Chapter 88

Eleanor:

“Killian!” I laughed, shaking my head at my mate who tightened his arms around me, pulling me to his chest. He ran his finger over my waist, massaging it gently, and I couldn’t help but find myself smiling at how genuinely the two of us seemed to be content together. It was a feeling that I didn’t want to replace for the world, and I knew that Killian felt and saw it. “Your parents are on the way and rather than allowing me to get ready, you are choosing to want to tickle me in front of the mirror?” 

“Well, you don’t really need to get ready. I believe that mom and dad would love you the way that you are.” He said, and I shook my head. The man didn’t know how nervous I was to meet his mother, and considering the fact that I didn’t know whether or not they even knew who I was, I couldn’t help but find myself fearing the outcome of this.

“Killian, you know that I want to make a good impression. Plus, at this point, you know for fact that it is not like I have a choice in that either.” I said, and he smiled. His eyes softened and I shook my head in response to him. 

“You just have to be you and they would love you the way that you are. Needless to say, I know for fact that I fell in love with your genuine side…”

“You didn’t know who I was when you did.” I said, avoiding his eyes. He put his finger under my chin, and I couldn’t help but notice his eyes softening as he looked at me, studying my expression, allowing me to read his as well. The love that I saw in his eyes was one that I wouldn’t replace for the world, and the idea of me losing him was one that I didn’t want to think of.

“Whether or not I knew who you were, I knew for fact that I was going to be deeply in love with you.” He said, and I smiled, shaking my head at him. The fact that I knew who he was when I first heard his name, I knew that I was more than just a little scared. If anything, I was petrified, and now that I was going to meet his mother and father, after what my father put them through, I didn’t even know how I would be able to look them in the eye.

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in for a hug, and I couldn’t help but find myself melting in his embrace, thankful for it. “I am going to be by your side through it all. I only request from you is to be yourself. They are going to love you the way that you are.”

“I really hope so, Killian.” I said, and he smiled.

“I know so, Eleanor.” He said, turning me around to face the mirror. I watched as he put his right hand on the dresser, and I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow when he opened a drawer, one of his. Something that I knew he appreciated about me was that I wasn’t nosy. IF he put something in his drawers or boxes, unless he asked me to, I wouldn’t think of opening it. He pulled out a box, and opened it before placing it on the dresser in front of me. “I wanted to give it to you after dinner tonight.”

My eyes landed on the emerald necklace that he placed in front of me. The emerald stone was placed in the middle of a pendant, surrounded by diamonds as if they cradled the stone. My heart raced, and I ran my finger over the jewel for a second before pulling my hand back. Killian smiled and put his hand over mine, putting it back on the jewel. “I believe that giving it to you in private is a lot more special, especially since the two of us are here, together, and alone. And with the house being full for the next few weeks, I don’t really know when we are going to be having such moments anytime soon.”

“This is beautiful.”

“It is yours,” he said, pulling it out of the box before putting it around my neck. I kept my eyes on him, watching as he latched the lock before I purred. He purred in response before kissing my shoulder before he pulled away to rest his chin on my shoulder. “Now, whenever you are feeling weak or frightened, all you have to do is look down at the necklace and remember that I am there beside you.”

I put my hand on his cheek for a second before turning my face to connect my lips with his. He smiled into the kiss before pulling away to rest his forehead against mine. My heart skipped a beat, and he ran his hand over my stomach gently. 

“Sometimes I forget that we are both of dangerous blood.” I said, and he smiled. “With you, I just drop all that I know and I am just a girl who is in love with the one man that she never thought that she could be with.”

“If anyone had told me that there was an angel locked in hell, I would have done my best to get her out.” He said, making my heart swell. “But my angel is my warrior. She found her own wings, and no matter her pain and fear, she chose to be the warrior that fought for herself. SHE was her own savior and in turn, she showed me that there is always light at the end of a dark road.”

“Killian…”

“You are my light, malyshka. My dangerous, beautiful, gorgeous light.” He said, stopping me. “And that is something that I never want you to forget. Not today, not tomorrow, and not in a lifetime.” 

“What if I am surrounded by darkness despite wanting to be your light?” I asked, and he smiled, running his hand over mine. He intertwined our fingers and I couldn’t help but find myself smiling at the small gesture before he turned me around to face him.

“Well, then it would be time for your demon to pull his angel out, wouldn’t you agree, malyshka?”