by Anna Santos
“I grew up in Paris, surrounded by art and music. Even after we had to move so people wouldn't be suspicious about us never getting old, my dad always moved to a city where we could keep dancing and performing. Life was simpler back then.”
“What happened to your parents?”
I looked at him.
“You don't need to tell me if it's painful to remember.”
“It's sad. I don't want to talk about sad things.” I stared at the sky. “I just want to stay here and forget about the past. I like hearing the sound of laughter coming from the pool and just ... exist.”
“It's nice to be here with you. I'll stop being curious,” he assured, lying on his back and imitating me. “I want to know everything about you, but I’m not going to spoil this moment of relaxation with prying questions.” He folded his hands on his chest. “Aren't you glad that I brought you outside?”
“You didn't leave me any other choice.”
“The doctor said that the fresh air would do you good.”
“I'm glad we are outside. Sometimes, I can be a bit stubborn.”
“I'll take good care of you, Beth,” Eric whispered, looking for my hand. Gently, he entwined our fingers together, making my heart pump faster.
“I don't want to be a burden,” I exhaled.
“You are not.”
“I feel like I am.”
“You are not,” he repeated.
I bit my lower lip with concern. “Do you think your dad will let me stay here now that I tried to kill his mate?”
Eric smirked. “He was eager for me to find my mate and stop brooding around, so he won't do anything to upset my happiness. Plus, he doesn't hold a grudge. He has probably forgotten by now.”
“Happiness?” I asked, heat stirring in my stomach and spreading to my cheeks.
“You are my happiness.” Eric brought my hand to his lips. “Though, I probably bore you to death with my small talk.”
“I don't mind. I'm actually curious about your mom. You said you were going to explain to me about it.”
“What do you want to know?”
Removing my hand from his, I placed it on my stomach. “How did your mom and dad find each other? How was that possible? What do you feel about it? Does she remember everything from her past life?” I turned to his side, and he turned to mine. “I find it so romantic! Did your father recognize her right away? Does she look like she did before? She's so beautiful!”
I looked at him with interest as Eric smiled and indulged my curiosity by replying to all my questions.
Chapter TEN
Elizabeth
I awoke and sat straight up, noticing that something was different. I’d had a pleasant night of sleep, but my senses were warning me about a second presence in my bedroom, and it wasn't Eric.
“Hi!” Eric’s mom greeted me. She was dressed in ordinary clothes—jeans and a shirt—while sitting in the armchair that Eric used to occupy next to my bed.
“Hello,” I mumbled, blinking several times and wondering what Eric's reincarnated mom was doing there, looking so serious. “Where's Eric?”
“I asked him to wait downstairs while I had a little chat with you,” Jessica explained, resting her hands on her knees.
“Is something wrong?”
“That's what I'm here to find out.”
I fixed my hair and blinked again, feeling the tension rising. Maybe the witch was mad because I had almost killed her out of jealousy.
“About yesterday ... I owe you an apology for attacking you. I didn't ...”
“Please.” Jessica raised her hand to quiet me down. “I'm here to talk to you about something else.” Jessica paused and eased her body in the armchair. “You may not remember meeting me before. After all, I looked like someone else, but we’ve met when you were imprisoned by my other son, and he was madly in love with you and wanting to make you his mate. So, you may slightly understand my concern about what’s happening between you and Eric since you found each other.”
I went pale. I tried to open my mouth, but the words didn't come out.
Jessica added, “I was disguised as Valentina, the witch he kidnapped to break the curse.”
I nodded, recalling the night I was set free. I could only imagine what Jessica thought about me.
“I had no wish to be Alaric's mate. I was trapped against my will. My heart was never his. He ...”
Jessica interrupted me, “Anna also told me you played a big role in the success of my plan. You saved Myra and killed Vincent.”
“Yes.”
“But I have to wonder if deep down you didn't feel like you should be loyal to Alaric.”
“Never!” I fisted my hands. The mere idea was repugnant.
“What about Eric? Do you love him?”
“We've just met. I know he's my soul-mate, but ... I'm still recovering.”
“Do you blame him for what happened to you?”
I snapped. “Of course not! What kind of question is that?”
“Alaric is his brother after all,” Jessica said with a soft voice and analyzing eyes while shrugging.
“And you are, or were, their mother. Do you blame Eric for anything that his brother has done to you and your family?”
“No. Eric is nothing like Alaric, and you need to understand that.”
“I understand,” I declared, hugging myself and pressing my back against the pillow. “And I hate Alaric for all he did to me and my sister. I would kill him if I could, but they are bounded, and Marie is pregnant.”
Jessica nodded. “Yes, things are quite messy.”
“And you weren't able to break the curse,” I reminded her.
A trace of guilt crossed Jessica's face. “I believe that Marie's pregnancy was the unbinding factor that prevented the spell from working.”
“You must try again,” I said, moving forward and kneeling on the bed. “Once Alaric is found again and he's captured ...”
Jessica got up and sat on the bed, putting her hands over mine. “I can respect your love for your sister. I'm sorry for all the pain you had to endure at the hands of that monster. I don't wish any harm to Marie and her baby. I tried to save both. I'm happy for Eric, but I'm worried for you, Beth.”
