A/N: Love and feedback is much appreciated! 

Catijan Language key:

Sesti [Sehs-tee] - Little one

Lunto [loon-toh] - Old man

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

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

Litani [Lee-tah-née] Keeper of my heart (female)

Kue [Q-ay] warrior

Bonus Soundtrack: Black & Yellow - Josh Vietti (during dart throwing contest)

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That night I found myself walking through a field. It was covered in a thick fog that sifted slowly around me and through the tall grass. I could barely see anything and the field was eerily quiet. No wind blowing, no crickets chirping, just silence.  My heart raced, as I pushed through the grass to figure out where I was. A large hand, shot out from the grass, grabbing my hand and pulling me forward. I tried to pull away from them but their grip tightened, forcing me to follow behind them.

"Please, let me go!" I yelled trying to yank my hand out of their tight grasp.

"No, m've sesti, not when I'm so close to finding you." I heard a deep raspy voice rumble.

"Who...who are you?" I asked and a face appeared in the fog. He had chocolate skin just like me, short dark brown hair and crimson red eyes. He smiled a toothy grin, his sharp canines dripping with blood.

"I'm Sol and I'm going to find you." He grinned as I shot up from my bed choking out a scream as tears rolled down my cheeks.

That is the first time I have ever dreamed of Sol.

He is the king of the de'mujos; he used to be a Mercatijan. There is a story that he and his dejaina were the first Mercatijans to bond, but she was murdered by humans and he was so heartbroken that he became a de'mujo, a demon, and began infecting Mercatijans and humans in a blind rage. And so began the de'mujo parasite.

I took a deep breath calming my nerves as I shakily slid out of my bed. I slowly walked to my desk turning on my light and began scribbling down my dream.

I don't understand why Sol is looking for me. I shuddered at the thought of it. This dream does not make any sense with all of the other ones I've had.

There was a small knock on my window and I looked up to see Darius perched outside filling my window with his body. I yelped nearly falling over in my chair as he slowly slid the window open.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed wrapping my robe around my body as he slowly climbed through my window.

"I...felt your distress and I came to make sure you are alright." He shrugged and I can tell he's blushing from the slight red hue on his cheeks. I sighed sitting on the end of my bed, Darius following me.

"I'm fine, it was just a dream. Don't worry your overprotective dejaino mind about it." I said rolling my eyes as he chuckled softly.

"I'm only worried because you felt very scared, that's the only reason I'm here." He said as I wrapped my arms around myself, tears filling my eyes again.

"Jazmine are you alright?" He asked his knuckle grazing my chin, tilting my face to look at him. The concern in his grey eyes sent a tingle straight to my heart urging me to tell him.

"I-I dreamed of Sol, he said he's looking for me." I shuddered biting my lip to stop it from trembling.

"Do you know where you were in your dream?" He asked and I shook my head.

"We were in a field but there was too much fog, I couldn't see very much." I said as he sighed in relief.

"He doesn't know where you are. Have you ever dreamed of him before?"

"No, this is the first time." I said as he nodded.

"There's nothing to worry about, but if you keep having these dreams and you start to see things that are familiar to you, you need to tell me because it means Sol is getting closer, although I'm not sure why he would be hunting you." He said as I nodded.

"I don't know either, but it really scared me," I sighed, "thank you for coming to check on me, I'm sorry for being so rude to you earlier. I'm not used to this and I'm not sure I ever will be." I blushed. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as his thumb gently caressed my lips.

"You don't need to apologize. My duty is to protect you, even if you don't want me to." He said and butterflies punched against my stomach and my mouth went dry at the heat in his dark eyes.

"Well! I feel safe now." I said standing up, hating that my voice came out dry and hoarse.

"And you are trying to tell me to get out of your room."

"Um yes, Darius. I'd like to go back to bed now." I blushed nodding my head.

"Alright, Jazmine, sleep well. I'll see you in the morning." He said getting up and kissing my cheek. He swiftly jumped out of my window in quick blast of air. I slid the window closed and blushed as he waved to me before he disappeared into the darkness.

Darius is starting to stir up feelings inside of me that I do not want to feel. He does not act like a typical ancient Kue, at least not any of the ones I've heard about, I sighed closing my eyes hoping for a dreamless sleep.

Darius came to the door bright and early the next morning; I eyed him as I did my morning yoga on the front lawn. I am trying to clear my mind of my dream and prepare myself to spend the day with him. I'm going to try to take Vienne's advice a little. I'm going to let him prove himself to me and I will try not to be such a bitch to him.

"Good morning." He said sitting next to me and rolling on his back to lift his feet over his head, in the same position.

"Morning."

"How are you feeling after last night?" He asked.

"I feel fine; I didn't have any more freaky dreams." I said rolling back down in a sitting position.

"That's good. So what are we going to do today?" He asked and I looked at him a devilish smile creeping across my lips.

