alcohol.
It didn’t affect us like humans. I thought I might’ve been drugged, but by what, I couldn’t tell her.
If these murders had any connection to the portals opening, were these blackouts me doing something atrocious in the name of whoever was starting shit with the Pax?
We finished up in the shower, and I handed a towel to Vada before drying myself off.
I started my after-shower routine of putting on lotion and spraying products in my hair to keep it from frizzing too badly.
I got dressed quickly before noticing Vada standing in the doorway in nothing but a towel, her hair up in another towel, and my knees threatened to give out as I was once again blown away that she was fated to be mine.
“Do you want to borrow some clothes? I think I have something that would fit you, since you’re taller than me. Most of my clothes have to be hemmed or rolled up,” I said, though I just wanted her naked in my bed.
She smiled. “Yes, please. I’d put my other clothes back on, but I think they might be ruined.”