A Shade of Midnight

TWENTY-FIVE

Raven stopped moving inside me, letting me adjust, and I opened my eyes to find him staring down at me.

"Say it again," he murmured.

Alam ko kung anong ibig niyang sabihin. 

"You're mine," I breathed. 

Raven pulled out slightly and thrust back in slow. So torturously slow. 

"You're mine." I gasped as he pulled out and thrust in. 

"You're mine." 

Again, faster, deeper this time. 

With each pounding stroke, I claimed him. I claimed my lover, my friend. 

"You're mine," I whispered, dragging my fingernails down his back and pulling him closer to me as if I couldn't get enough. 

My friend through many dangers. 

My lover who had healed my broken and tired soul. 

My man who was looking for me, waited for me against all hope, despite all the odds. 

Iginalaw ko ang bewang ko kasabay sa galaw niya. Naramdaman ko naman ang mga labi niyang umangkin sa mga labi ko. Every inch of me burned with the sensation and my control slipped entirely as he whispered, "I love you." 

I found my release. It tore through my body, and he continued to pound in me, hard and fast, drawing out my pleasure until I felt him convulse. Raven moaned in my ears as he came, slamming to the hilt. I felt him fill me inside and it was warm and comfortable. He felt like he belonged there, inside of me. My body was limp from the pleasure and we were both breathing hard, interrupting the silence that fell. 

I took his face between my limp hands and made him look at me. 

His eyes were radiant like the stars and the night sky I wrote a long time ago.

Nginitian ko siya and he did the same. He then leaned and kissed me before I felt him starting to get hard again inside me. 

*** 

Hindi ko alam kung ilang oras kaming nanatili sa kama. Umaga iyon nang dumating siya. Nang mapatingin ako sa oras, nakita kong halos mag aalas dos na ng tanghali. But we didn't care. Nanatili kami sa kama. Nasa dibdib niya ang kamay ko habang hinahaplos niya ang braso ko. We lazily touched each other as if we have all the time in the world. 

"I think I fell in love with you," Raven murmured, stroking a finger down my arm, "the moment I saw you in that dark alley surrounded by those scums. Or perhaps during that time when you won Meredith's first trial. Or maybe the moment you flipped your middle finger at me for mocking you." He chuckled. "It reminded me so much of Bryen and I wanted to laugh." 

I furrowed my brows. "Nainlove ka sa akin dahil naalala mo si Bryen?" I asked flatly. 

He flicked my nose. "I fell in love with you, smartass, because I knew you were strong, and that you are one of us--because you weren't afraid of me--and you decided to end your spectacular victory by throwing that dagger at Meredith like a javelin. Naalala ko si Bryen at kung naroon siya nang mga oras na iyon, he would have cheered and laughed his heart out. I could almost hear him say, 'If you don't marry her, you stupid prick, I will.'" 

Napatawa naman ako sa sinabi niya. I slid my hand over his tattooed chest. Napatingin naman siya sa oras at saka tumingin sa akin. "We should take a bath. And how convenient that the bathtub is large enough for two." 

He carried me to the bath. The tub was already filled with cold water. He strode down the steps of the bath and hissed at the cold touch of the water on his skin. Nang maramdaman ko ang tubig sa katawan ko, I moaned a little. 

Raven pulled the basket of soap and took one. Saka niya iyon ibinigay sa akin. He gave me a wicked smile before I took the soap from his hands. Sinabunan ko ang likod niya, his muscled back hard against my hands. I went to rub the soap on his arms and then to his hands. I played with it for a little longer and he looked at me. My eyes darted towards the thing between his legs, now aroused. I grin escaped my mouth. 

"Well, at least the rumors about Valyrian hands correlating with the size of other parts were right." 

Tumaas ang isang kilay niya habang nakatingin sa akin and then he choked out a laugh. "You have such dirty, wicked mouth." 

"I was thinking where I could put this wicked mouth to use." 

