Figment of Dreams
Chapter 24: Meet the in-laws

It had been over one month since Kai had asked me to be his girlfriend. Him and I were doing great. It felt strange being in my first relationship ever, and it not being Jax, but it felt also really good. Kai made me feel at ease. Like I could be myself at all times and I really appreciated that.

I had also made new friends beside Skylark, whom I adored. It happened to be Jax’ best friends: Bronn, Olive and Nexxar. Much to mister grumpy pants’ dismay, I spend most of my classes, which I didn’t share with Skylark or Kai, in their presence.

Which also meant I was around Jax a lot more. We even had lunch together whenever Kai wasn’t around. Because those two still didn’t really kick it with each other.

I also continued to work on my Paramirage skills with Oak. Whom was still very impressed by my ‘human’ Paramirage skills.

My defense class with Ash was also going strong. I had managed to at least get him down a few times and I reveled in the proud look he gave me whenever that happened. Melixes, Sebastian and their gang were still making my life miserable around every turn. Even though Sebastian kept on flirting with me whenever we were alone together. With that I meant, in our Science class, the only one we shared.

I was making progress in all my classes actually and I felt good being able to shine academically. On earth I was about to apply to college to enroll into Quantico after a few years, my goal had always been to become a FBI agent.

Yet, all my previous aspirations were gone now and I was doing some research on where I was going to go in Terra. They had some similar institutions that were Special Agent like and I was going to ask Ash in my next defense class what I would need to do to make it there.

One thing I was sure about was that I would never be a Scientist or Poison Study artist. Because those classes were a continuum of me, Sebastian and Dosch hate flirting and I was really not learning a single damn thing. At all.

Mercifully Dosch was a Poison study genius, not really surprising since he sub-ran the Moiran drug cartel: The Scorpio’s with his father, so all I had to do was show up at class and he would get us through it with his skillset. Science had never been my thing and it wasn’t Sebastian’s either. So I would most definitely not pass that class in the slightest.

Tonight I was on my way to the Neverlake restaurant. Kai’s family had invited me. I was having dinner with his parents and sister tonight.

I was so looking forward to it.

A small part of me had wanted to call in sick but I couldn’t do that to Kai.

I had seen his parents that one time when Maddox had announced the earth had been nuked and that had been it. They had not been welcoming at all, in fact they had been hostile. I knew he had three fathers though, his mother Elia, like many other Rainers was Polyamorous and that was still a weird concept to wrap my brain around.

They would all be here tonight. Including Melixes and her boyfriend Sebastian. Fun times. Yesterday in Science Class Seb had told me about the restaurant we were going to be dining in. It was so upscale that you needed to have a manual for getting through dinner. I don’t know if he was just trying to rile me up but it really didn’t help.

Kai was holding my hand as we were entering the building. Sebastian had not lied. Everything looked like it came straight from a high-end restaurant in Milan. There were several nooks and crannies were larger tables could be seated, I assumed we were heading to one of those. In the middle of the restaurant was this gigantic water fountain, which smelled nothing like the fountains back on earth. It carried this orange-like aroma, like it was actually a fruit garden covering as a water fountain.

‘Don’t be nervous, babe.’ Kai guided me through the restaurant slowly, as if he was parading me around. I got several glances from curious Rainers. It was no surprise since Kai and his family were off course Paramore’s, so the Terra version of celebrities around here.

I had indeed been correct, we were guided to the center of the restaurant, were the most expensive table was laid out. It was placed higher than the other tables by this small wooden plateau, the nook was covered in vines and it was looking like we were dining outside in a vineyard. I spotted Kai’s mother and first father who had been at Maddox Estate when Maddox had dropped the news. Kai’s mother, with her short cropped business woman hairdo and dark blue power woman suit on, did not give me much. Her dark brown eyes giving me emptiness and a slight waft of contempt as she looked me up and down. She did rise from her seat though. On her right was Kai’s first father, the one who was his biological parent. He had short cropped white hair, similar to my Animals Studies Professor Dean Sellasun. I was wondering if they were related in any way. He was a tall muscular guy, on earth he would have fitted right in with the gym buffs. His dark suit couldn’t almost contain all of him. He did give me more than his wife did, he managed to give me a small smile and a curt nod. Kai had explained he was the commander of the R.M., the Razz Moros. They were the elite of the elite of the military, kind of like SWAT was on earth. I could clearly see that Kai got his blue eyes and height from his first father and his dark hair and face shape from his mother.

