“I’m sorry, baby, it will go away soon,” he says in worry. “It’s my mark.”
Mark, what mark? I look down again but can’t see anything except his hands. The burning is still there, as if a torch is slowly burning at my flesh, but there is also a type of tingling which runs across my flesh. “What is happening?” He said it’s his mark, but that means nothing to me.
He inclines his head towards his shoulder and upper arm. “See this tattoo?” At my nod, he continues. “It’s not a tattoo. Elementals are all born with unique marks. This is mine.” He grunts as he raises his hand slightly to look at my shoulder before continuing. “When we bond with our mate, she is gifted with the same mark to warn everyone that you are taken.”
“You’re saying that this burning sensation is a tattoo?” How is it possible that this is happening without anyone touching me?
“I’m sorry, baby.” I can hear real regret in his voice for the pain that I am feeling, but to be fair, it is already lessening. I never thought of getting a tattoo, but what’s one more mark on my body? At least this one is beautiful if it looks anything like his.
“It’s okay, the pain is starting to go away.” He looks at me, his eyes glowing with concern. “Is there anything else I should know?” Am I going to grow an extra ear or something? I smile imagining the silliness of my thoughts and then the smile turns to a grin.
“No, that is…” Dag starts to say as he looks at me, then he stops, his brow lifting when he sees my grin. At his look of surprise, I can’t help myself, and let a giggle escape. The sound surprises me more than him. I can’t remember the last time I laughed or found anything amusing.
“I’m glad this makes you happy. I thought it would upset you,” he says in relief.
Shaking my head, I look down at my shoulder as he lifts his hands, gasping as I see the beautiful symbols appearing on my skin, “Oh my! How is that possible?” How can such intricate artwork appear in just a couple of minutes? Raising my hand, I stroke over the tattoo, gently surprised to feel the skin slightly raised.
“Are you still in pain?” Dag asks as he strokes my cheek.
“It’s going away,” I murmur as I continue to look at my shoulder, still in shock at how something like this is possible.
“I’m glad you’re not upset. I know that having a mark like this isn’t something that women would wait impatiently for.” His eyes are on my mark and even though he seems genuinely remorseful about the fact that I got his mark in this way; there is also a tone of possessiveness underlying his words. “You are mine, there is nothing anyone can do to change that.”
His eyes snap up to mine. There is no doubt about the commitment in his eyes, and promise in his voice. I wish that I could agree with him and live this life that he thinks we are going to have. The thought of leaving him already turns my stomach, and I know that I will be heartbroken over the fact that I finally found a life that could make me happy, and now I have to leave.
He says there is nothing anyone can do, but what if that someone is me, what if I am the one that will change the fact that we will not stay together? “Thank you.” My whispered words have him frowning.
“For what?”
“Thank you for helping me, and showing me that life has a good side too.”
His lips widen in a smile, making my heart tighten at the fact that he is being so good to me, wanting to make a life with me even by ignoring the danger I bring to everyone just to keep me safe. I know that by leaving, I will be signing my death warrant because if the Desperados find me, they will definitely end my life, after they make me pay for taking the ledger and running away.
I need to bide my time and form a plan, but I need to make haste because the Desperados won’t wait to attack.