Kaelith's body was on fire, his hands trembling as they hovered over Seraphine, every inch of him consumed by the need to claim, to possess, to break the barrier between them. The room around them was heavy with tension, the air thick with their unspoken desires. His lips brushed against hers, a kiss more desperate than any before, as though they were both searching for something they couldn't quite name.
She responded in kind, her hands reaching for him with urgency, but there was still something in her—something that made her pull away, just when he thought she would give in completely.
Kaelith could feel it. The hesitation. The wariness. It gnawed at him, a silent scream from the depths of his soul, but it only made him want her more. He needed to see her—truly see her, all of her—and the more she resisted, the more determined he became.
With a low growl, Kaelith gripped the edge of her gown, his fingers curling into the delicate fabric. He could feel the silken material beneath his touch, the softness of it a stark contrast to the heat rising between them. Seraphine's breath caught as he tugged at the gown, the sound of fabric tearing filling the room.
It was deliberate, his movements rough as he exposed her inch by inch, revealing the smooth skin beneath the layers of cloth. Seraphine gasped, her body instinctively tensing beneath him, but she didn't push him away. She didn't stop him.
Kaelith kissed her again, this time more fiercely, his lips claiming hers with an intensity that left them both breathless. His hands roamed over her exposed skin, marking her with each touch, each kiss, as though he was branding her with his desire.
"You're mine, Seraphine," he whispered, his voice hoarse, his breath hot against her ear. "And I won't stop until you're completely mine."
She shivered beneath him, her hands trembling as they moved to grip his shoulders, pulling him closer. Her body responded to him in a way that sent a rush of satisfaction through his veins. She was his. She just didn't know it yet.
Kaelith's lips moved lower, trailing over her neck, down to the curve of her chest. He could feel her heart racing beneath his touch, the quickening pulse beneath her skin only spurring him on. His lips found her breast, pressing soft kisses against the delicate skin, leaving marks that were both possessive and tender.
Seraphine's body arched beneath him, her breath coming faster as she let out a soft moan, her fingers digging into his back. Kaelith's heart pounded in his chest, his pulse hammering in his ears as he kissed and touched her, each movement more frantic than the last. She was a fire he couldn't extinguish, and the more he tried to push her, the more he found himself drawn to the depths of her.
But even as the heat between them reached its peak, Kaelith could feel the wall she had built around herself still standing strong. She was holding something back, a part of herself that she refused to let him see. The desire was there, yes—but so was the fear. And Kaelith knew, deep down, that it wasn't just about him.
It was about what she was afraid to lose.
With a final, desperate kiss, Kaelith pulled away slightly, his gaze meeting hers. Her eyes were wide, her pupils dilated, and for a fleeting moment, he saw a crack in her carefully maintained façade—a vulnerability he had been searching for, but only now did he fully understand.
"Seraphine," he whispered, his voice almost pleading, "trust me."
Her lips trembled as she shook her head, her breath uneven. "I can't," she said softly, her voice filled with something dark and heavy. "Not yet."
Kaelith's chest tightened at her words, and for the first time in their tangled, tumultuous connection, he realized that perhaps he couldn't claim her just yet. Not in the way he had imagined.
But he would wait. He had come this far—he would wait for her to break down the walls she had built.
Her body was his. But her heart? That was something he would have to earn.
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