Aelin
The male scampered away with his metaphorical tail between his legs, utterly scared for his life. Rhysand practically pulled with rage behind me, his territorial fae instincts out in full force.
Glaring, I turned to face him, "What was that?"
He froze, unsure how to react to my sudden anger before recovering and growling back, "He was too close to you. He wanted you, and he's lucky I didn't rip his spine from his body for daring to talk to my mate in that manner."
"I'm sorry Rhysand, I must have missed when I suddenly became a helpless maiden and not a deadly assassin and fucking queen," I snarled at him. "If you think I will allow you to fight my battles as if I am a weak female just because we are mated then you don't know me at all."
All of the blood drained from his face, and the helpless terror on his face as he scrambled to backtrack has a snicker breaking free of my charade. I smirk at him as his rambling stops, eyes narrowing at me in accusation.
Before he can say anything else about my little performance I simper at him, "Good I'm glad we have that cleared up, now if you don't mind I want to dance."
I snag Mor's hand, who was waiting behind Rhysand with our drinks, laughing silently at the entire ordeal. "By the cauldron, Aelin," she giggles at me, "You are going to drive them crazy trying to figure you out."
I snark back, "As I should. Can't have my mates getting bored of me now can I?"
I sneak a glance back to the bar, where Rhysand is standing looking completely at a loss. Rowan has joined him talking in low tones. He looks up and I salute him with my drink as I feel the amusement and exasperation pouring off of me in waves. Despite my mischief, part of me settles at seeing my two bonded mates getting along so easily.
I twirl away, dancing to the pulsing beats of music while Mor and I pass back and forth a bottle of wine. The lights are low and sultry besides the occasional flashes that coincide with the loud enthralling music. I'm certain there is no hall like this anywhere in Eirlea and am determined to create one once I am back in Terrasen. The logistics of my future threaten to overwhelm me, but I push them back. Just for tonight, I ache to push back my responsibilities and decisions that are breathing down my neck.
I lose myself further in the beat of the music until I feel a hard body press against my back. The scent of pine and snow filters through me and I relax into him as he brings his lips to my ear, "That was cruel, Fireheart."
He grinds his hips against mine and I nearly pant at the sensation of him against me. It had been less than a week since I claimed this male as my own, and yet I am already desperate to feel him inside me again. I quirk my lips at him, purring, "I have no idea what you are talking about."
Another body presses against my front, and I look up, instantly lost in violet colored eyes. He pushes me more firmly on Rowan, forcing me to hold back a moan at the sensation of being trapped between two of my mates. Both of them grind into me to the beat of the music and my heart is thundering in my chest. How in the hells am I supposed to get anything done with these males tempting me at every corner. That doesn't even bring into account Cassian and Azriel. Something tells me those two are just as wicked as the males currently boxing me in. If they even want to be bound to a monster like you, something whispers in the back of my mind.
Thankfully, Rhysand chooses that moment to ghost his lips up my neck, utterly distracting me from my errant thoughts. He brings the lobe of my ear between his teeth, drawing a deep groan from me before purring, "Hmmm really, darling? I think you may have forgotten that while you are fearsome and strong in your own right, it's not just you anymore. You are ours," he practically snarls, "and we take care of what's ours, don't we Rowan?"
Rowan's hand snakes around my neck from behind, pulling me more firmly against him. He hums, "Of course we do." His other hand moves up my ribs slowly, until his graceful fingers brush against the underside of my breast, forcing my traitorous breathing to hitch in my throat. I can feel his smile on my cheek as he feels it, his voice low and seductive as he continues, "Perhaps our queen needs a little demonstration about how well we take care of what is ours."
A sinful smirk graces Rhys's stunning features as he nods, eyes darkening with desire, "I think she does."
My pulse comes faster as they move impossible closer, hiding me from the rest of the dance floor. Rowan moves to grasp my breast more firmly, and when he begins to tweak my already hard nipple, Rhysand delves down to swallow my moan with a sinful kiss. He snaked his tongue into my mouth and I am thoroughly lost in their sea of desire.
Between Rowan torturing my breasts and Rhysand's drugging kisses, I began panting with need alarmingly quickly. I grind my hips desperately against them, praying for relief when I feel Rhys's hand move towards the high slit in my dress, subtly slipping his hand between the fabric before moving towards my already dripping center.
Rowan groaned at my movements as Rhysand circled around my clit, causing me to grind against his hard cock. Moving one hand from my breast, Rowan tangled his hand in my long curls, harshly jerking my head to the side so he could suck and nip at the curve of my neck. His tongue teased at his mating mark, eliciting a wanton moan from my lips.
