Dorian's low growl rumbled the library. "Seriously Nik, what in the hell were you thinking!" He roared, his heavy boots thudding against the floor as he stalked towards Nik.
Nemia had fled the moment Nik interrupted, gone with such speed the hair on Nik's head waved as if a gust of wind hit him from the side. The kiss they had just shared however, stayed behind. Searing the skin on his lips. An immediate wave a pain from the loss of her presence caused a empty pit to form in his stomach.
Nik was backing away from Dorian, trying to keep a notable distance. "I truly am sorry Dorian, but we have things to discuss for our travel." He paused, taking another step back as Dorian stepped forward again with another growl. "You will get more chances to... Persuade Nemia later. For now, making sure the arrangements are secure and having a plan drawn out is of more importance." Another three steps back was made as Dorian lunged forward.
"She is the only thing of importance to me." Dorian seethed, his head still clouded from the kiss and his nostrils still filled with her scent. He was more than angry to have been interrupted during such a monumental event for him.
Suddenly. Smack!Dorian registered Nik's hand slapping across his face and his ears turned bright red with another rush of anger. "You are the King, this country is what should be of most importance. Mate or no mate." Nik bared his teeth during a rumbling growl of his own before speaking again in a much more even tone. "But these arrangements calls for a means to ensure Nemia's safety, which should be of importance to you." Nik looked at Dorian pointedly.
After a long moment of clenched fists and urges to suddenly rip his best friends head off, Dorian breathed out with a sigh. His stance beginning to relax. "You are right Nik... I am the King and this country is of importance. Though in this moment, right now, until Nemia has accepted my claim and maybe even after that.. She is of equal importance. And yes, her safety is important as well. So you are most definitely right..." He sighed again, shaking his head. "You couldn't give me-" He paused while making a dramatic show of thinking. "- Five more minutes alone with her?" He asked jokingly with a laugh as he held his hand up and waggled his five digits.
Nik barked out a laugh, pushing down dorian's hand with a shake of his head. "We only have an hour to make these arrangements and to get a location on Donovan." He paused, "Speaking of, the witch, Jacoline, should be here shortly to do the location reading and you already know you need to be there so she can tap into the power of your essence to power up her spell."
Dorian looked at Nik with a frown. "Jacoline is who you called, really?" His upper lip curled towards his nose in a look of disgust. He didn't, not like her. Jacoline was just.... Creepy.
Nik shrugged. "She's effective and you just don't like how.. eccentric she is." He said carefully.
"Eccentric?.. I'm okay with eccentric. She's just really fucking creepy." Dorian responded with a half laugh, though he knew Nik was right. "I suppose she is rather effective though, she's never steered us wrong before at least."
With a pop, one of Dorian's butlers appeared, most literally, in the library a few feet from Nik and Dorian. Immediately he bowed in the presence of Dorian and Nik, respectfully, before standing straight again. "King Dorian. Nikolaus. Your.. guest Jacoline is waiting for you both in the tea room." The butler bowed low again after he finished speaking.
This butler, Samuel, had been in his service for roughly 75 years. He was a tall, sturdly built Dryad. Dorian raised his hand for the butler to rise back up. "Thank you, Samuel." Dorian gave him a small, curt nod. "Do tell her we will be down shortly."
"Of course, My King." With that, a pop and Samuel was gone.
"I really wish we could teleport." Nik grumbled after Samuel disappeared.
"Sure would be cool, huh?" Dorian responded, then patted Nik on the shoulder. "Oh to the woes of having to walk." He chortled gregariously before pushing Nik towards the exit of the library to make their way to the tea room.
The wall didn't take too terribly long, making it down to the tea room in roughly five minutes. Entering into the room, Dorian's eyes swept across the layout. His eyes falling on the extremely old, frail woman sitting in the armchair faced directly towards the door. The skin was sagging and wrinkled, having a sickly green hue to it. Her kids dropped down so low it was impossible to see her actual eyes. Her hair nothing but wispy grays in patches atop her head. The ancient looking woman cracked open her mouth to give a wide, toothless grin.
