The black bristles of a bejeweled hairbrush gently glided through my golden tresses. A soft smile adorned my mother's loving expression as she carefully brushed each wavy section, beautifully styling it into a crown of waterfall braids that tied together in the back. I sat in mine and Valarendrik's bedroom, perched upon a black cushioned seat in front of a ghoulish vanity that had been salvaged from the ruins, gazing at the mirror in complete awe of my reflection. William had volunteered to do my makeup, insisting that he had done it for Gwendolyn. He claimed that there was no one in the entire abyss capable of doing a better job. I thought he was being a bit swanky at first, but after seeing the breathtaking natural yet rosy look he'd given me, I couldn't deny that he'd been right.
My dress was mostly made up of lace, with thin ribbons daintily weaving up the sweetheart-style front like a corset. The bottom was sprawled out and draping over the seat beside me like a white waterfall pooling on the dark stone floor. The straps tied around my neck like a halter top, leaving my entire back exposed before the dress scrunched together like a heart over my butt. I did love the dress that I had worn to our first wedding, but I had wanted to go with a more classical bridal look this time around.
My mother's hazel eyes met mine through the reflection of the mirror with pure love and admiration twinkling within their depths. I couldn't help but lovingly smile back at her. She hadn't done her makeup yet, but her hair was elegantly styled in a low side bun. She also looked much better now than she did when I'd first returned to earth. Gone were the heavy circles under her eyes and she had filled back into a healthy weight. The delicate material of her crimson dress swayed around her knees while she reached over and pulled a piece of baby's-breath blooms from a little vase on the vanity. The white flowers matched the squared tips of her french manicure.
A harrowing screech suddenly echoed over the ocean outside, causing her to flinch in fright and drop the flowers. "Oops." She laughed while bending down to pick them back up, but I could see a hint of real fear in her eyes. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that." Her slightly shaky hands carefully wove the blooms into my hair, then she warily glanced out toward the open french doors leading onto the balcony.
"It's alright. It still freaks me out sometimes too." I smiled while glancing up at her with a comforting expression. "Thankfully the sunlight tends to keep most of the scarier creatures away."
She shook her head and blew out a dramatic breath, then reached for more flowers. "I still can't believe you survived living out in the wilderness here for an entire three months. I would have died of a heart attack on the first day if it had been me."
A soft giggle bubbled from my chest. "Well, I almost didn't survive. I would have been turned into a chew toy for the wolves if Valarendrik hadn't saved me." I watched as she added a few tiny white teacup roses to my hair. "And even then, it was still terrifying not knowing if he wanted to eat me as well."
Although, he has devoured me on more than just a few occasions since then...
My mother shook her head again with a warm smile and a soft hum. "Hmm, I still find all of this difficult to wrap my head around..." She waved her hand in a circle towards the balcony. "But I'm glad that you're marrying a man... or creature... who can keep you safe while you're in this world."
"Thanks mom." I reached up and gave her tanned hand a gentle squeeze while peering at her through the mirror. "Trust me, you won't have to worry about me. And you'll have Azathoth's sigil, so you can visit whenever you'd like." I internally laughed, thinking about how funny it was that Azathoth was becoming a demonic taxi service for us until we could figure out a better way to ensure her safety while traveling between worlds.
She bent down and wrapped her arms around me from the side, giving me a loving hug with closed eyes. "I'm your mother. I'll always be worried about you." She softly chuckled.
"I know, I know." I patted her hand while shaking my head at the truth of her ridiculous words. "But you need to trust that I'm safe here."
"I know." Her hand delicately cupped my cheek, then she stared lovingly into my eyes. "I want you to know that even though I find all of this abyss stuff a bit, well, strange, I'm still proud of you and the wonderful woman you've become."
"Thanks, mom." My eyes reflected the love I saw in hers.
