Total pages in book: 14
Estimated words: 12431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 62(@200wpm)___ 50(@250wpm)___ 41(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 12431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 62(@200wpm)___ 50(@250wpm)___ 41(@300wpm)
I focused my energy on the dirt in my hand. It warmed and vibrated against my palm as its color turned from black to rich brown. A tiny leaf peeked through and within seconds, a stalk stretched towards the sky. Pods sprouted and filled with beans. Soon, the plant was fully grown and mature.
I turned my attention from the vegetation in my hand to Jersey’s face, which had grown pale. His jaw hung open and he shook from his shoulders to his knees. I dropped the plant and stepped forward just as they buckled.
Jersey
“Breathe,” a sweet, quiet voice repeated from somewhere above me. A hand slowly stroked up and down my back as I blinked my eyes back into focus. I was on the ground, though I didn’t remember sitting down, and my head was bowed towards my knees. Did I pass out? I’d never done so before. I also didn’t remember losing consciousness, but I suppose I wouldn’t.
The reason why I was struggling came rushing back to me. I’d witnessed Timber bringing a clump of dead dirt back to life with nothing but his hands. And what was he saying about being a god? My whole life, I assumed that was the stuff of legends and fairytales. But I couldn’t deny what I saw.
I wanted to ask him to explain everything to me, to help me understand what I saw and what it all meant. But the only sentence my muddled mind could form was, “What the fuck was that?” Not exactly eloquent, but it got my point across.
Timber sat cross-legged in front of me, and gave me a soft smile. “I’m sorry for springing it on you like that, but I thought the best way to prove myself was to show you instead of just telling you.”
He wasn’t wrong, but my mind wasn’t ready for all of that at once. “Now that I’ve seen, can you tell me again, and maybe…go slower this time?”
“Of course.” His pretty hazel eyes held contact as he explained, “Like I said, my mother is Chloris, the goddess of plants and new life. She lives in the Elysian Fields, a place beyond this earth, full of remarkable beauty and abundance. My mother has often traveled to this world, experiencing the wonders it has to offer. Her devotion to ‘new life’ doesn’t just relate to foliage; she joined with many men throughout the years, bearing their children and growing her family.”
“So your dad is…?”
“Human,” he shrugged, and it boggled my mind it even had to be questioned. “But I don’t know him, and I’m sure he’s not aware of my existence or her identity. My mother met him with purpose, and there was no relationship or love between them.”
“But that’s not what you’re looking for?” I asked hopefully. I wasn’t a stranger to hookups, but the thought of just being a notch in Timber’s belt broke my heart. I had a deep, gnawing need to get closer to him.
“No,” he answered quickly, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “I came to Earth for specific purposes as well, and one of them was to find my mate. You see, every god and demigod are granted a mate by Fate. This person is their perfect match who completes them in every way. Once they meet, the demigod devotes their life to their mate’s happiness, safety, and fulfillment. They will never desire another, and will love their mate boundlessly for all time.”
“All time?”
“Yes. Demigods have the immortal properties of their godly parents. And when they bond, that passes onto their mate as well, since they cannot survive without one another. When the pair bonds, their lifelines and souls intertwine. They truly become one.”
“And…your mate…that is me? But how do you know? We just met.”
“I knew before we met. When you were driving towards my home, I felt a shift in the air. I knew you were going to change my life. And when you stepped out of your truck and I laid eyes on you for the first time, I knew from the depths of my soul that you were my forever. I know it is different for humans; the instinct isn’t as strong. But I’m sure you’ve felt the pull between us; an indescribable need to be close.”
“I have,” I admitted. The way he was talking, there wasn’t any use playing hard to get. “But wait…what about your mom?” Timber’s eyes widened and I snickered at how strange that had to sound. “You said that once a mate is found, you can’t desire anyone else, but she had kids with different guys.”
“She did, but that was before she met her mate. Since they got together, he has been her world and she, along with all of those children, have been his. He loves us, and their worlds are completely intertwined, just as ours will be. I’m here to help, support, and love you.”