He took a deep breath before continuing. "I agree with you that we need to help you get stronger. Not because you are weak or a burden to any of us, but because we want you to be confident in yourself and your abilities. It's normal to be afraid, especially after surviving your encounter with Xerxes, but you need to stop doubting yourself and realize what an amazing woman you are,” he praised.
I was speechless, unsure how to counter his words because everything he said was right and it made me realize how hard I was being on myself. I'd just learned I was a shifter with Seraphim twin spirits, a Visionary who could see the past and future, and the Elemental who was destined to do great things and help rid the realms of whatever this darkness was.
Maybe I needed to give myself more credit, and understand that it would take months, if not years to perfect my abilities. I didn't need to try and figure it all out in just a few short weeks.
Christian leaned forward, and before I knew it, his soft lips were pressed against mine.
My eyes slowly closed as I enjoyed the sweet kiss, the slow exchange helping my nerves dissipate and my fears slowly fade.
When he pulled back, he smiled. "Let's work together to do this. We'll all get stronger and take Xerxes out once and for all, so no more lives are lost," he reassured me. I nodded in agreement as my eyes slowly lowered to his lips, my body wanting me to lean forward and give Christian another kiss as a way of thanks.
I leaned in and gently pressed my lips to his, closing my eyes. He moaned quietly and kissed me back with a level of expertise and passion that left me a bit excited, which was bad, seeing as I didn’t know where the others were, or if Kendrick had come by. I really didn’t want them hearing us having hot passionate sex.
"Scar," Christian whispered.
I didn't let him say anything else, leaning in to claim his lips once more. My common sense that told me this wasn't the best time to have sex, or anything remotely close to it, went out the window as his lips began to move against mine, fighting for dominance.
It felt like it had been so long since I'd gotten alone time with the others. My focus had been on helping Jaxson with whatever he was currently dealing with, and Michael was normally with us since he and Jax meshed well together.
That led to sacrificing time with Christian, Ethan, and Junho. Sure, they didn't complain, but it didn't mean I should wait for them to say they missed my presence before I realized I had to do a better job at sharing myself with them.
I bit Christian’s lower lip before giving him another firm kiss. He groaned, pushing down against the sheets as he hovered over me.
My hand roamed over his bare chest, enjoying the lines of his chiseled body and loving the way he moaned into my mouth when I touched a sensitive section of his abs.
I loved how my touch affected him and I shivered at the feel of his hand on my thigh, sliding beneath the very loose black shirt that reached my lower thighs and began to move the thin material upward.
"Meow."
Christian broke the kiss to groan while I blinked, needing a moment to get out of my heated state. My gaze turned to see Moonlight sitting on the floor near the door, his Nightmare doll in his mouth.
I noticed the pink ribbon that held the bell was untied and the way his tail moved back and forth told me he was upset that his doll wasn't perfect, like how he envisioned Nightmare to be.
"Moonlight. Did you sneak in here?" I asked.
"Meow." He looked at me innocently, walking over to the side of the bed before leaping up. Christian sighed, moving off me. I sat up, giving him a sympathetic look as Moonlight glared at him.
"Meow,” he stated. "Good. Let him mope while I get Scar's attention. Hmph," Risuki declared.
Risuki handed me his doll and I began to fix the ribbon, ensuring the bell still worked just fine.
"How did this get loose?" I asked, looking at Christian, who gave me a little pout as he glanced away. I sighed. "What did Moonlight do?"
"He was just being annoying and wouldn't stop meowing," Christian admitted.
I looked to Moonlight, who walked onto my leg, laying down on my left leg as he began to purr.
"Meow meow,” he replied. "I...wanted to make sure you were okay," Risuki whispered, making me give him a sad expression.
"You were worried about me. Aww. See I'm okay. Just a bit tired," I admitted, petting Moonlight's head. I'm sorry for worrying you. I didn't expect that to happen.
"Meow," he stated. "It was something out of everyone's control. Mother Destiny does what she wants. Do you feel better after venting about your worries?"