Gratefulness swelled within my heart upon hearing that. I knew that even with the opening in the clouds allowing light to shine down upon the kingdom, being in the abyss really freaked her out. She was still nervous around the tenverians and jumped at every little sound or movement no matter how small. But she was trying to adapt to this world for my sake and it meant a lot to hear that she was proud of me despite not entirely loving my new life. I suppose marrying your only daughter off to an abyss man and having her move to a distant otherworldly dimension wasn't the easiest thing for a mother to accept.
Once I returned to earth, I had a long discussion with her, explaining everything down to the very last detail before finally introducing her to Valarendrik. And even then, she didn't fully believe me until she actually saw his monstrous shadowy self for the first time. To say that she had been shocked stupid would have been an understatement. She hadn't even been able to speak, leaving him standing there awkwardly. He'd tried to tell bad one-sided knock-knock jokes while she gawked at him with a mixture of utter disbelief and horror etched across her face.
Luckily she warmed up to him rather quickly, knowing all that I'd been through and all that he'd done for me. Not to mention that his purity of heart and unintentionally goofy demeanor made him naturally likable by most. He'd been rather determined to kindle a friendship with her, even trying to take her out for a brisk ride with Sagacor through the orchards... She'd apparently screamed in terror and clutched onto the saddle for dear life the entire time.
My mother gently added a few remaining flowers and pearly pins to my hair then smiled lovingly at me through the mirror once again. "You look beautiful." Tears welled in her eyes as she carefully placed the final touch on top of my head. It was a glimmering baroque tiara made of delicately woven silver swirls and points. An abundance of diamonds and pearls adorned each swirl and point with elven-like elegance. It sparkled beautifully in the light as it rested upon my golden crown, making me look like the queen of some magical fairytale land. "Well, I've got to go get myself ready as well. But I'll be back in about half an hour."
"Thanks, mom. My hair looks wonderful." I smiled back at her while she placed a kiss on top of my head.
Her high heels clicked across the stone floor as she then made her way out. "Stay out of trouble while I'm gone. And don't let the groom see you before the ceremony!" She joked with a wink, then slipped out of sight.
Once she was gone, the room fell lonely and silent. I stared over at my serene reflection, mesmerized by the queenly woman staring back at me. I had come a long way from that timid cashier who'd accidentally stumbled into this world. I had seen unfathomable death and darkness. Learned to stand up for myself and face my advisories head-on. My heart had both found true love and suffered from immeasurable loss. My happily ever after had not been easily obtained and I would forever bear the scars of trauma and bereavement on my soul. And yet, everything that had led me to this moment had been worth it and so much more. I only hoped that my experiences would help shape me into a queen worthy of ruling this otherworldly kingdom.
I smiled and stood up, figuring that I'd get some fresh air before the big moment. The crimson drapes hanging loosely from our giant canopy bed swayed lightly in the warm draft which blew in from the balcony, while I walked out the wide open door. A few plump little black birds hopped along the railing with their tiny twiggy legs, then they quickly flew off to the brooding branches of one of the nearby spruce trees, chirping shrilly as they did so. The sea breeze twisted through the ends of my hair as I gripped the railing and gazed out over the open ocean. It was true that Valarendrik and I were already married and this was just us renewing our vows in a non-hostage environment, but it felt more like our real wedding to me.
Or at least a more genuine wedding... One where we aren't being forced into it by his psychotic mother...
Butterflies fluttered within my stomach and a blush crept across my cheeks as I thought about how happy he made me... And also how much pleasure he could give. The mere thought of having him inside me made my arms slide apart while I slightly bent over the railing, feeling each rough ridge and grove of the cool stone along my fingertips. Desire twisted within my core as I thought about what he was likely planning on doing to me after the ceremony. I was hopelessly addicted to him. To the otherworldly aphrodisiac he produced and to the feeling of his shadows twisting around my heart and ensnaring my soul. And yet, I gladly welcomed my tall, dark, and handsome addiction. I knew without any doubt that even though my body would remain a slave to his for the rest of my days, he would always be there to love and satisfy me.
Oh yeah, I can't wait to have my guts thoroughly rearranged by that monstrous member tonight!
"Ehem..." Someone cleared their throat behind me.
