Alec's P•O•V

I held onto Raven like if I let go, she'd vanish again. Feeling her in my arms again made my whole body warm. Her lips still the full, perfect lips I had fallen for the first time she kissed me. And when they were against mine it made me wonder if I'd ever have the strength to see her gone again.

I pulled away from her soft lips and kept my head pressed against hers. Looking down at her curvy, silken-covered body made me - a presumed strong, hardheaded Vampire - weak. I could hear her pulse flooding her as her heart beat with the speed of a butterfly's fluttering wings.

I marveled at the way her skin shivered and goosebumps appeared at the surface as I trailed my fingertips up her arm. I brushed the hair behind her shoulder and caressed her neck with both of my hands now.

I tore my gaze from her skin and looked into her dark brown eyes. She watched me and caught my expression. She furrowed her brow and looked to me.

"What is it?" She whispered, looking up to me through her thick lashes with concern. I shook my head with a small, crooked smile planted on my face.

"I just missed you." I replied and pulled her back to me, kissing her passionately. Raven gasped in response to the kiss, but soon her shock subsided and she kissed back.

I fought the strong urges that filled me and disregarded them. Slowly backing her against the wall, the kiss deepened. I removed my hands from the back of her neck so that they encased her, firmly pressed against the wall on both sides of her.

Raven's lips molded to mine as she laced her fingers in my hair. I could feel myself resisting the many temptations that flooded through me. Yet, at the same time I let the heat fill me as I was pressed so close to Raven.

I pulled away, not letting the heat consume me and persuade me any more than it already had. I wouldn't hurt Raven. As much as I wanted her, I couldn't forget the last time. And I wouldn't. In order to keep my mind straight and keep my self control in hand, I wouldn't...

My breathing was uneasy as I closed my eyes and avoided looking at her. I held my head low. Raven must have noticed because she ran her hand down to my bicep and rubbed it soothingly.

"Alec?" She murmured, her breath ragged, "what's wrong?"

I sighed.

"We can't." I told her firmly. She placed two fingers underneath my chin and pulled my gaze up to her. I opened my eyes and stared into hers shamefully, knowing my eyes were bright red by now.

"You know I trust you." She said unwaveringly. Of course, I believed her words to be true, but I knew she'd never trust me if I did give in to my temptation...

"I know you do." I mumbled in response. She gave me those pouty lips that her and I both knew were irresistible.

"Then why do you stop yourself?" She asked the inevitable question. I sighed, running a hand through my hair, and stepped away from her.

"You know why." I told her guiltily and sat in the plush Victorian chair in front of the unlit fireplace. Raven sighed and walked over to me, sitting somewhat on my lap as she rested her back against the armrest.

"Alec, you don't have to feel guilty about last time. It was an accident." Raven tried to reassure me, but I only shook my head.

"Well what if another accident happens? What if I hurt you worse?" I countered with her, feeling the remorse of bruising her so badly come back.

Raven huffed and turned so she was no longer looking at me with her head turned, but now she looked at me eye to eye.

"You won't hurt me." She pressed. I sighed exasperatedly.

"You don't know that, Raven. You don't understand how little control I have when I'm with you." I told her seriously. She looked in my eyes with those tempting, coffee eyes and I nearly gave when she ran her finger down my chest, gentle and light enough not to press on the gauze.

"Alec, you're strong. Strong enough to control yourself if needed. But who said I wanted you to control yourself in the first place?" She raised an eyebrow at me and I swallowed hard.

"Raven I don't want to hurt you." I murmured softly, glancing down at her lips momentarily as she came closer.

"And I trust that you won't." Raven whispered and this time she kissed me.

Finally, I gave in.

Raven's P•O•V

Finally, I felt that craving dissipate when I met his lips with mine. The scorched feeling of the spell burning through my throat now subsided as Alec returned the kiss, this time not as held back.

I whimpered as I felt the soreness in my throat heal from Alec's kiss. His hands made their way down my curves and then gripped onto my hips. I gasped as Alec pulled me closer to him, myself now straddling him instead of just merely sitting on his lap. Part of me didn't want to admit how much I had craved his touch since I noticed his unforgettable eyes watching me the night of the ceremony. And this was a perfect remedy.

