Page 30 of His True Beloved

“She was gathering water by the well. She smelled me while I approached. Many mates pounce on each other as soon as they know.” Christine smiled, leaning her cheek on the hand she had propped up on the table.

“Not this woman, though. She wanted to follow the traditions of her coven. They believed the longer you held out sealing the bond, the stronger the bond would become once you mated.” Christine giggled, her face turning red.

We were to wait at least twenty-four hours, but we barely made it to hour eighteen when King Darius rode up on his horse with his men. He had planned to take all the unmated women back to the palace and use them as concubines.” I gripped my hands into fists.

“One vampire, Roman, who was much older than I, had found his mate too just a few hours before I did. He was livid, trying to break free from the soldiers that blindly followed the Dark King.” Christine reached out a hand, the heat causing my fists to slack, and her fingers intertwined with hers.

“We were both held back, detained, as we watched our mates being dragged to the open-celled carriages like animals.” My gaze couldn’t hold Christine, but she continued to watch me. As I recalled the final moments of my previous mate’s death, the burden was lifted more and more. The darkness, the hole left in my heart, began to fill as Christine drew circles in my palm.

“My mate refused, lunging at one of the soldiers. Roman’s mate did the same, her nails catching the eye of Darius. He caught her hand and twisted her head until she fell to the ground.” Christine gasped, a small tear dripping down her cheek.

“And the mate I didn’t even know the name of, because of her customs and traditions, screamed in hatred that we should all defy the king.” Christine’s hand entwined with mine as she listened to how my mate finally died.

“First, he pulled out her tongue and then forced his hand in her chest.” I gulped. The memories faded, and the blood that spilled from her chest and the emotions that came with it began to heal as Christine jumped from her seat. It was an awkward hug, her hovering over me until I pulled her into my lap. She gasped, but she didn’t back away. In fact, her hug became impossibly tighter.

“Oh, Sebastian,” she sobbed. “Here I am crying over an ex-boyfriend cheating on me, and your mate died in front of you.” I hardened hearing she was cheated on.Who the fuck would ever do such a thing to this magnificent woman?

Before I could ask her, she rubbed my back. “Is that why you asked me out on a date?” Her words were muffled by my shoulder. My arms stayed wrapped around her even when she pulled away. “Because you don’t have a mate and want a companion?”

I tilted my head, trying to understand her thinking. Her lashes were still wet from the tears she cried for me. My finger traced one down her cheek. “I do want your friendship and something more with you,” I whispered. “But I understand if you don’t. I’m a little broken.”

The fuck did I just say?

I needed her to fix me. Her tears and touch were healing me at an alarming rate. I needed her here, with me. “We can go slow,” I added far too quickly. My eagerness shined through enough until that pretty blush lit up her blue eyes.

“Slow.” She wagged her finger at me. “Because I’m a little broken too.” She smiled tenderly. “It helps to know that I don’t have to worry about a mate coming to find you while we are ‘friending’.” She used her fingers to air quote. “I think that was what really frightened me. I don’t want another broken heart, you know?”

I squeezed my arms around her waist again. “You don’t have anything to worry about that,” I whispered. “Do I get to hear your story then?” I gazed above me as she continued to sit on my lap.

“Slow,” she whispered, her forehead touching for far less time than I wanted, and she went to sit back in her seat.

I’ll take it slow, then.

Chapter 15

Christine

Right,slow.

Sebastian sipped his wine, his lips gently sticking to the glass. He sat there like I wasn’t sitting in his lap earlier. How could he remain so calm? He was cool as a cucumber, and I was a hot sticky mess in places I didn’t know I could be.

The chemistry was definitely there. Sebastian felt it too, and as much as my heart broke for him no longer having his mate, some sick and twisted part of me was happy.

I’m going to hell.

He wasn’t attached, and neither was I. Sebastian wanted to pursue me, but part of me felt conflicted. I couldn’t replace his mate. I couldn’t be the person he was supposed to be gifted with from the goddess.

Now I am entertaining the idea that the goddess is real.

Our food was served. Sebastian had a bloody steak, while my steak looked charred compared to his. The neatly displayed forks and knives, all suited for a five-course meal, had me panicking. Sebastian was dead serious about this ‘date’. It was supposed to be a ‘friendship’ dinner, but that was not what this was. The limo, the fancy clothes, the beautiful setting. Friends do not do that. This was all classic romance that no human would ever give for even a first date of both consenting parties.

The feminist in me wanted to scream at the cliché setting he put us in. He really didn’t mean the whole ‘friends’ thing to begin with. He had his own agenda. Sebastian was just trying to get me out of the house and in this beautiful setting, sweet talk me into being his ‘companion’.

It worked.

Now we were more than that, right? He had no mate. I didn’t have to feel guilt or worry that someone would come along and claim him.

Just thinking someone else could be his had me turn green with jealousy. I was already possessive over the vampire, which wasn’t what friends did either.

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