A Thousand Years Ch. 05

"My blushing bride," Vladimir smiled shyly, as he kissed Melanie's tumbling locks that had fallen over her brown-green eyes. His eyes were shining like clear blue stars, and he glanced over her with low lashes, suddenly aware of their position of closeness. Melanie likewise was aware of being pinned down under Vladimir, and her face furiously reddened, while she tried to calm herself. This was nothing she'd done before, but Vladimir had, hadn't he?

"So..." Melanie giggled before she could help herself.

"What's so funny?" Vladimir shifted his position awkwardly, and looked down at Mel again, with a smile in his eyes.

"Why do you look so nervous?" Mel laughed.

"Look at you," Vladimir chuckled. "You're redder than a tomato." Melanie threw a pillow at him.

"Should I?" Melanie began to tug at the straps on her dress.

"No, let me," Vladimir reached out to stop her, gently but firmly. He traced his hands over the edges of her gown, and bit his lip. The image of her right below him, so open yet so vulnerable, so dreamy and innocent, it was unlike anything he'd encountered before. When he'd been inducted in the ritual, it was almost as if he had been a machine, walking in phases through a step with a matching female vampire who was just as robotic. The completed act was less than five minutes, he remembered. And it had only been to assure that he was capable, of completing the process.

Vladimir had thought nothing of the memory, and even thinking of it now, only shuddered slightly in disgust, thinking how it had meant less even than a banquet. But this time was different. It was like he'd never truly seen a woman before, until he saw Melanie.

He'd slipped her gown down just past her pale, shapely shoulders, and her chest was slightly nervous, breathing unevenly under his touch. He leaned down to slightly kiss her soft skin, caressing a finger over it, marveling at the silky softness and pale hairs that stood on her arm as she inhaled sharply at his kiss. He looked up at her face, Mel's eyes were bright with excitement, and her lips were pursed slightly, like the opening of a pink-red flower. Vladimir reached up to touch her chin while kissing her, as she wound her fingers into his silver-golden hair, the strands as fine as if spun from an enchanted loom.

Vlad moved his hands further down Mel's body, prying the dress down and away. She was splendid in the glowing light of the moonbeans that pierced through the curtains. He bent down to trace his tongue over her milky skin, inhaling her sweet fragrance all the while. It was like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. It was like his entire body was alive with the feeling that this magnificent creature, this warm, soft, curving girl was bonded to him entirely now. The vampress in his ritual, all the women in his kingdom, every female soul he'd seen before now paled in utter comparison to the wife that was on his bed, the womanly incarnation of his most yearning desire itself.

He leaned in and kissed her, a sudden strong kiss that felt to Mel like he was trying to mesh them together, to wrap her in him completely. Then they broke free, and the air was sweet and cool. Melanie knew she was ready now, and was glad she had waited.

"Melanie, I told you that I had an experience when ritual dictated," Vladimir held her at arm's length from him in one fleeting second. "But I should have reframed you. I attended an event, but it was not an experience. I didn't feel any emotions, didn't conjure up any mood from that event. Nothing that is close to a memory. So let us start over...you've always said you wanted to know if we could go further now. Well, my dearest love, we have gone far. Farther than I could have ever believe. We have gone through the trials and tribulations to last us a lifetime. And from now on, I want nothing but happiness for you, I want to spoil you silly and think nothing of it. You deserve nothing less."

"But I don't want that," Melanie was smiling sweetly, and she reached up a hand to caress his cheek lovingly. "I don't know what is going to happen, Vladimir, but trust me in this. You can carry on with your duties, running the kingdom, fixing the mess your father has created, and so on, but I will be busy too. I will not be a spoiled brat. There's a lot of things I have yet to learn, both knowledge and socially, and a lot of people I have yet to meet. I want to be a good queen, the type who understands her people, and addresses their needs."

"You will be all that, and more," Vladimir agreed. The time for words was past. Vladimir took one last deep breath before untying Melanie's dress and slipping it off all the way.

She wore just a chemise, and white laced undergarments underneath. Vladimir slipped his own robe off too, and leaned forwards onto her, the two tumbling together in the bed. Vladimir kissed down Melanie's body, admiring the shapely contours that he encountered, exploring her like he had never had the freedom or security to do so before. Each inch of her dewy skin was like a new spot that he'd never noticed, and thus he felt it necessary to cover each poor neglected spot with a few tiny kisses. Melanie lay back onto her pillow, and watched Vladimir with a sad beauty in her eyes. It had seemed only so recently that everything in her world was falling apart, but now this was too good to be true, to beautiful to be true. He was truly hers now. The fine, tall man, or rather, vampire prince, who bent over her own body, stroking his hands along her skin and his breath tickling at her chest. He kissed the edge of her neck, then up more and more, until they were eye to eye and engaged in a long stare, her marveling at how such luminescent blue eyes could have once seemed cold to her when they know seemed to proclaim songs of love every second they gazed back at her own brownish-green pupils.

"Are you ready?" Vladimir whispered.

