Bloodied Strings Of Fate

Twentynine: Proposal

Aurora's POV

It was late afternoon the next day and I was cuddled with Liza in a cushy chaise lounge in the library reading aloud to my love. We decided to spend the rest of the day relaxing after the exciting day we had with my family. I was glad they were here. It has been a while since I saw them and it was great to spend time with them again. Especially now that I had my mate and could show them how amazing she was.

Liza's delicate finger taps the top of the book to get my attention. I look up at her and smile. "Yes, love?"

She bit her bottom lip nervously and brushes her beautiful Auburn hair out of her eyes. When she meets my gaze with those electric blue eyes I can see the uncertainty in them. I place the book down and beckon her closer. Liza immediately snuggles closer to me and I wrap my arm around her waist.

"What's wrong?"

Lifting her head my mate looks me in the eyes. "I was talking with Nikolai yesterday and he said something that left me curious." She says softly, still nervous.

I brush back the hair that fell back in her face. "Well ask me whatever. I won't be mad or anything like that. If that's what you're worried about."

Nodding she takes a deep breath. "He said I was your mate. And I have heard you call me that before, so what I guess I'm asking is....what is a mate?"

I laugh. "I'm actually glad you asked. I wasn't sure how to go about telling you." This made things easier. I could be honest about it. No more hiding.

"You know how I was talking about the red string of fate a few months back?" Izzy nods. "It's like that....you're my soulmate. I was fated to live long enough to meet you. To fall in love with you." I smile at her.

Tears pool in her eyes and I immediately panic. "Oh dammit. Was that too much? This is why I didn't want to tell you- you've already had so much dropped on you. Shit! I'm sorry-"

My panicked words are cut off by soft lips. Izzy had leaned forward and captured my lips in a gentle kiss, her inviting scent wrapping around me. It brought goosebumps to my skin and I had to fight back a shiver. My hand cups her cheek and pulls her closer feeling her smile against my lips. When Izzy pulls away from me she has a sweet smile on her lips and her bright blue eyes sparkle with love.

"Don't apologize, I can understand why you hesitated to tell me. Honestly, I'm not sure how I would have handled this a few months ago. Thank you for telling me." She whispered.

I can't help the wide grin that breaks onto my face. "I love you, Izzy."

Leaning into my chest my mate takes a deep breath and squeezes me tighter. I felt whole and completely at peace right now. She made me feel like I belonged in this world like I wasn't a monster. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her if she would have me. I wanted to make sure she was safe and happy for the rest of her life.

"Will you tell me more about this whole thing, so I can understand it?" She asks still pressed into my chest.

"Of course Eṉ kātal," I say pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

She pulls away from me to look at my face. "What does it mean that we are mates?"

"It means my beautiful Queen that you and I were meant for each other, our blood calls to each other. You are my other half." I say.

Liza nods. " I can always feel when you're close by, like a humming under the skin."

I smile and reach for her hand. "That's our bond, letting you know that your mate is close. We are stronger together than we are apart. When mates find each they immediately know. At least when they are Mythics, humans are a little more stubborn at recognizing it. Blood calls to blood making you want to be as close as possible to your mate." I chuckle and nudge her when she blushes. "Some of us will wait years until we find our other half- wait a millennium for them to love you back. I would have waited forever for you to love me the way I love you. I would have waited my whole lifetime as long as it took for you to love me in any way. Friend, mentor, lover- whatever you wanted I would have given it to you. Most Mythics complete the bond within a few months of knowing their mate, after finding them. It basically powers us up, we become one in a way. Become stronger."

My beautiful mate cocks her head to that side with a curious look. "Complete the bond?"

A burning sensation comes to my cheeks and I knew that they were pink. This was an awkward conversation for me, the process to complete the bond was very....intimate. I clear my throat and try to word this properly. "It's the final step in our bonding. The whole thing is... is very..." I take a deep breath. " to complete our bond we would have to share our blood and....our bodies." My face red now, from embarrassment.

Izzy giggled. "Aurora Payne, are you....embarrassed?" She teases.

Shoving her farther away from me I Look anywhere but her. I was embarrassed which a new experience for me altogether. Only she made me feel this way, made me feel new emotions that I've locked away for five hundred years. I have thought about what it would be like to finally complete our bond before but this was different somehow. I was nervous, not sure if she was ready for that. I was doubting my abilities to make this perfect for her. To show her how much she meant to me.

"Am not." I pout.

Again my love giggles and it lifts my heart. Liza wraps her arms around my neck in a side hug. "You're absolutely adorable. I've never seen you like this- all embarrassed over sex."

I stand up abruptly causing her to almost fall off the lounge. "Right. I'm done talking to you, ya bully."

She stands as well and laughs. "No, I'm just teasing....kiss me please."

Liza comes up and wraps her arms around my waist puckering up her lips. I laugh and oblige her. I try to keep it chaste but Izzy isn't having it, she pulls me closer by the hips. Her lips devour mine filling me with warmth and hunger. I hum against her mouth and she grins before nipping my bottom lip.

"I can't stop thinking about the other night." She whispered into my ear. "About how much I wanted to touch you."

I smile and peck her lips. She made me so happy. My uneven heart skips every time I see her. "Marry me."

Tipping her head back Izzy lets out a belly laugh. Her blue eyes are gleaming and it makes my abnormal heart do flips.
"I'm over here trying to get laid and you're asking me to marry you?"

I pick her up and twirl her around relishing the sound of her giggles. When her feet land back on the ground I kiss her deeply before peppering her face in kisses.
"Yes, I am. Marry me. I want to call you mine in every single way. I want to be yours in any way I can, to love you and show you all I can give."

Liza's eyes are wet with tears and I can see the emotions swirling inside them. "You are...." She huff's out a laugh shaking her head. "I forgot what I was going to say."

I chuckle and place my chin on her head as I embrace her tightly. "Say yes. Please"

We stand in silence for a while as I give her time to think about it. Then she whispers "Yes, I'll marry you."

A grin nearly breaks my face at her word. "Really?! Cuz I thought I'd have to convince you a lot more than that."

My gorgeous mate laughs and cups my face in her palm gently. Her touch is warm and calming, like a balm for the pain. It made me feel safe. "Of course I want to marry you. I love you."

I pull her up to my face, her sweet smell on her breath. When our lips lock I feel my head spinning with want. Her arms circle around my neck and her fingers tangle my hair. I spread my fingers out wanting to feel as much of her as I can. My fingers create circles on her back, tracing every curve of her. I can feel her shiver all over and lean into me breathing deeply as we kissed.
When break apart I hear her soft growl, it makes me smile. Liza was perfect, a delicate flower in my dark bloody fate called life. She was the only light I could see in the world. Everything lit up when she touched it.

"Can we go to the bedroom?" She says a little breathless.

Liza was still clutching me as if she would fall if she let go. And when she looked up at me I felt my slow heartbeat skip and beat faster. "The bedroom?" My brain is still trying to catch up to the rest of me.

Giggling she leans forward to kiss the shell of my ear making my whole body flare-up. "So I can finally touch you."

I shiver and nod, wanting whatever she had to offer. My mind felt like it was on autopilot. Reeling still from her saying yes, to her accepting what we were. My mate takes my hand and begins to lead me out of the library and away to what I was certain was my doom.