It was warm and soft and comfortable... so comfortable.

I breathed in slowly just taking in the wonderful scent that filled my nose. Slowly my mind woke up which allowed my other senses to stretch out and realise that someone, warm, soft and naked was wrapped around me like a vine. I breathed out softly and became amazed at myself when I let out an actual purr as I felt that someone languidly tracing patterns over my naked stomach. Circling, zigzagging, random shapes, petting her whole palm over my side like she was erasing her invisible drawings.

"You're actually purring." Beatrice giggled her head resting on my chest just over my right breast.

"I can't help it. I feel so at peace right now." I sighed before yawning making Beatrice giggle again.

I opened my eyes when I felt her move, frowning at the missing warmth against my side. I looked up at find my silver eyed beauty hovering over me with a soft smile. "Good morning." She breathed.

I smiled back. "It is indeed." I agreed before curling a hand around the base of her neck underneath her soft hair to pull her down. Our lips touched, softly, slowly, beautifully. I sighed when she broke it. My thumb stroked against the soft skin of her neck as I stared up at her. I found that my body slightly throbbed from both an unusual aching and the last bit of pleasure from the previous night.

I was amazed at the memories that flooded my mind. After that first amazing release I went crazy. Seriously, from the memories replaying through my mind's eye no wonder I ache and can still feel left over pleasure, we didn't stop until we literally passed out.

I gasped softly and quickly sat up pushing Beatrice onto her back and looking over her body. Heat rose up in me at the sight but I quickly pushed that away to make sure she wasn't hurt.

"Vaden I'm fine." Beatrice giggled but I continued to frown while I looked her over. The slightest bruises I made with my fingers still marked the inside of her thighs and when I tilted Beatrice's head to the left I found a bite mark on her neck just over her vein.

I touched them softly with the tip of my fingers and felt her shiver beneath me. "Do they hurt?" I asked quietly feeling guilty and impossibly angry at myself, promising silently that I'll gut myself if I had hurt her.

"No. Vaden listen to me." Beatrice stated grabbing my hand with both of hers and tilted her head until I could no longer see the bite mark, only her silver-blue eyes I love. "You didn't hurt me. I'm not in pain and everything you did to me last night I loved, wanted and needed. Last night was incredibly special and you should be able to feel how satisfied I am right now."

I sighed softly because she was right that I can feel her content emotions, but that doesn't stop my protective nature from worrying about her. "Okay." I gave in with another sigh, but it made Beatrice smile so I don't mind.

Lifting her arms she wrapped them around me pulling me down and onto her. I kissed her shoulder while I lay diagonally across her. I moved my kisses across her shoulder to her neck where the bite mark was. I felt my body stir and my fangs lengthen remembering the euphoric taste of her blood.

I nipped lightly over the mark and smiled satisfyingly when I felt her rise up against me with her hands running up and down my back in a scratching manner.

"Bite me." Beatrice whispered in my ear making shivers run down my spine. I forgot how sensitive my ears were. "Oh..." I heard her whisper like she just discovered something interesting.

I couldn't stop my claws from slipping out and into the bed when soft lips and teasing teeth nibbled at my ear. I closed my eyes in bliss at the feeling and felt my body turn into mush over her.

Beatrice giggled but I couldn't get myself to care that she was teasing me. My beast side was satiated from last night, now its the light sides turn. As Beatrice continued to nibble the shell of my ear, my spare hand decided to explore everything I tasted with my mouth the previous night.

Running up and down her sides slightly tickling her, my hand travelled from her shoulder all the way down to her smooth thigh then back up again. I lifted my head with a struggle to look down at her. A second later I kissed her. Her hand went back into my already knotted and bed mussed hair clenching and unclenching like she was kneading my scalp. It felt nice.

My exploring hand wrapped around her right set of ribs sliding up them until my thumb could brush the underside of her breast. As my thumb stroked the soft underside my tongue slipped into her mouth to play with her own.

