“So they’ll just keep popping up?” Avery asked, head tilted a lot like his mate as he studied the designs. “Do you control how many there are, or does it depend on the magic level or something?”
Peri’s cheeks turned pink as he explained, “No, nothing like that. They’re a manifestation of my feelings. They’ll keep appearing until they match how I feel about him. Friends can get soul blooms too, usually just a couple to show affection. Mates get more…”
Wash grinned and winked at Peri’s embarrassment. He didn’t need to be embarrassed, but Wash got the feeling by his reaction that a lot more blooms were headed his way. His mate didn’t hide his feelings, and he’d be surprised if both arms weren’t covered by the end of the week.
“What about demons? Do they mark their mates?” Avery asked curiously, then grimaced. “Sorry. Author habit. You don’t have to answer that.”
Ozen took up the explanation, his smile indulgent, like it wasn’t the first time Avery had asked potentially awkward questions to supes because humans weren’t taught the basic facts about their neighbors.
“Demons have bonding rituals, and there’s blood sharing involved. Our species are genetically cousins, so it would be similar to what you and I did. Just with a lot more ritual involved.”
Wash winced at the thought. Not only because he didn't think his parents would put in that kind of effort for him, mated or not, but also because there was one difference between demon and incubi matings that made Wash uncomfortable to take part.
“You… You don’t want to?” Peri asked, his voice tinged with hurt.
Wash rushed to explain himself, not wanting Peri to think for even a second he didn’t want him. “It’s not that. I just… Demon matings leave a mark. A sigil. You’re gorgeous, and the idea of marking your skin like that bothers me.”
Especially considering the outer ring of that sigil was always made by teeth marks. He’d seen the mark his mom made on his dad. It wasn’t pretty like the soul blooms. It looked a little like a cattle brand to him as a kid.
“My cousin felt the same way,” Ozen commented, lifting his glass when the waiter came by to refill it.
All eyes swung to him, and even Wash was curious to hear more. It was Avery who prodded him to explain. “Who? I don’t remember you mentioning that before.”
Ozen waved that away, his expression thoughtful. “They were bonded before I met you, firefly. My cousin Xander mated to a moon rabbit shifter. He was so worried about marking such a sweet and gentle man that it took him six months after they already knew they were mates for him to finally agree to it.”
“What’d he do?” Wash found himself asking, despite not normally being interested in things like this. It felt a lot like gossip.
“He marked him in a spot where no one but him could see it and put a ring on his finger instead.”
Wash’s face screwed up in confusion, so Avery explained, “It’s a human custom. They don’t bite their mates or have magic to mark them, so they wear bands on their left ring fingers as a symbol that they’re taken and in love.”
Peri bouncing in his seat made Wash smirk, raising an eyebrow at the excitable fairy. “You like that idea?”
“I like any idea that tells the world I’m yours. I would be fine with a mating mark like everyone else, but if it makes you uncomfortable, I don’t want to force you.”
Honestly, Wash was torn about it. On a primal level, his instincts screamed at him to mark his mate so everyone knew that Peri was his. Seeing his sigil on Peri’s skin fed that possessive side of him that he tried to keep reined in. But on an emotional level, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stomach marking that pretty skin. Peri was gorgeous, flawless porcelain skin unmarked by a single scar or blemish. Believe him, he looked. The thought of a sigil marring any of that perfection that made his stomach twist
Peri’s hand squeezed his, drawing his attention back to those crystal blue eyes and the smile that made him feel like he couldconquer anything. “We don’t have to decide now. It’s okay if you want to wait.”
He didn’t want to wait, though. Peri was everything he’d ever wanted, and he’d claimed Wash before either of them even knew they were mates. Wash didn’t want to take that away from him. He deserved the same kind of devotion.
He thought about it all through dinner. Surprisingly, he didn’t hate having Ozen and Avery nearby. They weren’t intrusive and eventually slipped into their own conversation, giving him and Peri the privacy to enjoy their date in peace. It was only when they were getting ready to leave that Avery stopped Peri, a hopeful look on his face.
“Hey… Can I pick your mind later? I love the soul bloom thing. I kind of want to write a fairy as my next main character.”
Wash wasn’t even a little surprised when Peri’s eyes went bright with unshed tears. “Really?”
“Don’t let him fool you,” Ozen chuckled. “He doesn’t want to just write a fairy. He wants to write you. He’s been talking about it for a week now.”
Avery flushed bright red, shooting his mate a horrified look. “Ozen!”
Before the CEO could get the reaming he probably deserved, Peri stepped in, taking Avery’s hands and clasping them to his chest. “You want to write about me? Really? Why?”
Sheepishly, Avery explained, “Because you’re adorable, and I love a good grumpy/sunshine romance. It’s okay if you don’t want me to. I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable–”
“Yes! Yes! I want that! Can I read it first? I promise not to tell anyone.”
Avery’s shoulders came down, and his smile became more natural as he promised, “You can actually be my beta reader, if you want. You can make sure I have all the nuances correct.”