8. What It Means To Love

When Percy first kissed his Fate, he thought that was the best thing in the world. When he’d taken her shirt off and seen her body lush and flushed for him, surely that was the best thing.

For once he was grateful hed accidentally come across a dragon and his mate having sex. Hed followed his instincts to know what to do to make her feel good. But hed seen more than one Dragon Warrior with his head between his mate’s legs, and that gave him the idea.

Then he’d tasted her, kisses along her skin, to her breasts, the softness of her belly, and the salty sweet delight between her legs. That was the absolute best thing.

None of that compared to the way she yelled his name and pulled his hair when she’d orgasmed in his mouth. Nothing could compare to that.

Except when she’d tentatively wrapped her hand around his cock. The way she’d looked so lovingly at him and wanted to make him feel good too, stole his breath away. That she wanted so badly to share this part of her, that she wanted him to feel the pleasure too, that stole his heart.

All of those things had been the best thing in the world. All of them. Being inside of his Fate, her body straining for his, and their magic floating up and out of their bodies joining in the dance of love, this was the best thing in the universe.

Her silvery magic warmed his soul, and somehow, this new purple magic felt stronger, more him than his powers ever had before. This was not just something that she could draw on to amplify her own power like a witch and familiar. No, this was a much deeper part of himself, and he could use this magic for himself if he wanted.

Right now all he wanted was to make her feel...wow.

He was dying to thrust his hips, move his cock inside of her, bring them both to the explosions they were building toward. Instead he held himself as still has he could and checked in with her. He knew from the movies that the first time for a woman could hurt and he never, ever wanted to hurt her. “Okay?”

His Fate moved her hips so she took more of him and moaned, not in pain, but in pleasure. “Yes, Percy. Percy, Percy.”

He’d never tire of hearing his name on her lips. Very carefully he pushed deeper until he was fully seated and her body clenched around his making it ridiculously hard to breathe, or think, or even see straight. He was so far out of his range of experience now, and while he knew movies and tv shows and even GIFs existed that showed exactly what they two of them were doing right now, he’d always avoided them.

They always seemed so fake, the people in them, had no magic between them. Not like the witches and their mates. Not like his Fate. She was real and he never wanted to let her go. As long as he was alive, she would feel only happiness and pleasure.

Carefully he withdrew the tiniest bit and then pushed forward again, trying to find the movements that would feel good for them both. It didn’t take long until their bodies moved in rhythm to a dance only they knew. His Fate’s face and chest were flushed pink, her eyes glowed with her silvery magic, and he was so damn in love with her.

In love with a Fate.

He wished he could tell her in words she would understand. For now he would show her with his body and later they would watch all the greatest love stories and he’d teach her the words and the intensity of the feelings that go with the meaning. He already felt them and he hoped and prayed that she did too.

As that thought flittered through his head, a surge of his own purple magic surged out and wrapped itself around his Fate’s silvery light. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and dug her nails into her back. “Percy, yes, okay, fly, wow.”

He knew exactly how she felt. He was so damn close to coming, but he would hold his own orgasm back until he was sure she was coming with him. Her channel fluttered around him and sputtered more random words. That was a good sign. He was going to make sure she was ready though.

Percy reached between their bodies and found the nub that would push her over the edge. He pumped his hips and swirled his thumb in time with each other. His Fate gasped and the muscles in her body locked from her toes to her nose. Her inner channel squeezed him so tight he lost his own mind.

He only knew he needed more of her, and needed to give her more of himself. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her, letting their tongues dance. Still it wasnt enough. He had to give her more of himself. Had to make sure the whole universe knew she was his. His Fate.

Percy broke the kiss and pressed his mouth to the soft skin at her throat, then kissed along her shoulder and back again until he found the perfect spot. Perfect for what, he didnt know. He only knew that when his mouth touched her in just the right place, his mouth watered and his teeth felt like they filled his entire jaw.

Without really understanding why, only that he had to, and that they would both enjoy it if he did, Percy did the strangest thing ever. He bit his Fate. He sunk fangs into her soft flesh. When did hedgehogs whod been turned into humans have fangs?

But when he did bite her, his magic poured into her, they tumbled into the bliss of nirvana, together, joined as one, like never before. Perfectly, magically, wow.

The magic in the air wrapped them both in its warmth and Percy felt closer to his Fate than he’d ever been. He withdrew his mouth and kissed the faint purple bruise forming there. He didnt like that he might have hurt her, but he was weirdly enormously proud that hed put that mark on her.

Percy?

Her mouth hadn’t moved, but her voice was in his head. It sounded similar to when she spoke out loud, but there was a different tamber to the sound.

Percy, I think the magic has connected our minds. I can hear your thoughts. She pressed the tip of her finger against his lips and then to hers showing him she wasn’t speaking. Can you understand me now?

