“I am not sure how you are going to react to this.”
“What, the hickey with the added bonus of teeth marks on my neck?”
“This is slightly more.”
“Okay, it can’t be that bad. I’ll go look, I have to pee anyway.”
Grabbing one of the blankets, I wrap it around me as I walk to the bathroom, a shiver settling across my back as I lose BuK’s heat. Because I am doing the pee-pee dance, I head there first, wincing when it stings a little. Once done and cleaned up, I reach down to grab the bottom of the blanket, only for a sudden pain in my neck to have me gasping. Before I can say a word, BuK is rushing through the door.
“Okay, Mister, bathroom time is the only space I’m not willing to share.”
“Sorry, I did not mean to intrude, but I thought your reaction was for another reason.”
Walking over to the sink I look into the viewer, only to see dark marks on my neck, and they’re moving. Leaning closer, I see what appears to be black swirls under my skin. Intricate circles and shapes are being drawn, marking me from the inside out. I look up at BuK and I realize where I’ve seen this before. For some reason, I’m not even shocked or upset, and I’m not sure why. “His and hers … looks like we’re going to match.” My fingers are now tracing the delicate lines circling my entire neck, covering the two small holes where he bit me earlier, and BuK looks like he’s about to cry.
“I am so sorry, Briar. I did not know this would happen, or I would have asked you first. This is as unexpected for me as it is for you. I had no idea my bite would mark you for all to see. I did it without thinking. I was so caught up in the moment that it just came naturally.”
“Does me being marked like this bother you?”
“NO! Not at all … I love it, but those will never fade. Since birth, I have had runes, and I am the only one in my mother’s family who does. I simply assumed that was how they were passed from person to person. I should have paid more attention to my brothers and their mates as they are all marked in some way.” He reaches up, gently touching the bite mark on my neck. “Apparently, I have more of my father in me than I realized, as it seems we all have a way of showing the world the blessings bestowed upon us by the Lord of Light.”
“BuK, you think I’m a blessing?”
“Briar, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and now there is no denying what I knew all along. You really aremineand you are my true mate!”
Turning back to the mirror on the wall, his words floating around in my mind …true mate… as I gaze at him towering over me from behind. I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. I close my eyes, grateful for the blessings that have been bestowed upon me, then look up at the still worried face of the man I’ve come to love.
“BuK, my love, my beautiful alien, I’m proud to be yours. If these things spread all over my body, I’ll cherish each and every mark. Your bite only intensified the moment. Please don’t feel bad about it, as a matter of fact, bite me anytime you like. Take my word for it, I probably enjoyed it too much, especially since I’m walking a little bow-legged this morning.”
This time when I get that smile, it lights up his entire face, and I find myself being picked up and swung around in a circle. Just as he’s setting me back down, his comm unit goes off.
“BuK, can you read me?”
I reach over and hit the button since BuK is still holding me, but he’s the one to respond. “MeK, it is good to hear your voice.”
“Thank the heavens you answered. Are you and Briar alright?”
“We are more than alright, brother. She has accepted me as her mate.”
We both can hear Lacie yelling something in the background, but it’s MeK’s voice that comes through clearly. “I knew it would happen eventually. At least something positive has come out ofthis storm. I have been able to check on everyone but KyT and Vedece. His shuttle is still planetside, but it is not responding.”
“How much longer until this mass passes? I noticed it is already getting lighter out.”
“If what ANDI said earlier is true, we should have half a rising left and the temperatures are already rising rapidly, so the bots are starting to come back online. Once operational, is there anything I can send your way?”
I’m half-tempted to yell out ‘pizza’ over BuK, but they wouldn’t have understood my humor.
“No, MeK, we are fine. Comm me when it is safe out.”
Since BuK is holding me on his hip like I’m three, I lean over and whisper in his ear, “What in the world will we ever do to pass the time?”
A playful roar leaves his throat before he strips the blanket off me as he throws me over his shoulder. His fingers quickly find my core as he heads back to what I’m calling our blanket fort. I giggle when he throws me onto the bed, then pounces on top of me, growling.
I start playing the damsel-in-distress. “Oh, someone save me, a beast has kidnapped me and is threatening to devour me.”
“You are such a tasty little morsel, you cannot blame the beast for wanting a bite.”
“Well, since you put it that way, chew away.”
