Page 206 of A Soul to Steal

“These rings aren’t pretty since they are plain. Yours was made today, but I asked the blacksmith to make it with iron because it is stronger than gold or silver. It should stand the test of time much longer, just like we hopefully will. It’s why I wanted to stop here today.”

Finally, Gideon lifted his eyes to Aleron’s skull. They held unwavering conviction, and his bride shone that upon him with utter strength.

“This is my way of showing you, in the biggest gesture a human can do for another, that I deeply care for you. That I fully accept you for all that you are, and that I want to be with you.”

His gaze has never looked so... soft before.The remaining pinkness of Gideon’s cheeks just made his dimpled smile more radiant than the speckles of sun twinkling over him. His expression was filled with warmth, tenderness, and affection – all of it directed solely on Aleron.

It instantly made his orbs shift to bright pink as his heart clenched with a wonderful emotion.

He said he wants to be with me.His wings drooped heavily as words from earlier fully registered.Wait. He said he wanted to do this with someone he... loves?

“When I think we are both ready, I would like to fully explain to you why things were so hard for me in the beginning. There were important people in my life that I had to abandon, and I would like to share my fond memories of them with you one day.” Then Gideon placed his forehead against their hands. “I have hurt you deeply, Aleron. The more I know of you and remember of Tenebris, the more I realise it. None of it has been deserved, and the more I came to understand that, the more I hated myself for the way I treated you.”

With his sight turning blue, Aleron reached forward and placed his free hand against the side of Gideon’s face. Aleron lifted it towards his skull as he drew his thumb down his soft cheek to the corner of his lips.

His voice radiated with the sadness present behind his sternum. “You have hated yourself?”

He never wanted Gideon to feel this way.

“Yeah,” he stated, yet he shined a genuine smile towards him. Then Gideon reached up to cup the side of his snout. “But I didn’t know how to tell you that because I didn’t want you to blame yourself for something that is my own fault. I’ve been trying to get closer to you and show you how sorry I am, but I just kept failing. Nothing I did felt like enough, except for this.”

Gideon turned his face down towards their hands and fiddled with the ring around Aleron’s finger again, twisting it side to side. It didn’t fit perfectly, but it was loose enough to likely still fit him should he shift into his more monstrous form.

“I want you to be open with me, Aleron,” Gideon continued. “I don’t want you to be nervous anymore. I’m not going to run away or be upset by anything you do. I want you to hold me completely and tell me how you really feel, knowing I will accept it. That I accept all parts of you, from your colour-changing orbs, to your skull, claws, fur, and even wings. You are the person I got down on one knee for, and put this ring on, and in my heart, we are as connected as two humans can be, as well as a bride and aMavkacan be.”

Cupping both sides of his bat snout to pull him down, Gideon lifted up to press a singular kiss to his front fangs.

“If I go into towns, everyone will know I am taken. I will wear it proudly because I am happy to be yours. I want you to know that and feel at ease.” He drew back, just as he softly said, “So please, just be yourself. Do what you want, whenever you want. No more hiding. I won’t hide either.”

Before Gideon could back away completely, a rumbling growl bubbled in Aleron’s chest. “You want me to do what I want?” Aleron put his arms around his bride’s waist, and lifted him so Gideon was not only closer, but needed to go to his toes and be higher. “Whenever I want?”

Did he truly understand what that meant? Did he truly... mean that?

“Yes,” he answered, leaning into Aleron’s hold.

“What if I want tokissyou?” He parted his fangs and swept his tongue across Gideon’s lips. “Can I do this whenever my tongue itches to taste you?”

Aleron flinched when Gideon’s tongue pushed forward and greeted his own right before he could finish licking him.

He didn’t need an answer; that had been enough.

Aleron cupped the back of Gideon’s head with his free hand, and swept across his lips again, hoping his tongue would greet him once more. The groan that tore from Aleron shuddered his whole body when Gideon’s saliva-covered tongue teased up his own.

They repeated the kiss, and Aleron grew more obsessed and incessant each time.

He said he is mine.Just the possessiveness, willingly asked of him and encouraged, had a violent wave of adoration crashing over him. He’d even stated he was proud and happy about it!He accepts all of me.

“More,” Aleron pleaded, wanting more kisses, more freedom to touch in the ways his heart begged him to.

He shoved Gideon against him and found that wasn’t close enough. Aleron pressed him against a nearby tree so he could utterly squish him, wishing to have his bride so close he would seep beneath his flesh.

He said he would do this gesture for someone he loves and chooses to be with. Does this mean he loves me in return?

Just the thought had his sight trying to mix with bright pink and purple. Both love and desire tangling together in a tender mix that ached him all the way to his bones.

Aleron needed him higher, closer. He picked Gideon up by the backs of his thighs, so he no longer needed to bend to his height and could press his tongue more firmly.

Wrapping his legs around Aleron’s narrow waist, Gideon parted his lips, allowing him in. The groan that fell from Aleron was deep and shaken from their tongues grazing, and Aleron immediately sunk his within the dampness of his bride’s mouth. Aleron tasted him as overwhelming emotions swelled within him, all of them pleasant, all of them clawing away the pains he’d held for far too long.

---