by Thawer, Tish
"As I told you before, I can read your thoughts as easily as if you were speaking out loud. I can do that with almost anyone. But the instant I touched you, something changed. Not only could I read your thoughts, but it was as if I could feel them too. I could sense your emotions, and then when you heard what I was thinking in your head as well, that’s when I knew something special had happened."
Even though she sat quietly, he could tell Aryiah was excited. He could sense her emotions, and right now they were a mixture of excitement, hesitation, and major amounts of lust. It was overwhelming and had him feeling as if the timing was finally right.
"I’m sorry that I left so abruptly, but I had to speak with my Goddess to gain a full understanding of what happened." He scooted even closer, took her hand, and looked deep into her eyes. "I can’t explain how thrilling it was when I received the answer. Aryiah, when I touched you, I experienced The Bond. It means that you and I are mates."
* * * * *
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
It would probably be hard for anyone to understand how after just meeting someone your life suddenly made sense, but for Aryiah, that was exactly what was happening. For only a brief moment had she questioned his explanation, but now she knew it all to be true. She felt the rightness of it all the way down to her soul. After everything that happened, this was the one thing that made it all okay. She'd never believed in love at first sight or any sappy shit like that...until now. She was sure it had something to do with him being a wolf, because in her world, once wolves bonded they were mated for life.
After experiencing so many strange and unexplainable things, she'd spent years wondering if she was truly crazy. But with Damarius' explanation about Ovialell, the magick now saturating her life, and their mated bond, she knew everything she'd experienced in her life had led her to this moment.
Aryiah could sense the relief radiating from Damarius, and it was overwhelming. But it didn’t compare to the feelings of fear, love, and lust that were pouring off of him as well. He sat quietly after lowering the bombshell that he and she were mates, probably worried that she would freak. But in this moment, she couldn't have been happier.
She set her glass down, threw the blanket over the back of the couch. "Is it okay if we talk about the rest of this later? I definitely have more questions, but if I don’t kiss you right now, I think I might spontaneously combust," Aryiah said with a purr in her voice.
As his lips met hers for the first time, she heard in her head, My thoughts exactly.
The kiss was slow and tender, their tongues barely grazing. She melted against him as he reached up and laced his fingers through her hair. The feel of his strong arms wrapping around her set her soul on fire with a passion she'd never experienced in all of her thirty-two years.
As the intensity of their kiss increased, he ran a hand down her side, taking in her curves. The feel of his strong hand gliding along her body caused her to writhe in his arms.
Aryiah moaned as his caress passed over her ass, then continued over and down between her legs. Damarius ran his finger along the seam of her jeans, causing Aryiah to grind herself against his hard-on.
* * * * *
She was going to be his undoing. The feel of her body against his had him more excited than he’d been in centuries. When she grinded herself against him, he almost lost control right then. He reached down with both hands, securing her against him, then began to move her against his erection, wishing he was already inside. That’s when Aryiah suddenly pulled away from their kiss, gasping in shock.
Damarius looked down and realized they were both naked, even though neither of them had moved.
"Holy shit…did you do that or did I?" Aryiah asked.
It was obvious one of them had just used their magick to strip away their clothes, but he didn’t know which one, and honestly, he didn't care. "Does it matter?" He looked down at her with a look of feral lust. "We are mates and I’ve never wanted anything more in my entire life than I want you right now."
* * * * *
Feeling as though she too would die if he wasn’t making love to her in the next second, Aryiah straddled him, and in a moment of pure bliss lowered herself onto his shaft.
He sucked in a breath and began to control the speed in which she rode him by holding onto her hips. "God, you feel so good," he said, his tone thick and layered with need. Suddenly, he rose up, and in one fluid motion flipped her onto her back.
Aryiah felt like the sexiest woman alive in that moment. The look of love mixed with a flare of possessiveness on his face, had her wetter than she’d ever been.
Damarius reached down with one hand, ran it up her thigh, then lifted her leg to hook it over his shoulder. Aryiah's moans filled the room as Damarius increased his speed. As he lowered his head and took her nipple into his mouth, she knew then what ecstasy felt like. He sucked the peak between his lips and rolled it with his tongue, causing Aryiah to grab his ass, dig her fingers in, and thrust her hips to matched the intensity of his strokes.
They exploded in a frenzy of kisses, moans, and tremors as the passion of their first mating continued to rise.
"Yes! Yes!" Aryiah cried out as they came together. But upon opening her eyes and taking in the look on Damarius' face, she froze.
"Aryiah, I’m sorry. I’m being summoned."
An instant later she was lying on the couch alone, confused, and completely naked.
* * * * *
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Damarius materialized in the throne room of Upper World, right in the spot where the Goddess Diana had summoned him. "What is a vampire doing in my castle?" she demanded.
Damarius was shocked as his eyes found Gage, surrounded by the energy ball that Aryiah had thrown at him. He was still paralyzed, and looked pissed as hell.
