Arzan cupped Azza's cheeks in her hands, blinking slowly, occasionally taking a deep breath. "I'm not ready yet, you said we go slowly."
"And I once said I didn't like you near Ain-"
"I know." Arzan let go of Azza's cheek, turned his back to her, stomped her feet in annoyance. "Our bond is not perfect, please give me some time."
Azza looked away fretful and rubbed his head. "Arzan..." He grabbed Arzan's shoulder. "I'm sorry but please also keep your distance from men."
Arzan faced Azza frowning. "You believe me?"
Azza's forehead furrowed, his eyebrows knit together. "You mean?"
Arzan clicked her tongue, holding Azza's chest, feeling the tight chest muscles, her fingers made swirling abstract patterns there. "If you believe me there is no need to limit my interactions. Please give time to our relationship." Arzan looked Azza straight in the eyes, Bambi met eagle eyes.
Azza took a deep breath and pulled Arzan's body into his warmth. "Forgive me." He sighed. "I was afraid that this imperfect bond would distance you from me. I was too shocked when I found out that I was your mate."
Arzan rubbed Azza's back. "Yeah, I'm glad I finally found a mate. Now." The hug was released, leaving Azza groaning in disapproval. "Rest. I want to sleep with you but I'm not used to it. Do you want to do that?" Bambi manifests into puppy eyes, just the slightest movement tears fall.
"No." Arzan's lips curled. "Let me deliver you to the bedroom."
"Of course."
Azza held Arzan's hand, leading her to follow every step he took.
Puk.
Puk.
Puk.
"Arzan already has a mate, I hope you can find your own." Ain grinned, his hand still on Zenit's shoulder providing false comfort.
Ain's hand was pushed away and Zenit sneered. "That goes for you too."
"Ha ha ha." Ain held his stomach, wiping a few tears from the corners of his eyes. He lifted his collar. "We have an agreement, the obvious reason why me always around her." He turned around only to stare blankly, "I'm tired. You get some rest. There isn't any sleeping together between us."
"Hey, I don't want to either!"
Ain chuckled all the way, now only Zenit was left, still staring at Azza and Arzan's place, a gloomy frown that ended with a shrug, stilled a little shocked to find out that Arzan had put a mark on Ain's neck.
***
"Good morning." Ain blinked playfully. The first thing he did after seeing Arzan with Azza was approach them.
"Morning to you too." Azza stared at Ain for a moment then held Arzan's hand possessively which was greeted by Ain's whistle and Azza didn't move at all.
"Good luck, I believe in the luck and abilities of you and Ades."
Last night Ain visited Ades, found them having a short meeting discussing how to convince the vampire king that Ades could open the gate. Soon Ain joined in and expressed his opinion regarding Arzan's blood transfusion to Ades, modifying it in such a way as if it were her blood.
"Ready?" Alaric gave Ades a silver knife with a gold handle, and Ades nodded.
"Hah..."
Ades's breath was foggy, her temples were caked with sweat even though the weather was cold.
Arzan swallowed nervously, a little worried that her blood wouldn't work.
Blood dripped onto the ground, for about a minute nothing happened causing Arzan and Ain's hearts to start beating fast, Ain cast a spell, Arzan prepared her blood to perform a ritual to cover up Ades' failure.
Little by little the light appeared and the gate across the world appeared.
The various species present stared in amazement at the physical form of the gate as if worshiping it. Arzan grinned, if she wasn't the one who cast the spell for the world she was going to then the gate would have no use value. Unbeknownst to Ades and even Ain, information and ways to enter and exit various worlds are safely in Arzan's hands.
"Is this enough, King Aldo?" asked Ades.
"Enough." King Aldo chuckled, waving his hand for Ades to close up the gate. Filled with charisma, King Aldo faces the vampire people.
"We have seen gates of all the world. When the time comes for us to leave, this will no longer be an obstacle depending on the results of the renewal of the further agreement between me and King Charlie, please be patient." After that, King Aldo look King Charlie, both of them shook hands, and smiled faintly which was greeted by applause from vampires from various groups.
Arzan, Ain, and Azza also applauded as did Zenit.
***
"The meeting was tense, I was very nervous." Ades babbled, on either side of her were Ain and Zenit.
Arzan glanced at Ades through the corner of her eye and smiled faintly. "Good job Ades," said Arzan, grinning proudly.
Ades moved to invade Arzan's personal space, put her arm around her shoulder, she had to stand on tiptoe to do this because of her short body. "Thank you Zannie." She stroked Arzan's hair, treating her like a pet and Arzan smiled.
"I want to eat bending cake, they don't eat human food but can make it!"
Arzan is seriously not interested, currently on her head is fresh, raw meat.
"Let's eat together!"
Arzan shook her head slowly, her face looked hurt, she didn't want to refuse Ades' invitation. "I'm worried about disappointing you, Ades, but I don't want to disturb your comfort in eating."
Ades shook her head aggressively. "No, I'm fine even if you eat raw meat."
Arzan snorted, enough about the clumsiness. "And I also want territory when eating, werewolves eat according to their needs."
"Territory power." Ades curved a sad face. "Then we can never eat together?"
"Oh no." Arzan smiled diplomatically. "We will do that once in a while."
"Promise?" Ades blinked adorable showing puppy eyes, which wasn't fair considering Arzan often used them on other people to get wishes granted and now she was the one who was weak against that type of gaze.
"Yeah." Arzan looked away for a moment, when she saw Ades she smiled. "I go."
Turning around, her face immediately became gloomy.
"I'm going with you."
Ain and Zenit looked at Azza following Arzan with their respective expressions; Ain chuckled, Zenit stared as if assessing.
"He's enslaved by love, huh?"
Ades laughed out loud and hit Zenit on the shoulder. "You just exist, by the way, they are soulmates so Azza is very stick. It's also lucky he's a Griffin and hasn't done any marking, a pair of soulmates will be more possessive than you know."
"Yeah, before her mate she marked Ain first."
"Eh?" Ades openly looked at Ain's neck to prove Zenit's words, her forehead furrowed to find that the mark was true there. "I didn't realize there were bite marks on your neck." Ades's voice transformed into deep, was no longer softening. Ain chuckled holding Mark. "This is a mark of my agreement to help her find a mate, marked doesn't disappear even though she has found a mate."
"No cancellation of the agreement?" Zenit asked curiously. "No." Ades joined in. "Really? You can no longer carry out the terms of the agreement."
Ain scratched his head and chuckled. "As long as I make a mark, I don't think about the future. Although the agreement doesn't apply, I will still protect and be with her. She means a lot to me."
Both Ades and Zenit were silent, Ain's sincere smile succeeded in obscuring their thinking.
"Come, Princess Ades." King Charlie just came and offered his hand to Ades.
"Ah." Ain grimaced, without being invited and it was suspected that the mark on his neck was feel burning.
*****