Ariella had become quite attuned to the things that Valor seemed to enjoy during their time together. She was well aware of the fact that he enjoyed the way she reacted to his touches; the way even the little sounds she made in response to him seemed to please him. As such, she made no effort to hide them, instead finding some enjoyment in knowing that she could thrill him with even something so simple as a sound.<br/><br/>She knew that he would see many things in her eyes, just as she saw many things in his. She wanted him to know how she felt, to know what he meant to her, even if it was wrong. Even if she hadn’t been able to say those words, knowing that it might just end up hurting him, she still meant them, and so she let them show plainly on her face and in her eyes.<br/><br/>When he pulled back, she easily lifted her hips just a little off the bed to allow him to remove the last article of her clothing. She bit her lip gently as she watched his eyes take her in. It had been embarrassing the first time he had done this, but now it didn’t bother her in the slightest. How could it, when he looked at her that way, like he would never get enough of her?<br/><br/>She watched him patiently as he removed his remaining clothes, her eyes taking in his form just as she had taken in his. She didn’t think she would ever tire of looking at him, either. As she took him in, her eyes rested briefly on the fresh scars on his chest, wondering what had happened, and wishing she had the power to heal, if only for him. Not that the scar bothered her at all, but it looked like it had been painful, and she didn’t want to think of him in pain.<br/><br/>Her gaze shifted back up to his eyes when he moved to lay atop her, but her left hand absentmindedly traced very gently over the scar, as if doing so would take away the pain he’d endured, or heal the physical reminder that the wound had left behind. Her right hand moved to trace across his jaw, halting only momentarily when he said the words she’d wanted to say, that she’d wanted to hear. She had thought that it would hurt to hear them, knowing that they couldn’t be together, but it didn’t.<br/><br/>Instead, hearing these words brought her an undeniable happiness, and a desire to change their fate instead of simply accepting that it could not be changed. A grin spread across her face as the words sunk in and the happiness settled into her heart. She didn’t have a chance to say the words back immediately, though, as she soon felt him inside of her, rocking his hips back and forth slowly, eliciting a soft moan from Aria to echo his own.<br/><br/>“I love you, too,” she almost breathed the words, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to say. The smile he gave her upon hearing these words made her wish that she could always make him smile in such a way. It suited him, she thought, and it made her heart beat a little faster. Not just because it was attractive, but also because she realized that she might be willing to do just about anything to protect that smile.<br/><br/>She moved her head just a little to allow him access to her neck when his fangs lengthened. She inhaled sharply when his tongue flicked across the scars on her neck where he’d bitten her before. There was no pain when his fangs sank into her this time, just a somewhat familiar sensation, followed by a soft exhale as the venom began to take effect, bringing with it a pleasant feeling that spread through her whole body.<br/><br/>As the venom coursed through her veins, it seemed that every nerve in her body came alive, making her even more aware of and sensitive to his touch. She was acutely aware of his lips on her neck as he fed from her, and of every move he made inside of her. A soft moan escaped her lips as she gave in to the feelings, her hands moving to trace across his sides and to his back, as if she were seeking to feel and have more of him.<br/><br/>--<br/><br/>Rosalie didn’t particularly mind silence in general, but right now the silence felt tense, which she hated. Even Kera, who was usually a social butterfly, was quiet. She could tell that Jalice was still frustrated, though, so she didn’t bother trying to change the atmosphere. He would come around eventually. He always did. She just hoped that by the time he did, Kera would be willing to give them some time to themselves.<br/><br/>The afternoon was pretty boring overall, walking in silence to their first destination, where they met with the House of Arrows. He affirmed his loyalty to Jalice, as was expected, and there was nothing of note that really happened beyond that. When they had finished with their meeting, they headed to the bedroom where they would be staying, which brought her an unusual feeling of butterflies in her stomach.<br/><br/>It had been a long time since she’d felt such a thing, as they had been together for a while now, so feeling nervous and things like that just didn’t really tend to happen much nowadays. But perhaps because of everything that had happened, she felt those things bubbling back up inside of her. When they arrived, Kera told them she was going for a walk, which brought with it a feeling of excitement for Rosalie.<br/><br/>They were alone. Finally. Her attention shifted to Jalice when he spoke, apologizing for his behavior and expressing his frustration with the whole situation. It was a sentiment that she certainly shared. “You’re right. It is the same for me,” she told him, pausing for a moment. “But I know that it might be a little different for you. After all, you had to marry someone, and…” she couldn’t even bear to voice the rest of that thought, her expression twisting with pain.<br/><br/>She tried to banish those feelings and focus on what he had said. They should enjoy the time that they did have together, instead of dwelling on what they did not or could not have. She wrapped him in a tight hug when his arms slid around her waist and he pulled her close. She knew that was not exactly the purpose of his embrace, but just for a moment, she needed the comfort, to ground her in the moment.<br/><br/>After a moment, she pulled away just enough to look into his eyes. “I love you,” she told him before leaning in to kiss him. She couldn’t help but wonder if there was another way. It seemed like their fates were sealed, set in stone, but was that really the case? Was there no way to fight this? Did they really have to just sit back and accept it? Perhaps. But she had never been the type to just accept anything, so why should she start now?