Part of her had to stop and convince herself that she wasn’t dreaming as she walked alongside Maverick on their way back home. She was taking him home. Venom’s heart beat fast with the excitement of it, like she was a love struck yearling. This was better than any lustful flights of fancy she had before, and though she was loath to admit, even Hattori had not made her feel the emotion that Maverick elicited within. He excited her, he created a spark in her life that made her realize her drive for life. More than anything she was excited to take on the world with him beside her. Her vagabond.

The walk was filled with little teasing bumps of her shoulder as they walked, and she found the way their tails curled together comforting as a visual representation of the path their hearts were set upon. Venom claimed the man as her own, and in turn she gave of herself. They might not have been together for very long, but his penchant of loving fast was shared with her song with his smile. Venom was certain of her decision when faced with the alternative. Maverick enhanced her life and she didn’t want to go back to a time without him. She wasn’t miserable while she threw herself into her work with a broken heart, but being alone hadn’t been kind to her.

By the time they returned to Ashen’s border, the sunrise was right around the corner. The light of the day was just breaking over the horizon as Venom paused to welcome Maverick into his new home. This was the moment that she had craved, while she had fallen all too fast for him this final result was everything she wanted and needed in him. He’d stolen her heart with ease, but his agreement to come home was proof she had done the same.

Venom led him to the palace, she sent Anko in before to clear the way. She hadn’t wanted to see anyone, there would be plenty of time to share Maverick with the rest of the pack tomorrow. For now she wanted his sole attention as she gave him hers. He was given a tiny tour on the way, but the main event was the palace. She led him across the land bridge and escorted him to her private quarters deep into the mountain cave. She gestured with her white gloved paw, "Welcome home.” She told him sweetly as she lifted her features to his cheek to kiss him softly.

"Venom"

The walk back to Ashen had felt like wandering in a dream, the ethereal state of mind Maverick was lost in attributed solely to the lithe woman walking at his side every step of the way to his new home. Much like her, his heart was thumping strong and quick in his chest, nervous excitement stirring up butterflies in his belly, very uncharacteristic of the suave and cocky bastard he usually was. This was a whole shift of his life though, it would be more surprising for him to not be nervous. He hadn't lived in a pack for any extended time since his youth. But any nerves he felt were easily dispelled whenever he glanced over to Venom, the smile on her lips infectious as it spread across his own face. Playful teases and bumps of their shoulders were shared along their trek that had become very familiar to him over the past two seasons, and when their tails curled and entwined together during their walk, Maverick's pulse went erratic with his beating heart. Venom invoked feelings in him that he'd long-thought had been killed and buried. The Empress resurrected those sensations of floating on cloud nine, feeling like he was an adolescent just beginning to mature into adult romances as opposed to the rakish Casanova he had become. She thrilled him, made him look eagerly to the future with her. His Empress.

Together the couple trudged through the snow until they reached the western edges of Ashen, borders he had become familiar with in his time in Boreas. They paused at the edge of the pack lands just as the night began to give way to the dawn, golden rays of sunlight spilling over the eastern horizon to welcome in a new day—literally and metaphorically. Maverick stood, his toes playfully placed right at the edge of the scent markers while he gazed out over the snow-covered lands that belonged to Venom and her family. This would be his first real time setting foot into Ashen territory. Sure, he had trespassed in jest during their first meeting, but he'd never actually roamed into the lands of his own will before now. There was a strange sense of absolution to the notion, like he would be walking through an actual door into a new life and leaving his old ways behind him. No longer a rambler, but a prince consort to the most powerful wolf in the lands. Maverick took a deep breath, steadying jittery nerves with a swallow. Though he was anxious, there was no doubt in his mind that this was what he wanted. Considering the alternative—considering leaving Venom—it tore at something in his soul and made him feel hollow. For better or for worse, he was all in on them.

The navy and white brute fixed Venom with a smile and a nod, then took that first step past the border and into the Ashen Empire as a welcome addition instead of a sketchy trespasser. With Venom at his side, Maverick walked the lands with her, taking in the array of sights she led him past on their brief tour as she led him toward the palace. Mav was secretly glad that, while being introduced to some new parts of the empire, she had opted to getting him home and in private before giving him a grand tour and introducing him to everyone. He would have the chance to settle in, get accustomed to his new life, take things at his own pace. Maverick matched pace with Venom all the way across the land bridge to her palace on Inu Island. He was awed by the mountain, slipping silently into the caves at the Empress' heels as she led the way to her private quarters and gestured him inside with his first official welcome home, one he expected would be very warm indeed.

The smile that stretched across the once-vagabond's lips was wide enough to make his cheeks ache as he drank in the sights of the Empress' sanctum, a happy hum rumbling in his throat when her lips graced his cheek with a sweet kiss. "Home..." Maverick repeated with a dopey smile, the glee apparent in his shining eyes as he really absorbed everything around him and his brain came to realize that this was theirs now. He was hers, and she was his. Maverick turned his shining eyes down to the beautiful fae at his side, leaning down to catch her lips in a tender kiss before she could fully pull back. "You make this home for me, Ven." Unable to help himself despite the sweetness the two of them shared, Mav gave a teasing swat of his tail to the monochrome woman's shapely rump once more before sauntering into her bedchambers, glancing around at the space as he accustomed himself to what would be their bedroom from now and forever. "Do, uh... we need to worry about anyone coming for a royal wakeup call?" he asked, half joking, half wondering how much privacy the two of them would have with dawn coming over Boreas. If he had his way, he and Venom would spend all morning tangled up in one another celebrating their new relationship and christening their bed together. The other wolves of Ashen... they might have other plans for the busy Empress however.

"Maverick"

The journey beside him was like a metaphor to the journey they were going to take together in life. Venom said she would run with him, but the tired Empress was glad for the leisurely walk home. Bumping shoulders, holding tails, it was like they were a couple of yearlings. She hadn’t felt this young in a long time, but she was glad for Maverick to be here to help bring it out of her. She was the Empress, there was a decorum that was expected of her, but Mav weaseled his way in and revealed to even her a different side of herself.

Mav hesitated only slightly when they finally reached the border for him to cross over. This was a big step metaphorically, but it would be a small one with his paw. He was giving up his life that he knew up until this point. He was giving her his life in so many more ways than one. She gave him an encouraging grin and the two of them crossed the border together. He didn’t act like he wished for her to dwell on anything on the way towards the palace. They had been through a long day, he had a lot to get used to and deserved time to settle in before he would be expected to commit anything to memory. Mav seemed grateful for that as she walked him to the palace.

Venom welcomed him into her home. Her royal chambers were a conglomerate of rooms that included a private spring and a moonroof. She led him deeper into her sleeping chambers. It was relatively simple compared to her stature, almost plain in its decoration. However sparse it was few could boast the comfort of her bed. Full of plush furs and pillows, candles surrounded the ledge against the wall, lit when the akitas realized she would be home soon.

He returned her kiss with a sweet smile mirroring her own features. She made this home for him, anywhere she was."Good,” Venom’s heart melted as she leaned into him and grinned as her sunset gaze looked up into his vibrant blue eyes. She knew she could trust him, she felt safe and loved here beside him.

"No, Anko will make certain we remain undisturbed.” The dog was Venom’s perfect little handmaid. Practically her right hand, Venom could trust her with the task of ensuring her Empress privacy the next few days. Plague would take care of everything, afterall he had encouraged her down this path. Venom grinned up at the blue sky man, barely believing that he was here with her now. He had turned her life upside down and she loved every moment of it. "For as long as we need.” She teased him with a suggestive grin.