Waving his hand, Damarius quickly clothed himself then answered, "Goddess, I can only explain what happened, but I do not have an explanation."
He proceeded to tell his Goddess exactly what took place in Aryiah’s apartment, making sure to relay that after witnessing Gage’s unique gifts, he was positive they now held the assassin responsible for the deaths of the other potential Witches.
"What gifts are you speaking of?" she asked Damarius.
"All that I have witnessed is his ability to walk in the sun and control the thoughts of others."
With an intensity that made the hairs on the back of Damarius’ neck stand on end, Diana addressed the vampire. "How did you come to possess such gifts?"
Gage just stared at the Goddess, refusing to talk.
"Damarius, take him to the dungeon and then return to me. I have much to think about and we have even more to discuss."
With a flick of her hand, the energy ball dissipated and the vampire fell to his knees. Damarius took a hold of his arm and lifted him to his feet, forcing him to shuffle along beside him as they made their way to the dungeons. With the amount of energy that'd been drained out of Gage, he would be no trouble for quite some time.
After depositing the vampire in his cell, Damarius returned to the throne room and found his Goddess sitting on her throne, looking sad and exhausted. This was not a look he was used to seeing.
"My Lady, are you feeling alright?" Damarius asked, full of concern.
Her shoulders slumped, and she closed her eyes before answering. "Damarius, these last few months have taken a toll on me. I never thought I would again witness such a division in Ovialell. The vampires of Obsidian obviously have a part in it, but there is someone else behind this, someone whose wrath Gage fears even more than my own."
Damarius crossed his arms over his chest. "I too read that from his thoughts. But who could instill such fear in a vampire and aid him with enough magick to kill Ingrid, therefore triggering her replacement, and why do such a thing?"
"That too is something I've been contemplating. As I fear we are facing another very dark time, I will now tell you something that is only known to The Witches and myself."
With a solemn look on her face, the Goddess walked down the stairs and came to a stop in front of Damarius. She waved a hand above them both, transporting them directly to her secluded alter room.
"The Witches magick is at its greatest only when they are a complete unit. By killing a Witch, and any of her triggered replacements, you effectively weaken the whole."
Diana took a breath and looked even more forlorn as she continued. "I fear someone has figured that out, and therefore sent assassins to weaken my Witches in preparation for another Great Rift."
Damarius' arms dropped to his side as Diana's words filled him with dread. The idea of another Great Rift was incomprehensible. He hadn't been alive for the previous division of Ovialell, but it was something he knew he didn’t want to experience. So many lives were lost during that war, and now, just when he had found his mate, there was more to live for than ever before.
Jolting him out of his dark thoughts, he heard Dianna say, "Damarius, I fear we are about to face the Darklings once more."
"Goddess, no!"
The Darklings were a race of beings with extensive magickal powers––the type of magick that could easily give a vampire the power to walk in the sun and manipulate minds. They were humanoid creatures with a thirst for destruction, and were responsible for starting the war that all of Ovialell now referred to as the Great Rift. It was a time when Ovialell was divided between good and evil.
At the time, Diana had the support of her trusted Witches, the Seelie Fae court and their queen, Raeanne, as well as the Amazon warriors and their leader, Kylie.
On the opposing side had been the Darklings, the vampires of Obsidian, the demons of Hel, and the Unseelie Fae court and their ruler, Queen Fayln.
Damarius reflected on all the history he knew regarding the Great Rift, and what was truly disturbing about this was that the Darklings were no longer supposed to reside in Ovialell. They had been defeated and banished to another realm by the most powerful Witch of all––the queen of The Witches and Diana's daughter…Aradia.
"How do you think the Darklings have managed to break free?" Damarius asked.
"I cannot say for certain, but I’m almost positive that Queen Fayln has something to do with it. I will have to tread carefully while trying to gain as much information as I can without openly accusing her."
Damarius knew Queen Fayln was no match for the Goddess, but if Diana was wrong, she'd ignite a feud, and that was something she'd want to avoid since she strived to rule Ovialell with a peaceful hand.
"Damarius, I have also been reflecting on the events you described regarding Aryiah. I feel a very strong pull towards her, and would very much like to meet her. Bring her here through the Shadowlands when the sun sets two nights from now. I feel it’s important for us to gain an understanding of what is actually happening with her magick."
Without giving him time to respond, the Goddess disappeared. Damarius was honored that his mate was going to meet the Goddess, before her training had truly begun. His chest swelled with pride, and as he thought of how he left her, he had to adjusted himself, as being away from her was quickly becoming uncomfortable. Unable to keep himself away any longer, he shaded back to Aryiah’s apartment, hoping they could pick things up where they'd left off.
* * * * *
Once Damarius left, Diana reappeared and stood at her alter, staring at her personal Book of Shadows. Every witch has one, but none possess the powerful magick that hers did. The Goddess flipped to the page she was looking for and began to read:
Diana gave birth to Aradia and then set her forth in mortal form to teach her magick to all mankind.