This time, his reaction was priceless. And I laughed. I went back to washing his back, scrubbing gently. 

Silence covered us until I opened my mouth. "I think I was falling in love with you for a while," I said. "During that time when we were watching the stars. I think I have realized that I was in love with you since then. But I was a coward. I was so scared of it that I didn't want to look closer." 

"You have perfectly good reason to avoid it." 

"No, I didn't. But maybe--thanks to Maxim, yes. But it had nothing to do with you, Raven. Takot ako hindi dahil sa iyo. O kung anong sabihin ng mga tao sa akin matapos akong muntikan makasal kay Maxim. It had nothing to do with you. I was never afraid of the consequences of being with you. Even if all your enemies hunt us...I don't care. It is worth it if it means I could be with you. You're worth it. So please," I whispered, "don't think that I have perfectly good reason to be afraid of you. I am not afraid of you. I see you. And you are not the monster that everyone makes up to be." 

I leaned to kiss his nape and then his neck, and I wrapped my hand around his waist before I rested my cheek on his shoulder. Naramdaman ko ang kamay niya sa braso ko and then he moved his hand to caress my face behind him. 

"Thank you," he said. 

Alam ko kung anong pinagdaanan niya. Alam ko kung anong hirap ang naranasan niya. And my heart broke for him. For the monster role he had to play to save his people, his family. 

"What now?" I asked. He gently removed my hands from his waist and turned to look at me. He turned me and now he was facing my back, scrubbing lightly with the cloth. 

"It's up to you," he said. "We can go back to Varsis and hold a wedding. A private and small gathering would be nice. We can ask a priestess to wed us--no one like Nereza, I promise--and we shall be declared as husband and wife. We will have a wedding in Sandovian tradition, or if you want, we can have an Oregonian wedding too. Then we can have a small party together with the others. But if you want a large party, it's fine too. Although I think you and I would agree that a small party is better." 

His strong hands kneaded the tight muscles on my back, and I groaned.

"What will you call me?" 

Naramdaman ko siyang tumigil sa pagkuskos sa likod ko. And then he said, "I'll call you by your name. But calling you my wife sounds mighty appealing too." His thumbs massaged the columns of my spin. "Or kung gusto mong huwag muna tayong magpakasal at maghintay munang matapos ang digmaan, ayos lang din. Like I said, it is up to you. There's no rush to decide." 

I turned to look at him. "I was asking about the war and the Liberian forces, but I'm glad to know I have so many options where our relationship stands. And that you'll do what I want. The strongest High Lord of Sandovia, completely wrapped around my finger, huh." 

I glanced at him over my shoulder and I saw feline amusement in his eyes. "Cruel, beautiful thing." 

I snorted. The most beautiful man I have ever seen, calling me beautiful--

"You are," he said. Napatingin ako sa kanya, nakataas ang kilay. 

"It shows in your face. You don't believe I find you beautiful. You're the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I have always thought you are beautiful, ever since the first time I saw you in that dark alleyway." 

Hindi ko napigilan ang pamumula ng mukha ko. 

"Which is good," he added, "because you also thought I  was the most beautiful man you'd ever seen. So it makes us even." 

Nakangangang napatingin ako sa kanya. How in hte world--

"I saw you wrote it." 

I scowled and he laughed. His hands slid to grab my waist and tug me to him. He sat on the bench on the side of the tub and I straddled him, stroking his muscled arms.

"We're going to the camp today. We got visitors." 

"Bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi?" 

"I got sidetracked," he said, eyes twinkling. Napatitig ako sa mata. They were twinkling with quiet joy. And the longer I stared into his eyes, my breath got knocked out of me. 

A future. I want a future with him. A life with him. 

"I love you," I said. His smile faded into something awed. And then he smiled again. This time, wider. 

I reached out to cup his face in my hands. I leaned in, kissing him softly, and I melted for him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He was once again, rock hard against me. I shifted, positioning myself to sheath him in. Ngunit mabilis kumilso si Raven. In one swift movement, he was already on his feet, carrying me. I hooked my legs around his waist and we went back to where the bedroom is. He placed me on top of the bed.

