Torn between mates

8. Valentin

Lea

I feel my heart clench when my mates leave the room. I shake my head trying to dismiss this feeling, I am still not at age, I will only be 18 in two months. But I could already feel some kind of pull towards them. I knew since a few years ago that part of my heart already belonged to Richard. I knew that, somehow, I was his and I was fond of this idea. 

My wolf is ridiculously handsome, and he makes me feel safe and liked. He is a huge man, he should be taller than 6’6 feet, he has a rugged appearance, large shoulders and is very muscular. His eyes have a bright forest green color, and he has beautiful dark brown curls, manly features with a strong and sharp jaw, full and soft lips. 

Oh, that lips, I still can remember his taste. I better sleep now and think about my mate, my mates later. I sigh. 

I can’t do it. I’m not as strong, as dominant, and well, as crazy as Liv. I need to talk to Liv and my mom... Oh, Goddess! My mom! Because of the Blood Spell that mom cast years ago, she always feels bad when Liv or I am in danger. I need to go check on her now. 

I stand up slowly, I’m still quite dizzy; I look down at my torn top and sigh, that vampire is a degenerate. I change, moving always slowly to don’t lose my balance. When I open the door to leave, I see Valentin, he was only a few feet away from my bedroom. 

“Are you okay, Angel? Do you need anything?” He asks as he walks towards me. 

“I…I just need to… to check on my mom,” I reply awkwardly, I really had to focus and rack my brain to be able to answer him, he made me feel a bit… speechless. 

Just looking at him made me flutter. How could someone look like this? Richard is crazily handsome and Alexus too. But Valentin, oh, he was surely carved by the Goddess herself and there is something more about him, a solar aura that makes me gravitate around him like a clumsy planet. 

“You should rest now,” he says gently. And his voice...his voice is something else. It’s rich, deep but harmonic. 

“No… I mean, you don’t understand. Mom bond my sister and me to herself through a blood spell. I need to check if she is fine. Maybe she needs help.” I mutter, trying to put myself together. 

He closed the distance between us and scoops me up in his arms caring me bridal style, which made me let out a small gasp of surprise. 

I involuntarily buried my face in his chest, as if I have done it all my life. But after realizing what I was doing, I move back and blush furiously, Oh dear Goddess! Valentin only looks at me and beams me a reassuring smile, making me feel comfortable, at home, and washing all my embarrassment away with just a grin and a look. 

“I will take you there, you shouldn’t walk and wear yourself out … you are still so pale.” He says worriedly. 

I wrap my arms around his neck; having him taking me in his arms is not a completely bad idea. I tell him where my mom’s room is. I wonder why he is walking instead of simply flashing there, but this way I can stay longer this close to him. 

“How did you find out about me?” I ask curiously.

“I found you long ago” he smiles gorgeously. “I saw you at first at the Wizard King’s ball, when he meant to introduce his mate to the 6 Realms. Since then, I felt a… I could say, a pull towards you, I had to know about you. I didn’t know you were my mate back then. But something inside me urged me to be around you, don’t let you out of my sight. I did what I could at the time, I kept tabs on you with the help of a little bird.”

“Oh,” I mutter. “Sienna?”

He nods in response. 

“But when did you realize I was your mate?” I ask, I’m still quite curious. 

“Half an hour ago, when I looked at you all my doubts became pure certainty. The pull I felt last time I saw you grew tenfold.”  

I smile at his words, something about him makes me feel automatically good and in peace; and Goddess, he is so gorgeous! He looked exactly as I think an angel would look like, but there is a manly hint to his angelic beauty; his strong jaw, his masculine scent, and a provocative glint in his eyes and smile. I should stop thinking about it before my face gets crimson red again. All I don’t need today is to embarrass myself more. 

Wait, is Valentin asking something? I was lost in my mental clouds. I look back at him, he is gazing expectantly at me. He definitely just asked something. 

“We are here?” Valentin asks.

“Huh?” I ask, still a bit lost in my haze.

“You said it was the 3rd room in the right, no?” he asks, looking intently at me.

“Ah… yes, it is here,” I answer, snapping back completely from my little cloud. 

Valentin knocks on the door; Sienna opens it and flashes us a very pleased smile. She is for sure quite happy to see me with her King, literally in his arms. Oh, I’m still in his arms. I could feel my face blushing a bit in response to Sienna’s smile and my current situation. 

“May you put me down?” I ask him with a whisper. He smiles and puts me down to my feet but wraps an arm around my waist. What was quite helpful, because my legs are still a bit wobbly. 

“Thank you,” I answer, throwing a glance at him. 

