Chapter 53


    Lukas


    He set her back a few feet and smiled at her. “So, Lily, 1 know you have Gemma now. Do you know


    what that means?”


    She shook her head. He took her hand and led her to the couch. He sat her down, before sitting


    next to her, facing her with one one leg crossed over


    the other.


    “Gemma means you can now link without a mark.”


    “What is a link?”


    “It means you can reach out to me anytime you need me without using a phone. If you want, I can


    show you how,”


    “Is that what Kni does when she goes into my head?”


    “Not quite. Do you want me to teach you?” She nodded. “Ok. Step one. Clear your mind.” He


    waited for a moment until he could see her eyes had stopped rapidly changing emotions. “Step two,


    picture who you want to link. Her face softened and he prayed to the Goddess that she was thinking


    of him. “Step three, think of what you want to say to them. Step four, push it out towards them.


    Pretend that they are right in front of you and can hear you.”


    She closed her eyes and he felt a slight pressure in his head. It was tentative and nervous, making


    him grin like a fool knowing it was her. He let it open and immediately surrounded her link with love.


    She gasped and pulled back. He cursed at himself.


    “Lily, I’m ”


    Their link opened again as she met his eyes briefly, before she looked away.


    “You look nice today,‘ she whispered in his head.


    He wanted topliment her back, but he didn’t want to push her. She was giving him a gift and he


    already knew it was hard for her.


    “Lukas… say something, please,” she said out loud.


    He cupped her face, longing to press his lips against hers. “You did it. I’m so proud of you.‘


    She turned her face a little and pressed a small kiss against his heartbeat in his wrist. “Thank you.


    What now?


    “Anything you want. Want to watch a movie?!


    “Can we-,” she started aloud, before switching back to their link. “Can we watch a funny movie?”


    “Whatever you want. He reached out to snag the remote off of the coffee table. He handed it to her.


    ‘Pick whatever you want.”


    She looked at him slyly and a smile fleetingly crossed her face. “I chose you.”


    He sat there stunned while Gideon’s chest puffed out.


    ‘She flirted with us!,” he shouted.


    Lukas chuckled. “Calm down, buddy. Let’s just enjoy our night.”


    “Lily, may I put my arm around


    your


    shoulders?


    She nodded. “Yeah. I think that’d be ok.”


    He put his arm on the back of the couch and let his hand gently massage her shoulder. She put


    something on, but he never looked at the screen, choosing to watch her instead. He wanted to


    memorize every inch of her face. Every emotion. Every little tick or muscle movement in her face.


    She nuzzled into his side and his heart stopped. He held his breath, too afraid to do anything for


    fear she would run away.


    ‘Earth to Lukas. Are you okay?”


    He blinked and nodded. “Yeah, sorry. I just ummm-


    “You’ve been staring at me this whole time.”


    “Sorry. I just-”


    She climbed onto hisp andid her head against his chest. His heart pounded against her ear


    and she giggled.


    “Your heart. It’s so fast, she mused.


    “It always is when you’re close to me,‘ he replied before he could stop it from slipping out.


    He clenched his jaw. She pulled his arm around her and tilted her head back to look at him. Her


    fingersnded on his face and electricity coursed even stronger inside of him.


    “I’m going to miss you. I am so sorry that I need this‘


    He kissed her palm. ‘No, Lily. I’m sorry I never asked you what you needed. I’m sorry I just


    assumed that I knew better than you did about this. I don’t ever want you to be afraid to tell me


    what you need. Our rtionship is not just about me.”


    She ran her fingers over his lips and he tensed. He swallowed hard. Goddess, how he wanted to


    kiss her. She tipped his face down to look into his eyes. She raised her face and her lips met his.


    He closed his eyes to calm his need to kiss her more deeply. The pressure grew and Gideon


    pushed forward.


    ss her back, he demanded. ‘Show her that she is ours.


    She pulled away and he groaned. She picked up his hand and put it against her chest. Her heart


    was beating erratically and he touched her face.


