Chapter 12
twelve
MERRILY
Grayson's shadows shut and locked every door behind us as he carried me into a hallway, through the locker room, and to a long wall of showerheads with dividers to separate them.
The room was completely empty, but the noise from the insane number of people in the building floated in lightly, preventing it from being eerily quiet.
Grayson started the water in one of the large stalls, and took my face in his hands while he waited for it to warm. "I don't want you to fight my battles."
"Then you shouldn't have abducted me, because there's not a fae on this planet who would sit back and let their mate fight someone else while there was something they could do about it. If you want to fight your actual friends for fun, fine, but never this."
I gestured in the direction of the cage. "Our city isn't a fucking democracy. If someone has a problem with the very few rules we enforce, they can send a fucking petition, and I'll consider it. If they have a problem with you, I can show them the door. We don't—"
He kissed me again.
It was a soft, sweet kiss. Like the one he'd given me in the cage.
I gasped into his mouth when he dragged me beneath the hot water in the shower while his tongue stroked mine. Hot water stung my skin as he pulled away.
"I can't believe you walked out there in this." He hooked his fingers in the bottom hem of my sports bra, tugging lightly.
"I needed to look like a real fighter. It was way more dramatic this way.” I let out a soft breath. "People are going to know what my bargain marks are for. Exposing them was probably a bad call. They only whispered about it, before."
"Everyone is aware of the nature of the bargains you make, Love.”
I eyed him. "You're not going to try to stop me after we seal the bond, right?"
"No. I'll be going with you, though. Someone could attempt to use the situation to take advantage of you."
"My team researches every case before I make a move. I make it part of the bargain that I don't kill them until I have evidence. My spellcasters have created magic that gets the evidence easily and painlessly."
"I'll still be going with you. What would you do if your magic overwhelmed you?"
"Dare usually waits in the car while I handle it. If my magic gets rough, I text him, and he helps me get out."
"What does your magic feel like to you? Callum summarized, but I want to hear your explanation.”
"Everything is too loud, too overwhelming, too much.
I don't know whether to shrink and disappear or yell and fight, and I can't do either one.
I can't think clearly. My emotions are uncontrollable.
I survive on checklists and romance books and soft fabrics and quiet.
I even have to avoid the people I care about a lot of the time. "
"You should've come to me sooner." He cupped my face in his hand, tipping my head back.
I didn't open my eyes to meet his. I wasn't sure I could handle the eye contact.
"Have you ever had your life drained away slowly while going down on someone?
Because I could picture it. Vividly. You'd be between my thighs, trying to make me feel good, and I'd lose control of my magic because I always do.
The closer I got to climaxing, the more life I'd drain from you, until I had to scramble away because you were unconscious in my lap.
I knew you could take away my discomfort, but I didn't know you could survive my touch. "
"I can admit that doesn't sound ideal."
"No, it doesn't. What does your magic feel like to you?” I asked.
"It feels like a part of me. As my mate, the shadows should feel similar to you. The lust magic should feel like instant, automatic need. You probably felt it when we fucked in reality."
"Hmm. Can I feel it now?"
His magic rolled over me slowly.
Lightly.
To say I was instantly wet would be an understatement.
My hips arched.
My eyes shut again.
"You promised me a sealed mate bond, Love. Let's seal it." His voice was smooth in my ear. Soft, like the only fabric I could handle on my skin before. His lust magic faded away, but my heartbeat was still a little fast.
"Here?" I breathed. "Now?"
"Yes. I want you to be mine in every way."
I already was, so much more than I was willing to admit.
"Okay," I agreed. "Let's do it. I know the vows.”
Grayson took my hand, and his eyes locked with mine as we made the promises that would bind our minds and souls together for the rest of our immortal lives.
He kissed me when a ripple of magic rolled through us both, somehow linking our minds.
The wall that blossomed between us felt ethereal, just a thin whisper of something separating us. I wasn't sure whether to find the intimacy of that connection calming or unsettling.
"The bond feels fucking weird," Grayson said through the connection, and I jerked away from him. He flashed me a grin, amused by my surprise. It felt like his voice was inside my head.
"It's bizarre," I admitted, speaking aloud.
I was on board with the mate bond, and figuring out what we were together, but I didn't know if I was ready to be in his mind.
We washed up, and Grayson found a spare pair of clothes in the locker he kept there. I took the shirt he had, and he put the shorts on.
I felt like a completely different person when I sat down in the passenger seat of his oversized Jeep wearing nothing but his t-shirt and significantly more of his shadows. The different feeling wasn't necessarily bad, but it still set me off balance.
I answered messages from my family while Grayson pulled away from the stadium, one of his hands resting on my bare thigh while his shadows danced on my skin. Even when we weren't touching, they eased my overwhelm so much that I felt the way I used to on my best days.
That was massive for me.
Dare
You are officially my idol
Wish I'd punched that asshole myself
Me
Did Rae get home okay?
Dare
She vanished in a poof of shadows as soon as the fight ended so idk
Pretty sure she can get out of any bad situation she might land herself in.
Me
Where did you go?
Dare
To a club near the stadium
Me
Alone?
Dare
You know I'm never alone
Me
You know what I mean
Dare
Callum and Kat are on their way over to babysit me
Me
Good
Dare
Callum's pissed that he missed the fight, btw
Liv is too
Me
I thought she was doing an anniversary thing?
Dare
They're leaving tomorrow morning, got distracted fucking in a bathroom again, probably
Me
I'll apologize later
Have fun at the club
Dare
Things good with you and Darke?
Me
I think?
Dare
Good luck
Me
You too
I maneuvered to my texts with Liv.