On Elia’s left was a tall man, lanky with oriental features. He must be Melixes first father because the resemblance was uncanny really. Jeon Welkin, together with Elia he ran Welkin Industries. Specialized in Tech. He reached out his hand and shook mine. Which made me realize Melixes was already here, I had not seen her on the farthest side of the table, seated next to Sebastian. But hearing her cuff when seeing our hands meet, was enough to alert me of her presence. The final guest at the table was seated next to Marcus. He was extremely good looking. Resembling a modern day Brad Pitt meets an Australian farmer, with a mane of perfectly coiffed blond hair and a more casually dressed green jacket on. This must be Oz Welkin, the third father. Last one of the bondmates. Owner of a luxury hotel at the far east of Rivellin. ‘Lux, I assume.’ He said before kissing my hand. The only gentleman at the table apparently.

The tension was already high, I was seated next to Sebastian. Great. Kai was exchanging some harsh looks with his mother. Telling her to treat me a little bit nicer I assumed. Elia cleared her throat and raised her glass. ’I propose a toast. To the new… little addition to our family.’ The words were not lost on me. She was far from glad I was that addition. The disappointment obvious in her scowl and the way she was white knuckling her wine glass. Must be some very fancy, expensive glass to not be breaking under that grip. Oz decided to ignore it and said. ‘Welcome miss Elmrose.’ I nodded in thanks and took a small sip from the red wine, that went down my throat burning from the hatred seeping my way. Kai placed a caring hand on my thigh, squeezing. I opened the menu, trying to put my mind of the looks I was receiving.

‘Oh no sweetie, we don’t do menu’s here.’ Melixes mockingly drawled while letting her red painted nails slide over her wine glass. Sebastian removed his arm from behind her back. Was that a look of wariness crossing his features? Melixes eyes were big with amusement at seeing my ears redden in embarrassment. I closed the menu again, head facing down. ‘We have a set menu. It’s already placed.’ Kai explained tenderly. It would have been great had I known that and what were the menu’s doing here anyway? Meanwhile Marcus and Oz were whispering to each other at the other side of the table, while Jeon and Elia just kept on staring at me. ‘So, Lux.’ Jeon started as it became rather obvious someone had to break the ice. Or the entire permafrost that was the current ice-level at this table. A layer of sweat was starting to form between my boobs. I hoped my forehead was not breaking out. ‘Tell me, what do you like about living in Rivellin?’ it was a fair enough question. I scraped my throat, my voice came out more scratchy than I was expecting but I said. ‘I like that Rivellin seems to be a place where everyone is welcome.’ Besides in this family I thought. Melixes opened her mouth again and I could already feel what was coming. ‘The understatement of the year.’

Jeon gave her a seething look which I appreciated. ‘I’m glad you think that.’

Elia continued. ‘But do you see yourself staying here?’

I was not sure what she meant. ‘I-I don’t really have much choice.’ I added. carefully glancing towards Kai. He nodded. ‘I mean, earth is gone so…’

‘Oh yes, earth.’ Jeon said as if that only now occurred to him. ‘Never really got the appeal. I never went.’ Which was no lie. Elia had been on earth solely with Oz and Kai, or so I was told. I had never met them. Which was a crazy feat on his own, considering I had known Kai from nearly a year now.

‘I would say, got to visit it next time.’ I tried to be sarcastic but it fell on deaf man’s ears, besides Sebastian who let out a loud laugh. Making everything more awkward. I sipped from my glass again.

