Nerves, maybe?

Everything that's happened within the last week … it's changed me at my very core. I never thought I could be with a Scaler, pet or otherwise, let alone fall in love. Holy crap! Is this love? It can't be.

Jasper once described love to me as the ending of everything. He said when my parents died, saving his life, he loved me. It was the end of his irresponsibility. It was the end of him making rash decisions that would jeopardize his life because he had to protect mine. The more I thought about how I felt about Ashton, the more I realized how deeply I cared for him.

Ashton Cane … Prince of the Black Sapphires. At least, that's what I thought of him as since his father was running things. And then that whole thing with Aya, and drinking the Golden Imperial elixir? Could I become a Scaler?

I swallowed hard as Ashton emerged from the bathroom. Steam billowed out from behind him like he'd walked out of the clouds. My eyes scanned him alright. From the top of his head, down to his neck, over his chiseled physique and landing dead center. Yes … I'd become a Scaler for him.

I pushed myself closer and closer toward the headboard until I couldn't scoot back anymore. I don't know why I was so nervous, but I couldn't stop my heart from thumping against my chest.

"Will it hurt?" I asked him.

He shook his head, "I'll make sure you're feeling so many other things when it happens, it'll be an afterthought."

"You promise?"

"You have my word, my honor, and my heart, Whisper."

With that I relaxed, letting him climb onto the bed. With one of his hands planted on the mattress underneath my naked body, he used his other to lift my chin toward him. Tilting my head back, he slid me away from the headboard before bending down to kiss me. The slickness of his tongue over mine made my entire body tense with anticipation.

I could feel his hand moving down over my nipples. He teased and pulled them gently while his lips overtook my mouth, and all of my apprehension began to melt away. When he moved his mouth away from mine, I took in a deep breath. The trail of kisses tingling down to my center made me want to grab his hair, but I steadied myself. He held my thighs firmly apart while his tongue began to explore every soft spot that made me a woman.

It was firm and soft. I could feel him tasting me, between my lips and then inside my slit. My pulse continued to race as euphoria came and then so did I. My moans of erotic pleasure couldn't be silenced while he moved that magic mouth of his around my clit. I could feel his tongue inside of me, inside of my walls. I clenched around him and all he did was chuckle but he didn't stop. Soon he inserted a finger and then two to assist him in dining on me. I came again.

When he finally had his fill, he crawled up to position himself directly on top of me. I gazed up into his eyes as he peered down into mine. They were the softest words I'd ever heard him speak, "I love you, Whisper."

"I love you too, Ashton."

As soon as his name spilled from my mouth, he entered his thick erection inside of me. I gasped as he took up every bit of empty space. He moved slowly at first, catching his rhythm before he sped up. Every stroke, I could feel his head hooking at my spot, that wonderfully elusive spot that made me beg for more. He continued to roll his hips into every thrust, diving deeper, pushing and pulling himself in and out of me. It was orgasmic.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, but he changed positions pulling out of me and turning me over onto my stomach. He didn't hesitate to dive right back inside. I could feel him pressing deeper against my backside with one hand wrapped around my waist. Playing with my clit as he moved. He was bound to drive me crazy.

I held onto the sheets while we made love. Ashton turned my head toward the wall, kissing my neck until he reached my mouth. His tongue went to work once again. So much so that I barely felt it when his talon pricked me on the opposite side. A straight line, from the point of my heart to the top of my clavicle … he marked me, and I didn't feel a thing.

Once he did, he pulled out of me again. This time he stood up next to the bed motioning for me to come to him. He hoisted me into the air before sliding me down, gently onto his throbbing manhood. He held my back with one hand and with the other he supported my bottom as I began to ride him, up and down while we stood there.

The first tremble in his legs forced him to turn me around, pushing me against the wall. With my body anchored against something a bit firmer than his hand, he moved my legs to drape them over his arms with his hands firmly gripping my waist. His rhythm picked up dramatically from there. With force and speed, he controlled me from the waist down. He drilled into me back and forth so fast the sound of my skin slapping against his lap echoed around the room louder than my screams of ecstasy.

When he tired of that, he pushed himself up into me further, bringing himself closer to the wall while he moved me up and down on him. After a few strokes, he spun me away from the wall and fell back onto the bed with me straddling him. I rolled and twisted my hips on top of him until he couldn't contain his moans anymore either. He was close to his own climax as he rolled me over onto my back and we ended up in the same position we started.

Each and every stroke was deliberate. The slow, intense drag of his cock in and out of me let my juices flow like never before. Finally, he came. A solid and soft seven strokes later he pulled himself out of me while kissing and sucking on the mark he'd just given me. He was right. It was done, and I barely felt a thing.

