Blacken by Alandra Rankin (i love reading books txt) 📕

“Dear Avie, it all looks so enticing, shall we?” Rhulle pulled back the chair at one end, gesturing for her to sit.

Sitting across him at the long table, the woman started to sip at the wine. The truxen copied her, staring at the glass with a wary look before trying the strange liquid.

“This is… different. I wouldn’t say I particularly like it.”

Avie smiled, “You don’t have to drink it, I thought you may want to try it at least.”

“Thank the stars.” He pushed glass far away from him, causing her to laugh.

With trying the roast, Rhulle expressed his approval of the food Avie had cooked, happy to try some Earth food at last. They conversed as two lovers would at any dinner, laughing, exchanging stories, in general getting lost in the other. It almost felt like she was at a fine dining restaurant with him. As they ate and conversed, the scene made it easy to imagine soft music playing, idle conversation chattering in the background, soft ambient lighting and even dreamy thoughts of him wearing a suit.

It felt so real. A real date.

After dinner was dancing, Rhulle held her close, her head resting on his chest as they swayed with the music. Her eyes fluttered closed, soaking up the affection.

“I couldn’t ask for a better birthday…” The words slipped out in an appreciative soft voice, riding on the waves of joy.

“Birthday? Yours is today?” he sounded caught off guard, looking up Avie could see that his face matched.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say something, I didn’t think it mattered.”

He paused their dance, “It matters because it is you. I am honoured you agreed to spend the night with me, I would like to have given you a proper celebration or even a… Wait here.”

Rhulle suddenly broke away, strolling off to fetch something, coming back to reveal it in front of the firelight. A golden band caught the light, wrapping around a stunning diamond reflecting the flames tenfold.

Avie gasped, not expecting such a thing, “This isn’t because I said it was my birthday? Where did you even get this?”

“I was planning on giving you this ring soon regardless. It has been mine for a while, lost in the forest, but now it is yours to show, or to think of me whenever you look.”

He slipped on the ring, her finger accepting with no resistance, it fit slightly loose but sparkling while she played with it in the lighting. It was beautiful. He was beautiful.

“Rhulle, I—” She didn’t know what to say, her throat tight with emotion from the grand gesture.

“Delahara incu.”

“Delahara incu…” she repeated, looking up from the ring to watch him bristle with excitement, eyes and smile wide. His hands tightened their grasp around hers with the ring. “That sounds familiar, what does it mean?”

Rhulle pulled her closer to him, making it easy to lean down. A soft kiss on the shell of her ear was matched with an equally soft whisper, causing chills to run up and down her body.

“I love you.”

Owen’s fist still rapped at the door, it had been forever, he was tempted to just kick open the door and make her explain herself, possibly shake some sense into her.

A neighbor opened his own door, the old man short in stature telling the blond to piss off or the cops would be involved. He stopped the noise, questionably looking back at the door. There’s no way she would be leaving without bumping into him, so he just would wait it out… or break in.

He decided on the latter, trying to pick the lock with supplies in his pocket.

To his surprise, it worked, and he was in. He closed the door behind him, locking it. Owen called out for Avie; searching the space before finding she was not there.

He must have snuck her out. Taken her to his manor in the woods.

The librarian was pissed. He could maybe rationalize that she was confused and thought she had feelings for the monster. But… sleeping with him? It was disgusting, an unholy thing to even imagine. It made him absolutely sick to his stomach to think about.

He needed to kill before it caused further damage to her, she really was gone.

Owen didn’t have his gun with him. He cursed himself, wishing he brought it. He had to strike. It had to end. His hands balled into tight fists as he stood in the darkness of the apartment.

He had let it get too far—but things will be fixed.

“You do not have to respond now; think it over, take your time.”

Avie was left speechless, hardly expecting a ring and a confession. She really did care for him, had been enthralled with him since the first time he decided to visit and communicate with her. He had every opportunity to kill her, but he didn’t. It was a long shot, even then, but on that simple note alone, she felt that there was more to him and that the woman wanted to know as much as she could.

Of course, this wasn’t a traditional dating scene, his species moving seemingly much quicker in comparison to humans. However, nothing really felt rushed. She never felt pressured to reciprocate his intimate feelings, only by her own ego pushing that it was too soon by society standards.

Rhulle was the most incredible being, he filled her with praise and made her feel so…

Two hot tears streamed down her face, catching on his thumbs. Instantly his demeanour changed.

“Oh no, Avie, I have upset you.”

She shook her head, smiling, “No, I’m not upset. I’m so happy!” Avie kissed the palm placed on the side of her face, seeing him wash with relief.

“You make me happy too, dear Avie. So very happy.”

He kissed away the streaks, landing on her lips. He kissed her individually, three, four, five, six, seven, landing in quick succession before bringing her in to deepen it. Keeping her in his grasp, her face was delicately held