"The sheets will get wet," I said. 

"I don't care," he said roughly. 

I hoisted my elbows to reach his lips. I moaned at the taste of him, and he opened his mouth for me, letting me brush my tongue against his. I want him. 

I gripped his shoulders and pushed him gently to the bed. And when he lay flat on his back, I saw a flash of protest on his face. "Stay still," I said. 

I rand my fingers from his chest down to his abdomen and down farther. He stopped objecting. 

He was enormous in my hand--so hard, yet so silken that I just ran a finger down him in wonder. He hissed at what I did. His c**k twitched as I brushed my thumb over the tip. I smirked as I did it again. 

He tried to reach for me but I glared at him. "My turn to enjoy you," I told him. 

Raven gave me a lazy smile before he settle back, tucking a hand behind his head. Waiting for me to do what I wanted to do. 

Cocky bastard. 

So I leaned down and put my mouth on him. 

He jerked at the contact of my mouth to his hardness. 

"s**t," he said and I laughed around him, even as I took him deeper into my mouth. 

His hands fisted on the in the sheets, white-knuckled as I slid my tongue over him, grazing slightly with my teeth. His groan sent fire to my nerves. 

I was surprised he waited for a full minute before he reached and cupped my face. He kissed me so hard that I gasped in his mouth. 

One second he was kissing me, the next, his hands were on my waist, and then he flipped me onto my front. He nudged my legs apart with his knees, spreading me as he gripped my hips, tugging them up before he sheathed himself in me with a single stroke. 

I buried my face onto the pillow as I let out a throaty moan. I felt every glorious inch of him. I rose into my forearms and my fingers grappled into the sheets. 

Raven pulled out and plunged back in. 

"Look at you," he murmured as he moved in me, and brushed his lips on the length of my spine. I rose enough to see where we were joined and the sight of it was enough to wreck me. I climaxed with his name on my lips. 

Raven hauled me up against him, one hand cupping my breast as the other rolled and stroked that bundle of nerves between my legs, and climax came to me as soon as it ended. He thrust in again, and again, his lips on my neck, on my ear, whispering my name.  

Then he twisted us, pulling out long enough to lie on his back and haul me over him. And I could see the glimmer of darkness, a flash of the lingering pain and scar he had been carrying. Alam ko kung bakit ganitong posisyon ang gusto niya. Because once upon a time, he too, became a slave to Meredith and made him service her in the bedroom. And it broke me to think that he suffered like that. I understood why he wanted me like this, wanted to end it like this, with me on top of him. 

I leaned forward to kiss him, softly, tenderly. At nang magtapat ang mga labi namin, I slid into him, the fit so much deeper. Narinig ko siyang napasinghap and then murmured my name on his lips. I kissed him again and again, and I rode him gently.

I sat up, bracing my hands on his tattooed broad chest, and started to grin at him. Raven thrust his hips up. And I could have sworn I saw stars as he slammed deep inside of me. Release tore in my system and I felt Raven found his release too, gasping my name over and over as he spilled himself in me. 

When we were done, I remained atop him, fingertips digging into his chest, and marveled at him. At us. 

Hinawi niya ang buhok ko papunta sa aking tenga at hinalikan ang ilong ko. 

"Thank you," he said and I smiled. 

"You're hot," I said at tumaas ang kilay niya. 

"Coming from you, it sounds like an invitation for another round." 

Hinampas ko siya sa dibdib at tumawa naman siya. "You have no idea hoe many things I've thought when it comes to you, Delta." 

"I remember you told me back in that inn that you would f**k against the wall." 

His laugh was sensual. "Next time, Delta, I'll f**k you against the wall."

"Will you do it hard? Or..." 

Raven barked a laugh and it was beautiful to see him like that. Then he looked at me. "Show me again what you can do with that wicked mouth." 

I grinned and I obliged him. 

***