7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven

D espite being sore—in all the right places—Owen awoke feeling better than he had in too long to remember.

He figured that was partly due to his paranormal upgrade. While he didn't necessarily feel stronger or more athletic, he could definitely sense the difference. The biggest change being that he could clearly see the time on the alarm clock, even though he hadn't put on his glasses yet.

No more expensive frames? No more contact lenses? Amazing.

"Mm," Fenix whispered into his mind. "Good morning, talei. Did you sleep well?"

Holy fucking hell. It hadn't been a dream. He was really mated now. Like, a hundred percent, all in, fully bonded, no take backs mated. Fenix was his . All his. No one could take him away. No one could separate them.

"It's too early to have so many thoughts."

Owen blushed to the tips of his ears as he buried his face against the side of the shifter's neck. "You weren't supposed to hear that."

The sound of sleepy laughter filled the room, and Fenix's chest rumbled with his amusement. "Well, to allay your fears, yes, we are no take backs mated now." He tugged gently on Owen's hair until he lifted his head and met his gaze. "And I'm not going anywhere."

"Good." He threw his arms around his mate's neck and crushed their mouths together in a heated kiss.

For a moment, he worried he was being too bold, but his concerns vanished when Fenix rolled him onto his back with a possessive growl and took the kiss deeper. All too soon, though, he broke away with a hushed curse.

"You are trouble." Still grumbling, he sat up on the side of the bed and scrubbed a hand over his face. "The princess will be expecting us soon."

"Us?" Crawling across the mattress, he curled around the shifter's back and peppered kisses across his bare shoulders. "Where are we going?"

"Nowhere if you don't stop that."

Owen chuckled but ceased his assault. It was a heady feeling to know how deeply he affected the big Guardian, and he couldn't really be sorry for it. Fenix had a job to do, though, and for the time being, he could behave.

"For real, though. Where are we going?"

"Iliana needs a costume for the ball at the end of the week. And you—" He reached behind him and dragged Owen around to straddle his lap. "—need a new cell phone."

"I'm pretty sure my phone has an insurance plan." He'd have to call the company to find out how to file a claim, but he could have a new phone in a couple of days. "I didn't even know about the ball, so I guess I need a costume, too."

"I'm sure the princess will enjoy the company."

Although excited about the outing, old fears still lingered. "Just…don't let me hurt anyone."

Taking Owen's hand, Fenix placed it on his own chest, right over his heart. "Now that we're bonded, you should have better control."

Maybe, but he didn't want to test it on the precious jewel of the Nightstar family. "Please."

Fenix dipped his head. "I swear it, but so you know, you're already doing it."

"Doing what?"

"Controlling it." A slow smile stretched his lips. "I'm not blocking you, talei . That's all you."

The moment he pointed it out, Owen's entire world came crashing down. Energy washed over him, and he flinched at the raw power that coursed through his veins. Fuck, he knew his mate was powerful, but this felt like some next level stuff.

Then, just as abruptly, everything stopped.

"I'm sorry," he wheezed. "I'm sorry."

"Shh." Fenix held him close and stroked his back. "Easy. You're okay. I've got you."

Trembling, he clutched at his mate, burrowing as close as he could. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "I don't know what happened." He sat up and framed the shifter's face between his hands. "Are you hurt?"

"Breathe, talei . I'm not hurt."

"Okay. Good." He took a couple of deep breaths and tried to calm his racing pulse. "Don't do that again."

"I promise I won't let you hurt anyone, but you can do this, Owen. You've already proven it. You just need a little practice."

"That's not a good idea."

Fenix sighed and leaned their foreheads together. "As much as I want to keep you to myself and never let anyone touch you, it's not practical." Sitting up straight again, he rested his hands on Owen's hips. "How about this? What if we only practice with Otherlings who can block you if it gets out of control?"

"Thanks, I hate it." He huffed when Fenix laughed at him. He was joking, of course. Kind of. "Why can't I just practice with you?"

