Chapter Twenty-Three

My body is still on the same sleep schedule—work at night, sleep during the day. I've done it for hundreds of years; I can't expect it to change in a matter of days or even a week. It may not change ever. Especially not while we're here, when the daylight takes from me, and the dark energizes me. A glance outside tells me it's right around the time I normally wake up, so I head out of the room, but pause when I reach the balcony that overlooks the open layout of the first floor. My chest tightens at what I see. The light-being and my Lexia having an intimate moment—kissing. It angers me, but not in the way I'd have thought—which is interesting. I'm not angry in such a way that I want to hurt him. It's envy more than anger, I suppose. He has kissed her before I can. He can kiss her whenever he wants. Whenever she wants him to.

I can do none of that.

He pulls back, smiling down at her. The way he touches her… it's so soft, so gentle—adoring. Loving. He said they cannot feel their connection, but it is clear it is there. Even if they do not feel it the way they should, they feel something.

They share quiet words that I cannot hear because of the television and me being so far away.

After a few moments, he gets her comfortable on the couch and sits down beside her. She rests her head against his chest when he puts his arm around her. I close my eyes, take a breath, then let it out. This radiant is not my enemy. He is not someone I need to hate. He is on my side; connected to my mate the same way I am. The way I feel about her, he does too… He told me as much.

I glance over my shoulder, out the large window, and a wave of relief washes over me at how dark it is tonight. There is no moon. Tonight is the night we attempt to make me whole. All I can do is pray to the Gods that this works, and I will touch my love the way he can. That I can comfort her and make her feel protected and cherished. I want to show her how much she means to me with my body. Because my words only go so far.

I must remind myself that the universe knows what it needs, and if it needs us all together—a human, shadow, radiant, and a grey—then that is what it will get. If being with all of her mates is what my Lexia wants, then she will get it. Because I will do anything to make her happy. Her happiness is all that matters to me. She comes first, no matter what.

I make my way down the stairs after a moment longer and head toward them.

"What are you watching?" I ask, stopping beside the couch and looking at the television. I've never watched television before this week, and still don't understand the point of it.

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Lexia says with a smile that brightens my mood instantly.

"I do not know what that is." I watch the television, trying to understand what is going on. Movies are not lost on me. I understand humans have them for entertainment purposes; I just don't find them entertaining.

"The human representation of witches and wizards that grew extremely popular just about everywhere," the radiant explains.

"Interesting," I say, watching as the young boy uses a wand and says a spell. "They must use wands for their magic?"

"Yep," the light-being says with annoyance.

"Mostly," Lexia stresses. "There are some exceptions."

The light-being rolls his eyes at me dramatically, then goes back to watching the movie.

"What time will we attempt the task?" I question.

"It will be darkest after midnight, so we have a few hours." The radiant, though sounding as if he is disappointed in this movie, does not pull his eyes from it. I do not understand it.

I nod, then sit on the oak chair beside the couch that Lumen placed for me so we can all sit in close proximity.

"We should be able to finish this movie and get through the fifth one before it's time," Lumen explains.

The fifth one? How many of these are there?

I sit back to get comfortable. It is going to be a long few hours.

I've learned much about the Wizarding World by the time the radiant stops the movies. We finished the fourth one, got through the fifth, and started the sixth. I'm quite invested now and will need to go back and watch what I missed before I continue to the end. I have so many questions…

"Are we ready for this?" the radiant asks as he gets up from the couch, slapping his hands on his thighs.

"I am ready," I say.

"Yes," Lexia adds. Though her tone is strong, her fear and anxiety fill the room. It has been this way for quite some time.

"Then let's get started," the radiant announces.

The three of us head upstairs to the bedroom, and though I cannot help them with much, as I cannot hold anything, I watch, stewing in my own anxiety. Lumen explains they must take everything out of the room that is electrical or emits heat. They remove lamps and cover the ceiling light by taping a thick black cloth over it. He covers electrical outlets and tapes the same black material over the windows and heating vents to ensure nothing gets through. Even the light from the stars is enough to stop this from working. Though, even with all of this, it may not work anyway.

