Chapter 24
twenty-four
LIV
After we ate, Niall kneeled between my thighs until I came on his tongue, then draped me over the countertop and fucked me until we were both exhausted.
We showered, then tried the baking show.
Niall was right. I lasted about three minutes.
We turned on an action TV show we'd been watching together before everything went to shit, instead. By the time the fourth episode ended, I was itching to do something, even without my magic forcing me to get up.
My restlessness amused Niall endlessly.
Guess some things didn't change.
We cleaned out his home studio together, stuffing plants in trash bags as the sun went down. My magic buzzed when we weren't touching, but because we were actively moving, it didn't really bother me.
Niall touched or brushed up against me every chance he got, but he would've done that even before it affected me like it did now.
Larson sent us and the other fae royals a group message to let us know that he'd be ready to restart the spell in a few days. Merrily and Darius had volunteered to help.
After doing the math, I realized I had two months' worth of work to do at the orchard if we worked every other day, so the next morning, we picked up drinks and breakfast from the Werewolf Cafe and went back there.
Niall followed me around in his gigantic grizzly form all day. With his furry side touching me, my nose didn't bleed, and my head didn't ache.
Gwen showed up alone with the lunch we ordered, and when she realized we were mated, she gave us a wide-eyed congratulations. She clearly thought we were insane.
We were, so her judgment didn't particularly matter.
We spent the next day moving stuff from Niall's studio in the Spellcaster Sector to the one in the house. Including a stack of nude portraits of me. He said they were going on the home studio's walls whether I wanted them there or not.
I didn't protest. I had no problem with him getting horny and coming to find me while he was working.
A few more days passed like a dream, between the orchard and the scent of paint that now lingered in my house again.
Our house.
He was mine, and it was so fucking surreal.
After trading texts back and forth, we headed over to Merrily's place. We were meeting Larson, Rob, and Darius there, for the sake of her comfort.
Now that Niall and I were mated, my own comfort was pretty much guaranteed, and her magic was a pain in the ass.
I filled Niall in on the drama between Merrily and Grayson Darke—I hadn't told him they were fated while we were together, because he didn't know about fated mates then—while we walked there, hand in hand.
We could've driven, but I kind of missed running, and my feet were fully healed so Niall didn't protest. It was nice to move my body even when my magic didn't force me to.
Niall and I were the first ones there, so the door was locked. I typed the code in, knowing Merrily wouldn't get up to answer the door any more than Callum did, even now that he had Kat.
"Do you know what tomorrow is?" Niall asked me mentally, as I opened the door.
It was our original anniversary. The day we met at an art gallery, seven years earlier.
When I explained to him that my magic was driving me crazy and needed an outlet, we had sex in a bathroom for the first time. He wrote his phone number on my arm with a pen we found in there, and told me to call him the next time my magic was bothering me.
I'd called him the next day.
And the next.
And the next.
We'd hardly been apart, after that.
"Of course I remember. I just wasn't sure whether or not you'd want to do anything about it. We could celebrate the mating anniversary, instead."
"No. Our relationship isn't about fate, Livvy."
It was about two people who loved being around each other. The chemistry we had. The fun we had.
"Do we call it our second fifth anniversary, our sixth anniversary, or our seventh?" I wondered. We'd broken up a week after our fifth, so neither label was accurate.
"I still painted you on the sixth, so I'm sticking with seventh."
My lips curved.
Of course he had, and of course he was. Niall had considered us together even when we weren't.
"We're here, Mer," I called out, as we walked through the kitchen and into the massive living room she spent most of her time in.
Her favorite couch was empty.
Huh.
Niall frowned too. He knew she was usually sitting right there.
"Maybe she's in her bedroom. Wait here." I released his hand. My magic rushed back in, and I let out a breath.
I was getting more used to the rush, but it was still a lot.
Niall watched me leave. "Let me know if it gets overwhelming."
"I'll be fine, but thanks."
I walked past the sunroom she kept with more couches and a ton of windows, the dark room with the blackout curtains and even more couches, and finally reached her bedroom.
The door was open, and the bed was made neatly.
"Mer?" I called out.
"In the closet," she called back.
I slipped inside.
She slowly, carefully, folded a long-sleeved shirt before lowering it to the opening of a duffel bag made of fuzzy fabric, and dropping it in.
"Are you packing a bag?" I asked, surprised.
"Yeah." She made a face. "I decided to show up at Grayson's house instead of waiting for him to abduct me. I'm only going to stay long enough that we can figure out what to do about the bond. I'm hoping he'll agree to drop it, or leave things the way they are."
"Meaning…"
"We both live our own, separate lives, and he feeds on me during the night."
"You don't want the benefits of having a fated mate?"
"I don't think our lives and schedules are compatible enough for me to reap those benefits."
I blinked. "That's one way to look at it."
She looked quickly down at her bag, and admitted quietly, "My mother couldn't handle the intensity of a full fated mate bond. She lost herself in it. I'm not willing to take the risk."
That made more sense.
Niall's mind brushed mine. The intimate sensation had me fighting a smile. "Larson and Rob are here, and Darius just pulled up."
"They're about ready. Can I help you pack?"
"Please do."
"We'll be out in a few minutes," I told Niall.
"No rush. No one has anywhere else to be."
