Our family stands around in the sitting room. All the furniture moved to the side, except for two couches that were pushed side by side. I am sitting up on the one, Lupin lying down on the other, head on the side farthest away from me.
"You both need to lie down." Echo says, directing her comment at me. I roll my eyes but comply, putting my head away from Lupin so that we're looking at each other. Only he isn't looking at me. The cold-shoulder hurts and I look away. Only to be met with Rayan's imploring 'what did you do' face. I roll my eyes at her too.
"What exactly is going to happen?" I ask my sister as she studiously scrolls through her phone.
"Well, I'm going to cast the spell that Abby sent me." She glances up at me. "For you guys it should feel like falling asleep and then waking up inside of Zeke's realm." She looks back at the phone. "Easy peasy lemon squeezy." She sing-songs.
"Except." Lani starts, in warning. "Astral Projection is basically the separation of the soul from the body. The only time that happens naturally is in death. For the both of you to successfully Astral Project, a sacrifice is required." Echo purses her lips at Lani.
"Right, there's that too." My sister mumbles.
"We are not sacrificing anyone." Lupin states, sitting up.
"I vote we sacrifice Arrow." I announce with a smile, getting a little too much joy out of Lupin's irritated glare.
"We are not sacrificing anyone." Lupin states again, a little slower.
"I second the nomination." Rayan helpfully puts forth, hand raised in the air. I beam at her and she winks. Arrow gawks and then scoffs.
"We aren't sacrificing, people." He reminds us. "Lupin said so."
"I say we sacrifice Lupin." Rayen mutters. "For being a party pooper."
"I second the nomination." I announce, raising my hand high in the air. Rayen beams back at me and I grin.
"There is no need to sacrifice anyone." Lani interrupts.
"Boo." I say and stick out my bottom lip. Lupin swats at my feet and I laugh, pulling them away.
"Will you two listen to what the girl is trying to say." My sister reprimands us, still nose deep in her phone. We all quiet and turn back to Lani.
"The sacrifice isn't real," She continues. "It's more like a dream that you think is real. The spell will take the thing you love most and make you believe that you've lost it. The only thing you have to do is remember it's not real." I swallow taking in her words.
"Thing?" I ask and she shrugs.
"Typically it's a person," She says. "But I met someone who thought their car was being taken away." She shakes her head. "That guy was a douchebag." I chuckle easily.
"How long does it take?" She shrugs again.
"There's no exact science, typically ten to fifteen seconds." I nod and so does Lupin.
"Ok," My sister announces through her phone onto a nearby lounge chair. "I'm ready, let's get this show on the road." She walks toward us and Lupin lays back down.
She stops in between our couches and holds her hands out, palm down. She closes her eyes and tilts her head towards the sky. Her lips began to move, too fast to be perceptible. A sound like darkness and death screeches quietly from my little sister's mouth.
"Do all banshees have the ability to use magic?" Ava asks from the corner of the room.
"No." My brother responds.
"Lovely." Ava sighs. I look over at Lupin with a smile on my face, he smiles back at me and closes his eyes. My sister's chanting grows louder and I turn to look at her but the world goes black.
☽◐⬤◑☾
I'm in a room that I don't know. The walls are white. Everything is white, except a big colorful rug layed out in the middle of the floor. A little boy is crouched down and playing on the rug, making little sounds as his toy cars race each other. I stand behind him, his little back to me, his head covered in dark curls of black hair. I look around at the room trying to figure out what is happening. When I look back the boy has turned his head to peer at me over his shoulder. He's smiling joyously, so very happy to see me.
His blue eyes look up at mine with love and familiarity. His straight nose is scrunched up as he smiles, the corner of his eyes crinkled. I swear I don't know this little boy, but when he looks at me I feel an overwhelming sense of love. It's so strong I choke, coughing as he stands up and turns towards me. He runs full steam into my legs, wrapping his arms behind my knees. I hug him back reflexively and my heart chokes me a little more.
He moves back, arms still around me but looking up at my face. He smiles even brighter like he's excited to share something with me. For a moment I see something familiar in his eyes. It's the shape of them they're-
But before I can complete the thought his bright, swimming blue eyes fade and flatten. Turning to the glassiness that I have seen all to many times in the dead. His smile falls slowly and then so does he. I catch him and blink at the dying little boy. When his breath leaves his lungs and he goes still, I scream. I don't know why, but I feel my heart and soul leave with his life. As I hold the limp little boy in my arms I feel a sadness and misery I had never experienced before. I feel empty, so very empty. I scream into that void, scream and cry, begging for it to fill back up.
☽◐⬤◑☾
My eyes flew open and I sit up. Breathing hard and looking around, searching for the little boy. Instead I found Lupin sitting beside me, staring off into the distance. I reached over and touched his shoulder, he flinched and looked over at me.
"It wasn't real." I whisper, for the both of us. He nods and looks away, watching something that I can't see.
"I just watched everyone die. The entire Pack, my family, you." His voice breaks and I pull him to me, wrapping my arms around him.
"It wasn't real, Lupin." I remind him again.
"It felt real." I let that sit there because I understand. I didn't even know that boy and still I felt the pain and agony of his death.
"What did you see?" He asks me gently. I shake my head.
