TDEH Ch. 22

Sweat pooled on her forehead and dripped down the back of her neck, tickling the small hairs on her skin. "Again," she said and readied herself. Carter dashed forward, angling his shoulder into her midsection. Finn grunted as he made contact. To confuse him, she released all of her muscles at the same time and let herself fall. When he noticed she was limp, he grabbed her and rolled both of them into the ground without injury.

"What the hells was that?" He asked.

Finn laughed softly, "that was a surprise! You never know how a fight will go, best to be as aware as you can be."

Dusk was upon them. The rotten trees and stumps were outlined in oranges and pinks from the setting sun. Carter was still on top of Finn, breathing heavily from their hours of sparing. He found himself becoming warm when he looked down at his mate. Her attention was focused on the tree line again. He took his advantage and wiggled himself down on her more, pinning her in place and moving his face in the crook of her neck and shoulder. He began to kiss her skin. She let out a small gasp, her fingers digging into the dirt.

He felt her heart rate increase and her flesh warm to his caress. "Wait..." she breathed out, "I don't think we're alone."

Carter didn't care. They had grown closer while training. They spent almost every moment together. Her gruff exterior had given way to show the caring person she had buried down deep in herself and he wanted her. Her silent vigil while they slept, the cups of tea she left around the small cabin and woods, the terrible jokes she made, all of it made him want her more. "They can watch," he muttered into her neck as continued to kiss her and pushed himself into her with yearning. He felt himself begin to stiffen.

A small moan escaped her lips as Finn let her head fall back onto the ground. She fought her own desire as she scanned the trees again. "No, I mean, I think... someone else is watching us."

Carter didn't care. It had been a long time since they had been together, he'd have let their entire pack watch if it meant he could bury himself in her. "They can watch," he repeated as he kissed her neck again. He reached his hand down to her lower body, grabbed the waistband of her leggings and began to pull them down.

Her breath caught in her throat and all the voices of caution fell away. "I'd let every human and magical being watch as we made love. None of them matter. Only you matter. I want you," he growled into her ear.

"I can come back later if you'd like to continue trying to fuck my little sister, but Eutus made dinner and would like you two to enjoy it with us," Ramsey said.

Both Finn and Carter looked up to see Finn's older brother standing above them smiling widely.

(2)

"My darling!" Eutus called, throwing his arms around Carter's neck in a hug while on his tiptoes, "I know you have taken over the majority of our cooking and you are oh so good but I wanted to surprise you by cooking tonight's meal!"

The common room had been tidied in their absence. The mounds of books and papers had been organized and placed in a corner. The table had been cleaned and their meal was set out. Five bowls circled around a large pot that sat in the centre of the table. Some candles had been lit, their soft glow dancing off the old walls and surfaces. A heaty smell emanated from the old pot.

"Stew!" Cried Finn as she rushed forward and plopped herself down in her normal seat with a large smile on her face. Eutus walked over and scooped out the first bowl to her.

Izzy stood beside Carter, smiling softly. He looked at the confused young man. "So when Finn escaped from Malus all those years ago and made it to the council house, she was pretty traumatized. She wouldn't let anyone near her. That's also when she dug her burrow, to feel safe. She was starved and scared, her wounds couldn't heal as she had no reserves to draw on at that point. Eutus was the first person that managed to get her to eat and it happened to be this stew."

"How do you know that?" Carter asked.

"Well, I helped her with her first doorway spell to get away so I knew where she was going. I also knew that she needed help and the only person I trusted back then was Eutus. I asked him to take care of her. And he did. They don't always get along but deep down, I know she would never truly hurt him. Annoy him, yes. Torment him, also yes. But truly hurt him? No."

Carter nodded, letting his curiosity get the better of him, "did you believe that about the Merlin as well?"

"What, that she wouldn't hurt him? Oh no, she did what was right. Our cousin put on a good show for the masses but he was as depraved and hollow as Malus. He saw us as a means to an end. We all knew it. With Malus dead, Obeus would have become the most powerful enchanter at the council. That power would have gone to his head. He worked on our hatred of Malus, making sure it was ingrained. He'd hurt Eutus, for fun. We don't mourn him."

"If you don't come and eat, I will probably eat your share," Finn warned.

The others gathered around the table, taking their normal seats. Eutus ladled out the stew into the awaiting bowls. Once done, he sat as well as began to eat. Carter was pleased by the stew. It was rich and warm but the texture was a little odd.

"This is delicious... but what is it?" Carter asked.

"Stew!" Finn responded as she stuffed another spoonful into her mouth.

The others laughed. Eutus piped up. "It's mostly potatoes and eggplant."

