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Chapter VI
The light was drifting in and out as Aron drained me and in turn replaced my blood with his, as I replaced his with mine. Already I could feel our souls weaving in with each other and I was slowly becoming increasingly aware of every move he made.
The raggedness of his breath against my neck, the tugs of blood he took from my veins had me overwhelmed with sensation, how tight he held me in his arms – every sensation he experienced I in turn experienced.
It happened to quickly, before long I tasted my blood coming from his wrist and I felt him pull away from my neck, grabbing me by the shoulders as he pinned me up against the wall.
His gaze was hot on mine, his breathing heavy as he stared deep into my eyes.
I felt so connected to him, with every movement he made I felt it. I stood naked in his arms, my hands on his waist as I stared at him, really looking at his face properly for the first time. His eyes will still harsh also held a soft gaze as he looked down at me, but also within the depths there was an amount of sorrow I couldn't comprehend.
I felt my body hum, the idea of him having gone through any pain hurt to think about. I held my soulmate in my arms, a man who would do anything for me and all he'd want me to do is love him and pledge myself to him.
"Ashia..." Aron's voice had a nervous edge to it and I realised I had zoned out. Coming back to reality I realised the bathroom lights were flickering and my hands held an ice white glow. I took my hands off his waist and the glow stopped and the lights returned back to normal. "What was that?" He asked.
"I'm not sure... that happens to Willa when she does magic – but her hands glow orange not white..." I lost my train of thought as he cupped my cheek.
"We can continue the mating love, or we can stop now, if we do I'll have to go stay somewhere else."
I swallowed deeply as his intense hungry eyes stared down at me. I had to remind myself that I knew nothing about this man – this man that everyone knew so much about and I knew so little. How his name was said in shock or admiration or fear.
Swallowing deeply I shook my head, "we should s-stop."
He was gone in a blink of an eye, leaving me cold and shocked. How hard had he been restraining himself from taking me?
-
I awoke the next morning in an empty bed – I wasn't surprised. I slowly got ready for school, feeling way more with it than most mornings. I felt like I could smell better, see better and hear better. Breakfast was amazing, it was like my taste buds had gone nuts.
I had to put it down to the fact that it was because of Aron's blood now running through my veins, I shared his senses.
"Ashia?" I looked up from breakfast to find Josie standing beside me with a smile. "Aron asked for me to give you this darling," she handed me an envelope and I recognised Willa's handwriting on the front.
Swallowing my excitement I looked back at Josie who was peering at my neck. "Where is Aron?" I asked.
She gave me a grin, "in his office but he said not to go see him until he came to you. You know I am surprised he managed to restrain himself from taking you, god knows when Alrik and I drank each other's blood – whew, this place was emptied for a few days."
My face flamed from her statement and she smirked at me.
"You two won't last long, trust me. Before long you won't be able to control yourselves. Now read your letter and then we can get you to school." She skipped out of the room while I tried to regain my thought process.
Tearing open Willa's letter with trembling fingers a cloud of pink dust shot out, forming a love heart before disappearing.
I shook my head, smiling.
Dear Ashia,
Gosh girly I wish we had cell phones right about now, but I guess letters is all it's going to be. I will keep the album and send it to you soon! I know that father has a phone hidden somewhere and I swear I will find it, so if I ever ring make sure you get it!
What's Lord Aron really like anyway? Is he all stuffy and intimidating in person? I'm so curious, and I'm not sure how much longer I can last with not seeing you!
How is your new school? Is everyone vampires? I heard that Lord Aron has tightened control on his borders as well, most likely because of you. In fact, no one can seem to stop talking about the two of you – I'm not even kidding it's like world news.
Then again if the most feared vampire in the world found his mate in a tiny thing like you the world would obviously explode.
I frowned, I didn't get why Aron was feared; he seemed closed off and silent sure, but not enough to make the world fear him.
I cannot believe they made you leave the country with him. Sure he's your soul mate but after never being off the property and suddenly you're jetting off to god-knows-where!? I have barely slept since you've been gone.
I have to go, my entire love princess.
I sighed and folded the letter and placed it in my pocket. I walked outside just as the car pulled up and I got in.
Another day of that place.
-
I took what books I needed from my locker, closing it as quietly as I could, ignoring the slamming and laughter around me.
