It was as if the pain of the past two years, the frustration of the last month, her failure to seduce her mate, the visions, the river, the clash on the marble... it was as if it was all bearing down on her, overwhelming her mind, casting away any rationality, leaving only emotion in its wake.
Elain's thoughts and feelings thrashed before her, circling around in indecision before latching with finality on his request. The request which was burning a hole straight through heart: "I want you to come on my tongue."
She shivered as the last bits of hesitation all but vacated her body.
Tonight was Calanmai.
And tonight, Elain Archeron decided that she was going to be gods-damned selfish.
She was not going to play by the rules. She had a lifetime of playing by the rules waiting for her, and right now, in this moment, she had only Azriel on her mind.
The desire wracked Elain's body again as she watched him stride toward her. He was so tall, his muscled legs so perfect, his wings so beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful. Gasping, Elain gazed at him as he closed in on her, reaching toward her face, his hazel eyes trained on her lips, angling her face and drawing her mouth to his, as he breathed a single word.
"Okay."
Azriel kissed her top lip, and she felt herself dissolve into pure carnal desire.
He traced her mouth, parting her lips as he plunged his hands into her dried hair, pulling her face closer with both his hands. She moaned softly, the fire within her body burning, matching him kiss for kiss, her tongue greedily slipping into his mouth, his taste lighting her senses alive as she lowered her hands, unable to stop herself, dragging them down his chest, across his muscles and a light layer of curled hair cresting his skin before she wound them around his abdomen, clasping them behind his back.
They kissed like that for a while, slowly and passionately, the dark moon of Calanmai pouring through the arched opening of the palace until the arousal between her thighs had her nearly begging for relief, her body dripping with the need for his forbidden lips. She moaned quietly as Azriel released his mouth from hers, slowly kissing the length of her jaw, up toward the corner of her eye, and then down her neck.
And she felt him take a step into her, forcing her back slightly, before he repeated the movement, step by step kissing her neck, her chin, her chest until he had backed her into the cool marble wall of her bedroom.
Elain's eyes flew open on impact, and she raised them toward Azriel's, her mouth parting, wet and swollen, her breath hitching as he trailed his hands along her arms, circling her wrists. She nodded slowly as he suddenly pulled her wrists above her head, holding her hands to the wall with a single grasp as he dragged his other hand down the length of her back, squeezing her ass before pulling her thigh to his hip, hoisting her toward his hard cock, sealing her mouth with his, only the wisps of clothing separating their bodies as it had been in the alcove.
She yelped, breathing heavy and breaking away from his kiss as he ground into her, releasing his own rough moan into the quiet of the moonlight.
"Elain. Ugh." Azriel breathed the words into her ear, and she nearly climaxed from the sound of his low voice alone, from the sheer beauty of his words. "You're perfect."
Pausing briefly, Azriel released her wrists, and with his hand he gently turned her face toward his, staring deeply into her eyes, still grasping her thigh to his hip. It was as if they were the only fae to ever exist in the history of Prythian as she stared into those hazel eyes, his dark lashes lining them perfectly. Her chest was heaving, nipples tingling, her sex positively pulsing with need, as Azriel's gaze dropped down to the space between them, his cock straining against her.
"I've wanted to do this to you for so long." His low voice rumbled through her entire body and Elain merely nodded toward him again, a small squeak fluttering from her closed mouth as she swallowed, his hazel eyes lighting her entire body on fire.
Releasing her thigh, his eyes trained on hers, he lowered himself to a kneel, parting his legs and sitting back on his heels, his wings relaxed behind him. She nodded, biting her lip and hitching her gown to her stomach, gathering the fabric upward as a small cry escaped her lips, whimpering her need for him.
Dragging his eyes from hers, Azriel reached toward her hips and wrenched the soaked underwear down her legs before he gently ran a hand up her leg, lifting her thigh and pulling it over his broad shoulder in a quick movement, parting her before him. She felt another release of desire wet her sex, now dripping down her legs as Azriel's eyes took her in, a moaning growl releasing from his throat as he inhaled her scent up close. She leaned back into the marble, as another whimper escaped, his tongue running the length of her thigh, trailing up her skin and toward her glistening sex, her hands plunging into his silk black hair.
But just as he neared his target, the Shadowsinger drew back, a breeze of cold air swishing past her parted slit, causing her to gasp, then frown in frustration. Elain felt her desire take over as she bucked toward his face in greed, her leg clamping over his shoulder as another mewl escaped her lips, her arousal so tender, so urgent, offering herself to him, and pulling on his hair slightly, drawing him toward her wetness.
She watched as a small smirk crested his jaw as Azriel drew his mouth to her thigh again, his tongue caressing her skin, traveling the same route, up toward the apex of her body before she closed her eyes.
This time, he met his target. And at that moment, as his mouth met her wet and tender flesh, Elain heaved a gasp, all the air exiting her chest, her eyes rolling back as his tongue parted her. Releasing another moan, whispering his name, she sank into his touch, into his mouth, her hands gripping his hair as she fell completely and totally into the pure pleasure of Azriel's mouth on her.
