Episode Eight The Proposal

N adira

His palm is cupping my cheek, and those beautiful blue eyes are searching my face for something. I don't know what.

"Do you remember what happened before Reese helped heal you? The… physical joining that means we are a mated couple?"

I nod.

"You were about to die. It needed to happen immediately. You said yes, but… I imagine you might have second thoughts."

I freeze, not even breathing for a moment. I've lied all my life. From my earliest memories, I lied to stay out of trouble. Not that it always worked. When my father or my husband wanted to punish me, it rarely mattered what I said in my defense, even when I'd done nothing wrong.

I'm Down Below now, starting life over. I want to leave all the shit from Up Above behind me. Perhaps I should start with honesty. If Azael beats me for it, it will be easy to slip back to my old ways. Just this once, I want to try something new.

"I'm not thrilled to be mated." It's not a lie to omit something, right? Because I don't want to finish my sentence with especially to you . I vowed to be honest, not mean.

"You wish to go back Up Above? I have no way to get you there." He looks genuinely sorry that he can't transport me to the place that is full of people who won't experience a pang of sadness that I'm gone.

"No! I don't want to go back. I…" How much do I tell him about my life? How about the truth?

My life history spills from my lips as I explain the ways of Up Above and how we basically audition for new husbands starting on our sixteenth birthday. How we're married to the highest bidder at age eighteen, and how we can be banished to the Punishment Tower or even killed for no crime other than growing older.

His eyes never leave my face as I disgorge all the terrible truths of my past. Nor does his hand stop roaming my back, stroking, soothing, speaking volumes about his compassion.

"So, I guess I'm not married to the senator anymore, but I'm not ready to be mated again." This time, I decide to come clean. "And you're…" My eyes shutter closed. I've held hate in my heart at the two men who've made my life miserable, my father and the senator. Well, there's a third now—Armstrong. But I've never been a mean person. I need to say it, though, "And you're not human." I flinch, waiting for his answering blow.

Instead of hitting me, which I expect—it's what any man Up Above would do—he tugs me closer and sets his chin on the top of my head. Because of the way the hammock is constructed, we've tumbled together, our bodies plastered against each other. His thick, erect cock is pressed against my belly. A bolt of fear slices up my spine, but he doesn't make a move to fuck me.

"We're mated, Nadira, and from what you tell me you can't return Up Above. I'm a monk. You're human. You may want nothing to do with me, but I am and will forever be mated to you."

He presses his lips to the top of my head in what, without a doubt, is the most affectionate act I've ever received.

"As I told you before the Energy Transfer, I will never take what you do not wish to give. I have a proposal."

A proposal? That indicates he needs a buy-in from me. I've never been offered a choice in anything before.

That's not true. He offered me a choice about the mating.

"Let's hear it." I pull away so I can see his face. I want to read him.

"Let me show you Down Below. I'll introduce you to my troop, get you clothing to protect you from the elements, show you the streams and meadows surrounding our village. I'll teach you to hunt and fish, and if you'd like, I'll take you to visit the other human female who lives not far from here. Her name is Alliana."

My eyes widen. "I know her."

I've actually never spoken a word to her. That was forbidden. But I used to see her coming and going from my house when they summoned her to service my husband. Poor girl. She had no more say in that than I did.

"I'll be your teacher and I'd like to be your friend. I won't take you in the furs again unless you wish it."

First, I swallow convulsively, then I realize tears are gathering behind my lids. Now they're sliding down my heated cheeks.

"Have I upset you?" he asks. "I thought it was a kind offer."

My eyes are too blurry to see his features, but although I've only known him a matter of hours, I can picture his confused expression.

"I'm crying because…" It's hard to get words out because I'm choked with emotion. "No one has ever been so kind or generous to me. Yes, Azael. I would love to take you up on your proposal."