"Venom"

The Empress' private suite of chambers was expansive and lavish, boasting all of the fine adornments and decor that he would expect to find in a reigning monarch's personal space. Even then, he was still surprised by some of the things he found in Venom's den. Maverick took a moment to meander the antechamber, soaking in the sights of what would now become his personal space as well. He peered up through the moonroof to the indigo sky overhead, gradually growing lighter as the morning sun rose in the east. Venom was nocturnal, he reminded himself, and as such would have obviously wanted a view of the celestial heavens when she was most active. It was a rare yet fitting feature to her luxurious home. Their luxurious home, he reminded himself for the umpteenth time.

After taking a moment to get himself acclimated to his new surroundings, Venom led him deeper into the quiet privacy of her bedchambers. What Maverick saw when they made their way into the bedroom made him realize just how much Venom had been roughing it with him in his modest little camp. The sleeping chambers decorated simply, yet intimately, with a massive bed of plush furs from all sorts of animals and comfortable looking pillows laden about for the wolves. Candles lined the walls along a ledge, adding to the romantic ambiance of the bedroom. Coming from a few lightweight fur blankets to this felt like the dire brute had gone from rags to riches in the blink of an eye! "Damn, Ven! You must really like roughing it with me if you had all of this at home," he teased her with a lighthearted grin. It still blew his mind to realize just what sort of life he'd unwittingly stepped into by taking this leap of faith with Venom.

As Venom leaned into his side, she informed him that her companion dog would ensure they were not disturbed for any reason for as long as they wanted. An intrigued murr rumbled in the back of Mav's throat as he turned a sly grin of his own back down to the suggestively grinning woman, blue eyes shimmering with lewd understanding. "Is that so?" said Maverick with a husky purr to his voice, bringing his bushy tail up to trace slowly over the back of Venom's thigh while they stood leaned into one another. "Well then, I think we should explore some of the perks of you having me all to yourself all the time now." Gently leaning his athletically-muscled body back into her lithe form, Mav leaned his muzzle down to brush along her cheek and up to her ear, gingerly nipping at the delicate appendage and catching her soft pliable flesh between careful teeth. He gave a low, lustful growl, truly reveling in the notion that he would get to be this way with Venom all the time now. This was what his life would be like. It made his pulse race, a spike of heat lancing through his core. Oh yeah, he could get used to this life.

Separating himself from Venom with a parting lick to roll his tongue along the edge of her ear, Maverick sauntered into the bedchambers, looking about the cozy room as he climbed atop the pile of fur bedding. Even just walking across it he could feel the softness and plushness of the furs beneath his paw pads. Venom had spared no expense, and why not? After all, most of her daylight hours were likely spent in here, so why not be comfortable while lounging and waiting for nightfall? As he walked, Maverick glanced back at Venom and shot her a roguish grin and a wink, adding an overly exaggerated sway to his hips like he was some courtesan trying to seduce a client. Even now, with the prospect of getting laid right before him, he still wanted to make Venom smile and laugh whenever he could take the opportunity. "And how would my gorgeous Empress like her prince consort first? On his back so she can claim him as hers? Or on hers, so her scruffy ruffian can love her senseless?" He turned to face her again, a wide and wanton grin on his face, eyes shining with adoration for her, eager to play with her in any and every way conceivable.

"Maverick"

Maverick took his time looking around his new home. Venom could predict a bit of shell shock, there was a vast difference in lifestyle from loner vagabond to royal monarch. She felt the difference int the time they were together, but it wasn’t near enough to voice complaint or displeasure. There was enough of her man to distract her from their meager dwelling. He would have plenty of time to learn the secret places and amenities their quarters had to offer, what they both really wanted was to retire to their bedchambers.

Venom led him inside and allowed him to take in her sparse but cozy sleeping room. With a quick sweep of his gaze as there wasn’t much but bed and candles, he turned back to her with a teasing grin. He hadn’t missed the difference between his little hole in the earth and her cavernous home. Venom had come to love the smell of cave, she adored the dark places, and there wasn’t much that could compare to the scent of underground water. This was home, and it would forever be special to her. She hoped that maybe Maverick would come to feel similarly.

"I like you.” She teased him back with a brush of her paw against his shoulder playfully. Venom had no doubt he would find it easy to settle in for tonight as she leaned against him, and assured him of how alone they were. He returned her affection and added some of his own. Heat continued to rise in her belly, and her skin shivered as his tail caressed her thigh and whispered in her ear. Mav pressed against her gently, as his lips roved her cheek to her ear where careful teeth nibbled and his chest rumbled in a deep growl. This was one destination Venom hadn’t been certain she was going to have again. She didn’t want to say she had come to an end of a journey, but the beginning of a brand new one she would share with this strong, caring, and handsome rogue she found.

Before she could lean more heavily into his affection he left her with a parting kiss as he led the way to the plush bed. He very nearly sank into the collection of furs and pillows and made Venom grin as she followed a little more slowly, taking the time to appreciate the sight of him here. He looked back over his shoulder, giving her a wink as he exaggerated the sway of his cobalt hips. Venom shook her head in amusement, he certainly knew how to keep a grin on her face. Exactly what she needed.

The Empress was absolutely going to let him love her, "I don’t know...” She started, innocently for their conversation and environment. Venom slid closer, gazing up into his vibrant sky blue eyes. "How about you hold me,” Her white gloved paw lifted, trailing up the length of his arm, through the thick fur of his chest and neck, before she cradled his jaw to guide his lips against hers. "I’ll kiss you, and we can find out where that takes us.”

"Venom"

It seemed as if Venom knew all the right words to say in all the right scenarios, continuing to flatter and tease Maverick with her coyly crafted words that sent delightful chills racing down his spine and settling deep within his core. Just as his teasing little ministrations made her shiver for him in delightful ways, she knew just how to use that silver forked tongue to her advantage, tempting and seducing him right into her every whim and wish—and Maverick loved it. It might have been cliche to say, but Venom wasn't like the other women he'd met or had in his lifetime. She was confident and sultry, beautiful and graceful, yet also still playful and frisky, fiery and clever. If there ever was such thing as a total package for him, it came in the form of Venom. But she wasn't the only one crafty enough to know how to seduce her lover in the bedroom, as her watchful sunset eyes remained locked to his form as he sauntered onto their shared bed with such exaggerated movements that it made the Empress grin and shake her head. Good, Mav wanted to keep Venom smiling for the rest of their days.

Venom sashayed her own path closer to join him on their bed then, the look smoldering in those twilight eyes for him making his core clench hard with anticipatory need. She roused a hunger inside of him he'd felt before, but never to the depths and severity that he felt being with her. Venom set his soul ablaze with that look in her eyes, that grin on her lips, the way her body swayed and moved. She stated she didn't know how she'd have him first, her expression coy and innocent despite the lustful intentions simmering just behind her sunset gaze. Their bodies touched then as she slid up to him, gazing up into his eyes as deeply and intensely as he stared down into her amethyst pools. Her paw slid slowly, suggestively up up his foreleg and passed through the thick fur on his chest and up his neck, leaving a searing path of fire on his skin wherever she touched him. Maverick's breathing hitched, coming in shallow and erratic as his pulse spiked, sending magma racing through his veins. He was hypnotized by his fae as she infiltrated all of his senses in the most intoxicating manner. Her voice filled his ears and flooded his brain with carnal desire, her touch set fire to his skin and electrified his soul, her scent filling his nares like a drug he was keen to stay high on. All that remained was taste, which Venom was swiftly moving towards taking over as well.

