"Hey Nemia, we're finished here and Jacoline wants Nik to take her for a stroll around the castle and put to the gardens before she has to leave. Do you want to come with?" Julia's voice interrupted Nemia's thoughts as she picked around at her half eaten plate of food.
Nemia glanced up at Julia then over to Dorian. "Shouldn't we be going to question Donovan?" She asked Dorian instead of answering Julia.
Dorian waved his hand to dismiss her question casually. "He'll be there later, he's not going to get away now." He assured her.
She looked back over to Julia with a smile. "Maybe I'll catch up after I'm done then, but you go on ahead." Nemia replied, stabbing her fork into a piece of steamed broccoli and popping it into her mouth to show she was in fact still eating.
"I'll stay with her and show her the way down once she's done." Dorian offered. Nemia glanced over at him nodding her head as she swallowed her food before speaking again.
"That sounds.. good." She mumbled with a small smile, moving her head back to look at Julia standing to her left. "We'll see you in a just a bit." She told Julia who happily accepted that answer and with one last look between the two, she twirled and skipped off to catch up with Nik and Jacoline.
Now, it was just Nemia and Dorian left in the dining room aside from a couple of maids clearing out the empty plates. They worked silently and anyone who didn't watch them, see them, wouldn't even know they were there for the most part.
She looked back over to Dorian, his elbows against the edge of the table with his right fist tucked under his chin. He wasn't looking at her at the moment, but rather towards the window they were facing that overlooked the front side of the castle. He looked as if he was in a deep thought and she didn't want to interrupt.
But, his hand dropped and he looked over at her with a warm smile that melted her heart. She smiled back, though it was fleeting. She was nervous still, being alone with him now. For the most part that is, as one of the maids cleaning up passed by.
That's right, she's not alone with him. She breathed out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. He reached over then and nudged her plate towards her. "Eat." He urged her softly. With another fleeting smile and a nod, she started eating again.
After about ten to fifteen more minutes, she has finished most of the meal but couldn't eat anymore. She pushed u the plate away from her. "That was wonderful, but I couldn't dare eat another bite."
Dorian chuckled softly. "So you're done now?" He asked, when Nemia nodded he stood up and Nemia's eyes followed him. He reached his hand down, offering it to her to take. "Would you like to go see the gardens now?"
There was a slight hesitation but ultimately, Nemia took his offering hand and she noticed the deep smile that he came with when she did. It was definitely infectious as she couldn't help but smile back up at him.
The two of them exited out of the dining room, taking a right, they began walked moderately slow along the hall hand in hand. From the height difference between the two, Nemia's arm was bent up a few inches to keep her hand clasped in his.
They both seemed content in the moment but there was also questions unspoken between the two. Finally, Dorian broke the silence. "Nemia I..." He paused and Nemia looked up at him as the slowed to an even slower pace than before.
"Yes?"
"When we was down there with Veera.. and again just earlier with Jacoline.. you.." His words were broken fragments, avoiding the phrase that coincided with both of those names like he was afraid to say it out loud and hear what she had to say. Nemia knew what he was hinting at though.
"When I claimed you in front of them as my mate?" She asked, already knowing the yes he breathed out was coming in response. She nodded her head and glanced down. "I meant it. You are my mate as much as that scares the hell out of me." She answered him honestly as they came to a complete stop on the middle of the empty hallway, turning to look at one another.
He let out a breath she could tell he has been holding for a long minute. "Oh thanks the gods." He breathed out with relief, his free left hand reaching up slowly to gently cup her cheek. Her instinctive reaction caused her to tense instantly, but just as quickly as the tension came, it went away. Replaced by a warmth she didn't know existed until now. "So does this mean?"
Nemia nodded her head slowly. "Yes, but... Give me time to adjust. I'm still in highly unfamiliar territory." She laughed nervously.
Dorian chuckled softly. "I've waited this long, what's a little while longer?... If it means having you in your preferred time frame." He responded in a low, soft voice and leaned his head down to place a gentle kiss on the top of her head.
Nemia's head was swimming. Even as she said to give her time, her body still responds to him in ways she never knew she could. She quelled her desires however, stuffing them down for the time being. No matter how hard that may be.
He pulled away, stepping back to her left side. Their hands still clasped together. "Let's get to the gardens before someone comes looking." Dorian chuckled softly and the both set their feet back in motion simultaneously.
They made idle chitchat along the way as they continued through the castle. After about five minutes or so, Dorian opened a large double door which revealed a stone walkway leading out of what she assumed to be the backside of the castle. The path leading to a relatively large patio with vibrant flowers and well groomed shrubs surrounding it.
The patio was about the only thing she could see though, as a tree line seemed to be perfectly alined with the patio and connected on either side of it. There was an opening on the opposite side, she just couldn't see over it until they ascended the nine steps up to the floor of the patio. Reaching the top and crossing over to the opposite side, the view flooded Nemia's vision. Her breath stolen from her at the sight.
It was dazzling. There was a dip down on this side, a staired stone walkway leading down to a clear patch of a well manicured lawn. Then, just a bit further back was several well kept circular flower beds, each one containing a spindled tree with bright purple flowers starting to bloom. A little further out from those was a hedge maze that encompassed the entire lot. Stretching her neck to see the layout of the maze, she noticed towards the back of it and dead center was what looked to be a large water fountain. The pool of it was rectangular and there was some sort of statue that stood on the backside of it, she just couldn't quite make out it's detail from her current position.
