Chapter 56: Closer than Ever

She pulled him closer. Her legs wanting to wrap around him but she couldn’t move them. He could sense her frustration but he kissed her, making her get over it really quick.

He groaned, the pleasure filling his senses..

She smiled against his mouth. "You like that."

"I like you."

"Just like?"

He kissed her. "More than like."

She arched beneath him. Her nails raked down his back. He felt the sting. He didn’t care.

He moved lower. His lips found her breast. Her stomach. The inside of her thigh. She gasped. Her hands fisted in the sheets.

"Emeric—"

He didn’t answer. He just continued in a slow and deliberate motion. Learning what made her breath go still in her throat. What made her back arch. What made her whisper his name like a prayer.

When he finally rose back up, she was trembling. Her eyes were dark and wild with a hunger he’d never seen in her before.

"Please," she said.

"Please what?"

"You know what."

"Tell me."

She reached up to grab his face and pull him close.

"I want you," she said. "Inside me. Now." ℯℯ𝑙.

He didn’t need to be told twice.

He entered her slowly. Carefully. Watching her face for any sign of pain. Any flicker of discomfort.

There was none.

She gasped. Her eyes fluttered shut. Her hands found his shoulders. Held on.

"Okay?" he asked.

She nodded and swallowed. "Okay."

He began to move. Slow at first. Gentle. Letting her adjust. Letting her feel him.

She matched his rhythm. Her upper body rising to meet his. Her breath coming faster. She desperately wanted to be able to move all her body.

Thank the gods her senses down there still worked.

"Faster," she whispered.

He obeyed.

The bed creaked and the rails rattled. Neither of them noticed.

She pulled him closer. Her arms wrapped around his neck. Her lips found his ear.

"Don’t stop," she breathed. "Don’t ever stop."

He didn’t.

He continued to move, finding her body’s rhythm. The world outside ceased to exist. There was only this. Only her. Only him.

He watched her face. The way her lips parted. The way her eyes closed. The way her brow furrowed in concentration. She was beautiful. More beautiful than he had ever seen her.

She opened her eyes. Found his.

"I love you," she said.

The words did more than just pleasure his ears. He could feel it in his whole body. Her love for him made him even more turned on.

"Say it again"

"I love you." Her voice was steady. Certain. "I should have said it a hundred times.."

"I won’t stop you." He teased.

"I don’t want this to be a dream."

He touched her face, cupping her cheeks.

"It’s not a dream."

"I know." She turned her head. Kissed his palm. "I know."

He leaned down. Pressed his forehead to hers.

"I love you too," he said. "I’ve loved you since he first time you let me hold you."

Her eyes filled with tears, spilling down her cheeks. She didn’t wipe them away.

"Then don’t stop," she said. "Don’t ever stop."

He kissed her. Then he began to move again.

The rhythm built all over again. He would happily go over it as much and long as she wanted.

This time it was harder and more urgent.

She clung to him. Her nails dug into his back. Her breath came in gasps.

He felt the pressure building. The tension coiling in his abdomen. He was close. So close.

"Together," she whispered. "Please. Together."

He nodded. He couldn’t speak. His mind was dead set on one thing as he continued to move.

She shattered first, her body convulsing around him. Her cry tore through the quiet room. A heartbeat later, he followed. His release crashing over him like a wave.

He collapsed against her. His face was buried in her neck. His breath ragged as his heart pounded like a heavy drum.

She held him. Her arms wrapped around him. Her fingers stroked his hair.

They stayed like that for a long time.

When he finally lifted his head, she was watching him. Her lips curved into a small smile.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi."

She laughed. "We should keep doing that."

"I don’t mind."

"Neither do I."

He kissed her forehead and then her nose, her lips. Then he rolled onto his side, pulling her with him. Her head rested on his chest. Her hand lay over his heart.

The room was quiet. The candle had burned out. The only light came from the moon through the window.

"You should sleep," he said.

"I’m not tired."

"You should try."

She was quiet for a moment. Then she spoke.

"Emeric."

"Yes."

"Earlier. When I said I loved you. I meant it."

"I know."

"I just—" She stopped. Swallowed. "I want you to know. In case—"

"In case what?"

"In case something happens to me. I want you to know that I loved you. That I was happy. That these past weeks—" Her voice broke. "These past weeks have been the best of my life."

He held her tighter.

"Nothing is going to happen."

"You don’t know that."

"No." He kissed the top of her head. "But I’ll do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t. I’ll cure you. I promise."

"Cure me?"

Shit! He slipped up.

She was quiet for a long moment.

"I just mean I’ll find a way for you to walk again."

"I’ll hold you to that," she said.

The recovery was too slow. Did she know something ? That she was cursed. No. Everyone had kept it from her or maybe they also didn’t know.

He didn’t enjoy lying to her but he didn’t see what good telling she had, by his count— now seventeen or eighteen months left to live.

It was no easy feat putting that burden on her. He would fix her body in the shadows without ever having to burden her with it.

Ten minutes later.

She fell asleep in his arms. Her breathing slowed. Her body relaxed. The tension that had lived in her shoulders for years seemed to melt away.

He watched her, counting her breaths and feeling the steady beat of her heart against his side.

He didn’t sleep.

He couldn’t.

Her breathing had slowed down. Her body relaxed.

Then he reached for the system.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[TARGET STATUS — ISOLDE ROWAN]

AGE: 21

TIER: 3rd (Sealed)

STATUS: CRITICAL

MANA CORE: SEALED

CORE CONDITION: CRITICAL (95% DAMAGED)

PHYSICAL STATUS:

- MUSCLE ATROPHY — ADVANCED STAGE (SLOWED)

- CORE INSTABILITY — LIFE-THREATENING

CURSE DETECTED: █████████████████

EFFECT: SUPPRESSING NATURAL RECOVERY

PROJECTED LIFE EXPECTANCY IF UNTREATED: 19-20 MONTHS

CURE REQUIREMENTS:

- Thornback Wyvern Heart — ACQUIRED

- █████████████████

- █████████████████

- █████████████████