She suggested he hold her, her white-gloved paw caressing and cupping his jaw while she guided his lips down to hers. Deep turquoise eyes hid behind half-closed lids as he easily and eagerly let her manipulate his body to her desires, leaning in closer until he could feel her breath against his lips with every whispered word, the dire brute hanging off every single one she uttered. "I like the sound of that," he murmured with a heated breath, taking her suggestion as he lifted large mismatched paws until white and blue rested upon the Empress' dark, shapely hips. He gently yet insistently slid her body closer to his, leaving as little space between them as possible. When their mouths finally connected, Maverick breathed a sigh so deep it was as if he'd found all the relief from every pain he'd ever felt in life. Blue-green eyes slid closed, giving himself up to the moment with his Venom, while those large paws slid leisurely up and down along the svelte fae's sides. He went to loop them around her, keeping her held tight as he moved to recline his body backwards and bring Venom along with him so they were both laid out across the expansive bed with her either beside him or across him, however she desired to be close to him, the Empress tangled up in the arms of her consort while he refused to let their lips part.

"Maverick"

The greatest feeling was knowing that Maverick didn’t show any hesitation, there was no sort of regret in his gaze. This was what he wanted just as much as she did, he felt her pull and it was stronger than that of his previous life. He willingly gave up what he had known for her, to have her as much as he was going to give himself to her. Venom invited him into her pack, into her home, and into her bed. Maverick took and embraced the opportunity given, showing her a glimpse of life she hadn’t ever really known before. Something was ending for both of them, but they were starting a new and exciting beginning together instead. This time was forever, she could feel it in his every action.

Neither wanted to delay in closing the distance between them. As much as Venom hadn’t experienced before Maverick had, and yet he returned to her week after week as they explored the potential for relationship. He was here with her now, proof of the loyalty he would show. Despite everything he had known and had before, he wanted her. She would be his Empress, but he would have more of her than that. He’d seen and gotten to know the she wolf behind the title. She wanted him here beside her because she could see that was what mattered, not her title or the power that came with it.

He welcomed her beside him as she moved closer, giving him no straight answers as she felt herself tense in anticipation. Her gaze lingered on his, shifting slightly to watch her sharp class slide through his thick fur. The sound of his breath catching in his throat sent a thrill through her chest and core, bringing a satisfied grin to her lips as they brushed against his own. Maverick offered no argument nor counteroffer as he let her cradle his cheek and press her pale lips to his. His own mismatched paws raised to surround her smaller form.

The feeling of perfect alignment when they kissed made the whole world seem right. Like the planets aligned, peace reigned, and all was well on earth. Her heart was at peace besides how fast it was beating in her chest as she smiled against his soft lips. She moved easily against his touch as his paws wrapped around her hips and pulled her closer to him. He wrapped her up in his arms and pulled her into the bed with him. Venom lay across him as they sunk into the pile of furs, neither willing to relinquish their affections.

The Empress kept hold of his cheek and balanced herself with the other white gloved paw around his neck. She indulged in him, feeling the rise of passionate flames deep in her belly. Venom pulled from their kiss, just enough to whisper to him, eyes still close in indulgent bliss. ”Well, now I’ve got you on your back.” Her words were spoken as she shifted, her frame better draped over him straddling his waist, grinning as she blinked open her sunset gaze to reveal the mischief behind.

"Venom"

Any trepidation or overwhelming concern about this dramatic shift in his lifestyle were instantly washed away the moment his lips met Venom's and he had her within his arms once more. Maybe he was making a mistake. Maybe he was falling too fast for someone and unwittingly leading himself into the same trap he'd fallen in before, but there would be no way to know without taking the risk. It was a leap of faith, but for Venom, it was one he was willing to take. As willingly as he gave himself up to her in body, mind, and soul, so too did Venom—not just the Ashen Empress, but the woman she was as a whole too. Venom had opened herself to him, allowed him to see the most intimate and private sides of herself, brought him into her pack, her home, and now into her bed as well. This was real. Everything he was feeling between them, pulling them, burning within him, it was all real. When they were having their secret scandalous rendezvous out at his camp, it had felt more like those casual hookups of his past. Now their union had substance and depth behind it. They were taking that next big step together. Maverick vowed to do his best not to fuck this up.

The couple collapsed back onto the bedding together in a tangle of limbs and locked lips, feeding off one another's passions and desires. Together they were baser, simpler creatures. She was the Empress, but here she was his woman. He was the renegade, but here he was her man. That was all Maverick needed to be content and happy. Fuck the titles or power that inevitably came with a relationship with the alphess; they meant nothing to him. Mav had never been the kind to lust after power or desire control and influence. He'd lived his life the way he wanted, pursuing things he enjoyed and what made him happy. Venom made him happy. It was as simple as that. And he could feel her mirror that same desire for him in her actions, every gentle stroke or caress of her paw, the way her muzzle moved against his, their bodies entwined as they lost themselves in their seclusion. This was perfection. Venom was perfection.

Laid out across their shared bed, Maverick felt Venom stretch her svelte body across his own, clinging tight to him with white-gloved paws on his cheek and around his neck through the duration of their kiss. His own paws had looped around her waist, keeping her held tight to his frame as they both shifted to adjust themselves, fitting together like pieces of a puzzle, like they'd always meant to be this way. The heat smoldering deep in his core flared and combusted, growing hotter and stronger the longer they remained entangled. It was only once Venom gently broke her lips from his own that Maverick got any sort of reprieve from the scorching heat, breathing a shuddering sigh while heavy-lidded eyes slowly flickered open to gaze up at the gorgeous Empress with an affectionate smile.

She whispered against his lips, her words designed to arouse and entice him and working magnificently to that effect. He hummed, a deep rumbling in his throat while the snow and coal fae shifted atop of him, settling her body more comfortably on top of his while she straddled his waist. His gaze met hers, that mischievous grin and glimmering eyes making his belly tense with need. Mav grinned back, a flash of roguish naughtiness within those glimmering teal eyes. "Mmm you do... I think I like being down here." Large mismatched paws slid slowly from the small of her back to follow her waist, resting on her hips so as not to inhibit her movements in any way while encouraging her on. For a moment Maverick just stared up at Venom, grinning that goofy smile as he marveled at her, reveling and delighting in her body atop of his, touching him, being alone with her like this. Gods, he really was the luckiest brute alive! "You're so beautiful, Venom." Softly whispered words were murmured with a gentle yet insistent caress of paw pads over her hips, feeling over the svelte curves of Venom's sides like he were appreciating a masterpiece of art. He wanted her so badly, but he was also enjoying them taking their time, savoring one another, building the anticipation for what they both knew was coming. A slow burn that would blaze into a wildfire together. That was what his Venom was.

"Maverick"

It was easy to fall in together, to forget about anything beyond the stone walls, and savor these moments together. Venom thought she was going to have to spend another day alone when they had departed after their last tryst. She hadn’t been certain of this moment, but Venom was so glad that it was here. That she finally had Maverick here where he belonged at her side. He could take some time to settle into this new life but as they wrapped themselves around each other she knew there would be no real trouble. She would have him here whenever she wished, and she would be here for him to lean on through the transition. They were together, and that was what mattered. Not who they were before, or who they would be, nothing but this special moment together.

This was the real deal, part of the Empress had denied what she saw so obviously now. Pretending those feelings weren’t real had been easy when they were stealing away in secret and acting like criminals. Now that she really had him, he was hers and she was his. This giant leap in their relationship was everything she wanted. There was no holding back anymore as she embraced him as firmly as she embraced the truth. She was falling in love with him.

They kissed deeply, holding and shifting against one another until they fit together perfectly. Each little movement and taste encouraged a thrill of desire through her, fanning the flames that erupted within her belly, and yet neither wolf hurried along. Feeling him, tasting him, and holding Maverick was everything she wanted, as with the beginning of their relationship true joy was in the journey more than destination.

