A/N: A HUGE thank you to everyone who left such wonderful reviews on the last chapter.

This chapter is a short one, but it was the hardest chapter I have ever written. I knew I wanted their scene to be tasteful and I did not want it to veer into the realms of smuttiness, so I hope I succeeded on that front. I'm as nervous as a sinner in church posting this chapter, as sex scene are not easy for me to write. So please do be gentle with critique :)

So, without further ado, here is the next chapter - I hope you enjoy it :)

His fingertips trailed down her back, his touch blazing a heated trail through the thin material of her dress. A fine tremble coursed through Charlotte's body under his featherlight strokes as Thranduil deepened the kiss, the intensity of the moment causing their eyes to flutter closed as they surrendered themselves.

In the background the flames from the fire flared, competing with the ignited passion that was quickly kindling between them as tonight marked the moment of them coming together as one. Tonight, there would be no turning back. There had been no turning back since he had first laid eyes on her, a thought whispered like a lover's caress in the back of his mind.

His hand splayed against the small of her back, drawing her flush against his body as his other hand entangled in her hair, his kisses becoming more demanding as though he sought to devour her. The inferno building up between them was almost too much to bear and yet it was not enough. It never seemed to be enough.

Charlotte rose on her toes, snaking her arms around his neck as though she were the flower seeking the warm rays of his light. Their tongues danced sensually against each other; her body pressed against his with what could almost be described as restrained anticipation. She wove her fingers into the silky strands of his hair, scraping her nails against his scalp as the urgency became palpably unbearable.

Thranduil groaned in pleasure and pulled back to gaze down at her, the flames from the fire reflecting in the cool blue surface of those electrifying eyes. In the gloom his sharp gaze could make out the pink flushing her cheeks, her swollen lips slightly parted as she gasped for air. She truly was a sight to behold in this raw moment of unadulterated fervor, and he couldn't help but be enchanted by the woman who held his heart captive.

He trailed his thumb tenderly over her bottom lip, captivated. No matter how many times he kissed her, he always yearned to taste more of her. He dragged his gaze up to Charlotte's eyes, noting they were now darkened with desire - a desire he was certain was reflected in his own. He lowered his head and captured her lips in a slow, heated kiss, pouring his love into this moment. He was almost floored by the intensity of love he felt being echoed right back from Charlotte.

He slowly trailed his hand up her back, eliciting a shiver of anticipation from Charlotte. His fingers found the zip, and with aching unhurriedness, Thranduil pulled it down little by little, his fingertips skimming over her silken skin and causing goosebumps in his wake.

Charlotte drew in a shuddering breath, the ache inside her welling to unbearable proportions, and she desperately hoped that Thranduil would not prolong this exquisite torture - though a part of her knew that he was only just beginning.

Thranduil laid a featherlight kiss on the sensitive spot on her neck just under her ear, causing her to breath to catch in her throat and she writhed against him, eager for some form of release.

"So impatient," he murmured, his breath ghosting against her skin like butterfly wings.

Charlotte, if she could have thought clearly, would have made a cutting remark. Instead she angled her head to give him better access to her neck and was rewarded with a sharp nip on the tender flesh. She moaned out loud, unable to halt the helpless whimper as he soothed the hurt with a caress of his tongue.

His hands drew up to her bare shoulders, reveling in the softness of her skin, and then he slowly pushed down the sleeves of her dress as he continued nipping and kissing along her neck. The lacy material slithered down her body and fell at her feet in a crimson pool, now completely forgotten.

There was a palpable cracking of electricity in the air as Thranduil pulled back slightly, letting his predatory gaze rake over the perfection of her half-naked body, which was now clad only in lacy black lingerie and red stilettoes. The sight alone was almost enough to break him.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she took in deep breaths, standing before him in the most vulnerable way a woman could stand before a man. Charlotte suddenly felt self-conscious and nervous, but seeing the desire, hunger and adoration reflected in Thranduil's gaze, and knowing that she was the one causing it, gave her a renewed sense of confidence.

She stepped out from of the crumpled dress now at her feet and closed the distance. She placed her trembling hands flat on his chest, noting how fast his heart was beating under her palm. It would seem that the great Elvenking was just as nervous as she was, though he was better at hiding it than her. Charlotte slowly lifted her gaze to his and licked her lips, the movement drawing the King's attention to them.

"We can stop if you want," he murmured.

Charlotte stared up at him, seeing the simple truth in his eyes: he would, indeed, stop if she asked him to. It was in this moment that she truly glimpsed the honor elves possessed, their actions reflecting their sanctity for all things good. But right now, she did not want any of those noble traits: she just wanted him.

She silently shook her head, the soft waves tumbling against her bare shoulders.

"No, Thranduil. I want to be yours. Not only for tonight, but for as long as you'll have me."

Warmth illuminated his features and he tenderly caressed her cheek.

"I would have you forever by my side, meleth nîn."

Their lips brushed together lightly, reflecting the tenderness of the moment, as well as the unspoken love that they had professed for each other. The air rang with the truth of their vows and soon the passion ignited, the kiss deepening and intensifying as their bodies molded perfectly together. Thranduil's fingers dug into the soft flesh of her hips as he pulled her firmly against him. There would be bruises in the morning, but Charlotte didn't care.

"You are absolutely beautiful," he murmured against her lips.

His words called to a primal part of her and she placed her palms against his chest, gently guiding him backwards until his legs hit the back of the couch. Thranduil raised a brow, quite taken aback by her boldness, yet he could not deny that he quite enjoyed witnessing this side of her.

