To the Shadowsinger | Azriel

Chapter 27: Chosen me

 Raisa wasn't sure if the sex was amazing because it was with Azriel or because it was with her mate. She knew Azriel would have amazed her if they weren't mates, but the bond was just the cherry on top.

They moved and came together as one. It was almost impossible to stop once they got started. The moon had been out for hours by the time she felt like she couldn't take anymore. She wanted more but her body refused to move.

She couldn't stop smiling at Azriel as they finally settled down for what seemed like the last time. She rested her head on his chest and watched his eyelids grow heavy as she memorized every detail. One of his hands held hers while the other stroked soothing circles on her back.

"I'm not going to be able to sleep if you keep looking at me like that," he peaked one eye open and smiled.

"I can't help it," she kissed his knuckles. "You're perfect."

He shook his head, "How can you even look at my hands and tell me I'm perfect."

"Hey," she scolded. "These are my mate's hands. Of course they're perfect." She brushed her cheeks against the top of his hand; he didn't hide them from her. "You never told me how you got these scars. You don't have to if you don't want to but if you do... I'm right here."

He brushed her cheek with his thumb. She wouldn't push him to tell her something he didn't want to but that didn't make her any less curious. She wondered if it was a story of bravery- or a story of torture.

His hazel eyes turned sad but he didn't look away from her as he told her everything. How he was a bastard who's father kept him in a windowless cell. He wasn't even allowed to fly. And when he was eight, his half-brothers decided to pour oil on his hands and light them on fire. It wasn't until he was eleven that he finally got to fly, he was taken to an Illyrian camp where the High Lord's mother took him in as a son of her own. Raisa didn't realize she was crying until Azriel stopped talking and wiped away one of her tears. He deserved better, she wished he had a childhood filled with love and happiness. A darker part of her wished those that had hurt him suffered. If she ever met his half-brothers or father she'd make them pay.

"Don't cry," he kissed the top of her head. "I'm happy now that I have my beautiful mate in my arms."

Her heart fluttered at the word mate. It was still a shock to her, but after the things she did with Azriel... she couldn't imagine anyone else being her mate. Their hearts beat as one. "You know, I didn't even believe in mates," she smiled at the stupid thought. If Raisa a few days ago was told she'd met her mate, she would have thought that person was crazy.

Azriel gave her a confused smile and continued stroking her bare back.

"I thought it was something people made up to claim each other." Her eyes drifted shut as she spoke. "I've only seen a few pairs, besides the High Lord and Lady, but they never really seemed what I thought mates would be like."

"What did you think mates would be like?" He asked quietly.

She tried to remember. Her life as the Queen of Vallahan felt very far away. "My mother told me that your mate comes with you from your past life. That when you die you get asked who you want to bring with you into the next life. If the person you chose chooses you as well, you go into the next life together as mates. Since it's a mutual choice, I just thought mates would go into their next life already loving each other. The mates I've seen made me think it was a foolish theory. They didn't look in love."

"And what do you think now? Do you believe we chose each other from our past life?"

She opened her eyes to see him already looking at her. She was half surprised he didn't fall asleep to her rambling, but he looked at her with all the curiosity in the world.

She laughed a bit, "I don't know why you would have chosen me."

"I know why," he brushed back a strand of her hair. He rested his head back and closed his eyes, "I like that theory a lot. I like the idea of getting to choose your mate. I've always heard theories about mates being matched in power, having the ability to produce the strongest offspring, or the whole cut from the same cloth nonsense." He smiled, "I like the idea of us choosing each other. My past life must have done something right."

That was the last thing he said before drifting into a peaceful sleep. His arms were holding onto her as if he was afraid she'd slip away at sunrise- which was exactly what she did. Leaving her mate was one of the hardest things she ever had to do but she knew it had to be done.

The only thing keeping her bleeding heart pumping was the sight of Bryaxis pulling a wagon. She knew exactly what that wagon held. It was time to return home and end Caius once and for all. 

(Alternate chapter title: Get that bread, get that head, then leave)