“I'll be fine once that bastard dies,” I muttered, narrowing my eyes.
“Eric is ... He's happy and sad at the same time. He's afraid that you might give up living. He waited for you for far too long. So, you need to promise me that you will heal, and I promise you that we will look for your sister and her baby.”
“And if you find them?”
“We won't put their lives at risk, but we won’t be kind to Alaric.”
“He will come for me. He will,” I mumbled, my heart beating faster with fear. “He won't let me be free. He’ll come for me, and he will probably kill me or … I rather wish that he kills me. I don’t want to go back to the hell I was in.”
“No one will do anything to you. You’re safe now. Eric will protect you. I'll protect you. No one will take you away from us. We are your family now.”
I fought back the tears and felt comfort in Jessica's words. I nodded to dissipate the darkness that threatened to take over the glimpse of happiness that I’d been experiencing the last few days.
“The nightmare is over, Beth,” Jessica declared, moving forward and hugging my fragile figure. “You can breathe and relax. Find happiness in the fact that you found Eric, and he will never do anything to hurt you, honey.” Jessica caressed my hair and rubbed her back, but I kept shivering. “I have no idea of all the bad things that happened to you. I can only imagine. But it's over now. We will help you and take care of you. Not just Eric but us: Marcus, Anna, Shane, and I.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, relaxing in her hug but unable to hug her back.
“Do you want me to help you get dressed? I brought you more clothes that I don't use. But we need to get you out of the house and go shopping, so you start feeling at home with us.”
&n
bsp; “Will Eric come with us?
“I don't think we could go anywhere with you without him following us everywhere. He’s your mate, honey. He’ll be your shadow if you let him.”
Jessica wiped my tears and smiled at me.
I eventually smiled back. Eric had been there for me, and I was becoming dependent on him. Despite all I had suffered, I had finally found my mate, and he seemed to be all that I had ever wished for in a mate and even more.
Chapter ELEVEN
Eric
Beth and Jessica entered my father’s office.
“Beth and I are ready to go for a walk in town,” Jessica announced.
I got up from my chair as soon as my mate walked in behind Jessica. She was wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans. Her hair was falling loose, covering her pretty face, and she was looking at the wooden floor while holding her left arm with her right hand. She seemed introverted but physically better.
“Good morning, Beth,” I greeted, offering her my hands for her to hold. She looked up at me, red spreading across her cheeks.
“Good morning,” she whispered, hesitating before placing her right hand over mine.
“Have you slept well?” I asked. Beth nodded, peeking behind me as my mom kissed my dad. “Was she too hard on you?” I lowered my face to hers.
“Of course not,” Jessica protested, sitting on her mate's lap. “We just had an honest conversation, and now we are going to be best friends.”
I turned my head back to face my mom. “You took a while coming down.”
“We were chatting while she was getting dressed. And now we are going shopping.”
“Do you think it's wise to go to town so early? Can't this wait until Anna gets here, and I can properly meet my son's soul-mate?” My father questioned, analyzing my mate who slightly rose her eyes to look at him.
Jessica got up from his lap and trailed her fingertips on the stack of papers over the desk. “The last thing that Beth needs is to be treated like a prisoner here, too. She needs fresh air and to see normal people living their lives. She also needs to buy personal objects that she can't borrow from us. And it's not early, it's 10 a.m.”
“Like what?” Marcus questioned, rising up and crossing his arms over his chest.
Jessica rolled her eyes and inspected her nails. “Underwear, darling.”
“Fine,” Marcus breathed out and looked at me. “I guess our conversation is going to be postponed so you can go with your mate.”
Smiling, I nodded and looked at my shy mate. “I would love to show you around and then take you to see some of the buildings that we are restoring.”
“No, no,” Jessica protested. “It's just for shopping and sightseeing, no talking about work. You can talk about that with her another time.”
“I can use the time to catch up on my reading, but first,” my father said, circling his desk and stepping forward to face Beth who recoiled against my chest. For a moment, I feared what he intended to do, but his next words relaxed me. “Can I properly be introduced to my new daughter?” He tried a smile to make her understand that he wasn't going to harm her. Then he pursued his intent. “Despite the misunderstanding from yesterday, I'm quite harmless,” he said. “I'm Eric's father and the king of these lands. I'm happy to meet you, Elizabeth.”
“Nice to meet you, Your Highness,” Beth mumbled, bowing her head. I felt her body relax against mine. “I'm sorry for yesterday.”
“Nice!” Jessica chirped. “Now that we’re all formally introduced, can we leave?” She walked our way. “I'm starving, and Rose isn't here today. I need a proper American breakfast.”
“Not before Beth feeds. She's still weak, and she can't skip meals,” I protested.
My mom sighed before recoiling back and sitting on the king’s chair. Waving her hand, she said, “Okay, go feed your mate. I'll stay here with your dad. We need to talk about something, anyway,” she added, playing with a pen.
I hesitated for a moment before exiting the office with Beth. Once we arrived at the kitchen, I had every intention to question her regarding what Jessica had talked to her about.
