Ch 22: The Last Night

The King had excused himself and they could hear Errant's furious protests over allowing the Prince to stay with Astasha alone for the night. The two had listened from inside the room as Josnen raised his commanding tone, telling Errant if he was so worried, he could stand watch himself outside her door till the sun rose.

The argument was settled faster than one would assume, mainly because the King gave his final word and strode away, leaving the High Sorcerer swearing under his breath and barking orders. Finally, the group outside the door dispersed, and Astasha turned to Calder. He was watching her, and she could feel the heartbreak stronger and stronger the more he did.

"Cal..." She stepped toward him.

"Run away with me."

She stopped. "What?"

He crossed the remaining distance between them and took her face in his hands. "Run away with me. We'll find a way to banish the demon and live happily ever after together, just, come with me, anywhere but here. Anywhere but where they’ll force us to be apart.”

"Cal," She wanted to. She wanted so badly to leave this place with him, settle down in a little cottage in the woods, start a family, be happy and free. But she knew they couldn't. It would tear his father apart. And the kingdom. Despite her breaking heart, she knew she couldn't be that selfish. "You know how much I love you, how much I want to be with you. But you know we can't. Your father would never stop searching for you. The kingdom would be without an heir. It would be chaos and disorder."

"I can't just walk out of this room tomorrow and pretend I wouldn't die for you, pretend I won't die without you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You won't be without me. I'll still be by your side."

"By my side but unable to be with you." His hand brushed her cheek. "Unable to touch you," His thumb drifted over her lips and fire ignited in her chest. "to kiss you," He looked deep into her eyes. "To tell you I love you."

She gently brushed his silver-blonde locks from his face. "We will find a way to be together again. And until then we will love each other just as fiercely from afar.” Her fingers wove into his hair. “But for now, let's not think about tomorrow when all we have is tonight."

The heartbreak she felt was slowly replaced with another feeling. It was warm, flowing between them. Cal's eyes wandered over her face. "Then let's make tonight last forever."

He leaned down and kissed her. It was like everything in her life had been for that kiss. The world stopped. The feeling that exploded inside her when his lips touched hers was like fire and ice.

It was a kiss full of love and care, fueled by the feeling she knew he was experiencing as well. He pulled her into him, her hands gripping his hair as his lips parted against hers. She felt his tongue dance against them and she opened her mouth to let her own dance with his.

Everything they had gone through, everything they would have to endure, none of it mattered. Calder pulled away and looked at Astasha. Butterflies fluttered in her chest under his gaze. "I love you."

“And I love you."
He looked at her a moment longer before scooping her up and carrying her to the bed. He laid her gently down and his eyes drifted down her body before he joined her, his lips finding hers again.

Her hands touched his chest as his drifted to her waist. She felt a tug on the sash and then he pulled his head back. His eyes never left hers as his fingers gently pulled the dress away, leaving her exposed before him. Her heart was pounding, but unlike the last time she had been naked in front of him, it beat with anticipation instead of dread.

Cal looked down and his face grew solemn as he looked at the cuts on her chest. Slowly, he leaned down and kissed her skin just above the newest one. Astasha’s eyes closed as his lips brushed their way down, following along the scar to her breasts. His hands were running down her legs and she felt the power of fire building inside her.

She gasped as his lips came to her breast. His tongue ran over the bud on top and a shiver rippled through her.

He lifted his head to look at her again and she opened her eyes. "You're so beautiful." he whispered.

He didn't give her time to respond before he swooped in to kiss her mouth again. The fire between them was growing and she pulled at his tunic. The Prince helped her remove it and her hands immediately began running over the muscles in his arms and chest.

His own hands went back to roaming over her body, touching every part of her, making soft noises escape her lips and her breathing to become erratic. Her fingers found their way to his pants, pushing desperately at them, tugging them down, and within a moment, they were both naked.