The pulsing beat of the music disguised our sounds, while the bulk of their bodies ensured no other fae had a glimpse of how they tortured me. Rhys pressed against me harder, roughly shoving two fingers inside me, fucking me slowly as I pressed against Rowan. I trembled as Rowan nipped at my ear whispering, "You're going to come for us, Fireheart, right here on the dance floor. You'll know just how much you're owned by us, by your mates, and how much you own us in return."
I whimpered, and it only drove them harder. Rowan destroyed my neck, sucking, teasing and biting, while his other hands toyed with my nipples. Rhysand ground his hand into me, fucking me harder with his fingers until I was nearly shaking. I grabbed at Rhysand's hair, pulling his mouth to mine desperately to try and disguise the sounds escaping me.
Pleasure coursed through me, overwhelming me and I dropped my head back against Rowan's chest. I panted, and suddenly realized there were two other pairs of eyes latched onto mine hotly. I arched against Rhysand and Rowan as my body clenched in pleasure as they took me over the edge. I gasped in pleasure as I came, right there in the middle of a crowded dance floor, eyes locked with Azriel and Cassian who were watching the scene with hungry eyes.
Cassian
Freezing cold water splashed on my face and I jolted upright, blearily taking in my surroundings. My head pounded as I looked around, realizing I had collapsed on the couch in the House of Wind. I vaguely remembered crashing here with Azriel after I had drunk myself into a stupor to avoid saying something utterly idiotic to Aelin last night at Rita's.
Rowan had reverently carried her to bed last night after she nearly passed out at the booth from her hours of thoroughly distracting dancing. My lips tugged into a half grin at the memory of how completely joyous and free she had been on the dance floor. Then I had to suppress a groan when my traitorous memory flooded with the image of her reaching her climax on that same dance floor, and my dick began to twitch at the thought of what I could do to recreate that rapturous look on her face.
It had been both miraculous and miserable being able to witness my mate being brought to such heights when I couldn't join in. My cock had been painfully hard the entire night and I'd had to drink excessively to stop myself from throwing her over my shoulder and forcing her to admit the bond between us. Preferably through multiple orgasms.
A hand shot out and slapped me across the back of my head. "I don't want to know what is going through your mind to make your scent change like that, but you need to get your lazy ass up, Cassian." I groaned, glaring up at Mor where she stood over me with a disapproving expression. I was about to tell her to fuck off and let me sleep off my hangover when she spoke next. "The mortal queens wrote back. The rest of the court is in the dining room. Stop pining pathetically and come be helpful."
She strode away without a second glance and I swore underneath my breath before forcing myself to ignore the worst of the pounding behind my brows. I had no doubt that Aelin would want to deal with these queens herself, which meant I had to be there to protect her.
I stalked towards the dining rooms, rolling my shoulders back in a shallow attempt to loosen some of my tense muscles from sleeping on the cauldron damned couch last night. The rest of my court were seated as I arrived, Aelin at the head of the table between Rhysand and Rowan, who were studiously going over documents of the information we had on the mortal realm. Amren already had a suspiciously opaque goblet in front of her while Mor delicately sipped a cup of coffee across from her. Az had positioned himself at the corner of the table, behind Aelin, and offered me a nod of understanding as I entered.
I threw myself into the seat opposite of Aelin, desperate to observe my mate, and she glanced up at me with mischief glimmering in her eyes. "Feeling alright this morning, puppy?" She goaded me.
I snorted, tossing a grape into the air and catching it between my teeth. "Not all of us are so delicate about where we sleep, your majesty. I was perfectly fine without your usual silken sheets," I fake sneered at her.
I wanted to curse. Why did I have to bring up her fucking sheets. Now all I could see was Aelin spread out against my own black silk sheets, golden hair fanned out like a flame as I descended upon her -.
Amren snorted, roughly drawing me out of my daydream when Aelin snorted in amusement. "Oh I am well aware of my own proclivities for luxury Cass, I was merely referring to the fact you drank enough to down an ox last night."
By the cauldron, my name sounded so fucking sweet on her tongue.
Rhys cut in before I could antagonize my little warrior any further, "The mortal queens have finally deigned to respond. They will meet us in a neutral location within the mortal realms."
Rowan nodded solemnly, in full warrior mode. Their careful attention brought out the commander in myself, and we spent the next few hours debating locations before finally landing on an abandoned estate just over the wall. It was unfortunately close to the Spring Court, but at least we knew Tamlin wouldn't be an issue.
I saw Rhys physically bite his tongue at Aelin's insistence at attending the meeting, and while the primal part of me wanted to keep her protected and safe, the strategist in me understood she was our best chance at getting through to these humans. It didn't hurt knowing just how powerful and fierce she was.
Miraculously, we were all able to decide on a plan of action, and the response was sent back. In a few short days, we would meet with the mortal queens.
Cauldron save us.