His other hand stroked her jawline almost reverently, callused thumb caressing the silken skin under her burning eyes. "Your past may be stained, my love, but your present is one of the bravest, most selfless people I've ever met. And it's that woman that I love with every part of me - demon or not."
At his achingly earnest words, Rose felt the first tear slip free, slipping down the ridged planes of her face in a glistening trail. Never in all her countless lifetimes had she imagined that acceptance could taste so sweet...or cut her so deeply.
"Blake..." she choked out, covering his hands on her face with her own. "How can you...why would you want anything to do with what I am?"
