Chapter 27: Chapter 28

I blink rapidly to get rid of the tears pricking my eyes, while he continues on, “I don’t want you to think that I’m abandoning you…or that you’re alone because you’re not. You have many people…and me. You have me. Of course, like I said, you don’t have to wear it —”

“Darius?” I interrupt him. Sometimes he talks way too much.

“Yes?”

“Shut up and put that on me,” I command him before turning around and lifting up my hair out of the way.

“Yes, ma’am,” he says, with a smile in his voice.

I can’t help the smile that creeps up on my face when he fastens the clasp at the back of my neck. His fingers graze my neck and goose bumps bloom all over my skin. I feel his warm breath fanning the nape of my neck before I feel the feather light touch of his lips. I let go of my hair and sway into him until my back falls against his hard chest. His hands grip my waist then

they slide to cover my stomach. The warmth of his hands and his body spreading over me through the thin fabric of my top.

He has the power to make me feel weak, yet safe and strong at the same time.

My hand quickly goes up to touch the medallion. I’ve liked this medallion since the very first moment I noticed it on him. Now he’s giving it to me. Knowing it’s connection to his roots and how much it means to him makes it so much more special.

“I’ll wear it. Always,” I tell him in a whisper. “Thank you.”

He turns me around with his hands spanning the side of my waists. He gazes down at me pensively. There’s a flash of possessiveness in his eyes and the way he’s holding me.

“I love seeing you wearing my family crest,” he announces.

Suddenly the medallion feels like a red hot branding iron, stamping, claiming, and declaring me as his.

“I’m done fighting our bond and my feelings for you,

Persephone. I should’ve asked you this before, but I’ve always got sidetracked, so I’m asking you now. Persephone, when this is all over, will you be mine? Will you let me mark you?”

“When did you decide to stop fighting?” I ask him.

He grows quiet for a while. His watchful penetrating gaze intense on my face. He knows I’m avoiding his question. The lines of his mouth look tight, but he answers my question, “I knew right from the start that I was fighting a losing battle, but I tried. That night with Polina, right after you left, I knew then

without a doubt that I can’t let you go. No matter how noble I thought the sacrifice was.

“I’m sorry, I know I’m being selfish, but I can’t…I just can’t.

Even when I was saying that you need to save yourself for your mate, I didn’t really mean it. I don’t want anybody else and I don’t want anybody else touching you. You’re everything.

You’re mine.

“I never had anybody to claim as my own. Not even my family.

I was always alone and I never wanted anyone. With you though, I can’t help it. You’re mine. All of you.”

“What about you? Are you mine?” I ask him boldly.

“Yes. Absolutely. I’m yours. All of me,” he answers without hesitation.

“But you’re leaving me.”

“I have no choice, Malyshka.”

“What if I don’t want to be yours by then, Darius? I mean, for years I waited for you. I watched you tried to mark another woman, for goodness sake.” I spit out. “YOU decided we couldn’t be together. YOU decided to give up fighting our bond.

You decide everything. What if I decide that I don’t want us together then?”

He stares at me wordlessly. There’s a pain in his eyes that breaks my heart, but I refuse to back down. This has been bugging me for a while now. Maybe I’m just being petty.

Waiting for over three years for the one you’re yearning for with your whole being can do that to you.

“Then I’ll wait for you to change your mind,” he says quietly.

“I’ll wait forever if I have to.

“I won’t pretend or promise to sit on the sideline for years just waiting though. You might want to use the time I’m away to enjoy your freedom, but not too much. When I come back for you, I promise you, I’ll do everything in my power to make you want me again. I’m not giving you up, Persephone. Not ever.”

Suddenly he moves closer. I step back, but his hands slide to my back, holding me still. He leans in until the tip of his nose is touching the shell of my ear. His warm breath is teasing my skin.

“Besides, I know that you do want me now,” he whispers.

Arrogant, overbearing, infuriating asshat. He nibbles my ear teasingly. The tip of his tongue comes out to trace the sensitive skin, sending shivers down my spine. Okay, so I do want him.

“Cocky, big-headed, obnoxious asshole…” I mutter

breathlessly.