I approach my mom’s bed slowly. She is looking a bit pale, but comfortable, her face seems almost relaxed. No one could say that she was under the effect of that horrible spell and in a lot of pain not so long ago. 

“Liv was here some time ago and gave her a bit of blood, she is not in pain, only worn out,” Sienna explains, probably she noticed my confusion. 

If my mom hasn’t taken a droplet of Liv’s blood, she would still be feeling very bad right now. Some drops of blood of a close relative could make the caster of the blood spell feel better. I am relieved to know that mom is already feeling better for some time, that Liv could come here fast and help her. 

“I could heal her, give her a burst of energy. She would feel better immediately.” Valentin says, looking at me. 

I nod at him. Valentin gets closer to mom and hovers a hand over her forehead; I watch in awe as a soft gold light flows from his palm to my mother’s body. Mom’s face automatically becomes totally relaxed and she even smiles in her slumber. 

Suddenly she sits up gasping for air, just like someone would breathe, after being saved from drowning. She opens her eyes slowly and looks at Valentin and me. My poor mom should be wondering what this beautiful and unfamiliar male is doing this close to me. 

“Lea.” Mom whispers, a subtle smile on her lips. “You are back… are you hurt?” she asks in a small sleepy voice. 

“I am fine, don’t worry.” I smile back at her, before turning to look at Valentin, and I can’t avoid my lips curling into a silly smile. How embarrassing!  

“Thank you,” I mutter to my mate. My mate. He is my mate. 

“I’m Valentin.” He tells my confused mom. 

“Nice to meet you, I’m Mel.” Mom beams him a polite smile; he nods and smiles back. 

“I could heal you too. The wound in your neck looks bad.” He tells me.

“Mhm… There is no need.” I reply, feeling a bit awkward. Awkward is all I’m feeling since I woke up from my blood-loss-induced slumber. 

“Are you sure? You would recover immediately.” He asks holding my small hand in his much larger one. 

“Mhm…” Oh Lea, use words, he is going to think you are totally stupid, I scold myself.

I am feeling a bit at a loss, shocked, confused. Goddess, I have 3 mates and I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around it. I was already used to the idea of being mated to Richard, and ONLY him. 

I knew it would be a challenge, but having 3 mates will be even harder, MUCH harder. Especially because I could see the tension and hatred between Richard and Alexus, it was almost tangible. 

I shake my head and try to use words again. I know plenty of words, and I could at least try and put some of them together to form a not totally senseless sentence. 

“Hum… I… It could be… I mean…” Goddess, another failure! All I want to do is to face palm my clumsy self. Why am I so lost now? Some minutes ago, I even managed to have a conversation with him like a normal person.

“Yes,” I answer simply. 

I should go for easy and short answers in these times of loss, in which my dear brain seemed to have deserted me, leaving me to face all the embarrassment alone. 

Valentin smiles again and he moves his hand that is not entangled with mine, to hover over my neck and collarbone, a golden glow flows from his palm into my skin. It feels warm and comforting as if he was hugging me from inside and washing me over with a summer day. There is a solar quality about it, calming and caring and pleasant. I gasp at the surprisingly intense sensation. 

After he closes his palm and the ray of energy stop flowing into me, I crave more; no, I long for more. But I won’t say anything, I won’t ask for it. It would be too embarrassing, using his healing for my enjoyment instead of its intended purposes. 

The wounds, bite marks, in my neck and collarbone have completely disappeared and I feel rested and energized. 

A wide smile finds its way to my face as I look at him. My eyes also twist in smiles, “Thank you.” I mutter. 

He strokes my face with the back of his forefinger gently and grins at me. His eyes run down to mom’s confused demeanor. My poor mom should be feeling so lost now. 

“I will leave you two alone.” He says looking back at me, and I nod in response. 

He presses a soft kiss on my forehead and leaves. 

As soon as he is out of the door, I let out a dreaming gasp; making Sienna, who was watching everything like she would watch a romantic movie, giggle a bit. I look at her, before biting my lip and clenching my eyes close out of embarrassment. 

“I will leave you both. I think your mom is expecting some explanation.” Sienna says with a sly smile. 

~ * ~

Valentin

I went to a small open-air concert at the Fae Realm, Aureum. I go to this concert every week with my closest friend and 2nd in command, Conrad. We were listening to a very talented group of teenaged Fae girls playing the fae-flute and the harp, as we drank some wine and relaxed a bit. I have a lot to think about after what happened today. Besides many other pressing issues and concerns that I have as a king.  

“What about the searches for the eggs? Have you found anything?” I asked Conrad. 

