Soulmates?

The Corporal tracker and the Vampire Darkling

I was more than excited to see my best friend Nicolas Stark. I heard he'd done well in the first army to become corporal. So to my surprise that Prince Nikolai did something for me to reunite me with my best friend who I referred to as Nico. "Allow me to escort you home, Ms. Silina." Nico said, being polite as I nod. My brother Aiden and my cousin Adrian both came out as we were all ready to go home. I needed rest but my excitement was hard to contain but just as I was about to step forward I fell forward from exhaustion. Those vampire girls had been nothing but made it hard for me to sleep last night as Nico caught me then picked me up.

"H-Hey!" I said as he had already put his gun on his back but started to carry me home. I blushed slightly from how embarrassing it was to be a Dual Summoner and have a human carry me. I suppose it could have been worse. "So, what are vampires doing outside the fold?" Nico asked as that caught my attention and I looked up. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I said while we walked. It was still some distance but I was tired nonetheless as I yawned. "They're after you, so humor me." Nico said

I felt sleepy but I told him half of it that they were turned by a vampire who walks in the sun, which surprised him. Nico set me down for a minute before handing his gun to my brother. "Hold this on our way." Nico said as Aiden took it then he turned to me and adjusted his arms. "Alright, climb on." Nico said as I blushed a bit. "W-What?" I asked as Nico looked at me "You're exhausted, carrying you on my back will be easier than carrying you like a bride." Nico said as I was still flustered by his words but I did as he asked, wrapping my arms around his neck and letting him carry me on his back. Sometime after that, I fell asleep while he was carrying me like this, then again I haven't had much sleep since finding out the truth.

Aiden's pov:

Not long after Nico had decided to carry my sister on his back, she fell asleep easily. I knew they were close, they had done a lot of things together. He found her favorite flower, they created their secret code to talk to each other that even I wasn't a part of. When I thought about it, had the General not come into her life to claim his Grisha soulmate I had heard people talking about how she would end up with Nico. I wondered if they were going to get close would she choose Nico or her Grisha soulmate.

Amira in this state, you don't even let the black General get this close with you. Aiden thought

The trust that Amira had for Nico was obvious even when he'd gone off to be in the first army she'd been there. Tears in her eyes as she had to watch him go protect everyone and she hugged him like it was going to be the last time she saw him. The same way she hugged him earlier. "Aiden" Nico said, snapping me out of my thoughts as I looked at him. "Who is the vampire creating those out of the fold?" Nico asked as I was angry about it too. "Her Grisha soulmate. You won't see his initials until he's close by." I said

Nico stopped and looked at me, but there was nothing I could say that would help the situation. "She's refusing to go to the 2nd army because she knows the truth." Aiden said, "Maybe because she's always wanted you to come home." Nico started to walk again with my sister on her back as he seemed to consider something. "I always liked Amira but I knew she'd outlive me. She's grisha and she wouldn't want to be bound to a human who would outlive her." Nico said as I knew he was right. As Grisha, we did outlive humans, but there wasn't anything else that could be said.

"You won't change her mind, she has to decide eventually." I said, still I could tell we were being watched. Amira's arm fidgeted as I knew she did that when the initials were on her neck. "We're being watched." I said as he looked at me "How do you know?" Nico asked, "Grisha soulmate marks appear on her neck when he's close. So he's watching us now and he probably isn't happy about you having her." I said as Nico was surprised.

We eventually made it to the house as Nico took Amira in and then helped her in before I took her and put her in her bed.

Amira's pov:

When I woke up it was midday, I didn't even realize that this time had gone by so much but I yawned as I walked out. "Ah Amira, you're awake. You seemed exhausted." Amara said as I nodded. I looked back in my room seeing the Butterfly Iris and smiled. "Is Nico still around?" I asked as she nodded pointing to the living room. I walked in there and saw them having their male bonding time as they were seeming to be competitive.

"So, you three want to be competitive instead of doing something else?" I asked making them jump. "Mira, you're awake." Nico said as I raised an eyebrow for a second and smiled relaxingly. "Of course, I don't need just an hour or two." I said with a smile, "Or five." Aiden said, surprising me.

I was about to say something when there was a knock on the door. I felt it before anyone went to the door and answered it seeing him. "Amira, you're safe." Aleksander said, "I am and I am safe inside a home." I retorted as I tried to close the door knowing if I got any more involved with him that it would be more dangerous but he stopped the door. "Amira please." Aleksander said as he made the door come open and walked in. "We're done, it's not happening." I said as I tried to walk away from him but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me to him. I hated the idea of being powerless to a vampire but then Nico came over and pulled me away from him.

Oh no, Nico. I thought

"Who are you?" Aleksander asked, "Nicolas Stark, Corporal of the first army. I'm assigned to protect Amira Silina by the King." Nico said as he put me behind him. The way he was acting, I realized Aiden told him the truth. "You're General Kirigan, leader of the 2nd army. Amira does not want to join the 2nd army and it is until she decides otherwise I am to protect her." Aleksander didn't seem to be happy about this but I stayed behind Nico. "I want to protect her, same as you. Her safety is all that matters, you couldn't possibly know what is out there coming for he-" But before he finished Nico did. "Vampires, girl vampires wanting to drain her to gain the power to walk in the sun. A Dual summoner who gets to decide what she wants and right now she wants to be here." Nico said

My grip on Nico only tightened but Aleksander noticed it too, I trusted Nico with everything. "You two are closer than you appear." Aleksander said, "We're childhood friends, something you can't imagine." Nico said as I knew this was what kept me from fully giving in. I was drawn to Nico in a way that I couldn't explain but I was drawn to Aleksander for being my Grisha soulmate.

Will I have to really make a choice? I thought