Maverick rumble din his chest against her as she pulled away and whispered to him, their eyes met as she spoke, and pulled away further as his mismatched paws fell to her hips. "You just think so?” She asked him quietly with a subtle grind of her hips against his, further fanning the flames as she teased him. Venom shared his grin, feeling so free here with him. He told her that she was beautiful, and those words had never been so easy to believe with the way he looked up at her, the way he touched her, and gaze into her eyes with his goofy grin playing over his features.

There was little need for words as Venom drew closer, tracing his neck with her paw as she shifted her weight, teasing further as her body pressed to his. The feeling of anticipation was finally broken with slow steady movement and a soft breathy gasp as Venom lost her breath to him. She eased back against him, overwhelming her senses with him as her eyes rolled back in her head and instinct dictate the rhythm of her hips. They could discover how deep their love went together with no threat of having to say goodbye.

"Venom"

Being with Venom was an addicting and exhilarating experience. Over the course of the months they'd known one another, Maverick had come to learn the keen fae of Ashen was not only a match for him, she was his total compliment. Everything about her personality blended with his and brought out the better parts of him. She didn't just keep pace with him in their journey, she led him along it as much as he led her, discovering parts of themselves together that Maverick had thought had died a long time ago in himself. The best part? Venom did it all without intending to. She simply existed, she was wholly and unapologetically herself and that was what he had needed. It was easy to ignore what was missing in his life when he'd been on his own, content to survive instead of thrive. Venom brought clarity to the brute of what he'd been blind to—that he'd been carrying scars with him that held him back from finding real happiness in his life and giving himself a second chance to love. Venom was that happiness. Venom was that love.

It was startling and thrilling all at once for the white and navy brute to realize that his life would never be the same again because of her but honestly, he didn't want it to be. He wanted what Venom offered him—all of it. The road was strange and foreign to him, but knowing he had her at his side to guide him, to support and reassure him, it gave Maverick the confidence he'd needed to take that step. Now they would never need to be apart. There was no more need to sneaking about or hiding their relationship from the world. He would be here for her and she would be here for him. This was their home, their lands, their bed, their life together. This was their new reality, one that Maverick hoped would last. No, not hoped, it would. He would do everything within his power to make sure it did. He would do his damnedest to be the man Venom deserved because she had given him this second chance at a life more than days filled with aimless wandering and nights filled with emotionless one night stands. With her, he could grow and develop and allow himself to feel for her. The emotions he felt for her were strong—so, so strong—and as the coal and snow Empress kissed him deeply and he tasted her forked tongue against his own, Maverick came to the alarming realization that he knew these feelings from a long, long time ago. He was falling in love with her too.

The total experience that was Venom Abraxas filled all of his senses to capacity. He tasted her on his tongue, felt her body on his and beneath his paws, breathed her sweet scent in every breath, listened to the soft sighs and sounds she made while they fell more and more deeply into one another. She seemed amused by his comment, a sly grin on her lips when she questioned him "just thinking" instead of knowing he enjoyed being underneath her. Any clever quip Maverick might have had died on his tongue when he felt Venom give a subtle grind of her supple hips back into his, grinding against some very sensitive and very present parts of himself to draw a shuddering groan from the male. His grin widened, a twinkle of proud mischief in his cool-toned eyes. Seeing Venom like this made him realize just how far she'd come with him from the uptight and cynical woman he'd found on the coast to this veritable goddess of ecstasy and love preparing to ride him for all he was worth. This Empress was a stark contrast to the Empress that had threatened his toes at Ashen's borders a couple seasons ago.

"Mmmm okay, more than think so," Maverick replied with another groan as her motions fanned the flames of desire deep within his belly, making him ache for her while she teased him and kept him right on the edge of what they both wanted so badly. Gods, Venom knew exactly what she was doing to him and she was a master at it! Large paws groped and massaged around Venom's womanly hips and pleasing rump with freely given lust, letting their bodies speak for them as they both sank deeper and deeper into this familiar yet ever intoxicating desire for one another. He leaned into Venom's touch while white-gloved paws traced his neck, his own navy and white paws sliding to wrap around the Empress' svelte sides as she shifted her weight to get into position. Another husky groan left the dire brute while she teased him with her movements, toes curling in anticipation while he resisted the urge to press himself up into her.

Venom didn't let the anticipation last much longer though, and when their bodies finally pressed together with her slow and steady movement, Maverick joined Venom in her breathy gasp. Heat and softness stole his breath, and pleasurable pressure drew husky grunts from the brute with her movements. Fireworks went off in the man's head as heavy lids fluttered over pleasure-glazed eyes, deep groans mixing between heated sighs and short breaths while his hips began to roll up to meet hers as Venom set their pace and rhythm. Though this was far from their first time, there was something special about this coupling. It was emotional, it was tantric, it was a discovery of their love together as a proper couple. This was their first time making love in a real relationship, one where they could find these carnal delights with one another as often as they'd like and never need to say goodbye after the fact. "Venom..." Maverick moaned his lover's name for her, as if declaring his love for her to the universe through their lovemaking, all the while sinking further into euphoria with her with every roll, grind, and slide of their hips. He was hers and she was claiming him as such. Before they bedded down for the night (or day in their case), he would claim her as his too.



"Maverick"

Venom had been convinced that she had found the correct path in life when she found out she was pregnant with Hattori’s children. Choosing him as her mate and Shogun had been the obvious decision and she had thought she found her partner for the rest of her life. The previous version of herself wouldn’t have ever believed that her husband would willingly leave her one day, part of her wished she could go back and warn that poor girl, but if Hattori never came into her life would she have been where she was today?

She wondered if her future self would want to return to her at this moment now, and praise her or scold her for the path that she was taking with Maverick. He felt so much more right than Hattori did, like they were connecting on a level far above what the former Shogun could have carried her. Maybe the koi bred man leaving her had been the best thing he had ever done for the Empress.

Maverick was invited into every aspect of her life now, she was welcoming him to the intimate recesses of the life she lived, to become one with her in more ways than the physical they desired so heavily right now. Their lips met and she could feel the passion and deeper desires within those intimate affections. He craved a life with her as much as the inverse. They wouldn’t have to be alone anymore, they could be real, honest, and primal together. They could bare their hearts to one another and be completely safe. Both knew the pain of heartbreak, and neither wanted to force that on the other.

She knew what she was doing to him, and the affirmation with his deep groan as she moved against him was all Venom needed to be spurned onward. Maverick would be claimed as hers in every way, and their long journey to this point was one made willingly by the man beneath her. There was no other outcome she wanted more. There would be no more loneliness, no more sneaking, no more hiding from the world or from the emotions that built within.

Maverick’s paws traced along her sides as she teased and suggested with her hips, she felt a thrill with every groan she pulled from him with the grind of her hips. Every movement she made elicited a tantalizing reaction from her man. Her man. He was hers and she would claim him in every way tonight. (day) Both of them were thrown into a vortex of ecstasy as their bodies joined together. She was intimately familiar with Maverick already, but this time felt even more special than their first time. Her name on his lips as they found their natural rhythm brought a grin to the Empress features as she lost her breath to him and felt the deep soul ting connection they were forging together.

"Maverick,” She whispered lovingly in return as her own lidded gaze met hers and she lowered her muzzle to his once more. Breathing in the scent of him, being overwhelmed by his warmth and manliness. Venom kissed him passionately, tasting his lips as she moved against his body, entwining their physical forms as much as binding their hearts. She pulled away once more, reveling in the place they finally found themselves. "Everything behind the border is mine,” She claimed him breathlessly, "But, I give myself to you as well.” The words were a soft gasp as her sunset eyes met his and she lost herself, but found and held tightly to their new partnership.