Dorian shuddered on the inside. "Good morning, Jacoline. Feeling.. natural today?" He greeted with an even tone, masking how grossed out he was in the moment.
Nik on the other hand, obviously cared less and walked straight over to her. Extending his hand, her frail one wrapped around it and he brought it to his lips to place a light kiss onto the back of her hand. "Jacoline, beautiful as ever I see." He winked.
Jacoline let out a shrill squawk of a laugh, taking her other hand and patted Nik on his shoulder. "Oh stop, you make me blush." She replied to Nik first with another toothless grin. Then she moved her head as if she was looking over Nik to Dorian though he couldn't see how she could see. "I'm feeling as natural as ever." She teased before waving a frail hand across her face.
In an instant, her whole face and body changed. Turning into a very young, tanned woman with steel grey eyes and bouncing brown curls. Lips plump, with a smile showing teeth now instead of a toothless void. "This better?" She winked and gave the same shrill laugh as she did a moment ago.
Dorian hoped like hell he didn't show his relief visibly. "Oh you didn't have to do that, Jacoline." He waved off her question in hopes that she would believe his response.
Which she did seem to buy as her grin widened. "Both of you are just too sweet." She tapped the end of Nik's nose, "Boop." She giggled, and Nik joined her with his own laughter.
Dorian shook his head a bit, unsure at how Nik does it. Deal with the overly strange personalities as if it's nothing. If any of them could do it, it should be him since he was King... But some people just... Freaked him out.
He strolled on deeper into the room more, being slightly more relaxed now that she transformed her appearance. Giving her a small bow of his head out of respect. "I'd love to have a sit down with you but you know me, busy as a bee and we are on a bit of a time limit currently." He offered a neutral smile.
"Oh, we must get together one day when you're not so busy." She expressed dramatically. "But alright, alright. Pull that chair-" She pointed over to a spare wooden chair. "-and set it and yourself right down in front of me."
Dorian done just that as Nik moved over and took a seat on the ottoman rather than the couch or one of the other actual seats.
Once sat in front of her, her hands lunged out quickly and grabbed his. Her eyes rolling back into her head and her moth opened as if in a silent scream. Her nails dug deep into Dorian's wrists, deeper and deeper until blood was finally drawn.
Drip. Drop.
Dorian absolutely hates all of this, but dealt with it. Knowing this was his best chance to find Donovan. As much as he hated it, he was thankful for the help.
Dorian's blood started winding its way over Jacoline's hands and up her arms, reaching her neck and steadily continuing. Until it slid into the orifices of her face. Eyes, mouth, nostrils.. She sucked in a deep breath then, his blood activating the powers she needed to tap into.
In a low, raspy voice, she started speaking distantly. "North. Low hanging roofs, barn, fields. Still going. City lights battling the rising sun. Panic. Burning. Disgust, poor. Gross snack. Couldn't make it to the city. Shacks on the outskirts." Her hands loosened and dropped from his wrists and she blinked as her eyes came back into focus. "He made it about a hundred kilometers north, just outside a small end city. He tried to make it to the city but the sun was faster. He's sheltered away in an old shack that was, recently, once a home to an old hermit."
Dorian sat back into the chair for a moment, thinking of where exactly she was speaking of. Then it dawned on him. "He must be near Botosani, then." Dorian said, completely confident. It definitely made the most sense knowing his expensive patterns. He chuckled to himself at the thought of Donovan of all people being in a small, rundown shack.
Dorian extended his hand to Jacoline and she accepted it graciously. He wasn't as bold as Nik to kiss her hand, but he gave it a firm shake. "Thank you, Jacoline, for being to effective in your work."
"No, thank you for letting me help." She responded with a gentle head shake and a smile. "Even if you think I'm strange in spirit." She gave a quick wink and another one of her shrill laughs.
Dorian didn't want to touch that last statement and just shook his head in response before standing. "I'll bid you a good day, Jacoline. Feel free to stay for a while if you'd like, I'm sure the kitchen staff made a wonderful breakfast in the dining hall." He offered with a poised smile. "So sorry we won't be able to join, duty calls after all."
