Chapter Eight – Cleo
As soon as they were alone, Cleo turned to Darius. She pulled her hair out of the way and bent her neck, exposing her throat to him. "Drink from me."
Darius frowned, pushing her hand away as she reached for him. "You offered yourself to him."
"I didn't."
"Then please explain what you are doing."
"I want you to drink from me!
"Do you really think that Alpha is going to kill me? I've killed bears before, you know it."
Her heart was pounding, her head throbbing as she fought against the burning in her eyes. She knew that he could defeat the bear. But it wasn't a certain thing, and if she lost him… Her throat tightened again, and she fought to keep herself calm.
"I've heard them talking. They're the leaders of the Rebeluna. Even if you defeat the bear, they still won't let you go. They'll kill you."
Darius opened his mouth. Cleo continued quickly.
"But if you drink from me, then you can get out of here. You can go back to your men and launch a full-scale assault on these beasts and just wipe them out. Please. Please, then you can say that you've defeated the Rebeluna and you can have everything you ever wanted."
Darius' gaze softened. He touched her face, then pulled her into his arms. Cleo pushed against him, angry at herself and the stupid tears that were beginning to trickle down her face. Crying was not going to help anybody. Unless it made Darius leave because he hated her.
But she could already tell he wasn't going to do that.
"If I left, they'd kill you."
"We all know that getting into positions of power requires sacrifices."
"If I thought more about potentially becoming king than keeping you alive, I never would have come here in the first place, Cleo."
"I didn't want you to. I don't want you to die for me. I want you to live."
"Cleo…"
"You heard the Thunder. What he'll do to me if he beats you." Cleo shivered. This time when Darius wrapped his arms around her, she didn't push him off. She needed his strength at the moment. Strange… all her life she had made sure she had never needed anybody. She had always been strong, always in charge of her own destiny. But, now, when it really mattered… "I'm so afraid, Darius. I'd rather die than lose you."
"How do you think I feel? Why else would I be here if your life was not more important than mine?"
"Don't talk like that."
Darius brushed his lips against hers. "Cleo, I will defeat the Alpha. I'm fighting for more than he is. I'm fighting for the woman I love and the child she carries."
"You love me?"
"Yes."
"I love you, too. I don't know when I fell in love with you, but I did." Cleo buried her face into his shoulder. "I love you."
"Why couldn't we have had the bravery to admit our feelings before this?" His hand stroked the swell of her belly. "I wish I had been there for you every step of the way. Did you have much morning sickness?"
"No. None at all, in fact."
Cleo gazed at her husband. She saw the tender expression on his face, the softness of his eyes, and her heart filled to the point of bursting. She didn't care that they were surrounded by their enemies and that tomorrow Darius would be in a fight for both their lives. If this was going to be their last night together – and it might be – she wasn't going to let it pass in tears and regrets.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. It was light at first, but as Darius's arms snaked around her waist, the kiss deepened. A fire and an ache started in her core. Her arms tightened. Darius's did as well. Normally, at this point they would be frenzied, tearing at the clothes that kept them from tasting one another. It would be all animal lust, or perhaps forcing themselves to act like animals.
Perhaps it had always been so fevered and impatient because they knew if they slowed down they would be making love, and that way was too dangerous for people who couldn't admit they loved each other.
Darius slowly unbuttoned her blouse, and Cleo stayed still, letting him. His touch was tender as he slid it off her, folding it before he placed it on the floor. His hands ran down her arms, then caressed her belly before moving up to her breasts.
"They're bigger."
Cleo had to repress a giggle. "That's what happens when you get pregnant."
Darius nodded. He dropped to his knees and pressed a kiss most tender to her belly. Cleo's eyes filled with tears and she let her head fall back. She wasn't going to cry. Not tonight of all nights. Her husband was just as gentle as he removed her pants as he had been with her shirt. Her socks and underclothes soon followed, all folded neatly on the floor.
"I've never taken the time to really look at you," he said, standing, then kissed her temple where a tear had escaped. "Don't cry. I won't let the Thunder have his way. Tomorrow he dies."
"Then don't you need to sleep and save your strength?"
Darius shook his head. "For vampires, sex is almost like blood. It will only strengthen me further. Especially when it's with someone I love."
He kissed her again, deeply, passionately. The fire that was already inside built higher, the ache growing deeper. She wanted so much more and she wanted it now – but at the same time, she wanted this to last. This was their first time making love, and she wanted to savor it.
"My turn," she whispered, running her fingers down the buttons of his uniform.
"Of course."
Her husband stilled, letting her undress him with as much patience and care as he had undressed her. Cleo gazed at his body. She had always liked looking at him, but now she stared hungrily, wanting to remember every contour, every muscle – the shape, the feel of his smooth, cool skin. He was so perfect. And he was hers.
"You belong to me," he whispered.
"Yes. I do. Forever."
He caught her mouth again, his kisses growing more fevered. Cleo clung to him, her belly pressed against his. One of his hands caressed it while the other parted her thighs. His touch was so gentle it was almost painful. He swallowed her cries of pleasure as he continued to apply pressure in small circles.
The fires inside threatened to consume her and she abandoned all thoughts of going slow. Darius laid her down on the floor, propping pillows under her hips to give him better access. Cleo kept her hands on his shoulders, watching him. He kissed her belly once more before gazing into his wife's eyes as he took her.
Everything was more sensitive than normal, and Cleo whimpered as he began moving. The rhythm was soft and slow, rocking both of their bodies to minimize the impact on her. Normally, their bodies would be flush against one another, but with her enlarged belly, Darius had to stay back on his knees, separating them. Even as her body began to feel too full for her skin, Cleo watched her husband, still exploring the contours of his body with her eyes.
"Are you okay?" he asked, grunting. "I' not being too rough."
Cleo shook her head. "It's just right."
Darius let out a shuddering moan. The sheer ecstasy on his face had Cleo's own arousal that much higher. She could feel her climax sneaking up on her and clung tighter to Darius' hands. The familiar feeling of connection was overtaking her, but instead of ignoring or fighting it as she usually did, she welcomed it, drinking in the perfection of the union.
Their rhythm became faster, and the pleasure came over her in stronger and stronger waves. She fought to keep her eyes on Darius'. She wanted to keep this feeling of connection. He leaned over her the best he could, cupping a hand under her to bring her mouth to his.
The universe seemed to flash before Cleo's eyes. Her body bowed, head thrown back, screaming her husband's name. She was aware of Darius calling her name as he trembled and jerked above her.
When both were spent, Darius carefully rolled them both to the side, still wrapped around one another. Cleo adjusted herself so she was more comfortable, then sank back against the vampire with a sigh.
"When we get home, we'll have to do this more often," Darius said, stroking her hair. "I think that was possibly the best experience of my life."
"Mine, too. But then, I don't really have very many good experiences in my life." Cleo hesitated. "I know that we agreed to have our secrets, but I don't… I don't want to have secrets from you anymore, Darius."
"I know. I don't either."
Cleo propped herself onto her elbow. "I have a sister."
Darius' eyes widened. His jaw dropped. "That's… a pretty big secret."
"I know. Her name is Edyta, but she likes to go by Ed." Cleo settled back into his arms and began telling her husband, for the first time, her life story.