Taming Her Beastly Mate
Chapter 22

Alexis scoured over the strange-looking creatures. It was as if the night had taken form itself. The dark creatures all looked different. Gargoyle-like wings flapped steadily as some creatures hovered and others crept on their hind legs. Drool dripped from their pointed white teeth and their golden eyes glared menacingly at them. Some held cleavers in their hands while others had black-bladed nails. A smokey mist emitted from their bodies with a foul sulfur stench. The strange ticking noises were being replaced with menacing growls increasing in volume.

“What the hell are they?” Brian turned his head around as the creatures arched in front of them. There were dozens of them.

“Whatever they are they don’t look friendly…” Micah glanced over at Alexis nervously.

“Doesn’t matter what they are. They are dusted.” Alexis said with confidence as she moved her hand quickly sending a towering wave of ice into the creatures. However, she was mortified as she watched the ice go right through the creatures not harming them at all.

Brian immediately sent a flaming surge towards the shadows but it did the same thing as the ice. It went right through their bodies. He turned to Alexis as his eyes widened.

“Lex, do you think you can shift?” Brian watched as she shook her head.

“Get her out of here Brian,” Micah growled and shifted into his goliath of a bear.

Brian reached for Alexis, but she shot daggers at him. “Don’t you dare! We are not leaving Micah here to face these things alone.”

“Lex there is nothing you can do here.”

“You can shift and help. You can fight as a dragon. Don’t worry about me. I can evade them.” Alexis watched as the creature’s eyes began to all change color in unison. No longer were there gold dots surrounding them. The color was now an eerily bright glowing red. She watched as they suddenly charged forward and Micah collided with the army of the dark. But he was able to make contact. Maybe there were just immune to ice and fire? Or maybe all elements? But they could be physically attacked.

“Brian, please help him!” Alexis turned to look at Brian. He clenched his eyes shut and let out a growl.

“You get out of here Lex!” Brian growled as his body transformed. A dark crimson dragon turned its head towards Alexis. “Go!” He growled and swished his tail to the side.

Alexis nodded her head and looked back at Micah with worry. His body was covered by the dark creatures. And any time one of them went to get past him he lunged for it leaving himself unprotected. Micah was the strongest guardian to have ever existed but they knew nothing about these creatures and their abilities.

Alexis could only watch as Brian leaped forward sinking his fangs and swiping his tail into the dark bodies. She had never felt helpless before but at this moment she was. She could only produce an ice sword to fight which would do nothing against these creatures.

Brian and Micah were outnumbered and overwhelmed. There were only two of them against dozens of dark beings. She could feel Micah’s pulsating aura that seemed to push the darkness back. Out of nowhere four of the winged creatures came out from the side. They had gotten behind Brian and Micah and were making their way towards her.

A painful roar came from Brian as one of the creatures sliced his body with the massive cleaver it held. He swiped his tail knocking the creature into the ground. Instinctively he breathed fire on the body. This time the flames did do something… they seemed to revive the creature. It rose back to its feet uninjured and dived back into Brian.

Alexis could feel her heart trumpeting in protest wanting to help the two men. The dark-winged creatures were almost upon her but she wouldn’t alert Brian and Micah. They were busy enough and she wouldn’t risk them getting hurt trying to come to her aid. She hated the idea of running when every fiber of her being wanted to fight. But she didn’t want to be a burden and there was nothing she could do… or was there?

Alexis you are such an i***t. She said to herself as she pushed the light inside of herself forward. Sure, she was a dragon, werewolf, and ice elementalist. But there was one power she rarely used that made up a big part of her. And that was her fairy magic. These creatures were immune to fire and ice. But fairy magic was different.

The glow around her engulfed her body and stopped. She tried to project it more but it was as if it was also stunted. Like her wolf and dragon, she couldn’t call to it. The shadow creatures bounced off of the light not able to get closer. It was working as a shield but not for attacking like she had planned. Damn. It had been days she couldn’t believe her body was so drained. Maybe it was because of the curse her body was trying to keep at bay?

The sound of a loud cra.ck made her jolt her body backwards. Another shadow creature was now near her and it had hit her light shield with it’s black sword. It raised the shiny obsidian blade again and hurled it downwards at her.

The blade hit her shield and she felt a ripple inside of her as it shattered. At the same moment it shattered warm arms cocooned her. His scent embraced her and her body instantly responded by leaning into his touch. The shadow beings combusted instantaneously. Effortlessly. Yes. This was the power of a deity.

Alexis felt his arms wrap around her pulling her deeper into his chest. “What are you doing out here? I was searching for you and couldn’t replace you.” Aken then lifted his gaze up at the dragon and bear. “What is she doing out here?!” He growled out. “What are you doing? Why didn’t you shift? Why was your magic so weak? What the hell has happened?!”

Aken looked down at Alexis and smoothed his thumb over her cheek. Then his eyes landed on her neck and the fresh mark on her skin. His fingers trembled slightly, and he closed his eyes. He moved his head downwards and rested his head against her forehead.

Alexis felt everything shift around her and the air changed. She stepped back in shock and looked around at the room she was now in. It was a log cabin with wooden floors. There were glowing crystals on every corner of the wall and on the center floor and ceiling. She looked back at Aken in confusion.

