Chapter 63 Bonds
BONDS
RAE
As soon as I came downstairs for breakfast, Zeke ambushed me. I shrieked and clutched his shoulders as he picked me up and spun me in a circle, laughing the entire time.
“Put her down,” Ash said with a chuckle.
Zeke stopped spinning and smiled at Ash, who entered the living room right after me. “Congratulations!”
I looked between them, eyes wide. “How…”
When Zeke released me, Ash wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head.
“We heard it,” Cyn said, setting a platter of scrambled eggs on the counter. His amber eyes met mine, burning with heat.
My face flamed, and I turned toward Ash, pressing my face against his side to hide my embarrassment.
“Yeah.” Zeke sounded a little embarrassed. “We didn’t mean to listen, but…”
“She wasn’t exactly quiet about it,” Cyn complained, continuing to set breakfast food on the counter.
I lifted my head and glared at Cyn. “Maybe he’s just amazing in bed.”
Ash cleared his throat, giving my waist a small squeeze.
“Doesn’t matter how good he is. We felt it.” Cyn set the bowl of mixed fruit on the counter with a hard thump as Ezra exited the bathroom.
I looked between them. “Felt it? What does that mean?”
“It means that when your bond sealed, it sent an echo through our bond’s developing tether,” Ezra said, grabbing a sliced strawberry from the bowl.
Zeke took my hand and guided me to the couch while Ash and Cyn brought breakfast to the coffee table.
“I’m not sure I understand,” I said, taking the paper plate Ash offered me.
Zeke looked at Ezra. “You’re better at explaining than I am.”
They all took seats around the coffee table and started adding eggs, fruit, and bacon to their plates. We needed to pack the dishes before the church movers arrived.
“Nyrith mates share a unique bond. However, in cases where someone has a second Nyrith—”
“Or four,” Zeke interjected.
“Yes, four.” Ezra inclined his head, not scolding Zeke for interrupting.
Like the others, Ezra seemed softer with Zeke, giving him space to be himself without backlash. After seeing how the triplets and the council treated him, I understood why.
“As I was saying, when multiple mates are involved, they share a group tether independent from their personal connections.”
“It’s why we all recognize one unique scent for you, while you recognize a different one for each of us,” Ash said. “If Ezra were also my Nyrith, I’d smell the same thing you did. But I only smell whatever body wash, cologne, or shampoo he uses.”
I mulled over his words as I took a bite of the fluffy eggs.
While I understood, I noticed Ezra didn’t mention our connection or any personalization. It was like he wanted to separate himself from the group. I wasn’t sure I liked it. He couldn’t explore this new bond by acting like he wasn’t part of it.
“So what does the group tether mean outside of my scent?”
“It means,” Cyn started, eyes finding mine across the table. “When you screamed, we knew he’d taken your blood, and you’d either taken his”—his gaze slid to Ash before coming back to me—“or he’d bred you.”
Ash’s fist tightened on the table. “That’s uncalled for.”
“What? It’s true.”
“It’s not breakfast-table conversation.”
“Oh, come off it,” Cyn snapped. “I heard the shit you said to her. You weren’t as quiet as you thought either.”
“Cyn, please.” Zeke touched his arm. “This is a good thing.”
Cyn cursed, working his jaw as he stewed in silence.
“Are you jealous?”
Both Cyn and I stared at Ash with open mouths.
Ash put his fork down and sat forward, speaking in a calm, measured tone. “I asked if you’re jealous.”
“Why would I be jealous? I’ve already fucked her.”
“Dammit, Cyn.” Zeke jumped up and took his empty plate to the trash. “Why are you acting like this?”
Cyn expelled a harsh breath. “I don’t know why you’re mad at me. I’m not talking any differently than I did before we met her.”
“Yeah, but she’s our Nyrith.” Zeke sat down again and picked up his bottle of water.
“So I’m supposed to change who I am because we now have her around?”
Ezra folded his napkin over his plate. “No.” He looked at all of us. “Fate brings mates together who complement one another. Despite your volatile nature, you’re a good man, and Raelynn will benefit from it.”
Cyn stared at Ezra as if he’d grown a second head.
I remained stuck on the fact that he’d used my name. I could count on one hand how many times I’d heard him refer to me as anything more than “human.”
As much as Cyn frustrated me, Ezra spoke the truth. I figured that’s why I hadn’t completely written Cyn off.
“So, back on topic,” I said, trying to bring down the tension. “Y’all heard us. And?”
“I didn’t,” Ezra said, eyes demanding my attention again with only a look. “I woke when I felt your connection snap into place. When you sealed your bond, it strengthened your mental connection with everyone in the group.”
