by Jayda Marx
I clutched the small bag to my chest and cleared my throat; I was overwhelmed by their generosity and acceptance. They were sharing part of their culture with me and welcoming me into their land without question.
“Thank you,” I told them in a serious tone. “This means a lot to me. I hope that we can become good friends.” I meant that with all of my heart; I wanted to become close with the people who were close to Indy and share in his life.
“It’s already done,” Clarissa replied with a wink. “You’re one of us now, Puck.” She and Eden each gave me another kiss to the cheek. “I hope we see you soon. Have a good evening, boys.” They sauntered off down the path holding hands, with me blinking after them.
“They really liked you,” Indigo told me with a smile.
“I liked them too,” I answered in a wobbly voice.
His worried eyes tracked over my face. “Is something wrong?”
“No, no,” I blinked hard to keep my emotions in check. “It’s just that...well, I’ve never had many friends. And then they just - in just a few minutes, and they gave me-” I gave the bag a little shake. I wasn’t making sense, but Indigo looked like he understood what I was having trouble saying. “It’s just really nice.”
“I’m so glad you’re happy.” He brushed my curls to the side to kiss my forehead. “I promised you’d never be alone again. We’re all friends here, and they’re right; you’re one of us now. Our coven looks out for our own.”
I didn’t know what to say, but something told me Indy wasn’t looking for a reply. He kissed me again and put his hand on my lower back, leading me down the path again.
“What did they mean by I was a charmer?” I asked once my emotions settled.
Indigo chuckled. “Well, Clarissa and Eden are probably quite a bit older than you’re imagining.”
“Really? I was placing them in their mid-thirties. Is that not right?” Indigo laughed again and shook his head. “Forty?”
“Nope.”
“Fifty?” He shook his head no. “There’s no way they’re sixty.”
“You’re right about that.”
“I give up. How old are they?”
“Clarissa is three hundred seventeen, and Eden is two years her junior.”
I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at him with wide eyes. “You’re fucking with me.”
“I swear it’s true,” he responded, holding up his hand. “We have many potions which inspire our youthful appearances. And because of our magical bloodlines and the healing powers of people like Clarissa and Eden, mages do not die of natural causes.”
“Well, shit fire.” Indigo snorted a laugh as I once again tried to get my head around what he was saying. I’m immortal was a hard thing to digest. “So just out of curiosity...I mean, not that it matters...I don’t mean to be rude, but…”
“I’m twenty nine,” he answered with a knowing smile.
“Thanks,” I sighed, and he laughed again. “I’m twenty one, in case you were curious. I actually just had a birthday yesterday.”
“I know.” He knows? Oh god, I hope he didn’t see my pathetic one-person party. I was too embarrassed to ask, so I just nodded and kept walking. Until I stopped suddenly again.
“Wait a minute. I can die of natural causes; even if Clarissa and Eden can cook up something to heal me if I get sick, my body will eventually give out. You said that mages spend the rest of their lives with their mates, but mine won’t last that long. Isn’t that unfair to you?”
“Oh, sweet Puck.” He took me in his arms and cradled my head against his chest. “The goddess Fate saw the burdens and struggles of my people over gifts bestowed on us by her people. And so, she blessed us once again, with a mate to share our burdens and joy with; to keep us strong in times of doubt, and to revel with us in times of celebration. We are promised a partner for all time, and she has never forsaken us.”
“When mages bond with our beloved, our souls intertwine. We share pieces of ourselves with each other so that we are bound together for eternity. I believe with all of my heart that I will share my lifeline with you, so please do not worry.”
Holy hot damn. “This deal keeps getting better and better,” I teased, making Indigo chuckle. “But in all seriousness, you’re giving me everything; life, love, friends, community, family, healing...all you’re getting out of this is-”
“A wonderful man who makes my heart complete,” he interrupted. I tipped my head back to look up at him, finding his tender smile. “What could be better than that? I’m truly blessed.”
“I love you, Indigo.” The words came easier this time around, and I meant them more with each passing second.
“And I love you, darling.” He kissed me and then laughed against my lips when my stomach growled again. “I’m sorry that we keep getting distracted. Let’s get you something to eat.”
I didn’t mind when the distractions were new friends and sweet kisses, but I was freaking hungry, so I took his offered hand and we strolled along again.
“Here we are,” Indigo announced when we stopped in front of a walkway which led to a one story cottage. “Home sweet home.”
“It’s beautiful,” I gushed. All of the homes in the village had a similar design, though they each had personal touches. Indy’s house was built of light brown stones with cream mortar, a dark brown thatched roof, and a bright red door. “I love the door.”
He leaned down to my ear and whispered, “I chose the color to ward off evil spirits.” As he spoke, he walked his fingers up my back, sending a chill down my spine.
I gulped. “R-really?”
“No, I just liked the color.” He laughed when my jaw dropped. When I gave him a light-hearted shove, he only laughed harder. I acted offended, but I loved his playful side. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Let me show you the inside.”
