Novus Luna

Chapter Twenty-Four

Image on left is Mayne's Mark.
Image on right is Blake's Mark.

I woke up to something tickling my neck. Snapping my eyes open, I realized that Blake was awake, and staring at me. I was about to ask why he was staring at me like that, when I noticed the black, twisting shape on his neck.

"What's on your neck?" I asked. Blake smiled and pulled his shirt over his head. I gasped and ran my hand down his neck and side. The image held something with wings and lines crossing to a certain point. It looked amazing.

"What is it?" I whispered.

"It's my mark. You have one too." Blake whispered back. I grinned stupidly and pulled my shirt over my head, not thinking about Blake lying shirtless beside me. I traced my finger over the swirling lines, hypnotized by it. I twisted my head to see the top of my mark, but couldn't see it.

"It's a wolf..." Blake trailed off, looking mesmerized. I looked up from my mark, finally realizing that Blake and I were both shirtless. In my bed. My breath hitched and my heart sped up. Blake looked up from my mark, and into my eyes. He growled lowly and then he was on top of me. Blake leaned down and kissed me. It wasn't soft and quick, but rough and long. I buried my fingers in his hair, kissing him back.

Then the door opened. Both of us pulled back to see our friends and my dad standing in the door with wide eyes. Blake shot up and stood in front of me.

"Get out!" He yelled. Everyone stumbled back as Blake slammed the door in their faces. After a few seconds I stood up and went to him. I grabbed his arms and rubbed my hands up and down. He was shaking.

"Blake, what's wrong?" I asked worriedly.

"I am the only one that can see your mark. For Animus Lupus males, they would do worse than slamming the door. Only your mate is to see your mark." He explained. "You felt protective when they walked in right?"

I nodded. Then I realized he couldn't see me so I turned him around. Smiling, I leaned in close and brushed his lips with mine.

"I love you, Blake." I whispered. Blake tried to pull me closer, but I dodged his reaching arms and ran to my closet. I wagged my finger at him and started changing. Blake sucked in a breath and he disappeared. I chuckled and put on my training gear. Today it would double as fighting armor. The humor died in me and I finished getting dressed. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and zoomed to the training room.

I walked into Blake finishing up the schedule for the day.

"At seven p.m. exactly, we will head out to where the battle will be. The Novus Luna Pack hopes to join us in the fight, but they've had... problems with their Alpha gone. So we will train until I call you. Dismissed." Blake finished. The clan filed out to their sessions, while my friends and I gathered around Blake.

Blake pulled me to his side and held my hand.

"I will protect my family before I protect myself. All of you here are my family. Protect yourself to the fullest, but help others if you can. I don't want to lose anyone today, but it can't be avoided. Now go and train. I'll walk around and train with some of you." Blake told us. We nodded and turned to leave, but Blake's voice stopped is all.

"Oh Mayne? I plan to fight you and Cruor in training at the end. Spread the word." He winked. I paled a little, but walked off to beat down armed vampires.

Through all of training, I kept thinking about how Blake and I were going to fight. That didn't stop me from smacking down some vampires, though. I grinned contently during each fight, and that seemed to put some vampires off their game.

"I win." I shouted triumphantly as I held Lupus against Emily's neck. She groaned and walked over to the mat in the middle of the room. Everyone has been gathering around it in anticipation for my fight with Blake. I rolled my eyes at the big deal everyone was making and grabbed Cruor on my way to the mat.

Blake was already there chatting with some girls in the clan. I growled lowly and everyone focused on me. The girls that were talking with Blake were looking back and forth between me and the sword in my hand. Then they made the mistake of staring me in the eyes. I gripped the hilt of Cruor tightly and glared at the girls.

They averted their eyes and shuffled away from Blake.

Luna, are you jealous? Blake mind linked me.

In case you didn't notice, they were fawning all over you. I snarled back, and Blake laughed.

Oh, I noticed. He winked at me. I growled at him and advanced. I raised Cruor and struck at his torso with the side of my blade. Blake parried the strike and counterattacked at my sword arm. I dodged out of the way and kicked his legs out from under him. I quickly jumped onto him and placed the tip of my blade under Blake's neck.

I grinned and stuck my tongue out at him. Blake raised an eyebrow and gestured with his eyes to his sword arm. Scrunching my eyes together, I leaned forward and turned my head to see behind me. The tip of his blade was resting on my back, right behind my heart.

There was dead silence. No one spoke.

"Who wins?" I asked. Clan members shook their head. Ems stood there slack jawed, staring at me and Blake.

"It's a draw." Ems mumbled, "This has never happened. Ever." My eyes widened, and I looked back at Blake. He nodded in agreement with Ems, and I climbed off of him.

"You are amazing. You'll do great in the battle." Blake commented. I smiled appreciatively and pushed his shoulder lightly. He smiled at me, and my heart somersaulted. Then Blake's face became serious, and he turned to the clan.

"It's time. Good luck to you all, and if someone surrenders, be sure to bind and disarm them." Blake said dreadfully. Everyone mumbled an agreement and followed Blake and I out the door.

Once outside, everyone checked for their weapons. After the check, we zoomed to the willow, a place that my mom was killed in, and much more people would too if it came to the battle.