"I don't know. I didn't know him. He was just a little boy." My voice breaks at the memory of the sorrow and Lupin holds me tighter.
"Ah yes, Astral Projecting," I look up at Zeke's voice. "Nasty stuff." He says a delicate cringe on his face. Zeke is what you would expect of an ifrit, red skin, black horns, hair made of fire. But he sits there, behind his mahogany desk, in a black suit and bowtie. I look around the room that we're in, red walls, decorated with paintings, a nice fireplace and his desk. We're in Zekes office.
"Please, take a seat." He says a smile curling his lips. Lupin and I pull ourselves off the floor and sit in leather chairs situated in front of his desk. Zeke drums his fingers on the rim of his glass, a golden liquid sloshing at the bottom.
"No matter your age," Zeke starts. "When Astral Projecting, you always see the same person. So sometimes it happens that you have yet to meet said person that you see." He shrugs and takes a swig of his drink. "The real question is, who is that little boy?" Zeke smiles, flashing his white teeth.
"I don't have time for your word games, Zeke." I grit out, not appreciating his questions.
"Of course, my dear." He says setting down his drink. "How are you these days? It has been far too long. Last time I saw you was…" He pauses as if to think about it. "Ah yes." He says all too merrily. "You were serving Salem's punishment, I believe. Watching Him force you was-"
"Watch your tongue, Ezekiel, or I'll be forced to cut it off." I hiss, my monster in my voice. The wolf beside me snarls, eyes glowing full silver. Zeke tsks and glances over at Lupin.
"Ah, the mate. Don't worry, dear, it was nothing sexual. It never is, He doesn't do things that way, at least not publicly." He smiles over at me, implying all too much. I snarl at his leer.
"You know why we're here, Zeke."
"Of course, darling, I know everything," He says, taking another sip of his drink. I grit my teeth knowing he's going to make me say it.
"We need to know where Eros is hiding, she's taken all the vampires, you'll know where they are." He nods confirmation, downing his glass and then clicking it on the table.
"You know, He told me you'd be coming." I freeze at his words. "Told me to tell you what I know and to let you go." He drums his fingers again and meets my eyes. "He's got a plan, Fable Walker, and you're walking right into it." I swallow down the fear and pain, nodding once.
"I understand that." I responded. "Now tell me where to find her."
"Can't do that yet, He also told me that he would like to speak with you." He glances up at me, peering through his eyelashes. "He'd like to make a Deal." I shutter at his words, the magic of the Deal shaking through the walls. "In three months time you, and your mate, are invited to the Underworld's Court, no one will be harmed and you and yours will be let out safely." He smiles at the mortification on my face. I don't want to go back. Don't make me go back.
"No." Lupin answers, knowing my fear. "We're not going."
"It's not your Deal, wolf." Zeke responds, eyes still on me. I look over at Lupin and his eyes grow wide.
"No, we are not going, Fable. I will not let that man near you." I place a hand on the shaking, rage-filled wolf.
"We have to know what He's after. Carter is many things but He is true to His word. Somehow He worked His way around it. We have to know what He's after, because He can't be after me." Lupin clenches his jaw and looks away, knowing I'm right. I look back at Zeke and the ifrit smiles wider.
"You have a Deal." I say bitterly, the words like sandpaper scraping up my throat. I can feel the magic tighten, locking into place. The small vibrations that were working through the room stand still. The realization of what I'd agreed to hits me and I almost cry. Zeke continues to smile, overjoyed at my trauma.
"Excellent," He sings. "You'll find Eros at the old opera house on the west side of town. You'll know it when you see it." His eyes glint a light of mischief when he looks at me. "Be warned the woman has some magic of her own." I sigh, ignoring his warning for now, letting the relief float off of me.
"Thank you, Zeke." The ifrit laughs.
"Don't thank me, Fable. I chose the winning side, and you are what you are Banphrionsa na Sceimhle, Máistreás Arrachtaigh, an Tromluí Beo." I flinch at the words. Brands that I wear like chains around my neck. The monster looms in my eyes and Zeke freezes. I tilt my head to the side, in a very predatory manner.
"Be careful what you say, Ezekiel, you might be proven right." The mask I know so well, slides on easily and I smile at the ifrit. He visibly flinches and moves back, knowing quite well what I really am and what I am capable of. I feel the wolf watching me and look back, regarding him out of the corner of my eyes. I smile murderously, aiming to prove my point, he doesn't know me and he can't love this. But his face is impassive, unfeeling. I glance back up at Zeke.
"Send us back, now." The next thing I know the worlds gone dark.
☽◐⬤◑☾
I sit up with a start, gasping for air. Going in had been like falling asleep, coming out had felt like diving under water. Only the dive was too deep and soon I found myself at a loss for air. My chest heaved up and down, beyond grateful for oxygen. I looked around. Lupin sat in front of me, still on the couch, equally out of breath and searching. Everyone was still in the room, in the same places, eyes wide at our sudden reaction.
"Did it work?" Echo asked, lips pursed and shoulders tense. I nodded and she relaxed visibly.
"You didn't think it would work?" I asked, my voice still breathy. My sister shrugged.
"I've never performed this spell and I didn't know all of the specifics about Zeke's pocket realm. It was totally possible that he wouldn't let you enter at all." My breathing finally evened out and I gave my sister a look.