"I didn't plan anything, you're courting me remember?" I said as he gasped.

"Well I figured Miss Independent wouldn't want her domineering dejaino telling her what to do." He smirked as I shrugged.

"That doesn't mean I don't want to be courted." He just stared at me chuckling and shaking his head.

"You are really trying to drive me crazy. Alright, I'm going to take you to the festival in the village and later I'm going to make you dinner." He said and it was my turn to gasp.

"A Kue wants to go to the spring festival? And he cooks. This should be interesting."

"I'm a lot more than a kue, sesti." He said standing up holding out his hand for me to take. Well, we will just see about this, I thought taking his offered hand as he pulled me up into his chest.

I looked up at him frowning into his ancient grey eyes. His eyes are so deep and I feel like he can see right into my soul. He held me around my waist and held my chin tracing my lips with his thumb.

"You shouldn't frown so much, litani. You're much prettier when you smile." He said causing me to blush, bless my dark skin to hide my blushes. I need to keep my walls up around him or I am going to fall too fast for my own good.

"Maybe, I don't care how pretty I look to someone." I smirked pushing out of his embrace, quickly going inside to get ready. I barely heard my mother asking him if he is hungry.

I took a quick shower and actually stood in my closet wondering what I should wear. What is wrong with me? I thought grabbing a pair of jeans and one of my favorite band t-shirts. I slipped on some keds, fluffed my hair and went downstairs.

Darius was sitting in the living room talking to my father, or listening rather. My father was chattering away next to him.

I can't help the small smile that spread across my lips. I like that he's humouring him by listening to his tall tales. I felt a tingle in my heart and rubbed my chest as he looked at me.

His eyes trailed slowly over my body as if he is memorising every inch of me. I blushed crossing my arms over my chest and a small smile crossed his lips.

"Are you ready?" He asked standing from his chair and my heart stuttered finally taking in his attire for the day.

He wore a short green army jacket over a black cotton shirt that rippled over his chest hinting at the curve of his muscles. His dark denim jeans sloped nicely over his firm ass and tapered down his legs over a pair of black converse.

Oh my heart, he's too beautiful and I love a man in converse. I bit my lip, blushing nodding my head. Well, I don't need to worry about feeling attracted to my Dejaino. Dear lord I need to calm down and get it together!

"Where are you two off to?" Isabella asked as she and Paul walked into the room behind me.

"We're going to the Spring festival." I shrugged tuning around to smile at her.

"Kues do that sort of thing?" Paul asked raising an eyebrow at Darius.

"This one does." He said threading his fingers through mine. Goosebumps raced up my arm at the way his surprisingly soft fingers curled around my hand. It was as if our hands fit together like a puzzle piece. I curled my finger around his as if this is something we've always done. It feels so natural.

"So who's Five Finger Death Punch?" He asked eyeing my t-shirt as we walked down the dirt path towards the village.

"They are my favorite band, and one of the greatest bands ever." I said as he chuckled.

"I'm pretty sure the greatest bands are the Beatles or the Rolling Stones." He laughed as I looked at him and laughed.

"Yes in your time, lunto." I said as he burst out laughing and I blushed at the sound of it, it was so pure.

"You're funny, dejaina. Thank you for not letting me forget I'm much older than you."

"How old are you anyway?"

"I'm the young age of six hundred and fifteen." He sighed. Well damn, he is older than my parents, by a good two hundred years.

"You're older than my parents." I gasped as he sighed.

"I know, I remember their bonding ceremony. I'm sorry I'm so old, I hope it doesn't bother you." He said as I shrugged.

"I don't really get a choice do I? But, it doesn't bother me." I shrugged. His age isn't something I was concerned about, it's not like we physically look that different in age. Mercatijans stop aging between twenty-five and thirty, so while he's lived much longer than me, he only looks about ten years older than me.

I gasped and a bright smile burst across my face at the sight of the village. I was completely amazed by the transformation of the town. I'd only been to the spring festival one other time and it still amazes me how lively the town becomes.

The music playing everywhere and the decorations and the people in costumes, it made me feel so alive that this town would celebrate the change in seasons with such excitement. It brought out the Earth master in me.

I was absolutely ecstatic as I darted to every booth intrigued by all the items the villagers made from the earth and crafted from their bare hands. I stopped at one booth that had the most intriguing hand crafted jewellery.

Darius clasped a necklace around my neck while I spied all the beautiful jewellery. I gasped touching it, it was a beautiful tear drop amethyst stone hanging from a thinly woven hemp chain. I looked up at him my cheeks hot with a blush.

"It matches your eyes." He shrugged and walked off to another booth. What is he trying to do to me here? So far he is not what I expected but I can't let him win so easily. My heart needs to stop beating so fast.

