A Kiss Goodnight

Lucian and Visenya indulged in a delightful breakfast together. However, a slight unease crept into his mind as he realized her culinary skills were just as exceptional as he remembered. Yet, he made a conscious effort not to dwell on this matter.

As they shared this intimate meal, he couldn't help but notice her glancing up at him from time to time, casting flirtatious gazes that he eagerly absorbed. Every moment was precious, for he knew that if and when her memory returned, he wanted to cherish these memories forever.

In the midst of his reverie, her voice gently brought him back to reality. "Those ladies from yesterday..." she began, curiosity lacing her words. "Why did they call me their queen?"

"Because that's what you are," he stated truthfully. "You're a queen. You're my queen."

She was a queen with or without him. It was her birthright, a title he had stripped away from her all those months ago. Reflecting on the events that unfolded when he emerged from his prolonged dirt nap, it all seemed like a hazy fever dream now. If given the chance, he'd rewrite those moments in time in a heartbeat.

“So, you’re a king then?” She asked.

His eyes wandered somewhere lonely and dark. “I was going to be at one point, but all of my people are gone now, and I have no desire to rule over anything.”

“What happened to your people?” She asked, her concern evident in her voice.

“Let’s just say, I’m the last of my kind.” He stood up from the table, swiftly changing the subject as he gathered up their dishes. “It doesn’t matter now. There is a King, and he rules over the last remaining kingdom.”

“Let me help…” She offered, extending her hand to assist with the dishes, but he politely declined.

“That isn’t necessary,” he replied. “You don’t need to lift a finger around here. Why don’t you go and wait for me in the library?”

Reluctantly, she complied, leaving him to tidy up the kitchen while she made her way to the library. As she walked, her curiosity grew, leading her to pause in the long hallway beneath the stairs. Intrigued by the lone door that hid beneath the stairwell, she felt an irresistible pull towards it, as if it held all the answers she so desperately sought.

With a mix of curiosity and trepidation, she reached out her hand to grasp the doorknob, only to be met by Lucian, who swiftly blocked her path, his towering form creating a barrier.

"This isn't the library, darling." He said, flashing her a tense smile.

"What's in there?" She asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Just the basement, and you should never go down there. Do you understand?" He said, his tone filled with a hint of caution.

"Why not?" Her eyes shifted between him and the door, searching for answers.

"Because..." His brain rummaged through a dozen lies, desperately trying to pick the right one. "There’s rats."

"Rats?!" Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, it's an ongoing problem, and if we open this door, they're just going to run rampant all throughout the castle," he said, his voice tinged with apprehension.

"But won't they just chew through the floorboards?" She asked, her logical mind kicking in.

"Unlikely, after all the traps I've placed," he said, trying to persuade her. "All the more reason to never open this door. Is that clear?"

She looked at him suspiciously, but only momentarily before she shrugged it off and agreed. She didn't have a reason not to believe Lucian. Why would he lie to her?

"Can we go for a walk along the lake?" She posed, her voice filled with longing. "It's such a beautiful day, and all."

"I don't think that's a good idea," he quickly shut down the suggestion. "You are still recovering."

"But I feel fine," she insisted, determination creeping into her voice.

"One step at a time," he gently overruled. "We don't want to overdo it now, do we?"

She let out a defeated sigh, her shoulders slumping. "I guess not."

He guided her back onto the right path towards the library, their footsteps echoing in the silence. The night ended much like the day before. She voiced her dissatisfaction with their strange sleeping arrangement, but after a few more lies, she eventually drifted off to sleep alone in their spacious bed, while he dutifully kept watch from the chair beside her.

Yet, like a magnet drawn to its counterpart, she found her way back to him that night, seeking solace in his arms. Climbing into his lap, she nestled against his chest, resting her hand against his marking, finding comfort in the steady beat of his heart.

It was where she truly belonged, and no matter how hard he tried to resist, he couldn't deny the pull of their beautiful bond that tethered them together. He didn't care to put up a fight either because, in truth, he needed her just as desperately as she needed him, if not more.