Liv
YOU DIDN'T TELL ME YOU WERE FIGHTING YOUR MATE, BITCH
I WOULD'VE BEEN THERE WITH MY FACE PAINTED AND EVERYTHING
I WOULD'VE MADE FUCKING SHIRTS
I bit my lip to hide a grin.
Me
I'm sorry
I didn't want it to seem like it was us against the demons
Liv
So you left me out on purpose
I see how it is
Me
In my defense, you were supposed to be doing your anniversary thing
Liv
I will give you grace just this once
But you have to tell me a secret in exchange. Something good. Something Darius doesn't even know.
Me
That's harsh
Liv
You left me out of a fucking fight!
I live for that shit!
Me
We sealed our bond today in a locker room, and agreed it felt bizarre afterward
Liv
Oh, that's good
Wait, bizarre?
Me
Very bizarre
Liv
You'll come around to it
I've loved it from the beginning
Me
You were in love with Niall for years before the bond, so that makes sense
Grayson and I are... well, I don't know if we'll ever have that
I'm not getting my hopes up
Liv
You love romance books
You want love, Mer
Me
Loving your fated mate is different
Liv
It’s not
Girls night in a few days to talk about your feelings?
Me
Only if you provide cider
Liv
You know it
But I'm bringing Niall
Me
He was always the best at girls' nights
Liv
The man knows emotions better than either of us
Me
Seriously
I'm glad we have him back
Liv
Me too
I've never really seen him interact with Kat though, I'm kinda worried about it
Me
Why?
Liv
I'm a possessive bitch
Me
Just fuck him in the bathroom again if you get possessive, that's your usual move
Liv
It does work pretty well
He's unusually good at bathroom sex
Me
Good thing you've already claimed him
Liv
Right
K gotta go
Good luck with the demon
Me
Thanks, love you
Liv
Love you too
Aww look, we can do emotions after all
I bit back a snort, and Grayson glanced over at me. "What?"
"Nothing."
His eyes narrowed. "What did Darius say?"
"I was texting Liv. It was just an inside joke."
My gaze remained trained on my phone as it buzzed with a message from Callum.
Callum
A fight?
That was your plan?
He sent a picture of me pummeling Grayson's grinning face. The shadows cushioning the blow were barely visible in the image.
I winced.
Me
He was fighting every day, and I had to make a statement somehow
Leon fucking BIT him
Callum
Then you should kill Leon next
Me
I was planning on it
Callum
Did you seal the bond?
Me
Yes
Callum
So my meddling was a success yet again
Me
I'm reluctant to admit that it was
Callum
He helps with your magic, right?
Me
Yes
His shadows even ease it when he's not touching me
Callum
Even when you're not together?
Me
Yup
Callum
Fuck
I bit my lip, feeling slightly guilty that he hadn't had the same help from his mate's magic.
Me
Maybe don't tell Kat
Callum
Too late
She feels a little bad
Me
I'd rather have a fluffy wolf snuggling me to ease my discomfort than an incubus demon making me horny all the time
Tell her we can trade mates
I want Kat, you can have Grayson
Callum
She says she'd miss me too much, but she thinks you're funny
I do not
I'd rather kill Darke than fuck him, and you can't have my werewolf
Now she’s complaining that I'm talking about her like she's an object again. I can't win.
Me
Is she reading over your shoulder while you text me?
Callum
Technically, she's sitting on my lap
Me
TMI
Callum
I just watched a video of you rolling around with your mate while both of you were mostly naked, in front of thousands of people
If one of us is scandalized, it's not you
Me
Okay, that's fair
Callum
Are things good between you?
Me
Not good, not bad
It could be worse
Callum
He was flirting with you in the video we saw
That seems like a good thing
Me
He's flirty, but I don't know how much is genuine
Callum
I'll get him to flirt genuinely
Me
Stay out of it
You've meddled enough
My phone buzzed with a message from Kat.
Kat
Sorry, he thinks meddling is the next step after a successful stalking
I've tried to get him to stop
Me
You haven't tried very hard, considering you guys told him all about fated mates without any prodding or threats
Kat
It was a moment of weakness
He looked so sad
And technically, he did break into our house
Me
What was he sad about?
Kat
You keeping the truth from him for so long
Has he made you fall in love with him yet?
Me
No, it's been like five minutes
He did mention it's his goal, though
Kat
Callum didn't even want me to love him when he wanted us to be real mates
I'm sure you guys will figure this out
Me
Well Callum's unhinged
Kat
That’s rude
Me
You've said it a dozen times!
Kat
I don't say it as an insult
Just as a fact
Me
I didn't mean it as an insult
My emotions are running high right now
Kat
You can apologize by forgiving us for meddling
Me
I see how it is
Kat
Please?
Me
Fine, I forgive you
We're doing a girls' night in a few days
I'm not updating anyone else on my love life again until then
Liv and Niall are bringing the cider, you can bring mini cupcakes
Kat
Why do they need to be mini?
Me
The mini ones taste better, idk why
Make sure you get them from the right bakery
Callum created a new group chat for the three of us. It was silly, but not surprising
Callum
We'll bring mini cupcakes from the right bakery
Kat
Can I invite Dare?
Me
I was planning on it, but he doesn't do emotions, so he'll probably say no
Callum
I'll make him show
Me
Thank you
Callum
Of course
Have you talked to Darke about the possible compatibility issues with his true form?
I did some research, I can send it over to you
Me
I will burn or erase anything you send about that
I'm officially blocking both of you
Kat
I'll take his phone
Good luck with Grayson!
She sent an emoji that looked like it was blowing me a kiss.
Kat was just as meddlesome as her mate, even if she was more sly about it.