DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING BUT THE OC'S.

Author's Note: It should be noted that this story has another raunchy part. You have been forewarned. Also, thank you to all of my reviewers. I like knowing how well I'm doing and what you think of my tale. Please continue your support and constructive criticism. Enjoy this part!

Viper-Sindel

Well, I got out of the hospital that same day... with some bad news.

I'd lost the baby, my baby... our baby.

The doctors believed it was too much stress on the fetes, so much that it killed it from the inside.

I felt that I was entirely to blame... though Reilyal didn't blame me an ounce. He had just held me as I wept for the loss of my child, comforted me when I didn't deserve it.

Then came the hardest part. Stephen and I had to tell his family the truth of what had happened, of what had really been going on. All they'd known was that I was in trouble, demonic trouble. They hadn't realized how deep.

However, Stephen's mother kept shifting uncomfortably throughout my explanation, even going a bit pale when she saw the symbol Reilyal had helped me write, to explain just who he was. I had been confused, but had let it go.

The family welcomed Reilyal with open arms, simply because he had saved me from death and returned Stephen safely to them. The wards around their property were removed entirely, allowing him free access whenever he chose it. I'd been unspokenly grateful for their reaction. They truly were evolved souls if they understood the full capacity of our love... and could accept it.

However, now, I was walking down the hall towards the dining hall. Supper would be served in about an hour, but I wanted to help with the set-up. I hated feeling useless. Granted, the kids were great and the family too, but I missed being able to do things on my own. They had servants for all that.

It gets annoying, really.

However, when I got closer to the room, I began to hear hushed voices. As I drew nearer, I realized it was my love and Stephen's mother, Karin. When I hesitantly stepped into the room, both sets of eyes went to me, though they quickly finished their conversation in tones so hushed I couldn't hear them. Finally, Karin nodded and left, looking relieved. I frowned, letting her walk by, confused.

"What was that about?" I asked Reilyal. He smiled softly, hugging me to him.

"Just a small question," he assured me. "Stephen is the only son that got away."

Now I was horribly confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked. He sighed and kissed my knuckles.

"Those women that serve me, there was one that was different," he explained. "When she found that she was pregnant with a son, she became afraid, afraid to lose him. She'd seen the other women forget about their sons, had seen them go about their lives as if they'd never carried a child at all. She didn't want to be one of them... so she left the Order. I followed her, trying to ensure that I would get what was due to be mine, but she put up wards to keep me away. She even went as far as to have her son warded, a ward that lived in his very skin. I couldn't touch the boy, let alone harm him. She had also protected the wealth and well-being of her own family through a re-incarnated angel."

"Mina..." I breathed, realizing the gravity of this situation. Reilyal nodded slowly.

"Thus, her son was saved from my grasp," he went on. "I couldn't touch her nor her family for her betrayal. She had stolen the gifts I'd bestowed with no intent to pay for them. That woman... was Karin, Stephen's mother."

That hit me like a ton of bricks.

"Now that I am allowed within her home by order of her son and rightful owner of this house, she worried that I would try to take him, to take what is rightfully mine," he went on. "However, I have no interest in that at the current time. She just needed reassured that I would not use Stephen nor make her forget that she ever had him. I assured her that I would not until I had great need of him, and even that use would be extremely limited. Stephen would be the first and only son to escape my grasp, the only one I willingly let go."

"Why?" I asked. "What changed your mind?"

He smiled, looking down at me.

"You," he answered. Touched, I smiled at him, my hand going to my heart.

"You are far too kind to me, my love," I told him softly. "I don't deserve this..."

"I think you do," he answered me. "Now, enough with the heavy. Supper will be started soon. Sit. Eat. Relax with your loved ones. No one knows how much time they have with them and I don't want you to ever feel as though you should have spent more time with them."

I nodded, kissing him softly.

"I will be a good bride for you, Reilyal," I promised. He smiled and kissed me again.

"You all ready are, Kisara," he assured me.

It was late that night before Reilyal and I could safely get away from the family without seeming rude... but I wanted to be alone with him. I had just faced the looming possibility of life without him, of dying without truly being his, and it had frightened me like none other. The thought of ever being without him... was too painful to contemplate.

When finally I could go to my room, I laid on the bed in Reilyal's arms. He hadn't even tried to touch me since the hospital. Granted, he kissed me and held me, but he wouldn't love me, not like he used to.

And I didn't know why.

I frowned as Reilyal got up that night to leave me as he always did. I didn't want him to leave me alone this night.

"Reilyal," I said, knowing only one thing would bring him back to me. He looked at me, waiting for me to say what I wanted. Slowly, I calmed, though I saw how his body seemed... tense, hard.

"Reilyal... please," I said softly, my eyes catching and holding his. "Make love to me."

He scooped me up triumphantly, his grin widening as I laughed at my own victory and wrapped my arms around his neck. Then his lips were on mine, his hands urging me closer.

He groaned when I let my tongue meander into his mouth. Without breaking their embrace, he swung me up into his arms so that he clasped my knees against his chest and strode purposefully back to our bed. Reilyal made the door shut behind us and I closed my eyes when his lips traced a burning path down my throat. I ached with the need to feel him within me. I savoured Reilyal's weight atop me. He unfastened the front of my shirt and I was surprised to find his fingers shaking.

This magnificent man desired me but still he granted me a choice, the option to leave if I so chose. An unbearable sweetness flooded me and I could think of nothing but laying his fears to rest.

