(Thanks to everyone for reviews, I love them! And this chapter is going to be real mushy and romantic, but it has to be so I hope it doesn't nauseate you too much.)

Sera stifled a wide yawn and stumbled a little whilst climbing the stairs towards the room Dante had prepared for them; Dev caught her arm and drew her closer, breathing her scent in deeply. Just so grateful to have her back.

"Do you feel ok?" Dev asked, his eyes eloquent with worry and fear for her, Sera's stomach quivered and she reached up her hand to run her fingertips over his shadowed jaw.

"I'm fine," Sera said softly, "Acheron did a great job in bringing me back to life." Sera laughed as Dev blanched and looked sick. "I'm just tired."

"You weren't dead." Dev said it in a tone that dared anyone to contradict him and feel his wrath. Sera just shrugged and waited for him to continue walking, instead Dev lifted her into his arms and began his trip up the stairs with her cradled to him like a precious treasure. Sera gave a content sigh and rubbed her face on his shirt, mmm she loved his smell, the feel of him. She licked her lips, but was too tired to try and arouse him, not that it took much mind.

It was midnight or just after when Dev carried Sera into their room, it was spacious and was decorated in soothing colours, the faint beat of the heavy metal music Dante played in his club could be heard but wasn't annoying or distracting. Not that much could distract him from his one focus at that moment, Dev thought.

He laid Sera with infinite tenderness on the mattress and stretched out beside her; Sera rolled on to her side to stare up at Dev's face, so beautiful and proud in the subtle lamp light, Sera noted that a gauzy red fabric had been draped over the lamp and there was a note on the bedside table. Sera reached past Dev to pick it up and read.

Don't worry about a thing.

Just think of this as the honeymoon suite.

There's food in the room joining yours.

Pandora.

"Aww, so sweet," Sera muttered showing Dev the note, "I am kind of hungry …"

Dev didn't hesitate to get off the bed but Sera stopped him. "I'll get it. Your hearts taken a worse scare then mine today you should lie down."

"Stay." Dev ordered, his voice holding a finality and dominance that made Sera smile, She lay back and watched him enter the next room. Gorgeous tempting smells wafted out and had her sitting back up again, mouth watering, she was so hungry those smells almost produced as great a craving in her as Dev did. Almost. Sera grinned when he came in with a silver tray laden with all sort of things that she liked, he laid it down before her and then sat opposite on the bed, cross legged with the tray between them.

"Its like a picnic," Sera commented and began to examine what the plates held. "Honey, strawberries, cream …" Sera caught Dev's eye and raised an eyebrow; he grinned boyishly and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Sera grinned back. "Looks like Pandora has a touch of an erotic mind."

"Dante's a lucky man."

Sera gave Dev a chilling look and Dev had the grace to look a little sheepish, he reached out a hand and rubbed a curl between his forefinger and thumb, Sera leant her head to rub her cheek against the backs of his fingers.

"And so am I," Dev murmured, his gaze fixed on her lips then travelling up to her eyes that teared up at his words. So heartfelt and loving, she hoped it would always be this way, she never wanted to be one of those poor women that complained that their husbands were no longer romantic and affectionate. Dev withdrew his hand and was about to pile plates up for both of them when he saw Sera try to hide another yawn, he disposed of the tray on to the floor efficiently and had Sera leaning back in his arms, he dropped a possessive kiss upon her hair.

"Sleep now, Mon Sera. Rêve de moi."

Sera turned in his arms to stare up at him, every time she did this it made his heart do a stupid flip flop motion in his chest, she gave him a blinding smile and he felt his eyes burn from the beauty of her face.

"What does that mean?"

"I told you to dream of me," Dev traced his forefinger over the bridge of her nose and over her lips. "Will you dream of me?"

"Always." His throat tightened. "Will you of me?" she countered and Dev smiled knowing he had just the same effect on her as she did on him.

"Pendant tout le temps. I will need to teach you French, chéri."

Sera gave him am mysterious smile that made his heart pound, he traced it with his finger again and his stomach quivered when she suckled the pad of his finger.