Indigo held the thick wooden door open for me, and my jaw dropped again when I stepped across the threshold. The living room was the first space we entered, and it was breathtaking. The stone pattern from the outside also made up the interior walls, and framed a large fireplace, which gave the room a warm, welcoming feel. A comfortable-looking brown sofa sat in front of floor to ceiling bookshelves which were packed with books of all sizes, most of which looked like they’d been read multiple times.
“I love to read too,” I told Indigo when he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.
“I want to read all of your favorite books.”
His words brought a big, dumb smile to my face which thankfully he couldn’t see. Even sharing something simple made me so damn happy. “I hope you like romances. My lonely gay self has read every sappy love story I could get my hands on.” Wow, that didn’t sound pathetic at all.
He kissed the patch of skin behind my ear and whispered, “I promise to spend my life giving you a romance so sweet and passionate that you’ll never again crave the escape of those books.” His words sent a shiver from my head to my toes, and I was too turned on to even speak. Indy kissed my neck again and took my hand to lead me down a hallway. I didn’t miss the proud smirk on his face over getting me tongue tied.
“Here’s the bathroom,” he announced, motioning through a door at the end of the hall. Aside from the walls, everything was stark white, including the large clawfoot tub in the center of the room. It was a far cry from the cramped bathroom and shower stall in my apartment.
“And the bedroom,” he said as we entered it. The light wood of his bed and dressers matched the stone of the walls, and a thick patchwork quilt covered his mattress. “What do you think?”
“I love it; your whole place is cozy and inviting.”
“Thank you,” he told me with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Will you sit with me for a minute?” I nodded and he motioned to the bed. I sank a few inches when I sat on his soft mattress. It was just how I liked it; I loved beds so soft that they swallowed me up when I lay on them.
Indigo took a seat beside me and laced o
ur fingers together. “Puck, when a mage meets their beloved, they have an immediate, overwhelming need to share everything with them; their life, their heart...their home.” My stomach leapt into my throat as I waited for him to finish. “I told you that I was happy to move at your pace, and I meant it. But when you’re ready, I’d love for you to make this your home as well. I want to provide for you, shelter you, and share with you everything I have to give.”
My heart fluttered and my hands shook. When I thought Indy referred to his home as mine earlier it excited me, but now that he’d actually given me an invitation, I was filled with so much happiness I could barely contain it. On the flip side, the prospect of not sharing a home with him made me physically ill. Somehow I had the same overwhelming needs as Indigo.
“You don’t have to decide now,” he said with a squeeze to my hand.
“No, I do! I did!” I took a deep breath and tried again. “I decided. I want to live with you. So fucking what if it’s fast? I know that I love you and I know that I need to be with you.” Hell, I’d stay in my apartment with him, but I liked it here; plus all of his family and friends were here.
“Darling, thank you. You’ve made me so happy.” He gave me a swift, firm kiss. “I never thought I could be this happy.”
“Me neither. It feels like I have a swarm of bumblebees in my stomach.” Every nerve was alive and jittery.
“I love the way you speak.” Indigo cupped my cheek and slowly pulled me to him. He pecked my lips and slid his fingers into my hair. Our kiss deepened and our tongues slicked against one another. Our chests rose and fell together as our breathing quickened.
Indy’s hand moved from the back of my head and I whimpered in protest until I realized he was peeling off his jacket; then my whimper turned into a wanton moan. He tossed his coat to the ground and I flattened my palms on his firm chest. I could feel the warmth of his body through his t-shirt, but I wanted more. I wanted my flesh on his.
I inched my fingers down his stomach. Just as I dipped my fingertips below the hem of his shirt and caressed his smooth skin, a loud knock sounded from the direction of the living room.
I sighed and released his lips. “Perfect timing.”
“Let’s ignore it,” he suggested before kissing my cheek, but the knocking came again.
“It could be important.”
“Nothing’s more important than this.”
I moaned when he licked a hot line up my neck. “Fair point.”
A third, much louder knock rattled the door. Indigo sighed and his breath caused goosebumps to explode over my neck. “I’m sorry; I don’t think they’re going away.” He backed away and gave me a sad smile. “Come with me?”
“Sure.” Indy stood from the mattress and pulled me to my feet. “Hang on just a sec.” I turned away from him and tucked my hard dick into the waistband of my jeans. “There we go; is that less noticeable?”
His heavy-lidded eyes fell to the lump in my jeans. “I changed my mind. The door’s locked; I’m sure it’s fine if we stay here.”
I thought it was a great idea until the knocking came again. There was no way we could relax and enjoy each other with the noise. Plus, it could be important. “Let’s go check it out; we can pick this up later.”
Chapter Eight
Puck
I held Indigo’s hand tightly as we walked to the front door; we’d had one great welcome and one not-so-great one, so it was a coin toss waiting for us on the other side of the wood. Either way, I needed to be close to him.
He winked at me before pulling the door open to reveal a man and woman, both of whom were relatively tall and slim, and somehow seemed familiar to me, though I’d never met them.
“I’m sorry for showing up unannounced,” the woman offered. “I heard you were here and I just couldn’t wait one more minute.” She looked me over with excited eyes and a wide smile. “Oh, you’re gorgeous!” She grabbed me in a strong hug, nearly knocking me over.
