During her statement, she'd sidled closer to him as if wanting reassurance, a move he doubted she was even aware of making. But he was more than happy to provide what she needed, starting by wrapping his arms around her before giving an answer.
“Perhaps, but life continues on the same way regardless. We simply have more time to correct mistakes and make things right, to build the life we want, and help each other whenever it's needed.”
She held his gaze as if taking the words in, a small smile slowly raising the corners of her mouth with a light dawning in her ginger eyes he couldn't quite place. Yet he was left in the dark over whatever conclusion she'd reached when she playfully drew a finger down his tie in mentioning, “I think this deserves a longer conversation when we have time, but before we go downstairs, you should know you're making it really hard for me to keep my surprise a secret until after dinner.”
Curious, he inquired, “What surprise?”
Kivsey hesitated with her answer, remarking coyly, “If I tell you, it won't be a surprise anymore. But I'll say this much; I'm wearing it now, and you'll definitely want to give it a proper response.”
Realizing she was intent on teasing him with some type of lingerie—and was teasing him even now—Mikail forgot himself completely, impulsively leaning in to claim her mouth with a low growl that muffled her surprised gasp.
She was quick to recover, however, returning his kiss with fervor, her arms winding around his sides to dig her fingers into his blazer as their tongues mingled in wet glides.
They stayed locked together just that way for several moments, the world around them completely forgotten. But for as rattled as her passion left him, he wasn't at all oblivious to the unhappy exclamation that followed.
“Oh my god!”
Immediately, the couple jerked, their lips breaking contact as they turning their heads in time to see Joan standing at the top of the stairs—and she looked none too thrilled to catch them in the act.
“What is going on?” she demanded.
At once, Mikail's enjoyment of the moment dimmed to irritation with a scathing retort forming on the tip of his tongue, and the only thing that stopped it from emerging and complicating matters further was his mate.
Groaning low, she stepped away from him and answered plainly, “It's called kissing, Mom.”
“Don't get smart with me. You know what I meant,” Joan started. “I thought you two were just friends. So why in the world are you kissing … him?”
She asked the question as if he were beneath contempt—and Mikail reached his limit. Joan's attitude toward him had been irritating before, but this was simply intolerable, and he wouldn't allow it to continue, impulsively snapping, “Because we're bonding as mates!”
A period of tense silence followed his statement in which he realized his temper had gotten the best of him. For better or worse, Joan now knew the truth, and his only hope was that he hadn't actually upset Kivsey with his impulsive response while bracing for the storm to come.
But instead of exploding and naming all the reasons he'd never be good enough for her daughter, the color drained from Joan's face. In turn, her expression suggested she may have been less interested in dragging Kivsey away from him, and more inclined to just throw herself out the nearest window.
Personally, he couldn't say the reaction was unexpected, but it seemed Kivsey was at a loss because she asked uncertainly, “Mom?”
Staring at Mikail as if he were some kind of criminal, Joan stated on a soft, but urgent tone, “I want to speak with you alone, right now.”
“Mom, we don't—”
“Now, Jennifer.”
Kivsey flinched at the demand, but then lifted her head as if ready to inform Joan that anything she had to say could be said to them both.
Still, Mikail felt as if he'd done enough damage already. He'd also heard enough of Joan's opinion to realize he'd likely snap at her again and make the situation even worse if he stayed.
So he placed a hand on Kivsey's shoulder to catch her attention.
“Go on, love. I'll wait in your room,” he directed.
She gazed up at him as if hesitant, and he could only guess why. Perhaps she wanted her mother to realize their relationship was actually serious, or simply wanted him to stay out of spite.
But whatever the case, she didn't have time to comment before Joan interjected as if his plans to wait in her daughter's bedroom were scandalous.
“What? Don't you dare go to her—”
Mikail immediately sent a glare in her direction designed to intimidate her into silence. His patience was simply too thin in that moment to tolerate bickering, and thankfully, the ploy worked. Joan immediately shut her mouth, and instead of arguing, walked to her bedroom door and waited for Kivsey with a pointed look.
Groaning, she finally gave in, joining her mother for what was sure to be an irritating talk.
In the process, Mikail considered eavesdropping on their conversation, but their earlier exchange was hard enough to endure without interference—and now that Joan knew the truth of their relationship, her comments were likely to be a hundred times worse.
So he didn't bother, walking away with only one thought in mind.
If he didn't know people like his mate existed in this world, he'd leave now and never return.
CHAPTER THIRTY
♦
Kivsey hadn't expected her mother to react well to the news of her daughter's bonding, but the first words out of her mouth once they were alone had her jaw hanging wide open.
Shutting the bedroom door, she approached with a stern expression and stated, “Jennifer, whatever you think is happening between yourself and that Dok'aal, I absolutely forbid you to see him.”
For several moments following the statement, all she could do was stare, so baffled she had no idea how to react. Forbid me to see him? The mere thought was absurd for too many reasons to count.
“I know you don't like the supernatural, Mom, but don't you think that's extreme?”
