Blake, The Vampire King

"Do you, princess Maria, mate of prince Blake, vow to always look out for the good of the vampire community at all and any cost?" She was asked. "I do," she said simply.

Somehow, instead of living the present moment-their coronation which would never come again- she remembered the day she got married to Blake in an old chapel in France.

She started to respond instinctively with I do's whenever it was convenient without really hearing the question.

Maria was only making vows again, not just to the man she loved, but also to the kingdom they'd have to rule together.

Heavens have mercy, her mate was magnificent! To say she loved him would be the understatement of the world.

He had done everything in his power to make her feel at ease when she woke up amnesic in a palace where she knew no one. He had gathered their friends so she'd remember. He had not touched her, because he respected her way too much to force things just because they had chemistry. He had stopped calling her cara, as per her wishes.

He had been nothing short of the most selfless man, vampire, mate, ever.

How could she possibly not love him? Especially when she saw a vulnerable side of him she had never seen before in their time together as mates?

How could she not love him when he had fought for her to remember, killed for her as well?

She could still see his haunted face when he told her he had killed an old friend of her. In what world did he believe she'd get upset at him for having done so when it would have been the most natural course of action to her too, had she been in his shoes?

She'd kill any motherfucker who'd dare to come in between them, no questions asked, no blinking required.

Despite the years together, she still loved him just the same... and maybe more so now than before. It amazed her how one man could elicit such response from her body and have such a hold on her heart. That was the beauty of being mates, she guessed.

When it was all done and said, the audience that was mostly royals and nobles – which in itself was a big crowd admittedly - cheered "Long live the king! Long live the king!" and they dropped down on one knee in supreme acceptation. "Long live the king," Maria fell to a knee at her mate's feet as well, without thinking much of what the protocol said, of what was required of her as a queen.

Blake's reaction was to reach out for her and bring her into a standing position. He smiled at her briefly before claiming her lips in a searing kiss.

When they broke for air, she said in a happy contented voice albeit in a murmur, "I love you, Blake."

"I know," was his response.

No matter how much she longed to hear the L-word from him, she didn't mind not getting her wish as she knew how deeply he felt for her. And thus, she just beamed at him before turning to face the audience.

"Long live the king! Long live the queen!"