Unforgivable

III. One Step Closer - Part 8 - Beautiful Day

Sage slept like a baby, something that hadn't happened in years. Having Mara in his arms was everything he had wanted but never dared to hope for. He watched her sleep before he himself fell into a quiet, restful sleep. His last thoughts were that he wanted to go to sleep like this every night. The question would be how to convince Mara to move to his room and how long it would take. In his mind they already had too much time to catch up on. Although he would never push her to do something she didn't want to do.

Sage was awakened by Mara leaving his arms.

"Where are you going?" He asked her, his voice heavy with sleep.

"We're not alone. I heard someone's footsteps. Stay here, I'm going to go check." Mara whispered, buttoning Sage's shirt hiding her naked body. Since Mara was small, it was above her knee.

Like he was going to stand there while she went to look! No way! He didn't know who it was, so there was no risk to be taken. Putting on his boxer shorts, he trotted behind to join her. They were walking towards the beach about 300 feet from Sage's field. A young woman, who looked about their age, was waiting for them there. She was dressed strangely in seashells. Sage had never seen her before and her smell was unique and intriguing. Mara ran to her, clearly she knew herself.

"Dakini! You've come back. How did it go?" Mara told her.

"Mars wants to talk to you directly. I assume you're Sage. Amaia told me you two kissed but it freaked you out. Apparently it's working out for the best." Dakini tells her matter-of-factly.

"This is a new development." Mara muttered.

"So I'm the first to know. Cool! I don't see a mark though. Why didn't you mark her?" Dakini asked Sage.

Sage thought Mara was sometimes too direct but this Dakini was even worse! He wouldn't have thought it possible. It was as if she had no idea of normal social rules.

"I asked him to wait. I'm still processing all this, us. It's all new. Besides, we haven't even talked about 'us' yet." Mara answered in Sage's place.

"You're mates and you're giving each other a second chance. I don't see what's needing to discuss." Dakini stated.

Mara turned to Sage and clarified, "In Dakini's home community, mates don't exist. Well on her mother side they do have mates but they aren't exclusive. Moreover, she considers herself as part of her father tribe. She finds the idea to have one and only love very romantic, which has earned her much mockery from her siblings. Nevertheless, she is the only one in her family to have inherited her father's ability to shift, so they are all jealous."

"What are you?" Sage asked her curiously.

Dakini visually asked for Mara's approval before answering, "A Hybrid, my mother is a mermaid and my father an killer whale."

That explains her somewhat salty, oceanic smell, Sage thought.

"I didn't know there were killer whales shifters." He exclaimed.

"No, her father is a killer whale who can shift into a human. She is not human. Having inherited the gifts of both her parents, she attracts covetousness and her uncle has already tried several times to broker deals in exchange for breeding with her. Nevertheless her attraction to the land and to mates, makes me hope that she has a mate somewhere." Mara explained.

It was really disturbing to be in front of two women who were talking openly about each other's problems without any discomfort. Sage felt really awkward.

"Mars wants to see you now. You know his legendary patience." Dakini refocused the discussion.

"You're right. I better not keep him waiting. I just need to warn Orion." Mara muttered.