"What is Athair?"
Colton paused. "It's sort of like an uncle, only more. If anything happens to us, he'll be there to protect her and make sure nothing happens to her. Among paranormals, the child's father chooses the Athair, someone they trust above all others," he explained.
"In the human world we call that a godfather. I wish you'd asked me about it first, she has uncles on my side, you know."
"You couldn't ask for a better Athair than Aiden. He hasn't known her long and he would already tear the world apart for her, of course, he's a huge marshmallow when it comes to the softer sex, but don't tell him I said that."
Rheia smiled. "Your secret is safe with me. So, what did you all do today?" she asked.
Colton eyed her carefully. "I thought you didn't want to know."
"I didn't, not until I saw how relieved everyone was that I didn't want to know. So now I want to know."
"I will tell you, I promise, but how about six months from now?" he said trying to negotiate.
"Why six months from now?"
"Because by then you'll be head over heels in love with me and you will be less apt to cut off pieces of me we both may need later."
Rheia sighed; she knew it had been dangerous. "Did she have fun?"
Colton nodded his breaking out into a huge smile. "She is something else! She outsmarted three units! She's like a tiny master ninja. She's great at hiding and stealth."
"It's how she survived, remember?" she asked gently.
She watched as all the color drained from his face. "Oh, Gods! You don't think we traumatized her, do you? I'm such an idiot!" His voice grew more panicky.
"She's fine. She was happy, smiling and dancing around. Whatever you did helped." She rested both hands on his chest; she could feel his heart beating wildly. You couldn't fake this. He was genuinely upset he might have hurt Penny.
"Meryn said that when you find your mate, it's like your defenses come down, but that it's okay, because your mate's defenses are down as well and it helps for your souls to meet. She said that's why it's so easy to fall in love so quickly, because there's nothing left to hide."
Colton nodded slowly. "Sounds about right."
"What do you think it's like?"
"I asked my dad the same thing when I was younger. I was obsessed with finding my mate. He would laugh and say I would find you when I was ready. But I still remember what he said. He said that finding your mate is like buying a new pair of shoes."
Rheia wrinkled up her nose. "Shoes?"
Colton leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose. She blushed and he laughed. "Yes, now hush. He said it was like buying a new pair of shoes, you get the excitement of having something new, something you've always wanted. Normally when you buy a pair of shoes, it's bittersweet. They're new, but you have to break them in, and that can be painful. He said mating is like finding a pair of new shoes that go with everything and you never have to break them in. They're the most comfortable things you have ever worn, fit perfectly and because they go with everything you never have to look for another pair of shoes again."
"Sounds lovely. I hate new shoes," Rheia admitted.
"Me, too. That's why paranormal males are so protective of their mates; we only get one perfect fit. It's also why matings tend to develop rapidly. If you have the perfect pair of shoes, why waste time on another pair?" He leaned down and ran the tip of his nose up and down the side of her neck.
"Because sometimes change is scary. You want to keep wearing your old pair of shoes, because, even if they don't fit quite right, you know what to expect. Because nothing is worse than building up your hopes and dreams thinking you found the perfect pair of shoes, only for them to give you a blister." Rheia fisted Colton's shirt in both hands.
Colton stepped back and cupped her face with both of his hands. "I can't promise you I'll never cause you a blister, but if I rub you the wrong way, tell me and I'll stop before I cause you any more pain. Then I'll carry you until you're better."
Rheia felt tears running down her cheeks and realized it was because she was crying. Meryn was right, there were moments when your souls really did touch.
Colton wiped away her tears with his thumbs and slowly leaned forward. She knew he was giving her every opportunity to turn away, but she couldn't. If he didn't kiss her in the next couple of seconds, her lungs would forget how to breathe.
When his lips finally touched hers she expected him to devour her, but he didn't. Ever so gently he nipped, nibbled and kissed her lower lip, from one side to the other. Then he started on her upper lip. Always teasing, never demanding, she soon found herself frustrated. She wanted more. Reaching up she buried both hands in his hair and pulled his face closer. She forced his mouth to open and she took what she wanted. She found his tongue and slid hers alongside it.
Groaning, he wrapped his arms around her, welding their bodies together. She could feel his arousal and her knees almost gave out. It had been so long since she could just give in, too long since she had been with someone she trusted completely. In that moment, she realized she did trust him. She may not know him completely, but she did trust him, with her daughter, with her body and even her heart.
She stepped away, breaking their kiss, both of them breathing hard. When she looked up, she was startled to see his normally green eyes were yellow. When he grinned, his canines peeked out from under his lip, giving him a devilish look.