He surprised her with breakfast in bed the next morning, and the morning after that, and the morning after that. Determined to stay ten steps ahead of her, he wanted to ensure she wouldn't wander off or explore rooms that might trigger her. He even put locks on the door of her old room and the basement.

But while he could control her whereabouts, he couldn't control her fluctuating moods. Restlessness grew within her, and she started asking more questions that made him uncomfortable..

Her smile began to fade, and the gleeful spark in her eyes dimmed. He didn't want her to be unhappy. She had already endured enough of that emotion and didn't deserve to experience it again. As he sat across the table, observing her picking at her dinner, he wondered if he was even capable of making her happy.

"Is something bothering you, Visenya?" He asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.

She lifted her heavy-hearted eyes to meet his gaze. "Can we go out for a walk tomorrow? Or maybe visit the kingdom you mentioned? I'd love to explore the market there. Perhaps we could find..."

"Absolutely not," he interrupted firmly, forbidding her request.

"Why not?" She exclaimed, frustration evident in her voice. She forcefully dropped her fork onto the plate, creating a loud clinking sound. "Why does it feel like I'm some kind of prisoner in this place?"

"A prisoner? Why would you say that? A prisoner is someone who doesn't want to be here." He exclaimed, his voice filled with confusion. "What is your obsession with leaving?!"

She sighed, her tone tinged with frustration. "Do not put words in my mouth and do not shout at me either."

He closed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair, attempting to regain his composure. "I am not shouting at you. I'm just trying to understand why you want to leave. Aren't you happy here... with me?"

Her eyes went misty. "I think the real question is, are you happy here with me?"

A look of bewilderment crossed his face. "What do you mean? Of course I am."

“Really?” She said, her voice laced with disbelief. “Because it’s almost like you can barely stand to be in the same room as me.”

"That's not true," he replied, his voice tinged with defensiveness.

"Oh, please... spare me the pity and just admit it," she retorted.

"There's nothing to admit, Visenya. I want you here with me," he insisted. "That's all I've ever wanted."

"Well, you certainly don’t act like it!" She snapped.

Suddenly, her aura emitted a wave of powerful energy, causing the light fixtures in the dining room to flicker and produce a loud buzzing sound. Without warning, the lamps shattered, scattering shards of glass throughout the room. The two of them jumped in their chairs, alarmed by the unforeseen phenomenon.

Visenya clutched her chest, a look of terror etched on her face. "Oh, I understand now... you're afraid of me, aren't you? It's because of the things that happen when I get upset, isn't it? You think I'm a freak."

"What?" He exclaimed, rising from his chair and kneeling beside her. "No, Visenya, I don't think you're a freak. I would never think that. This is all new to me. I don't know why this is happening to you, but we can figure it out together, okay? I'm not afraid of you... you can't hurt me."

"What is it then, Lucian?" She said, her voice filled with vulnerability. "You can barely look at me half the time, and when you do, you almost never smile back at me. You pull your hand away when I reach for it, you tense up when I touch you, you never kiss me goodnight. You won't share the bed with me, and I don't know how to explain it, but it feels like you have some kind of wall up between us. Like I can feel you, but not all of you."

"Visenya…" He stared back at her blankly, not knowing what to say.

"Do you not... love me?" She finally mustered the courage to ask.

He hesitated to answer, and he might as well have stuck a dagger straight through her heart, because that's exactly what it felt like to her.

"Well, I guess your silence says it all, then," she said, standing up from the chair with the intention of fleeing the room before succumbing to a pitiful bout of sobs.

His feet felt as if they were glued to the floor, yet his heart screamed at him to take action, to do anything but let her walk away in such pain.

He caught up to her at the foot of the stairs, taking her by the hand and spinning her around to face him. He pulled her into his possessive embrace, his gaze fixated on her luscious lips, and he knew he could no longer hold back. He crashed his lips onto hers, devouring them like a ravenous animal that had been deprived for far too long.

