Richelle Mead owns the VA and Bloodlines series.
Have you guys seen TFIOS yet? What did you think? Everyone in the theater was, like, openly crying all over the place. It was the craziest experience. Anyway, I'm really trying hard to finish the next chapter of TTD, but it's taking forever to get it right. But I should have that done soon and then it's not too long until Silver Shadows is out!
"I love you," he murmured into my skin, kissing his way down my neck and across my collarbone. His lips were soft, but fierce and made me feel alive in a way I hadn't felt in so long.
He popped the top button on my shirt, then the next, gaining access to new skin, skin he hadn't kissed in so, so long.
"I love you so much," I breathed, throwing my head back and sighing in relief. It felt so good to be with him.
In all the time I'd been in reeducation, I'd imagined this. Our reunion. It had taken place in my head over and over again for months. Sometimes I'd escape and find Adrian, in his apartment in Palm Springs, or at the Moroi Court. Sometimes he'd break in and find me, all alone in my cell. No matter how we found each other, the same thing always happened afterward. And it was always fierce and passionate in ways that I never knew I could feel. And this moment... the one Adrian and I were sharing right now, was somehow even more passionate than I'd ever been capable of imagining.
The minute the others had left us alone together in our room at Court he'd gripped my hips and we'd fallen back onto the bed, both delirious with want and need. I wanted him so badly, and I needed him even more. It was like, the entire time I was locked away could be made up for if he just kissed me a little bit harder, held me a little bit closer. I knew it was ridiculous. The Alchemists had hurt me, tortured me, and the only way I would ever get over that was with time, and possibly therapy, but I still needed him now. And it felt like he needed me just as much.
"Sage." His voice was reverent as he finished unbuttoning my blouse and slid the sleeves down my arms. He kissed me some more; warm, wet, wonderful kisses that made me smile in contentment. He unbuttoned the jeans I'd borrowed from Rose, which were a little too baggy around the waist, but at least they didn't hang on the floor like the ones Jill lent me. With one quick tug the jeans rolled down my thighs and right off onto the floor. Then Adrian was kissing me again, everywhere I wanted him to.
Finally, when I couldn't take the soft teasing of his lips on my belly and hips anymore, I pulled him back up, gripping the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head. He started to lean down, to capture my lips again as I undid his jeans, but a dark smear near his shoulder caught my attention.
"What is that?" I asked, pulling back so I could see his chest.
Written in an elegant, but simple script, right above his heart, were the words Centrum Permanebit. I stared at them in wonder, raising a hand and stroking my fingertips across the tattoo. I couldn't express my emotions at discovering what he'd had permanently etched onto his skin.
He captured my fingers in his, clasping my hand to his chest, right above the tattoo. "I didn't always handle it well," he said when I glanced up into his eyes. "When you were away, there were times when I really thought I might lose it. Eddie told me the 'spell' you'd told him," he smirked at me. "Clever, Sage. Centrum Permanebit. Every time I felt myself going over the edge I repeated it in my head, trying to believe. After one exceptionally bad night I decided I needed the reminder to be a little more permanent."
"Hence the tattoo," I said, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to the inked skin. His muscles rippled under my touch and I rested my head against him, just feeling him, breathing him in.
"I know it's not as impressive as the pirate skeleton tattoo," he teased, "but do you think you could get used to it?"
I looked up, bringing my hands up to cup his face. "I love it," I told him honestly. "I love you." I blinked back a few tears. "I love you so much."
Then the kissing started up again and this time there was nothing to distract us until we were both panting, cuddled together underneath the sheets. I couldn't seem to stop looking at his tattoo. His pale, unmarked chest had always been attractive with his lean, tone form, but the tattoo... I traced it with a fingertip as we laid together.
"It's sexy," I whispered, my breath causing goosebumps to pop up across his bare chest.
"You think?" He smiled, stroking my back.
I nodded. It was insanely sexy. And the fact that it was so personal, that he'd gotten it to remind himself of the strength of our love, made it that much sexier. I'd never really thought of myself as the kind of girl who liked tattoos, but this tattoo, on Adrian, had me watering at the mouth. I couldn't get enough of it or him. I suddenly wanted to proclaim our love the same way he had.
"I want one," I said, sitting up and letting the sheet fall to my waist.
"A tattoo?" I'll give it to him, he tried to keep his eyes focused on my face, but they kept drifting down as he spoke. "You don't really seem like the type."
I raised an eyebrow and pointed at the lily emblazoned on my cheek.
"No, I mean a real tattoo," he said with a smirk. "One that you choose to get just because." His gaze drifted down to my chest again. "Where would you get it?"
I grinned at him, pressing close. "Where do you think I should get it?"
He tugged me up against him, breathing into my ear. "I have a few ideas."
###
The skin on the inside of my wrist stung, but other than that, getting a tattoo wasn't all bad.
I'd known it wouldn't be, having been tattooed before. On my face. But still, this was different. This was a tattoo I wanted, one I could proudly show off. One I could look at with love instead of anger. The golden lily on my cheek would never fade, but the small black swirl of letters on my wrist somehow made up for it.
"Can I see?" Adrian asked softly as we exited the tattoo parlor. He'd been at my side the entire time, he'd watched as the tattoo artist sketched and then tattooed the words onto my skin, but he still wanted to see it. I imagined he was feeling something akin to what I felt every time I looked at his tattoo: a love and appreciation for him that was somehow deeper than what I'd felt before I'd been abducted by the Alchemists.
I peeled back the gauze covering the freshly marked skin and held my wrist out for him to see. The skin was pink and even bleeding a little in places, but you could see the words clearly enough. Adrian stroked the inside of my wrist gently, as if he was dying to heal me. I knew, given the chance, he would have offered, so I was glad he'd started taking his pills again. It prevented him from using his power when it was unnecessary.
"I love you," he whispered, leaning in to kiss me.
"I would hope so," I teased. "I did just got a tattoo for you, after all."
He laughed, pulling me into his side. "Okay, so now that we're the badass couple with matching tattoos, I think it's time we revisit the pirate skeleton idea."
"Oh, no!" I laughed, feeling lighter than air as we walked down the street, in full view of Moroi and dhampir, completely oblivious to everyone and everything around us. "I'm not looking at that pirate for the rest of my life. It's bad enough you wear the T-shirt all the time," I said, grabbing a handful of his AYE shirt and pulling him closer.
"You know you love my AYE shirt," he said, kissing my forehead. "But I wasn't suggesting that I get the pirate skeleton."
It took me a moment to realize he meant that I should get his ridiculous tattoo design. I should have realized as soon as that smirk broke out on his face. "I'm ignoring you," I said, walking away, but he grabbed my hand, keeping me in step with him.
He didn't give up on the idea of me getting the tattoo, and he even had some very... interesting suggestions of where it should go. But it was fun, being with him, joking with him. Sharing my life and my heart and my body with him. It came naturally to us.
He was mine as much as I was his. The words written on our skin were proof of that.