Chapter 44 — Mark Me

Aqua’s POV:

We traveled for a week before we ended up in the village Lexus stayed at while he was away before. We walked into the inn and Lexus walked to the front desk. “You’re back.” The man who might have been the owner said. “We didn’t think we’d see you back. You won’t have to worry about journalists or anyone bothering you while you’re here this time. Our village’s mage is back and will take care of keeping them out.”

Lexus was handed the key. “That’s good to know but we won’t be here for long.” We were planning to stay here longer than the other places but not too long. 

The owner nodded. “Well, I hope you both enjoy your stay.”

I followed Lexus to the room. He unlocked the door and we walked in. “Was this the room you were staying in?” I looked around, and it was small but nice.

Lexus put our bags in the small closet and took off his shirt. “Yeah, I didn’t think I’d be back.” He tossed his shirt. “I think you’ll really like it here.”

I smiled. “You think so?” I was glad to be out of the castle for good. There were no signs that his parents would try anything.

Lexus sat down on the bed and took his shoes off. “You said being a part of a community would make you the happiest. I don’t plan for us to stay but you’ll be able to feel a part of a community while we’re here.” We haven’t stayed in one place longer than a day, so I was excited for this. “Sex?”

I blushed. “Wow, how romantic.” I said sarcastically.

Lexus chuckled. “That wasn’t an answer.” It felt like we were having sex every night since we left the castle. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it.

I walked to him and sat on his lap. “Are you afraid?” Lexus didn’t strike me as the kind of person to be afraid.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

I laid my head on his shoulder. “About our future.”

Lexus started to undress me. “No. Eventually my parents will suspend my bank account and we won’t have so much money but will figure it out. I’ve been getting as much cash off my card as I can. You have money saved from working at the castle too. Plus, you’re basically a witch so magic helps with survival a lot.” Most witches and mages didn’t have to work for a living the way people have to in the human world. 

“I’m barely a witch.” I kissed his neck. “The answer to your question is yes,” I whispered.

He stood up while holding me and laid me on my back. I couldn’t stop looking at his bulge before he took his pants and boxers off. We did foreplay for a while until I felt him bite my shoulder. “Ow, ow, stop.”

Lexus pulled away and looked down at me. His fangs had a little of my blood on them. “Sorry I can’t help myself.” He got off me and laid on his back panting. “We can’t have sex for a while, I can’t hold myself back from marking you anymore.”

I sat up and frowned. “Being marked is that painful?”

“More painful, my fangs have to scratch your bone. You’re half human so it’s probably worse for you. I’ve seen humans with marks before, they go through with it, but I don’t know how badly it hurts them. Plus, your sensory issues make it worse.” My ADHD made it hard not to overly focus on the pain. We didn’t have sex that night, but we did do other things to satisfy our lust. 

I woke up in the middle of the night and heard someone playing piano then fell back to sleep.

In the morning we took separate showers then got dressed. We left our room so we could go get breakfast. “You’re back.” I turned to see a young girl who walked down the hall. “I knew you were back, you’re the only one who plays the piano like that.” She looked at me and gasped. “You’re the holder, aren’t you? They talk about you sometimes on my favorite talk show.”

Lexus sighed. “We have somewhere we need to go Bee.” He held my hand.

Bee followed us out of the inn. “You’re not going to introduce us?” She introduced herself to me instead, “I’m Bee, the owner of the inn is my father.” She must have been the girl who gave Lexus a scale. “I’m a hybrid.”

“I’m Aqua. Not a lot of people know but I’m a hybrid too, human.”

Bee smiled big. “Really? Don’t worry I can keep a secret.”

“It’s not a secret, not anymore.” I didn’t want it to be. 

Bee seemed sweet to me, so I didn’t mind her tagging alone. “Where are you two going?”

“We’re getting breakfast, want to join us?” I asked but Lexus looked annoyed.

“Thanks for the offer but I already ate, we should talk later. It was good to see you two.” She walked back into the inn.

Lexus led me to the village's diner, and we ordered some food. “I can start teaching you how to fly after this.” He offered. 

My eyes widened and I smiled. “Yes!” We were mainly getting around by him flying us. I was ready for a change. 

Lexus watched me as I ate quicker. “Hey, slow down.” He laughed. “Trust me you don’t want a stomachache when you fly.”

I chuckled. “I guess you’re right.” We continued eating and I got kind of flustered. Lexus had a way of making me feel that way when he looked at me a certain way. He looked at me like there wasn’t anything else to look at. Our bond was only getting stronger. I was ready for the next step.

When we were done eating, we went into the forest. He explained to me the basics of how to take off and flight control. We shifted and the first day was pretty hard to even get off the ground.

Over the next week I still couldn’t get it right, I kept crashing and it was hard to stay up or fly straight. I shifted back into my human form midair and fell.

Lexus caught me on his back and landed. He shifted back and hugged me. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” 

Later that night I shook him awake. “Yeah? Are you okay?” He asked worriedly.

“No… well I am but I…” I swallowed.

He sat up and cupped the side of my face with his hand. “Are you sure? I need to know if anything is wrong Aqua.”

I closed my eyes. “I’m ready for us to mate…” I was ready for us to mate no matter how badly the mate mark would hurt in the moment.

Lexus moved his hand and laid down. “Oh, is that it? I’d rather not.” He turned around with his back to me.

“What?” I sat up. “What do you mean you’d rather not?” We also hadn’t had sex for a week, so I thought he’d jump at the chance.

