Bride To His Darkness
Chapter 199: His Marking

Chapter 199: His Marking

"What?" Ivan’s pupils constricted in bewilderment before dilating in disbelief. He could feel his heart pound faster at what he believed to have heard as her approval, but he wasn’t certain if he heard it or if he imagined he heard it. He has been hallucinating a lot these past few days to readily jump into these types of conclusions, he felt he needed to hear it again.

"What did you say?"

Samantha’s lashes fluttered briefly as she lowered her gaze, and she couldn’t comprehend if his reaction was one of excitement, or if she had approved a little too late. She had decided not to repeat it when she felt his hands grab both her shoulders, but it was enough to make her meet his anticipatory gaze.

"Can you repeat what you just said?"

"I..." Samantha’s lips parted as she tried to say them again, and she lowered her bashful gaze before mustering the courage to look into his amethyst eyes, her emerald ones gleaming with genuine sincerity as she took hold of one of his hands, clasping it with her dainty fingers. "What I meant to say was.... I want to accept your proposal but I am worried about my chances. Have I stalled you for too long? Is there still a chance for me make my decision and say yes to you–"

"You’re willing to get married to me? To be my Queen?"

Samantha nodded, smiling earnestly, and she could see the excitement that twinkled in his crimson eyes. She felt she owed him this much, she had inadvertently thought back to how many times he has helped her, how many times he has held her when she felt utterly lost and alone.... and if he wanted to have a nobody like her as his woman, she was more than ready to give herself to him. This was what she had presumed, this was her logic, but at the same time, there was a part of her, deep in the depths of her heart that told her she wanted the same thing.

She was afraid, but it no longer mattered.

Her heart leaped when Ivan cupped her cheeks to drop a lingering kiss on her forehead, and she closed her eyes when he peppered the tip of her nose with the same vigor. When her eyelids slowly opened the minute he pulled back, Samantha watched as he suddenly turned around to go lock the doors. Weren’t they supposed to step out today?

"What are you doing?"

"It’s time for marking, my sweet little lamb. Every other thing can wait." He headed back towards Samantha and carried the stupefied woman back to her bed. When he placed her appropriately on the comfort of her bed, Samantha’s pupils widened at the realization of what he aimed to do to her, and she sat up immediately.

"Aren’t these things done after marriage?" She asked Ivan quickly, her face blooming red when a secretive thought managed to sneak its way into her head. Ivan simply took in her expression, and a chuckle, which sounded pleasing to her ears, escaped his lips after figuring out what his little lamb was indirectly referring to.

"I’m not going to make love to you, not now. However, I’m going to mark you." He said again while moving to stand at the foot of her bed. He grabbed her feet and gently pulled her legs down so she could lay back flat on the bed. He crawled up to her till he was hovering atop of her, and he could hear the sound of her heartbeat aligning with his own. He didn’t even realize how deep he had fallen for this woman until she accepted his proposal.

"Is it necessary?" Samantha asked, her voice a breathless whisper as she secretly anticipated his attempts.

"It is necessary, once marked, you won’t be able to bail yourself out of this agreement. You’ll officially belong to me till we make it legal on paper." He tilted his head, breathing into her lovely throat while trailing down to her appealing neck.

"It will sting a little."

"Do it." She braced herself.

Smiling at her undeterred response, Ivan’s fangs lengthened, and in one movement, he buried them deep into the nape of her neck. Samantha’s breath hitched when she felt the sharp sting shoot from her neck to her whole body system, but she could sense the difference between his regular biting and when he had chosen to mark her. A faint gasp escaped her opened lips when he dug them deeper, almost subconsciously, as if he couldn’t control himself, and Samantha’s fingers latched onto his shoulders.

Her body felt inexplicably hot when he continued to bite her, as if something else was mysteriously taking over. When he pulled back to look at her flushed face, Samantha could feel her chest rise and fall with each breath she took.

"You handled it well. My little lamb is stronger than she looks." Ivan commented before licking off the traces of her blood that escaped from his bite. His hot tongue against her skin made Samantha shiver compulsively, and he kept licking till there was not a tiny trace of blood in his line of sight.

Samantha’s eyes inadvertently closed, and the strange hot feeling still lingered in her system, starting from the bite mark. Ivan pulled back to look into her emerald green eyes, and he was staring at her as if he just discovered what love is.

"You are mine now, little lamb." His fingers traced the contour of her smooth skin, ceasing the image of her beautiful face in head so he would never forget it. "I am now forever yours, as you are mine till eternity do us part."

Samantha was starting to feel a little light-headed, and she couldn’t tell if it was because of his endearing words, or the effect from his mark. A sigh left her lips, but it no longer carried her forlorn, she didn’t feel the same loneliness but instead, she felt only the love of the man who was still hovering atop her as though he was reluctant to pull away.

Their bond had gotten that strong.

"The aftereffect can leave you dizzy for some minutes, don’t stress and wait till you regain your energy." Ivan instructed her in a low tone, "We can leave after."

"Wait, what happens to Lady Agathe?" Samantha questioned, "if everyone sees the letter, then... I don’t want them to know about this."

"They won’t," he smiled reassuringly, easing her heart. "And I have other plans for Lady Agathe. I want you to think of only me for now, and how I intend to spoil you."