"Yes," Melanie said the word like she'd been wanting to for a century, said the word so that it meant so much more to her now than it ever could have, so glad that she had this moment to cherish, special in its unique, groundbreaking ecstasy.

Vladimir, who was ready for her as well, eased himself gently forward, so that his lower body reached hers. As he rubbed his hands along her silky thighs, he kept her mouth entangled in his kiss. His fine silver hair tickled at her face, and finally, with one hand guiding, Vladimir moved his member forward to penetrate Melanie fully. She gasped at the sudden impact. It was hard, and she let out an involuntary sigh when Vladimir encountered her resistance. Now he placed both hands around her, shuddering at the warm touch of her chest against his own, and then pushed forward more firmly one more time. The barrier broke, and Melanie bit her lip.

Vladimir eased in gently, giving her a minute to adjust and calm down. He stroked her arms the while, and traced his fingers across her lower back. Melanie breathed in deeper.

Vladimir began to slowly shift his weight, and Melanie kissed at his cheek, wrapping her arms around him to continue. Now, Vladimir pulled out and shifted in again, so that Melanie groaned at the feel. He pushed in and out harder, and his own breath began to come unevenly.

Melanie pressed her head tighter against his chest, her mahogany waves cresting down over his bare, lucid pecks. She let out a pant as Vladimir grunted, and felt her wrap around him tightly, so that his forehead knit together as he pressed harder, sliding gently deeper into her.

"Huh," Melanie exhaled. Vladimir smiled slyly, and breathing heavily in her ear, eased his member in further, while he smoothly stroked his fingers over her breasts. She felt him penetrate her depths, and the tightness of her channel gave Vladimir a harder time of self-control than he thought. He lifted Melanie's lower back so that she was slightly arched from the bed, and she tossed her brown hair back, her eyes eager with excitement.

Vladimir pushed into her with more force and intensity now, feeling his rigid shaft throb with need. He joined her at one moment, then pulled away reluctantly the next, so that their love-making became an interplay of necessity and restraint. Melanie began to breathe harder now, and let out little moans of enjoyment as Vladimir's entrance into her became faster and harder.

"You are really good at this, Vladimir," Melanie said, half-piqued, half thankful it wasn't awkward.

"But only with you, love," Vladimir groaned as she sat up and wiggled onto him closer, "Only with you."

Melanie giggled. She decided to test her own newfound knowledge, and lifted her arms up to place around Vladimir's neck. Then, she lifted herself slightly up from Vladimir's engorged piece, and slid back down tightly. His eyes squeezed shut. She chuckled. Vladimir's breath was at Melanie's ear, and he urged her on as he rubbed her back.

She rode him up and down, and could feel his breath getting shorter and faster. Melanie then decided to kiss him roughly, and without care, as she furthered her mission of pleasuring him to the max by rolling herself up and down him to her greatest ability.

Vladimir smiled at her devotion, and bent her backwards onto the bed. They were both getting close. Vladimir now leaned his head forwards so that his lips rested on the nape of Mel's neck. He continued all the while to fight the urge to suddenly speed up, painstakingly driving himself into Melanie with a quick impact and pulling out smoothly. She began to feel the waves of tension and coiled-up tightness within her as his member rubbed against her walls. He also felt his own lower body tremble with pent up intensity. As their love-making grew rougher, and faster, Vladimir felt the heat boil up in his member, and his body warned him of the oncoming release.

"Melanie, I know I've told you this countless times," Vladimir said as he leaned up slightly to look Melanie full in the eyes. "But I want to say it now, with full ability to say so without hurting you, with the future before us, and infinite possibilities. I love you, Melanie. I love you more than anyone, anything." Vladimir let himself go now, and moved into and out of Melanie quickly, so that they both felt the quick waves of pleasure rush over them, and Mel herself let out soft whimpers that sounded like mewing.

"Oh, Vlad, I'm close," Melanie felt the ecstasy within her begin to well up, and Vladimir didn't slow down, expanding the magnitude of her thrusts so that Melanie could feel him up to her fully. He gave one long, deep stroke, and Melanie felt him touch her exactly at the spot of deepest desire, and let out a sweet sigh, as the waves of ecstasy rolled through her. Her climax began to wind down, and she gave a slight shudder. Then, Mel looked up at Vladimir with adoring eyes, a slight upturned mouth, and a tilted head. This angel-like image only propelled him to increase his speed, urging himself on. Vladimir plunged into Melanie with great abandon, and felt himself shudder through with her tight reception.

"You can, Vlad," Mel looked into his eyes as his last spring was coiled, and he groaned out loud, letting his member release within Melanie, as his royal seed rushed out. She felt the liquid fill her, and clung to Vlad tighter, as he ended with a few more spurts.

"Ugh, huh..." Vladimir breathed deeply.

