Osei sat hunched over on an exposed tree root with Semi facing him.
'I'd have to reject you, Semi. And I won't do that.'

'Then you'll die for sure.' She abandoned her calm disposition. This was their third conversation on the matter.

If he didn't want to before, he definitely wouldn't want to now with the new revelation behind the truth about him and Danielle's child: their child had already been dead.

'I'm tougher than I look.' Osei confidently announced. She slapped him upside the head.

'Don't play with me.'
She moved closer to him taking his hands, pressing them against her cheeks.
'I'll be fine. Claim Danielle again. Let her help you. Do this for me.'

She threw down his hands when he started shaking his head.
'Listen you pig-headed wolf-man. You're going to reject me and mate with Danielle or you'll never set eyes on me or the baby again.'

Osei shot up on his feet, his expression murderous.
'You think I'll let that happen?'

'You think I'll watch you die?' She got on her feet as well. But her stance was less intimidating.
Her brimming tears also ruined the entire terrorizing look she was going for.

Osei slumped his head rubbing the ache from his neck. He hated it when she cried. Which she did a lot because of her hormones.
'I'm sorry.' He got up to wipe her eyes with his thumbs.
'But I need you to understand that I want my children to be born from my mate. I need us to be an uncomplicated family.'

'See who's talking. You are the definition of complicated.' She giggled and buried her face in his chest listening to his steady heartbeat.

'Don't worry Semi. Fauna is still looking into finding another way. And we will find another way.'
Semi hugged him tighter. She couldn't doubt his devotion to her now but she doubted that time would be faithful to them.

'Come on. Let's return. Everyone is waiting for you.'

'Why?' She asked confused by his remark.

'You'll see.'
Osei carried her bridal style for the rest of their journey back to the cabin.
'We're here.'

Pink and blue balloons
Pink, blue and white balloons danced in the wind.
'Surprise Semi.' Valentina came running out.
Behind her stood the entirety of their allies smiling.

'Oh, you guys.'
Osei rolled his eyes.
'There she goes again crying.' He grinned and set her down.

'I'm so happy.' Semi went to hug each of them.
'A surprise baby shower?'

'We didn't know if it was a boy or a girl. Hence the decoration.' Valentina explained.
Cayden and Nicholae rolled out the cake which was a mixture of pink and blue.

'Not for long. We're going to check the gender soon. Right Ma G?'
Semi looked from the grandmother to the grandson.
'Yes, I have it all arranged. Dr. Crane can be trusted. Trust her with my life.' She emphasized the gender solely for Osei's sake. He stressed on not having any other male touching his mate.

'So maybe someday, we can have a gender reveal party.' Osei suggested.

Semi plastered his face with kisses.
'I love you.' She whispered.

'I know you do.'

*******

'Where are we going? The party's that way.'
Nicholae and Valentina had been on the road for some time. Specifically, two hours and some change.

'We're here.'
The picturesque cottage sat in the middle of, what had to be, a man-made pond.
Golden white lights floated among the water lilies while fireflies bounced off the tulips around them.

'I promised you a date remember?' He got out and had the door open for her in moments.

'Who's watching Niko and Rex?' She couldn't believe they were alone.

'Osei and Semi promised to watch him. They need the practice anyway. Besides Georgina will be there a little while longer.'
He turned the key in the lock, unlocking the doorway to a beautifully designed room.
There was a small candlelit table already adorned with an assortment of meals.

'When did you have time to plan all this?' The sight, the smell, the overall splendor of it all took her breath away.
They took off their shoes and walked down the rose petals on the wooden floor.

'I can't claim all the credit. Lady Georgina lent me the place.'

Their first date in a century. The thought suddenly made her heart race and her palms sweat. She was a school girl all over again.

'It's okay to be nervous. I'm nervous too.'
Nicholae smiled sweetly at her, his eyes full of the love he had for her.

The food smelled divine and the gesture was touching but she didn't want that.
She wanted him. And the waiting had her well near insanity.
All he did was smile at her with those silver eyes and she was ready to tear her clothes off and lie at his feet.

'Stop looking at me like that. We're going to go according to plan.' He laughed.

'I'm not looking at you anyway. It's just a little warm in here.' Valentina said undoing the first two buttons of her pink dress. The dress which Valentina had used for the role of a prayer that the universe give Semi a daughter was now transformed into an object of seduction.

She lightly bit her lips to hold back a knowing smile that would shatter the delicate web she was trying to weave.
Nicholae cupped the back of her head.
'You little witch.' He laughed and then kissed her like his life depended on it.

'Hmm. Let's take this slow. I want us to savor this moment.'
He said in a breath in between their kiss. He changed the pace to a much infuriating one, slow amd steady until she was straining at the edge of her breaking point.
She realized she had to take matters into her own hands if she wanted this night to go as she wanted.