I quickly straightened up and whipped around, hoping that I didn't appear as if I'd just been feverishly working myself up over the thought of Valarendrik's crack-dick. "Pema!"
"I hope you don't mind me barging in like this. Your mom directed me on how to find you." She shrugged with a slight smile while glancing around, taking in all the otherworldly scenery. The royal-blue wrap dress she was wearing looked elegant on her, with a few multi-colored flowers woven throughout her half-up bun. "So this is the big scary abyss, huh?" She flicked one of the vining flowers dangling from the stone wall, causing a few of the surrounding leaves to quiver.
My face lit up as I slightly turned to gesture out toward the ocean and the ethereal yet menacing mountains in the distance. Mist gloomily blanketed their bases while huge dragon-like creatures flew around their sharply pointed peaks. "Well, it's not nearly as scary as it was before, at least not where there's sunlight. Most of the world is still covered in darkness though."
"I like it. It's almost like being in a high fantasy video game." She walked up beside me and peered down over the railing. Her eyes grew dramatically wide when she realized just how high up above the cliffs we were.
"It's certainly no tropical paradise, but it's grown on me quite a bit. Besides, the new Tenveriel is absolutely breathtaking. We should explore it together sometime." The abyssal sunlight beamed onto my smiling face as I spoke. "Is, um, Ani Tsering here too?"
I wanted to change the topic away from my permanent residence in the abyss. I was happy here and Pema and I had reconciled after what had happened, but our friendship was still a bit tense. She was the reason why I couldn't return home to earth without risking getting thrown in the slammer, and I knew she felt downright terrible about it. Once Ani Tsering had come to her senses at the hospital, she explained to Pema that it was Justin who'd attacked her, not Valarendrik. Pema had cried and all but begged for forgiveness when I finally did muster up the courage to visit her. And even though it was difficult to forgive such a huge betrayal, I still loved her like a sister and accepted her apology.
She pointed over her shoulder and looked at the door, answering my question about Ani Tsering. "She was busy feeling up some hulking tenverian guy, but yeah, she's around. We took her on a plane ride before Azathoth teleported us, so she thinks she's in Botswallalavainia."
A soft chuckle fell from my lips and mirth glimmered in my gaze. I had almost forgotten about that silly made-up country. "Well, I'm really glad that you're both here."
The sparkling sea reflected in Pema's chestnut eyes and a smile adorned her features. "Of course. I wouldn't miss this for the world... This one or earth." She laughed while pointing back and forth in thought. "I'm just glad that you still want me here and all."
"Of course I want you here." I earnestly turned to face her. "You're my best friend, and I can't imagine this day without you."
"Thanks." She shrugged with a slight look of regret. "I guess I still wish I had been a better friend when you needed me the most."
My heart squeezed in my chest when I saw the remorse flickering within her eyes. I swiftly wrapped my arms around her slender frame, forcing her into a lung-crushingly tight hug. She staggered backward and gasped for air, but I did not relent in my attack. "I don't care about what you did or didn't do in the past. But it's important to me that you're in my future." Tears threatened to sting my eyes, but I quickly blinked the pesky things back, not wanting to ruin William's makeup job.
She hugged me back and tightly closed her eyes. "Thank you."
A sudden loud knock on the bedroom door had us both jumping out of our little moment. I glanced at her with wide eyes, then walked halfway inside the bedroom. "Um, come in?" My voice called with uncertainty.
A handsome tenverian man with long white hair and dark grey skin cracked the door open and carefully scooted a very handsy Ani Tsering into the room. He said something in the ancient language while comically dodging her affections and swiftly closing the door as if he were afraid of the tiny elder. Her ornate and very vibrant traditional Tibetan dress grazed the floor as she stepped forward like she was going to open the door and chase after the poor man.
"Tashi delek, Ani!" Even though she couldn't see my face, my voice still carried my amusement and joy over to her.
"Lucilia!" Her wise features lit up with a beaming smile full of love and pride. "Are all Botswallalavainian men so tall and strong?"