"We can start there, but you care about me." He said it so simply, without hesitation or doubt. "That makes it easier."

"If you say so." It hadn't worked out so well the first time.

"Trust me, talei. I know it feels impossible right now, but eventually, you won't even have to think about it anymore."

It sounded like a pipedream, but what other choice did he have? "I'll try."

Fenix kissed the tip of his nose and patted his hip. "That's all I ask. Now, let's not keep everyone waiting."

Seeing his mate pout because Owen had to return to his own cabin to get ready had been cute. Being carried there because he didn't have shoes had been a little embarrassing, but not enough for him to complain. He also hadn't protested when he had exited the shower to find all of his belongings packed and waiting by the front door.

At least Fenix had thought to leave him a change of clothes out on the bed.

Once he'd dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and a pink hooded sweater, he returned to the bathroom to pack his toiletries and add them to the suitcase. By the time he shoved his socked feet into his favorite worn combat boots, Fenix had returned. Without so much as a perfunctory knock, he pushed the door open, grabbed his bags, and left again.

"Well, okay then," Owen mumbled as he hurried to follow after him.

"I can't sleep without you," Fenix grumbled, slowing his strides to allow him to catch up.

He ducked his head to hide his smile, but he couldn't resist teasing his mate. "You did it just fine for…how old are you, anyway?"

"Two hundred and nineteen, but I don't see how that matters."

"Wow, you're old." The words just spilled out before he could stop them, but it was totally worth it to see the look of disgruntlement on the shifter's face.

"And you're itching to get your ass reddened."

"Promises, promises," he sang. Granted, he'd never had a spanking, but the idea held a certain appeal.

It wasn't lost on him that two centuries separated them. Because of that, there would be people who protested their relationship. They'd say he and Fenix couldn't possibly have anything in common. They'd say he was too young, that he didn't even know what love was.

Those people could fuck right off.

His parents had started dating at fifteen, married at eighteen, and were more in love than ever nearly thirty years later. There had been a lot of people with opinions about their relationship in the beginning, but they hadn't let the naysayers influence them.

He and Fenix had always been destined to meet, possibly before either of them had been born. If fate was powerful enough to do that, it didn't make much sense that it would screw up the timing. Besides, as long as neither of them minded the age gap, that was all that mattered, and in a few years, no one would care anymore.

"What are you worrying about?"

Owen blinked, surprised to find himself standing on the front porch of Fenix's cabin. "Nothing. I'm not worried."

"Liar." Cradling the side of his face, Fenix pressed the pad of his thumb right between Owen's eyes and rubbed gently. "You always get a little wrinkle right here when you're anxious about something. Tell me."

"Do you think we're too different?"

"No, I think we're just the right amount of different."

"But other people—"

"I honestly don't give a fuck what other people think, and you shouldn't, either." With an indifferent shrug, he placed Owen's suitcase inside the cabin, then closed and locked the door. "Now, are you ready to go shopping?"

While he wouldn't exactly call it a pep talk, Fenix's easy confidence did make him feel a lot better. Shaking off any lingering doubts, he pulled himself upright and smiled.

"I'm ready."

Three SUVs for eight people seemed a tad excessive, but then again, he had never traveled with royalty before. He and Fenix had a whole car to themselves as they led the way to Colorado Springs. Seneca and Draven rode behind them with the princess, and the other three Guardians, whom he still hadn't met, brought up the rear.

"Are you warm enough?" his mate asked as he turned onto the highway.

Owen leaned back in his heated seat with a quiet sigh. "I'm good. I didn't expect it to be this cold so soon."

"This isn't cold," Fenix responded with a chuckle.

"It is when you're from Arizona."

Temperatures in the mid-sixties might not be a big deal to locals, but Arizona had still been experiencing triple digits when he'd left Tucson. As they headed deeper into fall, the nights would, of course, become colder, but it just hit different in the desert than in the mountains.

"Point taken." Fenix laughed again. "So, what do you do there? Are you in university?"

