A/N: Long Chapter Alert! I didn't know where to stop. Ha! Enjoy it little bees! Love and feedback is always appreciated!

Catijan language key:

Dejaino [Deh-zhay-noh]- Soul mate/husband

Dejaina [Deh-zhay-nah]- Soul mate/wife

Kue [Q-ay] warrior

Idome [Ee-doh-may] - idiot

Asarak Rotelinjo [Ah-zah-rahk Roh -tel-leen-ho] Demon Annihilator (male)

De'mujo [Deh-moo-zhoh] Demon

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I should have known ...I've dreamed of him too many times not to know.

I met him once before when I was a small child. His family is the oldest Mercatijan bloodline, they have four sons, who are the strongest kues of the Mercatijans and are the reason why everyone is so well protected from de'mujos. Three of the four sons have all been bonded for centuries except for Darius.

When my sisters were of age to bond, my parents took us to see the Rekeseaus. In recent centuries, it has become a tradition for the Rekeseaus to invite any unbound Mercatijan women to their compound in hopes one of them would be the dejaina of the oldest Rekeseau son.

My sisters begged our parents not to go, no one wants to be the dejaina of the Asarak Rotelinjo, the Mercatija's deadliest ancient kue. His dark and deadly features scared most women away.

But he didn't scare me.

While my family was speaking with the Matriarch and Patriarch of the Rekeseaus, I decided to sneak away and explore their home. Before I left the room, I saw Darius sitting alone in the corner. His arms were crossed and his face was in a permanent scowl that looked to be there for centuries.

I mean, he was probably at least four hundred years old at the time. But his angry glare didn't frighten me, I just skipped over to him determined to turn his frown upside down.

I climbed in his lap and proceeded to rearrange his face to my mother's horror. She quickly ran over to me and grabbed me from his lap ushering apologies.

We left quickly after that, but I swear to this day when I looked back at him, he smiled at me. No one believes me, because as the rumors go; Darius hasn't smiled since he was a child and that was centuries ago.

"JAZMINE!" Draina screamed bursting through my door the next morning. I am still awake, still staring into my pillow, wondering why my dejaino had to find me last night.

"What, Draina?" I sighed, pulling the pillow off my face to see her excited self bouncing in my doorway.

"You have a visitor!" She beamed and I sighed trying to formulate a plan in my mind of how to get out of here before anyone notices.

"It's Darius, isn't it?"

"Yes! How did you know?" She asked frowning at me, tilting her head to the side like she does when she's confused or dumbfounded which is pretty much all the time, nowadays. Well at least he didn't blurt the news to everyone yet.

"Just a feeling. Let me get dressed and I'll be down in a minute." I said feigning a smile she nodded excitedly closing the door. I quickly threw on some clothes, grabbed my backpack, and climbed out my window making sure no one sees me from the living room as I make my escape.

I snuck around the back of the house and made my way into the forest. There is no way I am going to talk to him in front of my family and have him blurt the news that he is my dejaino. No, no way. I am not ready for this kind of thing. Fuck! Why did he have to find me?!

"Where are you going?" I heard his husky voice rumble with a hint of amusement as I walked straight into his hard chest.

"I'm going for a walk." I said trying to move around him but he won't let me pass.

"By yourself in the woods, again? That doesn't seem safe to me." He said blocking me from moving around him. I sighed looking up at his beautiful annoying face and glared.

He is not going to come waltzing in my life, say that he's my dejaino and think I'm going to bend to his every command.

"I've been doing this for a long time, way before you were around. I'm perfectly fine, Darius. Move." I growled pushing at his unforgiving chest, my God it's hard.

I used my powers to find the largest boulder I can feel and shoved it forcefully into his side. He lost focus on me and used air to put the boulder back in place, but I was long gone by the time his attention was back on me. I laughed skipping away continuing my pursuit through the forest.

Such a complete moron, I smiled, and screamed as a thick root quickly lifted from the ground. I tripped over it falling face first into the ground. I rolled over and glared at Darius standing above me

"That wasn't funny." I growled at the amused look on his face.

"Payback for the boulder." He shrugged leaning down to help me up.

"I'm fine!" I snapped pushing his arms away from me and getting up on my own.

