Page 72 of Destined Paranormals: Volume One

“What about me?” I asked.

“What important things about you should I know?”

Ah yes, now we’d gotten back to me. This was where I needed to tell him all about my secrets.

“Well, let’s see.” I tried to make it sound like I didn’t really know what to mention. “Oh, something that perhaps you don’t know about fae. Sound good?”

“Absolutely. What is it because I know exactly nothing about fae other than you have magical powers and live in a whole other realm.”

I chuckled with Oscar. True. We were here more than I think other paranormals realized, but we weren’t nearly as numerous as the ones who were from this realm.

“We usually meet our mates young, we tend to have some number of children—on average three to five—and we don’t date until we meet our mates.” There. Did that work? Would that explain things well enough for him?

“You don’t date? At all?”

I tilted my hand back and forth. “Some do, but it’s incredibly rare. Most of us don’t date or have any sort of relationship until we meet our mates. It’s very rare that we haven’t met our mate by midthirties at the very latest. Most of our mates are found in other villages unless we’re one of the few that have been chosen to come here.

“No relationships. Nothing of that sort at all. No dates, no kisses, no sex, nothing.”

“No sex? Never?”

I shook my head.

“Anything?”

Another shake of my head. Oscar’s eyes widened.

“Is that an issue for you?” I asked. It would hurt if it was. Sure, I wasn’t going to be the best he’d ever had, but I could learn. I knew how it worked, and I knew how to please him if he only gave me the chance. But in practice, I’d never done anything of the sort.”

“Not even a hand job?”

“Absolutely nothing. You will be my first, my only. Is that a problem?”

Oscar’s mouth opened and closed for a few moments before he shook his head. “Are you serious?”

“I am, but you seem as if this is a problem for you. I cannot change it at this point. I was brought here because my mate is here and there was a need for my services at the council store.”

Oscar’s mouth continued to open and close. “No, I just…I feel bad.”

I raised an eyebrow at him in question. “Why?”

“Because you’re stuck with me. I already felt bad about that, but now I feel extra bad. I had two…you know, before I was sold. I don’t really count what they did to us, but it still happened.”

I moved on the couch to where I was sitting in the middle and could reach him. I took his hands in mine, bringing them up to my mouth and kissing the backs of both. “I am not nor would I ever be upset about what happened to you beyond that they did despicable things to you and others. No person should ever be subjected to what you have gone through. Ever. There’s no reason or excuse for things of that nature.”

“Thank you. I should be okay. For when we do…”

It took me a moment to realize what he was referring to.

“Oh. You mean sex. When we claim each other?”

“Yeah. I don’t have any type of fear around you, and I haven’t from the very beginning. Not that I don’t think you couldn’t hurt me because you probably could, even without the use of magic. You’re at least fifty pounds heavier than I am and about eight inches taller. I’d say you could do what you want, if you were of a mind.”

I shook my head. “I’m not. We’ll go at your pace, as I said before. When you’re ready, it’ll happen, and not a moment before.”

And I would. I would wait for my mate to be ready. He deserved no less than that.

Chapter 6