Forgotten Fairytale

by Yumoyori Wilson

  "MEWWWW" Nighty called out, catching our attention.

  "Nighty not so loud," I scolded.

  "It's okay. They're close, but we're too far up. We should go," Nikolai suggested. He pushed off the branch with me still in his arms and landed right next to Nighty. He lowered to one knee, and she hopped up onto it before jumping onto my lap.

  "Troublemaker." I huffed but began to comfort my three tail familiar. I still didn't know what breed she was, looking like a cross between a Yorkshire dog and a fox. I decided to call her a Foxshier just for the sake of introductions.

  I guess if I ever regained my memories, I'd find out and if not, it wasn't a big deal. She curled up on my lap, her tails wrapping around her body as I continued to pet her.

  "You'll be okay for the flight?" Nikolai asked. "I feel you'll be more uncomfortable if we take the ground route."

  "I'll be fine. Don't worry," I reassured him. He nodded and closed his eyes. I watched as his hair began to glow, the once silver strands becoming a golden amber shade that reminded me of fire.

  In seconds, flaming wings emerged from his back and spread out wide. The heat wave that hit me was strong, but the flames that tickled the flesh of my legs didn't burn.

  "We'll be at Isa's soon so relax. Nighty, stay in place too," Nikolai stressed, opening his eyes that glowed a vibrant amber as he glanced down at us.

  "Mew!" Nighty replied, not even opening her eyes as she stayed in her bundled position.

  "Okay," I replied. "and Nick?"

  "Yes, Mako?"

  "Sorry and thank you for always having my back. I appreciate it," I confessed. Nikolai nodded with a smile on his face.

  "Anything for you Mako. Don't know why I'm so comfortable with the idea of withholding information, but I guess I never liked following the rules." Nikolai shrugged.

  I smirked. The seven weeks of knowing Nikolai allowed me to see that he couldn't follow an order properly from anyone but me.

  Neither of us understood why, but it was kind of amusing to watch the mayhem he'd fall into when anyone else ordered him to do something.

  "Plus," Nikolai added, which prompted me to look up at him. His lips pressed onto mine, leaving me a bit stunned at the sudden movement.

  He pulled back and grinned. "There's just something in my gut telling me to protect what's mine. I know we haven't officially established anything yet, but I feel it's my duty to protect you. And like yours, my gut never steers me astray."

  I gave him a relieved smile, his words helping to calm my anxiety and concern. "Thanks, Dark Dagger," I teased.

  "I feel she gave me that nickname because I use daggers and I'm tanned as fuck."

  "Your fault for staying in the sun so often." I giggled. "And you do have a collection of daggers on your wall at the base. I don't blame her."

  "I guess... ah, the shifters are close. Let's go. If you feel unwell, tell me. I'll move down to a lower altitude, or if we get far enough I can shift and we'll take the ground route," Nikolai confirmed.

  "Alright. I'm ready."

  He nodded in acknowledgment, and with a push off the branch, we were up in the air, soaring higher and higher until the trees looked tiny like toys.

  I rested my head against Nikolai's chest and closed my eyes, the image of the blond haired male with green eyes returning to my thoughts.

  I don't know who you are, but I'm sorry I've forgotten you.

  ~MAKO~

  "You should take the night off."

  "If that's your way of saying, 'I'm worried about you, so come sleep in my room,' you worded it wrong." I glanced over at Nikolai who gave me a look as I slipped on a loose red t-shirt. His red t-shirt to be exact.

  We just returned from seeing Isa, and she'd done a quick examination to make sure I was physically okay. I'd been honest with her about what had happened that triggered my reaction during the mission, and she encouraged me to rest and not linger on what happened until she could have a full day to examine me with her personal equipment.

  Isa was the healer at our base, but she worked best at her house located near a tiny town called Fairytale.

  I thought it was quite cute that they named a town after a term used for children tales, but seeing as the town was known to harbor orphans who'd been found in the frigid parts of the realm to die, the town was like a fairytale safe haven to them.

