Rebecca's POV
I tried to get my body to relax as I lounged in the hot bath with Kalin behind me. The tub was huge, fitting the two of us easily, more the size of a hot tub than anything else. The water was exceedingly hot, like stepping into a natural hot spring, but it was just what more sore muscles needed. Kalin's hands wandered over me, expert fingers messaging a muscle here, caressing here, before moving on in a gentle sweep. It was both arousing and relaxing, and I couldn't find the strength to keep a hold of my anger and upset.
"Kalin?" I asked, my voice sounding drugged, utterly relaxed, the voice of a well pleasured woman.
"Hmm?" he said in response, nuzzling my exposed throat. It made my pulse pick up and my body tingle, but I tried to keep my mind on the task at hand.
"Do you think he meant what he said?" I asked, thinking back to Philip. After the stunning announcement, I hadn't even managed to get a word in. Kalin and Philip had began arguing, their voices loud even in the large room, yelling in a language I didn't know, nor had I ever heard. It was heated, and I felt like shrinking back into the wall.
But then silence had suddenly fallen, and then Kalin had spoken again in that language, one short sentence, and Philip's face had flushed with embarrassment.
"You are correct my king." he said softly. Then he bowed his head in my direction and said, "my queen." and took his leave swiftly.
I had pestered and poked Kalin, wanting to know what had just perspired. But he had avoided the subject entirely, instead kissing me until I was senseless, then sweeping me off my feet and taking me into the bathroom where he drew a bath. When I had tried to ask again, he had taken my head in his large hands and met my gaze, letting me see the serious light in his eyes.
"I don't want to talk about it because it is not important. Right now I want to revel in every sensation and moment I have in holding my bride and making her feel like my queen." and he kissed me again, but this time it was gentle and searching, not demanding, just asking if I would comply.
I melted under him, wrapping my arms around his neck as he stripped - okay he tore our clothes – us both. He then made love to me against the cool tile wall of the bathroom, such a shocking contrast to my already fevered skin and the heat of him. We had taken our time with it, not rushing, savoring, as if this would be the last we would ever had. It brought tears to me eyes by the time I finally reached my peak, such tenderness and love was just so astounding to me..
"I think that he thought that he meant it." he said simply.
"I just don't see how that would make sense." I said with a shrug. "I have never even seen Philip with a wife, how in the world could I be his daughter unless he just slept with someone random? He doesn't seem like the kind of man to do that."
"We will find out soon enough." he said easily, nipping my throat, letting me feel his fangs extended.
I couldn't help it, I laughed.
"Are you so insatiable?" Like I could say anything with the way he was easily arousing my body.
"A man who has a wife like you, how can he not be insatiable? You are like the best drug, burning in the most wondrous way."
But something else had snagged my attention.
"Are we really already married?" I wasn't sure if I was happy or not about that.
"Yes, the bonding ritual is complete. You and I are two complete souls." he twisted his head so he could meet my gaze. "Is that a problem?"
"Well, no, it is just humans make such a big deal out of it. A wedding with food and people and everything. It is just kind of astonishing that a marriage could be so simple."
He laughed, rich and husky.
"Oh, my poor bride, this is far from over."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, lets just say that my whole clan is waiting to greet us."
"Oh," I wasn't sure what he was getting at, but I let it drop. "Where is your sister, anyway?"
"I don't know," he said on a sigh. "When I first came out of the madness she was there constantly. But now she seems distracted."
"Maybe she is lonely." I suggested.
Kalin snorted, but I cut him off before he could continue.
"Think about, her only brother had just found love, and so are many of her kin. How would you feel about it?"
"Honestly, the thought of my sister giving herself to someone makes the beast come out in me." In demonstration, he put his fangs against my throat again, sharper this time, but it still made my heart pound in anticipation.
"Well, I think me coming into the family is good for her then, only having a brother like you." I teased, and he growled against me, making me giggle.
"I am an exceedingly wonderful brother." He said proudly, and I had to smother a laugh behind my hand, but he must have caught it because he scowled at me. "Watch yourself, Little Bride, otherwise you might find yourself at the receiving end of the big bad wolf."
"Is that what you consider yourself?" I said, somewhat aghast.
"Of course," he said with a half smile and then, I suppose, he caught his prey once again.
"I must warn you, my people love music, singing in general." Kalin said in a seriouse tone as we sat in the car, on the way to see his clan. Though I had wanted to stay and bask in what we had finally found, Kalin seemed antsy to have me meet his people, so I had complied easily.
"They don't like instruments?" I ask, confused.
"They can't play them, our Goddess only had a gift for singing, something that has been passed onto our Brides. Her sister was the one who had the gift for instruments." We didn't say it, but my mixed heritage would explain why I could do both easily.
"Are we going to tell them?" I asked softly, the subject I had been dreading. To tell or not to tell Kalin's people about my mixed genetics.
"It doesn't matter, I don't think they need to know." He shrugged, trying to put my at ease.
"But what about your kids? What if I give birth to a female child?"
"Then we will love our child, as we would if it were male, and that will be that. My people have no say in our lives, Becca. I want then to love you, and I know they will. I don't care what kind of children we have, whether Grit or Thorian, and I know you will too. So don't worry about them, not when I finally have you."
His words did little to untangle my unease, but I gave him a convincing smile and looked out the window, wondering what was going to happen and what lay in our future. I had a tightened feeling in my gut, like something bad was going to happen, but I pushed it on the nervousness of meeting his people . . . our people.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, willing myself to not flee the moment my feet touched the ground.
"This place is. . . is . . ." I sputtered as I looked around the village before me, built deep into the woods, seeming to blend into it.
"Not what you expected?" Kalin asked with a small smile that bespoke his nervousness. He wanted me to like it.
"Its beautiful!" I finally managed to get out. Houses were everywhere, towering with the trees, made of wood and brick alike, both covered in ivy and brightly colored creeping plants. A large fountain was in the middle of a square, but even that was covered in vegetation that only added to its natural beauty of gray stone. A small group of children stood a little off, looking of all ages, but I knew how deciving that could be, and wanted to laugh at how they kept a distance. They were weary of me, but they looked eager to come and see Kalin. It was uncomforting, to be the odd one out, until I saw a little face I recognized.
"REBECCA!" came the little voice.
"Elizabeth?" I asked in surprised as she came flying out of the ground of kids and clung to my legs.
"Rebecca! I can't believe you're finally here! I can show you my room! And the playground! And—" I stopped the poor girl so she could take a breath, but I was laughing.
"Okay, okay, I will go where you want me too."
"YAAAAY!" she screamed, then leapt on Kalin's legs, though her caught her and hefted her up before her little feet touched the ground again.
"Kaliiiin! Im happy you and Rebecca ended up together! Shes nice! And she plays so much stuff! Can we eat at my house tonight? PLEASSEEE! I also wanna help with the decoarations! Can I? PLEASSEEEE!" I winced at her high pitched voice, but Kalin took it in stride. But I could see the tinge of sadness in his face as he looked at this beautiful little girl who was dying at an age no one should.
"Of course." I answered for him, not knowing what we decorating for, but figuring it couldn't hurt. And I was getting hungry.
"Lead the way, little duck." He said, putting her on the ground again where she grabbed on of our hands in each on of hers and began pulling us. Me and Kalin shared a smile, and then I asked him.
"So, where does she live anyway? You said she was made, so im guessing she doesn't have parents."
"Nope!" Elizabeth piped up before Kalin could, but he looked nervouse and a little edgy. And the next words froze me into place because it was something I wasn't ready to face as of yet.
"Uncle Philip takes care of me."