Drayce sat at the edge of the bed, cradling Seren's cold hands in his warm ones. "You seem cold," he murmured.
"Not much," she replied, watching as he brought her hands to his mouth and blew warm air between her closed palms. She gasped softly at the touch of his lips and the warmth of his breath.
His eyes fell on the bracelet with the red stone that hung from her wrist, a gift he had given her to ward off the cold. He gently removed it and placed it on the bedside table. "You won't be needing it tonight."
Though she always took off the bracelet at night and wore it only during the day, his gesture was clearly suggestive, and she understood his meaning. She was no longer a naive woman.
He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her response. She nodded weakly. Drayce leaned in closer, his intense gaze taking in her beautiful face. One hand rested on her side for support while the other still held hers. He kissed the inside of her palm and then brushed it along his cheek, savoring the delicate touch against his skin.
The simple act made her heart flutter with a flurry of butterflies. As her palm rested on his cheek, Drayce leaned in to kiss her but paused when he heard her whisper softly, "Don't we need to put out the candles?"
Drayce stopped and looked into her hesitant eyes, which held a hint of shyness. "From this moment onward, none of our nights will be surrounded by darkness."
Seren had grown accustomed to darkness with him, always able to conceal her embarrassment behind her veil or whenever the veil was gone, it was the darkness that hid her face from him. Though she cherished every intimate moment, she was not used to being seen. Now, with the veil gone, she longed for the darkness to hide her once more.
Drayce sensed her thoughts and spoke gently, "My Queen, from this moment onward, I wish to see every expression your face can have. Whether you smile or cry, are happy, sad, or angry," he moved her hand gently from his cheek, and his warm lips trailed along her wrist, making her gasp and swallow hard, "Whether you moan in pleasure or cry in pain, I want to see it all.
The pain I am about to give you, I want to see your expressions change from painful to blissful as you ask me to hurt you more, when you beg me to make you feel that pleasure, when you reach where I wish to take you again and again."
Seren felt her heart almost leap out of her chest at his words, her breathing turning shallow. She knew the kind of pain he was talking about.
"Are you scared?" he asked, noticing her reaction.
She shook her head. "A little nervous, maybe?"
"You trust me, don't you?"
"I do. I trust you more than I trust myself," she replied, her eyes reflecting the depth of her love for him.
His fingers entwined with hers as he pressed her hand into the bed and leaned closer to swoop her into a kiss that revealed the depth of his own feelings for her. Letting go of his inhibitions, he let his body rest on hers, his lips capturing hers, tasting and feeling them as she reciprocated in kind. Her fingers tightened their grip around his, grounding them both in the intensity of the moment.
Drayce's tongue entered her mouth, which she welcomed as they indulged in heartfelt, passionate kisses. Her soft moans mixed with his hungry groans in the dimly lit chamber. When he finally pulled away, panting heavily, his hungry gaze took in her flushed face, her parted lips gasping for air, and her heaving chest pressed against his.
This was how she looked whenever he left her breathless, and he swore it was the most beautiful sight of her face he had ever seen. He realised how much he had been missing on, and he wondered how she must have looked whenever he made her feel pleasure. The thought made his throat dry with anticipation; he couldn't wait to find out, couldn't wait to make her his entirely.
Her dewy eyes met his in the soft glow of the lamps, and she saw a man full of desires and needs. She had seen him like this many times, but tonight was different—more intense and passionate. Did seeing her face make a difference, or was it because they were about to consummate their marriage?
Drayce's hand let go of hers and moved toward her chest, stopping over the soft mound beneath the single layer of her silk nightdress. He squeezed it softly, drawing a pleasured gasp from her lips.
"Dray..." she gasped lightly.
"Hmm?" he asked, looking into her eyes while his hand continued its work.
She suppressed her moans and spoke, "Don't... look at me... this way?"
"Are you embarrassed?" he asked, not moving his gaze away from hers.
She averted her gaze and nodded. "I do."
"You look beautiful this way, trust me. All I want is to look at you," he said, his hands working more roughly, making her gasp loudly and look back at him. "Dray..."
