Kael felt restless. His father's words still echoed in his mind, poisoning every thought. The weight of his decision crushed him, leaving him hollow and uneasy. There was only one place where he could find peace. One person.
Her name alone soothed him: Ivy. Just whispering it seemed to quiet the storm raging inside him. Without a second thought, he left the palace, slipping through shadows toward the human village beyond the darkened forest.
The cool night air brushed against his skin as he moved swiftly, his heart pounding with a mixture of urgency and longing. When he reached the small cottage where she lived, he hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, then knocked gently on the door.
After a few moments, she opened it, her familiar figure framed in the dim light.
"Kael," she whispered, her voice laced with both joy and worry. "I had a feeling you'd come tonight."
Without answering, he pulled her into his arms, holding her as if she were the only thing keeping him tethered to the world. She fit perfectly against him, her warmth seeping into his cold skin, melting the icy dread in his chest.
"I needed to see you," he murmured, his lips brushing against her hair. "Only you."
She pulled back slightly, cupping his face with gentle hands. "What happened?"
Kael hesitated. Telling her the truth would only hurt her. But she saw it in his eyes before he spoke. Her fingers traced the worry lines on his face, her touch a silent comfort.
"We'll be okay, Kael," she said softly. "As long as we have each other, we'll find a way."
He wanted to believe that more than anything. He leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers.
"I love you," Kael whispered again, his breath warm against her skin.
Ivy said nothing, only looked at him with eyes full of love and trust. That look undid him.
He leaned in and kissed her slow and deep,his hands pulling her closer until there was no space left between them. Her soft sigh filled his ears as their lips moved together, gently at first, then with more hunger.
His hands slid down her back, fingers tracing the fabric of her simple dress,soft, tied with a thin string at the back. What always drove him wild was how the neckline dipped low, revealing the tops of her breasts, full and inviting.
Kael pulled back just enough to look at her.
"Gods, Ivy…" he murmured, voice thick with longing. "Do you know what you do to me?"
He bent down, brushing his lips along her exposed skin,slowly, reverently. He kissed between her breasts, then lower, letting his mouth linger on every inch of visible skin.
She gasped, fingers digging into his arms.
He smiled against her skin. "You taste like sin," he whispered. She trembled.
With one hand, he slid behind her and found the string holding her dress together. He tugged gently, untying the knot with slow, teasing fingers.
The dress loosened.
It slipped from her shoulders like water, pooling around her waist, then falling to the floor leaving her bare before him.
Kael sucked in a breath, eyes locked on her body.
"Perfect," he said, voice low and filled with heat.
He moved in again, pressing soft kisses along her collarbone, then down the swell of her breasts. His hands cupped them gently, thumbs brushing her already sensitive peaks.
Ivy moaned softly, head falling back as her body responded to his every touch.
"Do you feel that?" Kael whispered, lips brushing the curve of her breast. "That's what you do to me. Every time I look at you. Every time I think of you."
He kissed her again,slow, deep,while one hand moved lower, down her belly, until it found the soft warmth between her thighs.
"You're already shaking," he said in her ear. "And I've barely started."
Ivy clung to him, her breathing fast and uneven.
Kael growled softly and swept her into his arms, carrying her to the bed with care but urgency. "I'm not going to rush this," he said. "I'm going to take my time."
Slowly, his hands traced the curve of her waist, moving upward to her ribs, feeling the soft rise and fall of her breath beneath his touch. He lowered his lips to her neck, pressing tender, lingering kisses along delicate skin, feeling her shiver beneath him.
Ivy's fingers tangled in his dark hair as she tilted her head back, exposing more of her throat. Kael's mouth found the swell of her breasts again, his lips and tongue exploring with reverence. His hands cupped them, thumbs brushing her sensitive nipples until she gasped softly, arching into his touch.
He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, searching for any sign that she wanted him to stop. But all he saw was trust, love, and longing.
