Mark Of Change (Firemoon Book 1)

by Sky Wilde

  He blushes just a little bit. “This is not my bed, this is a guest room. You can stay here, no permission needed.” Again, his poker face comes back, and his voice turns husky. “If you want, we can go to the master bedroom tonight. And like you asked, you could use my bed.”

  I close the distance on him in a moment and push him against the wall. His eyes are wide and I use the same voice as him. “I would like that a lot too.” He is now staring into my brown eyes and I can see the raw lust in his. With a normal tone, I add, “But, no thank you. You are my cousin and that is wrong.”

  “Step-cousin.” He leans closer and whispers, “It is not so wrong and I am pretty sure my mom would like that.”

  His mom would like that?

  Noticing a pair of eyes on my back, I jump a little, distancing myself from the human— my mate. I start charging my magic neutralizer on instinct because my magic perspective shows that the other person in the room is a woman with a trace of Luna magic on her. She might have only a trace of it, but it can be deadly in the right hands.

  “December Rose. As he said, I have no objection on the matter, but I want your mother’s permission if you want to take this further.” Her voice carries a sizzling sensation. Pretty sure that she can use magic without her knowledge at all.

  “It is December Ann. Not Rose. And it is not possible, at all. Sorry, I am taking my leave now.” She wants to see my mom. And she is happy that I am dating her son even though I am her niece. I start leaving the room fuming with anger.

  Grey catches my arm and whispers, with his eyes on the ground, “Please don’t leave. The first time you left, you didn’t appear in my life for more than five years and I always felt a metaphorical pain in my heart during all these years when you were not here.” Those eyes trembles as they focus on me, “When you are with me, all I get is happiness... Please, don’t leave...” he adds in a low tone, “...don’t leave me.”

  After my mate says something like that, how can I leave him? I approach him and put my arms around his waist, “Shh... It’s Okay. I won’t leave you. I promise.”

  My aunt clears her throat. I look back at her and at my mate. That is then I figure out that we are hugging tight. This is embarrassing. I slightly blush and pull away from him. He chuckles at the sight of me blushing.

  He and I are going to have a talk about that.

  “December, we got a family dinner at eight. It is a formal one, so no sweatpants. Wear something cute.” My aunt claps her hand and someone rushes in. She has some kind of a maid costume on her. Of course, they have maids.

  She turns around, whispers something to the maid who is now bowing her head and leaves the room without a backward glance. The maid looks at me from her bowing posture, and has her head slightly cocked, like she is studying me. The right side of her neck has a Star tattoo, falling down from the backside of her ear.

  She leaves the room without a word. I turn around and face my mate. He still is smiling and looks like he is trying not to laugh. I narrow my eyes at him and place my fists on my hips. “Grey Stone, if you laugh one more time then I won’t speak to you for a day.”

  He laughs. Of course, he can laugh. It is what everyone does when I try to look stern. I frown. He notices and pulls me into a hug, “Don’t ever change, December.” There goes my anger. When he touches me, all I get are butterflies in my stomach, a racing heart and an excited brain.

  Stupid butterflies.

  Stupid heart.

  Stupid brain.

  I can’t even be mad at him! I return the hug and pull back. “You know... I... I forgot your mother’s name.”

  He laughs again. Come on, am I that much of a clown??

  I wait for him to stop laughing. Placing my fists on my hips. Finally, he stops. He looks at my stern look and laughs again. Without another thought, I pull his head down to my height, tip-toe and kiss him on his lips, absorbing the laugh. He is shocked and his body is tense, but he loosens up a little bit and starts to kiss me back.

  I pull back and we are both breathing heavily. He lifts me by my waist a little, and places his forehead on mine. “December that was the hottest thing someone ever did to me. When you take the lead, it is so sexy.”

  I blush and put some distance between us. Because I might steal much more than kisses if I am that close to him. “By the way... your mom’s name, please? I don’t want to embarrass myself or hurt her.”