"They are..." I hummed with a soft snicker. "In fact, it's almost like they're a whole other species." Pema and I both glanced at each other and laughed at my cheesy words.
-: ✧ :-✧-: ✧ :-
The sun rested low over the glimmering ocean, gilding each drifting cloud and cresting wave with bright halos of glowing gold. The swells rhythmically crashed into the rocky cliffs below as if singing songs of serenity, causing prisms of shimmering seawater to spray up over the edge. Valarendrik's shadowy frame was standing beneath a large castiron archway which twisted up and over in almost elven-style designs. It was perched upon the edge of a steep cliff with a gorgeous view of the sea stretching out behind it. White morning glories and purple wisteria vines delicately climbed up the sides and wove their way over the top in a beautiful tangle of bell blooms and dangling blossoms.
I stood with my mother at the base of a carved stone stairwell leading to the ceremony. Elydian and Rosalie were with us too, both wearing matching light blue dresses with various flowers woven into their curled hair. I hadn't had the heart to ask just one to be my flower girl, worried that I might hurt the other's feelings when they weren't picked. So now each of them held their own small basket of flower petals. Rosalie was silent and reserved as usual, while Elydian happily hummed a little tune and swayed back and forth.
Our closest friends all sat upon several rows of flower-adorned stone benches, creating a welcoming grassy aisle for me to walk down. Other tenverian citizens were encouraged to watch from along the upper cliffs which granted them a perfect view of the ceremony. Hundreds of tenverians lined the edges, all eager to see their king and queen exchange vows. Hellish lanterns similar to the one Valarendrik and I used to light up his cave dangled from fancily swirled garden hangers. Each held a candle of a different color, with their gentle flames flickering over the morning glory vines twisting up the hanger poles. A beautiful demoness was playing the violin off to the side, producing a lovely ambient wedding song. All the charming decorations combined with the otherworldly scenery and the castle looming nearby made everything look straight out of a fairytale.
Even Sagacor was decorated for the event. A plethora of colorful flowers and silver ribbons embellished his reins and saddle, starkly contrasting his abyssal-black fur coat. His head was dramatically turned to his side, with his extra-long tongue slithering out to ensnare the blossoms on his saddle. It wrapped around a cluster of bluebells which he happily and hastily munched on. And cheerily perched upon his back was Speedy, who had his own special ring of colorful flowers embellishing his green turtle shell.
They stood a bit off to the side near the front row, next to where Belzar was excitedly sitting with his hellhound mate and their three tiny black puppies. Their fluffy tails all happily wagged in a row, with the energetic puppies doing all that they could to keep from running around like a bunch of little ruffians. Belzar's mate contently fluttered her crimson doe eyes while affectionally nuzzling her slender snout up along the side of his fluffy cheek. And if ever an abyss wolf could look like a dopey, squiggly-smiling, lovesick mongrel, that would've been the look on his face in that moment.
The music faded into a slower song, giving the two girls their queue to begin walking... They didn't move and instead stood there obliviously. "Psst.." I whispered to them with an amused smile while slightly crouching down and pointing to where they needed to go. "It's time for you two to walk down the aisle."
Elydian's golden eyes widened in urgency, then she swiftly grabbed Rosalie's hand and led her along. My mother and I softly giggled, watching as they adorably began sprinkling the petals down the aisle. Rosalie looked like she was concentrating impossibly hard on the task. Meanwhile, Elydian was happily throwing them up over her head, using her fluttering dragon-like wings to blow them all around like flowery confetti. Both girls earned heartfelt smiles and coos of endearment from the guests. Once they made their way to the front of the aisle, Rosalie quickly found Oliver and climbed onto the safety of his lap. Elydian threw a hefty handful of petals at Val, then found her way to her father as well. She smiled while sprinkling the last of her petals on top of Azathoth's head, causing them to cling to the demon's long dark braid. Gwendolyn softly laughed beside them, holding Daicareus in her lap.
