Severn
“It’s a bad idea, Milo.” Aiden was holding the phone out while sitting on the couch.
“I already told her that, but she’s insisting. At this point, no one will change her mind. She’s walking out the door.” Milo sounded exasperated on the phone.
“Ugh.” Aiden threw the phone to the other side of the couch.
Walking to the couch, I sat next to Aiden. “Milo isn’t coming with Vea today. Mitz is,” very annoyed at the idea that there was a change. I wasn’t really sure why it mattered so much, but if Aiden thought it was a bad idea, I’m sure it was.
“How come?” I turned to face Aiden on the couch.
He leaned forward, and I tried not to focus on the way his muscles tensed in his forearms. “Vea reassigned Milo to Des for now. They have to go to art thing. Ceril is trying to track down all of your old paintings. Little does he know we bought them all.”
“You did?” I asked, genuinely confused.
“Vea bought them all actually, but I got some from her.” He smiled at me, grabbing my hand.
“It’s a bad idea though. Mitz is great at what he does, but he’s not an enforcer.
He’s a tech guy.” Nodding, I was starting to understand why this was a bad idea.
“Des is a maniac. She can take care of herself. She should have sent Mitz with Des and kept Milo with her.”
Letting out a deep sigh, Aiden stood and walked to his bedroom.
When he walked out, he had slipped on a black button-up shirt.
I stood adjusting the shirt that I wore, and Aiden walked up to me, placing his hands on my shoulders.
“Don’t be nervous.” His face was serious when he spoke.
I nodded in understanding, but I knew that he could tell I was still nervous.
When the small door beeped and unlocked, Vea ducked into the Pulse Den first. She was tall and slim. Her hair was black and cut into a short, sleek style. The outfit she wore accentuated her long legs. Even being tall, she still wore heels, making her presence feel even more intimidating.
Aiden and I stood from the couch and walked over to Vea and Mitz. As soon as Vea and I made eye contact, she smiled. “Severn.”
We all walked into the living room and sat down on the couch.
Vea was holding back tears when she sat down.
“Your wings really are gone.” She covered her mouth in shock.
“He always threatened to do that, but to actually see you. I’m sorry.
” Her words trailed off as she held back more tears.
I wasn’t really sure what to do. I never knew life with wings.
Now my scars were just a sick, painful reminder that they were once there.
Vea quickly composed herself and sat up straight, giving Aiden and me each a look of admiration. “I never thought I’d be able to see this happen.” Her eyes danced between Aiden and me. We each looked at one another, confused.
“What are you talking about, Vea?” Aiden looked just as confused as I felt.
“Aiden,” Vea spoke, leaning forward slightly on the couch.
“You’ve been like a son to me since the first time Desdemona brought you to the apartment.
Your mother and I were friends, Aiden. Close friends,s and I’m sorry I kept that from you.
If she knew the being you’ve grown into, she would be so proud of you.
” Tears fell down Vea’s face, and I wondered if she knew more about Aiden than she ever told him.
“I don’t understand.” Aiden reached for me, and I scooted closer to him on the couch.
The corners of Vea’s lips lifted into a small smile. “Severn, do you know your birth chart?”
“Only part of it.” My answer was honest. I really did only know part of it. I was a Pisces. My parents were an angel and a vampire, which meant I was Senketsu. But that’s all I knew.
“You know that you are an anomaly. You shouldn’t exist. But the fact that you do means something. You are meant for something special.” My eyebrows pulled together in question, and I glanced over to Aiden.
Vea directed her attention to Aiden. “Did you ever look into your birthchart?” He shook his head. “I have.” That got Aiden’s attention quickly.
“What? Why?” Aiden looked confused, hurt even.
“Your mother told me to look into it. When I saw it, I knew you were meant to stay with the Mortis Family. I was so glad that you found your way to us through Desdemona. It was as if the stars knew.”
Aiden stood and began pacing around the room. “Vea, I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but this makes no fucking sense. What are you talking about?”
“You are both anomalies.” At Vea’s words, Aiden stopped pacing. What I had suspected was confirmed, and my eyes widened in shock. Mitz even whipped his head to Vea, shocked by what she just said.
Aiden shook his head where he stood. “How the fuck would I not know that?”
Vea pulled out her phone and held it out to Aiden.
When he walked back around the room, he grabbed it and sat down on the couch next to me.
We read over the information on the birth chart.
The space for a father’s name was empty, but clear as day it listed werewolf.
Aiden looked up at Vea, and I gently took the phone from him and studied the chart.
“I don’t have any physical characteristics of a werewolf. How does that make sense?” Aiden dropped his head to his hands. “This is so fucking confusing. A vampire, werewolf being does not immediately mean I’m an anomaly. What is going on?”
“I know, and I’m sorry. Given how special you were, I knew you needed to be somewhere safe.”
“Wait,” I spoke up as I continued reading through the chart. “Does this mean what I think it does?” Vea stood and sat next to me, looking at the birth chart on her phone. “Aiden…” I looked up at him.
As soon as Aiden turned to me, his eyes went wide. “What’s wrong?” Moving closer, he looked at the chart with Vea and me.
“I never thought this would actually happen,” Vea said, a tear streaming down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly, looking up at Aiden and me.
I pointed at the star alignment the night when Aiden was born, and my gaze drifted to Vea. “This is the same as mine.” Vea nodded. “So we are bound?” I was sure the confusion was radiating off of me.
Vea nodded. “By the stars.” When Vea smiled, another tear fell.
Her dark eyes were glassy as they filled with tears.
“It’s why I changed plans and had you two stay here together.
I knew everything would happen as it was supposed to.
” Vea readjusted on the couch. “Being bound doesn’t mean that you’re destined to be with each other no matter what.
Circumstances have to align. You both have to be ready to accept the bond for it to solidify. ”
I had read about bound beings in one of the books Ceril had. “I think we are already bound,” I said, looking at Aiden and glancing down at his chest where I had bitten him just hours earlier. He glanced at my neck, the mark nearly gone, now only a soft red mark barely visible.
Vea smiled, “Okay.” She rubbed my back, and I flinched when she touched my scars.
“I’m so sorry!” She gasped when she realized what she did.
I just shook my head and told her not to worry about it.
Aiden was so good about avoiding them. I didn’t think twice anymore.
Her touch hurt but not as bad as usual. “I needed to have this conversation with you both, in person. Aiden, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. ”
“Why are you apologizing? I never wanted to know anything. I always knew my father as a waste of space. He still is if you ask me.”
“We should go. We shouldn’t be here too long.” Vea grabbed my hands. “We will figure this out, Severn. Please don’t be discouraged. Either of you.” When she grabbed Aiden and my hands together, something felt like it fell into place.
After she let go, Aiden gripped my hand tightly. I squeezed back just as tight.
We stood together and walked over to the small door to say our goodbyes before Mitz and Vea left.
Aiden looked at me with admiration. He kissed me softly, and I pulled him into a hug. “Severn?” His voice was quiet. “I’m an Animus, aren’t I?”
“Yeah. You are.” I replied, hugging him tighter.