Deanna Kinney - Raven's Rose

“Raven, it’s me, Sophia.”

His head gradually turned toward her, and she saw the moment his dark eyes finally focused on her. “Sophia? Is it really you?” His voice was but a whisper.

“Yes, Raven, it’s me. I came to apologize. I’ve been such a fool. Can you ever forgive me?”

His smile was weak. “Of course I forgive you. I too was a fool.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head from side to side. “You saved my life. I want to thank you properly, and I won’t take no for an answer. After all, I did inherit some of Rose’s tenacity.”

He laughed softly. “Yes, I do not doubt that.”

She brought his hand up to her lips and kissed it softly—then pulled her hair to the side and positioned herself on the bed, towering over him—her neck hovering just over his mouth.

“I am sorry, Sophia, but I cannot. I do not want to hurt you. I am too thirsty.”

She smiled. “I thought you might say that.” She secretly thanked Charity for the idea. Mischievously, she pulled her father’s pocketknife from her jeans pocket and cut a small slit on her neck, allowing the blood to trickle slowly down her neck toward her collarbone.

His eyes grew wide as he gaped at her in disbelief.

“Are you going to let my rich, sweet werewolf blood go to waste then?” she asked, watching him closely, as he lay there motionless on the bed below her.

His response startled her. Everything blurred as he grabbed her in his arms, but then slowly caught the droplet just passing her collarbone with his tongue. She gasped at the intimacy of the act, which left her breathless and lightheaded. He slowly traced the trail of blood up her neck until he settled his lips over her small wound. When he pierced her skin she felt little pain, able to focus only on the heat burning within her.

She imagined he couldn’t have made love to her and it feel any more intimate, his hands holding her so gently now as his lips caressed her neck. A moan rumbled in his throat, making her respond with a whimper of her own. When he pulled away and gazed up at her, she was sure she saw a flame burning behind his dark eyes. It burned with an intensity she’s never experienced in her short life, and she was unable to look away, compelled by the overwhelming beauty of him. When his lips came down on hers, she wasn’t prepared for her own response. She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him against her, holding onto him as if her life would end the moment he pulled away. And she felt like it might.

Abruptly he pulled away. “Sophia, you had better go now.”

“I don’t want to go,” she whispered, taking his face in her hands. She sought his lips again and found them. He was trying to be noble but wasn’t strong enough to back it up. He wanted her too and she knew it.

The kiss deepened as he sought to devour her, and she felt as though their souls were merging somehow as the passion flowed between them.

When they finally broke, both were left breathless, smiling contentedly.

“I think I love you, Sophia Rose Jameson,” he breathed, staring at her with such sincerity.

“You mean me and not your old Rose?”

“There is no old Rose. You are the only Rose for me now. My Sophia Rose.”

She smiled. “Oh yeah, well in that case I think I may love you too, Raven Vanderburg.”

His smile was wider than she’d ever seen anyone smile, flashing his sparkling, white teeth, and she thought to herself, wow—a vampire and a werewolf—who would have ever thought it possible.

From that moment on they were inseparable. Aside from school, they spent pretty much every waking minute together, learning everything there was to know about each other; past memories, their favorite things, what music they listened to, and how they felt about each other. They even shared their future dreams. Raven didn’t have any dreams outside of spending his days with Rose. This made her blush, which he adored. Rose, however, dreamed of being an artist. She loved to paint and was very good at it. He spent a lot of time peering over her shoulder, watching her work on piece after piece. He loved how elegant her fingers were as they stroked the pages and created such colorful images. His favorite was the one she did of him. He was smiling, and at first, he almost didn’t recognize himself, but this was his life now; a life filled with laughter and lots of smiling.

Charity had been put on bed-rest for the remainder of her pregnancy, and everyone knew this was bothersome to her. Raven, Rose, and the others tried to make regular visits to her room to keep her spirits up. The pack was relieved there were only a few months left before the due date. At least with Charity on bed-rest the drama had dwindled to just Grandmammy and the pack’s weird, toothless dog, Fang. Raven stayed annoyed at the dog because it constantly barked at him every time he entered the same room. He wished he could say he hated the dog, but the truth was, he had developed a liking for the whistling canine.

Rose’s parents didn’t allow her to spend time alone with Raven at his living quarters, so most of their time was spent at her home and with her family. They had fully accepted him, and this pleased him more than anything else.

A few months later, one night after dinner with her family, Raven took Sophia to the library where they could be alone. He had made sure everyone knew to clear out beforehand. He was nervous, and he thought she could sense it.

Sophia took Raven’s hand in hers, rubbing it softly with her thumb. “Raven, is everything okay? You seem anxious about something. Is it Eli? I’ve noticed that he’s been sneaking off a lot lately. Have you noticed too? Is that what’s bothering you?”

He shook his head. “No. I mean, yes, I have noticed, but I am not worried about him. I think perhaps he has set his sights on a particular young woman. Although, I cannot be totally sure.”

“Oh. Okay. That’s good. I guess.”

Raven found his nerve. He faced Sophia and knelt in front of her, his eyes becoming moist instantly. “Sophia, you must know that I adore you with all that is in me. I felt dead inside before I met you, but now I feel alive again. And that is all due to you. I want to spend every moment of my future with you. Please, say that you will become my bride—my real bride. Sophia Rose Jameson, will you marry me?”

She hesitated for a moment, her eyes growing wide as she processed what he was asking. She swallowed hard and then squealed. “Yes, yes, yes! Of course, I’ll marry you!”

Raven pulled her up into his arms and swung her around. Before she could say a word, he was kissing her with all the passion he had held at bay since their very first meeting. His lips moved over hers with purpose, but he somehow managed to restrain himself, although it was the hardest thing he had ever done. He wanted her more than he had ever wanted anyone, but their time would come…and soon.

Rose felt him restraining himself from giving in to her fully. He knew she wanted to wait until their wedding day to be intimate, and she knew he would honor that at all cost. He was an amazing man; a man with so much tenderness and vulnerability that he hid very well, but she knew it was there. She didn’t allow herself to worry too much about her future with him. She wanted children, but that was an unknown when it came to them. She also knew he was immortal and she wasn’t. Yes, she would age slower after mating, but no one really knew anything about what would happen with the mating of a vampire and a werewolf. Most things they would just have to discover together. And for now, that seemed just fine with her.