Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.
The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by BreannaNash. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.
"Love isn't about finding someone to spend your life with, It's finding someone you can't spend your life without".
-Unknown
I was unable to believe what had just happened. I gasped and froze with shock. Dominic's eyes were open. How was this possible?
Spirit is an amazing element with many dark side effects. No matter how many years I have been around both Lissa and Adrian, I was never fully able to grasp the ability they have to bring people back from the dead.
I just held the love of my lives dead body in my arms. Dominic's skin was unnaturally cold and the color of a ghost, his heartbeat vanished with no trace of it ever beating—he was dead.
You'd figure I'd be used to seeing stuff like this, considering I was once died and was brought back from the other side. But I wasn't. It was still new to me—just like each time Lissa healed a plant or small animal back to life, it left me breathless.
This was something entirely different though. It wasn't a dried up flower or a dead cat ran over by a car. It was Dominic. Less than two minutes ago he lay slump against the ground, yet now his body was shaking violentley, he appeared to be very much alive—unless he was a Zombie, which I don't believe to be possible.
I watched in pure wonder and awe as he blinked his eyes several times and focused in on the black star filled sky. Dominic's chest rose and fell and the usual golden color of his skin returned. Dominic was alive. The love of my life was alive. I let out a strangled cry mixed with a happy laugh that sounded oddly strange on me.
Dominic heard the noise and it caused his head to snap over as he looked at me with pure adoration and shock. He couldn't believe he was alive either.
"Rose?" he croaked, his deep voice raspy as if he swallowed a bucket of sand.
I nodded and smiled through the fountain of tears gushing out of my eyes.
Dominic stared at me in disbeliefe, his blue eyes piercing into me as they began to gloss over with unshed tears. It was like the whole world faded away. I was lost in the warm depth of his crystal blue eyes. They practically glowed with love—I only hoped my gaze held the same look, because I truly did love him with all of my being.
I was distantly aware of Adrian collapsing from exhaustion. But for now, all my attention was focused on Dominic. He was the only thing that mattered.
I never knew until now the significant meaning of 'you don't know what you have until it's gone.' This saying was so unbelievably true that it scared me. I'd just lost Dominic, and now thankfully he'd come back to me. Those few minutes that he was gone were indescribable; I have never felt such an excruciating pain. I had nothing to live for when Dominic was gone—he was my purpose, my everything.
"You really are like an Angel." He whispered. Slowly, so slowly, he reached out and brushed his long graceful fingers along my cheekbone. I reached up and held his hand there, relishing in the feeling of his warm skin against mine.
Dominic was alive. I could finally breathe again.
"You were the last thing I laid eyes on," Dominic smiled sadly, with silent tears streaming down his face. "The last second before it was over, I stared at you and mesmerized every detail of your beauty for the very last time—I was content with that. I died a happy man."
I sobbed and rubbed my nose with the back of my sleeve in a very un-lady like manner.
"Let me hear your voice," Dominic let out a small cry. "It's music to my ears—like the sound of an Angel singing. Please, say something. I need to hear your voice right now." He pleaded, grabbing my hand and interlacing our fingers.
"I want to marry you." I whispered.
"What?"
"I want to marry you."
Dominic drew in a ragged breath. "I don't understand—"
"Let's get married next week."
Dead silence.
"Shut your mouth Honey, or else you'll let the flies in." I laughed.
Dominic had always wanted to have our wedding right after he proposed. Time after time I refused and shot down all of his offers. I was in love with him the entire time we dated but I was afraid of being tied down.
But everything was different now….After almost losing him I realized what I had. With Dominic, I had everything I could possibly want or need. Love, friendship, companionship, devotion, a family...
He quickly snapped out of his stupor and slammed his agape mouth shut. "Do you mean it?"
I nodded my head eagerly and before I knew what was happening Dominic was on his feet and I was crushed in his arms.
"Babe, your neck, your neck!" I gasped. I tried to wiggle out of his grasp but he held me tighter against his rock hard chest.
"It hurts. But the pain doesn't matter right now, what matters is you—only you." Dominic said, voice soft as silk.
After a few more moments of struggling I gave up, my attempts were useless—Dominic wasn't letting me go anywhere.
I wrapped both of my arms around his shoulders tightly and simply held onto him, I didn't want anything separating the two of us—I needed him so badly right now.