Slowly, Kael's hand slid lower between her thighs, finding her already wet with need. His fingers circled her clit in slow, soft circles that made her hips lift instinctively.
"Do you like that?" he whispered, voice low and rough.
Ivy's breath hitched, and she nodded, biting her lip to hold back a moan.
Encouraged, Kael's fingers moved with steady rhythm, rubbing round and round, feeling her warmth and wetness. Ivy's soft moans grew louder, hands clutching the sheets as pleasure built inside her.
"You're so beautiful like this," he whispered close to her ear. "So perfect for me."
Ivy's body trembled, eyes closing as she surrendered to the sensation. Her legs shook slightly, breath coming in short gasps.
Kael dipped a finger slowly inside her, feeling her warmth tighten around him. She gasped, arching into his touch, hands gripping his shoulders.
"Kael…" she whispered, voice trembling.
He held her close, moving his fingers gently but with purpose, watching every reaction. His lips brushed her jaw, then neck, leaving soft marks, biting gently as he whispered, "You belong to me."
Kael's fingers moved faster, stroking her with a rhythm that made Ivy cling to him tighter.
"Let go for me," he whispered in her ear, voice low and coaxing.
She buried her face in his neck, moans muffled against his skin. Then, with a sharp gasp, a soft cry of release escaped her lips. Her body arched, nails digging gently into his back as she lost herself in him.
Kael held her through it, whispering her name like a prayer. "That's it… just like that, my love."
When her breathing slowed, he kissed her softly before pulling back to meet her eyes. The hunger in his gaze hadn't faded. It had only deepened.
Without a word, he stood and undressed. His eyes never left hers. Ivy's breath caught in her throat as he returned, now completely bare, his body warm and solid against hers.
He hovered over her, kissing her slowly,her lips, jaw, the hollow of her throat. Then he moved lower, positioning himself between her thighs.
Before entering her, he brushed the tip of his manhood along her sensitive entrance. Ivy let out a loud moan, legs instinctively wrapping around him.
"Ka…el," she whispered, breathless.
That sound,his name on her lips,snapped what little patience he had left.
He slid into her with one deep, steady thrust, groaning as her body welcomed him. Her soft gasp met his ear, and he kissed her cheek, shoulder, mouth anything he could reach.
They moved together slowly at first, their bodies finding a rhythm, a language made only for them. Every motion, every moan, every sigh was a promise. A devotion.
"You're mine," he murmured against her lips. "And I'll never let you go."
Their movements grew more intense, driven by raw emotion and aching need. Kael held her close, their bodies perfectly in sync, each thrust a slow surrender, each kiss a desperate claim.
Ivy moaned softly, voice catching in her throat as pleasure built inside her again. Kael's groans deepened with every motion, breath ragged against her skin.
Her fingers tangled in his hair as he pressed kisses along her jaw and shoulder, whispering her name like a vow.
"I can feel you," he murmured, voice strained. "Every part of you… wrapped around me. Ivy, you feel like home."
She gasped, body tightening around him, and he knew she was close. So was he.
Their pace quickened, no longer slow. Each motion was filled with urgency,everything they couldn't say aloud. The air thickened with heat and soft cries, their love filling the quiet room.
Ivy's eyes fluttered shut, lips parting as her second release hit sharp, overwhelming, beautiful. She clung to him, body shaking beneath the weight of it.
Kael couldn't hold back any longer. With a final deep thrust, he groaned her name and gave in, burying his face in the curve of her neck as his release tore through him.
For a long moment, there was nothing but their breathing, hearts racing together.
Kael held her tightly, not moving just listening to the silence and the way she breathed against him. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, brushing her hair back with trembling fingers.
"I love you," he whispered, voice still rough.
Ivy smiled softly, eyes closed. "I know," she whispered back, voice full of peace. "I love you too."
And in that moment, tangled in sheets and moonlight, they knew no matter what waited outside that room this love, this bond, would never break.