Chapter 9 #2
“It’s going to be alright, son. You’ll see. The
fates wouldn’t bring you your mate only to take him from you.” His
mom said.
“I don’t understand why you two don’t just mate.
If you did, this wouldn’t be happening. It’s something we learned
from creation.” His father argued.
“I tried to tell him this, but Dad, he won’t
risk it. He worries that if it doesn’t work that way and he dies,
then I will follow behind him. What he doesn’t understand is that I
wouldn’t want to be on this earth without him, bonded or not.”
Jabari rasped.
Foster heard someone sigh, and then Calista
said, “Maybe you can continue to woo him and get him to change his
mind.”
Jabari softly replied, “He loves me, Mom. There
isn’t much more I can do to change his mind. The thing is, I don’t
know if I can just stand by and watch him waste away. You two
didn’t see him like I did out there in the middle of the ocean with
Formaci and Polaris. He just passed the fuck out, dad. I mean, one
second he was showing Formaci the troubles of the ocean world, and
the next he was floating face down in the water.” Jabari’s voice
began to break, “I... I... thou... thought he... he... I thought he
was dead.”
The sobs grew in intensity and Foster had to
step away. He needed to think. As quietly as he could, Foster made
his way to the back door and slid the door open, stepping outside.
He walked to where the waves were breaking on the shoreline and
looked out to the vast sight before him. His heart was hurting and
he didn’t know what to do. No that wasn’t true. He knew exactly
what he had to do. The good news was Foster wouldn’t suffer long,
because after he finished doing the right thing, Foster was going
to die. The funny part of it was it wasn’t the cancer that was
going to kill him. No... it was a broken heart.
Foster knew immediately who was walking up
behind him so he didn’t bother turning around. Instead, he
stiffened his spine and said the words that needed to be said. “You
need to go back to Atlantis.”
Jabari gasped, “What do you mean, I
can’t...”
“You have to. I don’t want you here. I don’t
want you to be here when it happens, and I don’t want you to watch
as I waste away to nothing.”
“Foster...”
“No! I mean it Jabari.” Turning, Foster walked
to his mate and cupped his cheek, softening his tone. “Please. I
love you. God help me I love you. I wish so hard things could be
different... but they can’t be. I don’t want to be a burden to
you.”
When Jabari opened his mouth to argue, Foster
said, “I know you don’t see it that way, but I do. I don’t want you
to remember me wasting away. I want you to remember us walking hand
and hand along the roads of Atlantis. Swimming and racing with
Polaris and the others. I want you to remember watching movies
together, laughing and talking and cooking dinners together. I want
you to remember us dancing together in your living room as we sang
along to the love song we were moving to. Please Jabari. Please, do
this for me.”
Jabari leaned in and kissed Foster until they
had to come up for air. Foster watched as Jabari stepped back
whispering, “I love you” and then walk out into the ocean, his skin
turning darker and his wings extending, then he let out a sound so
filled with pain and sorrow, it had Foster dropping to his knees as
he watched Jabari disappear into the waves.
“What the hell is going on?” Noran snapped.
Foster visibly shook as he cried. His mate was
gone. Foster wanted to call him back, but he couldn’t do it. He
knew what he had done was the right thing, but fuck he felt as if
his heart had been ripped from his chest.
“Foster, what happened? Where is my son?” Noran
anxiously asked.
“I... I sent him away.” Foster cried.
Noran gasped, “Why? Why did you do such a
thing?” Noran asked in confusion.
Shaking his head, Foster said, “I cou...
couldn’t let him wa... watch me die. It was... wasn’t fair to... to
him.”
Foster felt gentle arms wrapping around him, and
knew that it was Calista. She drew him in saying, “You two are so
silly and so damn wrong.”
“We...”
“No, listen to me, Foster, and listen well. You
are mates and that means you’re meant to be together.” Calista
stated firmly.
“But I....”
Noran knelt next to Foster, “Answer me this.
When you were in Atlantis, how did you feel?”
Foster looked up confused, “I don’t understand
what you’re asking.”
“When you took your shower, my son was telling
us all the things you were doing together. The walks, dancing,
swimming, hell, you even helped save some boys from Formaci. Did
you once feel tired or ill?” Noran asked.
Foster thought about what Noran was saying, and
realized he hadn’t felt any exhaustion or sickness. “No. It wasn’t
until we left Atlantis that I started feeling tired and
unwell.”
“Exactly and do you know why?” Noran asked.
Foster shook his head, and Calista said, “It’s
because Atlantis is magic, son. There is something that few know
about Atlantis... even the Atlanteans themselves.”
“What’s that?” Foster asked.
“Atlantis either accepts you or it doesn’t, and
sometimes that acceptance comes at a price. It’s why some
Atlanteans shift and some don’t. It’s why some Atlanteans died and
some didn’t. I don’t know how Atlantis picks and chooses, but it
does and Atlantis must have chosen you, because if it hadn’t you
would have died within moments of getting there.” Calista
explained.
Foster asked, “So what does that have to do with
me dying?”
Noran sighed, “Son, as long as you are mated to
my son and living in Atlantis you will not die. It’s why you didn’t
feel tired or sick when you were there. That means you have a
choice. You can live in Atlantis with your mate, or you can stay
here and die as human.”
“So I can never leave the walls of Atlantis?”
Foster asked, knowing what he was going to do, but saddened that he
wouldn’t be able to visit Noran and Calista.
“Actually, if you bond with our son, you would
be able to come to the surface, but only in small increments. In
the beginning it would be for a few days, but as your bond grows
with my son it might be two or more weeks you can spend at a time.
We won’t know until we know, however, you will never feel sick or
exhausted from this disease again as long as you live in Atlantis.”
Noran explained.
Foster felt hope building, “And you’re sure? I
don’t want...”
“Foster listen to me.” Calista interrupted. “My
son loves you. Do you honestly think that whether you are bonded in
our way or not matters? Whether you hold his mark externally or
not, you still have been marked... both of you have. A bonding is
of the heart, mind and soul. It is a transfer of blood to blood
that tightens that bond, but trust me, I felt your bond before you
even walked into my home. The time you and Jabari spent together
already has created the bond we are talking about.”
“I don’t understand.” Foster whispered.
Noran said, “You, Foster, bonded with our son
the human way.”
“I what?” Foster gasped.
“Do you not think humans can have soul mates?”
Calista asked with a smile.
Foster replied, “Of course I do.”
“Well they don’t have to bite, have sex, or
transfer body fluids for that to happen, Foster. You and Jabari
bonded in the human way. That means my son will not be long in this
world the moment you die because he already gave you his heart,
mind, and soul. It’s already a done deal. The Adanc wailing let all
marine life know this. Everyone will feel his pain, Foster, because
it is too much to keep inside.” Noran stated.
Jumping up, Foster said, “I need to get to him.
I need to go there... but I... how will I...”
“Would you like a lift?” Polaris asked from
within the ocean.
Looking up, sure enough Polaris was there. “What
are you doing here?”
“I called him. I might not be the leader of the
Atlantis guard, son, but I still have some pull.” Noran stated
primly.
Smiling, Foster gave a hug to Calista and
shocked the hell out of Noran, if his face was anything to go by
when he hugged him too, “Thank you. Thank you both. Jabari and I
will return soon. I really want time to get to know the both of
you. Thank you.”