"Venom"

For all his life, all Maverick had ever wanted was freedom. Freedom to escape the oppression and belittlement of his home life. Freedom to make his own choices, forge his own fate and pick his own path in life. Freedom to be who he was, see what he wanted to see, love whom he wanted to love. But now with Venom, his priorities had changed. The vagabond no longer wanted to be without a home. The rambler no longer yearned for the road to put as many miles between himself and his past as he could. The playboy no longer wished to bed as many faes as he could and remember nothing about their names but everything about their bodies. No, now all Maverick wanted was centered around Venom. The Klein monarch had given him a taste of what life would be like with her on a consistent basis, and like a junkie taking a hit, Mav was hopelessly hooked. He wondered what his past self would think if he saw himself right now—being bedded by a royal Empress, claimed and domesticated so thoroughly while she blew his mind with every motion of her body. Would he be impressed or disappointed in himself?

A particularly good, firm roll of her hips into his send him sliding deeper within her, and he knew in an instant that he didn't give a fuck if renegade Maverick approved of his choice or not. He was happy with Venom. Happy, fulfilled, satisfied. He felt more with her than with every other wolf he'd met in his life combined. Venom was the sum of everything he'd lived through and endured to get him to this point. She was what his road had been leading him to, and the more time he spent in this relationship with her, the more his commitment to that belief became adamant. This was what he wanted. He opened his heart to her, bore his soul to her scrutiny, and she'd rewarded him with nothing but affection and trust and faithfulness. He could tell that Venom wanted and valued this relationship as much as he did, if not more in the wake of her emotional damage at the paws of her ex-husband. Both knew the pain others could inflict on them. It had rendered them both low, but it had also taught them and set them on this collision course with one another. Fate often worked in mysterious ways, and what had once seemed like a brutal trauma was now beginning to look like the path that led him here, to Venom.

Maverick was liberal with his sounds and reactions, holding nothing back for Venom to enjoy while she had her way with him, working him over with practiced movements of her hips and a drive fueled by love and lust. With every grind of her hips, Mav would press his hips up to meet hers, adding to the pleasure they built together to bring the highest forms of ecstasy to his woman. His woman. Just as he was hers, she was his—although right now, she was doing a very good job at claiming him as her own in every conceivable way! Dark teal eyes rolled back behind fluttering lids while his brain short circuited from the mind-numbing waves of pleasure Venom sent crashing through him with each press of her hips down into his. Peering up at his gorgeous lover grinning down at him the way she was sent delightful shivers racing up and down his spine. He knew she was getting off on the idea of claiming him, taking him for her own, the possessive side of Venom Klein eating up this euphoria while she did everything to steal his breath, blow his mind, and leave him quivering in ecstasy for her.

His name came from her lips, whispered lovingly amidst hot, heavy breaths and heated sighs and moans made for one another. Gods, how he loved the way she said his name...! The Empress lowered her body over his, practically draping herself over him while her muzzle met his, lips locking with a hungry passion. Maverick slid his tongue back into Venom's maw, tasting her while breathing in her intoxicating scent, delicate and feminine and quintessentially Venom. Venom worked on entwining their physical forms just as their hearts and souls were entwining amidst their passionate lovemaking, Maverick meanwhile fully wrapping his forelegs around her sides to keep her body held down over his while they made out, one paw sliding up the curve of her back to find the quills hidden in her scruff and beginning to delicately play with those sharp points hidden in her scruff. The other moved down to her haunches, caressing and massaging her shapely rump while he pressed and rolled his hips up to meet Venom's amidst their bucking and grinding, keeping their bodies connected as deeply as possible as much as he could.

When they finally pulled away to gasp for breaths, Mav's teal eyes flickered open to gaze up into Venom's beautiful face hovering only inches above his, so close that every groan she coaxed from him, the Empress would feel exhaled against her lips. Venom informed him in the midst of their lovemaking that everything behind Ashen's borders was hers, which Maverick realized with an excited, erotic thrill now included himself, then breathlessly declared herself as his too. For a few beautiful, breathless moments, Maverick just gazed back into Venom's eyes, losing himself in those sunset pools while Venom pulled richly pleasured moans and sighs from him, the dire brute unable to respond at first, the pleasure was so fantastic! But as he got a moment of his senses back, Mav moved his paw deftly through the quills on the back of her neck until he was cradling the back of Venom's head in his massive paw, refusing to let any part of their bodies not be touching. "Then you're mine as well, Venom," he murmured in a breathless, husky rumble that almost sounded like a lecherous growl. Teal eyes burned hot with his desire for her, physically and emotionally. "Claim me, Empress. Claim your brute so that he may claim you next and make you his."

It was a playful challenge issued to the Empress, but one he had a feeling they'd both thoroughly enjoy together. With Venom riding him like her life depended on it, he wanted to see how far he could push her and how she'd react. He wanted to be fully claimed by Venom Klein Abraxas, to see what the Empress would do to exert her possession over him in the bedroom. And when they were done and she was satisfied with her claiming, then Maverick would take his turn to claim her. Oh, the things Mav had in mind for Venom... By the time he was done with her, he'd have his woman singing for him so loud that all of Ashen would know who their Empress belonged to.

"Maverick"

She knew as much as her life was changing so was Maverick’s but she could take solace knowing they were together now and any further obstacle would be tackled together. This was new for the both of them, and excitement built in her belly at the opportunities ahead of them. This was truly the first day of the rest of their lives. Maverick had snuck into her life and broke down the barriers that she had been trying to build. Had she not found him, what kind of woman would she become? Hard and cynical as loneliness crept in and took hold? Who was to say, but Venom felt thankful she didn’t have to face that potential reality.

Venom easily lost herself with Maverick, with soft sighs and delighted moans as they explored one another and indulged in both body and soul. Entwining limbs and lives as they made love here in a home they would rebuild together. Speaking for fate was difficult but she couldn’t help but wonder if the coincidences in her life were meant to take place. She could be vulnerable with him because the inverse was true. They wanted each other for the wolf they could see beneath the face they presented to the world. They could trust one another with the soft sensitive parts of themselves that no one else saw.

That intimacy grew with each press and grind of hips as Maverick worked with and against her to drive them passionately forward and hurtling towards the peak of the cliffs they climbed together. The sounds she pulled from Maverick’s lips harmonized with the soft and sudden gasps from the Empress as she lost herself with Maverick, as she wrapped herself in the passion of him. As much as he had shown her about their bedroom escapades Venom ruled over him now. Sending him to fits of euphoria and ecstasy as she claimed his body and mind as hers.

She lost herself in his kiss, tasting him as her forked tongue tangled with his and she draped herself over him, teasing him and withholding herself as they neared the massive peak and hinted at the fallout they would experience. His paws wrapped around her, holding her tightly to him. Their subtle movements continued, and Venom could scarcely speak as she reminded him of the posesion in his arms. She watched as his glittering gaze opened and the two of them fell deeply into the other’s eyes as they dwelled on the precipice.

Breathlessly he gave himself to her, coaxing her actions, daring her to claim him in full so that he could do the same. Their night was far from over, but the beginning was everything she wanted. The words whispered against her lips as she clung to the threads of what consciousness was left. For a moment there was nothing but the pleasure and ultimate love she had for the man beneath her. With a few careful rolls of her hips, she could send them into the abyss.

She grinned down at him as he egged her on, and as much as she was about to absolutely lose her mind she knew he was right there with her. Every breath and gasp she drew from his lips sent a flurry through her veins. "As you wish,” She giggled as another wave of pleasure raced through her core and she did just as he asked. Her movements were smooth and calculated, increasing in intensity as one white gloved paw pressed against his chest, right over his heart. Pressing him down as she pressed down against him with passionate fury. Her voice mixed with his, as she brought him along with her. Holding tight until their embrace sent them tumbling over the edge. Like falling into a bright light, she felt as though the very sun was engulfing them as pleasure exploded throughout her entire being. The destination they found unlike any other experience she had ever had. Primal, extreme, and completely mind blowing, losing her breath and herself. She fell to Maverick’s chest and clung to him as she tumbled into euphoria.