“I love you too, Malyshka,” he murmurs against my skin as his mouth travels down to rain kisses along my jaw. “No amount of time will change that.”

When he reaches my neck, he opens his mouth and his tongue comes out to lap my skin hungrily. His mouth sucking and his teeth nipping gently. My brain stops working.

My hands sweep over his broad shoulders to the nape of his neck and to bury themselves in his silky hair. I lay my palms flat on his cheeks and force his face up so that I can look into his face. I can’t think straight when he’s doing what he was doing to me. “If you love me, why don’t you want to mark me now?”

He looks up as if he’s in a daze, then he shakes his head as if to clear it up.

I know I’m giving him a whiplash. One moment I’m telling him I might not want him anymore when he gets back, and the next I’m asking him why he’s not marking me. Good. By the end of this conversation, I expect that he might need to lie down or get a stiff drink before he can function properly again.

“I know you marked my wolf when you kissed me that night a few months ago. Why not go all the way and mark me

physically too?” I ask him.

Serena and Genesis told me once when they found out that I am Darius’s erasthai that there are two stages to a lycan’s claim. The first stage is marking the wolf, which is very subtle.

It warns other lycans who might be interested to stay away.

Werewolves or humans wouldn’t be able to sense the marking at all. At this stage, my true mate can still claim me. The second stage, which is the real stage, is the physical marking. This is when the lycan bites you and become your real mate. You would turn into a lycan and no one else can claim you.

“Marking you physically would be irreversible, Malyshka.

There’s no undoing it. Your fate would forever be bound to me,” he answers. “I might be selfish, but I can’t destroy you. If I

marked you physically now, you wouldn’t survive it if anything bad happens to me when I’m in Russia. If I didn’t mark you, at least you would still have a chance at happiness even if I’m gone.”

No, I don’t want to think about him being gone. “Or you can take me with you,” I insist once again.

“No, it’s too dangerous for you to be there.” I can see by the set of his jaw and that determined look on his face that there’s no changing his mind.

Well then. “Okay, no biggie,” I tell him, shrugging my shoulders as if I didn’t care.

He probably sees something in my face, because he closes his eyes and groans out, “Please don’t, Malyshka.” It’s as if he can read my mind. He knows me so well.

“Don’t what?”

“Please don’t come to Russia after me.”

“Sure I won’t,” I avert his icy blue gaze to study the pattern on the wall. Actually, there is no pattern, it’s just a boring whitewash stucco wall.

“Really?”

I trace an imaginary line on the wall, still avoiding his penetrating gaze. “Yeah, really. I wasn’t even thinking about it.”

Liar!

He sighs. He doesn’t believe me. I don’t believe me.

“Just make sure Eva keeps her hand to herself…and make sure you keep your hands off Eva or any other women for that matter,” I tell him, to change the subject.

He backs me into the wall and places his forehead against mine. “I’m all yours, Persephone. Only yours,” he breathes before his lips claim mine in a deep searing kiss.

Darius has gone off with Caspian, Constantine, and Lazarus after lunch, so I decided to lounge around the swimming pool with Genesis and Serena.

I open my bedroom door after changing into my American flag bikini to find Eva standing on the other side with her hand raised up, ready to knock.

“Hi, Penny. I was just about to knock,” she says. “Can we talk for a minute?”

“Yeah, sure,” I reply, opening the door wider for her to come in.

“We’re leaving tonight. I think you’re already aware of that,”

she says as soon as I closed the door. “Look, I would like to think that we’re friends.

“What I’m trying to say is, I know you’re Darius’s erasthai. I might be slow in figuring out relationships and feelings and such, but I’ve finally got it.”

“When did you find out? How?” I ask her. We certainly never told anyone outside our little circle about this. Eva was so clueless all these while, I thought she would never figure it out.

“I figured it out this morning,” she admits looking slightly sheepish. “I know you were in his bedroom. A lycan and a werewolf wouldn’t be spending the night together unless they’re mates, or meant to be mates.

“I’m sorry about offering to have sex with him. Had I known what you are to him, I would never have done that.” Wow, this woman is even more direct than I am.

