For the Bleeding Hearts

17.) ANNA

Mako's hand pressed tightly into mine and he pulled me along, weaving through the buildings and cobblestone streets. I was eager to see the market and join the crowd. Thankfully, Mako and Aron had reluctantly let me go out to see the market, at the condition that I would stay stuck to Mako's side. And wore my gigantic cloak. And wore desensitizer.

They had sprayed me with the desensitizer that made me cough like crazy and made my scent off. It made me smell wrong and my scent was twisted. Aron said that they used it when they did 'jobs.' Whatever jobs they did, I didn't bother asking, because whatever kind of jobs you would need desensitizer made my skin crawl.

Bored of the silence in our trek to the market, I ask Mako, "Where do you think we will go?"

He stared into my eyes for a second, processing my question. In the first hour that I had met and learned Mako was my mate, I grew more and more comfortable with him. It was that same feeling I got when around Aron. Like a blanket of safety laid over the top of me. "We will probably end up traveling to another city within the kingdom and laying low for a little bit."

I played with my cloak, sticking to my skin in the blazing heat. I looked up towards him, "Do you think that maybe... we could go back to my village."

His eyes cast downward nervously. "I don't think so. At least not right now." I frowned. When would I be able to see the twins again? He squeezed my hand that was placed in his, "I'm sorry, Anna." I just nodded solemnly and we continued down the path in silence.

We continue before slipping out of the shadows and stopping before rows of colorful market stalls. The market at the harbor in the city's harbor was different from the markets close to the heart of the capital. The scent of fish and salt hung pungent in the air. busy fishermen rushed around, along with a crowd of normal people shopping and haggling for items.

There were many different types of predators and prey thrown into the mix of the crowds. It seemed as if people were here from all around the world speaking different languages and different cultures. I watched in awe as one of the men bargaining before me switched from a gruff-sounding language to the vernacular.

We approach the vendors, me traveling beside Mako who tugs me along. He looks down at me, eyes brimming with humor as my face scans the area around us in delight.

Mako buys enough apricots and oranges to last a week; four loaves of bread; hard cheese; and green grapes. He first picked up the red ones but when he saw he eyeing up the green ones he insisted we take those instead even though I protested, telling him to get what he wanted. It was his money after all.

We found a soap seller next, and Mako watched as I took forever sniffing the different scents. "Typical woman, testing out all the scents," he says grinning playfully. He bumps my shoulder lightly, "Which one do you like best?"

"I like that purple one," I say pointing to a light purple stack of soaps.

He picks it up and inhales, "Berry. Smells like you."

His voice turns rough and his eyes shade over. My insides turn to mush. "We'll take two," he tells the vendor, paying with a few copper coins, and then we continue down the rows of stalls.

I make a face as we pass a stall of fish. The fish heads stared into my soul with their dead, dark, beady eyes. I glance up to see him with his head tipped back laughing.

"Not a fish person?" he asked humorously.

I scrunched my nose and shook my head, "Not really. They're too fishy."

He let out another chuckle and wrapped an arm around my shoulders pulling me into his side. "And do you fancy sharks?" He smiles down at me.

I giggle and push away from him playfully, "Suppose they aren't too bad."