When we'd arrived to the palace, my form curled up in his grasp, many tried to sway the Prince to release me to the maids. After all, Prince Nikolas was now the King and he had many things to do. However, he only ignored their request and continued walking without comment until we arrived in his bedchamber.

"I must leave for awhile," Nikolas stated as though this wouldn't be obvious to me. He said the words, but remained holding me in his arms stubbornly. I imagined Kol fighting against Niko, who wanted to deal with the King issues. I waited patiently until he finally let me go.

"Stay here until I return," He said to me, his voice dark with warning. He then turned towards the room sweepingly. "Don't be stupid, mutt. Show yourself."

After his words, Prince appeared from the shadows. I gasped in surprise, collapsing onto my knees as I held out my arms for him. He limped his way towards me, the wound still healing on his chest, but all was forgotten when I'd wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I was able to drag him away before King Cyril could finish him off later," Nikolas stated before hesitating. "He is... a good... shadow daemon." He struggled to compliment Prince, but after he did, Prince seemed to be in greater spirits.

With Prince there to protect me, even in his injured state, Nikolas left me hidden in his bedchamber. The only person to come by was the occasional maid which only delivered a tray of food for me.

I thought about what the King had said about me living for centuries. It hadn't been something I'd asked about being a seraphim; what type of life span I would have. I thought about what it meant to live for centuries. Otherwise, I spent my time washing up in the bath and grooming Prince, eventually falling asleep on the bed.

I dreamed about torture, cries, and Gio fading away before me. When I gasped awake, the room was entirely dark. At first, I felt the beginnings of fear, but then I recalled my newer fear when the sun had begun to flood the dome room around Gio and me. It was just light or lack thereof. I rolled over on the bed instead of turning on a light.

When I heard the bedroom door open, I sat up sharply, my heart in my throat. I reached to turn on the bedside light and found Nikolas standing by the doorway hesitantly. Shadows shrouded his form once more and his crimson and golden eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. When he didn't move, I stood and began to approach him carefully.

I paused before getting too close, taking in his form slowly.

"Am I strange to you?" Nikolas asked me as though he already knew the answer.

Was he worried I would find him appalling now? A half-breed of seraphim and daemon; apparent even down to his unnatural eyes... I was certain the daemons he had to deal with today were probably unnerved by him and his appearance. Did he fear my feelings would change as well?

I took a step closer to him, tracing the cool shadows over his skin delicately.

I looked into his eyes, the golden of one calling forth my golden eyes almost immediately.

"I think you're beautiful," I admitted honestly.

"Why do your eyes turn gold then? You only do that during pleasure or fear," He inquired, his voice low with disbelief. I blinked at his statement, as though only just realizing I'd lost my concentration.

"I think... a part of me recognizes the part of you that's like me," I said to him, running my hand over his arm beyond his shadows. As my hand touched his skin, both of our skin seemed to glow where we touched. I traced my hand over his arm curiously. Nikolas pulled off his shirt, revealing his darkened skin where the King's shadow blade had pierced his heart.

"Does it hurt?" I asked, touching his chest. Even over the darkness, a glow followed my touch.

"It doesn't," Nikolas answered, huffing at my touch. I paused and then lifted my hand to his face, thinking about how it must feel to have both his consciousness now molded into one. He must feel strange entirely. I cupped his face with my hands and lifted myself onto my tiptoes to press my forehead against his.

"Does it hurt here?" I asked him with concern.

"It doesn't," He repeated, turning his head to capture my lips with his. I gasped against him, wrapping my arms around his neck. Nikolas reached around me to grasp at my bottom and pull me closer against him.

I released my grip on him, pulling at my own clothes to bare myself to him. As I did, Nikolas bent down to his knees before me, taking my breast into his mouth. I whimpered as he took first my right and then my left before returning to the prior, taking his time in tasting me. His hand moved between my legs seductively, rubbing against my core luxuriously.

"N-nikolas," I moaned, finding it hard to stand on trembling legs anymore. "Please."

Nikolas lifted me from the ground, carrying me to the bed with hunger lit on his face. He laid me on the bed and I lifted my chin to take his lips with mine again. Anywhere Nikolas touched me glowed between us so that when he aligned our body's together we were both glowing a pleasurable light that I'd been used to only showing myself.

