Chapter Thirteen
Valac groaned as he felt Rogue’s arms wrap around him and pull him tight against his body. He couldn’t get close enough to this man. He wanted to crawl inside him, possess and be possessed by him.
He’d never felt need like this before. He could live on the taste of Rogue’s lips. They finally pulled apart both panting and gasping for air.
“You said you’d stay with me when I slept. Does that still stand?”
Rogue nodded without hesitation. “For as long as you will have me. To sleep, to keep your demons at bay, to pleasure you, to make you scream my name. You name it and I’m here for it with you. Only you and the gods could keep me away. Though I’d fight the gods with every fiber of my being.”
Valac wasn’t sure what had gotten into him, he’d never been this forward in his life. But there was just something about Rogue that made him want to do anything and everything to keep him as close as he could. And it wasn’t just because he kept the voices dimmed, it was so much more than that. Rogue was the light in his darkness, the air he needed to breathe. How the man had become so essential to him so quickly was unfathomable. Hell, he’d only just met the man in person an hour ago.
“Are you okay?” Rogue whispered softly as he bumped his shoulder into him.
Valac smiled, “I am now. I don’t understand it, but you make me okay.”
Valac clasped their hands together as they made another circle around the cabin, taking in the night air and enjoying being together. He knew this was an illusion that would sooner rather than later collapse around him. Aeron wasn’t going to give up, Rogue couldn’t be with him twenty-four hours a day. At some point, something would have to give and he knew deep inside that he’d be the one to break into a million tiny shards.
“Boy’s,” Cadence called from the open cabin door. “Can you please come inside.”
Valac led the way inside, pulling Rogue behind him. He didn’t care what the two women thought, he wasn’t letting him go anytime soon. They sat on the couch Cadence gestured to and waited for an explanation. At some point, while they were gone another visitor had arrived. One neither of them had seen or heard. While that wasn’t unsurprising for him unless he was using his powers, it was for Rogue.
“Valac, I’d like to introduce you to the Goddess Hekate. Goddess this is Valac, the one I was telling you about.” Cadence winked and gestured to Rogue. “That scoundrel is Rogue, he’s a member of Barbara’s pack and mate to…. well I digress.”
Hekate stood and offered her hand to both men. “It’s my pleasure to meet you. Valac I must admit I’m surprised this is our first time. You can be assured I’ll be looking into who kept you hidden from me. I would have loved to work with you while we were in residence together in Hell.”
“I would have loved that as well, Goddess.”
“If you’d permit me to I’d like to inspect your magic and see what abilities you have.”
Valac bit his lip and glanced to Cadence for some guidance. He was clueless what the proper protocol was in this situation. She in turn winked. Great he thought, that’s all I’m going to get?
“Don’t be afraid my child. I promise I mean you no harm. Give me your hands, please. This will only take a moment.”
He took a deep breath, stretched his hands out and waited, for what he wasn’t sure.
“All done, see that wasn’t so bad now was it.”
“No, it wasn’t at all.” Valac lowered his hands back into his lap and watched as the Goddess sat back down with a small smile on her beautiful ethereal face.
“Well?” He finally asked when the not knowing began to weigh on him. He didn’t even care if he was being rude at this point. She was watching him with a self-satisfied smirk that was really starting to piss him off.
“Oh, sorry.” She said with a laugh. “I was just making plans. Tell me again, what training have you had?”
“None at all. I’ve never had anyone to talk to about my magic, until I met Cadence. I learned everything I know by trial and error and instinct. Why?”
“Interesting. I’ve decided you will become my new project. You have such raw, untapped power. It will delight me to no end to see where you can go with it.”
“No offense Goddess, but I’m afraid that won’t be possible. My time here is limited.”
The goddess waved that away as inconsequential. “Fine, when you return home, we can continue the lessons there.”
Valac sighed and leaned over to press against Rogue’s side. He needed to feel his body heat and know he wasn’t in this alone even if it was a lie. “That won’t be possible, either. When I go back, I won’t be free.”
Hekate cocked her head, “Explain, please.”
“My brother is pursuing me, when he finally wins and drags me back I will be locked in, as much a prisoner as any other. Honestly, I fear my fate is far worse than any most people could imagine.”
“Well, that’s bothersome. Who’s your brother?”
“Aeron, Goddess.”
Hekate threw her head back and laughed. “Well, now isn’t this fortunate indeed.”
“What is?” Rogue asked curiously.
“Wolf, what is your roll in all this?” She countered slyly.
“No offense Goddess, but that is between Valac and I.”
She pursed her lips and studied the two of them. “Ah, I get it now. You’re mates, aren’t you.”
Valac gaped at her in dumbfounded shock, before glancing back to Rogue. “Is that true? Are you my mate?”
Rogue bit his lip, scrunched up his face, before sighing and nodding. “Yeah. It’s part of the reason I didn’t show up in human form. You didn’t need the added pressure with everything you were going through. We thought it would be too much all at once. I vowed to stay close and help in any way I could though.”
“Why now, what’s changed?”
“I couldn’t stand seeing him so miserable. So close to you, but so far away. I’d made him promise to keep his distance, but I finally relented when I saw the peace he provided you.” Cadence answered. “I’m sorry, I thought I was doing the right thing.”
Valac turned to Barbara, “That cake wasn’t an accident was it?”
“No, it was my way of gently prodding Rogue to step up and to see how you would react to the wolf on the cake. I asked Keaton to design it to look just like him for that particular reason. I confess, I’d been dying to meet you and I knew if left on his own it could be weeks or months before he gained the courage to approach you as more than his wolf.”
Hekate clapped, “I really should come to the human realm more often. This is delightful fun.”