  Isa ended up getting a house there to help ensure the children were all healthy. She also tried to make sure it was a calmer environment for those children brought in by travelers, especially for those rescued from near death. After my checkup, we'd returned to base and given a summarized report to Jeffrey before we'd had a brief chat with Anna. I'd promised to do a bit of night training with her before bed, but Nick clearly wasn't going to let me off scot-free after what happened on the job.

  "Mako," he said with a stern voice.

  I sighed. "Can't we talk about this later?"

  "No, because you're probably going to fall asleep after training, and I think we've learned the hard way that trying to have a conversation with you when you’re half-awake is essentially impossible," Nick concluded.

  "Accurate observation," I mumbled. My eyes lingered on him as he had pulled off his shirt. I bit my lip, appreciating his chiseled build. My eyes weren't going to lose the chance to admire this masculine work of art.

  Since day one of meeting Nikolai, I felt a spark between us. His silver hair transitioned to black, the long hair giving him a softer look from the head up. He was all hardness the moment your eyes trailed down: his pecks, muscled biceps, amazing six pack and, oh starlight, those V-lines of sin. I think I must have had some past obsession with V-lines because just the sight of them made me contemplate whether I'd be kicked out if I jumped Nick and did what my imagination wanted me to do.

  He was 6'3, and his tanned complexion made people wonder where his birthplace was since Wintalyn didn't have that much sun, especially where we were at the base. From my travels of the frigid realm, it was either snow or ice and very little sun either way.

  The only place with a decent amount of sunshine and warmth was Fairytale town and the kingdom of which we'd only been as far as the gates.

  I lifted my gaze to meet Nick's red eyes; those bloody orbs pulled me in. I knew first hand what power resided within Nick, and his eyes alone gave you a fearful vibe if you weren’t acquainted with him.

  But they didn't know him like I did, or at least that's what I told myself. Those eyes held compassion and love, some of the many emotions I'd been blessed to witness in my two rotations at the base.

  A satisfied grin formed on his lips as he rested his hands on the dark red satin sheets beneath him while he stared at me, clearly catching me in the act of checking him out.

  "Like what you see?" he questioned. His eyes darkened as they trailed down my body with hunger.

  "Yes," I replied, not a hint of hesitation in my low voice. The sexual tension between us was getting hard for me to ignore, and I knew I wasn't the only one--Midnight's presence lingered in my mind.

  She could also feel a pull to Nick, and maybe it was due to one of his two spirits. I had no idea what his second one was, but we had a big hunch that his first one was some type of fairy spirit. Maybe even a dark fairy like Midnight.

  Nick patted his lap. "Come here, Butterfly." His low command sent shivers of lust through me, and I didn't dare linger where I was.

  I reached him in seconds and wrapped my arms around his neck as I lowered myself onto his lap. His gaze never left mine as his arms slipped around my waist securely. I ran my left hand through his long locks that were loosely resting against his back, enjoying the intimate embrace.

  I didn't wait for him to speak; I claimed his lips with my own. He groaned as his eyes closed, loving how dominant I'd become with whatever was brewing between us.

  At first, I tried to ignore the tingles that ignited when our hands touched or the way my body hummed in delight when he held me. I did my best to ignore how his attention
made me excited to meet his every demand, or how his concern had me wanting to prove to him I could do better.

  I knew right away that I wanted more than just a partnership. More than just a simple friendship. I wanted Nikolai for myself. I was worried it was one-sided or that I'd maybe had a lover in the past who resembled him.

  I hadn't imagined Nick felt the same electricity between us until last week when both of us couldn't take it anymore and ended up half naked in the male change room. If it weren’t for almost getting caught by Anna who had called for Nick to hurry up changing, I had no doubt we would have had sex.

  Something told me I wasn't a virgin, so I truly was ready to be intimate with Nick, even if I didn't know if the future held the possibility of us being a couple. I tried not to linger on the thought because I knew my insecurities and worry about my past would haunt me.

  One kiss led to two, and soon minutes passed of us enjoying passionate kisses and our hands roaming along each other's skin.

  I loved the way his large hands would trail down my back or squeeze my butt cheeks. I also enjoyed sitting on his lap, loving the bulge in his pants that teased my entrance--always wet and craving his cock.