“Unfortunately, not. Valentin, you must be mistaken, there is nothing to be found. Dragons went extinct for good.” He told me, a breath of frustration vibrating in the undertone of his voice. 

We’ve been in the search for Dragon’s eggs for quite some time and couldn’t find anything. It’s frustrating. Some years ago, I had an epiphany about a dragon, one last dragon of a rare type never seen before. Since then, we are looking for a dragon egg all over the Realm. 

Searches for precious things might take long, but it is worth it, even if you can’t find what you are looking for in the end. Maybe you will end up finding something else, the ways of Destiny and the Goddess can be mysterious. That is what my mother used to say, and I still believe those words. 

Especially after I found some other precious thing, some other precious one: my mate, my sweet Lea. 

“You may be right, but we should continue the search. I can’t accept that such magnifique and unique creatures have disappeared for good. We must keep searching.” I uttered. 

“We will,” Conrad answered. He is a very loyal friend and second in command and he always supports my searches even when he can’t envisage the finding, the end of the road, with his own eyes.   

“You haven’t found your dragon, but you found your girl. Today is a day to celebrate.” Conrad chimed in with a chuckle, raising his Fairy-wine glass and toasting with me. “To the Queen.” He muttered for anyone to hear, but us. He is a sharp man. 

“It is indeed! The first of many days to celebrate.” I replied smiling. 

“You have to talk to her,” Conrad added with his eyes fixed on the musicians. 

“I know, and I will. But not now.” I answered, knowing well who he means by Her. Conrad nodded in response.

“It does change all the political scenario, maybe now the peace can be consolidated. The Vampire Realm and the Werewolf one can be in peaceful terms.”

“I don’t think it will be that easy. I saw the tension between them. The air was so thick that could be cut with a knife.” I replied. “But let’s talk about lighter topics and enjoy the music for a while. Enjoy the little peace that comes before a storm.”

Lea looks so sweet, timid, and innocent as a flower that is blooming. 

How could someone blush so adorably? And when she was stammering? Absolutely cute. Those big curios and innocent eyes looked like two sunflowers. 

I can’t wait to see her flourishing, as I open her petals slowly, feeling her texture, inhaling her scent, and collecting her essence. 

My sweet angel. 

I still remember the first time I saw her 9 years ago, at the Wizard King’s Ball to introduce Livia as his mate. 

*** Flashback ***

When my eyes met Lea’s for the first time, I was waiting for Livia’s grand entrance, surrounded by a group of Fae people, Conrad and his sister Sienna were among them. 

“Who is that little girl? I’ve never seen such a beautiful child” I uttered, looking at Lea’s delicate features, pale skin, black hair, and big amber eyes.

“She’s the younger daughter of the Enchantress Princess Melinda,” Sienna replied. 

“Who is her father?” I asked. I had to know more about her.

“Princess Melinda never shows up in public with her mate” Sienna answered.

“Such a beautiful child” I muttered to myself, fascinated as if I was looking at the most beautiful flower, something so dainty and bright. “Ladies, please get to know everything about her,” I asked Sienna and another female Fae, Blue.

Sienna smiled to herself, thinking that I haven’t noticed the change in her facial expression. But I did. She knew something about that girl, something that she wasn’t telling. 

* 

I confirmed my suspicion about Sienna lately. She was the one who told me that Lea was recently abducted, and I knew I had to see her and make sure she was fine. I felt this unique connection towards her; earlier today this feeling, this connection was much stronger, the strongest I’ve ever experienced, and in the instant our eyes met, I was sure she is MINE. 

But together with the blissful sensation of finally finding my soulmate, I had the terrible surprise to learn that she isn’t only mine. Sienna has mentioned that Richard claimed to be her mate, that is also one of the reasons why I used to doubt she was mine, regardless of the way I felt drawn to her all those years ago. 

Seeing her today, gave me the urge to scoop her in my arms and keep her in my embrace forever, but she needs some time by herself to process this odd mating situation. She must be feeling so overwhelmed and confused. 

I am over the moon to have found her, my mate, my Lea. But having to share her with those two is awful, it’s not how it’s supposed to be. Could I steal her away and keep her happy, cherished, and absolutely loved here at Aureum?  

Richard is too brute for such a delicate flower like my mate. Alexus is cold and dry as an icy desert, he can’t love her, he can’t love. He certainly can’t give her all the affection, cherishing, and adoration that she deserves, that I would give her every day of eternity.

They don’t suit her at all, it must be a mistake, a slip of a distracted Goddess. She is MY perfect match; I could see it after few minutes. I could feel the other half of my soul pulsating in her. 

I already feel some kind of pull towards her, this connection, and I know it will grow tenfold in 2 months and even more after we finally join as one.