"I have to go downstairs to shut off the electricity. Lexia, get comfortable on the bed, because it's going to be really dark when I shut it off and I don't want you tripping on something and getting hurt." He leaves the room, his footsteps heavy as he goes down the stairs.

The light-being is so thoughtful of my mate—our mate.

I appreciate this about him.

My little human nods, then hops on the bed. The only light in here is what's coming in from the hallway.

"I hope this works," Lexia whispers as she picks her nails.

"That makes me so happy to hear, my love," I say, moving to her and crouching down in front of her. "I've wanted to touch you for so long."

"Me too, Ves," she says with a smile, her bright blue eyes darting to mine. "Can I ask you something?" Her voice is soft, trembling.

"Anything, my love. Always anything." I brush my fingers along her cheek, hoping that soon I'll be able to really feel her skin. Any time I want.

"Back at the park, you said that you can make your…" Her eyes flick away from me, and she wrings her hands together. "Uh, you know… your penis change?"

I smirk. "I can, but for tonight I will do what comes naturally to not waste extra energy. Is that okay?"

She breathes a soft sigh. "Oh yes. More than okay. Relieving, actually." She lets out a small chuckle; the sound has my chest warming.

"Why, my love? Does my ability to change my genitals scare you?"

"Scared?" She laughs softly. "Not really. I'm just nervous about this whole thing."

The lights go off, shrouding us in complete darkness. I still see her so perfectly, so I don't miss the fear in her eyes at the sudden change.

"Do not worry, my love. I'm right here." I press my hand over hers that's resting on her lap and I watch as her shoulders sag. A glance down at our hands to see mine is through hers. I haven't lost hope yet. There is still a small bit of lighting coming in through the hallway due to the curtainless windows and the bright stars.

"Thank you," she whispers. "Should I… get undressed?"

"It would save time," I say. Though I'd much rather tell her how much I ache to see her natural form, I save that for another time. She's already shared that she is nervous; I don't want to overwhelm her with my need.

She carefully gets to her feet, so I step back. Though stepping through me doesn't feel strange for me, it may for her. Her fingers tremble as she reaches for the bottom of her shirt.

"If you don't want to do this, we don't have to." It only occurs to me now that she and I haven't spoken about this. Not recently. It's important she knows she has a choice here. As much as it will hurt me to wait, I will wait. For her.

As much as I want this, it isn't only about me. If my mate is not ready, then this will not happen.

"I want to," she says, looking ahead at where she thinks I am. I move in front of her vision, so she is looking me in the eyes. "I really want to, I swear."

I reach out to brush my fingers down her arm, and she jerks away. "What was that?" she gasps, looking around frantically.

I stare down at my hand in disbelief. "My hand," I whisper, turning it over for inspection.

Her eyes widen. "Your… hand?"

Her breathing grows heavy as she lifts both hands, palms out. She slowly presses them forward. When they land on my chest, they don't go through me.

They don't go through me.

"Fucking hell…" I breathe out, covering her hands with mine and curling my fingers around them. I close my eyes, taking in a steadying breath.

I am touching my mate.

"Ves…" My name comes out of her lips part whisper, part whine. Needy and desperate.

I release her hands and grip her face, leaning down to kiss her. She whimpers louder this time, her hands clenching into fists against my chest, and I kiss her harder, urging her lips open to taste her. She's so damn sweet, so delicious. Better than I ever could have imagined.

I vaguely hear the bedroom door close behind me, barely hear the tape being put around the cracks of the door from the outside, as was part of the plan. What we thought would be necessary for this to work.

I'm touching my mate, and it's the best thing I've ever felt in my entire existence.

"Get your clothes off," I rasp against her mouth, my cock already hard. I reach for her pants as she takes off the tiny shirt that holds her breasts. I shove her sweatpants down, and then push her to the bed and crawl over her.