Astasha's gaze drifted over him and she couldn't help but marvel at the sight. His cream skin rippled with muscles and his large manhood was ready and waiting. She ran her fingers over some of the scars he had no doubt gained on his journey, finally coming to the one she herself had made just days earlier in the clearing. An intense feeling came over her, the feeling that she never wanted to be parted from him again, that she needed to protect him, love him, never let anything else happen to him.

Positioning himself over her, Calder looked deeply into her eyes and she wondered if the protectiveness was coming from herself or him, or both perhaps. Either way, it didn't matter. All that mattered was feeling him, all of him, every fiber of his being. She felt his hardness against her slick opening and her stomach tightened in something like a nervous excitement. Cal was watching her, admiration in his eyes and a hunger on his lips. She could have begged for all of him, the longing was so intense.

"Cal..." she breathed. A moment longer he gazed into her eyes and then he leaned down, claiming her mouth with his own, entering her in one swift motion as he did, filling her as the universe exploded in her soul.

The power she had felt inside before was nothing compared to what she felt now. It was like her body had become fire itself and was enveloping them both in flames of passion.

They moved together, one being, their spirits alive and united. It felt like they were connected by something deeper and stronger than just magic; she could feel his pleasure, his love inside her, every move he made sending a shockwave of feelings and emotions through her.

At last their kiss broke, and she looked to see the scars on their chests burning bright, tendrils of golden flame reaching out from her to tie together with ones of blue from him. She knew it should have shocked her, but she was lost in the moment, unable to process anything other than the pure bliss she felt.

It hadn’t seemed to phase Calder either and he kissed her again, rocking his hips, taking her higher and higher. Her legs were wrapped around him, her hands grasping at him. She was lost in the feeling, in the power of their passion.

Moaning against his lips, the intensity began to reach a pinnacle. She was close to tipping over the edge and she felt him speed up as he groaned against her mouth. He was close as well, she knew it, could feel it.

The sensation of him reaching the peak caused her fingers to dig into him and her head to fall back as a scream burst from her mouth, her climax matching his. The fire between them erupted, wrapping around them in a burst of gold and blue, and for a moment, they were lost inside it, consumed by it, a single entity of ecstasy and flame.

Slowly, she came back to herself. They were both panting and covered in a sheen of sweat. She felt Calder's hand on her face and she opened her eyes. The flames were gone but their scars were still glowing brightly and she reached her hand up to touch the one on his chest. It burned against her skin but didn't hurt her.

Looking up, she met Cal's eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her again, stroking her hair.

When he pulled away there was a smile on his lips. "I never thought I could love someone as I love you, Tasha."

She returned his smile, the first genuine one she had had in what felt like forever. "I never thought I could either."

His fingers traced her lips. "I waited five years to see that smile again. I never want to see it fade." Her eyes closed at his touch. "I've never felt something like that before. It was like I was on fire. I swear I could feel everything you felt."

She opened her eyes. "I haven't either. I felt like we were one. Our scars were even reaching out to each other. I don't know what it means or why though."

"We'll figure it out. For now, I just want to look at you, take in every inch of you." His fingers were brushing along her body making her quiver. He smiled wider. "I want to feel all the things I seem to be able to make you feel." Leaning down he kissed her neck and her heart started to race again. "Like that." He breathed against her skin with a mischievous smirk.

She never wanted this night to end. She wanted to bathe in the sensations Cal could make her feel forever. "I never realized how insatiable you could be." She smiled.

"I have five years to make up for in one night. Did you really think I was going to miss out on a single moment with you while I could?” He hadn't stopped touching her and kissing her. Not that she wanted him to. She could lay here with him forever like this.

"I wish I knew a spell to make this night never end." A tear slowly slid down her cheek.

Cal moved to look into her eyes and gently wiped the tear away. "I know my love. But I’ll do everything I can to make it feel like it will last eternity.” Taking her face in his hands he leaned down and kissed her, kissed her with a gentleness and a fierceness all at once, as if he was trying to kiss the pain away, the worry, kiss her until time stood still.

If only it would.