Chapter TWELVE
Elizabeth
I wasn't accustomed to being around so many people at the same time. The trip to town had been uneventful, though, once we stepped outside the car into the crowd, I found myself recoiling back and looking for something to hold and prevent me from running away.
Nowadays, I was afraid of people, especially when they kept staring at me and evaluating my appearance, my clothes, my hair, and why I was with the royal family of these parts.
“Are you okay?” Jessica asked, holding on to my hand and squeezing it tight. “There's no need to be scared. You are safe here, and we'll have lots of fun choosing new clothes for you.”
“I don't need much,” I mumbled, searching for Eric. He was talking to the bodyguards, giving pointers to where we were going and what we needed to do. Despite being safe, as Jessica was claiming, there were a lot of bodyguards to keep us safer.
“It's always a bit crazy when a member of the royal family comes to town. Especially if they bring the whole entourage to escort us. But don't mind them. We’re going to pretend that we’re normal girls, shopping for clothes. I texted Anna to join us later. I hope you don't mind.”
“No, not at all,” I said, trying to relax.
“I'll be right beside you, and Eric won't be far behind,” Jessica whispered as she leaned closer to my ear. “So no need to be afraid. He won't let anything happen to you.”
Gulping, I nodded and walked beside Jessica who pushed me into a nearby shop with female clothes.
Jessica shrieked with excitement, “I love that pink one! What's your favorite color?”
“Purple,” I answered. “I like pink, too.”
“Do you want to go inside and try some of the dresses?” Eric spoke, joining us with his hands behind his back and eyes on the dress.
“I don't feel comfortable wearing dresses,” I explained. “Let's look for something else. Something simpler.”
Jessica followed me down the street as people mumbled among themselves and looked at their queen and prince while most likely wondering who I was.
“There's a really nice shop down the road with a lot of different types of clothes. They have jeans and underwear. Do you want to see it? The shop assistants are also really friendly,” Jessica shared as she put her arm inside my arm. She seemed cheerful, and I wished that her joyfulness could be contagious.
“Yes.” I didn't want to seem ungrateful for her assistance. “I'm glad that you came with me. I can use a woman's opinion.”
Jessica's smile widened. “I love shopping, and I wanted you to have an excuse to leave the house and face the world outside. I know that it can be traumatic, but we are here with you. Plus, you really need new clothes.”
“At least underwear because I'm grateful for all the clothes you and Anna gave me.”
“Eric, do you think that we could all have lunch in the diner instead of going home? Marcus could join us, and we could show Beth the nicest places to hang out in Affinity.”
I looked back, watching my mate stroll behind us.
“I can call him while you try on clothes.”
The next few hours were busy and exhausting. I wasn't used to going out and seeing so many humans and other supernaturals. I had been kept prisoner inside a house with supernaturals and everything I needed was provided by Alaric and Vincent. Plus, my captors were under the impression that I just needed nice dresses and jewels and going outside wasn't an option. Now, that I was actually free, I couldn't wait to return to my bedroom and hide.
Jessica was fun to be around, though she would suggest clothes that I’d never think about wearing. Having Eric around was scary and exciting at the same time. He was quiet, most of the time, only speaking when Jessica asked him something or demanded his opinion. Still, I liked the way he looked at me. It warmed my heart and gave me a sense of peace and belonging.
> A few hours later, I came out from the changing room with some of the clothes I had decided to keep and bring home. Meanwhile, Jessica was seated beside Eric, having a fun conversation because he was laughing and smiling like I’d never had the opportunity of seeing him. My heart leaped inside my chest. I wanted to be able to make him smile like that.
“They are adorable together,” the old lady who was helping me with the clothes said with a friendly smile.
I knew that she was human and probably had no idea who Jessica and Eric were. Not everybody in Affinity was supernatural and aware of other supernaturals as Eric had explained to me previously.
Grabbing the clothes I didn’t want, I placed them in a pile on an empty table.
The shop assistant raised her brows. “Are you sure you don't want to take the purple dress with you? It looked really well on your figure. You are beautiful.”
“Thank you, but I don't think I'll have the opportunity to wear it,” I mumbled with my eyes on Jessica as she described something using her hands.
“You know that they are just friends, right?” the old lady commented.
I stared at her with confusion. “What?”
“The girl and the young man. She sometimes comes here with her other lady friend. He's her husband’s brother if I'm not mistaken. Of course, that's none of my business. But I see how you look at him and how he looks at you.”
My cheeks turned red, and my hands trembled.
“Is everything all right?” Eric asked, showing up beside me as if he sensed my panic.
The old lady smiled at him. “I was just telling the young lady that she should take the purple dress, too. It looks beautiful on her, and I'm sure that she'll have plenty of opportunities to wear it.”
Eric looked at the dress that the shop assistant was showing him before addressing me. “Why don't you take it?”
“We’ve already spent too much money on new clothes that I'll probably never wear. I don't think it's wise.”
Eric's hand touching mine hushed me. I dared to raise my eyes at him and became mesmerized by his boyish grin aimed at the shop assistant.