Chapter Thirty-Eight – Millie
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Millie
My vision was starting to blur. Grim was giving me all he had, fucking me so hard and fast that it was almost too much. He was a supernatural being, after all, and compared to him, I was a frail little human. But I didn’t want him to stop, so I didn’t tell him I was close to my limit. I held on tight, my feet firmly planted on the floor, my knees pushing against the edge of the bed, my arms shaking as I held myself up. When the orgasm hit me like a wave, it nearly shattered me.
I saw black, so I closed my eyes, because there was no point in keeping them open. He stilled, and I felt him come inside me, his darkness pouring into me and enveloping me from the inside out. This time, it traveled through me faster, filling my chest and pushing out through my mouth. I opened my mouth and exhaled. I felt it come out of my nostrils. I tasted and breathed Grim, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
My knees gave in, and I collapsed onto the bed. He caught me and gently placed me in the middle of the bed, so I wouldn’t roll to the floor. There was no more strength in my limbs. I felt weak and so light, like a leaf blowing in the wind. He could do whatever he wanted with me, and I wouldn’t protest. It was a while before I could think clearly again.
I lay in bed, nestled against Grim’s cool, bony form. His fingers gently combed through my long black hair, sending little shivers down my spine. The silence between us was comfortable, but I could sense there was something we needed to talk about. Grim cleared his throat, a strange sound coming from someone without actual vocal cords.
“What is it?” I asked him. “What are you thinking?”
“You know that... well, we can’t have children together. I’m not exactly equipped for that sort of thing.”
I felt a small pang in my chest, but it wasn’t as painful as I thought it might be. I reached up and traced the line of his jaw with my finger.
“I know. And it’s okay, really.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “I don’t want you to miss out on anything because of me.”
“I’m sure,” I reassured him. “Besides, we have Elysia. She’s enough for me.”
Grim’s fingers stilled in my hair. “We? We have Elysia?”
I nodded, my cheek rubbing against his ribcage. “Yes, we. You’re part of our family now, Grim. If that’s what you want.”
His arm tightened around me, pulling me closer. “Of course it’s what I want. I just never thought I’d have the chance to be part of a family again.”
We lay in silence for a moment. Then Grim spoke again, his voice careful.
“Millie, about Elysia... Will you ever tell her the truth?”
I felt my body tense up. It was a question I’d asked myself countless times over the years.
“I don’t know. Maybe someday, when the time is right. But I’m not sure when that will be.”
Grim nodded, his bony fingers resuming their gentle stroking of my hair. “I understand,” he said. “It’s your decision to make. I’ll support you no matter what you choose.”
His words warmed my heart, but they also made me think. As much as I wanted this relationship with Grim, as happy as he made me, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. He wasn’t like other monsters. Many of them had lifespans similar to humans, but Grim... Grim was different. He had lived once as a mortal, died, and now he was undead. He could potentially exist for eternity. The thought made my head spin. What would that mean for us in the long run? I tried to push the thoughts away, to focus on the here and now. On the feeling of Grim’s arms around me, on the peace and safety I felt in his presence. But the questions lingered in the back of my mind, persistent and unyielding.
Grim’s fingers traced lazy patterns on my skin. I was lost in thought, my mind wandering to places I wasn’t sure I wanted it to go.
“What are you thinking?” It was his turn to ask.
I hesitated, not sure if I wanted to voice my fears. But Grim deserved honesty.
“I was just thinking... you’re eternal, and I’m not. What happens when I grow old and... well, decrepit?”
Grim’s hand stilled for a moment before pulling me closer. “First of all, you’ll never be decrepit. I’ll love you no matter what, Millie. Age doesn’t matter to me.”
His words were sweet, but they didn’t ease the knot in my stomach.
“Maybe it matters to me,” I said. “I’m beautiful now, but it won’t last forever. I’ll grow old, Grim.”
He let out a low chuckle. “I can’t believe you’re worried about aging when I’m literally a bag of old, ugly, dead bones.”
I couldn’t help but laugh too. “When you put it that way, it does sound a bit silly.”
Grim’s hand cupped my face, turning it so I was looking into the dark pits of his eyes.
“Millie, listen to me. When the time comes and you have to leave this life, I’ll leave with you. I’d give up eternity for you.”
“Grim, I–”
He placed a finger on my lips, silencing me gently. “We shouldn’t think about it now. It’s a long time until then. Let’s focus on the present, on us.”
I nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Grim was right, of course. Why worry about something so far in the future, when we had so much to enjoy right now? Just then, the sound of Elysia’s laughter drifted through the open window.
“I should probably check on her,” I said, reluctantly pulling away from Grim’s embrace.
I slipped out of the bed and grabbed my gown that I’d carelessly thrown over the back of a chair some days before. As I tied the sash, I walked over to the window, drawn by the sound of Elysia’s giggles. The sight that greeted me made my heart swell. Elysia was in the garden, skipping and running, Lady Mews trotting after her, tail high in the air. Even from here, I could see the pure joy on Elysia’s face. I forgot about my worries. All that mattered was this moment, watching my little girl play without a care in the world.
I felt Grim’s presence behind me. His cool hand rested on my shoulder, and I leaned back into him.
“She looks happy,” he said.
I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. Happy didn’t even begin to cover it. Elysia looked... free. Like the weight of her illness, of everything we’d been through, had been lifted from her small shoulders.
“I never thought I’d see her like this again,” I whispered. “After the diagnosis, after everything... I was so afraid, Grim. Afraid I’d lose her, afraid I’d never see her smile again.”
Grim’s arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer. “But you didn’t lose her. She’s here, she’s healthy, and she’s happy. You did this, Millie. You saved her.”
I shook my head. “We saved her. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
We stood there in silence for a while, watching Elysia play. My heart felt so full it could burst. This was everything I’d ever wanted – my daughter healthy and happy, and someone by my side who loved me unconditionally.