"Do you trust him?" Serenity asked and watched me get closer to her, and I nodded in confirmation. She furrowed her brows and cocked her head while she studied me. Her heart pounded slightly in her chest, and I couldn't help but wonder what my mother and Aenes had shown her. "How much?"
"I'd die for him," I replied. I held out my hand, and she placed her hand in mine, her cheeks turning slightly red. "And he'll die for me." I smiled and squeezed her hand, the sparks appearing that connected us as mates.
She took a deep, shuddering breath, and her cheeks turned a darker pink when I squeezed her hand. She cleared her throat and licked her lips, and I had to keep myself from looking at them because if I didn't, then I would have claimed them as my own. "Then I guess I have to trust him," she said.
My heart skipped a beat when she said that while I led her to the wall. My heart pounded hard in my chest, and I was grateful that Melody didn't cause any damage between me and the female that was to be my mate. "He'd be pleased," I said, and she nodded. I cleared my throat and stopped in front of the wall. "Do you trust me?" I asked.
"More than I think is possible for someone that I just met," Serenity admitted. She cleared her throat and licked her lips while she shifted on her feet. "What are you going to do?" she asked.
"I am going to have you on my back," I said, "and I am going to climb up the rocks."
"Are you sure?" Serenity asked. She looked at the rock wall and then at me. Conflict filled, "Aren't you afraid of getting hurt?"
I shook my head, no. "I won't get hurt," I replied. I held out my hand, and she instantly took it. "Do you trust me?" I asked and studied her.
Hesitantly, she placed her hand in mine and nodded. "Yes," she said. "I trust you. I just..." She trailed off and shook her head while she grimaced.
"I know," I said and smiled soothingly. I cleared my throat and squeezed her hand before I gently led her behind me and let go. "Hop up," I said and moved so that she would have an easier time to get up.
Serenity hesitated but hopped onto my back. She clutched my neck and stomach as tight as she could, as if she was afraid that I would let her fall.
"Would you loosen up?" I asked and grabbed her hands so that I could breathe. "You don't have to choke me to death. I won't let anything happen to you."
"Sorry... sorry..." Serenity said and relaxed her grip on me. "I... am just nervous, is all."
"I know," I replied. I rubbed her leg and moved closer to the rock wall. "Just hold on and trust me. I got this."
Serenity sighed and nodded. "Ok," she said. "I trust you. Just... don't get yourself killed."
"That doesn't sound like trusting me," I teased. I grabbed the wall in front of me and started to climb the wall with little to no effort. "So, does that mean you don't trust me?"
"My Goddess," Melody said and rolled her eyes when I climbed up beside her. "You are a fucking idiot, TJ."
I gasped and scowled at my sister. "Very funny," I said dryly, and she grinned.
"Well, she is right," Serenity mused and pushed herself closer to me. "I mean, you are being a fucking idiot."
"Hey now," I said and tapped her leg. "You need to be nice to me. I do have you on my back. I could push you onto the ground and make you climb the rest of the way on your own."
Serenity scoffed and rolled her eyes. She tightened her grasp on me, and I had a feeling that she was not going to let go. "Isn't there another part that you have to climb up?" she asked. "If so, then why are you standing around talking?"
"My sister is in the way," I replied, and Melody snorted and rolled her eyes. I gave her an innocent smile, and she again snorted and rolled her eyes. "But there is one more part that I have to climb before we reach the top."
"Then get climbing," Serenity said. "Just push your sister out of the way and get on with it."
Melody scoffed. "Rude," she said, and I grinned. She grumbled something under her breath, barely loud enough for me to hear, and climbed up the last part of the rock wall that blocked us from the spectacular view below.
I rolled my eyes at my little sister and started to follow her, happy that she decided to move out of the way. "Close your eyes," I said, and Serenity grew tense. I twisted my head around to look at her and smiled. "Come now," I teased. "I won't let anything happen to you. You said you trusted me, so close your eyes."
"I hope what you say is right," Serenity said and closed her eyes. She buried her face into my neck and breathed out, the hair on my neck standing on attention, and I had to hide a shudder. "Because I don't know what I will do if it wasn't."
I didn't respond and took a deep, shuddering breath. I wanted to press her up against the rock wall and claim her lips as mine. I wanted to mark her, to let her know that she was loved and cared for, but I knew that I couldn't in fear of pushing her away from me.
"That's not climbing," Serenity said when I didn't move a muscle. "Are you stuck?"
I cleared my throat and shook my head, breaking me from my thoughts. "No, no," I said. I cleared my throat again. "Keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them. Ok?"
"I know TJ," Serenity said sarcastically. "Now get climbing before your sister dies of boredom."
I chuckled and nodded. "Of course," I said and did what I was told to do and climbed the last bit until I reached the top. "Ok," I said when I stood near my sister. "You can hop off and open your eyes."
"I'd rather stay on your back," Serenity said but moved her face from where she had it. "I-" She stopped talking when she opened her eyes and let out a gasp of shock and awe at the sight that laid before her.