"You couldn't have said this before you sent our spirits tumbling towards Zeke's realm?" My sister flashed a cheeky smile at my question.
"I could have." I rolled my eyes at her.
"Did you find out the information?" Tristan asks, interrupting what was sure to be an epic sibling battle. I smile, choosing to feel truphant, despite Zeke's revelations.
"Yes." I answer and the predators in the room smile.
I glance over at Lupin, who hasn't said a thing, still sitting on the couch. But when I look I find his eyes boring into me. He stares, hard and dark, almost haunting. I see sadness in his eyes, and terror. But most of all I see a desperation I can't fathom. I see a thousand different emotions in his look, and they pool into his eyes, the eyes that I always found impossible to paint, making it impossible once more.
I flinch back, almost as if his gaze burned me. I can feel the pain in his soul. Pain that he feels when he looks at me. It makes me want to cry. Knowing that I am the cause of these emotions, these horrible beautiful feelings.
"What?" I ask, not sure what it is. An accusation? A question? A fear?
"We need to talk." Lupin answers. The beautiful colors in his eyes swirling and halting in a serious grey.
"That's never good." Arrow muttered. I snapped my head to him, glaring, and my brother flinched. "Well, it's not." He defended.
"Out." I hissed and the room emptied in record time. I looked back at Lupin, the serious glint still in his eyes as he regarded me. It unnerved me and irrationally pissed me off. "What?" I demanded, again, this time a certain accusation. Lupin launched off the couch, pacing across the room, fingers running through his hair.
"I'm done, Fable." He said, turning to face me, shoulders tense and lips pursed. "I'm done with the cards and the secrets and pretending we don't care." I grimace, my heart pierced and stretching against my ribs. "Who are you?" I grunt and look away from him. I'm not ready to give him up, to tell him who I am and watch him, inevitably, leave me. I refused to be the downfall to the little hope I had for us. And I had very little, for I knew better than to hope.
"I'm not ready for this, Lupin." I whispered the words and watched him deflate, just slightly.
"Well I just watched you die," His voice breaks on the word. "So I don't care whether you're ready or not." His face is that of an avenging angel, beautiful and yet so fierce. "Who. Are. You." He says each word clearly and with an undercut of something deep.
I look up at him and then away. I'm still not ready. Selfish, I know. But I can't lose him, I don't want to. But I will. I know I will. Knew it the moment I saw him on that street. Beautiful eyes and gentle soul. He is too much. Much more than I will ever be, and something I will never deserve. Yet still I cling to him, refusing to let go, unable to at this point. And so I stay silent. His hurt cascading into me like a wave of shattered glass.
The silence drags on until Lupin speaks. His words like lightning down my spine, and flames on my flesh.
"Banphrionsa na Sceimhle, Máistreás Arrachtaigh, an Tromluí Beo." He butchered the pronunciation but they stabbed all the same. He didn't know what the words meant, that they were made to break me down, but even in his ignorance it still hurt.
"You don't know what you're saying Lupin." I warned, my voice breaking despite myself.
"That's exactly my point, Fable." He said fiercely, desperately. "Why is it that all of these other people seem to know so much about you? Zeke called you it and so did Neil." He clenches his fists. "What does it mean?" I watched him for a long moment. My heart caught in my throat, I saw his anger and heartbreak. I could feel it. The intensity in which he wanted me to divulge my secrets to him, overwhelming. I knew the turmoil that built inside him every time I brushed him off. But he had always pushed it away, allowing me my space, my time. This time though, it was different, if I walked away it would be over. And for all my wanting and wishing. Knowing it would never be, and resigned to my unhappily ever after. I refused to be the cause of our breaking. I let the pain wash over me. I knew that this would break us either way. But still, I refused. I straightened, my back stiff and shoulders raised. Became what I was.
"Banphrionsa." I started, he held his breath, holding in the pain. "It's Irish. Where banshees originate from, it's our native tongue." I blinked and took a breath. "It means princess." He stared at me for a long time.
"You're the," He blinked. "Banshee Princess?" I smiled small and nodded. He squinted at me and I nodded again, knowing it was time to explain.
"Women in my family have always been the one to ascend the throne. That being said, arranged marriages still occurred, wanting the strongest hier." I licked my lips and looked up at him. "I've explained before that the Keeners used to be our rulers but before they abandoned us they left behind a suitable heir. A true half kenner and half banshee daughter, no humanity in her at all. Her name was Helena, she was our first queen and my ancestor." Lupin sat down on the seat across from me. "She married the strongest banshee male and they produced an heir, and then that heir married the strongest banshee male and they produced an heir, this went on for generations. Until my mother." I smiled at the mention of her. "You could say that humanity caught up with our traditions and it was decided that my mother would marry for love. So my mother met my father, they were mates, and they did just that, married for love. What no one was expecting was the strongest union ever to be seen before. My father is a pureblood banshee, five generations deep, if there is even a drop of human blood in him it is inconsequential. My mother is part keener and all banshee. And we?" I looked up at him, begging him to understand without my having to say it. "Their children? We are something no one can explain." I took a breath and looked away. "My oldest brother was three years old when they figured out how strong he was, and he was four when he brought the dog back to life." I chuckled darkly. "Salem has a power over the dead not seen since the Keeners. Arrow's obvious." I shrugged. "He was born wrapped in shadows. We knew it from the start." I took a breath. "With Echo it was our Aunt Abby who noticed her... difference. My sister is a Divine-Demonic, she was blessed at birth with Dark Divinity." Lupin raised a brow at me and I shrugged. "Yes, somehow my sister is a witch."
