Raphael moved faster and faster until Maria grew breathless, pressure building at her spine. His eyes flared and his thrusts became erratic. The sight was too much for Maria. Rocking her hips faster, she chased the pleasure only Raphael could bring. Raphael matched her pace, crushing her to his chest. And as his lips pressed softly against hers, his tongue filling her mouth with the sweetest taste, Maria shattered apart, eyes closing, basking in sunlight once more.
Raphael roared and stilled. His warm release soothed Maria in ways she hadn’t thought were possible, calming the anguish her past had unearthed.
She rested her forehead against his. And they both held on tight. They didn’t speak. Raphael slipped from inside her and laid them down on the bed. He looked down at his cage-covered length. Maria followed his gaze, blushing when she saw a smear of blood. But before embarrassment could take her in its grip, Raphael rolled her onto her back and spread her legs. She watched him, breath held for what he was about to do. He moved slowly down her body, then pushed her legs apart. Raphael ran his hands along her inner thighs and to her core. Maria flinched at the sensitiveness, but then her heart melted when Raphael kissed the path where his hands had just been. Kissed her thighs until he reached her core and gently licked along it. Maria’s eyes fluttered shut at the devotion he gave her. She didn’t even dwell on the fact there had been blood, blood that he had consumed. Raphael was the master of her virginity. Her blood was his.
He kissed and calmed her, then raised his head and came back to lie beside her, chest against chest. Raphael reached for Maria’s bun and pulled, releasing the long strands. Her stomach flipped when she saw his eyes flare as her hair shrouded them, blanketing Raphael’s shoulders and arms, creating a cocoon for them to hide behind. Maria wondered if she should move. If she should go back to her bed. As if reading her mind, Raphael pulled her closer, and ordered, “You’re staying in my bed tonight, little rose. You’re staying right here.” He closed his eyes and, with his arm around her waist, quickly fell into a deep sleep. Maria ran her finger along his forehead. The lines that had been so prominent had disappeared. No strain. No pain.
Maria closed her eyes and held him in return.
Two broken souls entwined.
*****
It was the years of rising at dawn that made Maria wake so early each day, before the sun and while the rest of the world still slept soundly. Including Raphael, who was still curled around her, the purity of peace on his beautiful face.
Maria took advantage of his sleep and drank in his features. She felt raw but revived at sharing her past with him. And opening up about her past had somehow made the darkness that lurked ever close fade.
Birds began to wake outside the windows. But the sun was still asleep.
Maria moved as quietly as she could, shifting out from under the heavy weight of Raphael’s arm. She froze when he stirred, but his breathing quickly evened out, and Maria slipped from the bed. She went to the bathroom to freshen up and brush her teeth. When she came out, she looked to the locked doors. Maria needed to leave these rooms. She needed to clear her head. She understood she was a captive, knew she didn’t have the right to wander as she pleased. And she had no intention of escaping. She just needed to walk. To get some distance, and pray upon what had transpired. To rid her mind of the lingering painful memories that had been hard to relive.
Maria glanced down at herself. Needing something better to wear, she went to the room she knew Raphael changed in. When she entered, it was to find another closet, smaller than the one she had been staying in. Maria’s hand ran over the clothes. Each item smelled of Raphael. It made her feel warm.
Spotting the silk pants he liked to wear, she slipped them on and picked up a black shirt that lay discarded the floor. It was recently worn. As she pulled it on, the hem dropping to her thighs, she breathed in fresh water and sea salt. To her, the scent was Raphael.
Maria walked from the closet and to the locked doors. As quietly as possible, she turned the locks and slipped outside into the hallway. She walked along the hallways, down the stairs, and across the foyer. And she drank it all in. She admired the old paintings that hung on the walls. The expensive carpets and furnishings. She became lost in the mansion, letting her feet lead her wherever they wished her to go. And with every step she felt the shackles of her past begin to drift away. Raphael had done that.