"What's behind that smile, baby?"

"I was just thinking that you teaching me French will be an experience," Sera laughed, "I'll have to listen to you curse in French as well as English."

Dev gave a sexy laugh and rolled her beneath him, wanting her, craving her but knowing she was exhausted helped his restraint. He bent close to her ear and began whispering in a soft deep stirring language of his homeland.

"Je veux te faire l'amour pour toujours. Je ne me fatiguerai jamais de vous observer, vous aimant. Vous êtes toujours à moi, cher à moi d'une manière que vous ne pouvez pas imaginer. Le destin peut changer et décret autrement mais vous resterez le compagnon de mon coeur. Votre nom sera chuchoté sur mon souffle final. Mon Sera."

Dev pulled back and noted that Sera's eyes were glistening, she sniffed and pretended to look suspicious.

"You better not have been telling me how much you hate my fashion sense or something like that."

"Well no I just told you you need to lose weight -" His words drowned in a laugh as Sera whacked him on the side of the head with a pillow.

"Hate you!" She said sulkily and pouted a bit, Dev leant down and nibbled her tempting lower lip.

"Sure you do."

Sera laughed and Dev rolled of her, once more pulling her to his side, she lay her head over his heart and closed her eyes.

"Sera?"

She smiled, she would never get to sleep at this rate. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry I hurt you today," Dev's voice sounded low and gruff like he was having trouble apologising.

"Forget about it."

Sera sensed his surprise and hid her smile, refusing to look up at him.

"It was wrong of me. If only you knew how much I-I love you -"

"Dev," Sera cut him off, "get over it, I have. We're stronger together then we are apart, I don't expect you to stay with someone who isn't your mate but lucky for us we are. Lets leave it at that."

Dev was stunned, he thought she would still be angry and hurt but she was so accepting of him. He had thought before he had got back to the cabin and seen Sera fighting those panthers, he tampered down on a violent surge of anger, that Sera would kick his ass, seems like he thought wrong. She never ceased to amaze him. Dev snuggled down next to her, tightening his arms, she was almost asleep.

"Dev?" her sleep laden voice was enough to make him hard, he ground his teeth against desire.

"Yeah, baby?"

"I won't ever tire of watching you either."

Dev's eyes flew open wide, "you know French?"

Sera laughed then lost herself to sleep.

Dev lay awake his body burning and muscles taut with suppressed desire, with a craving that wasn't just sexual. He turned his head and glanced at the clock, it read 3:30 am, Sera sighed and Dev slid his hand up and down her back, she didn't wake like he had secretly wanted her to. Instead she moved her arm to drape over his chest and her hand was resting on the side of his neck, she pressed her body tighter to his and Dev almost groaned.

How had he gone so long before he met her was quite puzzling to him, and now he had her. Dev gave a satisfied grin, he had found his mate and she loved him, not that he could recollect her saying it to him but he knew, just how he knew how hard it was for her to make a commitment to him when she was so afraid and yet here she was. The mate who had chosen to stay with him. The mate he had come so close to losing. Thank the gods for Ash and his freaky powers, he owed the dark hunter much more then he could ever repay.

The image of Sera laying cold and still on the operating table sent his heart rate rocketing, Dev jerked out of Sera's arms with a gasp. He walked to the bathroom and without turning on the light ran the cold tap and splashed his face and hair with cold water, it was going to take a long time for Dev to get that image out of his mind. Until then perhaps it was best for his heart for her to stay tied to his side, literally. Dev gave a wan smile when he thought of what his fiery little rose would say if she was told he wasn't 'allowing' her to leave him anymore.

Dev moved back into the room, his stride strong and purposeful as he made his way to the bed. He sat himself beside Sera and touched her shoulder, gently shaking her awake.

Sera was used to Dev waking her up at night but never in this fashion, he was very inventive in his love making so for him to wake her up so urgently she sat bolt up right, thinking firstly of attack.

"What's happened?" She asked sharply, her senses flaring out to search the room and all near by for intent to harm her or her mate.