  Grey is trying not to laugh again, but realizes the deepness of my worries and stops. If I ask her name now, she will feel really hurt and I am pretty sure she would ignore me. She will also protect her son from me, and she wouldn’t let me near my mate. Not that she can hold me back, but I don’t want to do anything to hurt the remaining family I got.

  “Her name is Mary Stone.” He says.

  I nod and take a mental note to never forget that name. I bite my lip, pondering the fact whether I should ask the next words I have in my mind. He sees through my nervousness and urges me with his eyes. I take a deep breath.

  “Your mother can’t meet mine. And we can’t get too close. Don’t take it wrong. I really like you and I want... you.” He smiles wider than before. “But... I can’t. I am not safe for you...I...”

  He doesn’t let me finish the sentence and just pulls me into him by my waist, and runs his fingers on my back. “December Ann, I promise to protect you. I swear that I will protect you for the rest of my life if you allow me.”

  I return the hug and something wet runs down my cheek. It is then that I realize I am crying. He lets me cry into his chest and softly runs his finger on my back, trying to comfort me. He suddenly tenses up and pulls back. He wipes the tears from my eyes, smiles faintly and leaves the room without another word.

  I wonder why he left me... Did I do something wrong? Maybe... maybe I have hurt him.

  I turn around and find that the maid is here, again. She bows her head, her tattoo showing again. “Miss Rose, the shower is that way and I have placed a towel with a dress, which I thought you might like, on your bed.” She bows again and leaves. I didn’t even get to correct her that my last name is not Rose, it is Ann. My grandfather’s last name.

  Oh. Realization calms me. Grey most probably left because he felt awkward of me hugging him when the maid was around. I let out a sigh of relief and take the towel, and walk towards the shower. The shower, I realize, is a big one, and seems to be the kind in which the water falls from the ceiling. Cool.

  I set the temperature, and step out from my sweatpants and t-shirt. Removing the rest of my clothes, I step under the shower.

  Wow. As I always say, shower time is my favourite. Maybe next to hugging Grey... and next to other things I am going to do with him... Still Shower is one of my favourite things in the world.

  Today was a weird day. I realize that I have a soulmate now. My mate is my Step-cousin. I have a little family including my arrogant aunt, my mate and me. Of course, there are some freaking maids out here, but they are always in the shadows. I wonder how I didn’t notice any maid when I was in the hallway. That doesn’t matter.

  I may be running away from an Alpha and forced slavery, and even from my birth family, but I will always stay strong and no one will force me again. I have something to fight for, now. I have a mate to fight for. And his mom to fight for.

  I will keep my family safe from my life and I will do whatever it takes to stop these Alphas.

  I am December Ann... Or December Stone, whatever, because if he is my mate, I might as well take his last name for myself.

  I will fight with all my might and I will take down that Alpha.

  Rose girls never lose. Well, Ann girls also never lose. Of course, Stone girls will never lose too.

  Family Dinner

  *December*

  This is awkward.

  Like.

  Really super awkward.

  I am wearing the most revealing dress in the whole world. I might as well wear just my lingerie instead of this dress. Damn maid. She chose t
his and she said that I would like this. Did she think I was a stripper or something?

  Ugh... Stupid dress

  It is a black dress. And there are no shoulder straps. It hugs my firm breasts tight, lifting my small breasts up. The waist has only spaghetti straps in place of cloth with potholes on the front and back, showing skin all over the dress other than my bud and flower. And it rides only a little less than one inch below my butt.

  When I walk, I have to check every step that my dress doesn’t accidentally ride up higher or my breasts accidentally doesn’t pop out. And the maid had picked out three-inch heels for me. I decided not to take it as an insult, but it only adds to the hard work I am with-taking in wearing this dress.

  Damn the maid.

  Grey is wearing a tux and has a black flip-flopper. And he is so hot in it. He holds my hand as I walk slightly behind him. This is the only perk in this family dinner. I can keep checking him out all night. The thought was abruptly cut off as he wiggles his ass, just like I did to him earlier.

  Oh.

  My.

  Gosh.