"This is what I was talking about," he said and then asked, "Didn't you enjoy seeing me that day when you pleasured me so boldly? I want to see you the same, no veil, no darkness. Will you let me?"
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She observed his passionately demanding gaze and nodded, only to hear him say, "Don't shy away then." This time, his mouth accompanied his hands, moving around her mounds over the soft layer of silk, making her moan loudly as his mouth roughly worked on her.
Her hands gripped his shoulders tightly, trying to suppress the moans leaving her throat.
His hands slid to her shoulders, and his fingers worked to pull her dress down, wanting to remove the silk that separated his mouth from her skin. Slowly, the dress unraveled, revealing her beautiful bosoms to his hungry gaze. Though it wasn't the first time he had seen or touched her, just like Seren, tonight felt different for him as well.
Seren's breath came in short, sharp gasps, but she kept her eyes on his, drawing strength from his gaze. Slowly, the pain began to ebb, replaced by a growing sensation of pleasure as he moved within her.
"You're doing so well," he murmured, his voice a soothing balm. "Trust me."
She nodded, her grip on his hands tightening as the discomfort gradually turned into something else, something more profound. Drayce began to move with a rhythm, each thrust careful and measured, building a connection that went beyond the physical.
"Dray," she breathed, her voice filled with a mix of relief and pleasure but shocked at her own body's reaction. She was hurt just a while ago but now she was feeling something else. "I... I feel..."
"I know," he whispered back, his movements becoming more assured. "Just let go, Seren. Let me take you there."
As they became one, their movements synchronised in a dance of love and desire, Seren felt a profound connection to him, knowing that this moment was just the beginning of a deeper bond, one that would only grow stronger with each passing night.
The pain melted away entirely, replaced by waves of pleasure that built steadily, bringing them both to new heights.
Seren's breaths turned to soft moans, her body responding to his with increasing urgency, her fingers traced the lines of his back, feeling the strength in his muscles, her touch tentative yet eager. The connection between them felt electric, every touch and glance heightening the anticipation.
The intensity between them grew as the entire chamber was filled with the essence of passion they shared this night. As they reached the peak together, the world seemed to dissolve around them, leaving only the two of them, united in their shared ecstasy.
Drayce let go and lay on her delicate body, pressing under his weight, inhaling her calling scent at the crook of her neck, her name left his lips, "Seren."
He had no words to explain what he was feeling at this moment, his mind blank, all he preferred to hold her closer. He felt her hands surrounding him, ruffling through his hair with tenderness.
"Dray?" she called him.
He raised his head and looked at her, his breathing ragged, "Am I suffocating you?"
She shook her head, "Are you alright?"
A light smile painted on his lips as he hurried his back in the crook of her neck, "I should be the one to ask you this."
"I am alright," she replied.
"Really," she heard him again.
Before she could nod, Drayce moved a little, pulling out of her, only to make her hiss with pain and sudden emptiness.
He looked at her, her expressions still pained, "I don't think you are alright."
Embarrassment engulfed her as she spoke while looking away, "Maybe a little hurt."
He made her look back at her, "I like it when you are shy like this."
She pressed her lips in thin line, her sweat covers cheeks covering in pink hue.
Drayce turned to his side and held her in his arms in a comforting hold, her head resting on his arm while his other free hand running through her hair. "I love you, Seren," he whispered, his voice raw with emotion.
She moved her gaze to look at him, "I love you too, Dray," she replied, her voice equally filled with love and contentment.
In that moment, they knew that they had crossed a threshold, their bond stronger and more unbreakable than ever before. They lay together in the soft glow of the lamps, their hearts beating in perfect and peacful harmony, ready to face whatever the future held, together.
Death, because of that curse? They would welcome it with their arms wide opened. But, if they lived, they would make sure, every moment of their lives ahead, would be worth cherishing, together, with each other, forever.
"Did it hurt a lot?" he asked, pulling her closer, her face buried against the base of his neck.
"Later it felt better," she replied.
"I shall take you to bath. You might feel better..."
"Let me rest a little," she interrupted as her hand wrapped around him tightly, almost burring herself into him and closed her eyes, "I feel tired."
"As you wish."