Yes. You listened to all that? I’m sure it sounded silly. I blushed slightly as I looked at the clock, noticing it was three in the morning.
"Meow, meow," he said quietly. "Your feelings and concerns are nowhere near silly. They are what will help you grow stronger as a person and a team with your fellow lovers. Minus that doll stealing thief, of course."
I sighed, but a giggle escaped me as I continued to pet Moonlight. Thanks Risuki for interfering again.
"Always, Scarlet. It may get me in trouble one day, but I'll always assist you when I can," Risuki whispered. I nodded to myself, closing my eyes for a moment.
I must have fallen asleep at some point, because when I opened my eyes, I noticed my head was resting on Christian's shoulder, as he appeared to be reading some files on Ethan's iPad.
Moonlight was curled up in a ball, his body resting on my legs that were straight out. Christian noticed I was awake, and leaned in to kiss my forehead. "Go back to sleep. It's still very early,” he whispered.
"But-" I began, but Christian shook his head, silencing me.
"Rest is the first way to getting strong and to your highest peak of energy and equilibrium. You still need to rest up. We'll work on skill training and anything you’re interested in learning later today and in between cases, okay?"
"Alright," I whispered, not having much strength to fight back anyway.
I snuggled closer to him, resting my head on his chest while I peeked an eye open to ensure Moonlight was okay and still asleep.
I finally relaxed, closing my eyes as I thought over the entire discussion with Christian. As I began to drift, my confidence began to slowly return to its spot within myself. I knew it was a small part compared to my previous amount of confidence that I had displayed before my encounter with Xerxes, but I felt with time and hard work, I'd be able to return back to my normal, confident self.
In fact, I'd be even more kick-ass than ever before, and there was still plenty of time to grow. This wasn’t a race, but a challenge I now knew I’d be able to face and conquer.
That simple realization was what helped me fall into a deep slumber.
"You said you'd tell me what you are," I huffed, crossing my arms as I stared at Junho's back. He grinned, turning around to face me as he reached out to press the elevator button that would take us to the basement.
His confident grin made me pout in frustration. He chuckled, taking a step forward to place his hands on my hips, moving me against the elevator wall, pinning me in place.
"Why are you so curious all of a sudden?" he whispered, his bright blue eyes lowering to my lips. I watched the growing lust that flashed across his face.
If it wasn't for the fact I really wanted to learn more about Junho and his spirit, I would have gotten lost in the desire to kiss him and make out in the elevator.
"Because I want to know," I mumbled, lowering my gaze to those pink lips that were so tempting.
Junho leaned in, his lips brushing gently against mine. "If you find the stone before me, then I'll tell you," he whispered.
"But that-"
He didn't let me finish, claiming my lips once more. I couldn't resist his charm, craving those lips and his addictive taste. My arms were around his neck in seconds and he lifted me up with ease, moving us to the other side of the elevator. My legs wrapped around his waist and he held me with one hand as he slammed the emergency stop butt
on of the elevator, causing it to lurch to a halt.
Our somewhat selfish action only turned me on more and I briefly debated whether it was illegal to have sex inside an elevator. We kissed and kissed, my hands running through his brown locks while he continued to hold me like I weighed nothing.
I cursed my decision to wear leather pants, not thinking we’d have time to do anything as steamy as having a passionate make out session in the elevator, but here we were. I made a mental note to find some future alone time with Junho, so we could pick up from wherever this moment ended.
We pulled apart when Junho's phone rang, both of us out of breath and our cheeks flushed.
Junho gave me a seductive grin, leaning in and tugging on my bottom lip with his teeth before kissing me again, but at a much slower pace.
"Your phone, silly," I whispered, but couldn't help kissing him.
He chuckled against my lips before I unhooked my legs from around him.
He made sure I was okay standing on my own before he pulled his phone out, looking at the display. He shook his head before he picked it up.
"You're a party pooper,” he declared.
My instincts told me Ethan was on the line.
"Is that Ethan?" I asked.
"Yeah. He's complaining that our soon to be lovemaking is making him horny at the workplace," Junho revealed. I blushed, while trying not to laugh.