Yes. Holy crap. Touching her mind with his own was as pleasurable as touching her body. Can you understand all of my words now too?

She grinned. I can. There’s so much I’ve been wanting to tell you, to ask you, to...

Fate, there’s a lot I want to tell you too. Wait, now that their minds were connected, calling her Fate wasn’t right. A Fate was what she was, that he could sense, but that wasn’t her name.

Moira. I’m called Moira.

Yes. That suited her so beautifully. Moira. I don’t know whether Fates have the same emotions as people or any other Earth beings, but I want you to know that I’ve fallen in love with you. I. Love. You.

The glow of the magic surrounding them intensified and swirled in little eddies like it was excited. Moira kissed him and her emotions poured into his thoughts like a waterfall of beauty and pleasure. I love you too. I didn’t know that was possible for a Fate, but you’ve shown me that it is. I love you so much it hurts and feels good, and I want to shout it to the universe and I want to keep it close so it’s just for us.

All of what she said and more, he felt too. It seems silly now that we can communicate, but I don’t have the words, Moira. I feel too much and it’s not enough. I don’t know how to say how much I feel for you.

But he could show her. His cock was already growing hard, and there were so many more places on her body he wanted to explore. He made love to her again, and then again, and then one more time before they were both exhausted. Then together they fell asleep in each other’s arms still wrapped in their glowing bubble of magic and love.

Percy woke without Moira by his side, and freaked the hell out, until he remembered he could reach out to her with his mind. My star, where are you?

The beauty of her voice warmed his mind in return. Outside. Come and join me, Ive discovered something strange.

Most everything in Percys life, that parts of which he remembered anyway, were all strange, so this would likely be nothing new. Moira didnt sound worried or scared, just interested. She was learning about so many new parts of living on Earth, for all he knew, she could have discovered something normal like flowers, or grasshoppers, or since they had crashed into a snowbank, maybe it was snowing outside.

Or maybe shed figured out where in the world they were.

He slid on his jeans and boots and made his way outside of their warm den in the tree, where yeah, it was definitely snowing. Brr. Come back inside where its warm, my star, and tell me what you discovered.

Look, Percy, up in the sky. The stars are...not in the right places. She pointed into the darkness, and whoa, that was the most milky of milky ways hed ever seen. There were billions and billions of stars. Way more than when he looked up into the night sky in Rogue, even more than when he and Kady had lived in the mountains in her tiny house is Colorado.

We must be somewhere really far from civilization. But Im not sure what you mean about them not being in the right spot. Although, if he squinted, she was right about something being different. Like if deja vu was a second too late. Oh, he bet this was a glitch in the Matrix. Hed have to tell Neo. If they ever saw him again.

Moira pointed again. See that cluster of stars there? Those should be a bit more to the left. Its not by much, but I can tell they arent where theyre supposed to be, and its not like they can just go wandering about wherever they please. Trust me.

I do, love. He gave her hand a tug to pull her back to the warmth of the tree. But lets go back inside, it feels like weve been throw into that Ice Age movie.

Yes, it is very cold here, colder than I remember Earth being for a very long time. Im telling you its all very strange. Not to mention, I havent seen souls like those for thousands of years. Moira turned Percy so he was looking beyond the tree to the grassy plain, where a heard of large animals appeared to be resting for the night.

Umm. Are those wooly mammoths? Where in the great googly-mooglies were they? Or perhaps hed better ask when were they?

Moira, sweetheart, honey, darling, does your magic happen to do anything with time-travel? Percy had heard that a time-traveling purple dragon had been... purple dragon. The magic of the element of time-travel was purple.

The magic that had come from Percy when they opened the portal, and again when theyd made love was... purple. He shook his head, rattling the ideas swirling around up there around, trying to arrange them into something that made sense.

No. She looked at him a bit sideways and then her eyes went wide and she was downright staring at him. There are very few beings with that kind of magic in their souls.

Me? No. Im just a...my magic is... He took a step back, and then thought better of it, and lunged for Moira, wanting nothing more than to hold her while he try to figure out what was going on.

Thats when he saw it. Moira curled into him, laying her head on his chest, which exposed the right side of her neck and shoulder. The same place where hed bit her during their lovemaking. Where the bruise had been forming, instead, was the mark, like a tattoo, of a large purple dragon.

With every part of his heart and soul, Percy knew that mark on Moira was his. She was his, and hed marked her so the entire world, the whole universe would know.

Deep inside, his soul shuddered and shook. He was either going to explode, or throw up. Moira, stand back. Theres something wrong with me.

He closed his eyes, trying to contain whatever alien being was about to burst out of his chest and eat him from the inside out. But instead of his chest, Percy swore on all that was holy about Cheetos, wings sprouted out of his back. Giant. Ass. Purple. Dragon. Wings.

Cheez-its, fairy floss, and a cup of joe, what was happening?