"Oh thank you King Dorian!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together happily. "Sure wish you both could join me." She smiled with a subtle wickedness. "Especially you, Nik." She waggled her finger at him.
Nik laughed, "Oh wouldn't that be exhilarating if I could." He toyed and winked at Jacoline, causing her to cackle.
They said their goodbyes, calling Samuel to show Jacoline to the dining area while they headed towards Dorian's main office to discuss travel arrangements with Nik before meeting up with Nemia, as Julia would be staying here for this trip.
********
Nemia couldn't think, couldn't breathe. Her body still humming with what felt like zaps of electricity. Her fingers had traced her lips several times in just the few minutes she's been back in the bedroom.
'Gods why is this happening to me.' She thought to herself furiously. Starting to pace the length of the room, she replayed those last few moments she had with Dorian. Had it not been for Nik showing up.. She would have given all of herself away. She would have.. asked for his mark, begged for it.
'Mate.' Adira whispered in her mind.
"NO! Stop it!" She yelled out, stuffing herself into a corner of the bedroom and sinking down to the floor. Her hands balling into fists clenched into her hair.
'I cant be bound like that... Not right now.. not.. yet..' The thought ricocheted through her mind and she could practically feel Adira's ears raise at the last word in her thought.
'Yet? So you will accept him?' Adira responded.
Nemia sat completely still, thinking about it. 'I... Maybe.. things are unclear and you make this harder on me when he's in my presence.' Nemia responded, pointing her minds finger at Adira. Blaming her for the kiss, not being able to control herself.
'Blame me if you must, but I can't control that two legged version of us.' Adira mused in her mind.
She was right and never ia knew that but then, that meant she had to accept that she had wanted that to happen and she wasn't ready for that.
A nock on her door drew her from her thoughts, but a small bit of panic creeped in. What if it was him?... Coming to finish things, trap her in the bedroom. The bedroom... Her eyes floated to the bed and a sinful image bled into her mind.
Another knock and the image was gone
She stood and moved to the door, not opening it just yet. "Who is it?" She called out, her voice crackling just a hint of fear on who could be on the other side.
"Who do you think?" Julia's voice floated through the door and Nemia sighed with relief and her shoulders realized. Quickly then, she opened the door, glancing down the hall both ways and seeing no one else. More relief washed over her and she pulled Julia inside, shutting the door back behind her.
Julia's brows rose with curiosity and glanced between Nemia and the closed door. "Worried there was someone else?"
Nemia laughed nervously. "Uh.. yeah, kinda." She answered honestly, no point in hiding what was so painstakingly obvious.
Julia's arms crossed with a haughty look. "Who?" She asked, though Nemia could see it in her face that she knew who already.
"He.. we..." She paused, trying to form a coherent sentence. "There's a library here." She mumbled softly.
Now Julia's brows knitted in confusion. "Uhuh... And why does the library mean anything to you with Dorian?" She pressed.
Nemia cleared her throat and closed her eyes. She replayed the moment in the library again, her hand instinctively rasing hmto her lips. She hadn't spoken, hadn't said it yet. Didn't know if she could say it out loud. Thankfully, Julia caught on.
"Oh. My. God's! You two had y'all's first kiss!" She squealed happily enough for the both of them. "Oh tell me all about it, don't leave out a single detail. I need to hear this!" She grabbed Nemia by the arm and pulled her to the bed to sit them down.
Nemia scrunched her face. "I.. I don't know.."
"Please, Nemia." Julia pleaded, her hands gripping her arm gently.
Nemia sighed, unsure of how or where to start so she just started at the point where she decided to walk the castle. Told her of the initial discovery of the library, how massive it was.
"Oh, that sounds magnificent! I wanna see it too!" She exclaimed with a large grin, practically bouncing up and down like an excited toddler.