"Hello cutie!" I spun around when a warm hand caught my wrist and I was met with a pair of big blue eyes and ice blonde hair. She beamed at me, a row of perfect white teeth staring at me. I looked at her blankly, not sure if I should know her or not. "I'm Alana, Talon's Bride! He may have mentioned me to Aron; I mean Aron was supposed to tell you."
Awareness flickered in my mind and I smiled the best I could at this stranger still clutching my arm. "Oh yeah," I murmured. "I'm Ash."
"I've heard all about you! To be honest I am so glad to have met you, I tried looking for you yesterday but every time I caught a trail of your aura, BAM! You were gone." I looked at her, once again blankly. She wasn't a witch so she couldn't sense my aura unless... "I'm an Elemental Witch – I specialise with water and wind mainly – I must say and don't take offence – for a witch your aura isn't that strong."
I flushed in embarrassment, my constant life hassle already thrown in my face by this bubbly not-so-stranger. "Yes um...my twin sister, Willa she was more – more in tune with it."
She smiled at me again and looped her arm through mine, "naw don't worry cookie, it just takes practice. I'm only just starting to really get in tune with what I am."
We walked down the halls and today people were actually smiling at me and nodding before going back to their conversation.
"It's because you bear Aron's mark – wait until you guys have sex, the entire school will love you."
I ripped my arm from hers and stared at her in shock, why was it every girl I met was so forward?
She laughed, "sorry." She took my arm again and we entered a half filled classroom. She dragged me to her table she sat at where two other girls were sitting. They nodded at me before getting up and moving.
I looked at Alana in confusion, "why did they move?"
She smiled at me, "you'll find a lot of girls won't want to be your friend – not because they hate you!" She said quickly at my shocked face, "simply because of...well who your soul mate is...they won't want to get on your bad side."
I frowned, "c-clearly I don't know enough about my own mate," I muttered.
Alana looked at me with wide eyes, "you mean you...you know n-nothing?" I frowned shaking my head. "W-well," she let out a nervous laugh, you don't want to be in this class until you do. Vampire History won't be good for you I your mate is centred in a huge part of the curriculum." She looked at me nervously, "you honestly never heard of Black Sunday?"
"N-no...should I?"
-
"Sebastian?" I snapped into the phone, "how long does it take you to answer your damn phone?"
"Woah someone is in a bad mood, what's up man?" My brothers voice appeared on the other end on the line and I recoiled from his terrible American slang. "Mmm Seb come back to bed with me," a female voice crooned in the background, "I want you."
Closing my eyes I tried to focus on calming down, after last night with Ashia it was taking all of my strength to control my hormones.
"Man make it quick, I have a very compliant bride right now and I'd like to keep her that way."
"You're the one who left me the message to call you, you idiot!"
"Oh right! Okay well I was looking into August's coven as requested and I sent a couple of men to watch over them – thank my lovely bride or the daylight rings – but you are not going to like what I found out." I closed my eyes, dreading what he had to tell me, "Your little Bride's sister found her mate recently."
My eyes flashed open, "that's it? How is that damning?"
"Well...he's a werewolf."
I nearly crushed the phone in my grip, "fucking inbred little pups! When did this happen?"
"Yesterday."
Ashia wouldn't know then – of course I had read the letter before giving it to her but this hadn't been mentioned, no doubt she'd find a way to get in urgent contact with Ashia to tell her.
"Does your bride know about...you know..." Sebastian's voice was hesitant over the line.
I let out a growl, "of course she doesn't, why give her another reason to fear living here with me?" She'd have to find out though, why her sister wouldn't be allowed to come visit with her mate – why she wouldn't then come because her mate wouldn't let her leave.
"She'll have to know...and of course they'll have the big witch ceremony – which by the way her pup is all for. I hope you haven't fallen into the crap, keep it traditional and in the family chapel just like we all did."
"Clara tainted that chapel. It was hard enough just looking at it when I gave Ashia the tour. No, my little bride isn't going near there or anywhere near a wolf pack."
"I'll keep watching them for you, but your bride needs to know why, that's all I'm going to say."
I hung up the phone without a pause, ditching it onto the sofa in anger.
Damn werewolves and damn their existence.
A knock on my door only served further to piss me off, "what!?"