’I meant to say, don’t you want to go to one of the communities? Where there are more… people like you.’ With those words Elia uttered, fancy plates were dropped in front of us, with steaming pieces of fruit. Or they looked like fruit. It were pink pineapples, covered in something green and bubbly. Sebastian rubbed his hands together like it was his favorite thing in the world.

Maddox had told me about the communities; where several earth refuges were living now. basically some regions in Terra had been given to larger group of survivors. One entire spaceship filled with about one hundred People had been on holiday to Terra when earth fell, so all of them had stayed at their resort.

‘Well, I have been practically living with Rainers my whole life.’ Meaning Jax and the others. ‘So I’m not so inclined to leave just yet. I’ve also just started at Rivellin College.’ There was no point in me starting over again somewhere else right now. Even though it was clearly what Elia was wanting.

‘Right.’ she said while taking a small bite from her plate. I decided to give it a go too. It tasted not even half bad. I glanced to my side and saw that Sebastian had already finished his.

‘I think Rivellin College will manage just fine without you.’ Melixes added.

‘Melixes!’ Oz and Jeon said at the same time. ‘Manners.’ Jeon added on a dark whisper.

Kai gave his sister and angry scowl. ‘Lux is actually doing very well. Many of the Professors are already praising her good work ethic and strong grades.’

‘Glad to hear it.’ Marcus added. His voice like two stones grating. I could not read this man at all. He was like a robot.

After the first course a few more followed in quick succession. The conversation kept on going like it had done at the start. Some carefully wrapped up insults laced in questions. I did my very best to evade all of them. I got back up from the weirdest angle though, Sebastian. Which made Melixes turn green in the face more and more as the dinner continued. Kai stayed awfully diplomatic, not wanting to pick any side in any of the arguments. After the main course I had to pee, so I excused myself. Melixes did too and I had to suppress my eye roll. This would be another hooter.

Both of us crossed by the fountain and it happened in slow motion. She gave me one sneering look before she pushed me in. I splashed down in that thing like a little toddler. Every eye in the building on me. Two waiters and Kai came rushing to help me but I swatted them all away. Tears pricking my eyes.

Tears were still flowing as I was walking out of that Italian restaurant I was never revisiting. My entire body still soaking wet from my fall into that fountain. My teeth clacking. Kai had stayed behind on his mother’s orders because dessert hadn’t arrived yet. Looking at me as if I was the bad influence for wanting to skip it since I was looking like a wet rat.

It hurt me that Kai’s family had that much influence on him, because he had actually stayed instead of following me out.

At least Sebastian had seemed to feel an ounce of regret by the way he was actually crinkling his nose at his horror of a girlfriend for tripping me and making me fall into that fountain.

The night had turned into winter, which I had figured out that on this planet all seasons seemed to be jumbled up and could change at any given second. My blue dress was sticking to my body, soaking wet and I was sure I had never been that cold before.

‘Lux?’ I heard my name from behind me and I couldn’t be bothered to stop for whoever had spotted me. I needed to get somewhere warm, fast.

My dorm was still a ten minute walk away. Because… of course it was. So I scurried along like my tail was on fire and pretended I didn’t hear them.

‘Sweet cheeks, what happened?’ The voice came from Ash, which I figured out by the nickname he used, was now running towards me.

‘It’s fine-e Ash. D-don’t worry about it.’ I tried dodging him but he stayed in front of me. Worry lacing his brow.

‘W-would you stop that…!’ I could barely speak from the cold but I still managed to sound annoyed.

’Your lips are turning as blue as that little dress, so no. Which should be illegal by the way. You are going to tell me what you are doing out here, all wet and shivering.’ He put his hands firmly on my shoulders and frowned down upon me. Worry now creasing his entire face.

Feeling how cold I was, he started rubbing my arms up and down fast.

‘Melixes pushed me into the fountain at Neverlake.’ I sighed like it was not a big deal. But it was. All prominent figures from in and out of campus had been there and they had probably assumed I was shitfaced or something. Which adult falls face first in a fountain anyway? In the fanciest restaurant in town. The people next to me had been eating caviar with their lobster for crying out loud.

