Page 24 of The Prince's Mate

Then I did something that I'd wanted to do for quite a while now. I kissed Caelan. He gave a surprised little gasp when our lips touched, but then, he was kissing me back like he'd die if he didn't.

I slid my fingers into his hair, tugging gently as I brushed his jaw with my fingertips. I kept the kiss chaste and unhurried, still kind of worried that he wasn't completely back to a hundred percent.

"Finally!" An utterly familiar voice intoned, and we broke apart, turning as one to glare at Ro'Shassz, who sat on the bed on Caelan's other side. How long had he been watching us?

"Finally what?" I asked, running my fingers through my own hair as I slid the other to Caelan's hand, taking it in mine again.

"You two finally got your heads out of your asses," Ro said slowly, as if I was dumb. Maybe I was. Maybe Caelan had kissed me stupid.

"Wait, you knew too?" I demanded, before remembering Ro had told me he knew why Caelan left Otherworld.

"Kiddo, everyone in Otherworld knew," Ro said, sticking his tongue out to taste the air or whatever he did that for.

"They did?" I asked, turning to Caelan for confirmation.

"They're all a bunch of gossips. Of course they knew," Caelan said with a wry smile, and I rolled my eyes.

It was a miracle they'd managed to keep it a secret from me, but I imagined Dad had used his 'King voice' to tell everyone to keep mum about it. It was the only thing that would've kept them—especially Nox—from telling me.

"Okay, so I was the last one to find out who my mate is. No big deal," I said, shaking my head, and Caelan chuckled.

"I really am sorry I hid it from you after I got back. I should've had more faith in you," Caelan said, and I shook my head, glaring at him.

"You don't owe me an apology for that. I gave you no reason to have faith in me," I said, brushing my thumb over his knuckles.

Caelan sighed, leaning his head back as if there were answers written on the ceiling.

"Let's just...let's just stop mulling over the past, okay? We're here now, and maybe we should just focus on that," he suggested, and I smiled.

"I agree. Are you feeling okay now? Physically?" I asked, and Caelan glanced down at himself.

"Yeah, I feel fine. A little tired, but otherwise I'm good."

"Good," I murmured, staring down at our joined hands as I tried to figure out what to say.

My stomach grumbled right then, breaking the moment.

"You should go eat something," Caelan said, and I nodded. Squeezing his hand, I let it go and climbed off the bed before realizing I couldn't leave. I was afraid Caelan would disappear if I left him here, and it was an irrational fear, I knew. Caelan wasn't going anywhere, and yet my feet were rooted to the spot.

"I'll come with you. Gotta stretch my legs a little," Caelan said as he got to his feet, and I relaxed. He understood me so well, always had.

Ro'Shassz

My efforts had finally borne fruit. The two dorks were finally talking. It'd taken Caelan getting kidnapped to get them there, but at least they were there now. They'd finally crossed all the major obstacles, or at least I hoped they had. Knowing them as well as I did, I had a feeling we weren't past the worst of it yet though.

Step Eleven: Don't get icked out if they start making out in front of me.

Twelve

Caelan

Walker and I had kissed. We'd actually kissed.

Ten minutes later, I sat on the couch, my ears trained on Walker as he puttered around the kitchen area making himself something to eat. I still couldn't believe it had really happened. My life had taken more turns in the last twenty-four hours than I ever could've imagined, and I was still playing catch-up.

This day would be perfect if it weren't for the fact that I'd just found out the man who'd tormented me the most in my human life was still alive, still in the human realm, and knew I was here too. I'd never ever expected to see Andras again, and I couldn't help but feel afraid of what he might do if he got me again.

When I was human, Andras had been all I'd known from the time I was eight, and I'd loved him and hated him equally. It was only after I met Damien that I understood what love andcare truly meant. Day and I were never in love with each other, but we do love each other like family, and we'd do anything for the other. Day had shown me that what Andras had done to me wasn't love, wasn't anything good.

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