His other hand stroked her jawline almost reverently, callused thumb caressing the silken skin under her burning eyes. "Your past may be stained, my love, but your present is one of the bravest, most selfless people I've ever met. And it's that woman that I love with every part of me - demon or not."
At his achingly earnest words, Rose felt the first tear slip free, slipping down the ridged planes of her face in a glistening trail. Never in all her countless lifetimes had she imagined that acceptance could taste so sweet...or cut her so deeply.
"Blake..." she choked out, covering his hands on her face with her own. "How can you...why would you want anything to do with what I am?"
His answering smile was brilliant, eyes crinkling at the corners with the force of his emotions. "Because when I look at you, I don't see a monster or a demon. I see the woman who fought to her last breath to keep me alive. I see the person who opened my eyes to a whole new world of wonder...and love."
