Eric
It was tradition to celebrate the Mating Festival on the outskirts of Affinity. The decamped near the forest belonged to my family. Every year stands of food, beverages, and handcrafted material stood along the path that took to the central stage where artists performed throughout the day and night. There was also a big tent with tables and chairs where people gathered for three nights to eat the game meat and dance.
The revelers walked around and waited for the night to join the eating and the dancing. Single supernaturals of all races and colors would come in hopes to find their other half or just have a good time.
It was the first year that I was joining in which I had found my mate. This Friday night was meant to eat and dance with Beth. Smoothing my shirt down, I knocked on her bedroom door.
“You look gorgeous!” I voiced after losing my breath with her arrival at the door. She was wearing her hair down with a violet gown shaping her form. The fabric hugged her breasts and waist only to fall loosely down her legs.
“Thank you. You look gorgeous, too. Do you think it's a bit too much?” She swirled around to show her figure.
I grinned. “It's perfect. There's just something missing, and I have been waiting for the right opportunity to give it to you.”
Beth puckered her lips.
“Turn around.”
She did so, and I grabbed from my pocket the necklace with the medallion containing her parents' portraits. After securing the chain around her neck, I fixed her hair and breathed her perfume.
“What is it?” She touched the medallion and opened it. I felt her body tense, and her eyes widened when she saw her parents’ pictures. “I thought I’d lost this forever.”
“I fixed it for you. I know it has sentimental value.”
She nodded and spun in my arms. Tilting her head back, I perceived her shining eyes. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
I brushed her chin with my fingertips with my gaze falling on her lips. “I thought it was the only thing worth saving from everything else in the box.”
“It was.” Leaning closer, her lips touched mine, softly first and passionate after a few moments of discovery. Her arms snaked my neck, and her body fell against mine. I closed my eyes to surrender to her need. My hands trailed down her delicate figure until my fingers secured her waist.
“We should go,” I mumbled as I caught my breath. “Our family is waiting.”
Her breath feathered my face. “I appreciate your kindness in letting me keep my necklace.” She gave me another kiss.
“I have something else for us.” I smiled against her lips.
As much as I wanted to keep kissing her, I knew I needed to control the lust stirring and boiling the blood speeding inside my veins.
“What is it?”
Taking her by the hand, we exited to the corridor and stopped in front of a chest of drawers with a decorative silver dish. There were two black velvet masks on it.
“We need to wear these to the festival.” I took her mask and helped her place it over her pretty face. “Vampires use black masks, were shifters wear blue, and witches wear red.”
“What about hybrids?”
“White as all the humans who will join.”
Beth helped me with my mask. We looked at each other for a few seconds.
“Why the masks?” she questioned, trailing her fingers on the embroidered collar of my coat.
“It's fun, and we can keep our identities secret.”
“I find it odd,” she confessed. “But I can recognize you even with your mask on.”
“We know each other’s clothes.”
“We distinguish our mates not just by the smell but by their eyes. I understand now.”
“You can fully turn if you wish. Tonight, everything is allowed.” I let my fangs out and smirked at her. She looked down and shook her head. I cupped her face. “Why not?”
“My eyes are black.”
“It doesn't matter, Beth. I am not ashamed of you. You shouldn't be either.”
Her arms laced my neck, and she hugged me. “I just want to have fun with you tonight. Dance and feast.”
“Let’s go, then. The queen and the king wait for us, and the fireworks will illuminate the sky soon enough.” I grabbed her hand and escorted her to my car so we could drive to the party.
***
Beth
I had been to many parties in search of my mate, but none took place in the wilderness and with so many different species. It felt exotic and exciting to attend the festivities with my mate. My smile was genuine as was my awed expression when I saw all the different stands showing embroidery and leather work, as well as jewelry and regional food. It seemed like a craft fair where everybody wore their masks and fancy clothes while mingling with the crowd.
The fireworks lit the dark sky and announced the arrival of the single males who had been hunting for meat. They arrived wearing masks of many colors, most of them shirtless, and covered in dirt and blood. Being an achieved hunter used to mean something. Nowadays, it was just a ritual to impress the single ladies who giggled and lustfully looked at the males.
King Marcus and Queen Jessica were on the throne, sitting on an improvised platform with velvet chairs. They blessed the meat before it was taken to be cut and grilled. On the meadows, several bonfires illuminated the space. In the forest, bulbs placed inside empty bottles hung from the trees. There were also flower arrangements everywhere.