“But what does that do?”
Zeke held my hand on the table. “It makes it easier for us to read your emotions, and we also begin to sense each other. It’s like the Phalinos Pact.”
At my confused expression, Ash added, “It’s a soul tether between close friends, or compatible Shyrlivi who aren’t Nyriths. It allows them to experience weaker versions of a mate bond.”
“So, say I bonded with each of you, you’d all have a weaker mate connection?”
Ezra nodded. “We already formed a weaker version of the Phalinos Pact as teenagers. It made it easier in combat. But this would be different. We’d sense each other the way we perceive you emotionally, but on a subdued level.”
I glanced at Zeke and Cyn.
If I bonded with them both, they would feel each other’s strong emotions.
My phone pinged, and I looked at the screen, relieved to let the heavy talk rest for now. “We need to get this cleaned up. The church’s movers are gonna be here in about thirty minutes.”
The guys started taking dishes to the kitchen while I gathered the empty soda cans and water bottles to toss.
“Rae, wait…” Zeke grabbed my arm as I turned from the garbage bag by the back door. “Your mark changed.”
“What?” I twisted to look down at my thigh, but I couldn’t see it.
Cyn’s brows furrowed. “What the hell?”
“Pull your shirt up,” Ezra said, approaching Ash.
Ash pulled his T-shirt up to expose the mark on his ribs. I didn’t see anything different.
Zeke rushed to unbuckle his belt and tug his jeans and underwear down on one side, exposing his mark. “It’s the same for me too. Cyn, check.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Cyn knelt, unzipped his tall combat boot, and pulled it off. He tugged his sock down to expose the mark on his ankle. I’d never seen it before.
I looked at Ezra.
Keeping his gaze locked on mine, he unbuttoned his dress shirt, tugging it free of his pants, and shrugged it off.
I’d seen him shirtless before, but both times I’d been delirious or panicked after he transformed and killed my ex-boss. Looking at him now, I realized his tailored shirts and slacks hid the body of a fighter.
His abs were cut and pecs firm, with a lean waist and hips. Though not as bulky and warrior-like as Ash, Ezra had the lean, defined physique of a swimmer.
While Ash probably relied on brute strength in battle, I suspected Ezra used agility and strength. Cyn’s body reminded me of a dancer, so I figured he also favored agility over brute force. I hadn’t seen Zeke shirtless, but he looked leaner than the others, so I doubted he relied on sheer strength.
Cyn’s impatient voice snapped me out of staring at Ezra’s body. “You wanna stop eye-fucking her so we can figure this out?”
My gaze landed on Ezra’s face. He hadn’t moved, but his focus was now on Cyn. “He’s not—”
“He is. You can’t tell?”
I’d been too busy checking Ezra out to notice, but I wasn’t about to tell Cyn that.
Ezra chuckled low before a dark look crossed his face. “Trust me, if I were fucking her, she’d know it.”
My skin heated, and I tried not to think about what he said—or the sound he made. He’d never laughed, much less chuckled, around me. The sensual edge to it wasn’t good for my health.
“No one said anything about literal fucking,” Cyn groused.
“Semantics.”
Ash groaned. “Can we not talk about fucking and figure this out? Ezra, turn around.”
Ezra turned to face the counter, and Ash cursed.
On his shoulder blades, he bore the same wing scars as the others, but between them, I saw his mark.
I crossed my arms. “What’s different?”
“The dots,” Zeke said.
Between Ezra’s shoulder blades, on his spine, he had the same triangular mark as the others. Lines branched in three directions into smaller circles and sharp points. A small filled circle marked the triangle’s upper right, and another sat centered below the base.
Zeke pointed to the filled circles. “These two weren’t there before. We all have them now.”
“The book had them,” Cyn said, pulling on his boot again. “It had five. One on the left at the top, and two on each side of the one at the bottom.”
Ezra turned, buckling his belt after tucking in his shirt. “The five of us.”
“So, what? Our marks will change as we bond?” Ash rubbed his hand over his beard. “Nyriths don’t have marks, Ezra. What the hell does this mean? Why is it on the book?”
“I don’t know,” Ezra said, dark brows drawing in. I knew he didn’t like not having answers. “But the book brought us to her, and we all share the mark. It means something.”
Zeke frowned. “More than our Nyrith connection?”
“Ash said it,” Cyn said, standing. “Nyriths don’t have marks.” His intense gaze settled on me, and a shiver went down my spine.
He didn’t have to say a word for me to know this new revelation fed his suspicions. We’d never overcome our issues until he believed I wasn’t manipulating the situation.