"Venom"

Maverick couldn't recall a time when he'd ever felt this truly content and enamored in his life as he did sharing this moment with Venom. It was far more than the crazy good sex though. It was about the promise of what was entailed in the entwining of their bodies, of their hearts and their lives. Venom was his promise of a brighter future, a tomorrow worth waking up to and living for. Maverick had thought he'd been content being a vagabond rambler roaming wherever his paws led him, seeking out whatever thrills and pleasures he could obtain before moving on, never putting roots down anywhere, but that had all been before he'd been given any other option. The charcoal and snow woman atop of him gave him that option. She had shown him a chance at a life where he mattered to more than just his own flights of fancy, where he had worth to someone and where he could feel like he belonged. A place he could be who he wanted to be and grow as that person. A home. When given that choice, roaming for the rest of his life just didn't seem that appealing anymore.

The pair of lovers shared soft sighs and impassioned moans between themselves with every movement of their bodies against and with one another's. Although neither of them were new to the art of carnal knowledge, it still felt like he was discovering this whole new side of sex with Venom while he and his lover learned each other's bodies in the most intimate of ways. Seasoned knowledge in virgin territory. It was intimate and tantric, driving the sky and snow brute absolutely wild with the passion and lust and love and need. He craved Venom like a parched survivor in the desert craved water. As much as he needed her, the inverse was equally true, and he could feel the need the Empress had for him with every fervent press and grind of her hips down into his, driving him as deeply into her as he could go, as if their bodies could never be close enough for Venom's liking. The sentiment was shared and shown as Mav did all he could from his position to love on Venom, showing his fondness and appreciation for her nubile form and demonstrating his intimate knowledge of the special parts of her, such as her forked tongue gliding over his and her sharp quills which his digits were currently brushing between.

They held onto one another in every sense of the words, Venom fully wrapping herself around him like the most luxurious of robes while their bodies continued their intimate dance together. Maverick drowned in the sunset pools of Venom's jewel-like eyes, the erotic expressions on her face coupled with her precise and practiced motions stealing his breath over and over again. He saw in her eyes the lascivious knowledge that their night was far from over, and the two of them would get little sleep as they consummated their newly evolved relationship all through the day, but oh gods, was it going to be worth it! His coaxing had the effect on her he sought, and seeing the playful grin as she rose to meet his challenge made his core clench hard. Venom giggled out a simple yet insanely hot reply, and then it was all over for them. The Empress unwound her rogue's mind with smooth and intense rolls of her hips to drive herself onto him and him into her.

Mav lost his breath in an instant, teal eyes wide as the hot electricity raced through his every nerve and burned him alive from the inside. He felt Venom's paw over his pounding heart and his own moved to rest over her hips, feeling every tense and release her lithe toned muscles made to bring them to the peak of ecstasy together. He gazed up at Venom in awe and lustful splendor, loving the way she took control of him and held him down. An Empress claiming her lover as hers and hers alone. A goddess subjecting her acolyte to her divinity. He was hers, now and forever, in totality. In the heat of their wild passion, neither lover lasted longer than a few minutes. Together they sang one another a chorus of love and euphoria, racing to their mutual ends and then leaping past the point of no return together. Venom wrapped herself tight to him, pressing all of herself hard while Maverick clutched Venom's body tight to his own, large paws gripping her by the waist and refusing to let go while he pressed all of himself to her with a snarling groan. Together they came undone, colors exploding before the dire brute's eyes as they rolled back in his skull. Passionate fire immolated his body, burning him up like a wildfire as his body exploded in the purest pleasure. His climax was unlike any he'd ever had, a moment shared by his quivering lover atop of him. It was primal, it was intense, it was perfection and everything he'd never known he'd wanted.

When the tension that had exploded from his core finally ebbed away into a warm afterglow, Maverick collapsed back to the bedding with a content sigh and labored breaths. The brute was left gasping for breath by his fae, whom he still cradled on top of his body while she flopped across his broad chest. His body gave the occasional twitch beneath hers, still trembling in the throes of his toe-curling finish. Those big paws of his did eventually loosen on her body, now gliding up and down her slender sides to savor every dip and curve of her from hip to shoulder, enjoying every bit of Venom that he could get. "Wow... Just... wow...!" Mav sighed and relaxed, a huge, pleasure-drunk grin on his face and his eyes glazed over with ecstasy while he basked in the afterglow of their passionate lovemaking. He would give them the opportunity to savor this moment and enjoy the sensations—but as soon as he and Venom had recovered, he planned on reversing the roles and claiming his Empress next.

"Venom & Maverick"

He made her feel deep incredible emotions that no one had ever shared with her. The connection they were creating wrapped and wound her heart tightly to his, just as their bodies were entwined. Maverick held tightly to her as Venom grasped for him. She threw both of them off the highest cliff she had ever climbed. Maverick stole her heart, and she gave it to him completely right now with him. All of it, every broken piece belonged to him. The pair of them would make their hearts anew, coupled for the rest of their lives. She wouldn’t allow the doubt to creep back in any longer. Mav pledged himself to her as she did to him.

There was no room for any such thoughts as she took him, and their minds were collectively blown there in the romantic lighting of her bedroom. Their bedroom, this new life was them together. Everything that she owned everything she had to offer, was his for the taking. That was why she had to be so careful in her selection of her mate. He held a highly privileged position and she needed to be able to trust him. And trust him she did.

Her breath was stolen, her voice, her mind, all she knew was the immense pleasure shared with her partner. Venom was blind but sight wasn’t needed as she squeezed her eyes shut and collapsed onto Maverick’s chest trembling there with him. Tingling waves raced over her skin, as her chest heaved. Her paw remained against Maverick’s chest, as was her ear as she listened to the steady but swift sound of his heart beating within. She felt him quiver beneath her as his own rib cage heaved in his breath.

Maverick’s grip loosened enough to rove her body as his thoughts reformed enough to utter just a couple of words to her. As her sigh mingled with his own Venom grinned and blinked open her eyes to look up at him from his chest. Neither had ever experienced such intimacy before, and laying here in the aftermath was an incredible feeling. No more goodbyes, no more questions, no more doubt. Love filled her like none had before. "Yes.” She gasped along with him, clinging to him as she rode out the lingering waves of ecstasy. "Maverick…” She whispered, her grin faceted on her features as she pushed herself enough to catch his gaze. "I wish I had a better way to describe how I feel but..” Venom paused just a beat as she lost herself in his teal gaze. "I love you.”

"Venom & Maverick"

Nirvana. Shangri-La. Eden. Heaven. Whatever name it was to be called, Maverick had truly found that utopia here in the arms of Venom Abraxas. The sensations that raced like electricity across his skin and through his nerves were unlike any he'd ever experienced before. He was no stranger to physical pleasure, but this... this was no mere pleasure. This was an ecstasy of the highest order, the kind reserved only for select few lovers who found their perfect partners, their missing pieces, their soulmates. Just as Maverick had felt wholly unprepared to become the partner to an Empress and assimilate himself into her Empire, the snow and sky brute had not been ready to feel such intense sensations of intimacy. The euphoria he basked in from the afterglow of their shared orgasms had him quivering beneath his lover, paws twitching and toes curling. Never before had he been left in such a state by anyone before! Venom had completely blown him away in a manner no one else had ever come close to.