"So this is what all the fuss was about?" I said looking at it in the mirror. It had already healed. "How did it stop bleeding so fast, and none of it ended up on the bed?"

"When I kissed it, it helped seal it faster. Besides, it wasn't a deep gash, to begin with," he laughed, "And yeah, it's a big thing these days to be marked. Not too many I can think of that are marked as mates and not pets."

"Your mate?" I smiled.

"Yes, I marked you up and down. It's a symbol my mother carried, showing that your heart is tied to the one always flying above and behind you, protecting and loving you forever. We're in this together, aren't we? I know you never asked for this, but I've loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. It's because of that I never forced you to be my pet. I wanted you to feel what you do for me on your own. Now as my spouse, my mate, my forever, we can do whatever you want, Whisper. We can go to The Towers and stand up for our love. We can leave the city, walk away from Black Harbor forever and head to Empyrean. Whatever you want to do."

He did kind of drag me into this, well actually it's all stupid Skinner's fault. If he'd let me hunt my rabbit in peace … I let it go. What's done is done.

"Let's go to Empyrean," I told him.

There was a hint of sadness in his eyes but I didn't want to watch as herds of Scalers attacked him for loving me. That's all this boiled down to. He loved me, and because he didn't love me the way they thought he should, we had to leave. Our lives would always be in danger if we stayed.

"Very well," he said with finality, "We'll leave at dawn. But in the meantime…"

That mischievous grin couldn't be any sexier, as I grinned too.

"Round two," I smirked.

And so we went through another round or two of intense, passionate lovemaking under the docks of Black Harbor. We decided not to do too much as we had a long journey ahead of us. We couldn't fly out of the city, and we couldn't fly up to Empyrean. I wished we had his motorcycle but even that would only get us so far. Last I checked, motorcycles didn't ride too well through forests.

As the sun rose in the early morning sky, Aya gave us the last bit of help she could … a map. Ashton took one look at it, committing it to memory and then handed it back to her. He didn't want us getting caught with it. The city of Empyrean was meant to remain somewhat of an urban legend, a myth, and Ashton wanted to be sure that was upheld at all costs.

One of the many items in our sack included a vial of musk-scented oil. It helped mask our scents while Onyx Skulls and Black Sapphires continued to scour the skies looking for us. My years scraping and scavenging through the city helped us make it out in a few hours.

By the time we made it to the outskirts, it was already early in the afternoon. We couldn't help but stop and look out at the place we'd both called home. While it meant different things to the both of us, we were leaving a piece of ourselves behind.

Ashton laced his fingers between mine, "Come on. Let's go."

I refused to let any tears fall. Maybe we'd be back someday. After all, I'd told Raven I'd go back to The Gears when in my heart I just knew I wasn't. That didn't hold up, so this goodbye wouldn't do it for me either. We'd be back to Black Harbor, but for now, our hearts and eyes were on the journey ahead of us.

The edge of the forests that touched Black Harbor, seemed to be various shades of grey and black. Soot and ash were the only things surviving there until we walked deeper into the thicket. Green grass, trees, and leaves began to surround us as we ventured into the wilderness.

I could have sworn I heard one flying above us, but Ashton assured me we were in the clear. Perhaps we weren't, and he just didn't want me to worry.

We hiked for another two hours until he decided we should take a break.

"I want to show you something," he told me extending his hand out to me.

I let him lead me to the place that I once thought was too beautiful for word before I knew it was a grave and not simply a lake made of glass. I had no idea he'd take me here.

"I haven't been here in forever," he laughed nervously running his fingers through his hair. "Whisper Chalice, this is my mother, Lorna Cane."

I rested my head on his shoulder as we looked out into the dark abyss marked as his mother's final resting place. I didn't have anything to say. We just stood there silently. I let him have his silent discussion and I'd give him as much time as he needed.

The sound of wings flapping overhead was the only thing to bring us out of the brief tranquility. My heart began to race as the blackish grey beast landed in front of us. His royal blue underbelly had a streak of grey cracking through it as if he were wearing his age on his scales.

When Preston Cane scaled down to greet us, Ashton didn't run. As a matter of fact, he held my hand tightly and moved me behind him. Always my protector.

"I'm not here for either of you," he called out.

"Then why are they still looking for us!? How could you sick those demons on me, Father?! You sent Finch Skinner, of all Scalers, you sent him?!"

"You don't understand, but please give me a moment alone with my wife. Don't leave, Ashton. Please. I've lost enough people I love. Just stay a moment and talk to me," he pleaded.

I could tell Ashton was ready to bolt, but I squeezed his hand, "I don't think your father would ever betray you. Not after everything. Give him his moment. I'm in no rush."

"Fine, but regardless of what he has to say or whatever conclusion we come to, you and I are going to Empyrean."

"Yes, yes we are."