"I was just trying to help, Jazmine. Do you mind if I walk with you?" He asked as I glared at him brushing off the dirt and leaves covering my shirt.

"If it will satisfy your domineering needs, be my guest." I sighed in annoyance walking off

"My domineering needs? What's that supposed to mean?" He asked a hint of laughter in his gruff voice as he followed behind me, a little too close for my liking.

"Your need to control," I smirked, "I'm not stupid Darius. You're an ancient kue, and I will not be controlled. I won't bend to your commands. I am an independent woman and I intend to stay that way. " I said quickening my pace to put some distance between us.

"If I wanted to control you Jazmine, I could've bound you to me last night." He said dryly, closing the gap I made with a few long strides to catch up to me. He's so annoying.

"So why do you feel the need to walk with me? What if I want to be by myself right now?" I asked snatching a tall stick from the ground and starting up the steep hill.

"I don't trust these forests and I'd feel better if I were with you." He shrugged.

"I don't need someone to protect me and even if I did, I've walked this path many times, where were you then?" I scoffed. He looped his finger through my belt loop, tugging hard. I gasped as my back collided with his chest.

"I was looking for you; you're very hard to find, litani, keeper of my heart." He growled low against my neck. The feel of his warm breath against my skin sent butterflies fluttering against my stomach. The heady scent of pine and fresh soap on his skin made my heart thump and tingle with need.

Oh no. No. No. No.

My body is already betraying me! He is not going to get me that easily! I wet my dry lips, shrugging away from him.

"I'm even harder to bind." I grumbled continuing my pursuit up the hill.

"I'm well aware of that." He sighed and I smiled. I am detecting a hint of frustration, which is wonderful.

"Can I ask where we're going?"

"We're going to feed bears." I said putting my stick down and began climbing the side of the hill.

"Excuse me what?" He asked quickly following me.

"I'm going to feed bears. I didn't ask you to come with me so you can leave if you're too scared." I said as he laughed.

"I'm a kue, darling. Bears do not scare me." He smirked and I want to kick his smug face so hard, what an arrogant bastard. I lifted myself over the edge of the cliff, which lead to an opening of a cave dented in the side of the hill.

"And you do this by yourself? Does your father know you do this?" He asked as he pulled himself up next to me. He didn't even break a sweat on that climb. I wiped the sweat off my brow, that really shouldn't surprise me, he's the fucking Asarak. And I'm going to be stuck with this deadly war God for all eternity.

He formed a flask of water out of the air and handed it to me. I raised my eyebrow up at him, pushing it away, taking out my own flask from my bag. He shrugged making it disappear.

"Yes I do this by myself, no my father doesn't know and if you tell him, I will never bond with you." I glared at him, taking a swig of water.

"Relax, Jazmine, I won't tell anyone, but I don't like that you do this alone. This forest isn't very safe." He said looking toward the dark cave behind us.

"I haven't had any problems." I shrugged, getting up and walking into the cave.

"You are so very naïve." He grumbled producing a flame in his hand.

"Put that out! You don't need it." I hissed.

"What do you mean? You can't see a thing in here." He said as I turned around and gave him my best death stare.

"If you would open up your stupid kue eyes you would see that you don't need that damn flame, now put it out before I make this cave, cave in on you." I growled and the cave gave a dangerous shake around us. His eyes grew wide and he quickly closed his fist snuffing out the flame.

"Forgive me." He apologized bowing his head slightly. .

"Now open your eyes, idome, idiot and look around you." I huffed as the cave began to give off a soft sparkling light.

"What is it?" He asked touching the shimmering rocks.

"It's some sort of gemstone or mineral." I smiled sliding my fingers along the rocks, continuing to walk through the pebble and dirt path into the cave until it led to an opening with a small glittering pool in the center.

"Whoa, how'd you find this place?" He asked as a violent roar erupted from the corner.

Darius grabbed my arm pulling me behind him as a large brown bear stood on its hind legs in front of us. I sighed shaking my head, taking out some berries from my bag and pushing Darius' arm down.

"She's harmless." I said as I held out my hand full of berries. The bear grunted coming back down on all fours and eating the berries out of my hand.

"He's just a friend Kala." I smiled petting her head.

"This is the bear you feed?" he asked.

"Yes and her cubs." I said as two small fuzzy brown bear cubs came running up to greet us.