"That was the plan, but I decided to take a gap year. My powers were just too unpredictable."

"Have you considered online courses?"

He bobbed his head. "I did, and that's probably what I'll end up doing. I just need to get my life figured out first."

"That's fair. So, what are you doing in the meantime?"

"Staying with my parents and working at their hardware store while I save up some money."

He'd started sweeping floors at fifteen and had steadily worked his way up to a managerial position in shipping and receiving. Being the only kid of the owners didn't hurt, but his parents had never shown him preferential treatment. Quite the opposite, in fact. They had always been harder on him, expected more from him, ensuring he worked damn hard to earn everything he'd been given.

"Your parents are human?"

"They are. So are my grandparents."

In fact, he didn't know of anyone on either side of his family tree who practiced magic. He hypothesized that the gene had come from a distant relative and had been passed down through the generations. Then, for whatever reason, it had remained latent until he'd come along.

Lucky him.

Through countless hours of research, he'd eventually been able to put a name to what he could do, but that hadn't helped him manage the condition. His parents had supported him the best they could, but they'd been ill-equipped to handle a magical child.

To their credit, they had tried, which was more than he could say for some other families. They had even considered hiring him a "tutor," but there wasn't exactly a website that offered such services.

"I see," was all Fenix said before changing the subject.

They kept to mostly mundane and inconsequential topics after that, and the conversation flowed easily, carrying them all the way into the city.

Their first stop had been to a small local diner in the art district for breakfast. The food had been amazing, but the whole atmosphere had been off. Between the dim lighting, dark wood finishes, and haunting music, the gloom was practically suffocating. Not in the typical Halloween fashion, either. More like hardcore dark academia vibes.

Afterwards, they'd split up so Fenix could take him to buy a new cell phone. Owen protested the entire way, reminding him about the insurance coverage, but his mate wouldn't be dissuaded. In the end, he'd left the store with a stupidly expensive phone and a brand-new cellular plan.

"This is too much," he argued as they traversed the sidewalk.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it!" That so wasn't the point, though. "But I don't need it."

"I'm glad you like it."

Owen sighed. He clearly wasn't going to win this one. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

Grinning from ear to ear, Fenix puffed out his chest and took Owen's hand to link their fingers together. "You're very welcome, talei. Is there anywhere else you'd like to go?"

"Oh, can we grab coffee before we meet up with everyone else?"

"Absolutely."

Like most major cities, there seemed to be a coffeehouse on nearly every corner. Of course, they had their pick of the standard big chain places, but surprisingly, Fenix led him to a quaint little café off the beaten path.

Oddly named the Apothecary, the entire place had been decked out for Halloween. Cobwebs and toy spiders adorned the corners, while a flock of bats roosted from the rafters. Just inside the entrance, a witch's cauldron overflowed with individually wrapped and expertly decorated cookies in the shape of coffins and jack-o'-lanterns.

Unlike the diner, however, an abundance of natural light filled the space and glittered off the white tables with their matching chairs.

Extensive shelving comprised the wall behind the dark wood counter, but instead of syrups, sauces, and the like, they held a number of unusual objects. Goblets, ornate treasure boxes, amulets, totems, and hundreds of tiny jars filled with powders, liquids, and herbs.

Well, at least the name of the place made sense now.

Shuffling closer to his mate, he asked through their bond, "She's a witch?"

Tall and slender, with silver hair cut into a micro pixie style, the middle-aged woman behind the counter greeted customers in a girlish voice he hadn't expected. She didn't have on a speck of makeup—not that she needed it—but large silver hoops hung from her earlobes, and a heavy crystal dangled from a chain around her neck.

"Dani is a healer."

"You know her?" He was under the impression his mate had never even been to Colorado before.

"I wasn't always a Guardian."

Owen's cheeks heated. He didn't know if Fenix had heard his inner thoughts, or if he had simply guessed. Still, it had been a pretty ridiculous assumption on his part to think the guy had never traveled outside of Ireland in two hundred years.

