Chapter 344 Honeymoons
Chapter 344 Honeymoons
Eleanor's POV
Gavin and I spent our honeymoon at a beautiful seaside cottage in late June. For two whole weeks, we had this perfect little place to ourselves - just steps from the beach and everything I could have wanted for our first trip as husband and wife. During the days, we explored the nearby town, wandering through little shops and sampling local food. At night, we cooked together, building our own intimate routines in our temporary home.
One night, Gavin built a fire in the pit outside and taught me how to make s'mores. "You have to get the marshmallow golden brown," he instructed, turning his stick slowly over the flames.
I laughed as my marshmallow caught fire. "I think I prefer just eating them plain," I admitted, blowing out the flaming sugar.
Gavin's eyes, reflecting the firelight, darkened with desire as he watched me lick sticky sweetness from my fingers. We barely made it back inside before his hands were on me, peeling away my clothes with urgent need.
We made love every night, and often during the day too. It seemed we couldn't stop touching each other. The freedom of being alone, away from everyone, unleashed something primal between us.
One afternoon, Gavin surprised me by renting a small sailboat. "You know how to sail?" I asked, impressed as he confidently handled the ropes and sails.
He guided us to a tiny, deserted island offshore. We spread a thick blanket on the sand, intending to picnic, but the sight of Gavin's muscled torso glistening in the sun was too tempting. With the sea breeze caressing our skin and waves providing rhythm, we lost ourselves in each other on that private beach, forgetting everything but the feel of our bodies moving together.
At the aquarium, Gavin bought me a plush dolphin after seeing how delighted I was by the real ones. This became a pattern - at the zoo, a stuffed tiger joined my collection, followed by a seal, a penguin, and more. "By the time we go home, I'll have quite the menagerie to place alongside Little Lemos and Boots," I teased.
Gavin just smiled, squeezing my hand. "I like seeing you happy, angel."
Surprisingly, during those two weeks, I didn't miss Sebastian as much as I'd anticipated. I felt a twinge of guilt about this when we returned home, especially seeing his reaction. One look at his face told me he'd definitely missed me.
Sebastian canceled his work plans for two evenings to hear about our adventures and take me to dinner.
"I've planned our honeymoon for July," he told me over wine. "There's a meteor shower I'd like us to watch together."
"That sounds wonderful!" I replied, feeling a surge of excitement. "I've never seen a meteor shower before. I can't wait to experience it with you."
Using my abilities made traveling to Europe with Sebastian incredibly convenient. We stayed in vampire-operated hotels, checking in and out after dark. When we visited Sebastian's old territory, we were greeted by his childe Cynthia and her Solus Amor, Philip.
Their initial formal coolness reminded me of Sebastian when we first met. Especially Philip, who clearly disliked me. When Sebastian wasn't around, he addressed me only as "dhampyr," making the word sound like a curse.
I found him alone in the library one evening, playing chess against himself. "Would you teach me?" I asked, watching his precise movements of the pieces.
He hesitated, then reluctantly agreed when I mentioned how pleased Sebastian would be if I learned something new from him. By the third day, when I made a bold move he hadn't anticipated, his attitude softened slightly.
Though I never beat Philip at chess, I counted each rare smile I coaxed from him as victory. I often chatted about my father while we played, and Philip frequently commented how foolish anyone would be to create a dhampyr against Council regulations.
When Theodore and Thea finally visited, Philip's face went even paler than usual upon meeting my father. I laughed so hard I fell from my chair. After that, Philip treated me with newfound respect. After all, I was Death's daughter.
Theodore hosted a ball to introduce me to powerful vampires from around the world. Thea took me shopping for a gown in local boutiques, where shopkeepers eagerly assisted the territory Master's mate and daughter. I smiled and remained polite to everyone we met.
We found a beautiful blue gown with an off-shoulder design. Unlike Sebastian's territory balls, all women would wear their hair up, exposing their shoulders. This wasn't an event for finding mates.
The ballroom filled with hundreds of vampires. Helena and other Council members stood with Theodore and Thea. I noticed a beautiful young woman with deep brown skin standing beside Helena.
"Master Sebastian Astoria, The Arbiter, and his Solus Amor, Mistress Eleanor Astoria," the announcer proclaimed.
The room fell silent, all eyes turning toward us. Once, such attention would have made me nervous, but now I felt confident. Sebastian looked magnificent in his tailcoat with a cummerbund matching my dress. His aura of dignity made me feel even more secure.
When we reached the bottom of the stairs, Theodore took my hand and kissed it, causing whispers. He bowed to Sebastian, generating more murmurs. Sebastian politely smiled, releasing me and returning Theodore's bow.
Theodore led me to a raised platform where formally dressed musicians stood with their instruments. He signaled them to stop playing, and someone handed him a microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please..."