Her lips willingly parted for him, matching his intensity in every conceivable way, yearning for more and more of him with each passing second. He finally dropped the wall he had put up between them, allowing her to truly feel the depth and intensity of his feelings for her, ensuring she would never doubt them again.

"There you are," she whispered breathlessly against his lips. "Lucian... make love to me."

She didn't need to ask twice. He effortlessly lifted her into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist as he carried her up the stairs to their private chambers, his lips never leaving hers. She pressed her core against his large, stiff bulge, and the sensation sent a cascade of tingles down her spine, electrifying her from head to toe.

She moaned in anticipation, igniting a fire within him that could not be contained. He burst through the door of his chambers, gently laying her down on the smooth, silk sheets of their bed.

Without hesitation, he tore off his clothing, refusing to endure another moment without her touch. He pulled her nightgown over her head, and she eagerly surrendered herself, raising her arms to allow him to undress her.

He delicately removed her undergarments, his hands gliding up her soft legs, parting them to take his rightful place between her thighs. He claimed her lips once again, relishing in the taste of her sweet mouth.

Their tongues moved in perfect harmony, rhythmically dancing together as he stroked his hard cock along her aching clit. She eagerly wrapped her legs around his waist, instinctively lifting her hips to meet his, grinding herself against his large shaft.

"Take me," she pleaded, her voice filled with longing. "I am yours."

He gently pushed himself inside of her, taking his precious time and savoring every second of this ethereal union between them. She took him in effortlessly, as if beckoning him back home... and oh, how he reveled in the feeling of being home.

Locked in a passionate gaze, their eyes ablaze with desire, he thrust himself into her warm, snug sheath. The pleasure coursing through him was undeniable, and he couldn't help but let out a low, guttural groan.

"Yes..." he exclaimed, his voice filled with possessive desire. "You are mine... completely and utterly mine."

Her fingers traced along the intricate marking on his skin, casting a soft glow that bathed the room in enchantment. With just a single caress against that mystical symbol that bound them together, she set the atmosphere ablaze. Her moans, like a seductive melody, whispered against his ear, tantalizing him with a tune he had longed to hear again.

Driven by an insatiable need, he slammed into her with unrelenting desire. As his tongue traced the contours of her own marking, sparks ignited, electrifying their connection. Every ounce of her pleasure enveloped him, drawing him in like a gravitational force, as if they were being consumed by a passionate abyss.

He gazed into her eyes, captivated by the fiery glimmer reflecting back at him, like twin suns illuminating the path to her exquisite soul. This was what it feels like to mate... to truly mate, and it surpassed anything that his wildest dreams could ever fashion.

Her moans grew louder, her muscles clenching tightly around him. She was nearing climax, and he was grateful for it, as he was on the brink of releasing himself completely.

"Cum for me, baby," his demand rumbled with primal intensity.

He yearned for her lips once more, craving the taste of her mouth and the sensations of their tongues entwined as he thrust into her with fervor. He realized he should have kissed her like this long ago... loved her in this passionate way from the very beginning.

"Lucian..." she cried out his name in her peaked moment of rapture, releasing around his all-so-pleasurable girth.

She had him the very second she called his name, spilling his seed deep inside of her. His arousing grunts filled the room, propelling her into another wave of climax.

They kissed each other softly until their heavy breaths and racing hearts steadied. He gently rolled over onto his back, pulling her on top to rest against his chest. He didn't pull out of her either; he wanted to sleep in the snugness of her warmth, being as close to her as he could possibly get.

"Stay with me," she murmured sleepily, her voice filled with a longing for their togetherness. "Stay right here tonight, just like this... don't ever let me go."

"I'll never let you go," he vowed, tenderly running his fingers through her curls while peppering her forehead and flushed cheeks with countless sweet kisses.

"Visenya?" He called, as he brushed his thumb across her plump lips, savoring the softness beneath his touch.

"Hmm," she responded with a contented hum, her mind on the verge of slumber.

Gently, he lifted her chin, planting a lingering goodnight kiss upon her perfectly sculpted lips.

"I love you," he whispered in the dark.