1727

~Amolet

My head rests back against the couch, my eyes closed.

"I can't believe we agreed to that."

Cian laughs, although it sounds tense. We reluctantly agreed to Hale's terms, then left almost immediately. Involving another Immortal was the last thing I wanted, and Cian seems to share the same sentiment, which only worries me more. I still feel shaken after meeting Hale. He is definitely a strange man, one who I don't want to spend much more time around, even if I'm going to have to.

"We didn't exactly have another choice," Cian sighs, leaning against the glass opposite from me. Lev sits on the couch next to me, looking awfully vacant since we explained the entire situation to him. I'm glad Cian made the decision to leave him here instead of bringing him into Hale's Den.

"What is she like?" I ask, barely above a whisper.

A frown creases Cian's forehead, oa tumultuous storm gathering in his eyes. "You don't want to know..."

"Great."

Leaning back into the couch, I silently wish I could melt into the plushness of it and never emerge. Cian didn't seem frightened of Hale, like he seems frightened, or at least apprehensive of Ira. That doesn't make me feel very comfortable, but I refuse to be scared. If I can handle Sinful, then I can handle Ira, and whatever she wants to throw at me.

"Are you okay?" Cian asks, focusing on me and what must be a stricken look on my face as I delve into my strange thoughts.

"This is all quite overwhelming," I admit softly. Lev grabs my hand, winding his fingers through mine. I've always known Lev was strong, but I never expected him to handle this better than me. I wish our friendship was much less complicated, as I truly do love him alot, just not enough to ignore the mate bond between Cian and I.

"Do you need a break?"

"Maybe since Stace isn't handing me over to Noah anymore, it's safe for Lev and I to return to the mortal realm for a bit," I offer quietly. Lev straightens, looking both relieved and excited to return back home, where maybe, at least for a moment, we can return back to normal. It won't last though, not when we have to see Ira, when we have to complete this mission.

"Only if I stay with you." Cian doesn't make it sound very much like an offer, but right now, I don't want to be without his protection. I don't trust my abilities to choke immortals at a single thought completely, so if Stace or Noah returns, we will need him there, just in case.

And admittedly, it will be nice to determine more about how valid this mate bond between him and I is.

"Alright..." I agree tightly, trying not to look Lev's way, knowing he won't be impressed by sharing a small apartment with a man he has made it very clear he is not fond of.

Cian wastes no time, grabbing a hold of both Lev and I, transporting us back to the mortal realm. The feeling is one that I'm never going to be used to, but the moment the familiar scent of our musty apartment hits me, it makes it all worth it. My eyes open, and the place looks exactly as Lev and I left it. We haven't spent much time away from it, and yet at the same time, it feels as though it's been years since I stepped foot in here.

"The bookstore has been closed for days now," Lev mutters, not wasting any time as he grabs his jacket from the hook by the door, shrugging it over his shoulders. "I should probably go check on it."

"I'll sleep on the couch tonight," Cian offers, motioning to our less than satisfactory couch that neither Lev or I have been able to afford to replace with a newer one. Cian doesn't look bothered by the likelihood of sleeping there thought, probably trying to be polite.

Lev's light blue eyes meet mine. "I'll stay in Amolet's room and you can sleep in mine."

"That works..." I add tightly.

Lev gives me a last nod before disappearing through the door, leaving Cian and I standing in the centre of the room. I meet his gaze, unsure about how I feel being alone with him in such an intimate space. It wouldn't be the first time, but being that this is my apartment, something about it feels so...strange.

"We will sort your powers out soon, once this has been dealt with. Try not to go around choking anymore purebloods," Cian exclaims lightly, likely sensing my unease about being in here with him.

"Don't annoy me, and you won't have to worry about that," I note, turning on my heels and toward the kitchen.

"And for once, I should actually be worried," he murmurs, although there is nothing in his tone to suggest he is actually frightened of me.

"I wouldn't hurt you Cian," I remind him, filling a glass of water. I avoid his gaze, trying not to give anything away. It feels like every word I say may hint at revealing we are mates. If Sinful were here, I would curse him out for revealing that to me. I wish this would have occurred naturally, as we were likely moments away from sharing skin to skin touch.

I can hear him sit down on the couch as I drink all the water from my glass in one go. "I know."

Circling back to the living room, I consider sitting next to Cian, yet I find myself awkwardly standing in front of me as he lounges back on the couch. "I need to ask this, because Stace brought it up and I haven't been able to get it out of my head..."

"What is it?"

"Did you kill Stace's people? From his Realm?" I say. Stace's words have haunted me, and although I have no reason to believe what he has to say, I can't help the way it lingers in my mind. I hate the idea of innocent people dying just because they come from another Realm...Wherever that one may be.

"Yes. But only because they were set on killing immortals and mortals alike. Most were extremely dangerous, and posed a safety risk to those around them. When they wouldn't return to their lands, we had no other choice but to imprison them, and then kill them," Cian admits, a dark shadow passing along his already black eyes. At the very least, he doesn't sound pleased to have been involved with something like that.

"Oh...I had no idea," I admit softly, my cheeks flush as I feel foolish for even bringing it up, for not trusting in him from the start.

"No, I don't suppose you would have," he smiles easily, shrugging his shoulders casually.

My eyes narrow, sensing he is suggesting a sort of weakness because I'm mortal. He's right, I don't know anything about that era, but just hearing him say that, putting a gap between us makes something stir inside me. He may not know it yet, but him and I are mates, which means on some level, we are on the equal. I wish I could tell him that, without revealing my hand.

"Okay, I get it, I'm nothing more than a mortal..." I mutter, rolling my eyes.

He tilts his head curiously, looking far too immortal like for such a mediocre space that he is in. "I didn't mean it like that."

Focusing my gaze on him, I imagine a pair of strong arms grabbing both of Cian's, pinning against the cushions of the couch. I let that feeling, the image of that overwhelm me, channeling that energy into real life, without having to move a single finger.

"Can a mortal do this?" I mutter, smiling in the same way he does. Cian frowns, going to move his arms, however it looks as though he is trapped by invisible binds. I try to look triumphant, and not shocked that it actually worked yet another time.

"So not only can you strangle poor immortals, you can render our limbs useless?" he notes curiously, giving up on trying to push himself up, slumping back into the couch.

I smile, pacing in front of him. "Shh, I'm the one with all the power now."

Something sensual passes over Cian's face, as he looks me up and down blatantly, a challenge glistening in his eyes. "Let me go...I dare you."

I hold his gaze for a long moment, unable to deny the tension between us, one that has my toes curling. He pulls once again against those strong mental binds that I have on him, smirking devilishly as he quirks a brow, quite literally daring me.

The moment I blink, letting the tug on my mind vanish, freeing Cian, I turn, sprinting straight toward my room. Cian jumps up behind me in less than a second, but I make it to my door right before he can grab me, slamming it in his face before promptly locking it. Breathing out, I lean my back against the door, grinning and I sweep a hand back through my wild hair.

"You have to come out at some point." Cian's voice sounds muffled from behind the door. He knows very well that he can transport into my room with his magical powers and enact whatever delicious revenge he has in his mind, but he's teasing me, letting me think I won this on.

"Suddenly, I'm okay with staying in this room forever," I call back, chewing on my bottom lip, wondering what I'm going to say later when I meekly wander out of the room, and how he is going to react.

"We'll see..." he responds, the laugh in his voice making my heart flutter.

Maybe letting him stay in my home isn't a good idea, or maybe it is...I haven't decided yet.

🤎••🤎

🎇••🎇

🐼••🐼

Sophie_Midika

Midikacrane

~Midika 💜🐼