Percy, are you okay? Did you want to try flying again? You werent very good at it last time. Moira looked concerned but not so much because he was turning into a dragon, and more like she was just trying to comfort him.

What do you mean... his heart was beating so hard, he was having a tough time breathing, and so a challenging time talking, try flying again?

Moira waved her hands in a sort of flappy flappy motion toward his wings. When we came through the portal, you know, you shifted into the dragon, like your friends, but purple instead of black. And then we crashed and then I yelled at you that you werent allowed to fly anymore. I didnt mean it. Sorry if I hurt your feelings.

Percy no fly.

I thought that was your magic that helped us fly through that portal. Or maybe that the Black Dragon had given them a shove. Didnt the portal do most of the work anyway?

Moira shook her head in small little motions like hed said something crazypants. I cant fly. Well, to be fair, you arent particularly good at it either. I just assumed thats why you had us fly on your friends back first, to get us going or something.

This was... this was all too much. He wasnt a freaking dragon.

Percy drew on the new magic he’d been given when the Fates had turned him into a human. It was a lovely soft silvery magic, and it was warm and comforting, and felt like a good place to hide. The silver magic, like Moira’s poof, shifted him into his hedgehog form, and the dragon that had been trying to take over was gone. Gone for good. Hed just be a hedgehog forever now. He took a quick inventory of all his spines and then rolled into a tight little ball when Moira screamed like shed seen a demon wyrm or a soul stealer.

She squatted down and reached for him, but withdrew her hand like he was venomous. Tears bubbled up on her lashes and then flowed down her face. “Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no no no.”

Percy hated that hed made her cry, but and was already mid-shift back into a man, because even the comfort of this form wasnt worth it if it made her sad in her heart. He popped back too fast and the two of them ended up in a pile of arms and elbows and legs and knees on the ground. “I’m alright. Don’t be afraid. It’s just me.”

He pulled himself up and rubbed his rear end where he’d landed the hardest. His pain didn’t matter though, because when he stood, he found Moira still crying.

“Percy?” She wailed his name and sucked in a big sob. “That was you? You’re the witch’s familiar?”

“Yes, love. That’s my true form, I swear it. Not the big scary dragon. I was changed by fate to help my witch Kady in a very dark time.”

Moira turned and bolted back inside the tree, not even taking the time to close the door behind her. He watched her throw herself on the bed and pull the blankets of leaves over her head so that he couldn’t see her. But he could sure hear her as she wailed, “It can’t be. You can’t be the one.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t show you my other form sooner. I didn’t mean to scare you. I won’t take that shape again if you hate it that much.” He hoped that wasn’t the case. He certainly wanted to avoid the whole dragon thing. Dragons were strong and powerful and fearless. Percy was none of those things.

He climbed on the bed and tried to pull the blanket off. She wouldn’t let it budge, but squeaked out from underneath, “This has to be part of the punishment. This is all my fault.”

Punishment? No one put his baby in a corner. “What’s your fault. Whatever it is we can figure it out together. If you’re being punished, I’ll keep you safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“You’re the reason I’m here. I did this to you, without your permission, without your consent. I just did what I thought was right, what I wanted.” She tried to move farther away from him but ended up bumping into the wooden partition.

Was she saying he was her punishment? Were hedgehogs something bad and horrible where she was from? Like demons, or film critics? Oh, no, or was she talking about the dragon long buried deep inside of him. “Moira, I don’t understand. Please come out of there and tell me what’s going on. You don’t have to be afraid of me.”

Centimeter by centimeter she pulled the blanket off until her face was exposed up to her puffy eyes and red, running nose. “If I tell you, everything between us will change. You won’t love me anymore.”

“That can’t happen. I don’t know how it works for fates, but these feelings we have for each other aren’t an accident. We’re meant to be together. I know it, I feel it right here when I’m with you.” He pounded his fist against his chest.

Then he reached through the leaves and touched the spot where hed marked her, barely caressing her tender skin there. He was so damn conflicted. He didnt want to be a dragon, but he might need to be, for her. “And I think you know it too, or at least feel it, right here.”

“Everything will change. None of this is real. You’re my punishment, meant to show me what happens when I interfere. We had to fall in love, just so it can be taken away.” She wouldn’t look at him and she was so lost and scared right now.

He moved to wrap her up in his arms, blankets or not. She squirmed at first, but then sank into him. “No one can take my love away, Moira. I promise.”

She sighed and sniffled. For the first time she looked up at him, more than sadness in her eyes. Much more. “I’m the Fate who changed your path, your destiny. It’s my fault your life went in all the ways you didnt want, and now its all happening again.

If youve changed my life, its for the better. I swear. Well figure out this whole hedgehog-man-dragon thing. Its not your fault I dont know who or what I am.

But it is. I’m the one who made you human.”