The doorbell rang, saving me from his scrutiny for now. But I knew I’d have to face it sooner or later.
It took all day, but after the movers finished, we made a quick trip to the pharmacy, then took the bus into town to meet Maya and Trudy at a Chinese buffet.
Maya wanted to do one last bar crawl with me, but Trudy wasn’t old enough to drink yet, and I didn’t want to teleport to Elyrdin with alcohol in my system. I’d probably vomit everywhere. Besides, I had no idea what awaited me on the other side. I needed my wits about me.
When I said the guys hadn’t left town yet, Maya insisted I bring them along.
So now we sat around a long table, eating all-you-can-eat Chinese food.
Trudy’s eyes kept moving between the guys and me. I knew, just knew, Maya had already run her mouth about what she thought of me starting something with the four of them.
If she only knew…
“I can’t believe you’re leaving,” Trudy said, pushing mushrooms around on her plate. “I thought you’d take over the shop since Shane moved.”
I glanced at Ezra.
He’d told me Lymsrana worked her magic concerning Shane with Diane and the girls. Apparently, they thought he’d had a family emergency and needed to relocate without notice. Diane said she never saw movers, but figured he’d handle it once the family drama died down.
Not likely.
“I didn’t plan to stay with the shop forever,” I said, choosing the truth. I didn’t want to spend my whole life working in a trinket shop.
“Don’t blame you,” Maya said. “Soon as I save enough money, I’m moving to the coast.”
“Your mama isn’t gonna let you get away with that.”
She pointed her fork at me. “I’m taking Ma with me. She wants to retire with sand between her toes.” She looked at Ash. “So, you guys heading back home?”
“Yeah. It’s time we got home. Duty calls.”
“I hear that. Work sucks,” Maya said, oblivious to his real meaning. “Think you’ll come back to the Carolinas?”
“Maybe one day,” Ezra said when her gaze landed on him.
Zeke came back to the table, taking his seat. “They have so much food.”
“You can go back, you know,” Cyn said, eyeing the mountain of food on Zeke’s plate.
I caught Trudy’s dreamy look as she watched Zeke dig in.
Maya’s foot nudged my shin, and she raised her brows at me, mouthing, “Oh my god.”
My eyes widened, and I shook my head, urging her not to make a big deal of it.
She rolled her eyes, sat back, and took a long sip of her tea.
The rest of dinner went much the same.
The guys answered questions about everything from food to movie plots with Trudy, while I fielded Maya’s curiosity, trying not to reveal too much while also avoiding outright lies.
Cyn caught onto Trudy’s crush on Zeke, but since Zeke stayed oblivious, Cyn didn’t act up like I expected. Maybe he could be diplomatic when necessary.
By the end of dinner, my chest tightened with the knowledge I’d likely never see Maya or Trudy again. So when Maya wrapped her arms around me beside her car, squeezing tight, I let her.
“You look happier,” she whispered in my ear.
“Do I?”
“I’ve seen you happy, but I’ve also seen you pretend to be happy more often. This is different.” She smiled at me. “They’re good for you.”
I glanced at the guys standing around Trudy as she rambled about something I couldn’t hear, giggling anytime Zeke spoke.
“Take care of her,” I said, deflecting from myself.
“You know I will.” Maya squeezed my arm, drawing my attention away from Trudy. “Promise you’ll keep in touch as much as you can.”
My lips flattened, brows tightening.
“I know there’s more to you up and moving like this.”
“Maya—”
“You don’t have to say anything. Just promise me you’ll call me if you can. Hell, send a damn email like a respectable adult.”
I laughed, even as my eyes prickled with heat.
“We need to go,” Ezra said, approaching us.
Maya wrapped me in another big hug before Trudy stepped in and joined us.
When they pulled out of the parking lot, my shoulders sagged.
“It’ll be okay,” Ash said, drawing me to his side.
I appreciated that he didn’t make empty promises that I’d see them again. None of us knew what Cornaith planned. Maybe I’d get to return to Earth once he determined I posed no threat. Or maybe I’d never get to leave Elyrdin again. I wasn’t human, after all.
“Once we return to the house, we need to gather what you want to bring into the living room. As long as it’s in the circle we make, it’ll teleport with us,” Ezra said, pulling me from my thoughts.
Zeke smiled at me like an eager puppy. “Ready to see your new home?”
I rolled my eyes and shrugged.
“You’re going to love it, I promise.” Zeke took my hand and pulled me toward the bus stop with the guys following close behind.
“My aunt always did say I was going to Hell.” I shook my head. “If she only knew.”