Nemia agreed to show her after while if there was time, then proceeded with the retelling of events that happened within the walls of said library. Julia would cling to every word, making Nemia tell her with as much description as possible. Nemia felt her face heating with embarrassment as she laid everything out.
"Aww, why'd Nik have to show up to get Dorian to do his job?" Julia questioned with a humph. Crossing her arms in disapproval.
"I'm glad he showed up... I don't know how far it would have went if he hadn't of showed up and that.... Terrifies me.." Nemia replied with absolutely honesty.
"Why does it terrify you that you found your mate, the one person that through the gods was specifically designed for you and vice versa for him. Finding your mate is so special Nemia, you should be overjoyed." Julia gave her a deep, concerned look.
Nemia scoffed and shook her head, standing to walk around with crossed arms. "I should be overjoyed?" Nemia questioned with a touch of venom laced in her words. "Overjoyed that I'm permanently bound to one person for the rest of my life that I didn't even know a little over ten hours ago? Why? Because the Gods say so?" She raised her hands with her palms facing our towards Julia as an "I give" motion before continuing. "Oh, but the God's specifically tailored him to fit me, and vice versa..." She shook her head furiously, unbelieving of it. "How can I accept someone in a bond like that and expect that bond to just keep us together forever..."
Julia sighed, shaking her own head now. "How many people have you seen mated? After you answer that, answer this... How many mates have you seen, separated?"
"I... That..." Nemia groaned. "Several and... None..." She answered solemnly.
This time it was Julie's turn to raise her hands a bit and shrugged her shoulders with the motion. "Then what's stopping you Nemia?" She wanted honesty.
She knew Julia wanted the real answer, she cast her eyes down to the ground. "Julia... I've lost everyone I've ever cared about..." She paused, holding her hand up to stop Julia as she opened her mouth to comment. "Yes, I care for you and I've not lost you.... And I can't stress this word enough. Yet. I've not lost you yet. I don't tell you much and stay with you often though so I can keep myself distanced to a degree. Part of that is because I want to believe if I don't let you get too close, then nothing will happen to you. That's why I keep you at arms length. But if I mate with him, claim him, and then I lose him because that is my life... I've heard of other wolven creatures plus other creatures in general losing their mate in death... Most of them that survives them, they lose it or die shortly after of a broken heart from the sudden sever of their connection.
Julia, I'm terrified of losing him. Of something happening to him. Of something happening to me. To us. There is so many variables in play here and I can't control them all. Buts God's no I have the least control when he is in the same room as me, which makes doing everything we have to do right now with Donovan, Malcolm and Kyth, that much more difficult. Speaking of..." Nemia now started to try and steer the conversation away from the current subject. "... I need you to do me a favor and stay here while we go after Donovan.."
"Fine, I'll stay. That's fine. I know you just want to keep me safe." Julia responded firstly, a gentle smile gracing her pale face. "But as far as how you feel about Dorian... You should trust that he can take care of himself. You can't continue to go about everything alone. You have to think, if you feel this strongly through your bond then he must have similar feelings pushing him through too. He could very well be out of his mind with certain things as well. I know his biggest fear right now is you rejecting him and if you keep going along with your current thoughts then his biggest fear will come true, and that will be on you." She pointed her finger towards Nemia.
"I.. I'll see." She didn't need to continue to dwell on this right now and with a glance towards the window, she could just see the starting rays of the sun that would send nightstalkers crawling back into their holes. "Right now, we have to find Donovan. Well.. the guys and I." She gave Julia a sheepish, half smile and Julia nodded.
"Alright, go get him then." She said, waving her hand to send Julia away as if she were a peasant and laughed so hard she snorted. Nemia laughed with her for a moment before sighing and saying her final goodbyes to her before exiting the bedroom and managing her way back down to the main level of the castle.
Dorian and Nik was rounding a corner that looked somewhat familiar, realizing the were coming out of the hallway that held the office Dorian had showed her previously. Nemia froze for a moment as her eyes rested on Dorian, but shook herself to her senses for the moment and gave them a tight lipped smile as they approached. "Are we ready now?"