Lexus shrugged. “I mean I don’t want to hurt you. We can go into the nearest magic shop and get a potion that will lessen the pain for you. We’ll mate soon.” 

I wasn’t in a rush, but I didn’t feel like I needed a potion. I wanted to get through the pain instead of using something cheap like a potion to. “I’m not taking any potion Lexus. We don’t have to mate now but when we do I want it to be natural.”

He didn’t respond so I got up and left. I walked into the front of the inn and sat down on one of the couches. I looked at the piano then at my phone. I wanted to talk to Sadia about this but that was a terrible idea, so I called Cade.

“It’s late Aqua,” Cade whispered. 

“I know but I need advice. What do you do when you and Sadia don’t agree on something?” I asked.

“We have a conversation. Did Lexus do something to you?”

I chuckled. “No, it’s not like that. We just don’t agree on something. Whenever we don’t agree on something he just gets quiet.” It didn’t happen often, but it was annoying when it would.

“That’s definitely how he deals with his problems. He ignores them—Huh? No, I'm talking to Aqua, did I wake you?” I think he was talking to Sadia. “Sorry Aqua, what you should do is leave him, then you can join the pack and be closer, I’m joining soon.”

I sighed. “I need real advice Cade.”

Cade was still Lexus’ best friend if anyone knew what I should do he would. “Fine, you should say one final thing, something really good then leave it alone for 24 hours. If he doesn’t change his mind he won’t.”

I decided to take his advice. I went back into the room, and he was up. He was sitting on the bed staring out the window. “Lexus.” I closed the door behind me. “Before mating was out of the question because Sadia and I was working for you. Things are different now and I don’t want to take the easy way out anymore. I want to officially mate with you despite the pain, I want to feel everything.”

Lexus squinted his eyes. “I know what you’re doing.” He stood up. “It’s not going to work.” He walked to the door. “I’ll be back.” He left the room.

I got in bed and soon I heard the piano, this was the second time he’s played it since we’ve been here for a week.

The next day he didn’t give in. He wouldn’t even talk about it. It wasn’t 24 hours yet, so I was still hoping it worked. He was aware of what I was doing but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t work. Cade was so sure. I was sitting in the center of the town. I loved how everyone greeted me as they passed. “Aqua!” Bee yelled from a far and waved. She walked to me and sat down at the table I was at. “Where’s Prince Lexus?”

“I’m not sure but he left about twenty minutes ago.” I looked around. “Everyone here is so kind and everyone helps each other. I really love that.”

Bee smiled. “Our village is peaceful, and we all treat each other like family. I hope you and Lexus stay.” I wanted to stay. “Everyone loves how much you’re helping, you’re a really good holder.” I used my abilities to help with little things around the village when I could. I was able to warn them of threats to the village as well. “They don’t just like the way you help us though. They like you.”

“I like everyone here too; I’ve never lived in a better place.”

Lexus came back with a bag. “Bee, could you give us a minute?” Bee nodded and walked to another group of people. He pulled out a tube of lotion. “I bought it from the village’s mage, all you have to do is rub it on your shoulder and we’ll be good. I think it’ll taste weird but that’s worth it.” Cade told me to leave it alone, so I didn’t say anything. I pulled out my phone and scrolled on social media instead. “Fine ignore me but if you want to mate, we’re using this.” He put it back in the bag.

At night I took a shower, and I heard a knock. “Unlock the door,” Lexus said.

“What? I’m taking a shower.” 

“Aqua open the door, it’s about last night.” 

I got out of the shower with it still running and wrapped a towel around me. I unlocked the door and opened it. He was completely naked. I looked away. “I’m not using the enchanted lotion Lexus.”

“I don’t want you to.” He grabbed my head and kissed me. Cade was right, it was just barley within 24 hours. I let my towel dropped and we made our way to the bed. My whole body longed for him. He bit down on my shoulder to the bone, and I bit down on his and it helped with the pain. My fangs grew a little longer to be able to hit his bone. We scratched each other’s shoulder bone with him inside me. Tears ran down my face from the pain I was in. I closed my eyes as tight as I could. I could feel the pain in my toes. When we pulled our fangs out a mark appeared on each of our shoulders. We finished the mating process by finishing having sex. I could hear his thoughts and he could here mine as we made love… it only made it better.

In the morning we had woken up and were still cuddling. “You got advice from Cade, didn’t you? He’s the only one who does that stupid shit.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, he did.”

“Did it hurt?”

I nodded against his chest. “I nearly passed out from the pain… but it felt so good.”

The next week was bliss. Being able to communicate with Lexus telepathically helped our flying lessons a lot. 

My phone rang while me and Lexus ere in bed together. We had just had sex. I reached over Lexus to get it off the nightstand and answered it. “Dad?”

“Hey, I called to tell you two things. Me and your mother are together. Me, her, you, and Cade are going to have dinner with your grandfather in a few days. He doesn’t approve of our decision to leave the castle so expect that to come up.”

“Oh, okay, send me the information and I’ll see you guys there.” I hung up. “Wow, my parents are together.”

“That’s what we expected right?” Lexus wasn’t surprised and I shouldn’t have been either because we did expect it. It just felt weird especially because my father said it was too soon. I was happy for them, my mom mainly because of everything my dad put her through. I couldn’t wait to see them together at dinner, but I was afraid to see my grandfather. I didn’t want to feel his disappointment.