The Moon Is Full Again

"Funny to think that there was a time where I didn't think we would last.
Now I can't see myself ever letting you go."

For as long as she was on Earth she wanted Zakhar to be by her side, she would protect him to make sure that his life span was as long as her's was.

She pressed a gentle kiss to his chest as she nuzzled her face in against his fur.

Zakhar definitely wasn't leaving anytime soon.

And me.

It seemed like it was in the distant past, even if it was only a few meagre weeks ago.

But in that time they had just gotten closer.

He couldn't see himself leaving her any time soon. He would quite happily stay by her side until his dying days.

The small smile on her lips widened, it was nice to know that her feelings for him were not one sided, he felt the same way too.

Zakhar was everything she had hoped for and more, he was devoted and cared for her, and she cared for him too, equally.

"I guess we have your horrific cooking to thank for all of this."

She added with a soft laugh, that was how everything started.

He laughed.

One good thing about my cooking skills, I suppose.

He could definitely thank his lack of ability in the kitchen right now. Without that he wouldn't be here with his Mistress like this.

That thought was painful.

He didnt want to think of a possibility of not being Belial's Slave.

"I'll definitely be forever grateful to that monstrosity of a stroganov."

Lia laughed softly as she lay against the Wolf, her hands raking through his thick black coat, her ear pressed against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

"It is almost funny, seeing us now and thinking of that first session down in the dungeon."

Zakhar had thrashed and snorted at the idea of her being the dominant between the two of them.

It wasn't that bad! he insisted.

I've made less edible foods than that. I could still be able to eat that with little problem. He had cooked much worse than that.

The Lycan shook his large head at the memory.

I was so stupid back then.

Right now he was happy with their arrangement. He couldnt believe that once upon a time he had objected to it.

"It was pretty bad." She insisted.

Teasing Zakhar's cooking was one thing she could do easily because it was hard to defend burnt meat.

She smiled and chuckled softly, shaking her own head.
"You weren't stupid, you just didn't know what kind of Master I would be.
We both took a gamble and it turned out well, it could've just as easily gone the other way."

Perhaps I should cook for you and show you what an inedible meal looks like.

If she thought that meal was inedible, she would be in for a shock when she saw some other things that he had cooked.

I'm glad I took the gamble in the end.

It had been something that he wouldnt have been able to love without. This was something that he had become addicted to. He couldn't live without it any more.

"The thought of someone you care for cooking a meal for you is meant to be romantic but I can't help but feel like you are threatening me."

She replied, the thought of Zakhar cooking dinner for once brought a smile to her face until she remembered what his cooking looked like and she quickly dismissed that.

"So am I, if I hadn't found you I would've left the mansion a long time ago, gone back to Persia or Istanbul."

A soft chuckle shook the wolf's form.

Yes, it was a perfect threat; Zakhar cooking for someone. The best way to poison someone, he was sure.

The Lycan had only half-heard what Lia had said as he thought about how they had first met.

But 'back to Persia or Istanbul' had caught his attention.

You're leaving? The question was asked in a quiet whisper as panic started to bubble inside of him

She smiled and shook her head, holding him close.

"I'd never leave without you, I've told you that already when we were down at the beach.

I said if I hadn't met you I wouldn't have stayed here, I'd go back there."

Other than a vast amount of people who hated her Italy really didn't have that much to offer her.

But now she had Zakhar and that was reason enough to stay without complaint.

He nuzzled closer to her when she pulled him close.

The panic in him faded as she explained.

His panic had been self-induced. He hadn't listened to what she said properly and jumped to conclusions.

He needed to listen to her better.

His tongue lapped over her face again.

The Demon let out a soft laugh as he lapped at her face, poor Zakhar seemed to be so worried about her leaving him.

"If you were any other of the Slaves I have owned I'd say it is completely likely that I might just up and leave.

But not you Zakhar, I can tell you right now, I have no intention of living without you.
Now I just have to keep you alive since you're not immortal."

The Demon was truly immortal, she couldn't be killed, only sealed away, if Zakhar died, he would be gone unless she could bring him back.

His dark silver eyes lightened dramatically.

She wasn't going to leave him. She wanted to stay with him. She had no intention of leaving him.

Joy swelled in his chest as he almost barrelled her over, tongue lapping wetly over her face and neck, whining in his excitement.

He truly had a wonderful Mistress.

Lia giggled as lapped at her in excitement. One day she would truly get it through to him that she wasn't going to leave him and he wouldn't need to feel insecure about it any longer.

Her hands stroked over his muzzle, smoothing over his ears and she petted him and held him close.
Seeing Zakhar so affectionate and happy brought the Demon an immense amount of joy.

"You're so special to me Zakhar, don't ever think otherwise."

He gave a happy whine, his tail wagging frantically as he continued to lap at her skin.

He hadn't expected this to happen when he shuffled into the clearing earlier. He had expected fights and seclusion.

But he had been able to bond with his Mistress.

And he couldn't be happier for it.