“Okay,” I say. “Darius already marked my wolf before you came here, how can you not sense it?”

She grins before she answers, “Oh, honey, only lycans who are really looking or interested in you would pay enough attention to be able to sense that. I don’t swing that way. so…”

Huh. “How’d you know you don’t swing that way, you never had me yet,” I flip my hair sassily.

Eva busts out laughing. “Would you be willing to give me a sample?” she teases me. She knows that she’s forgiven. I couldn’t bring myself to hold a grudge against Eva. I do like her. She’s not malicious or manipulative like some girls I know.

What you see is what you get with Eva.

“Nope!” I answer.

“I thought not. You’re as straight as a flagpole. Besides, I know you’re into Darius…I don’t think anybody else really had a chance.”

Her response startles me for a second. Is that true? I know my bond and feelings for Darius are deeper, but I thought I was giving Matthew a fair chance. Maybe I still am, that’s why I didn’t answer Darius’s question about becoming his?

Serena is lying on one of the lounge chairs in her white bikini.

Her golden tanned skin glows in the evening sunlight. Genesis and I are lying in the floating pool mats in the lower pool.

The weather is beautiful. The scenery around us is gorgeous.

We are surrounded by well-tended palm trees and shrubs, water falling steadily from the top tier pool into the one we’re in, blue sea and azure sky in the background, yet I’m feeling down.

Genesis is looking pissed off. One of her feet is dangling in the water. She’s scowling deeply at the glass of iced tea in her hand. Suddenly she kicks the water with her dangling foot, creating waves that make my mat bounce violently.

“You know, I would appreciate it more if you reserved that kick for your mate rather than trying to drown me,” I tell her, clutching the sides of the floating mat.

“Oh, stop being so dramatic, Penny,” she says. “I swear I love you like a sister, but you’re so dramatic.” There’s a teasing smile on her lips now. “You’re right though, I should save my kicks and sass for Constantine.

“Nice necklace, by the way. Wonder where you got it from,” she teases. Then she adds quietly, “He’s leaving tonight…are you going to be okay, honey?”

“No, not really. I don’t want him to go,” I answer honestly. “He asked me to be his….when he gets back.”

“What did you say?”

“I said I might not want to be his by then.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I don’t want to wait that long. Maybe I’m still trying to give Matthew a chance?”

Genesis grows quiet for a while, looking like she’s deep in thought. “Maybe you’re still holding grudges. Maybe you’re punishing him for making you wait all those years? Maybe you’re punishing him for leaving?”

Am I? Is that what I’m doing?

I must have dozed off a bit in the pool. I feel his eyes on me before I see him standing just outside the door near the pool bar.

I guess it’s time to say goodbye?

He’s wearing his black official suit like the first time I saw him over three years ago. He doesn’t look like he’s aged a day since.

He looks so hot yet intimidating, cold, and aloof. Like a stranger. Like he’s switched on his warrior mode. He has sunglasses covering his eyes, the rest of his face looks like they’re carved from the marble. Cold and expressionless. I look at him and remember what Genesis said once about him

looking intimidating. I guess this is how others see him.

I want to break through that exterior. I want the Darius that I’m used to seeing these last few days back.

My heart aches at the thought of not seeing him again. Do I want to wait for him? How long do I have to wait for him this time?

I paddle to the side of the pool slowly and he walks over. One quick tug and I land in his powerful arms. He gathers me close and buries his nose in the curve of my neck, inhaling my scent.

The fabric of his suit pressing against my bare skin. His wonderful scent enveloping me. My heart breaks a little.

“Please don’t cry, Malyshka,” he whispers, pulling back a little.

I didn’t even realize I was crying.

He wipes the falling tears with his thumb, and I pull his sunglasses away. I want to see his eyes.

“I wish I don’t have to go,” he says, crushing me to him again.

He buries his face in my hair and I thought he said “I can’t be without you,” but it was so faint, I might have imagined it.

“I’ll come back for you. I’ll do everything in my power to come back to you soon,” he promises.