    “Deep breaths, sweetheart. Close your eyes and count to ten. Deep breaths. Good girl. In and out.


    And again.”


    He watched her face as he continued to coax her through the panic attack. He put his arm back


    around her waist and tucked her tightly against his body, hoping the mate bond would soothe her


    more. She took his hand and turned her attention back to the tv. He put his cheek on the top of her


    head and closed his eyes. He just wanted to savur holding her for thest time. Nothing was going


    toe between them tonight. In no time he started to daze off, sinking into his mind.


    He was walking through a field of flowers, searching for her. A slight movement to his right had him


    shifting directions. She popped up behind him, sliding her fingers across his neck. Before he could


    turn around, she had disappeared again, giggling. Herughter made him smile and he changed


    direction again. Gideon rose to the surface.


    Turn around. NOW!!


    He spun and she giggled as she reached out to touch him. He eyed her face as he reached out to


    touch her, too.


    “Lily, you are so beautiful.”


    She grinned as she backed away.


    “You just want to rub my butt,” she teased.


    He stared at her. This happy Lily was all his. It never made him any less amazed, the woman she


    had grown into. She lifted her hand and a small diamond and gold band glittered in the sunlight. He


    grabbed her hand and Afted it up to his face. He rubbed his thumb over it


    “Lily, how old are you?”


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She raised an eyebrow at him, “lyhat’s wrong with you? You’re acting weird.


    “Please, tell me,”


    –


    “I’m 23.” She tilted her head. “Are you going to tell me that you forgat we’re married now, too?”


    “Married?”


    She nodded and gestured to her hand. “For 5 years now.” She raised her hand to check his


    forehead. “You don’t feel feverish Are you sure you’re okay?”


    He nodded. What the hell was going on? He knew his Lily wasn’t grown yet. He eyed the Lily in


    front of him as she twirled carelessly around, making her dress re out. Suddenly, she froze. The


    whole atmosphere shimmered and wavered in front of him.


    “She’s beautiful, Isn’t she?,” a voice he recognized came from beside him.


    He stuck his hands in his pockets. “Yes. She always was.”


    The Goddess moved towards them, slowly circling her. She stopped and looked at Lukas.


    “She will never ept you, Lukas. Let me end the mate bond and give you someone else.”


    His jaw clenched as anger seeped into his blood. “No. I told you before that I wanted her. If she


    never epts me, that’s fine with me. Nobody else will be good enough to take her ce.”


    She studied him. “Why this girl, Lukas? I could give you anybody you wanted? I could give you the


    brte you always wanted.


    blonde hair, blue eyes, but thanks for the offer


    “I could give you a woman you can made with now.”


    “Hard pass,” he responded.


    “I could make it to where you don’t remember her,” she tried geal to convince him.


    “If I can only be with her in my dreams, then so be it.”


    She walked to him to rotate around him. He hated the almost magical way she moved. It Infuriated


    him more. She stopped in front of him.


    “I will give you this dream, Lukes. You will never dream of her apata. So, make it worth it.”


    She started to fade in front of his eyes.


    “I once being your bringer of death.


    Her shimmering body snapped back inte focus. She eyed him curiously,


    “You would give up being king of kings for this girl?”


    “In a heartbeat.


    “Hmm, there is no one more capable to be the bringer of death.”


    He shrugged “That is not my problem.”


    “No, it’s not, is it? Alright, I will let you keep your bond as is. I will let you suffer for eremity without


    her by your side. When you are ready, my offer stands, She waved her hand over her shoulder.


    “Enjoy your time. This is the future you will never have.”


    She disappeared and Lily’s gigples filled the air agam. She ran back to him and threw herself into


    his arms.


    “Lukas! Come on.


    She took his hand and began to tug him across the field. She smiled over her shoulder.


    “Wanna makeve under the sunset tonight?


    He stopped moving. Did he want to make love to this Lily? She wasn’t real. He knew she was just a


    figment of his imagination. A vision the Goddess was tormenting him with. She turned to look at


    him.


    “Do you?”