Finn put down her spoon, the remains of her meal still evident in the bowl. "Now that you've fed me my favourite meal, I assume we have something to discuss?"

Ramsey, Izzy and Eutus all exchanged a look. "We do..."

Izadore cleared his throat, placing down his own utensil next to his barely touched bowl. He signed before starting, "I returned to Malus' laboratory while you both were out training."

Finn blanched. Carter grabbed her hand and squeezed, "but you're okay?" He asked, looking over his friend. He appeared to have all of his appendages and Carter couldn't see any bruising or cuts.

"Yes, I'm fine. Malus has taken up residence at the council house as acting Merlin until the other council members vote on a new Merlin. Or he decides he wants the job and kills them all to secure it, though I imagine they would all vote for him to save themselves." Eutus reached out and laced his fingers with his partner, smiling softly.

"As we know, enchanters have extended lives. We can live upwards of six hundred years, though some like Ramsey, can live even longer. Malus is human, his mother and father were both human peasants. His familial background has no hybrids of half-breeds that I could find during my research, and no explanation for his over twelve hundred years of life so far. There were a few mentions of female members of the Helmut family being put to the torch under the charge of witchcraft before Malus was born, but he was the first true Helmut enchanter. We also know that his extended life is not natural. Finn was the last child born to him, but we know he took other women after Elspeth's death. Ramsey and I both saw their broken body's in the Helmut morgue, we know he tried and failed to have more children."

"Why did he keep them?" Carter asked, disgusted.

"Because the Helmuts' are famous for necromancy. He always keeps the bodies of his victims for himself and the others to practice on," Ramsey replied, a frown on his face. Izadore nodded and looked a little sick.

"I had the misfortune of running into our brothers. They have been left in charge of the Helmut estate. Normally this would be an issue, but as you can see I am unharmed." Izzy made eye contact with each member of his family, emphasizing his wholeness. "They took pleasure in trying to provoke me but they never attacked. I have a feeling that Malus bade them to leave us unharmed should we appear. The thing that is most important of all of this is that in their own attempt to rile me up, they gave away Malus' true secret. I know how he's extended his life. He's using Toyot somehow."

"How?" Ramsey asked. His voice was small and his eyes were dewy. He loved Toyot. He had cared for him since he was a small child.

"I don't know. Malus told us years ago that Toyot had gone to stay with another circle of dark enchanters to learn spells and skills that Malus lacked but all of this appears to be lies. Which isn't uncommon. As you know, Ramsey and I spent many years at the council house under the tutelage of enchanters from across the globe. Malus used us as ambassadors as well as spies to learn secrets others would never pass onto him. I... I didn't suspect this."

"So our sire is somehow extending his life unnaturally using our youngest brother?" Finn asked.

"It appears so. Torrin was positively giddy when he let that slip."

"We have to save him," Carter interjected.

"Yes, we do," Ramsey agreed, nodding his head. His long hair danced with the movement of his head.

"All we currently know is that Toyot is the key and is currently being held somewhere in the Helmut estate."

"So we kick down the door and storm the castle?" Finn asked with a small smirk.

(3)

"Why did you really go back?" Finn asked Izzy as she took a seat beside him. The sky was flooded with stars, small pin pricks in a dark background. A cool breeze surrounded them, the decaying flora made a crinkling sound.

"I wanted to bring Toyot back with me. But I also wanted something else," he fished around in a large pocket of his ornate robe before he pulled out something hidden in his hand. He held up his hand, letting his fingers fall away. A necklace dangled between his fingers, looped around his middle digit. A delicate silver chain that held either a large claw or a very large tooth. It was old. Small runes were carved into the bone. The edges of the carvings had yellowed and browned with age.

"It's the tooth of a dragon or so my mother told me when I was little. It was hers. She always wore it, and said it was our last family heirloom. I barely remember her face now. I can remember the words but not the sound of her voice. She disappeared when I was five. Malus told me that she left because I was a disappointment. He blamed me but he was the one who grew bored of her and decided to use her as an experiment. One day, I saw the necklace in his room and I knew she wasn't coming back. She wouldn't have left it. I know we may die, I didn't want him to have this. I... I want to give it to Eutus. And ask him to be my husband." It was hard to tell in the darkness, but Finn guessed that Izadore's cheeks were flushed. The whites of his eyes glistened in the pale light from the cabin. "Do you think he'll say yes?"

Finn barked out a laugh, her hand landing on her eldest brother's shoulder. After a moment she was able to compose herself. "Of course he is going to say yes, you idiot. He loves you more than anything. He put himself at risk multiple times from me to keep you safe." She smiled widely and wrapped her arms around his neck, "you got this. Go get your man."

Filled with courage from his sister, Izadore stood. As he turned to return to the cabin, Finn reached out and gripped his arm. He looked at her quizzically and she smiled at him again, "my only suggestion is that you take his name." With that, she let him go and Izzy walked into the cabin.

(4)

Carter watched with the largest smile on his face as Izadore asked Eutus to marry him. Izzy had attempted to get down on one knee but the moment his partner saw the necklace, he knew what was happening. Eutus tackled Izadore in a hug, screaming yes before Izzy had the chance to even get his question out. Carter and Ramsey clapped as Izzy slipped the necklace over his fiance's head, Eutus kissed every available inch of exposed skin of his future husband. Ramsey hugged them both and retreated to Finn and Carter's room to allow them some solitude. Carter also hugged them both tightly, expressing his joy of the impending union. He noticed Finn wasn't present.

"She and I spoke a little while ago," Izzy said, his large smile beginning to hurt his cheeks. "She probably went out on patrol again."

Carter smiled and excused himself to go look for Finn. He wanted to give the men some time to enjoy their joy, they had earned it.

"Love?" Carter called out through their bond but Finn didn't answer. She very rarely responded to him via their bond. He had come to accept that this was very intimate for her and chose to find her the old fashioned way. When he reached out again, this time not to speak, he waited. Slowly he began to feel what she felt, like he was falling into her skin. She was cool and damp. He knew exactly where she was.

He walked lazily to where he expected to find his mate. Weeks ago, Ramsey and Eutus had found a small cave, hidden by larger rocks and crags, sandwiched between the natural tree line and shore. In the cave was a clear, untainted pool of water. The cave structure and its stagmetes had cushioned this portion of the land from Helmut's destructive magic all of those eons ago. The small pool was perfect for washing, allowing the members of their group some privacy and hygiene.

Carter took a few moments of searching to find the entrance, the last light of the day had faded and the only light was the soft glow from the rising moon. When he found it, he placed his hands on either side of the walls to ensure he didn't slip.

The descent was minimal but the moisture from the small spring was enough to coat the rock in condensation. Carter liked the slick feeling on the pocked rock.

When he finally completed his descent, he was surprised to find that the little grotto was alight with twinkling stars. He stopped and his breath caught in his throat. He had never seen anything like it. It was magical.

"It's actually a small light spell. I focused the light points on the reflective minerals in the rock face. Gives the impression of a starry sky."

"It's beautiful. You're becoming a very imaginative enchanter."

Finn was floating in the pool. The lights from her spell danced off the water as she used her hands to keep herself both afloat and from connecting with any of the surfaces. She looked like she was swimming in the night sky. Her clothes had been discarded by the cave's entrance, she was dressed only in a small black top and black short-like underwear. Her hair floated around her like an oil spill. Her wound had closed and was only another scar now.

Carter walked farther into the cavity and came to rest at the edge of the water. He took off his boots and threw them behind him, landing in the pile of clothing his mate had discarded. He also removed his socks and pants, throwing them in the same direction. Once done, he slipped his legs only into the water of the pool, enjoying the cool embrace.

"So, Izadore asked..." Carter began but Finn disappeared under the water. After a moment, she surfaced in front of him, beads of water cascading down her face.

"He asked Eutus to marry him. Who of course agreed because he's been in love with Izzy for almost his entire life," she smirked. She reached out, grabbing his knees and pulling herself closer to the water's edge. "Did they cry?"

"There were some wet eyes. From happiness."

"Good," she smiled at him.

"Was that a cultural standard practice?" Carter asked.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"The necklace. Humans give rings, wolves mark their mates. Do enchanters give necklaces as engagement tokens?"

"I don't think it's a standard practice among enchanters but I'm not really sure. The only enchanter I ever knew who was married was Ramsey but I'm not sure if he asked Tila in any specifically cultural way. Though I believe elves also use rings in this instance." She let her hands slip off his knees and pushed herself further back in the spring, returning to floating in the sea of stars she had created.

"If I wanted to ask you, what would the correct token be?" he asked.

Finn felt her breath catch in her throat. She felt like her stomach had fallen out of her body. She took a moment to breathe and then finally said, "I'm... I'm not sure. I had never considered the possibility that someone would ask me that question." She pushed herself under the water again and when she broke the surface, she returned to Carter. She used his knees to pull herself out of the water, her wet body fell against him. He wrapped his arms around her.

"But don't ask me. At least, not yet," and with that she kissed him. She reached up and pushed her wet hand gently through his hair, gripped the long locks and pulled him into her face more. She opened her mouth to let her tongue slide over his lips. He responded to her touch, kissing her deeply, their tongues lightly caressing each other.

After a moment, Finn pulled herself off of Carter. She stood, the water came almost to her groin. Carter reached for her and she roughly pushed him back, his elbows sunk into the sandy dirt of the grotto. She smiled as she loomed over him. Finn reached out her hand, elongating one nail. She carefully ripped the front of Carter's shirt, the new halves falling away to reveal his sculpted stomach. She kissed his chest and began to kiss her way down his stomach. With her other hand, she reached and caressed the outside of his boxers. Carter tipped his head back and let out a soft moan.

Finn used her hips to push herself between Carter's legs. She continued to kiss his stomach, very slowly making her way between his legs. When she reached his lower abdomen, she turned her eyes up to him. He was breathlessly expectant, his eyes begged her for release. She smirked while pulling the fabric of his boxes out of the way, his throbbing erection freed from its cotton prison. She positioned her head in his lap, gently grabbed his cock and slid her tongue from the tip to the base.

He moaned out, "fuck..." as she returned to his tip, encircling her tongue around the head of his cock. She tasted the cowper's fluid that had begun to leak from him. She took all of him into her mouth. Carter groaned with pleasure as he pushed himself deeper into her throat. She released him after a moment to catch her breath. She kissed the side of his shaft before taking it back into her mouth. She began to move up and down in a steady motion. His muscles tensed and released as she sucked and kissed him.

He grunted again. He gently pulled her face away from his throbbing manhood. He smiled at her, "if you keep up this pace, I'm going to cum."

"I know," she purred.

"Yes but I'm not ready for this to end," he growled.

She placed her hand on his chest and pushed him into the sandy dirt as she climbed onto him, her feet still in the cool water of the grotto. She straddled him, trapping his cock between his body and her covered genitals, pushing herself urgently against his hard member. She slowly began to grind herself into him, moaning softly as she did.

"Are you... uhhh," Carter grunted, "just going to keep teasing me?"

"I think..." she said breathlessly, "that I am teasing both of us."

Carter gripped her waist and flipped her onto all fours in one motion, his legs in the water of the pool. He was pressed against her back, his breath warm on her cool skin. He kept a tight hold on her as he reached with his free hand into her underwear and began to stroke her clit. He pushed his cock into her underwear, grunting as he rubbed her. His fingers were rough and calloused from their training, he slipped his middle finger inside of her, coating it in her wetness. He rubbed her gently, not wanting to cause any painful friction. She pushed herself into him as she moaned.

He kissed her neck and ear, whispering, "tell me when you're close."

He used his palm to massage her clit as he slid his fingers in and out of her in a steady motion. Finn grunted and shook under him. He continued to kiss her. Her back, her neck. Her intimate gasps becoming more urgent.

"I'm almost there."

"Good," he said in a husky voice and removed his fingers from inside of her. He grabbed her underwear and pulled them down, shoving his cock into her sopping cunt. They both moaned. Carted began to move himself in and out of her in a hurried motion, the rising of his pleasure nearing its climax. Finn was pushed hard into the sandy dirt of the grotto as she reached her hand to her own pleasure and began to stimulate herself along with him.

"Wait..." she said.

"I'm... not sure I can," he said, kissing her neck.

Moaning again, Carter slid out of her. Finn grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. Surprised, he fell into the sandy floor. She quickly flipped him and straddled him, positioning herself on his ready to burst cock and slowly pulled him into herself. He tipped his head back and moaned as he gripped her hips. She began to rise and fall on his member, both expressing their pleasure.

She lowered herself, kissing his ear and whispered breathlessly, "I want you to mark me again when you cum."

The words lit a fire in him as he pulled her hard down on him. He kissed her neck and collarbone, where he had marked her months ago. She kissed his ear and bit down on the mark she had left him during their first mating. Finn climaxed as Carter's blood filled her mouth, her eyes turning black.

Carter felt Finn's pleasure as she pulsated on his cock. He couldn't hold back any more and grabbed her tightly in his arms and marked her again, on the same spot. He came immediately, crying out her name with his mouth around her shoulder.

They stayed intertwined for some time, breathing heavily. Slowly Finn began to slip into sleep on top of her mate. He kissed her and with some effort managed to get both of them standing. He pulled her discarded sweater over her head.

"If we sleep here, the boys will be worried. Come on, I'll carry you."

He dressed quickly. Carter lowered himself to allow his mate to jump onto his back. He carried her and the remainder of their clothes back to the old cabin.