I stuffed my face into the crook of his neck and inhaled his spicy rich aroma. The scent of his skin no longer smelled like death. Dominic smelled alive—very much so. And I couldn't get enough of his heavenly scent; I could pick it out in a crowd of a thousand. It was wonderful.
"Little dhampir, don't forget about me…your miracle worker." Adrian spoke from the ground. His words were slurred from exhaustion and he looked like he was having great difficulty keeping his eye lids from closing.
Without moving from my position in Dominic's arms, I tilted my head and for the very first time I saw everyone staring at us—most with glossed over eyes.
"You're crazy Adrian, you know that? INSANE!" I shouted. I ran over and cupped his face with my hands and planted a big wet smooch across his lips—he smirked in smug satisfaction.
"Little dhampir…I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it." Adrian chuckled.
"Classic." I winked.
"And," Adrian pointed towards Dominic. "Don't worry; spirit darkness shouldn't be a problem for you like it is for Rose. I delude most of my insanity with good ole Russian Vodka— this whole bond thing should be a piece of cake."
"Oh joy," I said. "Before you know it, the two of you will be best buds."
"Not likely," Dominic snickered. "But all our problems set aside, man to man; I want to thank you for what you did to me. Without it, I wouldn't be here with Rose right now. So…Thank you." He extended a hand towards Adrian who eyed it as if it held some deadly disease.
"Come on buddy boy, I know you can do it." I smiled. Adrian rolled his emerald green eyes and very reluctantly reached forward to shake his hand.
"I didn't do it for you, I did it for Rose."
"It doesn't matter why you did it—I still owe you a thank you." Dominic stared down at me lovingly; I couldn't help but smile back. He leaned down to press the sweetest of kisses against my lips.
Ahem. Adrian cleared his throat awkwardly. "Can you two at least wait until you're behind closed doors—"
"That reminds me," Dominic cut him off mid sentence. "We have two whole months to make up for."
"Want to get a start on that tonight?" I suggested, clutching his shirt with my hands and placing a hungry kiss to his neck.
I giggled when Dominic waggled his eyebrows and nodded eagerly.
"Would you like to accompany me back to my apartment—or should I say our apartment?"
"Our apartment," I smiled. "Yes, I would love to."
And just like that the world faded away again until it was just Dominic and I. We stared at each other like love struck teenagers and it hurt me to be away from him for any amount of time.
I said my goodbyes to Lissa, Christian, and Adrian in a blur. I honestly didn't waste my time worrying about them—The Royal guards would sort everything out and make sure they were home safe—all my attention was focused on the love of my life.
On the way home to our apartment, I noticed Dimitri out in the field, his posture and poise seemed to scream authority. He was doing serious damage control, directing guardians and staff workers to clean up all the Strigoi bodies and set then into a pile.
There were already a few other piles roaring in flames. The area reeked with the smell of death and I wanted nothing more than to get far away from it—it reminded me so much of when Dominic died and I didn't want those dark feelings surfacing at a time like this.
Dimitri seemed alerted by my presence—thanks to the strong connection we shared—his eyes flickered over and stared at me stoically. I didn't miss the small smile and nod he gave me before we rounded the corner. I smiled back proudly; my mentor was kick ass.
After walking for about five more minutes, Dominic and I arrived at a small apartment building.
"Welcome home my love," he smiled dryly and stepped on the doorstep of number 704.
"It's…nice."
"Don't lie, it's horrible and you know it."
"Okay, it is pretty awful."
He chuckled while reaching into his back pocket and retrieving the house key. He deftly stuck the key in and turned it to the side. After some jiggling of the door knob—and a few embarrassed shots from Dominic—the old and dingy door creaked open painfully slow, revealing the apartment.
I stepped inside and took a look around. In the living room—if you could even call it that—was a matte brown recliner and small television set propped on a round wooden table.
"I'll be right back." Dominic's warm breath tickled my ear and caused my body to shiver with pleasure.
"Don't go," I whined, pulling on his arm.
"Eager are we?"
"Very much so,"
"I'll be right back mein Engel, I promise." He whispered, placing a kiss to my forehead. "It hurts me to be away from you for very long."
"Okay," I nodded, feeling tears sting my eyes. I was an emotional wreck tonight. You would be too if you witnessed your fiancé die and come back to life in a matter of minutes. It wasn't something you got over so easily.