With everything that had been happening lately, thoughts of her long lost daughter were occurring more and more often. She had thousands of years to get over losing her during the Great Rift, but now it was as though she was being forced to think of her daily.
"It has to be a sign," she spoke to the book, then listened as it replied inside her mind.
I am the tomb who teaches all. Aradia’s return will prevent the fall. Test the girl and you will see. Present her with me, so mote it be!
Diana lifted her arms and threw back her head. A silver glow surrounded her, making it appear as though she was being hugged by moonlight as she sang out, "I was right!"
As she reveled in the thought of Aradia's return, Diana moved to her cupboard to retrieve the scrying instruments she'd need to start her investigation. There was no way she would be losing her daughter to the Darklings again.
Once seated on the plush pillows that surrounded the low round table located next to her alter, Diana placed a black mirrored bowl in front of her and waived her hand, filling it with water. As the purple candles surrounding the table flared to life, the Goddess focused on the still liquid.
It only took a moment before the water began to ripple and a scene began to appear in the bowl. The Goddess watched as a hooded figure, shrouded in mist, hobbled through the darkness. Unfortunately, there were no distinct details as to who or where this "person" was. Diana continued to watch it meander through the vision until it lifted its head and pierced her with white iridescent eyes.
Startled, she flung the bowl to the floor with a swipe of her hand. Breathing heavily, Diana stood and began to pace. Thick velvet curtains fell into place at her will, covering the tall windows of her tower. She felt as if the being not only sensed her, but could see her as clearly as she'd seen it. She closed her eyes but she couldn't escape the image that was now etched into her mind. The same image she'd spent thousands of years trying to forget. The milky white stare of the Darklings as they killed her daughter.
* * * * *
CHAPTER TWENTY
As Aryiah lay naked on the couch, feeling satisfied and unsatisfied all at the same time, she was having a hard time believing what had just happened. She had just experienced the most mind blowing sex with her mate for the very first time. But then, in the next moment, he had disappeared.
"Aryiah, I’m sorry…I’m being summoned," he had said. She assumed it was his Goddess who had taken him from her, and right now, she would really like to give her a piece of her mind.
She slammed her hands into the cushions, and wiggled her body in response to the tingling sensation the residual effects of her orgasm had left within. She couldn’t stop thinking about the man she would be spending the rest of her life with.
He had explained their mated bond to her, and right now, she felt the depth of that connection deep within her bones. As impossible as it seemed, she knew they'd be together forever and she would never want anyone else.
Burning with desire, Aryiah rolled off the couch and headed to her bedroom. After closing the door behind her, she walked to her nightstand and took out BOB, her battery operated boyfriend. She then climbed onto her bed, laid back, and spread her legs. As she began kneading one of her breasts, she flipped the vibrator switch to low.
Slowly rubbing the pleasure stick from her clitoris down to her opening and back, she thought of Damarius and his gorgeous green eyes staring down at her, his wide shoulders positioned above her, blocking out the rest of the world, and the feel of his tight body under her hands. Wet with desire, she slid the vibrator into her heated core and moaned.
Releasing her breast, she moved her hand to her sensitive nub and worked it in tiny circles as she continued to pound herself with the substitute cock. "Yes…yes!" she cried.
Within moments she began to climax. "Oh yes…Damarius!" she yelled out loud.
Wow…that was the quickest orgasm I've ever had.
Coming down from the high of her sexual release, she felt completely relaxed for the first time in days. So with thoughts of her mate lulling her to sleep, Aryiah drifted off, naked, with her vibrator still lying on the bed.
* * * * *
Devin was almost home when she suddenly realized…she was almost home. "What the hell is going on?" she asked herself out loud. Had she not just been at Aryiah’s with Gage? And speaking of Gage, where i
n the hell was he?
"This is bullshit, I'm not even thirty-five and I’m losing my frickin' mind," she said as she spun her car in a u-turn and headed back to Aryiah’s.
Once there, she ran to the door and beat on it like it belonged to her last cheating boyfriend. "Aryiah, I know you’re still here, I see your car. Please open up. I really need to talk to you."
No answer. She tried her cell phone next, texting first, then calling. This was starting to really upset her. "What the hell is going on? Where are you? Things are totally freaky right now and I need you to call me ASAP."
She slammed her cell closed but as she began to turn away, she noticed a green light emanating from underneath the door. That wasn't there a minute ago. Now pissed, Devin shouted, "Well fine! If you want to ignore me I’ll just go find Gage by myself."
No telling what freaky Wiccan shit you're doing in there anyway.
* * * * *
Gage sat in the dungeon cell, weak from the energy ball that had drained him for the last hour and a half. He still couldn’t wrap his head around what had happened. How the hell had that bitch tossed magick like that without even being initiated, and why doesn’t my mind control work on her?
He was pissed and feeling hopeless when he remembered that there was one person who responded perfectly to his mind control––Devin. With a plan forming in his head, he vowed to use her to gain his freedom, and then that Witch was going to die.