  This is embarrassing. I hide my face with my hair as a curtain. I am pretty sure it is deep red. I just got caught checking him out, and I am in this stupid dress as if checking him out isn’t embarrassing at all. He chuckles under his breath, only for me to hear. That only deepens my already red blush.

  “Why are your cheeks red like an apple?” My aunt's voice startles me. This is the worst night. Ever. I keep on getting caught. Damn.

  Grey doesn’t comment on it and neither do I.

  We sit at the table in front, with my aunt at the head, I am on her left side a chair away and Grey is on her right, a chair away too. Thank Nyx, my aunt doesn’t comment on my dress or my blushing. If she does, I probably wouldn’t answer it either. But it would be embarrassing at most to evade that question.

  The dinner is vegan only. I don’t see the need to eat vegan all the time, but maybe that is due to the reason I am not human. Supernatural beings burn a lot of calories and thus I don’t have any excess fat, at all. Why go for vegan when there are a lot of other tasty foods?

  I am not the one to complain. I have been on the road for a year now. Some days I would never get food at all. Someday I would get only mediocre food. So I am used to eating anything. In the past, I ate only candy bars for a week. Yup, a whole seven days. I would have eaten at least 40 candy bars in that week— yeah, I stole them.

  But, is it stealing if it is already stolen?

  Never mind, ugh, it still bothers me that I stole something. But I cool my conscience with the thought that I just took out a box from a truck with me into hiding, when I hid in a hotel room, as a loan.

  If a human did that, he/she would have got a sugar overdose.

  The maids serve the dishes to all. I look for my arch nemesis maid, the one with Star tattoo, who picked out my dress. But she is nowhere to be found. I sigh and look up my table to see that Grey is mischievously grinning at me.

  Uh-oh. Is he planning something?

  Aunt is deep into reading something on her phone. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought she was doing... something fun, but nope, she is reading a book maybe. With her stern look, I would be very surprised if she was doing something else other than reading books.

  Grey winks at me, drops a fork and goes underneath the table.

  Oh... my... god...

  I cover my legs using my hands as good as I can. When a hand is placed on my ankle, butterflies fill my stomach. I had removed my heels when I sat down on the table, and he uses that to his advantage to tease my toes and ankles. The hand slowly traces a path from my ankle to my thigh, ignoring my hand in the way.

  It takes all control I have to not purr at the touch overload. He touches me like super-soft... and it is driving me crazy. I look up through my lashes at my aunt to see that she is not noticing. I sigh and rearrange my hands on my lap, letting him touch me. I would not allow him to go further, just touches.

  He uses both hands to massage my legs and I sigh. He is good at this. The relaxing massage takes away my nervous embarrassment mixture away. He slowly makes his way up and is now on the inner thigh. I seriously consider letting him go all the way to my flower, but I decide not to do it. Aunt is present right beside us in the table and my cousin—step-cousin— wants to touch me...

  I gently push his hands away pleading him to stop. He stops. Thank Nyx. The loss of touch is aching, but it is for the greater good.

  A voice rings, “Grey Stone, no courting your girlfriend in the dinner table.” I look up to see that my aunt has stopped reading whatever she was reading and is looking at me through her specs. Her eyes are wild like she is staring deep into my soul.

  I let my hair curtain my blush. She just caught us. This is so embarrassing. Grey eventually comes up from under the table like nothing happened. My aunt clears her throat and when we both look at her, she sighs. “December I know what it is like to be young. I can understand you have fantasies. But, I am standing by my decision. I need to speak with your mom before you take this any further.”

  That kills my relaxed mood. My shoulders tense up again. I can’t answer that I am running from my mom and her chosen-to-be-groom, even though I really want to. But... I don’t want to drag them both into my life mess.

  “I can’t.” I stand up from the table. My aunt motions me to sit.

  She smiles and her voice turns honey, “No leaving the dining table till the dessert is served.” She narrows her eyes at Grey and adds, “No going under the table...” she coughs, “to court your girlfriend.”