Bonding with Lia was amazing.

Ever since Achinoam arrive the Demon had found herself feeling more and more emotion as the days went on and she exposed herself to them.

She had always been fond of Zakhar but there was another feeling being mixed in with it all, at the moment it was faint, trying to break through the dumb senses of the Demon, but there was something there, something that didn't have a name yet.

The closer she got to the Wolf the stronger she felt it.

A smile graced her lips as she held him tight, her hands stroking over his fur.

Zakhar was having the same issues with thinking over the emotions he felt.

But, unlike Belial, he had a name for his emotion and it wasn't the obsession he had felt beforehand. No, this was a much more beautiful emotion. A much scarier emotion for the Lycan.

Love.

He could feel it and he knew it but he still tried his best to avoid it. He wanted to hide from it.

The last time he had loved, they had just upped and left, leaving him behind. He didn't want to go through that again. Never. Belial had assured him that she wouldn't be going anywhere but he doubted her. He doubted everyone that said they would stay with him for long stretches of time.

She gazed up at the wolf affectionately, the aching in her chest didn't subside, the closer she was to the Lycan the tighter it got, like something was trying to escape.

The heart is not the soul, Belial. It doesn't mean you lack a soul if your heart doesn't beat.

Achinoam's words held more meaning now that she dwelled on them, her heart may not beat but that did not mean she was a heartless creature that could not feel for another, she had a heart, in her chest but it had simply forgotten how to beat and her soul had forgotten how to feel.

With time and the right influences your soul can be healed. You can feel love, you just ignore it.

Belial had given into her hatred long ago but slowly day by day as she spent time with those she cared for, Achinoam and Zakhar, she could feel herself slowly being healed.

The Lycan shifted to lay next to the woman, resting his large head on her stomach, looking up at her.

He didn't want to admit that he loved her, but looking at her like this, he just couldn't deny it. How could he deny loving such a wonderful person as Belial? No matter what form the Demon was in, Zakhar loved her just as much.

His tongue lolled out of the side of his mouth as he nuzzled against her bare flesh.

She stroked his head softly, her dainty fingers running through his thick black fur.

A soft smile was set on her lips, she knew exactly what was happening to her, and she had no desire to stop it.

Everything she was feeling was surreal yet, she liked it, it reminded her of the time before she had fallen, where she freely felt emotions like these.

Comparing these feelings to ones she had felt before everything that had happened she knew what the name for it was.

"I love you, Zakhar."
She muttered softly, Lia knew it was true, her fondness for the man had grown quickly as she had allowed herself to feel love again instead of harboring hatred.

The Wolf froze when she muttered softly.

She loved him.

That should have been something to celebrate. She loved him. His Mistress loved him. The Demon that thought she had no ability to love truly loved him.

But he couldn't help but feel a little panic bubble in his chest.

Love led to other things. Love led to heartbreak and pain. The last time he had loved, he had been abandoned. He didn't want to feel that again. it had been too much the first time around.

He hoped that Belial wouldn't leave him, but there was that small bit of doubt niggling in the back of his mind.

Her smile didn't waver as he tense, she didn't expect him to feel the same way about her, either way it didn't matter.

"Sorry, that was inappropriate."
Masters were meant to care for their Slaves, even if love was a factor in that relationship it wasn't something that was openly discussed.

"I feel silly now, thinking back to the day where I told you not to make me your mate because I couldn't offer you what others could.

I know that regardless of whether my heart beats or not that I can still feel this way towards you.

It's rare for me to feel this way towards anyone and I know that a relationship like ours can be fleeting and easily broken.
That's why I want to be more than just your Mistress, I want to be your lover, and mate."

She could still be his Mistress above all else, but she wanted to accept the role of being the Wolf's mate, something that bound them more than just dominance.

She wanted to be his mate.

That meant a lot to him. It meant more than her wanting to be his Mistress. It meant more than her saying she loved him.

She wanted to stay with him. She accepted him and his traditions and wanted to be a part of those traditions.

He pushed himself up to stand again, eyes sliding closed as he tried to concentrate on shifting back into a human. It wasn't all that easy under the influences of the full moon.

When he had successfully shifted back, his eyes snapped open and he lurched forwards to hug her tightly.

"I love you. Ya tebyA lyublyU."

______
I love you

Lia sat up as Zakhar stood, he had been completely silent and rather tense.

She thought for a moment that she had upset him with her confession and the way his eyes closed seemed to look like he was preparing himself for something.

Perhaps he didn't feel the same and was prepping himself to reject her.

The Demon's smile wavered slightly as her eyes cast to the ground, that thought actually hurt, she had never had to deal with emotional rejection like that before.

When his arms wrapped around her a relieved exhale passed her lips as she held onto him just as tightly, her hands clinging to his back.

Lia didn't have anymore words, she just buried her head in against his chest and held him, relief flooding through her as her chest ache in joy.

"Ya tebyA lyublyU."

She muttered softly in return, completely taken back by the Lycans sudden reaction.