I cried out against Nikolas' lips when he pushed deep into me, the pressure too much at first, but as he removed himself from me and pushed even deeper, the pressure turned more into pleasure. I clung to Nikolas' shoulders, spreading my legs wider for him to take me deeper.

"I love you," I breathed into his ear as he rocked into me roughly. Nikolas growled with pleasure and began to rock into me harder, vigorously shoving himself into me. I gasped against him with delight, moaning as he filled me repeatedly.

"Ha, I could fuck you forever," Nikolas groaned as he pushed into me deeply. I blushed at his comment, but then gasped when he began shoving into me particularly viciously as though desperate to have me. I felt the pleasure building within me until it spilled over. I cried out, tightening against him as he continued to thrust into me powerfully.

Without waiting, I turned over under him, lifting my bottom into the air and spreading my legs obediently. Nikolas growled appreciatively above me, grasped my waist and shoved himself even deeper into me than before.

Nikolas made love to me for hours, long after I'd lost energy. When all I could do is whimper in exhaustion, he still took me as desperately as though we might never make love again. Only when it seemed I might faint from exertion did he finally bury himself into me a last time, releasing into me with a growl of pleasure.

Afterwards, Nikolas drew me against him in the bed face to face, showering me with kisses on my face with such adoration that I forced myself not to fall asleep immediately. Instead, I smiled and snuggled closer to him. I enjoyed the feeling of his body against mine.

"I love you, too," Nikolas said to me warmly before kissing the tip of my nose lightly.

"I...," I began to repeat my love for him, but sleep pulled me under into darkness.

~...~

I was racing through the halls, feet bared of any shoes, as I looked for a place to hide. In a panic, I ran under a nearby table, hoping the skirt would be enough to hide me. When I heard feet following in the distance, I held my breath determinedly, waiting for them to either pass me by or find me in my escape at last.

The feet scurried from one place to another, searching for me determinedly. And then there was nothing more than silence. I waited a moment, listening for any signs of movement and too afraid to make a move on my own.

"Found you!" A voice cried out triumphantly as a small body tackled against mine.

"Ah!" I cried out laughing, but instead of trying to run, I pulled the child into my grasp in an affectionate hug. "Good job, Ethan." I praised the boy sweetly, running my hair through his dark black strands softly.

"Let's play again," Ethan requested sweetly, lifting his chin to look at me pleadingly. His eyes looked like his father's; one golden and one crimson. But his daemon side was far more suppressed so that he didn't hold fangs or claws as Nikolas did. Thankfully, he never had the "madness" of a split mind, either.

"We have to go see the King," I told him, poking his nose teasingly.

"The King! Really?!" Ethan grew excited, rushing from under the table without me. "Prince! Let's go to the King!" I escaped from the table in a panic, snatching Ethan up before Prince could do it instead. I gave Prince a look and he disappeared in the shadows without a moment to wait.

"Not so fast," I scolded Ethan, "You've got to take me with you."

"Okay, let's go," Ethan said determinedly, having learned nothing.

Five years had gone by since King Nikolas had taken over. I'd become Queen from beside him, our marriage becoming final, and not long after that I'd become with child- as did many women throughout the land. In Numa, reports of Seraphim being created by the gate were being made, and so a balance was beginning to grow.

There was discourse, naturally. Nikolas wasn't a full daemon and his wife was a seraphim. Many tried to overthrow the kingdom, but none had been successful thus far.

When there weren't issues, I was allowed to go visit my family once more. The children were growing quickly into adolescents; slowly becoming less focused on childish things as they were before. Yet, when I saw them and they saw me, it was like we all were back in time once more.

We arrived at the throne room where I knew Nikolas would be finishing up with meetings. As we entered, Ethan wiggled his way out of my arms and once he was free he ran towards the throne with abandon.

"Father," Ethan called out, catching Nikolas' attention. Nikolas turned to catch Ethan, lifting him into the air. Ethan laughed with delight and hugged Nikolas warmly.

I watched the two of them and as I did, I couldn't help but feel happy.

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