Thank you for reading on ! We provide free access to all our stories, but maintaining this platform requires ongoing costs. To keep the site running and continue offering free content, we display advertisements. You can close the ads anytime, or upgrade to premium membership ($5/month) for an ad-free reading experience while supporting our mission. You can also earn premium for free by completing simple tasks. We truly appreciate your understanding and support!"Skin against skin Abril remained a good mouse, quiet in Alessandro's arms, at that moment when anxiety and fear invaded his mind. His arms became her refuge, her place of peace, where everything else ceased to matter. "I love you," she whispered silently. "I love you, Lessan, and I'm happy to be by your side. Until you remember it, you have helped me so much to be happy." Alessandro pulled back slightly, wanting to see Abril's face, to read the expression that graced it at that moment. His heart was dreaming, and his eyes were misty.He caught a tear with his lips before it could run down her skin, speaking softly. "I hate not remembering my past. I hate making you suffer because of it." Abril caressed Alessandro's cheek. "I hated it at first too, but as each day passed, I realized how lucky I was to still have you by my side." "I'm lucky to have such a wonderful wife who loves me so much." "Do you really feel lucky to be my husband?" "Yes, very much so." Alessandro placed Abril's hand on his chest, allowing her to feel the steady rhythm of his heart. When she felt the strength of his heartbeat, she felt happy.That heart belonged to her. "I have to wait a lot, don't you believe?" Abril said, her voice teasing. Alessandro blinked. "What are you talking about?" Abril's hands slid inside his shirt, caressing his muscular torso with a sensual smile on her face. "What do you think?" Alessandro knew what Abril was referring to; he had told her he wanted to wait for something special, as it would be the first time they would be together since he had lost his memory. Yet he struggled with how to approach it, feeling he had no right to claim her when he had forgotten her.He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and asked, "I have no right to touch you." "Who says so? That right was given to me. Look." "But I still feel like I'm not worthy." "We don't know how much time we have, and you want to waste it thinking like that? I don't like it." "Of course you're precious, and I desire you madly. You can't imagine what it does to me to control myself." "Is that what I told you? That you have to control yourself?" Abril leaned in, her lips brushing against his. "You don't have to control yourself, Lessan. I don't want you to.I want you to love me and show me-through words and actions. I want you to demonstrate it with your body, with your caresses, with your kisses. I want all of you." When Abril touched Alessandro's lips again, he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. He wondered why the demons had waited so long. Alessandro's mouth was warm and soft, his body firm and wonderful against her. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the sweet kiss. When she felt his tongue brush against hers, a chill ran through her, so intense it felt like she might die. Abril wanted more. She wanted it all.She couldn't hug him tightly enough, kiss him quickly enough. A moan escaped her throat, so powerful it resonated in her heart. Abril pushed him against the desk, her hands roaming over his back, sides, and arms. She wanted to revel in the feeling, to strip away their clothes so she could feel Alessandro's calloused hands against her bare skin. The intensity of that desire consumed her. Years had passed since her husband had been with her, sharp nights of solitude filled with longing for his caresses and kisses.Alessandro's lips left hers to trail down her neck, grazing a spot behind her ear, and Abril gasped. He continued down her collarbone, igniting a fire of passion between them. Alessandro lifted her into his arms and set her on the desk, their bodies entwined in kisses and caresses. But when Abril began to remove his clothes, he halted. "What's wrong, Lessan?" she asked, her voice thick with desire. "Tonight, I don't want our first night to be here." "You told me just once. I don't care about the place; I just want to be with you.I don't want to wait, Lessan." Alessandro leaned closer, kissing her deeply. "I want to wait too, but this isn't the right place or moment." "We can go to another room if you want a bed to be more comfortable, even though it never mattered to you before." Alessandro smiled at Abril's words, unable to imagine what kind of relationship they had before. "We will have it tonight." "You're not fooling me." "No," he replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Abril laughed. "But it's worth keeping your promise. I'm not a little girl anymore, Lessan.A simple hug isn't enough for me." Abril adjusted her clothes and began to drift off to sleep beside Alessandro. When she woke in the night, she found Alessandro rushing home. Abril waited for him, wearing a light shirt that left little to the imagination. She dreamily asked, "Why did you take so long? I thought you wouldn't come." Alessandro drove furiously, desperate to close the distance that separated them. He would die to hold her in his arms.Abril welcomed him with the same passion, their hands hastily shedding clothes, exploring each other's bodies, wanting to etch this sensation into their minds. Their hungry mouths searched for each other, and amidst kisses, they reached the bed. Alessandro kissed her body over her shirt, but she wanted more. She craved the warmth of his mouth exploring her bare skin. So she quickly shed the last of her clothing, leaving nothing to cover her. Alessandro took a moment to admire her nudity, his mouth forming a question."Is it okay for us to continue?" Abril helped him remove his pants, kissing him softly. "If you dare to stop, today I want to be completely yours, and for you to be completely mine. Love me