While Dominic went off to do whatever, I continued my inspection of where he'd lived for the past two months while we were separated.
After looking at most of his place I realized there wasn't much to inspect—at all.
There was a queen sized bed in his bedroom covered in a soft black duvet, a wooden dresser, two dimly lit lamps, and a couple of books written in German placed neatly on the shelf hanging next to his closet.
I picked up the picture frame on his nightstand and smiled when I realized that it was a picture of the two of us. It was taken at some indoor go-kart place we'd gone to. Dominic and I stood by the car while I held up my helmet in victory after having won the race, my hair a tangled mess and mascara smeared from having rubbed my eye, but boy, did I look happy that I had won.
Dominic of course looked amazingly groomed like he always did. He had an arm draped loosely around my waist while smiling at the camera—but his eyes were glued on me, staring at me as if I were the most precious thing in the world.
I laughed at the old memory and gently placed the picture frame back on the table.
I walked into the kitchen and raided the cupboards, fridge, and the freezer. The only food items I found were orange juice, a loaf of wheat bread, and a few frozen T.V. dinners—definitely not something Rose Hathaway would sink her teeth into.
Suddenly, I felt warmth engulf me from behind. I smiled. Dominic.
"I missed you,"
"As I have missed you, Angel," I spun around in his arms to face him.
"I love when you call me that."
Dominic raised an eyebrow in questioning. "Really?...I thought you hated it. When we first began dating you threatened to twist my nipples—"
"Until they popped off like bottle caps," I finished for him, shaking my head vigorously. "Yeah, yeah, I got it—it doesn't matter. I like it when you call me Angel…it makes me feel sweet and innocent."
"Well, we all know that you are far from it." Dominic chuckled. I rolled my eyes.
He gently picked me up in his arms and started walking towards the bedroom.
"What are we doing?"
"Taking a bath," He answered simply. "Unless you want to stay dirty…"
"Hmm, maybe," I trailed my fingers up and down his chest.
"Don't tempt me," Dominic growled, placing me on the floor. The smell of lavender and honey flooded my senses. The bath was filled to the rim with water and overloaded with bubbles.
"Bubbles," I smiled.
"Your favorite," Dominic hummed, pressing a warm hand to the small of my back.
"We're burning these clothes." I tugged on his tattered white T-shirt splattered in blood. It reminded me of the battle, the fire, the black haired Strigoi, the sickening bone cracking sound, Dominic's lifeless body falling to the ground—
Stop it Rose! It's over! You're not there anymore.
I fought back the bile rising in my throat from the thought of what had occurred earlier this evening.
Dominic noticed my disgusted expression and quickly became concerned. "What's wrong?"
I shook my head. "Nothing, I just can't wait to burn these SOB's." I pulled on his shirt once again.
"Whatever you want my love, I'll even let you light the match—though it does concern me, you and fire don't mix." He chuckled whole heartedly.
I giggled and stood on my tip toes to smash my lips against his. Dominic responded eagerly by pressing me hard against the counter, his large warm hands took possession of my body—skimming every ounce of overheated flesh they possibly could.
It felt so good to kiss Dominic after being deprived of him for so long. His lips felt like silk against my own and held the taste of milk and honey. It was wonderful. I nibbled on his swollen lip gently and was rewarded with a deep throaty moan.
"Angel, we have to stop now, or else we'll never make it to the bath." Dominic gasped, hisbreathing as ragged as my own.
"I don't care," I grabbed a fistful of sandy blonde hair and greedily tried to bring his face back to mine. Dominic pecked my lips three times before chuckling and prying my desperate hands away from his body.
"Patience, my love, patience." He chanted, realeasing my squirming arms. My heart actually ached when my body wasn't making constant contact with his.
"Sign all of your senses over to me Angel…just relax." Dominic whispered, his German accent heavy and pronounced—the sound was sultry and almost hypnotizing.
"Okay," I nodded and stilled my trembling body.
While never breaking eye Dominic reached down to pull at the hem of my shirt. He lifted it up carefully—almost teasingly at a painfully slow pace.
"Hurry up damn it." I writhed.
"I like to take my time." He smiled cheekily. I groaned in frustration.
Dominic continued to do his magic. He placed hot open mouthed kisses covering my stomach all the way until he reached my neck where he lifted the blouse over my head.