“No, I do not,” she stated rigidly. “Beings like him are incredibly adept at manipulation, and for all you know, he—”
“Mom! He's not manipulating me!” she interjected. “Why would he? And why would you think so? A few minutes ago, you could barely fathom the idea of a Dok'aal being friends with a half elf, and now you're insinuating that he's manipulating me into believing I'm his mate?”
Joan was quickly to return, “I don't think it's at all unreasonable to suggest he'd use you in such a way! I'll admit, I don't know as much about Dok'aal as I do about elves, but they can't be better. They're part demon, after all.”
“Wow,” Kivsey drew out incredulously. “I don't even know where to start pointing out how wrong everything you just said is. So what gives? Why are you so adamant about this?”
Finally, Joan looked to the side as if attempting to rein in her emotions and make a more logical argument—and for as questionable as her behavior was, it seemed she actually had a valid reason Kivsey never would've guessed at.
“Jennifer,” she started, her tone more even than before, “I never … talked about this because I was embarrassed. But I think knowing will help you better understand.”
“Knowing what?”
Taking a deep breath, she admitted, “When I was seventeen, I met an elven warlock who convinced me we were bonding.”
Despite uttering those words on a grim tone, her following statement was much more whimsical. “I was ecstatic. He was kind, handsome, and eventually, I fell in love. But do you know what I discovered later?”
Kivsey shook her head, hanging on every word when Joan revealed, “He'd been casting spells on me to simulate a bonding, all because he wanted to use me, to take my money. I didn't actually matter to him. I was just a means to an end, and I was devastated.”
Despite being at odds with Joan, a harsh wave of anger knotted in the pit of Kivsey's stomach. It was infuriating to think of someone doing such a thing to her mother, a
nd it made Joan's stance much easier to understand.
So she was no longer surprised when the woman's gaze took on a serious edge in relating, “They cannot be trusted, Jennifer, and I want you to stay away from that dark elf. In fact, I don't think it's out of the question to demand he leave.”
Kivsey sucked in a determined breath. Maybe her decision wasn't out of the question after the heartache she'd suffered, but despite understanding her mother's perspective now, she shook her head and insisted, “Even if I could stay away from him, Mom, I don't want to. I'm truly sorry for what that warlock did to you, and it pisses me off, but Mikail and I are actually bonding. It's not some trick on my senses, it's real.”
Obviously frustrated, Joan waved a hand and asked, “What about Sam? I told him you were eager to meet him, and you promised to attend a party knowing I was going to introduce you.”
“Actually, my exact response to your proposition of introducing us was not interested. So you lied, and to be honest, I'm never eager to meet anyone you think is suitable because they never are.”
“That's not true. You got along with Frederick well enough.”
Kivsey scoffed, easily recalling the Texan judge Joan introduced her to a year ago, and responded, “Don't you mean Fred-the-dick?”
At her mother's confused look, she went on, “A few days after you introduced us, he called to invite me on a dinner date with some colleagues and suggested I wear something revealing so he could impress his friends, which translates to I'm an asshole who uses womens' bodies for my own purposes.”
Joan stared blankly, then threw her hands up, allowing them to slap her hips on the way back down in qualifying, “I'm just trying to find someone who could provide you a life that's worthwhile, Jennifer.”
“I know, and I appreciate the thought, Mom, but I can make a worthwhile life for myself, and a man's only job would be to enhance it.”
“Oh? And how do you think that dark elf would enhance it? By taking you to some cave and giving you children that couldn't exist in this world without masking themselves the way he does?”
Every word of that statement was like a slap to the face, all for different reasons. Some parts were insulting, some simply inaccurate.
But for as much as it hurt, it was also enlightening.
For the past week, she'd wondered if Mikail could be happy and live a fulfilling life in Terra, and now she knew the answer was no. Perhaps he'd be happy having his mate, and even enjoy what the world had to offer. But he'd never be free to be himself, to walk down the street in broad daylight without a mask—even if he could, the daylight would be uncomfortable.
As for their children, Joan was right. They'd have to take the same precautions about hiding what they were, which would severally limit their choices in building the life they wanted.
But each point only redoubled Kivsey's determination to forge something meaningful with Mikail—which she was quick to point out.
“Mom, I love you, and now that I know what you've suffered, I understand where you're coming from. But I have to be honest in saying you have no idea what you're talking about. That cave you mentioned? It's a subterranean city called Satorala that is, by far, the most beautiful, breathtaking place I've ever laid eyes on. So if Mikail offered to let me live with him there, I'd be absolutely thrilled.”
“Alright,” Joan conceded. “But if you asked, do you think he'd give that up to live here with you?”
“Yes, I do,” she answered without pause. “Mikail left Satorala knowing how uncomfortable Terra would be to find me, and before that, he forfeited a significant event just because he believed I was important enough to be given a chance.”
The memory put a smile on her face. At the time of the competition, Mikail hadn't known for certain if she was his mate, and the possibility wasn't his only reason for forfeiting. He was also angry that the Council elected to bar her from attending, and left to make a statement.