The disheveled, panting mess of a wolf lay strewn out on the plush bedding, cradling the smaller body of his partner close while she lay sprawled over his body. With her head resting on his chest, it was easy for Maverick to let one paw roam slowly up the curve of Venom's back, sharp claws ever so delicately trailing through her fur and over her skin until he was stroking around her dark-furred ears, giving her crown affectionate pets while they both caught their breaths and recuperated from the extreme emotions and sensations they'd both been rocked with. Their bodies, still coupled and entwined, were like a physical representation of their hearts and souls, binding themselves together through their actions and through their emotions. Mav would have been floored by all these thoughts if there were any thoughts in his head. The dire brute was still in his dazed stupor, that dopey and deeply satisfied grin still painted across his visage. For a few long, glorious moments, he simply lay like this with Venom in his arms, petting her, stroking her, touching her, reveling in the feel of her body wrapped all around him in the most intimate ways. Oh yeah, this was heaven all right...

After a few moments of post-coital snuggling, the dire brute felt his svelte queen shift, her head moving until their gazes met once more. Sunset meeting clear sky. The grin on her face made his heart flutter and leap in his chest, the palpitations rushing liquid fire through his veins. This was when Mav realized that this would be his new normal. He would get to wake up to Venom's beautiful, smiling face every single day and fall asleep with her wound up in his arms every night. There would be no more goodbyes, no more hesitation, no more questioning, no more lingering outside her borders waiting to steal a glimpse of ash and snow fur through the trees. This was theirs, wholly and exclusively, for all time. Venom whispered his name, drawing the renegade wolf out of his blissful daze with a low hum as teal eyes refocused on her instead of drowning himself in those twilight pools. She said she wished she had a better way to describe her feelings for him. Maverick couldn't agree more. He was a charmer and had charisma in spades, but even he was no master poet, no brilliant mind able to capture his true emotions into words.

But it turned out Venom could—when she told him she loved him.

Maverick felt his heart miss a beat, then patter rapidly against his ribs. His expression shifted, teal eyes widening in shock at the heartfelt admission. He knew she wasn't lying. The sincerity in her eyes told him just how serious she was when she said it. This was no idle toss of the words to be cute or make him feel good. This was the real deal. Hearing those words thrilled and astonished the brute, his tail signaling his joy with its eager wagging against the bed. But there was a part of him that was afraid. Afraid because the last time he'd heard those words, the wolf that spoke them had vanished, never to be seen again. Mav knew that Venom was not her, he knew that she was better, she was everything he'd needed and wanted. But he also didn't want her to be saying something in the heat of the moment that she might come to regret saying later.

"Venom..." he whispered back, an amazed and breathless chuckle leaving him while he brought one massive paw around her neck to gently caress her cheek. He found himself falling into her gaze again. Gods, how easy it was for him to drown in her eyes...! A lopsided smile played on his lips while he debated between speaking more and simply pulling her into another kiss to express his feelings for her. "Do you mean that...? I mean, we both just had some incredible sex. You just got off real good. And now you're saying..." Maverick swallowed, hoping with all his might that this wasn't just a side effect of Venom's afterglow. He held her gaze, staring deeply back into her eyes. "We've been burned by those words before..." whispered the white and navy brute while he slowly stroked Venom's cheek. "Tell me you mean it. Tell me that what we're feeling is real and not just a side effect of our lovemaking. Tell me..." He leaned up to bring his muzzle closer to hers. "...so I can tell you I'm in love with you too."

"Venom & Maverick"

She had him, he was hers and she was his. Venom required him to give his whole self, otherwise this blossoming relationship would never succeed. Maverick did not disappoint, and with the most gentle of coaxing, he committed himself as she did to him. They both knew the heartache of being left alone after such devotion pledged, neither wished a repeat upon the other. That was part of the reason she trusted him, he knew the havoc she endured because he had felt it too. He had the ability to tear her apart completely, or he could reforge her heart, just as he had been.

Her breathing was labored, but she was more satisfied than any moment in her life before. A grin played over the Empress’ features even as she lay recovering on his chest. Wrapped up in him in every way, the words to come were from the bottom of her damaged heart. She gave a soft sigh as he gently stroked her ears, an oddly intimate action if only because her ears were not stroked very often. Her toes curled into his thick fur, the tips of her sharp feline claws brushing his skin. These quiet moments afterward were truly heaven on earth, like nothing she could have fathomed experiencing.

She spoke his name after looking up into his bright gaze, his attention focused on her as she spoke. Venom could feel his heart racing, an echo of her own. For a moment after she uttered those three words the Empress worried she had stopped his heart. Shock overwhelmed his features, his shock causing a string of worry in her chest. Had she gone too far? Had she misspoke? He said her name, hesitation evident as she surprised him with her words. But Maverick chuckled softly and caressed her cheek as he dove into her gaze. He dissolved her worries as he spoke again.

There was a question on his lips, he had to know that she meant the words on her lips. Even though he had learned her so well, he still had to make certain. Venom didn’t say anything without first being certain of her words, but she understood where the words came from. They had just experienced a very emotional moment together, she would have question him if the words left his lips first.

She didn’t interrupt him, but she nodded along with him, grinning at first, but the expression faltered as he reminded her about the scorn they were both given. He stroked her cheek and leaned in so she could feel his breath on her lips as he spoke. He needed to know she meant her words so he could tell her the inverse was equally as true. Venom’s grin grew again as her white gloved arms wrapped around his neck and she closed the distance between them. She pressed her lips against his, closed her eyes, and felt her heart swell. Euphoria, bliss, love, these emotions filled her as she poured those feelings into her kiss.

Venom didn’t pull away until she couldn’t breath, and gasping she looked into his gem-like gaze. "I love you, Maverick.” She told him again is a breathy whisper. "What I feel is real, and you would never be here if that were not true.” Venom wouldn’t have let him so close were it not. She had known since the first night, he’d swooped in like an ivory clad knight to save her from herself. Venom cupped his cheek, losing herself in his gaze again. "Now I’m certain.”

"Venom & Maverick"

Maverick had not been expecting there to be any jest, falsehood, or lie in Venom's words. When she'd spoken them, he'd seen nothing but sincerity and love in her sunset gaze. She'd never lied to him, not once in their entire time together. But still, he needed to know the words she spoke were the truth. If they were, then this would change their relationship forever. Their bonds would become adamant, unbreaking and unyielding even in the most trying and stressing of situations. He needed to know though. He needed to hear her say those words were true. As soon as he'd made his request of her, Mav felt his breathing stop, caught in his chest while he anxiously awaited her to reaffirm what she had just told him. There was some worry on Venom's face at first when he questioned her, but that worry soon turned to a wide grin, and the next thing Maverick knew, Venom was sliding her lithe, white-gloved legs around his neck to pull herself back to him until their lips locked once more.

Venom's response was poured forth to him through their kiss. On her lips and in her mouth, Maverick tasted her love, her faithfulness, her devotion and desire for him. He felt the bliss, the ecstasy, the euphoria she felt and that she in turn gave to him. The dire brute gave quiet murrs of delight while he kissed her back, his own giant paws resting on her lower back just above her waist, keeping her held in his arms while teal eyes closed and he gave himself up to her passion. Mav didn't know how long he was kissing Venom for, nor did it matter. He could spend his entire life kissing her and he'd die a happy man. The pair of lovers only finally parted once his lungs ached for air, the sky and snow brute gasping for air along with his queen of shadow and light. Dark teal eyes lost themselves in pools of liquid twilight once more. Gods, Venom had the best eyes in the world...! But if Maverick thought he was breathless from Venom's kiss, he was totally blown away when she began to speak.