until our bodies are spent and fully satisfied." Alessandro fulfilled Abril's wishes, and that night they expressed their love in a way only lovers could, skin against skin. Preparing for battle Abril rested in Alessandro's arms. He held her hand, their fingers intertwined, while in the afterglow of their lovemaking, he had glimpsed some memories-or at least that was how it felt.The sound of rain pattered against the window, accompanied by distant rumbles of thunder. Abril tried to shift, as the position was uncomfortable, but Alessandro held her in place. "Let's stay a little longer." "My arm is falling asleep." When Abril expressed her discomfort, he refused to let go. She looked at him seriously. "What's wrong? Do you regret being with me?" "That's not it.I just thought I remembered something about us, something from the past." "What did you remember?" "It wasn't exactly a memory." "What did you remember, Lessan?" "An image appeared in my mind of us dancing under the moonlight." That, without a doubt, was a memory. "How do you remember it? You were supposed to have lost all memories of me." "I don't know, but it felt like we were one. Our marriage mark shone brightly for a moment, and then it came to me, but I'm not entirely sure. At that moment, my senses were clouded." A wide smile spread across Abril's face."The marriage mark is a bond that unites two people as one, connecting them in such an intimate way. This connection grows stronger; perhaps you can recover your memories." "Do you really believe it was like that? Maybe it was just my imagination and not a true memory." "That memory was real; it wasn't just your imagination, Lessan. Even if it's a small hope, let's hold on to it." Abril climbed on top of Alessandro without releasing his hands, smiling as she said, "We have nothing to lose by trying. Besides, this is just the beginning.You've made me wait too long, so don't think I'm finished yet." That night, several memories returned to Alessandro-memories of walking with Abril through the palace gardens and strolling along the beach, moments where he could see the beautiful smile of his wife. She had made him so happy, and it didn't seem like a lie. That night, they slept embraced, sharing warmth and fragments of their memories. The next day, the rain had not stopped. The sound of thunder awakened Abril, and she sat up, startled, thinking it was an attack. Alessandro wrapped his arms around her."Calm down, it's just the rain. Go back to sleep a little longer." Abril rested her head on his chest, listening to the sound of the rain. They had worked hard to create something great on the land. But in that moment, she could only hear the steady beat of Alessandro's heart. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment, wishing it could last forever. She hoped the battle that threatened them would never come. Abril returned to sleep, waking hours later to find Alessandro getting up. "Where are you going?" "I need to call Sirius.I must meet with him." "I'll accompany you." Alessandro pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Rest a little longer." "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" "No need. Stay here and rest." "Will I see you at mealtime?" "I'll try." Alessandro finished dressing and went to meet Sirius. He felt anxious about the meeting, but when he saw Sirius, he greeted him. "Good morning, Your Majesty." "Good morning, Sirius. Thank you for coming so prepared." "I brought several mages with me, just as you requested. What do you need us for?" "Cira has one of his favorite fans in his power-Hades.noveldramaSo you must be wondering how long it will take him to come for the key that is in our possession." "Do you want us to reinforce the barriers?" "Yes, but you're not alone in this. When they attack us, I want the citizens to have a place to take refuge. I want the mages to defend those places." "You'll need a list of all those locations to send to the mages." "Tell Gabriel to provide it to you." "Is there anything else?" "What do you know about the marriage mark?" Sirius blinked several times, clearly caught off guard by the question."Is that what you want to know?" "I've recovered some memories. At this moment, the marriage mark on my brother and Abril is shining." "Hmm... I've never heard of anything like this. The purpose of the marriage mark is to demonstrate the union between two people, the pact made to be together until death separates them. But it's something that only humans use, which is why I saw Cassian. The marriage mark acts differently for someone who isn't human, so how does it work with Maya?" "Abril is part elf, and I'm a guardian." "Then why are you asking about the marriage mark?It has a different function for us, but recovering your memories is a good thing." "I don't believe the memories I'm recovering are mine." "Why not?" "I think they are Abril's memories, which she is sharing with me through the marriage mark." "Even if those memories are something you share, they are still part of your lives together." After recovering the seeds of darkness, Cira set out to return to Lalos, but along the way, a great storm arose. She got lost and had to find shelter from the rain. While waiting for the rain to stop, she contacted Liona.Liona had hired several mercenaries-assassins-to form part of her army, intending to attack Cosset and seize his second key to Hades, allowing them to open the doors to the underworld. "Is that where you want them to be, princess?" "I want you to take them to Cosset, and I intend to go unnoticed. It will be easier if they enter as humans, and that will give us an advantage." "Understood." "I'll be in touch with you every few days, and I will join you when it's time to attack. Don't let them discover you, Liona. Don't disappoint me." "I won't, princess.I'll do as you ordered." "I will contact you again, Matiana." "Be careful, princess." "The battle will soon begin, as soon as the walls are ready." Cira finished the communication, and Liona said to herself, "Don't let anyone take my life; I am not someone weak."