That statement, simply put, was that he respected her, and she cared enough about him in return to break her promise now instead of subjecting him to her mother's attitude any longer.
As soon as she had the thought, Joan inquired, “So now what? Are you just going to hop off to another world with him and never come back?”
“I don't know,” she answered honestly, pausing to tug her glasses off and rub her eyes when a short wave of pain passed.
Following the movement, she gazed down at the eyewear and recalled her conversation with Mikail before Joan caught them kissing. She'd told him they'd only met because she was seeking something new, and things were certainly changing now. Before long, she wouldn't even need her glasses anymore, her vision clearing to bring things into focus.
Likewise, she didn't need to discuss this any longer to know she'd found the right path. All Kivsey wanted from the very start was a worthwhile life, and accepting these changes was a great first step to building it.
So she related rather easily, “But whatever decisions we make will be made together. I'm falling in love with him, Mom, and we're gonna build something worthwhile.”
With that said, she placed her glasses on the vanity and concluded, “So I'm really sorry the pain you've suffered has blinded you to the fact that not every supenat is seedy, but you don't have to worry about me, you don't have to worry about our children, and you don't have to kick Mikail out of your house. I promise, we'll both be gone in the morning.”
At that, Kivsey didn't waste another moment, getting started on that worthwhile life by walking away.
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
♦
The longer Mikail waited in Kivsey's room, the more convinced he became that revealing the truth had been a mistake.
Arms crossed, he stared blankly at a wall, considering the possibility. Had his impulsive temper damaged his mate's relationship with her mother irreparably? Though he didn't care for Joan's attitude, and Kivsey had made her own dislike clear a number of times, that didn't mean she welcomed estrangement, and he had no idea how to remedy the situation, or even make it easier to handle.
So by the time the door opened and shut with Kivsey stepping inside, he was fully prepared to offer an apology, turning around to find her approaching with a determined look in her eyes.
Yet, before a single word was spoken, she grasped his tie and unexpectedly tugged him forward, leaning up to capture his mouth for a passionate kiss.
In an instant, Mikail forgot all about his worries, arms instinctively slipping around her sides as their tongues met, her sweet moan causing his shaft to pulse with desire.
But when she loosened his tie and pulled it free of his collar, he broke contact to ask, “What are you doing, love?”
“I want this suit off of you, and the mask.”
To prove it, she removed his blazer as his heart started racing. No other answer could've been as pleasing to hear, though he had to inquire, “What about the party? And your mother?”
Starting on the buttons of his shirt, Kivsey shook her head, her ginger gaze alight with affection so sincere it nearly dazed him too much to focus as she answered with a question of her own.
“Do you remember how you refused to compete because I'd been barred from viewing the competition?”
He wasted no time confirming the answer with a nod.
Simultaneously, Kivsey finished the task of removing his button down, then grasped the buckle of his pants and went on, “Well, Mom doesn't want you here, and if you're not welcome, I'm not staying either. So fuck the party. I have everything I need right here in this room, and that's what matters.”
His breath left him in a rush, a contemplative silence passing between them as she tugged his belt from the loops of his pants. Somehow, he could barely process what was happening. Was his cherished mate truly standing before him, refusing to go where he wasn't welcome because she desired his companionship? Is this another dream … ?
The prospect was so satisfying he might've said yes, but the warmth of her mouth pressin
g sweet kisses against his bare chest combined with her aroused scent was too good to be a mere figment of his imagination.
Still, he grasped her wrists to stop her from opening his pants, which drew her gaze up to his face.
“For as much as I love hearing you say that, I don't want to drive you and your mother apart—”
Her fingers raised to his lips, silencing him with a shake of her head. “There was already distance between us, Mikail, and sure, maybe it just deepened because I'm bonding with a Dok'aal. But if she has a problem accepting us, it's her problem. Not ours. So … .”
At that, she removed the talisman hanging around his neck, tossing it onto the nearby nightstand as the magical mask shimmered away to reveal his true face. In turn, the room grew uncomfortably brighter, though he had no trouble detecting the depth of warmth in her eyes when she gazed back up at him to add, “When this thing with Gyles is over, I wanna go back to Satorala.”
His gut clenched, initially unable to say he wasn't pleased to hear it. Knowing she wanted to live with him in Ithelyon was more than he could've asked. But after a moment of consideration, a part of him hesitated to accept, and he wasn't sure why.
Somehow, the thought of taking her away from the only home she'd ever had didn't settle well, and despite his preferences, he inquired, “What about Terra? The Bastion? Your life is here, isn't it?”
She shrugged, a languid smile on her lips that spoke volumes of her sincerity. “Who says we can't visit? And I'll figure something out with The Bastion. Besides, I was miserable here before you came to find me, and honestly? I care about you way too damned much to force you to live in a world where you can't be yourself.”
With those words spoken, she laid her cheek against his chest, her arms winding around his back in whispering, “I told Mom I'm ready to build something worthwhile, Mikail, and I know a good way to get started.”
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