Venom said the words again with just as much conviction as she had the first time. Hearing his name attached to the end of those words made his heart skip like a stone off the water. Maverick knew. Venom had told him once that she never said anything she didn't mean, never did anything she didn't think through. She was meticulous and calculating almost to a fault. That was how he knew she was telling him the truth when she said she loved him. Her dainty paw cupped his cheek, gazing into his eyes so close he could feel her every breath against his lips. She was certain now. And so was Maverick. One giant paw slid up the length of Venom's back from her waist up to rest on the back of her head, gently pulling her mouth back to his as he kissed her deeply and passionately. Teal eyes slid closed once more while he gave himself up to the passion they had kindled between them, the fire in his belly stoked and raging up once more. A quiet groan escaped him while he poured his love back into Venom through their kiss. But it wasn't enough. Not to tell her how much he loved her as well.

With his lover wrapped up tightly in his arms, Maverick shifted his weight and rolled them both over on the plush fur bedding, winding up on top of Venom while she settled on her back beneath him. Mav hadn't broken their kiss during the move nor had he separated their bodies yet, and only once he was holding himself above her did his muzzle leave hers, the giant wolf breathing hard and heavy again while he gazed down at the angelic face and hypnotic eyes of his beautiful Venom. His. The Empress was his and he loved her with all his heart. "I love you, Venom," he spoke back in a breathy, husky whisper, watching the way the candlelight flickered over the soft contours of her features, making the charcoal and snow fae appear almost ethereal beneath him. "You make me feel like no one else has. You brought me life I thought I'd never feel again." Holding Venom's gaze with his own, a little roguish, lovestruck grin played on his lips while the paw still holding her hip kept her steady while he slowly withdrew from her, sliding his own hips back with a heavy, pleasure-laden breath. "Now I'm certain too."

There was only one last thing Maverick needed to do—claim her and make her his, just like he had promised he'd do when she had finished. Watching her face so he could drink in all of her reactions in the moment, Maverick pressed his hips back into Venom's, sinking himself within her once again with a deep groan and a subtle roll of his eyes. His paw flexed over her hips, gently pulling Venom up to meet his steady rhythm of smooth, strong thrusts. He started in a way reminiscent to their first time together. Slow, sensual, yet strong and deliberate. Each movement was specifically tailored to rub Venom the right ways and make her feel everything all at once. Maverick was truly making love to Venom in this moment, conveying to her through their bodies how deeply and intensely he felt for her. If she wanted more, he would give her more. He would give her everything her heart desired for the rest of their days. But for now he maintained his steady rhythms, working his body with hers in familiar and deeply intimate ways, losing himself in her eyes while he gasped and moaned for her. "I love you, Venom..." he whispered amidst heated sounds of passion, his free paw moving to catch one of hers to hold against the bedding while he made her his. "My Venom..."

"Venom & Maverick"

Entwined completely Venom was unable to catch her breath as the lay tangled up in one another. All she knew was him, inside and out, body mind, and soul. They were connected, they were one. Her heart was his for the taking and as their eyes met and his paws cradled the back of her head they both knew. There was no more doubt as he held her, closing the distance as she told him again that she loved him. He claimed her lips and her love, reversing the passion and need she had shown him mere moments earlier. Time stopped when he was kissing her, she closed her eyes and fell into his intimate affections. His warmth surrounded her as she savored the taste and feel of him. Fire burned deep in her belly just for him, and he knew exactly how to stoke the flame.

White gloved arms remained wrapped around his neck as he held her tighter and rolled their coupled bodies so she was nestled carefully in the plush furs of her bed. She continued ot kiss him despite the little sounds of delight that left her as he settled himself over her thin frame. That was when he finally pulled away, gazing down at her with teal gaze as the candle light flickered over his chiseled features. She watched as he heaved for breath and gasped for her. Her man. As much as he was giving himself to her, the inverse was true. He was giving her his mangled heart to repair as she offered hers in return.

He admitted easily how she changed his life, made him feel things he never had or thought he never would again. Venom felt the same. He’d saved her life that day as much as he changed it. He opened her eyes and showed her the life he could offer, one that was so different from anything Venom had ever known. Maverick freed himself, bringing a heady groan from her lips as he assured her the certainty he felt in his words. All at once they were joined as one again.

Venom gasped for breath as he rolled his hips into hers, she relinquished any control and became putty in his paws. Heavy lidded eyes thinly veiled the way her eyes rolled to the back of her head. By now he knew exactly how to bring her the greatest pleasures, and his experience aided in the ecstasy created between them. He coaxed unrestricted sounds of pleasure from her lips with the steady and strong movements of his form, driving her to the edge. Mixed with gasps and moans his confession of love mixed and met her ears. Venom bit her lips as she looked up into his eyes as he pinned her against the bed and claimed her just as he said. She was all his, and she gladly gave herself up to him. "Yours, Maverick.” She promised with a soft gasp, barely able to string together her words as he loved her in intimate ways. "Don’t hold back.” She asked him, catching his gaze again as she reveled in the way he overwhelmed her.

"Venom & Maverick"

The sounds and cries of passion that Maverick was able to coax and pull from Venom were like music to his ears. Mismatched adds perked atop his crown while he savored his lover's every reaction, every response to the motion of their bodies working together tightening his core and setting his soul ablaze. The sensations of their bodies becoming one over and over and over again flooded him with a deep-seated euphoria that was amplified by the love that burned in his heart for the perfect fae of shadow and snow wrapped up in his arms. Maverick watched Venom as she writhed and rode her way through ecstasy with him, a roguish grin on his face and elation on his expression while he watched the way her sunset eyes rolled back behind heavy lids and her mouth hung open with gasping breaths and heady moans. Together the two crafted a carnal symphony for one another, danced an intimate duet with their bodies, the dire brute answering her every sound with breathy grunts and rumbling groans of his own. Where Venom became putty in his paws, his muscles had never worked more fervently, rippling and roiling as his hips pressed hers into the bedding beneath them. By now they both knew what the other liked, and although they were still learning one another, it was easy for the pair of lovers to bring one another unrestrained pleasure of the highest order like they had been made by the gods to do just that.

Maverick grit his teeth as he ground his hips firmly into Venom's, eyes screwing shut with a guttural groan while his body tensed and shivered from the electricity running through his veins. His paw that held hers against the bed squeezed hers in his grasp, the other around her hips flexing to dig his claws into her supple flesh and secure his hold around her. Teal eyes slowly fluttered open again in time to meet her smoldering gaze while Venom bit her lip in an erotic display, stealing the brute's breath away. In this moment she was all his, and she was willingly giving all of herself to him as she showed in her expression, her reactions, and her body language. Then Venom gasped out the breathless promise that she was all his amidst her sounds of pleasure, those simple words striking something primal deep inside him. A baser instinct within the male that urged him to claim his fae, to control and dominate her in this moment so she would know nothing but the world of pure euphoric rapture. Venom was the Empress to all outside the walls of their chambers. But here, she could be put flat on her back with a huge smile on her face by one special scruffy renegade.

But Venom wasn't done stoking that lustful fire inside him yet. His partner husked through staccato breaths, pleading for him to not hold back. Maverick held Venom's gaze for a moment, his own eyes glazed over with pleasure and desire, seeing the way she was reveling in the wonderful sensations they created together. Venom didn't want him to hold back? Then she would get what she desired. Seizing the opportunity to take control of his Empress, Mav responded with a deep, lecherous growl that sang of his yearning for her. His pistoning hips didn't let up for even a beat, still rolling their hips together in strong, steady grinding motions while his paw around her waist gripped tighter. Hind paws braced against the bedding, kicking at it while he worked his hips with all his might, practically sliding Venom across the bed were he not holding her as securely. Navy lips pulled back from pearly teeth, exposing them in a silent snarl while he exerted his strength to love his partner senseless, feeling the tightening of his core threaten to overwhelm him. Maverick held out though, refusing to come undone before Venom did with him. He wanted to sent them both careening into blissful climax together, a perfect way to punctuate their declarations of love for one another.

"Venom & Maverick"