Charlotte, her hands shaking slightly, started to undo the buttons on his jacket and pushed it off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor in a crumpled heap. She met his penetrating gaze with renewed feistiness and then undid his tie, pulling it free from his collar with a slow, deliberate tug. Thranduil watched as she dangled the silky tie from her fingers and let it slip from her grasp to flutter to the floor.

The corner of his mouth quirked up, enjoying this display of dominance from his little spider. She was quite the spitfire when she wanted to be.

Charlotte started to undo the buttons on his shirt one at a time and it took ever ounce of restraint not rip it apart, something she was seriously contemplating doing as she fumbled with the last two buttons. With a growl of frustration, she pushed Thranduil back. He had been expecting this, though, and let himself fall back into the spongy cushioning of the sofa without surprise or protest.

Before he could blink, Charlotte was straddling his lap, her lips grazing against his as she rocked her body in a sensual manner against him. Thranduil was painfully aware of how intimately she was pressed against him, now that barely any clothing separated them, and he was finding it rather difficult to concentrate.

He wrapped his arms around her, his hands eagerly exploring the sensuous flesh exposed to him, and he hesitated for a moment before boldly stroking her bum. Charlotte groaned into his mouth as his hands kneaded and rubbed at the soft flesh, and she pulled back enough to finish her task of unbuttoning his shirt. She tugged forcefully at his shirt and Thranduil obligingly leaned forward to let her discard the item of clothing.

With the shirt now gone, Thranduil pressed his hand against her back and entangled his other hand in her hair, drawing her in for another searing kiss that was almost bruising in intensity. Charlotte panted for breath as Thranduil continued to kiss down her neck and collar bone, and she unconsciously arched her back. Thranduil murmured something in Sindarin, but Charlotte was too far gone to care what he was saying. Her body was trembling for release, a release that only he could give her.

Charlotte decided to do what she had been desiring to do for quite a while. She ran her tongue along the pointed tip of his ear and was rewarded with sharp inhale, followed by a deep moan from the Elvenking. It would seem that elf ears were very sensitive, she thought smugly to herself. Her smugness was immediately washed away when his mouth closed over her nipple through the lacy material of her bra, his teeth gently grazing the rosy bud.

Charlotte didn't know how much more of this she could take. Thranduil was taking her to new heights, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. She had never known desire and love entwined so tightly together to cause an explosion of this magnitude within her. She felt as though she was going to shatter into a million pieces under his ministrations.

Suddenly she felt herself being flipped on her back on the sofa, Thranduil hovering over her with dark and smoldering intent written on his features.

The atmosphere shifted and became thicker with the promise of what was to come.

Thranduil's heart constricted at the sight of Charlotte laid before him, completely at his mercy. But, he realised, he was now utterly at her mercy as well. Tonight, they would come together as one; a union that would seal their fates and continue with them for the rest of their lives together.

Thranduil lowered himself onto her, relishing the feel of her legs wrapping around his waist as he kissed her with a deep-rooted passion. He was vaguely aware of her nails digging into his back, and the pain coupled with the fervent urgency almost sent him over the edge. Wrapping his arms around her, Thranduil lifted her up as he stood.

"As much as I would enjoy making love to you in front of the fire, I think I would prefer the finer comforts of a bed to make you completely mine," he murmured against her lips.

Charlotte did not have time to protest, for he swiftly made his way to his bedroom, carrying her with effortless ease. The room was completely bathed in inky darkness, and Charlotte clung to him, feeling vulnerable in her blindness.

Thranduil laid her on the bed with care, gently pushing her back until she was lying flat on her back. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest as she wondered what he was going to do. Being unable to see what he planned next heightened her anxiousness and she restrained from squirming in anticipation.

The bed dipped as Thranduil crawled next to her and she reached out blindly for him. He took her hand in his own and kissed the back of her hand tenderly before firmly placing her hands on either side of her head.

"Tonight, I intend to worship you, meleth nîn," he murmured, his voice low and husky. The dark promise of his words thrilled through her like the currents of the ocean, strong and urgent.

Charlotte groaned as Thranduil kissed and nipped along her heated skin, taking his time to taste and feel every inch of her body as he memorised each and every curve. He listened carefully to the signals she was giving off and soon learned which spots made her moan and which spots made her cry out in unrestrained passion. Her whole body was alive and thrumming with ardor and soon he would become consumed in her fire.

His fingers hooked under the material of her panties and he pulled them off with agonising slowness, drawing out this moment of anticipation. The panties, along with the bra were discarded to the bedroom floor, lost in the darkness of the night. Thranduil kissed the flesh on her inner thigh and worked lower to her calves until he reached her feet.

"I would like for you to keep the heels on," he stated firmly, leaving no room for argument.

"Yes, my King," Charlotte breathed out hoarsely. She would have agreed to anything if only he would end this sensual torture he was putting her through. Thranduil smirked to himself, quite pleased at how he had reduced her to this passion-fuelled state.

The weight of the bed shifted as Thranduil climbed off, and Charlotte swallowed hard as she heard the unmistakable sound of his pants dropping to the floor.

Thranduil crawled up her body like a lithe panther, heated skin rubbing illicitly against heated skin as he slowly trailed kisses up her body before capturing her lips in a fiery kiss.

Thranduil pulled back enough to gaze down adoringly at the woman who was giving herself up to him, just as he was giving himself up to her. He caressed her cheek tenderly, his heart constricting with the unbridled love he felt for her.

"Gi melin, Charlotte."

"I love you, too, Thranduil," she whispered without hesitation, her hand coming up to rest against his own.

The dark of the night bore witness to their passionate unity; their love sealed in the most vulnerable and intimate act that two lovers could possibly share. As they whispered their love and cried out each other's name as the fiery storm engulfed them, their fates became irrevocably entwined with each other. There would be no turning back from this moment.