I quickly caught up to him to see that he is engaged in a dart throwing contest. This should be interesting, I thought. I feel bad for the poor sap going against him. He has no idea that Darius is a skilled kue. He hit the mark every single time beating out five competitors.

"You could've at least given them a chance." I said as he smiled.

"I never back down from a challenge." He said as I raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, I want to take you on." I said as he chuckled.

"Jazmine, I'm skilled at this sort of thing." I ignored him signaling over the gamesmen.

"I want to challenge him." I said as the gamesmen gave me a look of surprise.

"Are you sure, Bella?" He asked.

"Oh I'm positive." I smirked as he shrugged looking at Darius who shrugged as well. The gamesmen gave me five darts and I wanted to laugh. Darius has no idea who he is messing with.

"Ladies first." He smiled gesturing to me to throw my dart. I threw my dart hitting it right on target. He looked at me shocked and I smiled, gesturing for him to go. Of course he hit his on the mark as well.

"So if I throw a dart a certain way you have to follow right?" I asked.

"Yep." He nodded as I shot my dart from under my arm still hitting the target. He laughed as he followed hitting the mark as well. He smirked looking at me.

I nodded holding up two darts throwing them at the same time hitting them both on the mark. He followed and hit the mark.

"Last one, sesti, what are you going to do?"

A devilish smile spread across my lips as I slipped the dart in my back pocket and backed away from the table.

I ran forward doing a cartwheel, back handspring and pulled the dart out of my back pocket and threw it at the target and it slammed right in the center.

I hadn't realized it but we happened to gather a crowd and they burst out in applause. Darius put his dart down and bowed down to me. I laughed when the gamesmen gave me a stuffed tiger as a prize, which I promptly gave to Darius.

"That was very impressive, Jazmine. Where did you learn to throw darts like that?" He asked as we sat in front of a fountain eating gelato.

"My Dad and I used to play all the time." I shrugged.

"Yeah but, you're good. You're better than me and I'm a trained warrior." He laughed shaking his head.

"There's a lot you don't know about this dejaina." I smirked.

"Mm, you're nothing like any Mercatijan woman I've ever met." He smiled his smokey eyes shining with a hint of pride.

"So would you like to go to my place so I can start dinner? We've been here all day." He said and I barely noticed how fast time flew. The sun was just setting over the town.

"Yeah, but they have fireworks at the end of the festival and I don't want to miss it." I whined as he laughed.

"Ah, sesti, you never hesitate to remind me of your age." He chuckled.

"Fireworks never get old no matter how old you are." I glared poking my finger into his shoulder.

"I guess so, I promise you won't miss them. I have the best place to watch fireworks."

"Alright." I sighed as he took my hand and we walked away from the center of town and towards the hills just outside of it.

As we walked up the hill towards his house I looked across the landscape and realized I can see my house from his and wondered how we never met before.

"You live so close to me, how come we've never met?" I asked.

"I'm not here very often. I just moved here a few months ago, when I realized where you were." He said as I nodded. As we were walking closer to his house two white tigers ran eagerly down the walkway to greet us.

"You have tigers?" I asked. It was very rare for a Mercatija to keep animals as pets. We usually leave them in the wild, it didn't seem right to take them from nature to make them domesticated.

"Yeah," he sighed, "I didn't want them. I saved them from poachers while I was in Africa helping with a de'mujo infestation and they followed me.

"I tried to put them back in the wild so they could find their own pack but they just kept following me around Africa. Gaia told me I would have to take care of them and they've grown on me." He smiled as they ran up to him licking and pushing at him. He kneeled down to greet them a big smile plastered on his face.

And I can't help my damn heart bursting with joy and doing that tingling thing again. I rubbed my chest as he looked up at me holding a hand over his chest.

"You need to stop doing that." I said as his tigers turned their attention on me and I couldn't help hugging them and petting them.

"I'm not the one doing it. Their names are Kai and Tai." He said as I looked up at him.

"Very clever." I said as he laughed. Kai and Tai eagerly pushed us towards the house. They are a rambunctious couple, I laughed as we walked into the house and my jaw dropped to the floor. As we walked into the foyer there is a gorgeous stainless steel kitchen with granite countertops.

The house opened up to reveal a wall of windows that showcased an amazing view of the countryside and the town below us. He is not lying when he said he has the perfect place to watch fireworks.

The living room encircled a brick fireplace with an entrance to an outside patio that had a fire pit and couches to watch the town or the countryside. I am in love with just the living room. The place is absolutely breathtaking.

"Um, would you like a tour of this place before I start dinner?" He asked a little timidly, a slight blush staining his cheeks. He's being shy now? Good lord, this place is amazing what is he so worried about?

"Uh hell yes! This house is beautiful!" I exclaimed as he let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm so glad you like it, I actually have a confession to make to you." He said as I frowned what could he possibly have to confess to me?

"What?" I asked as he took my hand again.

"I built this house for you." He said.