I heard his sharp intake of breath as he leaned back to stare at my exposed body.
"You're so beautiful." he whispered, his hungry gaze clouding over in love mingled with a little bit of lust.
In one swift motion, he tore his shirt and jeans from his body and tossed them into a pile on the floor. I stood there, ogling his nearly naked body. The gold tint to his skin, the perfect contours of his muscles that rippled gracefully with each of his movements. He carried himself in such a beautiful perfect way.
When I tried to run my hands along his broad shoulders he swatted me away. I frowned in confusion.
"Not yet my love," he breathed into my ear, whispering naughty things in German I didn't dare to repeat. "Let me worship your body, every inch of you. I've gone so long without you, I will take my time tonight."
I moaned at his words and the seductive tone to his husky voice.
So, I stood in agony as Dominic peeled off the rest of my clothes. And he wasn't kidding when he said that he liked to take his damn sweet time. His hands and lips were possessive and dominant, yet gentle and sweet as they explored my body and rid it of each article of clothing.
Every time I attempted to touch him he would stop me and continue on with his torture session—and by torture I mean kissing, caressing, massaging, and breathing all over my heated skin.
Finally, what seemed like an eternity later—with my body feeling as if it were a volcano about to errupt—Dominic relieved himself of his boxers and stepped into the bath.
I couldn't help it. I let out a low wolf whistle and smacked his cute bare ass. Dominic chuckled and laid himself into the bath. I gazed at his naked flesh like some pervert in a sex shop.
"Come here; let me hold you, my love." He opened his arms and becokend me towards him.
I eased into the scorching water and gently lowered myself onto his lap. The water felt amazing against my skin and the temperature helped relax the knots kinked in my back. Bubbles surrounded me in the scent of lavender, I scooped some into my palm and toppled them onto Dominic's head.
"I would say 'Is that a gun in your pants, or are you just excited to see me?'...If it weren't for the fact that you're currently naked." I winked. His cheeks burned a bright crimson and I laughed.
We sat there in a comfortable silence for about twenty minutes, just basking in each others presence. Dominic traced random patterns on my back while we kissed. And kissed, and kissed, and kissed, and kissed…
It was like my lips were glued to his, I couldn't seem to rip them apart. But eventually, I had to.
"I missed you so much." I whispered. "I don't ever want to be apart from you again."
"Last night was the last night you'll ever spend alone again." Dominic stated. I looked him in the eyes and knew he was speaking the truth.
"Thank you," I said. "I'm so, so sorry about what I did. I swear to God that it will never happen again—"
"Shh," he silenced me by pressing a finger to my lips. "Let us enjoy tonight, forget about the past—it's done and over with, nothing will change it. I want us to look forward to our future together."
I felt a tear slide out of my eye and travel a long journey down my cheek. Damn emotions, must be the pregnancy hormones.
The two of us remained in the bath until the water became freezing and our skin turned pruny and delicate. Dominic helped wash every inch of my body, being very attentive to load up the poof with strawberry body wash we needed—I was in complete heaven as he kissed every spot that he washed sensually. He massaged my scalp with shampoo and carefully rinsed it out—I even dosed off a few times from the magic his soothing fingers brought me.
I loved how gentle he was with. I could just imagine how he would be with our little baby. I hadn't told him about the pregnancy yet because I didn't feel it was the right time. Dominic was killed and brought back to life—I think that was enough problems to handle for one night. I didn't need to fill his brain with the news of the first impossible dhampir/dhampir pregnancy.
Later that night, after dressing in our pajamas, we laid under the covers of the bed in a tangled mess of limbs.
"Angel?" Dominic whispered.
"Yes," I mumbled.
"I love you."
I whipped my head up in disbeliefe. Did he just say that he loved me out loud? When I stared into his eyes, nothing but love and honesty flowed from them.
"I love you too." I breathed.
I snuggled further into his bare chest and closed my eyes. The rich aroma of his skin was like a sleeping pill for me, I felt my self dozing off and when Dominic began humming my favorite lullaby in German I instantly fell asleep.
A/N: Thank you Nicia, for being an awesome Beta and correcting this chapter! You rock! Love you girl :-)
I also want to thank all my readers and reviewers. I feel so blessed and I'm glad you guys enjoy my story!...well so far. LOL.