Chapter 223: Shades Of Him
[Music recommendation: Danny Elfman - On His Knees]
.
.
He knew she was close, her muscles were pulsing wildly around his fingers.
Right then, without an ounce of mercy, Gavriel yanked his fingers out, robbing her of the release that was milliseconds away from crashing over her.
Aliana’s eyes snapped wide in absolute shock. A thick, aching emptiness echoed through her core, and she shot him a fiery, accusing look through the mirror, only to find a wicked smirk curling across his infuriatingly handsome face.
Cupping her jaw, he crushed his lips against hers, kissing her with a fierce hunger as if pouring all his frustration into her mouth.
He worked her lips until they were flushed and swollen before pulling back just enough to catch her lower lip between his teeth, tugging hard before whispering against her gasping mouth, "Not so fast."
"W-what?" she gasped in total disbelief.
Without answering, he scooped her into his arms, carrying her straight towards the spacious shower stall in her bathroom before setting her on her feet, which were still too shaky to support her without leaning against him.
But Aliana hardly cared about that. The shock of his denial had not left Aliana, and sharp anger blazed in her eyes. "Y-you cannot be serious!"
Instead of answering her, Gavriel reached out and turned on the shower head.
Hot water cascaded over both of them, and Aliana lifted her hands to push her soaked hair back from her face before staring up at him for answers.
Gavriel shut off the stream before pumping shampoo into his palm and began working his fingers through her hair. He applied firm yet gentle pressure to her scalp, coaxing an involuntary sigh from Aliana’s lips as her eyes drifted shut on their own and she leaned her weight against his chest.
Watching her surrender to his touch, Gavriel lowered his head and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose before murmuring, "My bride needs to rest for tomorrow."
Her eyes opened immediately.
"Then why would you even do that if you wanted me to rest in the first place?"
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
He poured some body wash into his palm before beginning to gently wash her. "I’ll tell you after the bath."
Her brows knitted together. "Why not now?"
He offered her an amused look and whispered against her damp skin, "After the bath, Ana."
His tone was soft, yet his gaze made it abundantly clear that arguing was futile.
With her legs still too weak to keep her standing on their own, she let out an exasperated sigh and reluctantly surrendered.
Yet beneath her annoyance, another feeling quietly took over.
She found herself leaning into every gentle touch, every careful stroke of his hands, until the lingering tension in her body slowly melted away, leaving behind only the comforting warmth of his quiet care.
After the bath and helping her into her cream nightgown before slipping back into his own clothes, Gavriel led her back to stand in front of the mirror.
"Look at yourself and tell me what you see," he asked softly, his hands holding her gently by her shoulders.
Aliana looked into the mirror, and heat crawled up her neck as her eyes traced the blooming marks scattered across her skin. But that was not all.
The mirror no longer dragged her back to the nightmare.
Vivid images of what he had done before this very mirror flashed through her mind, and a sudden, deep craving for him to finish what he had left bloomed in her chest.
She lowered her gaze, only for him to lift his hand, brushing his knuckles gently along her throat as he whispered, "Tell me."
A shiver raced through her at his touch.
Slowly, she lifted her eyes to meet his mesmerising blue ones. They seemed brighter than ever, searching hers with quiet patience.
"I... see myself..." she whispered.
"And?"
"You..."
For a long moment, Gavriel simply studied her.
There was not a flicker of fear or any traces of panic.
The woman standing before the mirror was no longer seeing blood, and a quiet sense of relief washed over him.
Leaning over, he pressed a lingering kiss against the nape of her neck.
"Good... now we will continue where we left off tomorrow."
His gaze lifted back to meet hers in the mirror as his arms wrapped securely around her waist, his chin coming to rest on her shoulder. "I’d like to devour my bride without any interruptions...for as long as I want."
Aliana’s heart skipped a beat at the way he called her his bride, combined with the sinful promises waiting to be fulfilled tomorrow.
That was when the full reality of his actions struck her.
He had not left her unsatisfied merely to tease her. He had stopped in the middle to plant an overwhelming anticipation in her chest, knowing it would consume her so thoroughly that no other thought could take root.
The longer she stared into his eyes, the more she realised that Gavriel possessed a depth she was only beginning to uncover.
He was aloof and distant when he chose to be. He could be dangerous and terrifying when necessary. Yet he could also be fiercely protective and possessive when his instincts demanded it.
Still, the quiet way he demonstrated his care and the incredible patience towards her revealed countless unseen shades to his character.
Aliana wondered if she had merely scratched the surface of the man who held her.
However, one thing was crystal clear...
She wanted to see every shade of this husband of hers with her eyes wide open and embrace every single one of them, just as he had embraced the darkest secret she had carried within herself.
Their dynamic might seem intense for a traditional couple, but was that not what marriage truly meant?
No one was perfect, and real commitment was about embracing each other’s shadows and standing together through them.
Only time would tell if her faith was justified, but tonight... Gavriel had chased away every demon haunting her mind, giving her a real reason to look forward to the coming day.
With that thought, the day of the wedding finally arrived.
Aliana did not know what awaited them today, but she felt more alive than ever before. Her body brimmed with renewed energy, and her heart drummed with excitement at the thought of willingly taking this next step in her life.
She could only pray that everything would go smoothly, with nothing standing in the way of the wedding... unlike what had happened after their engagement.