The music once again changed to a slower classical tune, causing my heart to both constrict and wildly pound within my chest. It was as if I wasn't sure whether to be anxious or overjoyed. I sucked in a deep breath while my mother's arm looped around mine reassuringly. Then slowly, we began walking down the aisle together, with my long lacy white dress beautifully trailing out behind us like a lowered peacock's tail.
Many familiar faces smiled endearingly as we gradually walked by. From all the human souls who we'd first met in the ruins, to those we'd met and known back on earth and in Hell. Darrell was the only one wearing sunglasses because apparently he always got emotional at these sorts of things. A silent laugh of pure joy bubbled from my chest, causing me to glance down and grip my bouquet all the tighter. And when I peered back up, crimson eyes swimming with the purest love were staring back into mine.
My chest swelled and my heart fluttered from the way Valarendrik stole my breath away. His attire was similar to the armor he wore during our first wedding, only with a bit more of a hellish flare. A cape of swirling soul silk elegantly draped behind his spiked shoulders and gently sway against the ocean backdrop. His long shadowy hair was pulled back in a high ponytail with thick viking-like braids woven along the sides of his head. But what was particularly striking about his look was the obsidian crown of spikes resting upon his head. It had been a gift from Hell and specially designed to compliment the obsidian band which was still permanently hammered into his skull. The golden light of the setting sun glimmered upon the points of each spike, setting it agleam in the most mesmerizing way. It highlighted his strong brow and high cheeks with a soft glow, making him look all the more ethereal as he lovingly watched me approach.
I couldn't help the smile that danced across my face as I took my spot beneath the arch. My mother gently pressed her lips to my forehead with tears of joy clinging to her lower lashes, one slipping down her cheek. She silently mouthed "I love you" before handing me off to Valarendrik with a warmhearted nod. Then she took her seat in the front row.
Valarendrik's large grey hand gently took mine and gave it a little squeeze. My hand looked so small within his, with his sharp black claws starkly contrasting my french manicure and peachy pale skin tone. Overwhelming affection gleamed in his ruby eyes as he gazed down at me with a look of pure joy but also slight uncertainty. "Do we begin now?" His voice was a quiet murmur, just barely audible for my human ears to hear. Although a few chuckles came from the tenverians atop the cliffs.
I grinned like a Cheshire cat and squeezed his hand back. "Yes, we begin now." I whispered.
The sea sang below us while he tenderly brushed his thumb over the back of my hand. We weren't doing a full wedding ceremony, just saying our vows to one another, yet my heart still danced and wildly thrummed within my chest as if it was. I could feel the essence of his soul reaching out to mine in an almost mystical sort of way, similar to the caress of a warm breeze on a summer night. It was something that we still didn't truly understand, yet it filled my spirit with love and solace nonetheless.
"Lucilia..." He softly began as he reached down and tenderly took my other hand to hold them both between us. The bouquet tilted to the side with the silver ribbons tickling our wrists. "Never in my wildest dreams could I have ever imagined such a blessing falling into my life. You have brought light where there was once only darkness and life to where there was only death. You chased away my loneliness with your companionship and filled my dead heart with ineffable love... You even brushed my hair." His smile danced with humor and some soft laughter was heard in the background.
The wavering grass danced around the bottom of my dress while a few tendrils of his shadows whirled around our conjoined hands. The tone of his deep voice reflected the immense love welling in his gaze as he stared down into my eyes as if I was the only person in the world who mattered to him. "I vow to you that even when the sun fails to raise, even when the mountains crumble and seas dry out, my love for you shall never waver. For longer than the stars burn in the heavens and beyond the death of time's caress, you are and shall always be the light of my world. I vow to you my undying devotion as your friend, your lover, and as your husband for now and forevermore."
Butterflies fluttered within my stomach and my eyes grew glossy with unshed tears. The abyssal sun had just begun to dip below the black clouds looming over the sea, casting a shimmering spectacle of golds, crimsons, and pinks across the indigo sky which reflected the beautiful emotions blooming inside of me. The evenfall glow gilded our engaged frames, setting my golden hair aflame while Valarendrik's shadows swallowed the light. The love I felt from him was unlike anything I had previously known before. It was like an energy which poured out of his soul and filled my heart to the brim with newfound life. It was deeper than the oceans and grander than the heavens, flowing to envelop every inch of my soul within its warmth.