My mate scanned me up and down a sceptical look in his eyes.
"And what are you?" I huffed a dark laugh.
"They thought I was normal." I sighed. "Years passed and nothing happened. I never knew you weren't supposed to hear voices in your head." I shrugged. "I was eight. My brothers had decided it'd be funny to scare me. They did a whole thing with the lights, hid behind the staircase and when I turned the corner they jumped out. And it worked, they scared me, and I almost took off their heads." I huffed a laugh. "Probably would have, if my father hadn't been there." I looked back up at him, and met his eyes. "What I am, Lupin Hunt, is a shapeshifter." The man gasps, I see a light in his eyes I didn't expect.
"I suspected, but- what do you shift into?" I blinked at his excitement.
"I am a nightmare, Lupin. I am a monster comprised of terror." I couldn't help but smile at the brush of claws against my ribs. But my smile lessened as I remembered how the rest of the story went.
"Carter." My mate flinched at his name, feeling my pain. "He found out about our power, heard of the siblings that no one could explain. I was 17 when I fell through the floor and landed in the Underworld, at his feet. He trained us, taught us, made us and used us. For every failure I made, it was my siblings that were punished. They gladly took it in my stead while I couldn't bear it. It made us need to be perfect, to save each other." I looked down at my lap. "He named us, titled us, branded us, and in our native tongue just to spite it all." I looked up at him then, the sympathy in his eyes. "Banphrionsa na Sceimhle, Máistreás Arrachtaigh, an Tromluí Beo." I took a breath. "Princess of Terror, Mistress of Monsters, and The Living Nightmare. I became those things, and was known for those things. Time moves differently in the Underworld, three months passed for my parents, for us it was five years. We didn't age, didn't change, five years of torture and we were exactly the same." I paused as the memories flashed. "We made a Deal with Him, magically tied and unbreakable. The Deal was: we complete a trial that He creates for us, we go through it alone, and it lasts a year. If we pass then He lets us go and never comes after us again." A sob broke free. "We passed, Lupin, it should have worked."
At the break in my voice my mate came forward. He wrapped me in his arms and I never felt more right. My senses, full of his scent, forest and pine and sandalwood. His magic leaked out, only a little, but the monster inside of me growled with satisfaction. I closed my eyes against the breaking of my heart, pulling up my walls, preparing for the pain. I took a deep breath and pushed him away. His eyes met mine, shocked and confused as I stood up and worked my way around his crouched figure.
I paused for one second, that little piece of hope, a detriment to my heart. Lupin stayed staring at the place I had once sat, letting me leave. I knew it was going to happen, and had warned him and myself. You can't love someone enough to love me. All of me, the monster, the used, and the broken. I had known it, had braced for it, yet still it hurt. God, it hurt. As I moved across the room to the door, to escape. I willed myself not to cry, I didn't cry, I never cried. I would not cry. I swallowed down the lump in my throat, like a knife, but I continued on.
"Where are you going?" The words were barely more than a growl, quiet and deadly. It stopped me in my tracks, my instincts sensing the predator. But my monster ebated instantly at the realization that it was Lupin, our Mate, he would never hurt us. Only he would, he was.
"I was going to inform the others of what we learned." I cleared my throat attempting to sound as heartbroken-less as possible. "Or would you rather-" My breath caught when a low growl rumbled through the room.
"I am done with you Fable Walker." His voice was savage and reverberated with the wolf. My breath rushed out like a punch to my gut, as tears pricked my eyes. I knew it.
"I am done with this game. I am done with the questions and the worry. I am done with the stories of monsters and demons. And I am so very done with the heartbreak." His voice cracked. "You are the most magnificent creature I have ever beheld. You are everything I ever wanted and never knew I needed. I would love you even if you destroyed the entire world and I love you more knowing you never would. And I get it." He paused. "I get that you can't love me, it makes total sense only a stupid person would love me. But I need you to say it. I need you to break my heart, because I am done. I can't do it anymore, Fable. I can't watch you continue to walk away." My tears finally fell, I clenched my fists fingernails digging into my palms. Rage rushed through me, red and hot. I turned slowly, calculatingly, the monster inside thrashing at the insult to our mate. I met his eyes and the tension dissipated at the sight of my anger.
"Stupid?" I blinked at him, rage barely contained. "You think it's stupid to love you?" Tears rolled down my face at the very words. "You are the most caring, honest, and strongest person ever to exist. You are brave and patient and kind. You are everything, Lupin Hunt. And if it's stupid to love you then I am the stupidest person in the world. And if you dare offend my mate again I will skin you alive and turn your hide into a purse."
The look on Lupin's face nearly broke my heart all over again. He smiled, breathtaking, pure and utter joy, tears welling in his beautiful beautiful eyes.
"You love me?" He asked, voice rich with emotion.
"Love you?" I answered incredulously. It seemed too small a word to describe what I felt for him. Even when I had never let myself hope, I had still loved him with everything I had. I chuckled through my tears, but I suppose there was no other word for it. "Yes, I love you." It was as simple as that.
