I've Been Waiting For You

Chapter 111

Markus glanced around the darkened room and saw something moved that looked like two balls of fire.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Markus."

Markus spun on his feet as those balls of fire flew pass his face and stopped mid-air.

"Markus, can you hear me?"

"Your scent is so delectable."

The balls of fire moved closer to him, the glow highlighting his face.

Almost in a trance, Markus reached out his hand but immediately stopped himself.

"This is your true nature."

Markus tried to move his body but he was stuck in this position. He watched the balls merged together then a shadow appeared. Markus dropped to his knees as the shadow engulfed his entire body. Markus cried out in pain as this shadow fused with his body.

"This is your true nature."

"Markus, what's going on?"

Markus opened his mouth to reply but no words emerged. Then suddenly the pain faded, leaving a dull headache. Markus opened his eyes but he was looking through a red haze.

"Freedom." A low growl escaped his mouth.

In his blood-filled haze Markus heard a loud shout, and shifted his focus from the ground to the people pouring out of the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mitchell ran downstairs at the loud shouts coming from outside. He came to a stop seeing Markus's parents and his guardians clustered outside.

He stepped out into the backyard to join the group.

"What's going on?"

Charlie rushed forward to grab his hand. "I need you to calm him down and put the ring back on his finger."

Mitchell glanced around, then recoiled in shock. Markus was standing near the gazebo, red eyes staring at them.

The tattoos on his arms seemed to pulsing with life.

"He looks dangerous."

"The ring acts like a barrier."

"A barrier?"

"It helps contain the darkness inside him."

"What darkness?" Mitchell asked, his gaze still on Markus.

"When we were in that place, I realized Markus wasn't an ordinary Transcendent Nephalem. There was a trace of another power deep inside him. A darker power." Mavka stated.

"Look, we don't have time to talk, right now."

Mitchell looked at Charlie. "How do you know so much about Markus?"

"I was sent..."

The triplets erupted in a loud gasp of disbelief when Charlie was suddenly flung backwards, landing on his back.

A grunt of pain left escaped Charlie's mouth. "Mitchell, he's going to hurt us if you don't calm him down."

Mitchell cast a glance at Markus. The shadow seemed as though it was dancing. It was as though the shadow itself had become one with his body.

"No one can stop him. He's more powerful than everyone here."

The group turned simultaneously towards the voice. Mitchell didn't recognized the person standing there, but he seemed familiar.

"Malachi, how did you get a body?"

Malachi?

"Don't worry about that. We have more important matters to attend."

"The ring needs to be on his finger."

"Kev, do you have the ring?"

Kev nodded his head before holding out his hand. The Ruby glinted as Mitchell took the ring from his hand.

It felt warm against his palm. "I can feel it pulsing."

"That's Markus's heartbeat."

Mitchell took a deep breath then turned towards Markus. With each step forward he kept his gaze on him. The shadow seemed to reach out to him, but Mitchell didn't flinch.

He was going to protect his mate at any cost. Once he was close enough to Markus, he opened his arms and wrapped them around Markus's waist.

"Markus, it's me. Please I need you to come back to me."

Mitchell's eyes clinched shut as the heat penetrated beneath his clothes to his skin. The heat from Markus's body was scorching but he didn't let go. Mitchell reached up a hand and cupped Markus's face, caressing his skin. He placed his hand on the back of Markus's neck and brought their mouths together in a kiss.

At first nothing happened then, so Mitchell opened his eyes to find red eyes staring down at him.

"Markus, don't let it win. Come back to me, baby."

Markus's lips moved against his own as he started to return his kiss. He felt Markus's arms encircled his body as the kiss intensified.

Mitchell's body responded to how close their bodies were, pressed against each other. There was something different about this kiss.

Even Markus's lips tasted like an aphrodisiac to Mitchell. Because of how intense the kiss was getting, Mitchell broke away to take a deep breath.

Mitchell could still feel the ring in his hand. He took Markus's hand and placed the ring back on his finger.

"Don't ever take this off again."

"I won't." Markus kissed the top of his head. "I promise."

"Good."

"Did I hurt you?" Markus asked in a low voice.

Mitchell rest his forehead on Markus's chest then shook his head.

"No, you didn't hurt me."

"The darkness is gone. You drove it away."

With his head still down Mitchell ran his fingers along the side of Markus's neck. He brushed his fingers back and forth along the skin.

"Mitchell, look at your hand."

Mitchell slowly looked down at his hand and saw the tip of his fingers glowing with that same blue light.

He guessed that's why he was able to withstand the heat from Markus's body.

Mitchell raised his head and looked at Markus. "I can protect you."

"I guess the darkness was repelled by your light." Markus observed with a smile. Those captivating hazel eyes seemed to look deep into his soul. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."