She did, however, notice the group of three that was just starting into the maze. A smile dashed across her face and she looked up at Dorian. "Catch me?" She winked and let go of his hand. Her vampiric speed boosting her down the stairs and flying past the group in a matter of seconds. She caught the confused look Dorian barely has time to form before she was off though.
She slowed for just a moment as she passed Julia. "Boo!" Her hands wrapped around Julia's shoulders momentarily and she yelped in fear before Nemia dashed off again.
Nik howled in laughter as Julia called out after her in sheer exasperation "Nemia!" But she done nothing but laugh. It had been a very long time since she felt this happy. Thinking about it, she hasn't been this happy since before her pack was destroyed.
She slowed half way through the maze, making her way towards the water feature she had seen from up on the patio that overlooked the massive grounds. A wave of pain sweeping though her at the thought of her lost family and friends. Then, a wave of anger replaced the pain. Anger that she has held on to for so long now. "Fucking Malcolm." She still hasn't come to terms with the fact that they were brother and sister. But in truth, they weren't. No, he had killed he real brother instead along with the rest of her family.
The anger continued to fester as her thoughts spiraled down the all to common rabbit hole she had pulled herself into time and time again. Just the new information she has made it all the worse now.
Stewing in it, she hadn't even realized she has made it to the fountain until her feet brushed against the edge of the stone lip of the pool of water. She glanced down at it and into the water. Some koi fish and large goldfish swam lazily about, not a care in the world. "You guys are lucky." She mused to herself a small flicker of a smile starting to reach across her lips again.
She moved her focus from the fish and up to the statue. It was of a large lycan in it's beastly form. It's arms stretched out to each side and it's claws curled halfway. It's muzzle was tilted up in a traditional howling pose. There was something familiar about the lycan, though she was quite sure what until a throat cleared behind her.
She spun on her heel and came face to chest. She tipped her head back and rested her eyes onto Dorian. "You were quicker than a imagined you would be." She stuffed down the fact that he had scared her, annoyed with herself for getting snuck up on.
Dorian bit out a laugh and shrugged. "You have an easy scent to follow and I have some killer leaps I can take. You have inhuman speed, I have giant calves and exstinsive power." He laughed again, then lunged and wrapped his arms around her waist. Lifting her up off the ground, he spun them around in a slow circle. His laugh bellowed and rattled his chest. "Gotcha!"
Nemia yelped, "No, put me down!" She fought against him momentarily in the surprise of it before she dissolved into laughter along with him. Relaxing a bit into his arms for a moment before he gently set her back down.
"Mission accomplished." He jeered with a grin.
Nemia rolled her eyes but laughed before pointing back over her shoulder. "That's you, isn't it?" She questioned, though knew his answer.
He sighed and a warm smile greeted his lips. "Sure is. My mom had that made the moment I took the crown as a gift. Not that I needed one, but she wanted to do something for me and I couldn't just tell her no." There was a flicker of sadness behind his blue eyes and Nemia stepped closer to him.
"She's no longer here, is she?" The moment the question left her lips, another flicker of pain flashed through his eyes.
He nodded slowly. "That's right." His answer was short quipped and laced with a still fresh wound.
Nemia glanced down, feeling bad for having brought it up. Looking back up sympathetically, "I'm sorry, Dorian." She hates saying that for moments like these but it was really the only thing that could be said but even that was no where near enough to help heal those kinds of wounds. She knew that all too well. She reached her hand up, almost having to fully extend her elbow to reach up and gently cup his cheek. "I know it hurts and we don't have to discuss it right now but, whenever you are ready and want to talk about it.. I'm here for you."
That sentiment seemed to be just enough to bring a small smile back to his lips. Or maybe sit was her touch as his head tilted and nudged against her hand, causing the stable along his cheek to scratch against the palm of her hand. His hand reaching up to cup her hand them at cupped his cheek. "Thank you, that means the world to me Nemia." He responded after a moment. Then moved her hand across his cheek and to his lips where he gently placed a kiss on each one of her fingertips.
It was a very sweet moment, too sweet though for a fire to ignite in her core. 'Mate with him.' Adira roused inside her, panting. Nemia shook her head mentally. 'Not yet.' She spoke firmly to Adira and was met with an immediate growl.
Dorian's eyes had darkened, he must be feeling her same desires. Her assumption correct as he used the same hand he held of her already to quickly pull her against him and his other hand warping around her waist. His lips crashing down on hers all in one fluid motion.
She was thankful his arm was wrapped tightly around her as her knees seemed to buckle under the emotions flooding her senses. Much like how she responded with their first kiss. This time though, she was more open to the idea of him and her body moved in its own response. Her free hand worked its way to brush gently across his chest the let he feel the warmth and muscle hidden under his back T-shirt. Her other hand guided to rest on the nape of his neck, and that hand now reached down and fisted into her hair. Pulling her deeper into the kiss and she opened up like a flower.
"Oops." Julia and Jacoline muttered in unison and a sigh rushed through Nik's mouth.
Nemia and Dorian pulled theirselves apart, somewhat, and glanced over in the direction of the intruding voices. The three of them standing just inside the opening the held the fountain, having just found their way here. Nik and Jacoline smiles sheepishly and their apology was evident in their eyes. Julia, on the other hand, was smiling with what had to be the biggest smile she had ever seen Julia give. As if she was trying to expose every single tooth she has in her head. Her fingertips softly smacking against each other in her uncontainable excitement.
'Great, I'll never hear the end of this one.' Nemia thought to herself as the stood in an awkward silence.