Everybody is already in the foyer waiting for us. Lazarus, Constantine, and Caspian are looking grim.

Eva is also in a black official suit. Her hair is swept into a neat French braid. Her stance is rigid, very different from the way I always saw her.

Their suitcases are already in the back of a black Bentley waiting just outside. The driver who also looks like a warrior is standing by the door, waiting.

I give Eva a hug. I think I’m going to miss her too.

He turns to give me one last lingering look before he walks out without looking back.

I skipped dinner tonight. I didn’t feel like eating. All my friends looked at me with concern when I told them that I wasn’t hungry.

After showering and changing into my pajamas, I cross over the balcony to Darius’s room…or what used to be his room.

The cleaners haven’t been in here yet. All his clothes are gone from the closet. The hangers stand empty. His scent lingers.

For now. Very soon his scent too will be gone.

I touch his pillow that cradled his head last night. I lay my head on it and rub my nose against it, breathing in his scent. I pull the pillow close to me like I’m pulling him close. My other hand

clutches his medallion tight, close to my heart. I close my eyes and pretend that he’s still here. Last night he was holding me tight. Just this morning we were whispering softly to each other in this bed. I want to go back to last night and this morning.

How long could I go on without him this time?

Realization hits me. On the surface, Matthew is the obvious choice. He’s so easy to be with. I lead he follows. I’m the storm to his gentle breeze. He balances me out. He calms me down.

Life with him should be peaceful and easy. He is, after all, my other half.

Darius is the raging fire to my inferno. Together we set each other further ablaze till we turn everything in our path into ashes, but oh man, does he make me feel alive like no other.

Question is, do I want calm and easy? Or do I want to burn higher and brighter and be consumed by that raging fire?

I think I know the answer to that question. I know what I’m going to do now. The heart already knows.

It’s still dark outside when I open my eyes. I recognize Darius’s room. I fell asleep here last night. My heart instantly feels heavy. I’m surrounded by his scent, but he’s not here. I wonder what he’s doing now.

I walk reluctantly back to my room, straight into my bathroom.

I brush my teeth, put on my workout outfit and put my hair up in a ponytail.

The gym is in the East Wing of the house. I’m surprised to find Caspian already there, working out this early in the morning.

He seems to be totally focused, though. He just keeps working out, totally ignoring me.

I start to stretch, watching Caspian warily. Something is not right with this Prince this morning. Maybe if I give him a swift kick in the nuts, he’ll notice that I’m here?

On second thought, maybe it’s a good thing that he leaves me alone. After stretching up, I decided to concentrate on the punching bag. It’ll give me the chance to think and plot to get things to go the way I want it to.

I wrap my hands, put the gloves on and start punching and kicking.

“Keep your elbow down, Beany. Protect your body,” yells Caspian, suddenly. Really??? Now he decided to acknowledge me? I just want to pound the bag in peace.

“Mind your footwork. Keep moving. Don’t be lazy,” he yells again. I am so tempted to pound him now.

I pause to give him the stink eye just to have him yell, “Keep your eyes on your target. Stop eye-raping me.” What???

My phone lights up. An unknown number is calling. I pull out my glove, flip him the bird, then swipe the screen, rejecting the

call. It starts lighting up again very soon after. The same unknown number. Now I’m curious. Usually, telemarketers don’t call twice in a row. So I answer the call.

“Hello?” I say, preparing to hang up if I hear an automated voice or somebody trying to sell me their timeshares or their grandmamas. No offense to telemarketers, but I already have my hands full with my abuela who calls every week.

“Hello? Penny?” I know that voice. I’m bad at remembering names, but I remember voices and faces and I remember HER

name.

“Hi,” I answered tentatively. I wonder what she wants from me.

“It’s Cece calling,” she says. Duh! “I wonder if we can meet somewhere this morning…and talk? I won’t take too much of your time.”

I have an idea of what she wants to talk about, but I’m still intrigued to know what she has to say.

“Not this morning,” I inform her. I have things to do this morning.

“What about later? This evening. Would evening suit you better?”

“Yeah, evening sounds good,” I tell her, glancing at Caspian.