It didn't take long before the entrance to the antechamber was cleared and Ivar emerged, unscathed, and a sardonic smile on his face. Together with his men, they searched through the rest of the caves but finding nothing, they returned to the caves entrance. Just before they began their descent down the mountain, Ivar noticed something gleaming in the snow, near the mouth of the cave. Picking it up, and turning it over in his fingers, he saw it was a gold hairpin, encrusted with emeralds.
"Interesting", he murmured to himself, before carefully placing it in his breast pocket.
They descended the mountain in less time than it took them going up and soon they were on their way back to the castle. The snow didn't let up, whipping around them and reducing visibility to what would have been impossible for humans but had little effect on the vampires, except to be mildly irritating. Ivar moved quickly, rarely slowing down, anxious to return to the castle, as a cold feeling of dread settled inside his chest.
*****************************
Inside the castle, fires had been lit throughout, in a desperate attempt to dispel the icy cold that crept through the cracks around the windows and doors. Rathgar had accompanied Serena to dinner before escorting her back to her chambers, reiterating his instructions from the previous night. Despite his surly appearance and brusque manner, Serena found his company to be not entirely unpleasant and though sparing with his words, when he did speak, he was honest and self-deprecating, in a rather endearing fashion.
The room was comfortably warm with the heat from the large fireplace and although she wished for the added warmth of Ivar's arms, she was soon sound asleep.
As the time neared midnight, the blizzard outside lessened in its intensity, even as the snow continued to swirl and dance on its descent to the ground below. Emerging from the shadows beneath the trees surrounding the outskirts of the castle, a cloaked figure moved noiselessly across the snow, coming to stop within sight of the King's private balcony.
Serena got out of bed, her eyes glazed over and unseeing, as she made her way to the balcony doors and opening them, stepped outside. Her barefeet made no sound as she crossed the balcony to stand at the balustrade, her flimsy nightgown fluttering in the wind. Placing her hands on the balustrade, she leaned forward and climbed up, precariously balancing herself atop the narrow ledge. She teetered there, for only the briefest moment, before she fell forward and tumbled silently from the third floor balcony.
Serena woke as if from a dream, the cold wind rushing past her, as she plummeted to the snow-covered ground below. She opened her mouth to scream, the sound snatched away by the rushing wind, as her limbs flailed wildly in the air, scrambling for purchase but finding none. The tears she cried were whipped, unshed, from her eyes, quickly drying as if they had never been. The thought that she was going to die, left a cold emptiness inside her but to her surprise, she realized that it was because she was filled with deep regret that she would not see Ivar one last time.
Closing her eyes, she braced herself for the impact, a strangled sob escaping her as the ground rushed up to meet her. Images of Ivar flooded her mind, the short time that they had spent together and the feelings that he had woken deep inside her. She told herself that it was ok, that it would be over quickly and hoped that she would feel no pain.
She fell against something firm but soft and it took a while before her mind registered that she was being cradled in a pair of strong arms. She opened her eyes and looked straight up into Ivar's eyes, noticing for the first time the turquoise flecks mixed in with the gray. She blinked, refusing to believe that he was really here, holding her in his arms until she saw his lips curve upwards in his signature smirk.
"Now you're throwing yourself off balconies just to be in my arms. Extreme, to say the least", he quipped.
"I only wished to have you return sooner", she returned, her cheeks reddening under his gaze.
"And now that I am here, what would you have me do?"
She was saved from answering his question by the sudden appearance of Rathgar, seemingly falling out of the sky.
"Your Majesty, forgive me", he said, going to one knee with his head bowed.
"We will talk of this later, now I wish to bring my Queen inside, out of the cold"
Ivar turned to walk back inside the house, through the front door, Serena still held securely in his arms.
Rathgar stood up, his eyes surveying the surrounding landscape and catching movement amongst the trees further inside the forest, he took off using his vampiric speed. He reached a small clearing and seeing the cloaked figure ahead, slowed down, as he approached her from behind.
"Show yourself", he said, cautiously moving closer as his hand gripped his sword.
He heard her cackle, with her back still turned to him and her hood hanging low over her face. He pulled his sword from its sheath, holding it out towards her, as he continued moving forward.
"I said, show yourself!", he repeated loudly.
"And what if I don't?", the voice whispered, sounding like dry leaves blowing across the ground.
"Let's find out", he replied, swinging his sword just as the dark figure, dissolved into smoke and faded away, leaving behind no trace of its presence.
Rathgar turned slowly, in a circle, searching the immediate area around him before realizing that she was really gone, he headed back to the castle.
*****************************
Upstairs in the royal chambers, Ivar lay with Serena in his arms, her head on his chest as he gently caressed her back.
"Ivar", she whispered.
"Yes Serena"
"I honestly don't know how I ended up on the balcony, I don't even remember waking up"
"I know"
She raised herself up to look questioningly at him, propping herself up on one elbow.
"How?"
He sighed and pulled her over on top of him, holding her in place with both his hands around her waist.
"I would much rather you were preoccupied with something other than your unsuccessful attempt at human flight", he replied, rubbing his face against her cheek.
"Such as?"
"Me"
He stared up into her eyes, a mischievous little smile, playing on his lips as he traced the delicate curve of her cheek. He continued to her lips, brushing his thumb across them before cupping her face in his hand.
"Kiss me", he breathed, the intensity of his gaze, burning into her very soul.
Hesitating at first, Serena slowly lowered her head until their lips were almost touching, she paused, trying to recall how he had kissed her before.
"Just follow your instincts", he murmured softly.
She nodded and gathering her courage, gently touched his lips with her own, then pressing her lips firmly against his, opened her mouth to suck on his lips. She heard him moan as he opened his mouth and responded to her kiss, his hands going to the back of her head as his fingers stroked her hair. Gaining confidence from his response, she flicked out her tongue and slid it between his lips and into his mouth. He welcomed her tongue with his own, deepening the kiss as his hands roamed over her back, pulling her legs apart so she straddled him.
He felt her pressing against his erection through his trousers and he grabbed her thighs and thrust himself up against her. She writhed against him, pushing herself against his throbbing member as pushed up her nightgown, running his hands over her bare thighs.
He left her mouth to kiss her neck and shoulder, sitting up with her straddling him while sitting in his lap. He pulled her nightgown up and over her head before pulling back to look at her naked body, his eyes lingering on her full, rounded breasts. She shivered, feeling self-conscious, and covered her breasts with her arms only for him to gently pull them away.
"I want to see all of you, everything that you are. Don't ever hide anything from me", he said, clasping her hands in his.
He tenderly kissed her shoulders while lightly running his fingers up and down her sides, gradually moving inward to her breasts. His fingers danced teasingly across the soft mounds, delicately brushing her nipples and sending delicious sparks of pleasure throughout her body. She arched her back, jutting out her breasts, aching for him to stimulate them further.
Ivar cupped her breasts in both his hands, squeezing them as he rubbed her nipples between his fingers before taking first one in his mouth and then the other. He sucked gently and circled each swollen nub with his tongue while fondling the other.
"Tell me what you want Serena", he whispered, rubbing his lips against her taut nipple.