‘She’s such a fucking asshole.’ He grunted.

I laughed at that, teeth cackling horribly. So many people were over Melixes. She also was in Ash’s regular defense class and he always made it hard on her. I secretly loved every minute of that class, even though I was still a lot behind on everyone else. There was one other human girl in that class, who seemed to be doing worse than me. I had wanted to reach out but every time I was going to she scurried out he room like her tail was on fire.

I didn’t say anything else to Ash. He raised his eyebrows at me.

He swiftly removed his black trainer jacket and slung it over my shoulders.

‘Follow me, I have some spare clothes in my locker. You are not walking back towards your dorm looking like this!’

I rolled my eyes. ‘I’m f-fine Ash.’ Really I was not. But he was prolonging my coldness.

‘Your human ass would probably die soon from this, won’t it?’ He joked and I slapped his arm in outrage.

I followed him towards the gym. We passed by the pool, where Otto and Dexar and a few others of the swim team were still practicing. Their swim captain, Sebastian, was still smooching with the devil at Neverlake though.

Ash opened his locker and handed me some all black clothes. I smirked up at him.

I was so going to keep that hoodie.

I swear it is an universal rule, whenever a hoodie is handed to you by a guy it’s automatically yours now.

‘Get dressed, I’ll meet you outside.’ He winked and stepped out. I quickly got rid of my wet rags and put his heavenly dry clothes on, which were way too big for me. But they were cozy and dry, and smelled like Ash. It was perfect and I was grateful.

I skipped back outside. Feeling a lot better already.

‘Ready, sweet cheeks? I’ll walk you back.’ He handed me his arm like a perfect gentleman and I snorted. ‘What’s with the prince charming act, Asher?’ My mood instantly better at being near this handsome dork who always made me laugh.

‘Who me? Nah, I’m the villain of the story.’ He winked.

‘Hardly.’ A flash of Dominic Rios going through my mind at those words. Nope, Ash was far from a villain. I giggled and we started walking. ‘You think you are but I see right through all that bravado Briareve.’

He fell quiet while we walked and I took in the environment. The campus was so beautiful, surrounded by that forest. We also had the magnificent pathway illuminated by all the Fae lanterns, which were lit along the main walkway, a beautiful cobblestoned path in a light brown marble. This entire college screamed Disney meets the Hamptons, it was just a dream. Maybe it was.

‘So how’s your lessons going with Oak. He told me you were exceptional. He never talks about his students like that. I might be worried he is stealing my new favorite student.’ He added cheekily.

I must admit it made me blush. Not just the Oak part.

‘It’s going great. He is taking his time with me and I appreciate that. Unlike some others.’ I was teasing him but I knew he could take it.

He placed his hand over his heart like that had hurt him. ‘You like my rough lessons, admit it.’ He joked back but some desperation laced his words as well. He needed to hear me say that I liked his lessons.

‘Yeah, all the bruising and shit sucks though!’ I added. That made him stop dead in his tracks.

‘You bruise a lot after my classes?’ His voice dropped a few degrees.

I rolled my eyes. ‘You aren’t serious are you? Of course I am. I thought you knew.’ Since there was always a full week between our physical lessons, besides the fitness and running, he never saw me in my outfit in between. So it was possible he didn’t know. It had been just a day now. So I stopped, let go of his arm and raised my shirt to show him the bruises on my abdomen.

His eyes widened and he ran his hand through his air puffing out a breath. ’You didn’t think this was something you should have mentioned Lux? I have never trained a human before!’ He was angry with me now. Great.

‘It’s really not that big of a deal. I barely feel it.’ I covered myself back up and crossed my arms defensively. Suddenly self-conscious.

’Yeah well, barely is still too much. You shouldn’t be in pain.’

‘Paramirage hurts too you know.’

