The Immortal Prince ✔️

30

Word Count: 2020

~Vaela

My hands drag over the craggy cave walls as I struggle my way into the part of the cave Hale retreats to when he wants to paint.

Sure enough, a brush is in his hand, as he crouches down, working on a particularly detailed aspect at the bottom of the painting. It's a night sky. It hurts to look at, knowing I haven't seen one in quite a few weeks.

I seat my hands in my pockets. "I've made a decision."

Hale straightens, dumping his brush on his metal tray. "Is that right?"

"I want to go out again," I decide.

Finding my mate has nothing to do with this now. What I need is a distraction that isn't Hale. Being around him in most of my waking moments is getting to be too much, and with Will gone and Eyla busy, I need fresh company.

Hale rubs his hands together, fingers stained with midnight purple and cobalt blue. "For how long?"

I chew on my lower lip. "Not long. Just a night."

"A night? You may get sick..." he frowns.

"Okay, for a small portion of the night, then," I sigh. I wish I didn't have to divulge my intentions to him, and that he would just trust that I wouldn't do anything to put my mortal self in danger.

"What would you like to do?" He stalks past me, and back into the main corridor of the cave, leading me back to the warmth of home. I'm shivering already, but part of that can probably be attributed to my nerves.

I chew on my fingernail, careful not to slip on the slick ice that coats the rocks. "Meet someone. Let them distract me for part of the night."

He holds the door open for me once we make it back, eyes following me as I pass by.

"I'm assuming that means what I think it means."

I whirl around. "I can't get you out of my head, Hale. I'm guessing it's because I'm in such close proximity to you, and you're a perfect Pureblood, so I need to get out of here and prove to myself that I can be with someone else like that, physically."

It may not work, considering the pleasure Hale has wrought from me. But I have to try.

"I don't like this idea," he mutters, closing the door, sealing us in once again.

"Doesn't matter, I need to do it," I decide.

"If you're absolutely sure, I can take you. But know that you don't have to avoid me. It can be completely platonic from now on, no suggestive remarks or anything." He holds his hands up defensively, but there is still an amused gleam in his eyes.

He knows that suggestive remarks aren't enough to keep us apart. There is something that draws us together.

"I need to do this, or I'm going to go crazy," I insist.

"Tonight, we will find you someone. I'll stay close, but I won't intervene," he finally conceedes. He may sound like he is relenting, although I hear the tension in his voice.

He knows this is a terrible idea, that I will not learn until later, when this is over.

"I may have someone in mind, from my old work. Maybe instead of going out, they could come here?" I offer.

Hale's eyes narrow. "With me here?"

"I'm sure you can find somewhere else to be for a bit, right?" I ask nervously. It feels wrong to kick him out of his own home, considering the nature of our strange relationship, but the thought of him being a room over...well, it's out of the question.