Avernus || Book 1 ✔️

||Bael||

My eyes fluttered open to a bright light and I groaned, turning my head to escape the intrusive beams but with no success.

I then tried to shift my body to get away, but I found my limbs uncooperative, not even moving an inch.

Sudden dread washed over me, and my heartbeat picked up in my chest  as my mind became overwhelmed with confusion. That was, until I heard a soft purr that reverberated against my stomach, making me bite my lip to hold back a giggle.

That tickled.

Oh.

My body instantly relaxed and my face heated in realization.

I don't know how I didn't feel the heavy weight of my mate that was quite near suffocating me. I was lying on my back but I lifted my head up a bit to see that almost his entire body was on top of mine; his head was resting right above my...bosom, and his right arm was laid across my body, essentially restricting my arm's movements.

My brows furrowed as I noticed that the silk sheets were in a crumpled heap on the floor, and after taking a glance at our intertwined legs, I could only guess that we were not the most peaceful sleepers last night.

"Hello"

Azrael's voice was laced with sleep, raspy and delightfully deep. But there was something different, a light rumble that coated his words that made me peer down at him in curiosity.

That was not Azrael.

Everything about him looked the same, except the inky black colouring that blanketed his eyes.

He rolled off of me a bit so that we were laying next to each other, but both of us were on our sides, analyzing one another.

"Hi" I finally repeated in a quiet breath. My eyes were eagerly soaking in his pretty face, as if I was just meeting him for the first time.

But I was in a sense; this was my mate but another part of him—his daemon.

"You're Bael, aren't you." I whispered again, noting how the corner of his lip twitched upwards at my words.

"And you're mea Rosa ." He rumbled, a slight accent to his tongue.

My Rose

His hand reached out to caress my cheek and my breath hitched as his fingers touched my skin. Now that I was fully awake, it felt like all my senses were hyperactive; why did this simple touch make my tummy jump and flutter—the last time I checked, there weren't any butterflies in there.

Bael raised a brow at my behaviour, messy strands falling into his eyes as he tilted his head ever so slightly.

"Are you alright?"

I flushed as he caught me staring and averted my eyes to my fingers that were fiddling with my shirt. 

"Y-yes. W-why do you..." I trailed off as I felt his hand move from my face and slide down to rest right above my chest.

I held my breath, my cheeks heating as my brain screamed over and over that he was so close to touching my breasts.

"I can hear your heart racing," his lips quirked up in realization, "Is it me? I don't mean to overwhelm you."

He started to move his hand but I grabbed it and gave it a soft squeeze.

"No, it's not you. I-I mean it is b-but..You just...you make me feel weird. B-but it's not a bad thing, I promise."

My words were scrambled and disorderly but it was so hard to explain. Similar to the very first time he revealed himself, his presence was distinct and commanding. It was obvious he was a very powerful being, the air around us felt heavy, and every rumbled syllable that passed his lips—gosh.