Fulfilling Fate

Zion smiled down at me, running his finger down my jaw. We had just finished making love again. It was different this time. Our mutual love made it even more passionate and I never wanted to leave his arms. We were currently snuggling on the two couches, the blanket draped over us.

“So is that why we had my favorite dinner?” he asked, twirling some of my hair on his finger.

“Yes,” I said. “I wanted you to have something nice considering all the stress you’ve been under.”

He looked nervous and even blushed a little. He cleared his throat.

“Will you say it again?” he whispered and I beamed.

I kissed him. “I love you,” I said and he held me close.

“I never thought I’d hear you say that,” he groaned. “I’m so glad.”

“I’m sorry it took me so long,” I said. “I talked with your parents about it and found out what was holding me back.”

He sighed, pulling from the hug and looking guilty.

“I know I didn’t treat you well,” he started but I shook my head.

“No, it wasn’t that,” I said and he looked shocked. “It was the day my sister found out her husband died in battle.”

“But I told you I never have to go,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said and ran my hand over his chest. It had some chest hair and, though he said he didn’t like it, I loved it. “I can’t stand the thought of losing you, Zion. It would destroy me.”

He took my chin and kissed me. “You don’t have to worry about that,” he whispered into my lips. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Neither am I,” I said and he smiled some more but I made him look at me. “I’m not going anywhere, Zion, and that includes with your brother.”

He groaned and rolled onto his back. I rested my head on his chest.

“My father can’t keep his damn mouth shut,” he complained.

“He’s just looking out for you, draga mea,” I said.

He stared at me. “How do you-?”

“When you turned me,” I said, flicking his nose. “I learned the language. Is it okay?” I asked, feeling nervous. “Because if you’d rather I not, I can-.”

“I love it,” he said. “Feel free to speak it all the time.”

I closed my eyes and yawned. “I think I should get some sleep.”

“Under one condition,” he said and I opened an eye.

His eyes were burning but I know it wasn’t for lust of my body. I touched his chin and he bent his neck with a slight groan. I rolled on top of him, the blanket falling off my body. As I bit into his neck, he ran his hand up my back with another groan. I drank deeply, my eyes rolling into the back of my head at the sweet taste. I pulled back before it got too much and he immediately sank his teeth into my breast. I gasped, tugging on his hair.

“Now you’re asking for it,” he panted when he was done feeding and I laughed as he rolled on top of me again, kissing me as he slid into me.

I didn’t know someone was outside of my door.

~

“No,” Zion groaned, tightening his arms around me and I giggled.

“We’ve missed breakfast and I’m starving,” I said but he shook his head.

“No. I don’t want you to go yet.”

“So go with me, you dork.”

He opened an eye. “Dork?” he repeated. “When did you add that word to your vocabulary?”

I took advantage of his distraction to worm out of his arms. I stretched and changed into the blue dress I was originally going to wear.

“It’s always been there,” I said while he brushed my hair. “My sister and I would call each other dorks all the time.”

He chuckled. “It’s a bit crass but I like it.”

I smiled then winced, putting a hand on my breast where he had fed from me last night. At the same time, he put his hand on where I fed on his neck.

“That’s odd,” I said but he shook his head.

“Not necessarily,” he said and showed me his neck.

“They’re supposed to go away.”

He nuzzled me with his stubble and I giggled. He smiled.

“We fed from each other in love,” he said gently, cupping my cheek and I leaned into his hand. “Those marks never go away.”

“If I had known that, I would’ve marked you somewhere more discreet. I’m sorry!”

He laughed. “I don’t mind,” he said, looking in the mirror. “In fact, I love it.”

“You’re a softy,” I teased and he put his arm around my waist as we walked downstairs.

Tomas was in the living area, talking in undertones with Lebanon.

“There you are!” Lebanon said as we sat in the living area.

Patrice brought us some strawberries and I laughed.

“How do you always know what I want?” I asked and she smiled before leaving.

“Because you’re predictable,” Zion said, stealing one.

“Oh, hush,” I said.

“Any news?” Zion asked, the mood changing.

Lebanon sighed and I glanced at Tomas. He was glaring at Zion’s neck then looked back at his father. I moved closer to Zion under the pretense of offering him more strawberries.

“We lost the last battle,” Lebanon said and I looked at him in worry. “Don’t look so scared, Aviel. It’s not the first and it won’t be the last. It’s part of war. I can tell you that their side has lost many more.” He leaned forward and we did the same. “We know where Phillipe is.”

“Suzenne’s brother?” I asked and he nodded.

“They’re holding him at their base,” he said and rubbed his chin. “Unfortunately, we don’t know where this base is. I can tell it’s somewhere cold so probably in the north.”

“How do you know that?” I asked.

“Father can get visions,” Zion explained. “If he meditates on a subject long enough, sometimes he’ll see things. It’s how he found out I was dragging my feet on turning you.”

I nodded and Lebanon continued.

“I want to send a unit to the north in disguise,” he said and I knew immediately what he would say.

“Absolutely not,” I said and he looked at me wearily.

“It’s not dangerous, Aviel,” he said.

“No,” I snapped.

“What?” Zion asked.

“He’s not going,” I said. “You promised he wouldn’t be involved.”

“I said he’s a diplomat,” he corrected. “This is a trip of diplomacy.”

“They won’t see it like that!” I argued and Zion put a hand on my leg to calm me down. “They’ll see the prince of their enemy and a troop! What would you think?”

Lebanon sighed and I knew he was accepting defeat.

“What if he saw the prince and his wife?” Eavana asked, coming in at that minute.

“You mean me go with them?” I asked and she nodded.

“You’ll travel in a coach,” she suggested. “It won’t look as threatening. The troop will consist of five men who will act as your bodyguards.”

“We don’t even know where the base is,” I pointed out.

“And I don’t want you to go,” Zion added.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “If you go, I go. There’s no debating it,” I interrupted when he opened his mouth and he glared a little.

“I need to do more meditating,” Lebanon said. “I don’t know how long it will take. Two weeks, maybe more.”

“Oh. So we’ll be here for-.”

I stopped myself before I finished. If Heather hadn’t told Kassandra, I had a good idea she hadn’t told her family.

“For what?” Zion asked but I shook my head.

I popped a strawberry in my mouth and ate it slowly so that someone had to talk instead. Zion looked at me suspiciously before speaking again.

“In that case, we’ll wait,” he said to his father. “What do you want us to do in the meantime?”

“Tomas will be leaving in a few days to see how the troop in the west is doing,” Lebanon answered, nodding at his older son. “I’ll have to use one of your paintings.”

“Of course,” Zion said. “Whatever you need.”

“I could use some company,” Tomas said in a quiet voice that only I could hear.

I looked at him but he was talking to Lebanon. I frowned. Had I been hearing things? When he looked at me and winked just a little, though, I knew I wasn’t.