When my shock wore off, I patted her back and looked questioningly at Indigo, who mouthed ‘I’m sorry’ through an uneasy expression. The other man in the doorway smiled adoringly at the woman.
“I know you’re excited dear, but let him breathe,” he chuckled as he peeled her off of me.
Indigo took his place at my side again and touched his hand to my lower back. “Puck, these are -”
“Your parents,” I cut in, and Indigo blinked in surprise as he nodded. It was strange; I knew who they were without having to be told. Even though they only appeared ten years older than Indy at best because of their ‘youth potions’ I learned about earlier, I knew they were his parents. I could instinctively feel the bond they shared with their son and...with me.
Indigo’s mother cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. “How did you know that?”
My feelings were difficult to describe, so I took another route. “I see so much of Indy in both of you,” I explained, which was also the truth. I looked at his father. “Sir, he has your dark hair and cheekbones, and ma’am,” I said, turning my attention back to his mother, “He has your dark pretty eyes.”
“Oh, I just love you already,” his mother gushed, wrapping me in another bone crushing hug. From the corner of my eye, I saw Indigo pinching the bridge of his nose. “But I won’t have any of this ‘sir’ and ‘ma’am’ business. My name is Althea, and that’s Aster.” She thumbed over her shoulder to the man, but didn’t let me loose to greet him properly. “Or you’re welcome to call me Mom.”
“Mother,” Indigo groaned in warning.
Althea gave him an unimpressed look before sending me a sneaky smile. “Yes, or Mother.” I couldn’t hold back my laugh, and Althea joined me. I really liked her; she was undoubtedly powerful and important since she was the High Priestess of the coven, but at the same time, she was sweet and down to earth. Plus it seemed like she got some enjoyment out of embarrassing her son, like many human mothers. Our people were worlds apart, but also similar.
Althea released me from the hug, but took her place at my side, bumping Indigo out of the way with her hip. She linked our elbows together and patted my hand with hers. “Puck, I want to hear all about you. Will you join Aster and me for dinner?”
“I was just about to prepare a meal for Puck,” Indigo interjected.
“No need,” Althea replied, waving him off. “I brought food with me.”
“Of course you did,” he mumbled. His father laughed while his mother glared at him. Then she turned a bright smile on me.
“What do you say?”
“I’d love to get to know you both,” I answered honestly. “But Indy, I don’t want to ruin your plans.” I had a feeling that cooking a private meal for the two of us meant a lot to him.
“Oh, he doesn’t mind, do you, dear?” she asked Indigo with a pointed look.
“Something tells me I don’t have a choice,” he replied with a smirk.
“That’s a good boy.” Althea patted his cheek and Aster chuckled again. “Come, let’s get settled in the kitchen.”
She led me into the kitchen, which was the only room of the home I hadn’t seen yet. It was as cozy as the rest of them, especially with the large dining table in the center, which had bench-style seats. It was too big for just one person (well, two of us lived here now), but Indigo had told me that people often got together for meals.
“Here we go; you sit right here by me,” Althea requested as she took a seat and patted the bench next to her. I settled in and Indigo sat across the table from me with Aster at his side. “I hope you like what I brought.” She put her satchel on the table and opened the flap.
When she reached inside, I expected her to pull out sandwiches or something; not a whole turkey on a silver platter. It was bigger than her bag, and I decided magic was confusing but fucking fantastic. Next, she pulled out a glass bowl filled with mashed potatoes, a boat of gravy, and a basket of rolls.
"This all looks so delicious," I said as I eyeballed the feast before me. "I can
't remember the last time I had a meal like this." Althea gave me a confused look so I explained, "I'm not much of a cook, so I usually just grab a sandwich from a shop or have a bowl of cereal."
"Well that ends today," she stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "No son of mine is living off of cereal." Her words squeezed my heart and I didn't know what to say, so I gave her a little nod. She patted my shoulder and Indigo rubbed his foot against mine in support under the table.
“Aster, dear, would you please say the blessing before we eat?”
“Of course.” Everyone clasped hands around the table and bowed our heads before he said, “We thank Mother Earth for providing the food before us. We thank the universe for our gifts, and Fate for the bonds between us. And finally, we call on positive energies for the protection of our people. If it is your will, so it shall be.”
“So it shall be,” Indigo and Althea repeated, and we all lifted our heads.
“That was really nice,” I told Aster, who smiled and bowed his head in thanks. I’d never been a religious person, but I found their acknowledgement of nature and positive wishes for their community incredibly thoughtful. “Indy, if you tell me where the plates are, I’ll set the table,” I offered.
“That’s very sweet of you, but I’ve got it.” He snapped his fingers and I gasped when two cabinets and a drawer slowly opened. Plates, glasses and utensils floated through the room and came to rest in front of each of us before the cabinets closed again.
“Dang, that’d be handy at Rosie’s,” I teased, making Indigo chuckle.
“What is Rosie’s?” As Althea asked, she waved her hand over the turkey and it fell into perfectly carved slices.
I blinked at the platter in awe before I remembered she asked me a question. “Oh, sorry; it’s the restaurant where I work. I wait tables.”
