The Devil’s Daughter

Finding More Than I Bargained For

I looked at Eris, “Thank you.” He smiled at me. I kept looking at him. One thought was playing in my mind over and over again.

“Of course, you can ask me anything.” I took a deep breath. I wasn’t certain I wanted the answer. Even if I was pretty certain I already knew.

Did you guys wonder why it was so easy for me to accept that I wasn’t human once I had the facts? Well, there is something else you should all know about me. I read a lot. I always read fantasy books. I wanted werewolves and vampires to exist just like most other teenage girls. I knew were-beings, at least in books, had mates.

He waited for me to ask. I was struggling to get it out. “Sorry, this is harder than I thought.”

“Take your time. I don’t mind.” He was always so kind. Well, aside from the whole locking me in the dungeon thing. “Am I your mate?”

He stared at me. I wasn’t even sure if he had heard me. I took a step forward and still he didn’t react. “Eris,” I whispered, as I got closer. Once I touched his arm he moved. More like jerked away from me. Had I been wrong this whole time? He put his hands up and I back away. I started to apologize, “I am so…”

“Don’t apologize. You did nothing wrong.” He took a deep breath. “To answer your question. Yes, you are my mate. At least, according to Sampson.”

“Who is Sampson?”

He winced, “my bear.”

“Right. Duh, I’m so stupid.”

“No, you’re not.” He said, taking a half step forward. Then he stopped. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have acted that way when you asked. I just freaked out for a second. I didn’t think you would have a clue that’s how it work.”

I chuckled, “I kind of guessed based on all the teen fantasy books I have read.”

He started laughing. Which only caused me to really laugh. It took several minutes for us to regain some composure.

He walked over taking my hand. I wondered if he could feel something I couldn’t when he touched me. The longer he held my hand the more he seemed to relax, and this calmness settled about him. If we were mates, shouldn’t I feel something? I watched him. Drinking him in. I couldn’t feel anything in particular; I did notice that I was relaxing into him. He was calming me? Strange. This was all a lot. Where do I go from here?

“We should talk some more. You have had a lot of information thrown at you in the last day,” he stated matter of factly. He was right. I didn’t really know why I wasn’t having a mental breakdown.

“You didn’t tell me we were mates because of everything else.” It wasn’t a question. I already knew I was right.

“Yes.” He was being cautious. It was putting me on edge.

“Okay, how about for today we just talk about the mates thing. I mean sure I guessed it from books. That was just lucky. I really don’t know how it all works.

“Sounds perfect,” he smiled.

I pulled him onto the bed. We sat facing each other. He began by telling my that all were-beings have a perfect match a mate. Their mate was their true other half. That if they chose to not wait for their mate that they could find someone to settle with, but it would never feel quite right. He explained that ever were-being felt the mate pull. However, it has become harder and hard for them, over the years, to find their mates because of all of the inter species mixing that was taking place. He explained that many were-beings were mated to demons, witches, fae, or other were-beings; with every cross species it lessoned the mate pull unless the being was some sort of were-being. He told me this is why I didn’t feel the mate pull. Had I been only a demon then I would have felt it.

He also told me that gods didn’t have mates, which also made our bond harder. I may have been able to feel some pull if both halves of me were capable of having mates. He let know that he never wanted me to feel forced to be his mate. That it was my choice no matter what. He didn’t care that he felt it and I didn’t. Whatever I wanted he would be fine with.

Once he finished, I sat there processing it all. I had asked as many questions as I could think of as he explained everything to me. Now my brain was trying to understand everything. He waited patiently for me to get it as settled as I could and to speak.

I looked at him. I wanted to gauge his real feelings. “I appreciate you explaining everything to me. To be entirely honest I’m not sure how I feel as far as being mates. It’s not that I want to hurt you. This is just a lot. I think I am going to need some time if that’s okay.” I watched as he absorbed what I told him. I was surprised to only see understanding in his eyes.

“Of course, please take all the time you need. This is not a decision I want you to rush.”

I was tired after talking but we both decided we should eat something. Eris sent for some food and we had a picnic in bed. It was nice. Being with him really did put me at ease. After eating we dozed off.

I started to dream. I was running but I couldn’t see anything. I fell forward almost like I was pushed down. Then Antonius was in front of me. I looked up at him from the ground. “You think you can hide from me. You used your power once. Its only a matter of time. I will find you and when I do, I will end you.” I woke with a start. I was shivering and shaking. I felt chilled to my bone. I looked around the room and saw that Eris was gone. I started to panic. I couldn’t get a breath in. I knew he was in my dream. It was real. I was still having trouble breathing with Eris opened the door and rushed in.

He jumped onto the bed and pulled me into his arms. “Hedera, what is the matter? What happened?” I started couldn’t talk. I couldn’t even breathe. I said nothing, but I could feel my body relaxing. He was fixing the problem. Several minutes after I calmed down, I pulled myself out of his arms. I looked at him. “Sorry, I didn’t know I was being loud. I never meant to wake you.”

He responded harshly, “Why would you be sorry? You weren’t loud. I want to help you when you need me.” He had calmed down as he finished the last few words. Wait if I wasn’t loud how did he know I needed him? He responded like he could hear my thoughts.

“I felt your panic and fear. It’s a mate thing. I can feel your emotions. The more the bond grows the stronger it becomes and eventually if it develops enough, I can hear your thoughts.” No one should hear those. I have no filter. I barley have one when speaking aloud.

He chuckled as he watched me process the new information. It was kind of amusing. He got up to leave and I reached for him. I didn’t want him to leave. What if I fell asleep and Antonius was there? “Do you mind staying for a bit. I’m still kind of freaked out to go back to bed.”

“I will all always do anything for you.”

I fault that a little disconcerting, but I dismissed it. He laid in bed and pulled me to him. I felt so safe in his arms. It was easy to fall back to sleep.