Kala gave a warning growl as she began to sniff Darius to make sure he was alright. He laughed petting her as she pushed him towards her two rambunctious cubs.

Well, that is a good sign Kala likes him. He might have some potential, maybe. Kala would probably like any Mercatija I brought here. That isn't enough to prove anything.

"So you named them?" He asked as I sat next to him on the edge of the small pool of water, while the cubs played at our feet.

"Yes, I know we're not supposed to name animals but I couldn't help it. Kala is the mother; the two little ones are Mako and Nila." I said putting some berries in his hand as he fed them.

"I'm sure Gaia will forgive you, how long have you been coming here?" He asked letting the cubs eat the berries out of his hands.

"I've been coming here for about six months. I went for a walk one night and found Kala caught in a bear trap with her cubs huddled around her. A pack of wolves were hovering around them, so I scared them away and helped Kala out of the trap. I healed her and helped her find this place and I've been coming ever since." I shrugged petting Mako's belly.

"And you do these things by yourself? Scaring wolves and healing bears?" He asked.

"Yes, I told you I'm independent, right Mako? Jazy can do things all by herself without a silly dejaino." I said scratching behind the cub's ears as he licked my face. I caught him staring at me out of the corner of my eye. I don't like that; he looks almost amused that I can do these things by myself.

"I don't think you need a dejaino to do this stuff." He smiled petting Nila.

"Then why do you keep asking me if I do this by myself?"

"Because not too many dejainas would. It's refreshing." He shrugged and I laughed.

"You expect me to believe that, when just back there you were saying that walking alone in the forest isn't safe." I smirked, rolling my eyes.

"I just don't trust these forests, but you would know more about it than I would. You're an Earth master."

"But you're a kue; you're a master in every element." I frowned as he nodded.

"That's true, but I don't feel the elements like you. I would've never seen the rocks in this cave the way you do. You see the Earth; I just use it as a weapon." He said looking around at the glittering gemstone a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

My heart tingled in my chest and I quickly looked away from him dumping the berries from my bag on the floor.

"Let's go." I said standing up, walking around the pool to the opposite side of the way we came in and began climbing the cave wall. I really don't care if he's following me.

I need to go home and think about this. I need him to get distracted by my family so I can think. I pushed at the ground and the rock above the cave gave way.

"Where are we going now?" He asked as we climbed through the hole. .

"I'm going home. You can leave if you want. I don't care." I said walking down the side of the hill. We were right above my house a little farther up from my usual spot but as far as we walked in the forest we were never that far from my family.

"Well I can't spend all this time with you and not introduce myself to your family as your dejaino." He said and there is a hint of laughter in his stupid sexy husky voice.

"I was afraid you were going to say that." I want to get this over with. I want the embarrassment to be over.

I opened the door to my house to find everyone sitting at the table ready to eat lunch. They turned to us with knowing smiles on their faces. I groaned inwardly. They already knew even before he had to say anything.

"Well you two were gone for a while; have a nice talk after you sneaked out Jaz?" Vienne laughed as I shrugged my bag off my shoulder.

"Yep." I said sitting down next to Draina. Not even offering Darius a seat. I don't want him here anyway.

"Darius, why don't you have a seat next to Madden and then you can tell us what we've done to be honored with a visit from the Asarak?" My mother blushed offering him the seat directly across from me.

"Sure, thank you Luna." He nodded sitting next to Madden.

"So, what brings you here?" My father asked.

"Well I came to start courting my dejaina." He said his eyes never leaving mine.

"I knew it! You all owe me twenty euros!" Isabella exclaimed excitedly as I put my head in my hands as everyone congratulated us. I don't think this is cause for celebration. This should be a sad moment, when I walk the path of submission. Say goodbye to freedom Jazmine, it's over now.

"So will you be staying here with us during your courting?" Luna asked and I pray he says no. I won't be able to breathe if he is here twenty-four seven.

"No, I'm sure my very feisty independent litani, would be very angry if I stayed. I don't live too far from here so I'll be around." He smiled at me and I grumbled some choice words under my breath, at least he won't be staying here. I have that going for me.