  We finally pulled apart to take in some much-needed air, pressing our foreheads against each other as we closed our eyes.

  "Mako...this. Whatever this is..." he trailed off, prompting me to open my eye.

  His red eyes met mine, and I bit the left side of my lip, unsure what to make of his unfinished sentence. His eyes lingered on my lip, watching how my teeth bit my swollen bottom lip and he groaned, pressing his mouth firmly on mine.

  When he released my lips once more, I was breathless and my whole body felt hot. Nick leaned forward, his teeth tugging my bottom lip playful before he gave me a simple kiss. "When you bite your lip like that, it turns me on," he admitted with his husky voice.

  I swallowed and had to remind myself not to bite my lip again, the habit always coming to play when I was nervous or aroused. "Really?" I whispered.

  "Ya, Butterfly." He rewarded me with another intense kiss. I didn't know if I could control myself much longer if we kept this going.

  “I need to know something," he whispered.

  "What?" I asked, a bit of fear trickling within me at his words. I realized in the two rotations of being here that I sucked at hiding my emotions, and I knew from the way Nick removed one of his arms from around my waist to brush my left cheek, that he'd seen right through me.

  "It's nothing bad. It's just...I don't think I can do just this. I want you to be more than just someone I kiss or inevitably have a fling with," he confessed, taking a deep breath before he continued. "I doubt either of us can take what's brewing between us slowly, but before we get as intimate as sex, I want to share more moments with you."

  "You want to date me?" I asked, sounding a little astonished. With my time here, the males were like hungry dogs in the beginning when it came to try and win me over.

  It was only thanks to Anna that I'd been given enough time to try and adapt to base before I was essentially on my own, but that didn't mean those men stopped trying to get into my bed.

  Even with my sleepwalking habit, I thankfully hadn't been taken advantage of, but that could have been due to Nighty always stalking me when my sleeping-self decided it wanted a glass of milk; an addiction I still didn't understand why I had, but I wasn't going to complain. I did LOVE milk.

  He gave me a smirk, and when he kissed me this time, it was slow and careful. I let out a moan, loving how his kisses could be hot and needy one minute, but be so tender and sweet the next.

  "Yes. You're far too important to me for this to be a fling. I want to say you’re mine. I want to be the one who gets to adore this body of yours like a temple of worship rather than let someone else get the chance to be with you," he whispered.

  I smiled at his words, but doubt sank within me. "Even though I don't know who I am?" It had become almost a habit that I couldn't let go. I felt that I had to ensure he remembered that I was practically a lost soul who had no memory of the past I once lived.

  "What if I have a boyfriend elsewhere? Or even a husband?" My eyes glanced at the bracelet on my left wrist. I'd put it back on when we'd returned to base, but I had no idea where it had come from. It could have been something I bought at a jewelry shop, or it could have been from a significant other.

  My body told me it was the second option, but I was doing my best to pretend otherwise. I knew a bit about Nikolai's past, and I didn't want to hurt him if I did end up finding out who I once was.

  "Then I'll just have to ask to share you."

  I laughed a full-bellied laugh. "You?! Mr. 'I want you for myself,' is going to share me?"

  "I'd need to read the terms and conditions," he teased, leaning in to kiss the nape of my neck. I giggled, trying to move out of his embrace, but he tightened his hold on me and continued to give me little kisses.

  "Terms and conditions my ass. Your spirits won't dare share."

  "Hmmm. Bleu would. Colton...we'll work on it." Nick threw me a playful grin. I laughed again and shook my head.

  "Bleu is the one who saved me last time when I fell from the cliff and couldn't get that spell, right?" I questioned.

  Nick's eyes darkened to a deep blue shade, the color reminding me exactly of midnight. I felt the power radiate off him as he leaned in and gave me a soft peck on the lips which caught me off guard.

  "Yes, Butterfly. I'm the one who saved you that time when you fell off the cliff." Bleu replied with a relaxed smile. I blushed and felt Midnight at the edge of my mind, watching Bleu carefully. He let out a soft chuckle.

  "Is a certain dark fairy intrigued?" he asked.