She moaned into me when I found her extended canines that I knew were incredibly sensitive. I licked one, allowing my tongue to wrap around it and let it slightly cut my tongue trickling beads of my blood onto her own tongue. She moaned louder at the taste of my blood and I hissed softly when her nails dug into my head.

My hand moved to fully cup and knead and play with the breast marvelling at the beautiful feeling of the plump flesh under my palm. I scratched my claws lightly against her hard nipple making her shudder and moan underneath me.

I felt her hips rise and fall in little movements that told me what she wanted. So I moved to hover right over her body allowing both hands access to every inch of her delicious body. I changed to my left hand to play with her other beast while my right hand went south.

She was soaked, that made me smile and break the kiss, breathless and panting. I hummed softly while placing kisses everywhere over her neck and shoulders loving her as much as I could.

I bit her neck over the left over mark from last night but not hard enough to pierce her skin. Beatrice moaned and wiggled beneath me as my fingers slid through her wet folds, deep into her throbbing sex while my thumb circled around her hard little clit.

"V-Vaden..." Beatrice panted. I didn't answer knowing that she was just saying my name because she could. It made my chest flutter and my stomach shiver. I loved when she said my name. It sounds even better though when she's in the throws of passion.

I hummed against her neck kissing her here and there while my fingers continued to manipulate her. My movements were slow and languid but I knew I was hitting all the right places to bring her to a warm and satisfying release.

She clenched my fingers internally while her body tensed beneath my own. I bit her then with my fangs flowing into her my love and pleasure while I tasted her need and climax that ran through her blood.

She shuddered and relaxed as I pulled back from her licking at the new wounds, willing them to close. I smiled when her arms tightened around me, clinging to me in a hug I was most willing to give. I rolled us onto our sides, my own arms wrapping around her torso while hers stayed around my neck. She pressed her face against my chest and I felt her sigh against me.

"I love you... zhilat (my love)" She whispered.

I grinned uncontrollably at the thrum of feelings that wound their way to me over our bond. I kissed the top of her head breathing in her scent. I was happy to find part of my own scent has made its way onto her, meaning no one would be able to mistaken her as anyone else's, but mine.

We lay there for a moment just relaxing before I yawned and realised that it at least has to be late morning now. "We should bathe. We have a bit to do today before we head off to the front line." I told her.

"I don't want to move." She sighed back tightening her arms around my neck keeping her face to my chest.

"But I want to see what's down that path I can see but no one else can." I told her leaning back slightly to look down at her.

She frowned slightly before nodding her head almost reluctantly. "Yeah, I have to admit that I too want to see what is down that path." She sighed before standing up and stretching out her body beside the bed. I had to marvel at the beauty in front of me. All creamy skin that was delectably biteable.

I growled lowly when I felt my body heat up once again. Just having her once or twice is not going to be enough to satisfy this craving I have for her.

Beatrice looked at me over her shoulder with her blazing silver eyes, the blue coming through a bit more each time they glowed. It was strange, like her eyes were changing colour for some reason.

"I thought you wanted to have a bath?" Beatrice asked a teasing smile on her pretty lips.

In a second I was in front of her, my lips on hers unable to help myself. Now that I have her I just have to gorge. I hummed against her while wrapping my arms around her waist pulling us close, she didn't fight me for even a second. I pulled back smiled down at her flushed face.

"That was nice." She whispered and I couldn't help but laugh.

I nodded my head before grabbing her hand and headed towards the door I can smell a dampness behind. "Come on." I whispered to her while walking towards it.

I was right that it was the bathroom behind the door. It was almost as big as the bedroom and had a large floor level bath. Instead of tiles like at the estate, glossy wood made up the floors, walls and ceiling of the bathroom while an amazing view of the surrounding forests could be seen through a wide window right in front of the bath.

"First the bed being softer than clouds and now a bathroom that looks like the king and queen should be here..." I muttered to myself and Beatrice laughed having heard me.

"I know what you mean, it's amazing isn't it?"

"Definitely. I'm tempted to ask the king where to get such a bed from so that I can take it home."