"OMG! Did he see all of it?" I asked.
Junho laughed, putting the phone on speaker so we could both hear Ethan's rant.
"I swear, you smooth motherfucker, stop making out with Scar during the job. Do you know how fast I had to move to change the camera screen and put the service sign up on your elevator? I bet if Scar wasn't wearing leather, you two would be fucking by now," Ethan argued.
"Your guess is rather accurate," Junho said confidently. His eyes met mine, his gaze telling me we would definitely have alone time when this assignment was done.
"I hate you. Not you, Scar. I meant Junho," Ethan clarified.
I laughed. "Sorry, Ethan. I promise we'll have some time alone as well. Soon."
Junho chuckled. "No one was stopping him from joining us. You're the one who wanted to stay behind and be our watchdog, Ethan. You have to suffer the consequences of getting hard and getting to watch the show." Junho shrugged
"I'm totally gonna get you back for this, mate, and when I do I'm gonna make sure your ass can't go masturbate while I’m enjoying myself with Scar," Ethan huffed. "I'm putting the elevator in service again. No more making out,” he scolded.
"Yes, Papa." Junho teased.
I giggled. "Thanks, Ethan."
"See Junho, you have to be polite like Scarlet. Jeez," Ethan complained before he hung up the phone. Junho and I exchanged a look before we broke out laughing.
"Poor Ethan. Always covering our backs." I ran my hands through my hair to make it look more presentable. I'd be tying it up anyways, but at least I wouldn't have the “just made out with my sexy boyfriend in the elevator” look.
Junho slid his phone back into his jacket pocket before reaching out to hold my hand. I smiled at his sweet gesture, having to remind myself that I could hold hands with Junho and the others, unlike in my past relationship with Jake.
I knew we were heading to work and we'd have to get into agent mode, but moments like these made my heart swell and I realized how blessed I was to have these men in my life.
"He enjoys it, even if he complains fifty percent of the time. I'm glad he has our backs though. I don't make logical decisions when I'm turned on." Junho winked at me and my cheeks burned with his flirty confidence.
"Does that confidence ever go down?" I pondered, more to myself than to him.
"Sometimes. Just haven't gotten to see that side of me yet, Sweetheart,” he whispered. Just then, the elevator reached the basement floor and the doors opened.
His words reminded me of my original plan to persuade him to tell me what he was. "You distracted me," I accused as we made our way to our rides in the basement of the building.
Ethan had gotten a tip that Xerxes' lackeys were investigating a remote area on a cliff, which was surrounded by a massive lake, that led to the ocean. It seemed whatever Junho was had to be connected to water, since he was automatically chosen to take on the assignment.
After my discussion with Christian, I'd had a word with everyone this morning and they agreed it would be best if I trained with each of them.
This time with Junho would be the perfect chance to get a feel for being around water and maybe I'd be able to test out my skills when we had some downtime. If we didn't discover the crystal’s whereabouts on this mission, that is.
"Did I?" Junho hummed innocently. I groaned, tempting to pull my hand out of his, but he squeezed it gently before looking back over his shoulder at me.
"I'll give you a hint,” he offered. I narrowed my eyes at his amused expression, which only caused him to laugh. "Have a little faith in me, Scar."
"Fine. What's your hint?" I questioned, trying to hide the fact I was excited to hear what he was about to say. Maybe with a clue, I'd be able to figure out what his spirit was.
"The hint is...two."
"Two?" I asked, completely confused.
"Yup, two,” he replied. We turned the corner to see two motorcycles; one was a vibrant hot pink with hints of red, while the other was a bright blue with hints of green.
"Two what? The bikes?" I asked. Junho grinned, letting go of my hand to do a check of both bikes. Then he pulled out the keys from his pocket, tossing a set towards me.
I caught it with ease, noticing a whale keychain on the set of keys that made me smile with glee. Ahhh, a whale keychain. This is so pretty.
"Will she ever find out who Junho really is?" Serenity hummed.