'I agree.'
Even as she spoke those dishonest words she guided his kiss to her neck where her erratic pulse nestled.
His sharp intake was music to her ears.
'Val...'

'We'll take this slow.'
Her voice was serene as a siren's call to sailors at sea.
She was trusting him, so he'd take this slowly.
He opened a small cut with his fangs and tasted the intoxicating liquid then licked and sucked that sweet tender spot eliciting soft mewling sounds from her.

'The bedroom... its that way.'

She rubbed against him.
'We don't need it.'
To prove her point she discarded her dress.
His blood rushed to his head. She wasn't wearing a bra.
Her dark nipples puckered inviting him to taste one full mound at s time.
'Don't make me beg.' She kissed his neck.
'I want you.'
Nicholae trembled in wake of each sensual caress.
He wanted to bring her to the stark brink of ecstasy. He wanted to make this moment perfect but he couldn't trust himself, not with her whispering sweet nothingness in his ear with her warm breath and her hands exploring areas that sent rockets of desire through him.

He grabbed both her legs and lifted her putting everything into his kiss.
The wall provided the support he needed to hold her firmly in place while he tasted her skin.
Damn, he missed her touch. And simply imagining being inside her was too much.
He gently pressed his fingers against her folds and drew circles around her sensitive button.
Simply invading her core was out of the question, what if he hurt her? 
To him, this was their first time all over again. He only allowed his middle finger to dance at her opening.
Valentina's frenzied reaction only made him smile. It was the validation he needed. Holding back his need was worth every pained second until she grabbed his hand.
'What's wrong...'
She slipped in his finger to the knuckle.
Her muscles clenched around his finger making it impossibly tight. She was tight and so wet for him.
It was in that space of time that he abandoned his plan. His mind and control soon followed.
Any slower and he'd die of a heart attack.

Useless... His hands trembled trying to undo the button of his pants. Her equally unstable hands came to his aid.

He paused. By some true miracle, he was able to stop himself before he rammed into her like the Barbarian, his body was screaming at him to be.
She wants this, he told himself. And it was the truth, but he still didn't want to treat her like this.
Inch after mind agonizing inch, he deliberately took his time sliding into her slickness.
Never had he known such sweet torture.
There were times when he'd been close to knowing but none could hold a candle to this.

Her fingernails dig into his back where she held him. Then, a sob escaped her lips, freezing him in panic.
'Did I hurt you?'

'No, you idiot.' She moaned working her muscles again.
She dug her heels into his butt to urge him on.

He eased out of her and back into her at the beginning of a rhythm. An errant tear slipped down her face. A single tear that gripped Nicholae's heart as though it was a lethal weapon.

'You're crying.' His uttered successfully over the thick fog obscuring the ability to reason.

'And now, after so, so many years. We're reunited like this. It's so beautiful. I'm happy.'
She ground herself against his pelvis.
'I love you. And I want you to have all of me.'

He would say it back, The I love you part, but he couldn't seem to get the words over the thick lump of emotions wedged at the back of his throat.
But he'd show her.

He moved them to the sofa, making a comfortable spot with the cushion on the floor.
He kissed her eyes and every inch of her skin. He didn't leave her empty. He worked his fingers inside her to silence her cute protests.

And finally, when he was ready, he reunited them once more.
She linked her ankles above her torso and allowed him to venture deeper with every thrust. She let him have control of this moment because only she knew what would happen after, what would be, the first time they made love that evening.
She called out his name as she rode her moment hard. He was right there with her, seeing only her even when he closed his eyes.

'We should do this more often.' Valentina said to him as they laid the bed.
It was already midday, they were past the time Nicholae promised they'd vacate.
He came and hugged her from behind liking the idea very much.
'Of course. We can go to the Piping Piper's.'
He said into her hair.
'I didn't mean the dating part. But that'll be ...'
Valentina froze at the familiar name, finally processing the destination name.
That was the name of the shop she always wanted to open!
'That shouldn't be... who?'

'This guy.' He stepped away to point two thumbs happily at himself.
'Nicholae that's another secret.'

'But it's a good one. So that's ... good.' He laughed.
'It's all under your name. Completely unaffiliated with the Tchkovsky name. So when we get married, again, you can take care of me.'

He closed her gaping mouth.
'You didn't think I was going to leave you divorced, did you?'

He peppered kisses on her neck and hugged her even tighter.
There were a few other things he needed to tidy before officially and publicly claiming Valentina as his bride.
The first thing would be the most obvious one- his family. Then the Mistress's followers would have to be interrogated and dealt with. And so would this mystery killer.

And then there was one other thing Nicholae.
One more secret. A secret that could remain buried forever if he wanted it that way.
If he wanted this happiness with Valentina to last.

                          The End!