And in a moment that astounded me and that I would remember for the rest of my mortal life, Lupin Hunt stood up straight and declared, with magic in his voice.
"I, Lupin Thomas Hunt, here by state and claim before those of the Fates and the Realms, that I accept the Mating Bond between myself and Fable Renee Walker." I watched the little strand of his soul shoot out of his heart, like a golden spider web, and land in my chest. My heart skipped a beat as his essence worked its way through my body. Like energy through my veins and electricity on my nerves, my knees tried to buckle at the force of it but I kept myself up. When the drop of his soul was fully absorbed into my body, my brain caught up and I gasped. I snapped my head up and stared at him, wide eyed. I couldn't speak, I couldn't even breathe.
"I love you, Fable." He made his way slowly towards me with a gentle smile on his face. He stopped in front of me but remained some distance as if he was afraid to touch me. "You are mine and I am yours. Will you have me?" I stood there frozen, not breathing, just staring at him. Tears pricked my eyes again and I let out a breath. What else could I do?
"I, Fable Renee Walker, here by state and claim before those of the Fates and the Realms, that I accept the Mating Bond between myself and Lupin Thomas Hunt." I shuddered as a bit of my soul left my body, like sap being pulled from my chest. I watched my mate blink and gasp at the effects of my submerging soul. When it was done I felt it solidify, like a part of my awareness would always be with him. Lupin looked up and met my eyes, a brilliant, bright, happy smile shining across his face. At the glow in his beautiful eyes my knees finally did buckle. Lupin caught me, pulling me to him, and crushing his lips to mine.
The kiss was passion and longing, full of our heartbreak and wishes we never thought would come true. I wrapped my arms around him holding on as tight as I could and refusing to let go, realizing I didn't have to. His hands made their way up and down my body, like he couldn't find enough of me. I moaned when he sucked on my bottom lip and his wolf growled approval. I tore my lips away from his, needing to breathe. He made a sound of irritation but relented when I took to painting kisses up and down his neck.
Lupin's heart raced, pulsing under my lips, and his chest heaved against my breasts. His hands made their way under my shirt, fingertips dancing on my flesh. His fingers skidded against the underside of my bra and I gasped. The wolf chuckled heavily at my reaction. I smiled in turn. If he wanted to play…
I kissed across his collarbone and then sucked gently on his beating pulse, dragging my tongue up to his jaw. The wolf groaned and buried his face in my neck, I grinned triumphantly. But when he grazed his teeth against my neck I let out an involuntary whimper.
Lupin growled and stepped back, eyes glowing silver. He reached down and pulled his shirt off. I felt the monster reach my eyes as I took in the beautiful body that was Lupin Hunt. My core burned when I noticed the bulge in his pants react to my monster's presence. His eyes watched me with utter devotion.
"What are you, my love?" I smiled wickedly at him.
"There's a reason they call me the Mistress of Monsters." He studied me with a reflecting smile.
"I look forward to finding that out." His eyes darkened, pupils dilating. "But later." I nodded, a little too eagerly.
"Definitely later." I agreed, reaching to pull him back to me. He smiled amused and grabbed my hand.
"Come, my love." He said with a kiss on my wrist and I followed him easily into his room. He led me to the bed and sat me down on the edge. He knelt down in between my legs, kissing up my thigh, sending tingles across my body, even through my jeans.
"You, my dear banshee princess, are wearing way too many clothes." I smiled down at him.
"I could say the same, Alpha." Lupin looked down at himself.
"I am wearing considerably less than you." I cocked my head and smiled, I suppose he had a point. With no preamble I tore off my shirt and unclasped my bra, sliding it down my arms to land on the floor at our feet. I looked back up at Lupin, his eyes growing brighter as he took me in.
"There, now it's your turn." The wolf looked back at me and smiled. He stood up and unbuckled his pants letting them fall to the floor, then pulled down his boxer briefs and his dick sprung loose. I watched, mesmerised by its length. I glanced back up at my mate and his smug smile.
"Your turn." He all but growled. I unbuttoned my jeans and laid back, legs still dangling over the side of the bed. I hooked my thumb under my underwear and pants, then lifted my hips in the air and shimmied out of my clothes. I sat back up, completely naked and met the laughing eyes of my mate.
"That was very alluring." He deadpanned. I shrugged.
"I was going for efficiency."
"It was definitely… efficient." The wolf growled the word as he took all of me in. Taking note of the things he didn't know, the scars he had never seen, the birthmark that crawled over the tops of my ribs, and the tattoo on my hip. His eyes snagged on it. Just three numbers.
"Twelve, eight, ninety-five." The numbers were just a breath in his throat.
"I honestly don't know." I answered though there was no question asked. "They're just random numbers that I always felt belonged together or something." I shrugged. "So I permanently put them together." I looked up from my tattoo to smile at my mate but the look on his face filled me with worry.
"What's wrong, Lupin?" I whispered, reaching for his hands, brushing my thumbs across his palms.
"That's my birthday, Fable." His voice was stranded with emotion and the words froze me. "December 8th, 1995. That's the day I was born." A moment of awe passed over us and I chuckled.
"It truly is fate." Lupin shook his head as he leaned down to kiss me.