"Tune in next time, on the Scarlet Chronicles," Aurora finished. Her monotone voice made her sound bored, which was only emphasized by her yawn.
You two are so mean to me. I groaned, shaking my head before looking at Junho, who was already sitting on his blue and green bike and was putting on a pair of black gloves.
Junho met my gaze and grinned. "Two spirits, Scarlet."
"Wait, two?! Like how I have two? Now I have to guess twice?!" I exclaimed, walking over to my bike. Junho smirked and then pulled out a pair of pink gloves, reaching out his hand to present them to me.
I gave him an appreciative smile as I took them, sliding them on and strapping them up with ease, before I got on my bike and started it up.
"I'm never going to figure this one out about your spirits," I whined loud enough for Junho to hear over the engine.
He laughed, getting off his bike and coming over to give me my helmet. I reached out to put it on, but he held onto it, leaning in to a place a soft kiss on the nape of my neck.
"If you find the crystal before me, I'll tell you,” he whispered in my ear. Then he pulled back and placed my pinkish red helmet on my head.
"That only gives me a 50% chance, and that’s only IF the crystal is there to begin with," I huffed.
"Okay. If you find it, I'll show you what I am. Better?" he presented.
"Tease," I grumbled and he chuckled, moving in to kiss me one more time on the lips before he pulled away, lowering the clear front shield of my helmet.
"Don't cause trouble and follow the speed limit,” he ordered.
"Can't I pull a Christian?" I questioned.
He groaned. "No. I'm not chasing after you and I can't drive that fast."
"You did when Mako and I were getting chased by those crazy shifters," I reminded with a grin.
"That...was different and Marcus was driving,” he argued.
"Well, let's have fun until we have to work," I hummed, gripping the handles and began to move towards the exit.
"Scar, wait for me!" Junho called out. I smiled, slowly coming to a stop as I waited for him to put his helmet on and move out of our parking spot.
I took a calming breathe, realizing in a few mom
ents we'd have to focus on the assignment at hand.
The next crystal, huh? I wonder where we'll find it.
"Hmm, dead-end huh?" I mumbled, looking down at the blue water below. Junho and I had reached the investigation site five hours ago and decided to split up to cover more ground. The area had been closed off to the public today, Ethan having arranged the closure, with the excuse that the area needed to be cleared for an upcoming festival.
I fixed my ponytail and sighed. I wouldn’t have worn leather if I knew it was going to be this hot. I had worn a bathing suit beneath my clothes, which may have been another reason why I felt so hot, but I didn't see the need to go into the water and would have rather waited until Junho was around before doing that anyway.
It wasn't like I was afraid of the water as an element, but after having to dive into it to avoid being blown up during Xerxes’ murder attempt, the thought of being stuck down there made my stomach flip in fear.
"I wonder if I'll get to meet Mr. Whale again? Hmm, I don't even know if it's a he or she," I mumbled, taking a calming breath and looking up at the sky, which was beginning to be covered by grey clouds. It's going to rain soon.
"Scar...can we nap? We're tired," Serenity whined.
"Ya. This crystal investigation is so boring," Aurora pointed out. They had been keeping me company after Junho and I had split up, so I could understand why they were exhausted and bored. I was a little disappointed that we hadn't found anything, and a part of me was worried that Xerxes’ lackeys had already gotten their hands on the jewel.
I sighed, deciding to go into the nearby bush and strip down to my bathing suit. Go rest up. I'll be fine. I'm gonna meditate for a bit and then go find Junho. Thank you both for keeping me company.
"You're welcome," they said together. "Night."
Just like that, they were both gone, retreating to their sections in my mind. I'd noticed since their spirit natures had been revealed, they didn't hesitate to speak in unison, which made me wonder how hard it must have been before to not answer in unison and give themselves away.
"I should pray and thank the gods more often for sending me them. Though they are chatty at times, it's kinda nice to have spirits," I whispered as I walked over to the bush. Once I knew I was completely concealed from possible onlookers, I pulled off my jacket and t-shirt. Just as I began removing my leather pants, I heard footsteps.
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