"Don't take that tone with me boy, listen the men were patrolling and they caught a lone female wolf. They've taken her down to the dungeons for questioning, but she isn't coming easily." Alrik ran his hand through his blonde hair, his face venomous. "Oh and your bloody hag of a great grandmother," he snapped in reference to Josie, "is planning a big party and has invited the whole coven to meet your little mate in two weeks."
"What!?" I roared furious. "I wasn't going to introduce her until I fully claimed her!"
"Take your anger out on the mutt in the dungeon Aron, get what you can out of her because your mate is due home in an hour."
I stormed from the room, walking at human pace would at least calm my temper. I was opposed to outright violence to women, but a trespassing female she wolf? Was she asking for a death sentence?
We made our way into the dungeons and I stormed toward the group of men standing outside the cell, a growling she wolf in her wolf form bared and snapped her teeth but the fear was plainly in her eyes.
A wolf had just trespassed onto Ahasverus territory – gods help her.
-
"Hello?" I called out into the empty house as I walked in, placing my bag by the door and shrugging off my blazer. It was eerily quiet and I kept getting chills through my body. "Usually Aron is right here when I come home..." I turned to face Alana as she beamed at me.
"No worries, I told Talon where I was – woah!" She looked frozen solid as she stared dead ahead, not even blinking.
"Alana?" I murmured, tugging her sleeve.
She looked at me suddenly, taking in a gasp of air before a tight smile graced her features, "sorry spaced out there for a second. Your mate is on his way u-here."
Aron entered the foyer with a bunch of men walking behind him. A tan man with jet black hair broke away from the group and with a blink of the eye had swept Alana up into his arms. I didn't have time to watch the display as Aron came to my side and took my arm.
"Gentlemen, this is my bride Ashia." He smiled with pride as the men shook my hand; however he kept a tight grip on my waist and pulled me into his side. "We'll continue this tomorrow gentlemen. Go home to your brides – or in Louis' case go home to your harem." The men snorted and I looked at the tall lanky vampire, Louis, who rolled his eyes and sauntered out of the house.
Talon and Alana stayed behind and when I met the gaze of the man holding the blonde beauty he smiled warmly.
"Ashia, it is a pleasure to finally meet you, and I'm glad Alana has made a friend, sometimes a friend is all you need when making that transition somewhere new."
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
Having Alana as my friend was nice, but I doubt she'd help.
"Did you both want to stay for dinner?" I asked quietly.
Alana beamed and began eagerly shaking her head; however her face dropped when Talon shook his head no.
"We'd love to however I have made prior engagements without my bride's knowledge," Talon smiled but I didn't miss the look he gave Aron. "We must take our leave, I'll see you tomorrow Aron." He nodded his head, "Ashia."
Alana gave me a hug before skipping ahead of her mate and suddenly it was just Aron and I in the foyer.
The air suddenly felt hot and I swallowed turning in Aron's arms to face him. He looked at me with such a heat on his face it near had me trembling. I tried to think of a way to change the subject of wherever his thoughts had gone.
"Willa wrote me...when can she visit?" I asked.
His lips thinned and his eyes narrowed, "not yet love. You still haven't really settled in."
"But we have so much to talk about; writing it down on paper isn't the same as talking in person..."
"I said not now!" He snapped.
I flinched back, disentangling myself from his hold, he however had other ideas and pulled me back. He pushed some hair out of my face and sighed.
"Things just aren't good right now. Josephine has organised your welcoming party...to meet the whole coven," he looked at me, maybe trying to gauge my reaction.
"W-when?" I asked nervously.
"In two weeks."
"Oh...I don't k-know...Um," I desperately began looking for an escape as I always did when things began getting too confusing or daunting.
Aron took my chin in a gentle grip, forcing my eyes to his before he leant in and kissed my forehead, "come love let's get some dinner."
We sat at the dinner table in silence; I ate while Aron drank from his glass. I'd noticed that he'd stopped eating with me – maybe he was becoming more comfortable with me living here he no longer felt the need to eat along with me and stick to his usual diet.
My mind rolled around the events of the day, mainly focusing on the Black Sunday incident Alana had mentioned that for some reason seemed to centre on Aron.
I mushed my food in deep thought until a pale hand came over mine.
"If only I could hear what you're thinking right now," he murmured.
"What's Black Sunday?" I blurted out.
The look on his face told me I would not be getting a response anytime soon.
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