Page 37 of Truth
His face turned red, “I only mean that your mates are attracted to you without mating rituals.”
“I see.” I popped a grape in my mouth, “and you?”
“And I what?”
“Does the attraction include favor from you?” I watched as he shifted where he stood.
“I find you prettier than the morning dew that blanketed my herb garden at my cottage.” Well shucks. I rarely search for compliments, but one delivered by him, with such heartfelt meaning, sent little pitter patters of joy straight to my soul.
“How does mating go for your species?” I was curious. He wasn’t like the others in most typical things, and though he tried to take care of me, he never once tried anything besides that kiss two weeks ago.
“We mate as humans do.”
I mean, I assumed so, and the thought of Lenin in the throes of passion had me nearly fanning myself. “I meant, what are the typical dating rituals?”
“Oh.” He paused, “There are not many of us left. Usually our pickings are scarce for mates. But, if we found a female that was adequate, we usually demonstrate our desire to provide and comfort until she invites us into her chambers.”
My heart skipped at the thoughts of him drawing me a bath and making me tea, even lifting me the extra few inches to look out the window was just him trying to prove his worth. Giving up his seat to Justice, making small offers and actions towards him was all Lenin trying to prove his adequacy. I suspected that out of all the men here, he was the one who felt the most, but spoke the least. He rarely talked unless needed, but when he did, each word held a meaning spoken with precision.
“Would you have picked me?” I questioned him, even knowing it was making him uncomfortable. Sometimes in a relationship, even one as weird and crazy as ours, you have to get uncomfortable.
He picked up his spoon and fidgeted with it, an act that was very much not Lenin. “I always pictured myself with my kind. It’s my job as a male to ensure bloodlines and make the population that is dwindling prosper.” My heart sank at his admission. The truth was, I never would have picked these men, but now, I couldn’t imagine life without them. He cleared his throat, “But, now that I have met my mates, I could never look at another ogre female again.”
I leaned my elbow on the table as I eyed him. Beside me Oak stayed eerily quiet, as if he didn’t want to miss a moment of my conversation with Lenin. “By choice or by fates’ accord?”
“I did not mean to make confusion of my words.” He tapped the utensil once against the table before he leaned toward me, his enormous size nearly engulfing the table between us, “Even if the fates hadn’t paired me with you, I still wouldn’t be able to take my eyes off of you. You glow like the sun streaming through the forest trees, and my soul sings when yours is near. I do not care that you are a gift from the fates, though I thank them daily. I only care that you will remain mine.”
Did the weather just raise like ten degrees out here? This time, I couldn’t help but fan my face, and beside me Oak snorted. “Literally the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
Lenin leaned toward me, and for a moment, I thought he would kiss me. That was until Oak broke in, “If you kiss her this close to me, I will vomit.” I turned and glared, and he just shrugged, “Look, it’s bad enough seeing you naked with Sterling and Ellis and I’ve grown up with them. But Lenin? He is literally six inches away and I can smell both of your want.”
“Your Oak has a point. It is disrespectful.” Lenin sat back down, looking a little uncomfortable and more than a bit confused over what had overtaken him.
“And Justice?” I was curious. He’s poetic with his words, but I couldn’t imagine Justice being described as sunshine and dew.
For the first time I saw Lenin smirk as he thought of our shared mate, “Justice is very –“ he paused, searching for the word, “strong. Not just physically, but also in his personality. However, when he allows you to see past his arrogance, he is enjoyable.”
Well, damn. I hadn’t given much thought to the images of their closeness these last few weeks. I gave him a coy look, “You like him then.”
“The fates have been kind.”
Another snort from Oak, a snort which I opted to ignore.
That they have. I wiggled in my seat, deciding to change the subject, as just the thought of them together was making me rub my thighs together. Damn, this is not a good sign. Not now at least. “So we leave tomorrow?”
“We do. I need you to be okay splitting up.” Lenin demanded, “If we don’t liberate what we can, when we can – we lose the element of surprise.”
I wasn’t okay with splitting up. In fact, the mere thought of being away from my mates at all made my stomach turn. But they agreed that we couldn’t all be at the same place at once and if we did, the surprise would be lost. She could trap us. Corner us. Take us all out and then our mission to overthrow her would fail.
Instead, Justice and Horo are taking their pack to Mount Rushmore, using their ability of scent and navigation to break into the camp hidden within. Lenin and Ellis will meet with Ramsey, where they will go to Uckenmark. And as for Oak, Sterling and Michelle, they will be accompanying me to Switzerland, where we will seek the carving of a lion and see what secrets are stored in the rocks behind it. Everyone was confident, secure in their tasks, but me. For me, the thought of parting was painful, like tearing a piece of my soul from my body – a piece that might not return. But they made the right decision, of that I am certain. My magic is stronger when I’m near Oak and it compliments Michelle’s. And if those strengths were not enough, Sterling would be there to patch me up.
I hated that they placed so much value on my life that they were willing to risk their own. I hated that I knew they were right. But if one of my men got injured, I would break. This I knew. I would be scattered down to a shell of a person.
As if Oak knew the turmoil that was flooding me, he cleared his throat, “It will be fine, you know.”
Matter of opinion. “Have you figured out what we plan to do with all these people if we do free them?”
Oak popped his neck, a sound that made my eye twitch and my love for him lessen. He smiled widely, knowing that I thought the sound was the worst in the world, “Ellis knew some people. A lot of people actually.” He seemed complexed at the thought of how, “There is a native tribe close to Rushmore that is volunteering to take on who they free, at least temporarily, which is enough for us at the moment. Though I suspect the small tribe might be in for a shock if the sheer amount is anything like Michelle has stated. At the concentration camp, there is a sizeable amount of 757s on standby to whisk them away to England where Ramsey has rented a massive piece of land, and Sterling has purchased enough supplies and tents to keep them going. It won’t be the best situation, but I suspect it will be better. Again, temporary.”