Page 27 of Truth
“It’s not you. Its just – its – to have a male mate and a female mate is rare.” He looked around, focusing on anything but me. “I am still getting used to the idea.”
“What idea?” I questioned.
“Having a man as my – partner.”
“What do you see when you look at me?” I asked before remembering I forgot the spoon for the tray. I searched for the drawer, seeking out the utensil.
“I see a male.” He offered, as if I was not aware of that information.
“How do you feel about that?” I fidgeted with the spoon, trying to get the position perfect.
“I don’t feel- “
“I asked how you felt. Not having a feeling about something as distinguishable as this is not plausible. We are not simply discussing your propensity between pleurotus and chanterelle mushrooms. I am a being.”
“I’m confused. When I look at you, I feel confused.” He admitted.
“Why?” I suppose the answer did not matter so much, but his presence didn’t confuse me, I welcomed it.
“Everything I’ve known has told me that life and happiness revolves around a male and his woman.” He divulged.
I tilted my head to the side and took a step closer, “How do you feel now?”
He licked his lip. “Nervous.”
“Why?” I questioned, as I took one more step closer, allowing six inches of space between us.
He rubbed his palm on his thigh, “Nervous because your closeness feels right, when I know it should be wrong.”
“My people do not define love based on society and their standards. They do not base their wants and their needs on the way others live around us. Caring for me, having my closeness feel right, should not be made invalid because of the thoughts and opinions of those whose minds are not open. If I need a drink of water while others prefer to drink wine, does that make my need for water any less real?”
He swallowed hard, his eyes staring at my chest instead of meeting my gaze, “No.”
“Your embarrassment does not agree with my emotions.” I admitted, before pulling my thoughts together. I placed my hand on my chest, “Your rejection of who I am gives me pain here.”
He smirked, and I found the look attractive, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, feeling as though his words were true. “I accept.”
A slight hiss from the kettle alerted me that the water was almost done, and I turned to collect it when Justice’s hand grasped my upper arm. I stopped, turning my body back to him. “You never told me how you feel when I stand this close.”
It is true; I did not divulge that information because I did not know he sought it. “When you are close to me like this, I feel at peace.”
“At peace?” He questioned and though he was attractive, I sometimes wondered if my mate wasn’t the most intelligent.
“My thoughts, past visions, worries, do not seem important enough to plague me when either of you are near.”
He nodded slowly, as if he understood, and I took the movement as a dismissal, but when I lifted my foot to move, he grabbed onto my rope of hair, and round it around his fist, before pulling me back to him. My back clashed with his chest before I turned to face him, our chests touching. The yellow of his eyes traveled over my face, my neck, his mark embedding in my skin without a word. He was shorter than I was, though I suspect we might be matched in strength. His power rippled off of him and I couldn’t help but think of how borrowing that power he so willing dispensed would help our other mate, Liberty.
“I want to be clear.” He swallowed, “The fates have given me gifts, and I will admit, I was an asshole about it. I didn’t know what to do, or how to handle it. But now? Now I have decided that if the fates find me worthy, then I must not let them down. I won’t reject either of you, I just- I don’t know how-“
I am unsure what forces were at work, but I do admit, I doubt they were my own. He was standing in front of me, stumbling, trying to find his words, then his back was against the counter, his body caged in by my arms as my lips clashed with his. My size loomed over him and though he was the alpha of his people, he didn’t try to fight or break away. His fingers held tight to my tunic, his tongue toyed with the seam of my mouth and despite the act being new and unchartered, together, we felt right.
It was right.
Despite his influences and ill placed beliefs, having his fingers graze against my skin, across the mark of his seal, felt right.
He bit my lip, and though I was experienced in magic, though I spent my whole existence managing and perfecting the art, the moment his teeth captured my lip, sending sparks of tiny pleasure shooting through my body, I let it slip. The magic I wrapped around me so well that I nearly forgot I was holding it flickered and fizzled until the glamour I wore disappeared.