"Valarendrik..." The salty wind gently tossed my hair to the side, causing it to tickle my bare back. I had written my vows down but left them inside of the castle, thinking that I'd remember them well enough. Although, now I was realizing that might have been a bad idea. My preplanned speech seemed to poof away from my memory as I drowned in his loving gaze, leaving me with no choice other than to speak directly from my heart.
"When I was just a girl, I used to dream of being rescued by my prince charming, falling in love, and living happily ever after. And yet, never in my wildest dreams could I have ever foreseen things turning out so perfectly. You saved me from certain death, opened up your home, and offered me your protection when I was lost and had nothing to offer you in return. You've filled my life with so much love and delight. You were willing to put my well-being before your own happiness, willing to risk everything to come to my aid. You both destroyed and rebuilt this world just for me." I squeezed his hands a little tighter while smiling up at him. "There is no one else who I could ever imagine spending the rest of my days with. I believe that our love was truly destined, and there was never any distance between worlds great enough to keep us apart. I vow to you that I will always remain faithfully by your side, as your friend, your lover, and as your wife on this day and every day yet to come."
The sun had almost completely sunken out of sight. And just as the darkness reached down to lay a kiss upon the last remaining glimmers of the light, Valarendrik placed his hand beneath my chin and leaned down to kiss me. A bunch of cheers and clapping immediately filled the cliffside. I placed my hand on his bicep with a squeeze and stood on my tip-toes, closing my eyes and melting into his embrace. He growled in approval and deepened the kiss, looping an arm around my back to pull me closer yet.
And as the land slipped into darkness, the celebrations began.
-: ✧ :-✧-: ✧ :-
The abyssal night was illuminated by a roaring bonfire, casting its amber glow across the rocky beach and lapping waves. Hundreds of dangling lanterns were sprinkled all throughout the vine-adorned cliffs, making it look as if they were embellished with fairy lights from afar. Drinks were poured in abundance and a royal buffet-style feast was laid out across four large wooden tables. The wedding cake was already almost completely devoured, having been a huge hit among the native tenverians who'd never tried such a thing before. Laughter and merriment teemed all throughout the kingdom, with a bunch of people on the beach becoming rather loud and rowdy.
"Alright, everyone! Listen up!" Pema's slightly intoxicated-sounding voice boomed as she stood atop a large stone jutting out from one of the cliffsides. A bunch of people turned their heads to hear what she had to say. "It's time for the bouquet toss! So everyone who wants to participate had better line up behind Lucilia now or else!"
I giggled while listening to her threatening choice of words, turning so that I was facing away from the crowd. I carefully stepped up onto a large seaweed-embellished stone, trying to gain some extra height. The beach was rather rocky, so I had taken off my heels and gone barefoot for most of the night. The traditional toss had me remembering how I'd caught the bouquet right before ending up in this world. It was amusing to think just how accurate it had been, and I could only hope that it would be the same for whoever caught this one.
A bunch of murmurs and footsteps resounded behind me as many people gathered around. I glanced up at Pema with a smile, who then gave me a 'go-ahead' thumbs up with a wink. My eyes squeezed shut and a grin stretched across my face as I threw the bouquet as high as I could up over my head and behind me. A bunch of screams and "Oh! Oh! Oh!'s" were immediately heard. While laughing, I turned around just in time to see a tall blonde man wearing a fancy black shirt with a pink tie suddenly rocket through the crowd like a ninja, bouncing like a spring-snake on cocaine, knocking people over, all while making dramatic kung-fu noises.