"Nothing, love, nothing," Dev said his pulse was jumping in his throat even though he spoke evenly, Sera looked at him carefully, the lines of his face seemed to be etched deeper and he looked worried. She reached her hands up to cup his face and tilted his head down so he met her gaze head on.

"What's wrong, Dev?"

Dev inhaled deeply and gripped her wrists lightly, turning his head to kiss both her inner wrists.

"I need you to mate with me. Now. I can't stand for us to go on like this, I need you now. I need to make you mine, to make sure we're always together. I know most people usually wait for the full three weeks if they wait at all but I can't, Sera. I just can't, after today it scares me too much to wait. I love you too much to wait. Mate with me tonight?"

There he had said it. He had declared his commitment and devotion to her, now the ball was in her court, his life was in her hands so to speak.

Sera was stunned, she sat there her head reeling gripping his face and then her vision went blurry; before Sera realised what she was doing her arms were around Dev's massive shoulders and was hugging him tightly. She had gotten the fantasy proposal, as she termed it, and so much more; all she could do was nod and cry, cry and nod.

Dev lay back on the bed and pulled Sera with him, he vanished their clothes with a single thought and Sera shivered as the cool air brushed at her heated skin. Sera sat up and straddled him, he was looking up at her with such love it made her breath catch in her throat. She felt so at home, so loved and so completely safe with him, she bent down and gave him a hot hard kiss, it was more then a meeting of lips but more of souls; the missing half of each others whole had finally locked together.

Sera broke their kiss and sat up, she gripped Dev's hand that was on her breast and brought it to her mouth, studying the mating mark she traced it with her tongue and delighted in hearing Dev hiss with pleasure. She kissed it and laced his hand with her own, before Sera could lower her hips for their centres to meet Dev's hand clutched her hip and his fingers dug painfully deep into her skin.

"What?" Sera asked fearing something, anything that could halt their union.

"Do you love me?" Dev's voice was harsh and rough in the dark and Sera smiled at him, leaning forward her forehead rested against his.

"Yes, I do. Very much so."

"Then say it." It wasn't so much demand as plea in his voice and Sera found her heart aching, but she couldn't help teasing a bit.

"Are you insecure?" She asked with a impish smile and Dev gave a gruff laugh.

"Babe, you bring out every insecurity I have in me. Now tell me you love me, you stubborn woman!"

Sera laughed and leant up again, holding his marked palm tight to her own. "I love you with all my heart."

The words were softly spoken, unbelievably tender and sincere, she spoke them as she lowered herself to him, Dev hissed with pleasure and was echoed by her own and her hips began to slowly rock and move. Their joined palms heated and Sera locked her gaze with Dev as she spoke the ritual words that would bind them to each other. She smiled letting him know she spoke them with a full and free heart that she gave without conditions to him and him only.

"I accept you as you are, I will always hold you close in my heart. I will walk beside you forever."

Dev felt a tingling behind his eyes, he could not believe that such precious words could ever be spoken without feeling, they inspired a depth of feeling in him he didn't know he had. The well of love he had inside him for her was bottomless, endless and eternal, Dev tried to catch his breath enough to repeat the words. As soon as he did so a pain racked his body, he saw Sera's back arch with it, she gripped his hand tighter. He saw the incisors lengthen in her mouth and felt his own fangs grow, it was the thiro, the bonding instinct calling to them, Dev had not forgotten about this part of the ritual, he had just neglected to think about it.

He had thought to leave it up to Sera to make the decision, but instinct had him sitting up and nuzzling her neck.

Fear and excitement warred inside of Sera, she couldn't help it, her body froze, stiffened and she heard Dev's ragged breaths, felt them against the side of her neck.

"Tell me to stop, Sera and I will," he growled in a beastly voice, "mon dieu! You have to tell me to stop though!"

Sera's breath caught as she was about to open her mouth and refuse his bonding, but she couldn't, how could she want to live without this man in her life, the one that made her laugh so much; brought her so much pleasure and comfort. Simple, she couldn't and she wouldn't, Sera's hand unerringly found Dev's hair and pulled his head closer to her.