He feasted on her, licking and twirling her nerves, his tongue plunging into her, as Elain began grinding into his mouth lightly, her thighs shaking as she whimpered, spreading herself even wider, tilting into his mouth, her back arched. She let herself go completely, riding his tongue as he circled her throbbing bundle of nerves, moaning and breathing out his name.
"Yes.... Yes... Az... Azriel... " Elain's words were swallowed up by her own whimpering moans as her eyes fused shut, releasing a hand from his hair and drawing it to her nightgown, pulling the neckline so she could grasp her heaving breast.
Running her fingers across her tender nipple, desperate for more stimulation, she had no reservations left. All she wanted was this moment. This pure, perfect, maddening pleasure.
Opening her eyes, she looked down briefly, and her breath caught again. The sight of Azriel's perfect face feasting on her most intimate place... it caused yet another wave of wet desire to flow out of her, and he groaned into her flesh in response, his eyes flashing up toward her, noticing her hand rubbing her breast. He growled, nipping her slightly before he reached behind her, grabbing her ass cheek and pulling her tighter to his mouth.
And at that moment, Elain felt the tension within her explode as she let out a gasp, her fingers still twirling her nipple, her legs slick with his mouth and her soaking wetness, crying out as she crested over the edge, falling into ecstasy, her other hand still woven into his hair. She was unable to control herself, falling back against the marble, her body bucking and twitching, moaning his name as the thrilling pleasure radiated through her legs and up her stomach, into her very core.. her very soul. Elain felt as if she had truly died and gone to the heavens; for there had been no greater pleasure in her life than the sensations Azriel was unleashing on her female body.
As the reverberations from her satisfaction began to wane, Elain tried to retreat from his mouth, dropping her hand from her breast, before she inhaled sharply, realizing that Azriel had no intentions of releasing her, his mouth parting her again, his tongue circling her throbbing bundle of nerves.
She pushed against him, struggling to escape his mouth, trying to pull her leg back, but just as she felt she could take no more, her body fell into another cycle of raw unending glory, swallowing her whole, even more all-encompassing than the first time. She cried out, riding the wave of pleasure as she ground herself into his mouth, her muscles contracting and radiating through her entire body until she was completely and utterly spent, falling forward slightly from the overwhelming satisfaction.
Elain finally stilled, her grip on his hair loosening as she blinked away the stars, unable to form a coherent thought. And it was then, and only then, that he drew his away, staring into her eyes, his thumb running the length of the skin on her thigh, his other hand still cradling her backside. Elain felt a tear roll down her cheek as she rested against the wall, throbbing from the pleasure, exhaling the breath she had not realized she was holding.
Releasing her leg, and reaching toward her waist, Azriel pulled her to him, her gown falling back down over her thighs, as he drew her onto his lap, holding her to his chest, their heaving breaths slowing together as she rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes.
Elain felt him rise, lift her up, and walk across the room. He laid her gently on the bed, and she stared up at him, the moonlight sparkling across his wings, taking in his perfect face, unsure of what to say. Unsure of what she was feeling.
"You don't have to say anything." His low voice cut through the silence as she stared up at him, her face still wet with the tear. "I'm just happy you chose to be selfish for once."
Azriel turned, and for a moment she feared he was leaving, but he only sidled toward the vanity stool, dragging it across the room and next to her side of the bed, sitting down and tucking his wings behind him. He reached a scarred thumb to her forehead the way he had done when he had first entered her room less than an hour ago.
"Sleep."
Azriel's command fell over her, and Elain felt the physical and emotional exhaustion of the Calanmai day weigh down on her at once.
She nodded as she felt another tear roll down her cheek, from the pure pleasure he had unleashed upon her still-throbbing body, or perhaps because she didn't want to close her eyes. Because although this day had been treacherous and fraught, it had ended so beautifully, she could scarcely believe it was real.
But she obeyed.
And all throughout the night, she did not toss and she did not turn.
But as the sun began peeking through the curtained arches of her room, Elain woke with a start, alone in her room, her eyes dragging toward her fingertips which had begun to radiate a golden light, increasing in ferocity until they were shooting across the room. She let out a startled yelp, willing the light to dim, but it merely increased, shooting golden rays onto every surface around her.
And as she dreadfully expected, Elain felt her vision blind, her head thrown back into her pillows as the images came.
She saw a fae female standing at a distance wearing fighting leathers. Her long red hair was tied back, swishing and sparkling in the sunlight. The image danced before her before dissolving, replaced with another, of dark shadow. Azriel, shock knitting his brow, his voice ringing into the very depth of Elain's mind.
"You... you're my mate. We have a mating bond."
Elain watched his confused face in horror as the image dissolved back into the red-haired fae female, who was turning around, her red hair sparkling, her posture one of joy and laughter as she turned, nearly revealing her face before the vision ceased, and Elain was left with only the view of her floral ceiling before her.
And as her senses returned, she heard a piercing scream, shrieking through her bedroom. Shooting to an upright position, Elain searched for the distressed female, only to realize that it was her.
She was the one screaming in agony.