They lay together in bed, relaxing from the activity. Melanie stroked her fingers over Vladimir's face, over and over, tracing the shape of his chin, staring up at his now darkened blue eyes, and marveling at the shine of his silver-blonde hair in the moonlight. Vladimir did the same, snuggling his elegant nose into Mel's brown tresses, and inhaling their sweet fragrance, then tracing the tip of his nose down over her soft skin, pearly in the moonlight, and to her pert pink lips. Her long lashes that framed those beloved warm brown eyes were shyly down and Vladimir wondered what she was thinking right now.

"Have I hurt you at all, Mel, dear?" Vladimir asked softly.

"No," Melanie looked up, and smiled. Vladimir laughed at her sincere innocence. "It was...amazing." That was the only word she could think of to describe it. "I hope it will pale in comparison to future experiences though." Melanie grinned, and Vladimir playfully nipped at her lips. Oh yes, he was definitely going to make sure that what happened tonight would pale in comparison to future encores.

"I'm glad it was enjoyable for you," Vladimir's voice was husky and low. "I could only hope to give you one-tenth of the joy you've given to me, even just now, laying here, with your smiling lips so close and dear, and I would be happy. I hope, my love, that everything has changed, and yet nothing. I hope you know that in return for my services, you will have to stay with me, for many future countless years."

~~~~~~~~~

Two years had passed in the kingdom of the dark, which had since not been transformed much in decorations or location, but much in character. Vladimir had reformed the advisors under the Count, who had since retired to a secret palatial resort in the mountains, too saddened by the returned memory of his dead wife to continue ruling. Furthermore, he'd encouraged the vampires to begin domestication of local animals, so as to act as a substitute to human blood, while those who were more dedicated could use milk as their life source, as Vlad himself had done for so many years.

Vladimir had been unwilling to punish his father, though the man had acted so cruelly and ruthlessly, choosing instead to place him in seclusion, so that he might someday come to a moral realization.

Kathry had returned home to her lands, after Melanie explained that her secret must never be revealed. Kathry understood, and after exchanging a few secret words with the Duke, let them know she would be visiting often, in between working on her art exhibit in the city, and coming to see the Duke, and as a side note, Vladimir and Mel. The Duke apparently had wooed our good lady Kathry, and the latter found him a source of artistic inspiration, as he was frequently given to melodramatic retales of how he'd tried to defeat the vile Vyeila, though much of the credit, Kathry knew, belonged to Melanie.

Now, the Duke and Vladimir sat in the royal dining room, drinking tea and eating some cake. Melanie came in, with the twins that she'd given birth to, possibly conceived on the wedding night. They were, the two of them, fraternal twins, yet so similar in their personality. Vladimir had become entirely wrapped around their little fingers, and Melanie as well. Even the Duke couldn't resist their bright smiles and ever-so-clever attempts to guile food and entertainment out of the willingly subjected adults.

The little boy had brown, slightly curled hair, like Melanie's, with a sheer golden sheen in the sunlight. And his eyes were a light green. He was a fast-growing little boy, now approaching his first birthday, and he sat on the little spot his mother placed him in, next to the tea table, eagerly eyeing the cake. The girl twin had fine blonde locks, now just starting to grow past her ears, and blue eyes like Vladimir. She was a plump little girl, dressed in a little white frock, and warm socks. She sat next to her brother, with her feet dangling over the edges. Her face was peaceful and adorably inquisitive, but every time Melanie looked at her, she couldn't help but think of Vladimir's golden-haired mother. She was reminded of just how much her own current situation had depended on the lady's help, and thus she named the girl Lilia, after Vladimir's mother. The boy she named Markus, at the suggestion of some of the others in the royal court, and he was both sturdy and fast-learning.

"So, my dear old friend, time has treated you well," the Duke's eyes creased as he smiled and he scratched his auburn head in genuine thought.

"Yes, and your time is soon to come," Vladimir smiled. "Let us know when Kathry realizes you're the one."

"That may never happen," the Duke sighed. "Often, I feel that Kathry doesn't even need me, physically or emotionally. She's a strong woman. That's why I love her."

"Why I love her too," Mel smiled as she hoisted Lilia onto her knee and fed her some pudding.

"Well, then my good Lorenze," Vladimir looked mischievous. "I suppose it's my turn to intervene now."

"Oh, no, please don't!" the Duke looked horrified.

"I'm joking, old fellow, calm." Vladimir leaned back in his seat. "She certainly doesn't need you, but perhaps, if you let her know you're the lovelorn, sincere man we all know you are, she'll reveal to you that even though you're ancilliary, she'd like to keep you around all the same. It's all in time's hands, I believe. As long as you don't act any more melodramatic than you already are." Vladimir poked at the Duke's diatribes when Vladimir had been enacting his plan against Vyeila.

"You're a good man, Lorenze." Melanie said genuinely. "Love works in the favor of those who are true. I'm sure that Kathry will realize that too. And believe me, when she does, you might be the one who's going to be left scrambling wondering if you can possibly live with her. She is a human whirlwind."

"Ah, but I love her for it! I do!" The Duke sighed. They all laughed, and as the sun began to set, the lovely little group chatted away into the hours of the evening.