Chapter 367: Memory lane. That first time [R18]
As the day wound down, Blake and Rose tucked Celena into bed. The little girl's eyes were already heavy with sleep, but she insisted on one last bedtime story.
"Tell me about the night I was born," Celena mumbled, snuggling deeper into her blankets.
Blake and Rose exchanged a fond glance. "Well, sweetheart," Rose began, smoothing Celena's hair, "it was a night just like this one. The moon was full, and the forest was alive with magic..."
As Rose wove the familiar tale, Blake watched his two loves, his heart full to bursting. By the time the story ended, Celena was fast asleep, her tiny fangs peeking out from her slightly parted lips.
"Sweet dreams, little one," Blake whispered, placing a soft kiss on Celena's forehead. Rose did the same, and they quietly left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.
In their own bedroom, Rose sat at her dressing table, beginning her nightly routine. Blake leaned against the doorframe, simply watching her. The soft lamplight cast a warm glow on her skin, highlighting the graceful curve of her neck, the elegant line of her jaw.
Catching his gaze in the mirror, Rose smiled. "See something you like?" she teased gently.
Blake's response was to cross the room to their old record player. With a soft click and a crackle of static, the first notes of a familiar melody filled the air. Rose's eyes widened in recognition.
"Our wedding song," she breathed.
Blake nodded, a tender smile playing on his lips. "May I have this dance, Mrs. Shelton?"
Rose stood, her night gown flowing around her. "Always, Mr. Shelton."
Blake drew her close, one hand on the small of her back, the other entwining with hers. They began to sway gently to the music, lost in each other's eyes.
"I missed you so much," Rose murmured, her free hand coming up to caress Blake's cheek.
Blake leaned into her touch, his eyes closing briefly. "I missed you too. More than I can ever express."
As they danced, memories flooded back. Their first meeting, their first kiss, the night Blake proposed under a canopy of stars. The joy and wonder of Celena's birth, and the countless moments of love and laughter that followed.
"Do you remember," Blake said softly, "how tiny Celena was at our wedding? She could barely hold her head up."
Rose laughed softly. "And now look at her. Our little gardener, so full of life and curiosity."
Blake twirled Rose gently, then pulled her back into his arms. "She gets that from you, you know. That zest for life, that endless wonder at the world around her."
Rose's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "And she gets her strength from you. Her determination, her fierce protectiveness of those she loves."
They fell silent for a moment, simply basking in each other's presence. The height difference between them, more pronounced since Blake's transformation, only seemed to make their embrace more perfect. Rose fit perfectly under Blake's chin, her head resting against his chest.
"I love you," Blake whispered into Rose's hair. "Sometimes I wonder what I ever did to deserve you, to deserve this life we've built together."
Rose pulled back slightly, looking up at Blake with eyes full of love and conviction. "You loved me," she said simply. "You loved me wholly and completely, without reservation. You've stood by me through everything, even when the future seemed darkest. That's more than enough."
Blake felt a lump form in his throat. He leaned down, capturing Rose's lips in a kiss that spoke volumes. It was tender and passionate, filled with years of shared history and the promise of countless more to come.
As the song came to an end, they remained in each other's arms, foreheads touching, breaths mingling.
"Thank you," Blake murmured.
Rose raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
"For fighting. For coming back to us. I don't know what I would have done if..."
Rose pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him. "Shh. I'm here now. We're together, and that's all that matters." Her eyes, soft and loving, searched his face, taking in every familiar feature as if committing them to memory anew.
Blake gently took her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm before intertwining their fingers. His gaze never left hers as he pulled her closer, their bodies flush against each other. A mixture of love, desire, and deep gratitude washed over his features.
"Do you remember the first time we made love?" Blake whispered in Rose's ear, his breath hot against her skin. His free hand traced a slow, sensual path down her spine, eliciting a shiver of pleasure from Rose.
Rose blushed at the memory. "Of course, I do," she replied. "You were so gentle, so patient. I had never felt anything like it before."
Blake pulled back slightly, looking into Rose's eyes. "And I had never seen anything more beautiful than you, spread out before me, ready and willing," he said, his voice thick with desire.
Rose's breath hitched at the memory. "Let's relive that moment," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Blake nodded, and they made their way to the bed, shedding their clothes as they went. Their bodies fit together perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle.
"You feel incredible," Blake murmured, his hands exploring Rose's curves.
Rose moaned in response, her fingers tracing the contours of Blake's muscles. "You too," she said, her voice filled with desire. She had already begun to sweat, her vampire physiology giving away her current state of desire.
Blake's hand found its way between Rose's legs, and he began to stroke her clit. Rose gasped, her hips bucking against his hand.
"Yes, right there," she moaned, her fingers digging into Blake's shoulders.
Blake increased his pace, and Rose's breathing became ragged. "I'm close," she gasped, her eyes closed in pleasure.
Blake shifted his position, positioning himself at Rose's entrance. "I want to feel you around me," he said, his voice filled with longing.
Rose nodded, her eyes still closed. "Yes, please," she breathed.
Blake entered her slowly, savoring the feeling of her tight warmth around him. Once he was fully inside her, he began to move, his hips thrusting in a steady rhythm.
"Harder," Rose begged, her nails digging into Blake's back. Blood spilled out but it quickly healed.
Blake complied, his thrusts becoming more forceful. Rose met him thrust for thrust, their bodies slapping together in a symphony of pleasure.
"I'm close," Blake gasped, his breath coming in ragged pants.
"Me too," Rose replied, her voice filled with desire.
With one final thrust, Blake felt himself release, his hot seed filling Rose's willing womb. Rose followed shortly after, her body shuddering in pleasure.
They lay together, their bodies slick with sweat and cum, their hearts beating in time with each other.
"I love you," Blake murmured, his hand tracing patterns on Rose's skin.
"I love you too," Rose replied, her voice filled with contentment.
Blake nodded, pulling Rose close once more. As they laid there, Blake sent a silent prayer of gratitude to whatever forces had brought Rose back to him.
Little did he know that the battle was far from over. As Rose nestled against him, her eyes flickered open for a moment, revealing a flash of inky darkness before returning to their usual warm brown. The Nemisis lurked beneath the surface, patient and calculating, waiting for its moment to strike.
But for now, in this perfect moment of love and reunion, all was right in their world. And that, perhaps, was the cruelest deception of all.