Page 11 of Zodiac Beasts

“Wards?” It was clear he was willing to be blunt and straight with me about absolutely anything but himself, so I tried prodding in a direction that was more general.

“Magic protection, essentially. Warlocks and witches can create barriers to keep out unwanted magic during Purnima, and many families throughout Graves use or commission them to protect their businesses from violent and undisciplined beasts. My family is no exception.”

Adrian and Marcus both seemed more like the type that people would need wards against rather than those who would want protection. Ceto was soft though.

“Is that what the other half of your bloodline is? A Warlock?”

“No.” He stated plainly, but he absolutely did not elaborate. Again, I took the hint, so I changed the subject to yet another place I thought I might get more traction.

“Well, speaking of your family, I’ve been working here for almost two whole months now, and I still haven’t met any of them. You said your parents still make a lot of the product, right? Are they okay with me working here?”

“Yes.” His answers were pronounced in their brevity.

I crumpled my brow. “Do you think I’ll ever get to meet them?” I tried next.

“Hopefully not.” Ceto spoke under his breath, to the point I barely heard him. He cleared his throat, then brightened as he looked me in the eye again. “They’re often traveling, and generally very busy when they’re not. Please don’t take their absence personally. I promise they’re aware I hired you, but for all of our sakes, I wouldn’t be in a rush to meet them.”

With a nod, I accepted the answer. Ceto was about as excited to talk about his secrets as I was to talk about mine. We were at a bit of a stalemate today. He was always a good resource for general information, and he was more than willing to help me navigate my own problems, but it was going to take a lot more trust before he’d let me get any closer to him.

In one last attempt to bridge a gap and make conversation, I leaned over the counter and asked, “So what can you tell me about mate mark rejection?”

Ceto tipped his head to the side with curiosity. “Ah, so big moon problems then.”

I snorted. “Something like that.”

“Honestly, mate rejection is rather simple, so long as your mark is still one sided.” He shrugged. “It just requires a revocation of consent. Your soul knows what you want or don’t want, and mate marks can be erased or completed without verbal confirmation. Attempting to force the completion ritual with a non-consenting party will automatically dissolve any claims between Alphas and Betas.” Ceto shoved his hands in his pockets, but he wasn’t making eye contact anymore. “For better or for worse, an Alpha can force a one sided mark on anyone, but they can’t seal the connection if they’ve not earned it.”

I scrunched my nose, not sure what to make of that. “So if I were to get mad at someone who marked me and wanted nothing to do with them, would that erase the mate mark? Or is there an actual action that initiates it?”

“That depends on whether or not you’ve marked them back. Is your mate pact fully realized?” The question was curiously probing. “That makes a big difference.”

“Let’s say it’s one sided. Theoretically.” I admitted in a way that was very obviously not theoretical.

Ceto smiled, this time with a relieved glint in his eyes. “Well, theoretically, if you haven’t marked them back, you just have to… not want it.”

“It?” I pursed my lips.

“It.” He confirmed, meeting my eyes. He flashed his snake eyes, and my breathing hitched. I stilled in the intensity of his gaze, as he leaned in to whisper in my ear. “But you’ll never erase a mark that you genuinely want, no matter how much you lie to yourself, Lila.”

He took a step back, and I released a held breath. I didn’t have a chance to retort before the door chimed, and a new customer entered Threads of the Magi. Ceto broke his hold on me immediately, then turned to greet the young woman.

“How may I help you?” He said, falling back into customer service Ceto. I grabbed my food and slipped into the back room to finish my lunch, while he took over the front of the house for a little bit.

Pulling out my phone, I stared at Marcus’ still open message.

Marcus: Saturday?

I swallowed thickly as Ceto’s words sunk in. Was that how a rejection ceremony worked? We had to have sex with clear heads, and reject the other? Or was it something bloody and violent like everything these people seemed to do? If it was the former, then did that mean Marcus was asking me to come over Saturday because he wanted to…

It dawned on me in that moment that I’d never had sex while of sane mind, and never with someone who was human—well in human form and able to think rationally, I mean. It had always been forced and violent and magic-fueled, while I was apparently putting out some kind of pheromones to trap a moon crazed monster. The thought of going to someone’s home with the expectation of intimacy was oddly intimidating.

Did people just go to each other’s houses, take their clothes off, and get in bed? Did they talk about it first? That had to be more normal than getting slammed into walls and tables and fountains by a possessed demon every single time someone wanted to get laid.

I just pictured myself sitting on Marcus couch, talking about what to make for dinner, like “Wanna have some pork chops then go bone?” and it was a wonder that I’d never had a functional, healthy relationship before.

I was overthinking things again. I’d been to Marcus’ house plenty of times for feeding now, and it wasn’t ever weird. And it wasn’t like he said we were going to actually perform whatever ritual. He was just going to teach me how it worked.

Me: Where do you want to meet?