William's hand hastily wrapped around the bouquet with a fierce expression of pure triumph on his face. His top bun bobbed while he swiftly snatched it right out of the air, face-palming some poor girl in the process. "Ah-ha! Take that bitches!" He vaingloriously proclaimed while holding it up for all to see. "Woo!" He laughed as the grumbling crowd dispersed. His eyes then met Oliver's, who was watching on the sidelines. A mischievous smile found its way to Oliver's lips and something unspoken yet loving danced within his crimson eyes. William skipped over and pressed his lips to his, which Oliver gladly accepted by placing his hands on William's hips and deepening the kiss, their entwined forms dimly illuminated by the flickering glow of the firelight.
I briefly glanced around, seeing the silhouettes of Gwendolyn's small frame and Azathoth's large wings slow dancing by the sea. The hellions were passed out on some cushioned seats off to the side, giving their parents a peaceful moment to themselves. Elydian had Daicareus snuggly tucked under her wing, who was in turn cuddling Speedy like a little turtley teddy bear. The tenverian children didn't sleep at all and were still running around though. One ran past Darrell, who was chit-chatting with Maribel and Jayden over by the remains of the cake. I wondered why he hadn't attempted to catch the bouquet, figuring that a handsome bachelor like him would have joined in on the fun.
Darrell's the only one who's still all alone...
A tendril of misty shadows suddenly slithered around my waist like a lasso and pulled me down from the rock, causing my dress to sway just above the ground. "There you are." Valarendrik's deep voice cooed while he gracefully pulled me over to him.
The shadows held me up at his level while he tenderly placed a kiss upon my lips. I smiled into the kiss and wrapped my arms around his neck, loving the way his peppery rosewood scent mingled with the humid ocean breeze. The murmurs of all the guests faded away into the background, and in that moment, it was just me and the man I loved beside the gently lapping waves. The stars glittered above while he embraced me with immense love and endearment. My body softened in his touch, running my fingertips up along the back of his neck and over to the point of his ear.
A few wispy strands of hair twirled across his face as he broke the kiss to gaze mischievously into my eyes. Then he loudly whistled, and I wasn't surprised to hear the all too familiar clip-clopping of Sagacor's giant hooves almost immediately prancing toward us. "I'd say it's about time we snuck away from here and stole a moment alone." He murmured into my ear, his voice laced with lust. Perverse promises twinkled in his eyes as he gazed down at my face... and then even lower to the low V-cut of my dress.
I batted my eyelashes and purposefully pushed my chest to his, squishing my breasts lewdly against his armor. "Then take me away from here, and then take me, Valarendrik!" I dramatically whispered as if I were in a cheesy romance film from the 1950's. His face contorted into a determined glower and he let out a deep guttural hiss of approval, showing off his frighteningly sharp fangs. "...Oof!"
He swiftly wisped me up into his big strong arms, holding me bridal style as he gracefully leapt up and swung his leg over Sagacor's flowery saddle. The train of my dress flowed down over Valarendrik's thick thigh and against Sagacor's midnight coat, looking like a ghostly river in the darkness. Valarendrik's lips feverishly kissed up along the side of my neck, leaving a glistening trail that tingled in the wind in his wake. His sharp teeth nipped the lobe of my ear, with his nose fanning the side of my head as he inhaled my scent and squeezed me tight.
"There is not going to be even an inch of your body that will not know my love by the end of this night." His heady words sent a shiver up my spine and caused liquid heat to pool between my legs. "I am going to ravish your very soul, Lucilia." The long silky length of his dark grey tongue snaked out and licked along my flushed cheek.
Oh my!
His hand suddenly slithered down below my bottom, giving my lower butt a rough squeeze. "Are you wearing the buttplug?"
My blue eyes shot wide open and my entire face blazed red as a tomato. I whipped around to meet his gaze, leaning slightly back as I did so. "...I-I am." I nervously whispered as quietly as I could, then bit my lower lip. Even still, I could see a few heads turning our way in the distance... Damn those tenverians and their unnaturally good hearing!
The most lecherous smirk I'd ever seen lit up across his handsome face, then his foot lightly tapped Sagacor's side, silently commanding him to begin trotting down the beach. "Then let us not waste another moment." He kissed the top of my head. And as the star shimmered above, we trode off beside the abyssal sea and into the velvety veil of darkness...