"Bond with me, Dev. My a'th kar."

Dev heard her speak those unfamiliar words in a silky language that set him on fire, and before either of them could change their minds, he sank is teeth deeply into her neck and growled when he heard her cry out.

Sera's piercing, white hot pain immediately gave way to pure ecstasy; and answered his bite with one of her own in Dev's shoulder. Never in all her life had she ever felt this close to someone. She completely understood now the concept of bonding, the joining of life forces. Sera saw everything, his every emotion and feeling, his doubts and fears and most of all the consuming overwhelming love he felt for her and his desire to always have a life mate, his fear that she would never truly want him and love him. Then the whole world shattered around her.

Dev followed Sera into the throes of pleasure and passion but not before seeing the very soul of his magnificent mate. She had become infinitely more precious to him now he had bonded with her, he saw her fears of being found by her clan, her deep irreparable break in her heart over the loss of her family, felt the betrayal her brothers caused. And there, right there was her love for him. A deep love, honest and passionate, she would do anything for him and the depth of it erased all fears from him.

Dev roared as his climax gripped him and sank into a world of bliss and seductive darkness.

Sera lay with her back to him and Dev ran his hand down her smooth back, from the nape of her neck to the base of her spine. She groaned and Dev laughed, he fixed his teeth on the nape and felt her buck beneath him.

"Behave yourself," he reprimanded, laughing as he brought his palm down on her bottom that was covered with the sheet. "Or you'll be punished."

"Pervert," Sera replied, her voice muffled by the pillow, Dev gave a hearty laugh. Then stared at her, it gave him such pleasure and comfort just to look at her, he would never tire of it.

"What language was that you spoke to me earlier, Sera?"

Sera shifted lazily but didn't bother to turn and face him. "It's the language we use in the part of my homeland that I come from."

"And it means?"

"My a'th kar means I love you." Another little chuckle from behind her made her smile.

"Girl, you say the sweetest things," she felt his lips feather up her spine and she shivered.

"Yeah, I'm real creative when it comes to pet names too."

Then there was silence between them, a companionable silence, a sleepy one that made neither uncomfortable. But offered them a sense of peace, knowing all they had to do was reach out in the dark and they would find each other, without words or gestures they were both there. Sera lay like a rag doll as Dev continued to play and indulge himself with her body, but finally she turned and gave him a gimlet stare. Dev quickly did a mental check of all the things he may have done wrong and was relieved to see her eyes go soft.

"You miss your family, Dev." She made it a statement.

"You're my family," he reminded her firmly, trying to cut off the discussion then and there, but when did she ever listen to him. How had he ever been stupid enough to convince himself otherwise.

"Dev, they are your family, no matter what. And you need them."

"No," was his staunch reply. "I have my beautiful mate with me now, I have no need of anyone else."

Sera raised an eyebrow and gave him a disbelieving look. "You miss them and your worried about them."

Dev shifted uncomfortably and raked an agitated hand threw his curls that made Sera's stomach tighten.

"How can I go back there after what they did to you?" he barked, the anger he had still lingering for his family burst into his eyes. Sera reached up and ran her thumb over his top lip smoothing the snarl from his mouth.

"If I can so should you."

"You forgive them?" Now it was his turn to be incredulous, Sera looked offended.

"Its possible, I'm not completely made of stone, you know!"

Dev laughed at her, his eyes lingering on her indignant face, she was marvellous.

"Thank you, Sera," he murmured and Sera looked shy, they both knew he was saying thank you to more then her not holding a grudge against his family.

It was about having the courage to go back with him, doing it with a good heart and for lastly just being her and loving him.

"Tomorrow, Chéri, we'll go tomorrow."

(The caption of French writing when Dev is whispering sweet nothings to Sera translates thus - I want to make love to you forever. I will never get tired of watching you, loving you. You are always mine, dear to me in a way you can not imagine. Fate may change and decree otherwise but you will remain the mate of my heart. Your name shall be whispered on my final breath. My Sera.

My a'th kar is in fact Cornish for I love you.

I speak neither language so if I've made a few mistakes sorry.)