"We are so much more than fate, love." Then his lips were on mine and his hands trailed up my back and over my breasts and down my legs. Our tongues danced and battled to a rhythm we both instinctively knew. When he scraped his fingernail gently over my hard nipples I moaned and pulled his chest flush against mine, his dick pressed against my stomach. Lupin pulled away from my lips and planted his kisses across my cheek and down my throat. He pulled one of my breasts into his mouth, sucking gently on the nub of nerves. One hand painted circles around my other breast while the other squeezed my butt. I arched into him, the need growing inside me. His hand left my butt and trailed up the inside of my thigh, stopping just short and then gliding back up to my knee.
I growled at him, the monster inside of me running out of patience. We wanted our mate inside of us and were tiring of this game. I felt his smile against my chest as he kissed between my breasts. He ran his hand up my thigh again making little circles at the apex and then pulling away. I growled harsher and grabbed him by the chin pulling his face up to mine, my fingers clawed as my monster took more control.
"Now, mate." I commanded and Lupin's playful smile disappeared as the wolf recognised my desire. He pushed me back on the bed and climbed on top of me. In a moment he was inside me, his length filling me all the way up. I didn't hurt, my body was made for this man. He pulled out slowly every moment a pleasurable agony. He stopped, his dick waiting right at my entrance. Lupin looked me in the eyes, his glowing full silver.
"You are mine." He claimed. I smiled wickedly at him and wrapped my hands around his hips and pulled him down, fast and hard. He went in me with ease and he groaned at the unexpected movement.
"You are mine." I responded, my monster smiling with possession. The wolf smiled right back, appreciating my monster's claim. "Now move." The wolf smiled bigger but listened.
Lupin ground against me, the feeling of his dick sliding against my walls like an aphrodisiac. The feeling built and built as he picked up speed, my own body moving in rhythm to his. I truly believed I could die of this much pleasure, this much happiness. Hours ran by unbeknown to us as we tangled together in his bed. Discovering each other for the first time and loving each other as we always have.
☽◐⬤◑☾
Lupin
I had never known such happiness. I had lived my entire life inside this world of magic and yet never put much stock in the impossible. Now I have been proven wrong. As I hold the impossible in my arms, our mating bond vibrating strong between us.
I traced the numbers etched into her hip bone, my birthday. Another sucker punch to the face from Fate. I'm just left there staring, wondering how any of this is possible.
I can still feel the remnants of the Astral Projection, still feel the all consuming agony of her death. I know it to be a false conception, a simple horrible dream. But still it felt real. And it hollowed me out wholly.
It had broken what little hope I had left. I could no longer wait for that inevitable pain. I had believed it would come, eventually. I had believed she would leave me and I would have…. Nothing.
Now she lays in my arms, head tucked into my chest and a very satisfied smile forever inscribed on her lips.
"What are you thinking of, my love?" I whisper to her, breaking our contended silence. She smiled up at me, her eyes shining like stars.
"A lot of things." She answered.
"How very vague." I teased and she laughed, the sound more joyous then I have ever heard it before. "Are you happy?" I asked and her smile brightened.
"Unbelievably so." I pressed my lips to her temple knowing exactly what she was feeling. When I pull away she's looking at me in that way that I can never describe. It's simply the way she looks at the world, the beauty she sees in it. How extraordinary that she sees that beauty in me.
"What?" I asked, running my nose up the length of her neck, she shivers but shakes her head.
"It's nothing." I pull back, tapping my finger against her lips.
"Still so full of secrets, my love." She playfully bites at my finger and I pull it away, chuckling. Still so elated at the playful beast hidden inside her, my wolf wanting to run and chase and play with our mate.
"If you must know," My beautiful mate whispers. "I was thinking of our future," She pauses. "And our past. That first night I saw you. I was wondering how much would have been different if I had simply followed my instincts." She shakes her head. "It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, walking away from you. It was like-"
"Tearing out your own heart, expecting to die and then realizing that it still beats in your hand. And then the dread when you realize that you're going to have to live like this forever." She swallows at my words, her eyes meeting mine, that smile that's been there this whole time suddenly gone. Fading to ash, that constant guilt that she drags with her eating up this moment of happiness.
"Fable." I gently reprimand, pulling her chin up so that her eyes meet mine. "We both walked away." A moment passes and then she bobs her head.
"I know, I'm sorry." I press a kiss to her forehead.
"You have nothing to apologize for." Thankfully I can already feel the sadness washing off her. That persistent elation that we were both riding coming back to her quickly.
"Can I ask you a question?" I whisper as she settled back on to my chest and nodded.
"Anything." She mutters sleepily.
"I'm not about to become the King of the banshees am I?" Fable burst out laughing, her body shaking against mine. She rolled over covering her mouth and trying to calm down. But my plan had worked, any sense of sadness had left her. And I didn't regret it, even as she looks over at me like I'm the cutest most stupid person she knows. She reaches over and brushes a gentle kiss to my lips.
"No, my Alpha wolf, you are not about to become the banshee king." She whispers against my lips. "Salem is the reigning monarch now, my parents abdicated years ago and he was next in line. Yes, traditionally the inheritance would skip the male and go to the first female descendent, but my parents weren't very traditional and felt it unfair to their firstborn. And so Salem is Ri and I am content simply living my life as Banphrionsa." She smiles amused. "Although technically if Salem dies I would be next in line." She purses her lips. "Actually that's not true anymore, because the title would go to Izze." She laughs, the sound like music to my ear.
