Page 52 of Veiled

“Well, I’m going to head out now. Kalen? I trust you have this in hand. I’ll make sure the other students are safe,” said Alvor standing up, I narrowed my eyes at him as he walked away. That should have been his first instinct as Dean of the school. It didn’t escape my notice that he didn’t seem very outraged or concerned about our run in with the Dark Fae. I didn’t trust him, and I just couldn’t put my finger on why.

Part II The Blade You Wield

“Breathing slow and breathing deep

Arise thy spark!

Arise and conquer!

Fire deep within the soul

Defend the boundaries of thy master!

I find my voice; I find my power

I hum my spell

I sing my tune

The star of nature is my shield

I am firmly rooted in this realm.

Emblazoned sigil in my mind

My throaty drone empowers thee

To cast false angels to the wind

As I WILL, So MOTE IT BE!

The spell is broken

My guests depart

I fall down exhausted

I sleep without a dream.”

STORM FAERYWOLF

While Kalen and Xena did a perimeter check, we all took turns taking showers. I stripped off my clothes and tossed them in the hamper in my bathroom, and I walked into the shower and stood underneath the stream of the shower, as hot as I could make it. People joke that women need their water hot to remind them of hell, where they came from. More like we need our water hot to remind ourselves of where we will be going if we murder the stupid assholes who hit on us all damn day.

I lathered and washed my hair, taking in the new marks on my hands, arms, belly and apparently my breasts as well, all the way up to my collar bone. The swirls were gorgeous, intricate, weaving and knotting all the way down to my pelvic bone before they wrapped around my lower back. As I rinsed my hair and then conditioned, I let the conditioner sit while I soaped up my body dragging the loofah across my skin. My skin felt over sensitive and I let out a low moan. I sucked in a sharp breath as I bent over to wash my legs and saw that the swirls hadn’t stopped; they continued all the way down from the juncture of my thighs to my thighs and legs. These swirls were just as intricate, but as they progressed to my toes they were more of a deep purple. They were gorgeous- it was as if I was painted on by someone with the most incredibly steady hand and vision. They wove, turned and twisted, very similarly to vines on a tree or the way branches grew.

I sighed, taking my time in the shower as I worked the brush over my tangles. I was going to go downstairs eventually; they would have to just wait. At that thought I saw Remi step into the shower with me. Benefit of a rain shower? So much space and never having to fight over the shower head. We stayed silent as I continued to work through my hair, and she started to shower. I took in her matching swirls except hers stopped right at the hip, while mine kept going. I wonder why. I said as much, as she looked away and muttered that she had no idea. I frowned; she must be as confused as I am, so I brushed it off.

Stepping out of the shower, I dried off quickly and threw on some underwear and a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. Remi helped herself to my clothes and we walked out of my room and down the stairs. It looked like the guys were all settled into the living room with cups of coffee in their hands, no shirts on, in grey sweatpants, with their new magical ink on display. Who ever invented grey sweatpants are fucking amazing angels and we need to bow down to their greatness because holy shit, I had to check if I was drooling?

“Jeez, they really need to consider banning grey pants, seriously,” I said as I settled down on the couch next to Ryder and Grayson.

Ryder laughed and leaned in to kiss my cheek, I know we’re apparently at war, so could he not look like fucking sex? “Aww gorgeous, I’m glad you think we’re sexy,” he wrapped his arms around me. This felt magnetic; too natural, like we were always meant to be in each-other’s arms. I guess the mate stuff all made sense now. How fast everything progressed, and how good it all felt.

I stuck out my tongue at him, “I didn’t say all that now,” I grumbled. Grayson laughed, and leaned over to press a kiss to my lips, teasing my tongue way too softly and pulling away way too soon.

“Fucking teases,” I cleared to my throat, “So Kalen, I’m curious, Remi’s marks go from her arms to her pelvic bone, it looks like the guys are the same.” I looked at them for confirmation and they nodded.

He nodded and sighed, rubbing his face leaning back against the wall across us, ever the perfect guard. “Yeah, when I saw them come down, I realized, and I guess it makes sense. You are exceptionally strong Hudson, that much is clear. The Fae live in a matriarchal society, so the bonds that form and the marks that follow are based off the strength and lineage of the female, usually the mate marks are on the bicep or forearm; nothing as intricate and as full body as yours. I haven’t seen anything like it in a hundred years, after our last matriarch passed, and yet she only had one mate.”

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