Mara's eyes widened in surprise at his sudden display of affection, but she soon relaxed into his embrace, returning Jake's kiss with every bit as much passion. As the kiss ended, she met his gaze, a soft smile on her lips.
Despite her smile, there was a sadness in Mara's eyes. Could she say the words aloud? She wanted to. Desperately so. She gazed down at Jake. The sincerity in his eyes as he spoke those three little words made her heart flutter. She knew what it would mean for her if she admitted her feelings. To say the word would grant it power. Power over her. Power over her heart. Power over her very being. And that power would be in his hands.
"I… I love you too, Jake." she murmured, tracing a hand along his cheek. A gentle breeze teased at her hair. Jake shivered beneath her as some unseen force passed between them.
For a moment, the two of them simply sat there, caught up in each other's arms. Mara may be an amoral creature of the night, but with Jake, she had found a sense of comfort and companionship that she had never known before. As the weight of the world fell away, she savored the feeling of being held and cherished, a moment of happiness in a life that can often be lonely and dreary.
"Thank you, love," she whispered, as she pressed her forehead to his.
"Thank you for being here with me. For caring for me, even knowing what I am. I don't deserve your love, but I'm grateful for it all the same." Pulling back, she gazed into his eyes.
"You must understand the nature of vampires and their mates." There was a weight to her tone that Jake couldn't ignore. "When our mate comes of age, we feel drawn to them. Even if we don't know who it is. I wasn't certain it was you that I felt drawn to until you walked through my door. But even then, I had to give you the choice. When you were able to resist my persuasion that first night…" Mara sighed heavily. "I… I had to fight a feeling of hope, but when you resisted and still stayed knowing what I am…"
With a sigh, she settled in even closer, breathing in the scent of his skin. For now, at least, nothing else mattered but this moment of peace and contentment with Jake by her side.
"Mara..." Jake stroked the back of her head, playing with her long, black hair. "I want you to rip up the contract. I don't need it to bind me to you. There is no place I would rather be. On my life, I will stay by your side. Always and Forever. I am your mate. I have felt it from the first moment I laid eyes on you."
Mara's eyes widened in surprise at his words, and she pulled back from his embrace, looking down at Jake with a mixture of shock and disbelief.
"Love...are you sure about this?" she asks, her voice uncertain.
"You do realize what you're saying, don't you? It's not just about staying with me...it's about giving up your freedom, your right to live your own life."
She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath as she considered his offer. For all her power and immortality, Mara is still a creature of caution, wary of making hasty decisions. But as she looked into his eyes, she saw the sincerity of his words; the depth of his commitment to her.
Finally, she nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.
"Very well, my love," she said, reaching out to take his hands into hers.
"If that is what you truly want, then I won't stop you. But know this: I will do all in my power to deserve the trust you've placed in me. I won't forget the promise we've made to each other, and I will always be here for you, no matter what."
With that, she leaned in to kiss him once more, sealing the unspoken bond between the two of them. For better or for worse, Jake made his choice, and Mara was more than willing to accept it. Together, they would face whatever the world threw at them.
As they kissed, Jake let his fingers trace the curves of her body. Lightly down her sides, then back up her arms to her shoulders. He marveled at how soft her skin was. Her scent filling his nostrils intoxicated him. She didn't have to use any sort of power to bind him to her will. He was willing to do whatever he must for this woman.
He delicately cupped her face in his hands as they kissed. He could never physically hurt her, and he knew that, but part of him wondered if anyone has ever shown her delicate kindness before. Has she ever been in love? She was pensive about sharing her feelings with him before. Did some scumbag hurt her? Jake felt a pang of anger welling up at the thought of someone hurting Mara. In that one kiss, Jake felt as though he lived an eternity.
Mara moaned softly into his mouth, her body pressing in closer to his as he explored her curves with his fingers. For all her years of power and experience, she's never felt such a rush of emotion as she did now with Jake at her side. There was something different about him, something that set him apart from the other humans she's known over the years. Maybe it was his kindness, his willingness to understand and accept her for who she truly is. Whatever it was, she was grateful for it.
As the kiss ended, Mara rested her forehead against his, her breathing still ragged from the intensity of the moment.
"My love...you have no idea how much this means to me," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I've been alive for centuries, and in all that time, I've never met anyone like you. You have a goodness in you that I find...touching."
She paused for a moment, considering him.
"I've never been in love before. Not like this." she admits, her tone surprisingly vulnerable.
"There have been others, of course. Some that I've cared for deeply, even if I couldn't truly love them. But you...there's something about you that draws me in. Maybe it's your courage, your willingness to take risks for me. Maybe it's your stubbornness, your refusal to be broken by the darkness that surrounds me."
"It is only in the depths of your darkness that I can truly shine for you." Jake said, looking up into her eyes.
Mara's eyes soften at his words. She reached up to cup his cheek in her hand. For a moment, the two of them simply looked at each other, caught up in the intensity of the moment. There was a sense of connection between them that went beyond words, beyond understanding; as if they were meant to be together, no matter the cost.
"My love," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "You have a way with words, you know that? You have a talent for seeing into people's souls, for understanding the depths of their pain and their joy. It's a rare gift, and one that I treasure in you."
With a sigh, she leaned in to kiss him once more, pouring all her emotions and feelings into the embrace. For now, at least, the two of them were together, bound by more than just blood, but by the invisible threads of fate and destiny. Whether that would be enough to sustain them both over the years to come remained to be seen, but for now, at least, they could take comfort in the knowledge that they're not alone. Not anymore.
"I know I can't perfectly replicate what you do, but I think you will find pleasure in it all the same."
Jake grinned at her as he pulled her a little higher up and moved his mouth to her neck. In a flash, he bit her, sucking and licking her neck. He couldn't break her skin, but he could stimulate her with the action. One hand he kept wrapped around her waist, pinning her to him. The other hand, on the back of her head, pulled her hair so that he had open access to her neck.
Mara gasped as his teeth grazed her skin, her back arching instinctively as she felt the pleasure build within her. Despite being unable to truly draw blood, the sensation of Jake's touch was enough to send a shiver down her spine. For a moment, she simply melted into his embrace, savoring the feeling of being desired, of being wanted.
As he continued to suck and lick her neck, Mara felt a new wave of energy building within him, a sense of power and control that she rarely experienced within mortals. With a low moan, she leaned in closer to him, her hands reaching up to tangle in his hair.
"Oh, my love," she murmured, her voice low and sultry.
"You are more than I ever could have hoped for. So passionate...so alive."
For a moment, the two of them simply sat there, lost in the intensity of the moment. There was a connection between them that went beyond words, beyond thoughts. It was a physical, primal force that drew them together, even as the world around them fell away. As his lips met hers once more, Mara knew that she had found something special in him, something to hold onto in the dark days ahead.