  I gulped, opening my mouth to reply but closed it again. Midnight? Want to say hello.

  "Okay..." Midnight replied with a hesitant voice. I felt like she wasn't shy, but seeing as we were still learning about Nikolai and just found out the names of his spirits, her apprehensiveness was expected.

  She took over for a moment as I lingered to watch their interaction. "A little," Midnight replied.

  "Hmm. Though I indeed remember your name, do you mind introducing yourself once more?" Bleu asked.

  "Do you really know it?" Midnight asked, clearly curious.

  "The transition from one day to another with eyes that replicate mine." He spoke so sweetly, yet the words held power and excited Midnight.

  She grinned, and our cheeks grew hot before she replied. "Midnight. Nice to meet you."

  "Bleu. The pleasure is all mine, sweet Midnight," he whispered, and I noticed the French accent that dripped off his seductive voice.

  Midnight was clearly beginning to swoon over him, as she blushed again before glancing away. "I'm going away," she mumbled.

  Bleu placed his hand under our chin and moved our head to meet his gorgeous midnight blue eyes. "Alright, Midnight. I hope we meet again." He leaned in and pressed a firm kiss on our left cheek.

  Midnight slowly nodded, both her and Bleu sharing one final look before she retreated and I took over once more. Nick's eyes returned to their red glory, and he sighed.

  "Bleu is so over the top," he whined.

  "Are you French?" I asked.

  "No?" he replied with a slight questioning lilt. "I don't think I am."

  "Hmm. Is Bleu the spirit you were born with?" I inquired, completely curious as to why he had an accent. "I mean...I know you’re an orphan and don't really remember, but do you know if you were born with Bleu and Colton?"

  Nick seemed deep in thought, and I realized I might have screwed up the mood. I quickly raised my hands. "I mean, you don't have to answer. I just kinda asked without thinking," I confessed, immediately blushing out of embarrassment.

  "No, I don't mind. I was just trying to think. I could be wrong, but my gut tells me I was born with Colton and Bleu came later?" Nick admitted.

  He smiled at me. "I'm fine with you asking questions, Mako. Don't feel embarrassed." His words al
one were enough to reassure me.

  "Sometimes I feel you're too good to be true," I whispered.

  "What makes you say that?" he asked.

  "Since day one when I arrived...or I guess was discovered, you've been nothing but kind. I doubt you’re kind to anyone who just gets dropped over here. Why do you care so much for me?" I asked, giving him a sad look.

  Nick took a deep breath, pressing his forehead against mine. "The moment my eyes landed on you when Anna brought you into the living corridors, I had a strong feeling you were supposed to be here. I know it sounds weird because whenever I try to think about it, it seems ludicrous to me. After we were introduced, I didn't want you out of my sight. Out of all the cycles I'd been here in Wintalyn, I'd never reacted to anyone. I feel that this was the moment you were meant to be here for. I don't know what your past life may have been like, but I don't care."

  "You don't?" I asked.

  "Should I? All you know, Mako, is that I'm an orphan who got picked up by the Queen of Wintalyn and was encouraged to be a part of this initiative to track and kill rogues. Yet, here you are on my lap willing to date me. Well, I'm technically waiting on an answer to that one." He winked.

  I grinned and gave him a firm kiss before I pulled back. "I'll date you, Nikolai," I confirmed.

  "Even though I don't even have a surname?"

  I nodded. "It's okay, if we get bold enough to marry, you can have mine. No one will notice," I teased.

  “Nikolai Heart. Hmmm. I guess I better make sure the ring is perfect for my butterfly," he whispered, and I smirked.

  "Marriage, hmm. Far far away."

  "One date leads to ten dates. Marriage could be in the near future. With our pace, I don't see a long wait time." Nick wiggled his eyebrows and winked.

  "And if I'm already engaged? Or even married?"

  "Then I'll be second," he confirmed, his confidence leaving me in a moment of shock.

  "Colton totally won't approve."

  "I'll sweet talk him with a bone."

  "You never told me what he is," I pointed out.

  "Hmmm. You'll find out soon enough. He likes the element of surprise. Oh, and fire," Nick hinted.