Merrily stepped back, and I packed her bag as she quietly instructed me on what to include. We moved to her bathroom after we were done in the bedroom, and when we were done there, she had me grab her laptop, phone, and charger. I carried everything to her car for her afterward.
When everything was packed and ready, she gave me a small, worried smile.
"Thank you."
"Any time. I'd hug the shit out of you, if you weren't so sensitive."
"I'm sure a hug wouldn't sound nearly as horrible if I weren't."
I grinned, and she slipped her hands into the extra-long sleeves on her shirt as we walked back inside.
We found Darius making coffee for everyone. There were decaf lattes waiting on the countertop for me and Mer, and he winked as he slid them over to us.
Niall took my hand, and my magic chilled out immediately.
Damn, that felt good.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
"Yeah. I'll explain after we're done with the magic."
Larson announced, "We're all ready for the spell."
Merrily carefully sat in a large, cushioned chair set up next to the table. She was there as backup, not to power the magic.
Darius dropped into the chair Lars waved him toward. Larson sat beside him, and I sat next to Lars, with Niall taking the seat beside mine. Our hands remained connected as Larson held out both of his own palms.
"Has everyone said their prayers and goodbyes?" Larson checked.
Rob grimaced. "Here we go again."
"Lars," Niall growled.
Larson flashed his brother a grin. "I was joking."
"Let's get on with it," Darius drawled.
Larson wiggled his fingers to remind us to give him our hands. He had redone the black polish on his nails, still aiming to soften me up apparently.
I set my hand in his.
Darius did the same.
"Breathe. This is going to suck," Larson warned, before the orb that was the spell started to glow brightly. I watched it closely, waiting for the intense drain on my magic as it started up.
The sudden yank definitely had some kick to it, as it set in and started draining my energy, but it was much weaker than it had been the last time.
"What's the verdict? Is it going to try to kill me again?" I asked Niall mentally.
"Nah, we should be good this time." He lifted our intertwined hands, kissing my knuckles lightly. "Where should I paint you naked for our seventh anniversary? We haven't used the hot tub."
"I'm thinking we drive out to some place in the orchard."
Niall lifted an eyebrow. "And risk the wolves finding us?"
"Since when are you afraid of being caught with me? Your twin brother literally walked in on us fucking."
"We don't talk about that." He poked my side lightly. The gesture was playful. "Alright. The orchard it is. We'll bring you something to sit on, and we'll text the Alpha to make sure the wolves stay away from us."
I started to get a little dizzy as the spell on the table burned brighter. Darius clenched his teeth. Larson let out a slow breath.
Rob walked to the nearest window, peering up at the sky. "Holy shit, it's working."
"You said you were sure it would." Niall's growl was back.
"Being sure it will work in theory and seeing the actual sun are completely different." Rob continued staring outside.
The light on the spell flared one last time, before the threads that made up the magical orb slowly dissipated into nothing. The pull on my magic vanished as the spell came to an end exactly the way it was supposed to.
"Thank god," I said, slouching back against the chair. "Let's never do that again."
"Agreed." Larson was already on his way to the window. He stared out at the sun for a solid minute before he pinned Rob's back against the glass, and kissed him deeply. Niall and I exchanged grins.
We'd both been waiting for them to finally seal their bond. Hopefully, the time was coming.
Niall scooped me up and carried me to the window, even though my legs were working just fine. We looked out at the sunshine too, watching the rays of morning light bathe the forest behind Fae Row, making everything glow warmly
The rain was gone.
Finally.
And we never needed to do this again.
Merrily and Darius joined the rest of us. Dare whistled, and Merrily sighed.
Having the sun's warmth had always been less overwhelming for her than feeling the rain on her skin.
Niall and I hugged Rob and Larson, after the spellcasters stopped making out.
"No more spells that involve my mate," Niall warned his brother, as he smacked him on the back. "And I'd better be your best man at the mating ceremony."
"Liv already called it, sorry." Larson winked at me.
Niall grinned as he shoved him away.
The spellcasters packed their stuff, and we sat back down with Darius as they headed out, their fingers laced together all the way out the door.
As soon as they were gone, Merrily sat back down in her chair at the table, and the rest of us did too.
"You're going to Darke's place today?" Darius asked her.
Mer nodded. "I'm not dealing with an abduction on his schedule."
"So you're going to show up at his house and tell him you're letting him take you willingly?" Dare checked.
"Something like that." She sighed quietly, closing her eyes. "I shouldn't be gone too long."
"Is that a plan, or a guess?" I asked.
"A little bit of both. Grayson is… unpredictable." She chose the word carefully.
"Feral, you mean." Darius tossed back.
"That's not inaccurate."
"Want a ride to his place?" I asked.
She shook her head. "I'll manage it. I need to have my car, since I'll be all the way across the city."
"We can take two vehicles," Niall offered.
Merrily hesitated before finally saying, "I should be able to handle it."
"You'll be a lot more ready to face Darke if someone else drives," I pointed out. "Just let us help you, Mer."
She agreed, reluctantly, and we all left together.
Darius took the wheel of her car. Niall and I followed them, my Lambo's windows rolled down the whole way. The rock music we both liked was playing from the speaker, but not blaring.
"You make my life so much more chill," I told my mate. "We should've bargained seven years ago."
"I'm glad we didn't. We wouldn't be us if we had."
He was right.
And what we were was worth the wait.
I hoped the same would be true for Merrily.