"I can have that arranged for when we get back from the war."

"And then you can share it with me." I grinned at her wrapping my arms once again around her.

"I'd love to." She smiled back so brightly I thought I was going to become blind by how dazzling it is. "Come on love, bath time."

I chuckled at her wording. With a flick of my wrist at the empty bath it filled up with bath warm water. Beatrice sighed softly as she slid into the wooden bath. I smiled at her relaxed expression while I went over to a cabinet where I can smell all types of different scents. All together it didn't smell very nice but individually they smelt lovely. I squatted down in front of the open cabinet to find jars full of different herbs and dried flowers.

I picked up different ones and placed them below my nose scenting them. I sneezed a few times but at one a knew I had to put it in the bath because it smelt exactly like how Beatrice does, earthy, warm and like old leather bound books thanks to her time in the estates library. I picked up the jar and sprinkled a bit around in the bath before I placed the jar back and slid in behind Beatrice, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her to my front.

"Why that one?" She asked softly leaning back against me.

"It smells like you." I told her while placing kisses over her shoulders before tying up her soft, silky hair.

I washed her body with soft scented soap taking my time to move over her body slightly massaging it while I went.

"You're making me want you again." Beatrice breathed out, her breath picking up and I smiled at the sight of her nipples hardening.

"Sorry, I don't entirely mean to." I laughed softy while I finished rinsing the suds off of those pretty perky breasts.

She took the cloth from me and moved away from me. She turned to me before using a finger to motion for me to turn my back to her. "Your turn." She stated.

I couldn't stop myself from purring as much as I tried to while Beatrice ran the cloth over my body taking away dirt and travel grime I had from yesterday. I think I'm becoming more animal than human everyday.

"I love it when you purr. It's adorable." Beatrice giggled beside my ear probably having felt my annoyance with it.

"Why though? You don't purr and I'm sure lady Aviva doesn't either. It just makes me more different than I already am." I slightly pouted.

"Well maybe because you and your beast have become one while Aviva and I can't accept our beasts like you have. I hear my beast in my head sometimes but its not a part of me or who I am." She told me.

"Maybe." I sighed. I yelped and moved away from her while giving her a scowl, rubbing my neck were she had bit me. "What was that for?"

Beatrice just smiled. "Oh no reason." She shrugged and then slid out of the bath. I watched as the water ran off her body in a delicious display that had my mouth feeling parched. "We'll never leave this room if you continue to look at me like that Vaden." Beatrice laughed while wrapping a towel around herself cutting off my view of her stunning body.

"I wouldn't actually mind that if people's lives weren't at stake." I sighed while I got out of the water too. With a barely a thought the water evaporated from my body leaving my body dry.

"I guess you won't need this?" Beatrice joked while she put back the towel she had been holding for me.

"Nope, but I don't mind drying you with one." I smiled at her, coming up to her and pulling away her towel. Before she could speak I covered her mouth with my own. I dropped the towel to the floor and pulled her wet body up against my own. Her slippy skin felt so nice against me. I dried the water off of us while we kissed, slow, sensually and pulsing our love for each other down the mating bond that now connects us.

I pulled away slightly panting. "We should get dressed and head to that path." I suggested but didn't move.

"We should." Beatrice agreed glowing eyes staring up at me, also not moving away.

I smiled softly down at her revelling in our connection on both the physical and psychic plane. I bent my head and breathed in her scent as our lips connected softly. I pulled away feeling content. "Come on." I nodded my head towards the bedroom door. "Let's get dressed and then we can head out."

Beatrice sighed but followed me anyway into the room. I picked up my clothes from the ground and pulled them back on while Beatrice once again dressed in her travel gown. "Are you ready to go?" She asked once I finished strapping my hunting knife to my thigh.

"Yes, are you?" I asked back.

She nodded her head. "Yes."

"Then let's go." I smiled at her before heading out the door, holding it open for her.