“This is where I stay. It keeps me hidden and can keep you hidden too.” Aken sighed and stepped forward back into her. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I’m sorry I stayed away. I’m sorry about everything. We have a lot to talk about. I know you had to do what was necessary.” He cupped her cheeks with his hands and gazed into her eyes. “I’ll wait. I’ll do whatever you want. I don’t care if I have to wait because it’s you. Always you.”

Alexis felt his hand slide down from her cheek and trace over the mark on her neck.

“It’s only you for me.” She reached her hand up brushing her fingers over his cheek. Her body was tingling with little surges of electric sparks. His touch felt amazing, touching him was incredible. “I only did what I had to do to keep my family safe. And I will continue to pretend to be Brian’s mate until Erebus is taken care of. But after that I am all yours.”

She raised her hand and rested it over Aken’s. “Aken, this mark isn’t real. It’s a freezer burn.” She smiled and bit her bottom l*p. “It was the best we could come up with last moment. But it was the grossest moment of my life. I don’t want anyone else’s touch but yours.”

“You… This isn’t his mark.” Aken moved his hand to study the mark. “Very clever. I wouldn’t have known…” A sly grin spread across his face. “You are incredible.”

His green eyes grew darker as he stared into her blue pooling eyes. His eyes traveled down to her lips. He leaned down slowly drawing closer to her face. But it was Alexis who wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face into hers with force. Their lips crashed together, and she slipped her tongue into his shocked mouth.

This was her first k**s. She didn’t know what she was doing but he soon took over. Their tongues massaged against the other sending fiery sparks through their bodies. His arms wandered over her sides and gripped her bottom pulling her closer. Her fingers were now entangled in his hair as she tried to hold him captive as his fingers dug into her.

She finally pulled back from the euphoric taste of his lips and stared up at him beneath her lashes. “I shouldn’t have had to wait so long for that.” She said with a playful scolding tone.

He chuckled and nodded his head. “I’ll spend eternity making it up to you. I promise. And later…” He lightly brushed over her neck with his finger. “Later I’ll purge this area completely.”

Scarlett seized her cheeks, and she moved her hand to touch her necklace. “This was a nice start.” She watched as a slight shade of pink crept over his cheeks. It was adorable watching her powerful Kraken blushing. “And I appreciate the shirt but would really prefer you.”

He g*****d and leaned his head down onto hers. “If you only knew… if you could only feel this feeling inside of me. Just being near you gives me a happiness that I feel like I shouldn’t have. And…” He shook his head. “We can talk about all this later. Lex, what were you doing out there? The wrathens are a vicious creature. An undead demon.” He shook his head. “My love, what are you doing outside of the kingdom and away from your father?”

Hearing him call her my love made her stomach flip in excitement. There was so much she wanted to share with him. But there were always pressing issues to deal with.

“Yeah, about that. I’m looking for a crystal dragon to help remove a curse. I guess while you give me necklaces to show your love Erebus gave me a curse to show his.” Alexis felt his fingers trembling on her shoulders.

“He cursed you?!”

She watched his jaw clench as his chest rose and fell in rapid motions. She thought he was about to explode in anger. Instead, he pulled her closer and tucked his head in her neck.

“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I knew he would go after you. It’s my fault for getting you involved in all of this.”

“Aken! That’s the type of attitude that got us in this situation. We are supposed to be a team. You should never have stayed away from me. We shouldn’t have had to be apart all this time. But this isn’t your fault. This is Erebus’s fault.”

A faint smile spread across his lips as he leaned closer. His nose brushed against hers as he breathed in her breath. “Lex…” He smiled into her lips and pressed into them gently. “It has been torture being apart from you.” He kissed the corner of her mouth and inhaled her scent.

“Where is the crystal dragon located at?” He whispered against her cheek.

“I don’t know. She came to me in a dream and said I would be able to replace her. And I can feel something pulling to lead me to her. But when she came to my dream it exhausted my wolf and dragon. I guess it did the same to my fairy magic.”

“Dream jumping is dangerous. It drains a lot of energy, especially when using magic in that state. That explains why you didn’t shift back there. Well, that’s settled.” Aken straightened up and walked over to a desk in the room.

“What’s settled?” Alexis watched him grab a bag and stuff items in it.

He chuckled. “I’m coming with you. I just need to get a couple of things.” He turned and smiled at her. His eyes traveled over her body, and he glanced over at the bed letting out a sigh. Now wasn’t the time. It all had to be perfect. He wanted to talk to Alexis first. He wanted her to know exactly what he was. Just like the aqua lizard, he also took another form. Only one more monstrous and terrifying. It was a part of himself that he couldn’t escape. The other deities feared this grotesque form of his. And it was his fear that after seeing it she would fear him as well.

“What does that do?” Alexis looked at an amber gem he tucked under his shirt.

“It’s just some extra insurance. It will only work for a couple of days, but it will allow me to put on a disguise. I can make myself appear differently to those I don’t want to see me. It has limited uses so I have been saving it.” He walked up to Alexis. “I’m going to protect you.”

“I don’t want you to protect me. I just want you with me.”

A warm smile spread over his face. He placed his hands on her waist enjoying the tingling eruptions at his fingertips. “How about both?”