Safe Harbor
By Misha
Disclaimer- Not mine. I’m just borrowing them for a little while and will return them when I am finished.
Author’s Notes- I got two different prompts for “unbreakable kiss” for Diavolos/Kenna, one specifying during Book 3. It took me a while to come up with the right idea, but I finally got it. This ended up more sweet and emotional that steamy but Diavolos does that to me sometimes.
Pairing- Kenna/Diavolos
Rating- PG
Summary- After Kenna defeats Azura, Diavolos reveals their relationship to the entire castle: including his father.
Words- 969
Kenna lets out a sigh of relief as Azura’s body crumbles before her eyes. It was finally over. Somehow she actually managed to pull it off.
She won.
She doesn’t really have time to process that thought as her friends immediately surround her, congratulating her, but even as she accepts the hugs and congratulations, her eyes are scanning the crowd for one specific face.
Diavolos.
Somehow, even though she is surrounded by her closest friends, he is the person she needs right now. She knows all the reasons why she can’t go to him though and why he can’t come to her, so she’ll settle for looking at him.
Their eyes meet and she can see the relief there, as well as something else. Something deeper. Suddenly, he pushes himself through the crowd to make his way to her side. Before she can really process what is happening, he’s at her side pulling her into his arms, his lips claiming hers in a deep kiss.
Kenna can hear the whispers and exclamations all around them, but she tunes them out. She just focuses on the kiss. It feels so good. His arms are wrapped tight around her and his lips are rough against hers, kissing her like she’s never been kissed before. It’s as if he wants to mark her as his. And maybe he does. After all, here’s something very dominant about Diavolos and Kenna has to admit she finds it very intriguing. Last night, he’d claimed her body, today he seems intent on claiming her soul.
Kenna is gasping for air when they finally break apart and she clings to him. “Hells…” He mutters, “I didn’t mean… I just… I was so…”
“I know,” Kenna says, cutting him off, “but I’m ok.” She’s aware that everyone is staring at them, but she doesn’t care. She rests her forehead against his, stroking his face. “I’m right here,” she tells him.
He nods and then looks concerned, “you must be exhausted.”
“Yeah,” Kenna admits, the weight of what she just went through finally hitting her. Suddenly, she feels herself being lifted off the ground and into strong arms.
“I’ve got you,” Diavolos assures her.
Kenna glances around at her friends who are watching her with varying degrees of shock and amusement, but no obvious disapproval. “You just want an invitation to my quarters.” She teases, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“You got me,” Diavolos says with a smile, “this is all part of my master plan to have my way with you,” he lowered his voice so only she could hear him, “again.”
“Hold that thought,” Kenna tells him, resting her head on his shoulder, “I want to be at full strength.”
“Definitely,” Diavolos agrees, “which is why you need your rest because I have plans for you, your majesty.”
Kenna shivers at the promise in his voice.
“Are you going to stand there flirting or are you going to let her get some rest?” Val asks impatiently, breaking up the moment.
“Lead the way,” Diavolos instructs and turns to carry Kenna out of the throne room, as he does her eyes meet Luther’s and the coldness she sees there makes her shiver again, but this time out of dread. It’s obvious he isn’t pleased with Diavolos’s little display and it’s a harsh reminder of everything that stands between her and Diavolos.
But before that thought can linger, Diavolos is carrying her out of the throne room and away from his father’s disapproving gaze. He carries her up to her room and very gently lays her on the bed. He steps back so Annelyse can examine her and when the Aurelian woman announces that she’ll be fine, but she needs rest, he turns to go with the others.
Kenna stops him, reaching out and grabbing his arm. “Stay.”
It’s a simple command, but it’ll change everything. She knows it and he does too. The night before they had taken care to come up with a reasonable cover to explain why they had gone off together and maybe they should continue to be discreet, but… Kenna can’t stop the need to have him there any more than he could stop himself from kissing her to prove himself that she was ok.
After a moment, he nods. “If that’s what you want.”
“It is,” Kenna assures him, her eyes meeting his.
“Make sure, she rests,” Annelyse instructs before she leaves them alone. Kenna is surprised by how accepting her friends are being but decides that they’ve either decided that she has earned the right to choose her own lover or they’re waiting for a better time to raise any objections they might have. Either way, she’s just grateful because she doesn’t have the energy to fight now. She just wants to rest in her own bed and she wants Diavolos there with her.
Diavolos undoes his sword belt and his crown and kicks off his shoes before undoing his shirt. Even as tired as she is, Kenna can’t help but stare at his bare chest.
He grins, “later,” he teases as he climbs into bed, “you need to rest, remember?”
He gathers her in his arms carefully and Kenna settles her head on his chest, marveling at how safe she felt. She knew it shouldn’t be like that, he was a Nevrakis after all, but he had become so much more than his name in such a short period.
Somehow has become her safe harbor. She knows they still have a lot to figure out, mainly where his father will fit into things, but that’s a problem for tomorrow.
Diavolos places a tender kiss on the top of her head, “close your eyes.”
Kenna nods and finds herself drifting off to an exhausted sleep, Diavolos arms around her, offering her shelter.
- End
