The Dark Heir - Nyx

49. Theia

"Nyx, I would love to be your wife, but let us have time. We only just calmed things with your father. Your uncles still hate me, I haven't even seen your aunts, and your cousin probably wants to peel my skin off for stealing you away. A decade, maybe two, and I will marry you."

She thought it was reasonable. They had all the time in the world, so why rush? Nyx still hadn't gone to many meetings or established himself as heir. Well, he has but only throughout two centuries. Some of the other heirs have been making their mark as emissaries or joining the High Lords at any meeting necessary. Nyx had simply just travelled to the courts.

"Decades are too long. I'll give you months," Nyx argued, pushing her thighs open and climbing between them.

"You cannot seduce me into marrying you," Theia stated, forcing a frown as his lips ghosted hers.

"We both know I don't need to seduce you, Theia. You are always willing, if not desperate, to have me."

He was right, but she didn't want to admit it. Though, his claim was truth enough when his hand grasped her waist and his teeth tugged at her pouted lip and she moaned. A gasp tore from her throat when Nyx used his grip on her waist to tug her down, her head hitting the pillows. The weight and warmth of his body covered her entirely. His thigh wedged between hers, his lips trailing across her jaw.

"Marry me, Theia."

Her eyes fell closed, her body arching into his touch. His sinful voice whispered it again, and again, followed by slow kisses to her jaw and neck. Damn him. His hands slipped down her thighs, squeezing the soft flesh as he rolled his hips and groaned.

"Marry me," he repeated yet again. His teeth grazed her throat, making Theia drop her head back with a moan.

"Yes, yes. I want to be your wife," she murmured, taking a fistful of his hair and dragging his mouth to hers. He was smiling into the kiss, which made her smile. She felt how hard he was against her thigh and it made her shudder, lifting her hips to urge him.

"Good girl," Nyx praised, taking her jaw in his hand and tilting her head up to deepen the kiss. Heat rushed through her at his words. He was conniving, devious and cruel. She loved him all the same.

Despite her hesitations before, after she agreed, Theia was sure it was the right choice. It was the right choice when she whispered that she loved him, when for a moment their touches grew gentle. She was entirely sure when his hand was around her throat, making her head spin as he slammed his length into her over and over again. It was his name that tore from her throat as she came again and again, and it was her name that he cried out between his teeth as he bit down on her shoulder.

Theia wanted to marry Nyx. Maybe it was rushed and she was right to be hesitant, but they could worry about that when the sun rose. He was rough and relentless, but then gentle and caring. Theia loved the two sides of him in the most intimate times, but she also loved the sides of him outside of the bed. When he'd wash her hair, or spin her around in the rain. She even loved when they'd argue, because despite how frightening he was when he was angry, Theia loved the crease between his brow and the way he seemed to bite down on his cheek to keep cruel words from slipping.

Nyx cleaned her up and laid her in the bed. Theia climbed onto him when he laid beside her, her head against the thrum of his heart and his arm looped beneath her wing, his hand resting on her hip. Theia watched the way his chest rose and fell with his heavy breaths. She couldn't turn her mind off, even with how exhausted she felt. She agreed to marry him. Theia would marry Nyx. She would be his wife, he would be her husband. Husband.

"What are you thinking about?" Nyx asked, his voice low and raspy. He was nearly asleep. Theia brought her knee up, draping her leg across his hip.

"You proposed to me, I agreed. What else would I be thinking about?" She retorted, still in disbelief. Nyx arm tightened around her, making her body press against his.

"Are you excited?"

Theia brought her hand up, tracing the dark curls of hair in the center of his chest. Was she? How would everyone react? Would Feyre and Rhysand give their blessing? Feyre would, but Rhysand was questionable. Though, the thought of being a wife, his wife, was entirely exciting. It made her heart race and her fingers feel numb.

"Yes, but I'm afraid. Your family doesn't exactly like me," she murmured, tilting her face up. Nyx was gazing at the ceiling, his thumb drawing slow circles on her hip.

"My mother will give her blessing and that's enough for the Priestess to allow it. I don't care what my family has to say about it. I'm entirely and hopelessly in love with you. I want you to be my wife and you will be."

He sounded certain, but Theia wasn't. Cassian hadn't exactly seemed so keen on her existence the last time she saw him, and Azriel... Well, Theia wasn't sure what he thought of her. Rhysand had apologized, but it didn't mean he approved of them being together. She hadn't seen Nyx's aunts or Mor in a long time, so she wasn't sure how they'd think of her.

"Could he remove your recognition as heir?"

Nyx's hand stilled on her hip at her question. He sat in silence for a long moment.

"No. I'm his only child, the sole heir. They'd have to have another child to be able to remove me, and I don't think my mother is willing to do that," he finally answered. Theia frowned, remembering the whispers of Nyx being saved by the Cauldron and Nesta when Feyre birthed him. They'd died, or at least nearly did. Theia shuddered.

"What if they deny us?"

"I'll find a Priestess that doesn't care about the word of the High Lord."

Theia didn't miss the way he only mentioned his father. Feyre loved Theia and would bless them over and over again. Nyx had said they only needed the blessing of one, so perhaps they'd be able to wed as soon as they'd wished.

"Theia, I don't want you to worry. Sleep and dream about the wedding you want. Wake up with the excitement of us being married, and leave the worrying to me. I have some things I need to do before I ask them. Everything is perfect right now, so let's leave it that way, okay?"

Theia nodded, bringing her face back down to watch her fingers dance along the dusting of hair. A smile crept onto her face when she felt him kiss the top of her head and pull her even closer. His wife. Gods, it sounded beautiful. She had thought it was too soon, but the moment she agreed, there was nothing else she could want. To share everything with him, and maybe one day, have a child of their own. Theia's heart fluttered as she closed her eyes, unable to wipe the smile from her lips.