To feel my mate for the first time… to feel a woman for the first time.

This is something I will never forget, regardless of what magic they throw at me. I refuse to let them take this moment from me.

Her body is small and warm beneath me. Soft in places, firm in others. My love wraps her legs around me and digs her heels into my lower back as she ravages my mouth, her hands clawing at the back of my neck and head. I thrust against her, her wetness coating the tip of my cock as I slide it over her sex. She moans into my mouth, so I do it again, my cock leaking all over her, providing more slickness.

I am so lost in her, so overwhelmed with what to do. I am solid. I am whole. I am touching my mate and I do not want to stop. I want to taste her pussy, but I want to fuck her too. I do not know how much time we have, but I never want this to end.

"I really want to taste you, my love, but I do not know how long we have before—"

"I want you inside me, Ves. Please, just fuck me. Make love to me. Mate me."

Gods above…. This little human is amazing.

I slip my hand between her legs to notch the tip of my dick at her entrance. She clenches, squeezing the head of my cock and I freeze, letting out a low groan.

"My love…"

"Please, Vesperon. I need you."

Her nails dig into my back as I push my hips forward. Inch by inch, she takes me into her hot heat.

"You are so tight," I whisper. "I do not want to hurt you."

"I don't care." She shakes her head. "I just want to feel you in me. Please."

Her tight walls wrap around me, clenching my cock tightly, and I feel her everywhere. Every inch of my body is filled with her, with this special moment.

"Gods, you feel so good, my love." I pull out and thrust back in, another groan leaving my lips. The ache in my lower stomach is building, but I will not release yet. The feeling of her around me is too good to give up. This feeling is better than the orgasm, better than the release. This is what I want… to feel her around me, always. It is everything.

She moans loudly as I thrust deeper, our fluids wetting the bed beneath us.

"You are so perfect," I whisper as I fuck her slowly, her pussy fluttering around me, squeezing so tight that I can barely pull out. I'm so close to coming, but I will not have this end so soon.

I move my mouth to her neck, gently kissing and suckling on her soft skin. She writhes beneath me, her breathing increasing. I move a little faster, and her panting grows heavier.

"Vesperon," she gasps, fingers digging into my back. "Oh my stars—I'm going to come."

"Yes, my love. Come for me," I tell her, keeping my rhythm steady. "Show me how good it feels to have me inside of you. Show me, my love. Make me feel it too."

She cries out, her fingers scraping my skin as her pussy pulses around my cock. Her sounds, her gush of arousal, and the way her pussy holds my cock sends me skyrocketing over the edge with her. My mate milks every bit of cum from me. So much that it spills from her, dripping down my balls and causing a puddle beneath her ass and my knees.

"Do you feel that?" she whispers the exact moment a tickling sensation starts in the center of my chest. The tickle turns to a warm, tightening sensation.

"Yes," I say, resting my forehead against hers. "Yes, I feel it." I hold her tight, leaving my cock inside her. It's still hard and I want to feel her more, want her crying out my name as she comes. I want to lick every inch of her body, feel every bit of skin. I want her coming until she cannot move.

The warmth within my chest spreads until every inch of my body is filled with it. Something clicks deep within me, and I feel more connected to her than ever before. Like solid strings now hold us together. It's a relieving feeling. We are connected now.

"I am not done with you," I whisper, pressing a kiss to her lips. I push up, wanting to lick her sweet cunt clean of our cum, but she holds me tight.

"No, don't leave me."

"I want to taste you," I tell her.

She shakes her head, then thrusts her hips up, causing my dick to slide deep into her. I groan, grinding against her. It feels too good not to.

"Keep going," she whispers.

I sit up, grasping her thighs and spreading them wide so I can thrust deeper into her.

"Yes," she urges, her head rolling back. "More of that."

"Anything you want, my love." She grips my arms and pulls me to her, burying her face in my neck as I rock my hips. "But I will lick you clean before this night is through."