"Hereditary monarchy is confusing." I whisper in her ear, brushing a kiss to her lobe. She giggles and pulls away.
"You should hear about great aunt Anne's family tree, now that's a confusing storyline." I laugh and pull her closer to me, loving the feel of her body against mine.
"So you have no namesake in the banshee world?" I ask, Fable shrugs in my arms.
"I was still technically the crown princess. My parents changed the law and the people love my brother, he is a great ruler. But there will always be a few traditionalists that believe me to be the true Banrion." At my raised eyebrows she chuckles. "Queen." She translates.
"So some of the banshees tried to use you?" I ask.
"Not so bluntly but yes. It was part of the reason why I left. So that they would stop looking to me and start relying on Salem." I was quiet for a while, thinking on that.
"Are you against being in a leadership position?" I finally asked.
"Not necessarily, it just wasn't my role in that situation. Why?" She questions, the stars still in her eyes.
"I want you to be my Female Alpha." She stills in my arms and there is a long moment of silence. Finally she sits up, swinging her leg over my body to straddle my hips. She leans down and brushes a kiss to my chest. She looks up through her eyelashes, blue eyes shining as bright as stars.
"I love you." She whispers, sending a bright burst of immense happiness through my chest. "And I love you more for wanting me to be your equal." She smiles, feeling my happiness, painting kisses across my chest. A shiver runs through my body as I feel the love in her blossom. The love she feels for me. I dance my fingers up her back and she lets out a contented little sigh.
"Why do I sense a but coming?" I ask her, my voice a little raspier than before. She chuckles and lifts her head up to brush her lips against mine.
"I understand politics, Lupin. I've lived with them all of my life. And I know what happens when someone that isn't liked by the people is put at the helm." She kisses my jaw. "Even Addie had her problems. A lot of our people were against an Oracle being our Banrion. Our family had to fight hard for her place and even now she still faces scrutiny." She sits up to fully meet my eyes.
"I would love nothing more than to be your Alpha female, to be your equal and partner in all things. However, I don't think your wolves are ready for that." I smiled up at her, at the best person that I have ever met. Selfless, strong, caring, and beautiful. I kiss her, fierce and fast, she lets me, smiling against my mouth.
"Our wolves, my love." I whisper. "They are yours too." She kisses me back, just as fierce.
"How about we come back to this subject after we're married." I chuckle at her words.
"Is that your way of asking me to marry you?" She sits back and raises her eyebrows.
"Of course not," She shakes her head. "You're marrying me. You don't get a choice in the matter." I smile and press a kiss to her wrist.
"Gladly, my love." She laughs joyously as I pull her back to me. We lose ourselves in each other once again. Learning more about ourselves than we ever knew. Purging the hurt and pain from our hearts and solidifying our trust and love. Throughout the night we tend and braid our souls together, tying ourselves together, until we are two fused beings melted into one.
☽◐⬤◑☾
Fable
The two of us had gone to sleep as the sun had begun to rise. Now it was past noon and I lay across Lupin's naked body, my head tucked on his chest, just listening to him breathe.
"You're meant to be asleep, love." His voice was quiet and raspy with sleep. I had known he was awake, I could feel him now, like I was two different people.
"I'm scared." His hand brushed up and down my spine, eyes still closed.
"You were asleep earlier."
"Yes well earlier I was so exhausted I basically passed out, who knew wolves had so much stamina?" Lupin chuckled. "Now I'm scared."
"Scared of what, love?" I turned my face into his chest and brushed a kiss against his skin.
"Of waking up." At that he opened his eyes, looking down at me, his beautiful eyes full of the joy I feel.
"This is not a dream Fable Walker." I smile and his seriousness.
"How can you tell?"
"Because I also refuse to wake up." I met his eyes and saw the love he feels for me as much as I felt it. I leaned up and brushed my lips against his.
"Unfortunately, we are going to need to get up. We have a vampire bitch to hunt down." Lupin nodded his agreement, a moment passed and neither of us moved. I giggled and felt it when his heart skipped a beat.
"You or me?" I asked, smiling up at him. He leaned forward and pecked my lips.
"You." I groaned and slid off of him, rolling onto my back. He sat up and swung his legs off the bed. He got up and made his way across the room opening his dresser and pulling on clothes. I enjoyed the show though I would have prefered it in reverse. The wolf growled from across the room.
"Stop it, Fable Walker, or I will give you a reverse show and we will never leave this room." I laughed and sat up, holding the sheet to my chest.
"And we wouldn't want that now would we?" Lupin turned slightly and gave me a look that sent me laughing again.
"I love that sound." I smiled at him leaning back into the pillows.
"I know, I can feel it."
"I know you like my smell." I nodded.
"Forest, pine, and sandalwood."
"Raspberry, lilies, and jasmine." I smiled at him. He walked back over to me with a pile of my clothes in his hand. I decided not to address the fact that my clothes were in his dresser. I stood up on the bed and pulled on the clothes. He had picked a long flowing dark green dress, it was made of cotton and really comfy. I laid back down on his bed, curling under the covers.
"That's the wrong way, love." He smiled down at me, his eyes twinkling with adoration.