’It what?’ he yelled now. Completely worried and upset at all these revelations. I just couldn’t seem to stop my mouth from sprouting these things. ‘Yeah, it gives me the worst headaches and I don’t-’

He grabbed my arms so hard I flinched from it. Talking about Paramirage just gave me the gateway I needed to accidentally Paramirage Ash.

As I slowly opened my eyes all I could see was a stone cave like entrance in front of me. I was on some kind of rock. Wrapped in a white shirt. My head pounding. Throat as dry as the Sahara. I was not cold at least, due to the fire next to me.

I looked around slowly, didn’t find anyone. Realised I might have been trapped by fae and scrambled of the rock in a heartbeat. Taking everything on it with me. There was a knife and a torn up Telvice that came tumbling down with me.

‘Hey, hey, hey!’ A male voice hurried towards me. ‘You are going to hurt yourself!’ he yelled as I was flailing my arms around me trying to fight him off. ’It’s me! Its Ash! Stop it sweetheart, stop!’

I halted my flailing and turned around. It was indeed him. Bare chested, dirt on his forehead and his manbun in complete disarray but it was him.

I flew around his neck and hugged him tightly. I was crying from the shock of seeing him, somehow I was scared shitless.

‘It’s all right… let it all out babe. You’re safe.’

I looked around at the cave we were in and was very confused. ‘Where are we?’

‘Well… I’ve been trying to figure that out for a while now.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I think we are not in Terra anymore.’

‘How is that possible? We can’t teleport outside Rivellin. No Rainer can.’

He looked at me solemnly. ’That’s because no Rainer did. You did this.’

I chuckled at that. ‘It’s no time for jokes Ash. I’m a human. I can’t teleport.’

He looked worried as he was scanning my face. I still was not sure I was hearing this right.

He looked at his hands. ‘There are things that… you don’t know about.’

By the guilt in his voice I knew he was telling me the truth.

‘Tell me…’ I whispered. Not sure if I even want to know. But I had too. A voice was screaming in the distance to wake up. I had no clue from what though and I blocked it out.

‘I… can’t just yet…. It’s important it is told at the exact right time.’

I turned my head away at this evasive answer.

He grabbed my chin again and made me face him head on. ‘You trust me right?’

I shouldn’t but I did so I nodded.

‘Good. Because you can.’ He added for good measure.

I slapped his hand away and he shook his head.

‘What?’ I asked, eyes big with worry. Did I hurt his feelings?

‘You… you woman are going to be the end of me…’

I chuckled. ‘Why’s that exactly?’

He stepped closer to the rock I was sitting on.

‘It’s just something about you, sweet cheeks.’ His sighed and cupped my cheek. I leaned into it. Still feeling strange in this cave since I had no recollection of getting here.

It stayed silent, just the two of us glancing at each other. I swallowed and he followed my lips as I licked them.

He was on me, entirely unexpectedly, his lips over mine. Passionately. He had pulled me in his lap. I had both my hands on his naked chest and I couldn’t help but let a slow moan escape from between my lips. What was I doing? Again a voice was trying to reach me from far away.

This made him even more frantic. His hands roaming over my back, my ass. He let go of my underlip, which he had between his teeth, with a low grunt. ‘Shit. I shouldn’t have…’ still sitting in his lap, completely shocked and out of breath.

I felt my lower lip. ‘I’m bleeding. You bit me you psycho.’

Flabbergasted by this hunk of a man who just ravaged me mentally and physically I just stared at him.

His pupils all the way dilated and breathing heavily. Our noses were almost touching. Instead of apologizing he let his tongue lick up the blood specks on my lower lip and it send a woosh of lust down my lower body.

This was dangerous and something completely different.

’Welkin never did you roughly I assume.’ He chuckled while his hands were clenching both my butt cheeks. He had me pressed flush against him.

He snickered against my lips and tried to kiss me again.

That did it for me. Hearing Kai’s name had broken the spell. I fell out of his lap and hurried away from him.

Back towards that rock. I sat on it and scowled at him.

’We never had sex… yet.’ I mumbled while crossing my arms. My nibbles were as hard as two rocks, peaking through my camisole.

He laughed out loud. ‘That is not possible sweet cheeks.’ He stood up too and cleaned his pants of. He couldn’t hide the enormous hard on he had going on at the moment and he didn’t even try too.

‘How so?’ I asked.

‘No fucking Rainer can resist you. You smell too delicious to us. You are the most appealing thing on this planet to our kind. Haven’t they told you that?’

That came as a complete shock to me.

’By the look on your face they never did huh. Strange…’ he shook his head and frowned. He was genuinely surprised. ‘Oh well…we still need to find our way back.’ He came my way again and stood between my legs. His hard-on pressed against my lower belly.

I tried to ignore that. ’If he isn’t doing anything to you. I will show you something else next time we have fight classes.’

My left strap was hanging down my arm, nearly exposing my entire boob. Which the feeble camisole couldn’t really hide anyway.

His gaze lingered on me and he adjusted my strap. ‘Fuck… you make me so….’ He broke off the end of the sentence. His voice a deep murmur. He placed his forehead against mine and puffed out a long breath.

He wasn’t joking. ‘Ash… I don’t know what you want from me. I’m in a relationship.’

I let both my hands rest on his pecks again and brought them up slowly to his neck.

‘Keep touching me like that and you’ll find out soon.’ He whispered against my mouth.

‘I’m not like you Rainers, I can’t do multiple partners.’

He pecked me softly.

‘I wish you could see how amazing that could be. It’s something magical Lux. Finding your mates.’

‘I’m sure it is, but I’m human. I don’t have mates.’

Just as I he was about to answer the entire scene shifted. We were back underneath those lanterns at campus. Just staring at each other. Flustered as everything was starting to click together. ‘You… you… made that up in my mind!’ I screamed at him. He just looked my way and sheepishly smirked. ‘Well, I’m sorry but it was the both of us’ imagination sweet cheeks.’ I ran to him and slapped him across his face. He grabbed my arm, more gently than I anticipated at being assaulted by me.

‘Was any of it real?’ I whispered at him. His brows drew together when he saw my angry expression. ‘I let my mind take over and it sometimes makes things more extreme than I would have made had I been in control. You also-’ He broke of last minute. ‘It was a very strange Paramirage with you sweet cheeks. You controlled most of-’

I saw he was genuinely sorry about it but I interrupted anyway. ‘-but I… I…couldn’t snap out of it.’

My entire body was flushed. I could feel him still. Kissing and touching me. He read my mind.

‘You have quite some imagination.’

I felt my lower lip trembling. Yet it hadn’t been real. My trust was hurt.

‘I’m sorry… I guess I’ll just go.’ He just stated, nearly as flustered as I was. He turned his back on me and started walking away so I had to catch up to him quickly.

‘What am I telling Kai? Have you thought of that? You are my professor. You Paramiraged me and it wasn’t even real!’ My rambling continued until he halted in his tracks and I slammed against his back.

He growled and turned around, grabbed my face and kissed me vigorously. My body betraying me the very instant his lips brushed mine because I stepped closer, letting him kiss me. It wasn’t a short one either. It was passionate. It was raw. It was a whole kind of mood and I liked it too much to be able to forget all of this afterwards.

After a while we both snapped out of it. Breathing hard and staring at each other. ‘There, now you have two instances to tell him about.’ His pupils were dilated, still in a trance from our little Paramirage romp. That was clearly evident from his half-masted erection in his track pants.

’First you … mind fuck me. And now this?’ I squeaked.

‘Mind fuck, that’s a good one sweet cheeks.’ He chortled and continued his speed walk through the campus. ‘…and then you kiss me? What kind of fucked up thing is that!’

He growled again at that last statement. ‘You weren’t the only one that is shook up sweetheart. It has been a long time since someone has made me come in my pants. Even your imaginative self does crazy things to me.’ He confessed and left me there, completed flabbergasted at that as well.

What was I supposed to do now?

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