I could feel his canines sharpen as they scraped against my lips. I shivered at the feeling as he ran his hands up my spine. My silk top rode up as he did so. Before the tank top went up too far, Alec diverted his hands to my thighs, letting the silk tank top cover my waist once again.

Alec's hands ran up my thighs gently - almost too gently - as he trailed them over my pajama shorts. I huffed, nearly thinking he was going to feel more of me rather than the silken fabric of the shorts. Alec laughed and bit my lip softly, causing a drop of blood to enter the kiss before the bite healed swiftly. I nearly wondered if I would melt before we got to anything serious.

Alec stood up from the chair with ease and held my legs wrapped around his torso. I smiled in the kiss as I wrapped my arms around his neck so I was eye level with him.

I wasn't there for long as he laid me down on the bed like a precious and fragile object, his actions so gentle and caring. I looked up at him and studied his eyes as he admired me being all sprawled out on his bed.

He smiled down at me.

"What?" I giggled, wondering what had given him that bright smile. Surely something or someone had blessed him with that smile that could make me instantly smile back.

"You're gorgeous," Alec said in a quiet voice, not as quiet as a whisper but filled with seriousness and strict truth. I knew he meant it when he said it, and I believed his compliment.

"Truly," He persisted, "so magnificent and priceless. The whole castle couldn't compare to how much you're worth lubirea mea-"

I cut him off by pulling him down to kiss me. When I parted from him, he looked confused.

"No need to flatter me, because I already believe everything you say." I admitted. Alec smiled down at me.

I lied perfectly in the center of the bed as Alec hovered above me, his arms to either side of me just like they were when I was against the wall. I smiled back up at him.

He kissed me softly, entrapping me in the bliss until he parted from me. My eyes stayed closed as he kissed down my chin, then down my neck, down my chest. Above the silk, he kissed soft, sweet kisses down my stomach. He stopped for a mere second and part of me wondered what he would do next.

Before I opened my eyes, I felt him kiss down my right thigh. Instead of in a line, he kissed all over. I realized what he was doing as I could feel the cuts from Akantha's magic seal and close up as if they had never been there. His hot breath made me quiver as he trailed over to my left thigh.

After Alec kissed every single little scratch the wicked woman had placed there, he brought himself back up to my lips.

I sat up and kissed him deeply, I felt his hands glide the silk tank top up. I parted from the kiss and kept his eyes locked on mine as he pulled the thin fabric over my head and I threw it to the floor.

I studied his eyes carefully, nervous for him to look anywhere other than my eyes. I broke the gaze and looked down. He brushed the hair away from my eyes as my face burned red. I breathed in deep from his relaxing touch.

"Please don't hide yourself from me Raven." Alec whispered. I looked back up and met his perfectly red eyes.

"I'm not going to judge you, because I'm not going to judge perfection." He told me. I blushed even harder.

I shivered when Alec trailed his hand from my cheek down to my hip. His hand wrapped in around my hip and pushed me against him. I gasped when his lips found their way to my neck. I could feel him stiffen briefly before he kissed my pulsing neck softly.

Slowly I lied back down and let the euphoria take to me like hungry wolves. But it felt so good, because it was given to me by the Vampire I had fallen in love with.

♱

I laid by Alec's side, surrounded by torn sheets and a split duvet that now covered our feet in feathers. Alec traced circles on my collar bone soothing. I breathed deeply, feeling weak from the previous feeding and love making that I wished could last forever.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, wondering if he was still worried. He looked down at me and kissed me. I smiled and he parted from me.

"Never better." He smiled down at me, his eyes now a deep maroon, caring and passionate. The ones I once feared, but now loved.

"What about you? Did I hurt you?" Alec asked worriedly, brushing the hair out of my eyes.

"Not at all." I whispered. He smiled and pulled me onto his chest so I could lay on him. I avoided the gauze, not wanting to hurt him.

"Alec?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, lubirea mea?" He responded.

"I love you." I whispered, now looking up to him. He smiled.

"I've loved you since the day I saw you. Instinct or not, I will always love you." Alec replied firmly. I smiled and laid my head back down on his chest.

I thought, if only this could've been how my night was a week ago... with the man I loved.

😂😩

❤️