"You're right, you know, she spends all her time on that hill trying to figure out ways to elude her Dejaino. It's hilarious." Madden laughed as Darius' eyebrows rose in amusement.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah," he laughed, "I'm surprised you're still here you must be doing something right." He laughed as my family all started in telling stories of how I wrote a manual on how to elude a Dejaino and tried to get it published or how I have immaculate battle plans and blueprints on how to evade Dejainos.

I mean, I'm still sitting here. They could at least try not to embarrass me so much. Maybe he'll take the hint and go home and never come back.

"Well." I sighed standing up.

"Don't forget to tell him how I booby trapped the front yard, and how I've got a dejaino radar gun sitting on my window sill." I spat angrily leaving the table to march up to my room. I slammed my door hard and flopped down on my bed.

They all think it's so wonderful to have the other half of your soul, but not for me. This feels like death is upon me. I don't want to be controlled and I don't want to lose myself to him. I don't want to be like my sisters. I don't want this. I don't want to be someone's dejaina. Even if my heart is fucking aching form him.

I sighed, tears filling my eyes, rolling freely down my cheeks. A soft breeze blew through my room, drying my tears. Gaia's fingers stroked my hair to calm me.

"Don't be afraid." She whispered and I cried even harder. Why would she do this to me? I'm not ready for this. I'm not ready to bind my soul. I'm still young! I cried softly as she continued to stroke my hair trying to calm my restless heart.

"Jazmine?" I heard Darius call just outside my door. I didn't answer him. I don't understand why he hasn't left yet. He isn't wanted here. Gaia left me and blew my door open.

She is such a traitor! I turned away from the door, hugging my pillow to my face not wanting him to see me cry and certainly not wanting him in my room.

I wish he would just go away!

"Hey," he whispered sitting on my bed, "I'm leaving but I wanted to tell you before I did." He said but I didn't respond I just lay there hoping it will make him leave faster.

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow." He said kissing my head and leaving quietly shutting my door. I sighed closing my eyes as I felt someone sit on my bed and gently stroke my hair.

"I know exactly how you feel Jazy." Vienne said as I sniffed. She would know. She didn't want to bond with Shane either.

"But what do I do? I don't want this." I cried.

"You're so young, Jaz, I was ninety when Shane found me. I'm not sure why this is happening so fast for you. I thought you'd have so much more time." She sighed.

"It's inevitable isn't it?" I asked wiping my tears.

"Yes, but the good part is you're only courting for now. Being a Kue, he's really being nice about this. I've heard stories of Kues binding their Dejainas without their consent. They have more a need to bond than any other Mercatijan man. They're closer to the de'mujo parasite than anyone and Darius has been without a dejaina longer than any living kue." She explained trying to be helpful.

"I know that, but why do I have to bond with a Kue anyway? It's so unfair." I moaned.

"You must have a strong soul. Gaia knows what she's doing when she picks our soulmates. This isn't a mistake. And Jazmine, you're quite powerful at a young age that might have something to do with it. Darius is an ancient, so there must be a reason for your bonding." Vienne was really good with fate and destiny. She always believed there was a reason for everything and of course there is but this whole situation is absolutely absurd!

"Can I say no?"

"Yes, you can always say no, but you know what that means for both of you. You'll grow old and die alone and he'll become a de'mujo." She said. I know that too. I know we have to bond at some point, I can't let him become a de'mujo.

"How long is courting usually?" I asked sitting up.

"It can be as long as you want it to be. Shane and I courted for five years before I gave in." She smiled.

"Gave in...I don't want to just give in. I don't want to bind my soul to someone I'm not absolutely sure about. I-I don't want to be like Izzy and Draina." I sighed shaking my head.

"You won't be like them, Jaz. They bonded out of necessity, that's not how it usually happens." She smiled tucking my hair behind my ear.

"You know Shane and I didn't bond like that and we love each other very much. I mean, I did give in before I was sure, but he's the most important person in my world, Jaz. I've never been happier and now we're expecting twins." She smiled rubbing her protruding belly.

I know she's right but I don't know if I feel anything for Darius yet. My heart certainly recognized him right away, but that's not enough for me to want to tie my soul to him.

"It will all come together; you have to at least give him a chance to prove himself to you and you to him. Just give it time okay?" She said as I nodded.

"Ok, she said kissing my forehead, and don't be too mad at everyone. They're just really excited for you." She laughed.

"I know." I sighed smiling weakly.