  Grey looks at me and winks. My aunt sighs in defeat. She turns her head to me again and her voice is serious again. “Care to explain?” We both know that she is asking about my situation with my mom. Not about the escapade I almost had with my mate.

  “We... kind of had a fall out... and I am not with her now.” I didn’t lie or didn’t reveal the truth. It was partially true, because we had a fall out, yes. But it was me whose life fell out because of her. She is the same old lady.

  She nods. Maybe she bought my lie. She claps her hands once and three maids with a plate in hand, approaches the table. Each places the dishes in hand to each of us. It was...

  My favourite sweet old chocolate ice cream.

  I squeal in delight and take the spoon. Taking one large scoop of ice cream, I put it in my mouth. The taste is awesome and it just melts in my mouth. I moan from the taste. Someone clears their throat and I look up. To find that... both of the table occupants are looking at me. Oh right. I am in a family-dinner.

  My aunt has a wide-eyed expression while Grey is looking at me like I am the most beautiful woman, with a distant look in his eyes.

  I look down and mutter a ‘sorry'.

  Grey chuckles and I blush. My aunt claps her hand once again. A maid approaches. She points her hand to me and whispers something. The maid leaves, bowing to her. I let the entire outside world go and focus on the heaven before, my ice cream. I take one more scoop, this time I keep it in a medium sized scoop, and place it in my mouth.

  It took all I had not to moan in the taste, but I end up sighing. The maid approaches with another dish in hand. I wonder what it is. She opened it and placed another cup of today’s dessert in front of me. Yey! More ice cream.

  My aunt sighs at my childish comment and Grey laughs. Damn... did I say it out loud? Again, more blushing moments for me tonight...

  My aunt gets up from the table... without finishing her ice cream. I look up at her with puppy doll eyes. She sighs once more and pushes her ice cream towards me, and mutters, “Don’t catch a cold,” before she leaves.

  More the merrier. I giggle like a little girl, and finish up the second cup and move on to the leftover ice cream. When I’m going to wipe out that cup too, another cup comes toward me. I look up to see that Grey has a big smile and has pushed his cup toward me. I raise my eyebrows at the gesture. He just motions me to continue. I smile and plou
gh my way through the fourth cup of the day.

  I look up to see that Grey is watching me with an intense look. I look up through my lashes and whisper, “Do you think I am weird?” He nods.

  I look down. He thinks I am weird... My mate thinks I am weird...

  He gets up and I feel bad. Who in their right mind wouldn’t find me weird...? But, this boy is my mate. His opinion is the only one which matters. His comments are the only ones I want.

  Tears fill my eyes as he reaches the end of the table. My mate thinks I am weird... it wouldn’t surprise me if he doesn’t want me anymore... I look up to him through my lashes.

  Instead of leaving, he approaches my side and wraps his arm around me. I sigh, leaning into the embrace. He takes a tissue and wipes out the tears I had. My face warms. My heart beats faster of its own accord. He turns me and pulls me up, still holding me in his arms. He leans down and kisses me with passion and I kiss him back.

  He pulls back and kisses me once again. His tongue teases my lips asking permission. I hesitate for a second, but I give up to him. He is my mate, I will give the whole of my body to him... after I figure out whether he is a human or not.

  His tongue touches mine and all thoughts are lost to the depths of universe. I moan against his mouth and he groans, pulling back. I whine my protest when the kiss breaks. “You are killing me here December.” I use the wind and push him back onto me and put my lips on his. This time he tastes of the chocolate I ate—my favourite. I lead him all the way through the kiss and he follows me all the time.

  After I had enough of it, I pull back. “December, This is the next hottest thing I ever had in my life. And...” I smile and trace my lips with my finger and put it inside my mouth. He growls a little at it, and falls for my trap. But, he doesn’t fully fall into it, and ends up cupping my cheek instead of kissing me.

  He adds, “I didn’t mean the word ‘weird' as an insult. You are unique. You are cool in your own way and I am happy that something I do can bring you immense happiness.” He tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear.