His Lover, My Mate

Thirty-Seven: Her Claim

Thought the gif was adorable for the ending.

Oh and many of you said Rush should mark Aletha. But he already did. In chapter three, he'd marked her permanently. Even when Lucien marked her again, Rush's mark never faded away. Lucien's, however, faded after just days. 

Anyway, I'm sooooo sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been busy with lots of paperwork and research but couldn't have done it without my professors (honestly, they're some of the most amazing people). I haven't had any time lately to stay up to par with everything. And what do you know, I've logged into all my social media today and the first thing I see is that Kylie Jenner's pregnant, followed by all the grave disasters happening in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbeans. Way to prioritize, social media. Just way to go.

I'm praying for those who have been hit by these natural disasters or who have family that have. Also those in Texas and Florida, stay strong! I have family down in Texas and they're going through some major shit because of the hurricane. Give these folks lots of love you guys, they sure as hell deserve it! 

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*Rush*

It was a stormy night in the middle of the ocean when his mother had sailed on a ship to return to the lands of Castira, her homeland. She was in a hurry, as her bulging stomach carried two sons. Kellhum she'd named her firstborn. Rushika, she'd named the other.

Two sons. One carried the magic of his father while the other carried only emptiness.

As the storms raged the sea, the shadow of his father finally materialized before his lover. His lover had both her babes on her breasts, and upon his arrival, she'd given him both her sons. But it took one glance for Malice to shake his head. "No," he'd told her. "Keep my bastard sons."

She didn't know why he'd left her alone with two sons. She'd been devastated for days and nights on the ship. Her mind had gone insane, just thinking of reasons why her lover didn't want her or his sons. Why didn't he offer her marriage and make her his queen? Why didn't he legitimize his sons? Why?

All Rush knew next was a trapped room and his wet nurse feeding him day by day. He didn't see his mother since he'd been brought back from the ship into Castira. He didn't know how she looked as he grew older. He didn't know the sound of her voice. All he knew was that he'd looked just like her, because his wet nurse said so.

Silver eyes and night black hair.

But his mother hated him the most. He looked like her, the failure lover who was denied by her lover. Rush looked like her, so he was also a failure. He would grow up to be a failure and he would eventually fall into an eternal slumber as a failure.

It was when he had just turned ten when he first saw his mother. He thought she was beautiful yet very carnal. She had been naked with other naked males. And when she threw open his doors, their eyes met for the first time. He thought she was momentarily beguiled.

Then she snarled and ordered her men to burn him on a pyre.

"You need to die!" she kept screaming. "Die, die, die!"

And he kept burning. On and on. His screams turned into coughs. His skin melted off. His bones turned to char. And when the night had faded away, his ashes remained on the ground.

He should have died that night. In theory, immortal vampires died when they were burned to ashes, as their souls were pierced. But his wet nurse kept his soul. She'd been his soulkeeper. And day by day, she'd regenerated him. She'd cut her wrists and spilled her blood over the ashes of his body, praying that he come alive again.