Eric showed me around before we went to the royal family's reserved table. There we watched the band of electric violins and flutes perform joyful music that made people dance and clap their hands. It reminded me of old Celtic music. I had fun when Eric grabbed my hand, and we joined the dancing crowd. We swirled and tapped our feet until the musicians took a break, and we went back to our table.
Upon arrival, Dulce and her brother were seated there, wearing blue masks and talking with Jessica and Marcus. Anna and Shane were nowhere to be found. Since they were helping with the patrolling and keeping everybody safe, their absence wasn’t a surprise.
“Kevin assured me that he would arrive tomorrow,” Jessica said. She wore a red gown, the same color as her mask, and a fishtail braided hairstyle.
“Kevin wouldn’t miss your wedding vows,” Sebastien, Dulce’s brother, said.
“He’s been busy in Chicago since he took a commanding position. The responsibility will do him good, but I would love if he were closer to home,” Jessica said. Sighing, she added, “I’m not there to save his butt, and that’s troubling.”
Dulce and Sebastien chuckled.
“According to him, it’s the other way around,” Sebastien retorted.
“Excuse me, darling.” The king got up and placed a hand on Jessica’s shoulder. “Eric and I need to mingle with the crowd and greet a few important people.”
“Do you want me to go with you, too?”
“No, stay here and talk with your friends.” He walked to Eric. “Son, Beth will be okay here with our friends and family. Would you join me for a walk?”
Eric frowned but got up. “Sure.” Then, he looked at me. “I’ll be right back. Don’t leave the table.”
I smiled at him. “I’ll be fine.”
Once he left, Dulce looked at Jessica. “What was that about? It’s something wrong? Someone making trouble?”
“It seems that the Mountain Pack requested to join the party. A few of their single members are here, but they are misbehaving, especially with the hybrids,” Jessica explained.
“Oh! The king shouldn’t have let them join. They are bullies and don’t play along with the other packs. They are always trespassing our territory,” the werewolf female said. Leaning back in her seat, she looked at her brother. “Did you know they were attending?”
“It’s not our territory. At least they asked permission this time. Two years ago, they showed up unannounced and caused trouble after trouble. I remember that Shane had to use force and several of them spent the night in jail.”
I dared to ask a question. “Why would someone cause trouble in a festivity like this? Aren’t they looking for their mates, too?”
“Not everybody that attends has honest intentions,” Sebastien replied. “This year, we made pamphlets to educate the hybrids how to proceed in case a pureblood claims they are their mate.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Many lie and just want to get laid with a pretty woman or man. This year, there was an increase of hybrids females joining the party. We have posted instructions on how to proceed and who to call if they are being stalked or bullied. There’s also men and women wearing yellow masks that are here to keep everybody safe.”
“Even among supernaturals, violence happens. Some males want to force themselves on their mates when they see them. Many women don’t know how to protect themselves when that occurs,” Dulce added.
Jessica tapped her glass on the table. “Let’s talk about something else. Are you enjoying yourself, Beth?”
“Yes. Eric and I danced.”
“You look happy.
“Eric is lucky to have a mate as beautiful as you,” Sebastien said.
“Thank you. Shouldn’t you be looking for your mate? The two of you,” I said, looking at Dulce.
She shrugged. “It’s no use. I’m pretty sure our mates aren’t here.”
“How would you know that?”
Jessica answered for her. “Dulce believes that she and her brother are cursed. Her entire family is cursed, apparently. Therefore, they won’t meet their mates in the first century of their lives.”
“That’s terrible. Who cursed you?”
It was Dulce who answered, “A long time ago, one of my ancestors was mated to a witch. He used her only to reject and humiliate her. He had no idea she was powerful enough to make his life miserable. She cursed our bloodline and now no one in my family can find their mates in the first century of their lives. We are bound to live alone for a century so that when the time comes for us to find our mate, we aren’t immature and won’t reject or break their hearts.”
“It’s unfair that you and your brother have to pay for a mistake that was committed by someone else.”
“That’s why once this madness also known as the Mating Festival and my wedding is over, I’m committed to finding a solution for Sebastien and Dulce’s family. I’m going to break that curse,” Jessica avowed, raising her glass and emptying its content.
“Many other witches have tried. Excuse me if I’m not holding my breath,” Sebastien said with a gloomy expression. He stood up. “I’m going to fetch us a refill. Do you want anything, Beth?”
“Fresh lemonade,” I answered.
“Beer for me, this time, Bastien,” Dulce said.
“Same for me,” Jessica chimed.
“I’ll be right back, ladies.” He grabbed the three glasses and left.