Infernal SoulBond

3, SoulBond

⟡ Ember ⟡
⟡

I swear my heart was beating somewhere out of my chest. It felt surreal. The warmth of his presence was enough to cloud my mind, let alone his lingering touch. He had already pulled his hand away, letting it dangle at his side, but the buzz never went away. If anything, it doubled. The crowd of people, the laughter and talking - it was all gone. Everything faded away for some time, leaving me, this beautiful man, and my thoughts. I felt as light as a feather. Reality came rushing back like a wave, crashing into me at full force and knocking the air from my lungs. He was my SoulBond. My mate.

"What - what do you mean?" I manage to ask, whispering. He stared at me for a moment, his eyes roaming down my body shamelessly. He smirks, meeting my gaze once again. A hint of amusement lit up his features, his eyes widening ever so slightly. I wanted to touch him like he touched me.

"You forgot to cover your mark, necromancer." He whispers the last word, barely heard by me. My blood runs cold with realization and fear. I quickly cover the side of my neck, feeling far more stupid than I ever have. How had I forgot? Why didn't anyone remind me? My mom couldn't possibly have missed it, she looked me over a million times to ensure I was presentable. He hums with amusement, leaning in. "I don't suppose you'll tell me your name?"

I glance around the room, luckily no one was looking at us. No one could hear us over the laughter and excitement. I look back at him, and all over again i'm gasping for air. This feeling was - "Ember, my name is Ember." Euphoric.

"Ember." He says slowly, his breathing slowed for a moment as he took deeper, longer breathes. "Well, Ember.." He reaches out and I don't shy away as he wraps his calloused hand around my wrist, tugging my arm away from my neck. "You no longer have to worry about that mark, no one will think about touching you. Not unless they wish for death." His hand lingers for a moment before he lets my wrist go. I felt the lack of electricity instantly. It floated around us at all times, and whenever we touched it's as if it waited for the contact to come alive. The buzzing current in the air would move, and it would meet at his touch, and spread throughout my body. It was an odd sensation, but a start of an addiction.

"No one will hurt me?" I ask, surprised. "But my kind is-"

"Not a single soul in this room would be stupid enough to look at you, let alone touch you. Don't fret." His words made me scan the room again, and once again I noticed not one person looking at us. Before, at the food table, i'd get glances from random men - I was touched at least seven times while eating. But now? No one would look at me. As if sensing my thoughts, his hands fall onto my shoulders. Close enough that his thumbs brush along my neck, sending pleasurable electric shocks down my spine. I almost sighed with content. "Do you know who I am?"

I shake my head, letting my eyes close against better judgment, too focused on how his fingers felt on my bare skin. The buzz, the warmth, the electricity. Was this how my mom felt around my dad? Guilt scratched against my ribcage, trying to rip me apart from the inside out. My eyes snap open.

"Are you okay?" He suddenly asks, looking my body over. "What's wrong?"

"What? No i'm - i'm fine." I shake my head. "Who are you?"

He doesn't answer right away. He continues to look at me, up and down. Twice. Once he's sure i'm okay, from whatever it was he saw in my face, he answers. "Warren Crowe, King of SunSide." I wasn't surprised, I could feel his power radiating off of him. I could feel through his presence that he meant something. But I hadn't expected him to be King, maybe a Lord serving the King and the land but -