"Wait." Jealousy swiftly replaced embarrassment as he considered the implication. " How do you know her?"

Fenix chuckled and pressed a kiss to his temple. "She's just a friend."

He bit his tongue and nodded.

While he could be na?ve, he wasn't stupid. He had no misconceptions about his mate's past. He just hadn't considered that he might be confronted with one of the guy's former lovers. Maybe one day, he would have the maturity to handle such a situation, but this wasn't that day.

Once the couple in front of them took their order and went to find a table by the windows, Fenix ushered him forward. "Don't be nervous."

"I'm not."

Well, he hadn't been. Now, he had an inkling they hadn't just come there for coffee.

"Hey, Dani."

"Fenix Hohlt, as I live and breathe." She wore a big smile and spoke in a sweet, flowery voice with a thick Southern accent. Eyes as blue as a summer sky twinkled when they shifted to Owen. "And who is this?"

"This is my mate, Owen," Fenix answered, his expression filled with pride. " Talei , this is Dani Golightly."

Owen smiled and dipped his head. "It's nice to meet you."

"And you." Rounding the counter, she came to join them, getting a little too close for comfort. "Let me get a good look at you, sugar."

When she lifted her hands as if to touch his face, Owen took a step back and positioned himself halfway behind his mate. "I, uh—"

"It's okay." Cutting him off, Fenix placed a hand on his lower back and nudged him forward again.

Owen still resisted. "Can't she look at me from over there?"

"That's not the kind of looking she means." Fenix pushed a little more persistently. "Do you trust me?"

Damn, he really wished the guy would stop playing that card. They both knew he did, which meant he really couldn't refuse. So, with a quiet sigh, he stood perfectly still and waited for the inevitable fallout.

With a reassuring smile, Dani moved closer and bracket his face in her soft hands. As she studied him, her eyes began to glow, flickering like tiny flames, and veins of golden light shimmered under her skin.

He had never witnessed anything like it, but it didn't frighten him. Quite the opposite, actually. A strange sensation, like warm water, washed over him, flooding him with an amazing sense of peace and contentment.

The energy that emanated from her held an even bigger punch than his mate's, but the experience was so different. He recognized the transfer, but he also understood that, even if he'd wanted to, he had no control in that moment.

"Oh, sugar," she said a few moments later as she lowered her hands. "You haven't had an easy time of it, have you?"

"You could say that."

The tranquility he'd felt faded, making both his voice and his legs shaky. This was no witch. At least, no ordinary witch. As such, if he told anything but the complete truth, he knew she'd see right through him.

"Can you help him?" Fenix asked, his tone hopeful.

"I can't take it away." Pursing her lips, Dani studied him for a moment longer, then hurried back around the counter. "I might have something, though." Climbing a rolling ladder, she searched through the clear bottles for a long time before finally plucking one from the shelf. "Ah, here we go."

"What is this?" Owen asked, reaching for the vial of green liquid when she plopped it down onto the counter.

"A special magical elixir."

He immediately jerked his hand back.

Dani just smiled and pushed it closer. "It won't suppress your abilities completely, but it will help you control them."

Hesitantly, he picked up the stoppered bottle and held it to the sunlight. "How do I use it? Do I drink the whole thing?"

"Heavens, no," she laughed. "Just put a drop under your tongue when you need extra focus." Her smile faded into a pinched expression. "I'll warn you. It tastes like shit, but it'll work."

Although skeptical of her claims, he figured it also couldn't hurt. Besides, at that point, he was willing to try just about anything.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"Think nothing of it." She pointed a long, slender finger at his face. "Remember, just one drop."

Owen grinned. "Got it."

"Good. Now, what else can I get you?"

They ordered coffee for themselves, as well as the rest of the team, and said their goodbyes. As they left the café to meet up with everyone else, Owen walked with a bit of a bounce in his step, his heart filled with something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Hope.