Hand in hand we walked to the stairs where the path was, today the calling seemed stronger than yesterday. "I'll go first." I told Beatrice when we stopped in front of it. "Don't let go of my hand just in case the path closes or something." I told her while squeezing her hand.

"Alright." She agreed.

I nodded to her before turning to the path. I breathed in then out slowly calming my sudden nerves before I stepped onto the path and started walking, keeping a tight hold on Beatrice's hand just in case.

"Oh!" I heard her shocked voice making me look at her. She was looking around in surprise. "Sorry I was just a little surprised that I walked through a tree to find this." She laughed softly.

"Come on." I smiled at her, pulling her to my side because the path was wide enough for us to walk side by side.

I don't know how long it took, maybe five or even ten minutes of walking down this path in utter silence until we came to the end of it. I stood amazed and horrified at the same time at the clearing before me. It was beautiful with lush grass, trees everywhere, glowing moss growing over stone slabs that speckled the ground in path-lick ways. But, what horrified me was the red liquid that bled out of the trees, the animal corpses that littered the ground around a large silver tree, which bled thick black liquid like bloody tears surrounding a black hole in the middle of that tree, which was situated right in the middle of the clearing. The stone paths led to the tree in the middle and whatever was calling me was coming from the tree.

Halfway to the tree I realised I was already walking, a few more steps and I was in front of it. I was standing among the small animals that looked like they were just sleeping, if it wasn't for the black liquid that stained their fur and feathers beneath their eyes.

"What's happened here?" I heard Beatrice ask from behind me but my eyes were focused on something else.

They were focused on the black hole that looked endless inside the tree. I could see something glowing in there, something golden and thin, very thin, like the width of a hair. It sparkled in the darkness.

I leant forward for a better look only to gasp at what I saw.

I was surprised because I was met by my reflection, no, I was met by myself. I was standing there in the dark hole as I was dressed now and that hair thin gold thread was coming out of my chest. It was leading to something, no... to someone. I leant a little bit closer and was surprised again by the sight of Beatrice standing there in the darkness with the golden thread going into her, but it wasn't just going into her... it was going through her. It was going through her and was leading to another figure but this time I couldn't see who it was because they were shrouded in complete darkness.

But... why was the thread going through Beatrice to this other person? Who is that other person? Why were the three of us connected by this golden thread? So many questions and none were being answered. What did this mean?

"H-Hey... what is that?" Beatrice asked from beside me also now looking down into the hole.

"I have no idea." I breathed back still highly confused as well at the sight in front of us.

"Is that meant to represent the Mating bond?" She asked quietly.

I frowned. "Possibly... but why is it going through you?" Beatrice was silent for a bit too long so I looked at her. She seemed paler than normal, which made me worry. "Hey, hey! It's okay, it doesn't matter, you're my Mate, no one else is and we'll figure out why it's going through you another time. But for now, I'm in love with you, you're my Mate. I can feel it. I know it."

I cupped her face in both my hands making her look at me. Her silver eyes were worried but I just returned it with a serious stare. "Believe me Beatrice, you're mine and I'm yours. No way anyone is going to take that away from us." She nodded her head as she swallowed nervously. I sent her my love down the bond. "Plus how would it be possible for you to feel what I send you over the bond if you weren't my Mate?" I asked her trying to give reason to this crazy picture. "Look at this place Beatrice, we walked down a path only I could see and there are dead things all around us. How can we trust or make sense of anything that comes from this place?" I looked back at the strange image in the darkness, looking at the dark figure behind Beatrice. "It could just be your beast. I mean, as you said in the bath, you haven't accepted your beast and it's not a part of you like mine is, but it is still a small section of what you are. So maybe that's it and this is just showing our bond and how I'm connected to not only you but your beast as well."

"I-It could be possible." Beatrice agreed once again nodding her head and I felt a breath of relief leave me because I felt her starting to believe me, which helped me believe myself. Yes, that's it, the figure in darkness is just her beast because it's a being of dark mana so it's surrounded in darkness. "It's changing." She muttered.