Slowly, I reversed our rolls, placing him beneath me.

I leaned forward and carefully licked one of his nipples. He caught his breath but I had no intent to grant him any quarter. I laved the nipple and ran my teeth across it until it tightened defiantly, then turned my attention to its mate.

When they both met with my satisfaction, Reilyal's breathing was ragged and his eyes glittered. But still he kept his hands at his sides, and I savored the unfamiliar sense of power flooding through me.

For whatever reason, he was granting me control of our loving and I aimed to see that he did not regret it. This night he would know fully how much I desired him.

This night I would seduce him anew, knowing fully what I did.

I climbed to my feet beneath his gaze and slowly began to peel off my garments. He appeared transfixed, the admiration I saw in his eyes made me audacious and I cast my garments aside with abandon, leaning temptingly close to him as I bared her shoulders. He swallowed carefully when my shirt and bra were discarded, his gaze fixed on my bare breasts. Impulsively, I teased them to peaks that matched his own beneath his sharp regard. He clenched his hands and deliberately unclenched them but did not make a move toward me. A low growl came from him at my actions, but I just grinned and shed the rest of my garments, feeling more desirable than I ever imagined I could.

I softly pressed my lips to his temple, revelling in his response. I could not stop once I'd touched him, the taste of his skin as intoxicating as the most potent alcohol. I traced little kisses all around his ear and along the line of his jaw. His scent and the heat rising from his skin drove me insane and I dared to rest my fingertips on his shoulders. From there they seemed to move of their own accord to trace mirrored paths across his shoulders and chest.

"Reilyal," I whispered shakily behind his ear. He shuddered from head to toe at the flurry of my breath there and suddenly his restraint finally broke.

"Kisara," he growled as he twisted, but I felt nothing but his hands upon me.

He rolled me onto my back and I could not cease touching the smooth warmth of his skin. I arched against his weight and tangled my fingers in his fur. I loved his strength, his heat, and unexpected gentleness of his touch. His mouth closed around my breast tormentingly and I cried out at the sweetness of his suckling. I writhed against him and he ducked to assault the other breast, his hands cupping my ribs as he teased my nipples to peaks that rivalled the state of his own. The tension rose within me again and I wanted nothing more than to touch and taste him everywhere.

His tongue was in my navel, his hands bracketing my pelvis, then I gasped aloud as he moved yet lower. His palms slid over my thighs in an endless caress as his tongue dove between my legs, and I found myself shamelessly arching to meet his touch.

Though I squirmed against him, he granted me no respite from his devilish tongue. My heart leaped in anticipation when I felt again that quickening beneath my skin. My nails bit into his shoulders and I strained against him in pursuit of that elusive pleasure.

I was certain that my cry would be heard all the way to to the north pole when it came, but powerless was I against the hot wave that coursed through my veins. I stretched high as I cried out, my hips bucking in ageless dance that I could not contain. I reached fully the crescendo he had brought me to many times before and fell shivering from the heights to land securely in his arms.

I saw his slow smile of satisfaction as he loomed possessively over me. I reached up to touch the side of his face, loving how different it was in texture from my own and marvelling that this man was mine. I ran my fingers lightly across his shoulders and nuzzled against his chest as he leaned over me.

His feather-light kisses dotted my eyelids, my brow, my earlobe, the underside of my jaw, and I practically purred with pleasure at the attention he was lavishing upon me. Indeed, I nearly felt fit enough to scale those heights again and I opened my eyes to find his gaze sparkling bright in the half-light.

Unable to deny him the pleasure he had granted me, I reached up to touch my lips to his. His hand enfolded the back of my neck, the other cupping my breast. When his thumb dragged leisurely across my taut nipple, I knew I had to have him fully this night. I squirmed beneath him and when he lifted his weight, I purposefully locked my legs around his waist.

Reilyal caught his breath. I smiled slowly and let my fingertip trail provocatively across his lips. He opened his mouth and I continued my caress across his teeth. He bit gently on my inquisitive finger and I lifted my hips commandingly against him. His eyes widened at my impulsive mood and I had but an instant to smile before he slipped within me.

He moved slowly, as though he feared to frighten me. When he rested fully within me, he paused and I moved slightly to accustom myself to him. He blanched as he closed his eyes and I could not believe the extent of his weakness for me.

I rolled my hips experimentally in a parody of a dance I had learned and watched him grit his teeth. I nearly laughed aloud at the possibility that I might be able to please him as he had pleasured me. I arched back and deliberately stretched my arms above my head, dancing as well as I could stretched on my back beneath him.

His eyes flew open, his eyes blazing with desire. I merely granted him a cocky smile and continued my "dance." He reared up onto his knees abruptly and carried me with him, both of his hands clasping around my waist to hold me upright before him. I dropped my toes to the ground and stretched high to dance, loving the strength of his grip and the flame smouldering in his eyes.

He tipped back his head and roared as he began to lift me up and down. The very movement made me almost forget to dance, for he rubbed himself against me so that that secret spot was reawakened. I met his gaze and saw the awareness of what magic he wrought gleaming there.

Knowing it was his intent, I could not deny him. I stretched high, struggling to dance even as the heat gathered within me. I writhed within his embrace as we danced together in a timeless tempo, our pace increasing to a frenzy. Then he arched high and stiffened, his gesture driving him against me so that I cried out in his wake and collapsed bonelessly against his chest.

Slowly, we came down from our high.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too," he answered. Then we both fell into a deep sleep.