"Would you really still love me if I destroyed the world?" I was stalling, yes, but I truly had been wondering. My mate shrugged.
"I may have requested you spare a few individual people. Like Rane." I laughed at that and let him pull me out of bed. We made our way to the door, I was already aware of our family waiting out in the sitting room. They were loud and not trying to hide themselves. I smiled as I realized: our family, mine and Lupin's.
"That they are." He muttered against my ear. I looked up at him, appreciating the view as he opened the door.
"You want to bet who will say something first?" I asked, Lupin glanced down at me.
"Rayen." He said it like it was obvious.
"I say Echo." He raised a brow at me.
"Five dollars?" And we shook on it. We made our way down the hall and into the sitting room where our family was spread out playing a game of what could be pictionary. They all looked at us as we emerged and then Rayen yelled "Virgin boy no longer." At the same time Echo yelled "Virgin girl no longer." Both Lupin and I started laughing.
"Honestly," Echo said through her giggles. "Welcome to the family, Lupin."
"Good luck." Lani helpfully said, sounding very serious. I laughed again.
"He'll do just fine." I reassured.
"I would wait to say that until after he's met Dad." Arrow supplied. I shook my head at my family as I made my way to the nearby couch. Lupin split from me, walking into the kitchen to retrieve breakfast. He came back, two plates of toast in hand, he gave me one and sat beside me. I leaned against his side and took a bite of the butter and jelly lathered toast.
"Ok." Tristan announced, standing beside the chair his mate occupied. I looked around and realized that everyone was here, except for the toddlers. "Now that the romantic drama has been dealt with, it's time we divulge some information." He looked at us, eyebrows raised imploringly. I smiled at him and swallowed.
"It's an old opera house on the west side of town." Lupin said before I got the chance. I nodded and took another bite of toast.
"I'll send a group out to locate it." I shook my head, forcing another quick swallow.
"Zeke said that Eros may have some magical power." I said to the tensing of our audience. "If that's true it's possible she could try to hide herself."
"Then what do you suppose we do?" Declan asked a little too snappishly. My mate growled low in warning, Decaln easily lowered his head to his Alpha. "I apologize." He said, generally, both to me and Lupin. I ignored the interruption and answered his question.
"Bring my brother with you." Arrow met my eye as the wolves turned to him, nodding to me and then the wolves. "He will be able to sense any magical disruptions in any opera houses you come across." The wolves eyes lingered on my brother. Never having seen him when the act drops, when war begins. My siblings and I knew war, breathed it, lived it, and learned it, we knew it too well. We practically wore it.
"Should we wait for Salem's arrival?" Echo asked, the same unemotional mask that all of my siblings learned to use. I met hers with mine, brutal and savage and merciless. The wolves flinched, mine smiled. God I loved him.
"When will they be arriving?" I asked.
"Tomorrow." I shook my head.
"No, we find her now and then we attack." My sister nodded her understanding. "By night's end the bitch will be dead. Hopefully there will be enough left for her to grind her insides into a paint to use for my next piece." The wolves, my new family, blinked at my words. Then Ava laughed out loud followed by Ember's toothy smile.
"I knew I liked her." My mate's sister said, a gleam in her eyes that I had never before seen in the mother and mate. In her smile I saw a bit of the war I knew.
When the meeting ended Tristan and Arrow went off together. Lani silently followed after, pouting when my brother looked her in the eyes and told her no. The boys left, but by the look in their significant others' faces they wouldn't make it far. When the two girls finally did stand up to follow after their men, my sister went with them proclaiming how interesting a show it would be. Ava solemnly followed as well, less enthusiastic than my sister, but that wasn't hard to do. Ember and Declan excused themselves soon after, explaining that they wanted to spend time with their babies before we went to fight.
Soon Lupin and I found ourselves alone again. I stared dutifully forward as I finished my toast, feeling Lupin's eyes on me. When I swallowed the last bite, I held on for a moment longer before my smile broke free. The wolf beside me growled playfully at my game and reached to pull me to him. I squealed and laughed, ducking away from him. I ran for his room and the alpha chased me, I didn't make it far, though I didn't try very hard. He picked me up, swinging me over his shoulder as I laughed and laughed. He carried me the rest of the way to his room and placed me on the bed. I looked up at him smiling, feeling more love for this man than I ever thought possible.
Here we were about to go to battle, to a war I thought I had already won. He felt my anxiety and worry and made me laugh. I knew he was doing it intentionally, to get my mind off it, but I gladly subcombed. I'd do anything, as long as he remained by my side.
"Forever, my love." He said, hearing my thoughts. "I will be with you forever, you can't get away now." I sat up quickly, pressing my lips to his, fast and hard.
"Good." I whispered, our foreheads pressed together. "Cause if you even try to let me go I will rip your eyeballs out and feed them to Rane."
"Oh, you sweet talker, how do I resist?" I laughed again, cut off when he brushed his lips against mine and pushed me back onto the bed.
And we stayed there together, in our worry and fear, making each other laugh and feel loved. We made ourselves forget the upcoming fight and simply existed together. Letting our possible last moments be ones of joy and happiness. Too soon though the world caught up to our reality. Forcing us to action, to duty, to secrets and pain and death. For though the battle was just beginning, it was far from over.