"I KID you not, she said that." Nesta slammed her hands down, shaking the dining table. "I am no woman. I am fae."
Cassian leaned across the table, bringing his wine glass to clink Elain's, the corners of his eyes crinkled with admiration. "That's our girl." His voice rumbled, nodded approvingly, his eyes flashing to Azriel's. "You've chosen well my brother."
Azriel smiled in acknowledgment of Cassian's well-wishes, though his eyes were trained on the curly-haired beauty beside him, her hand covering her blushing cheeks as she shook her head, protesting the victory talk. Elain's twinkling laughter echoed through the House of Wind, her rosy skin glowing in the candlelight.
"I'm as surprised as all of you," she smiled, taking a small sip of wine, still shaking her head. "Seeing Graysen... I can't believe I was ever heartbroken over him!"
"You're telling me!" Nesta rolled her eyes before grabbing onto Cassian's arm and snuggling into his shoulder. "But gods... I'm fucking happy we were able to stick it to him." Nesta's eyes flashed with excitement before softening. "And save the babies too..." She smiled warmly toward Cassian.
"I wish I could have seen you fight. You're so hot when you're swinging a sword." The General leaned toward her then, catching her bottom lip with his mouth, kissing his mate hard before nearly swallowing her face as Elain looked down at her plate, embarrassment flushing her cheeks.
"Alright, alright you two," Azriel stretched a hand out, swatting at the couple as he shook his head, chuckling. "I've been scandalized enough by the dining room in the house of wind."
Nesta broke away from Cassian, laughter sparkling and echoing off the stone walls as Cassian chuckled as well, stabbing a large piece of steak with his fork.
Azriel sipped his wine, thinking back to chaperoning the mates. The Shadowsinger's lips twitched with an involuntary smirk as a new realization slipped over him. So far, it seemed like him and Elain were turning out to be ten times worse than the happy mates sitting across from him. His mind flashed back to only an hour ago, moments before dinner, taking her against the wall of his bedroom, thrusting into her without restraint, her perfect breast at his lips, his hand gripping her mouth to muffle her moaning cries. His eyes dropped to her neck, Elain's long curls discreetly concealing the bite marks he had left on her skin just yesterday... if anything, it was getting harder to control himself with her, not easier. Despite the fact that they had been at it for almost a week now.
"Thank you for letting us stay with you." Elain smiled warmly, interrupting Azriel's musings, though her eyes betrayed a dark sorrow, no doubt exhausted from the events of the past day.
Cassian and Nesta had invited the newly established couple to come stay with them at the House of Wind for the time being. Things were slowly settling with Rhysand, but Elain felt uncomfortable in his presence. The revelation from their drunken night at the Inn, that the High Lord had been working against them as a couple... it seemed that she had not fully forgiven him for it yet.
"Rhysand is being such a little shit." Nesta spat the words out, causing Elain to choke on her sip of water. Always one to say what was on her mind Azriel chuckled to himself, happy for Cassian's choice in lady.
"Nes!" Elain protested, covering her mouth with her hand.
"He was just thinking of the political side of this all. It's not that he hates Az and Elain together..." Cassian came to his brother's defense jovially, resting a hand on top of Nesta's tensed fist. "And I know he is a firm believer in the mating bond. It's difficult for him to comprehend the Cauldron being wrong."
"He underestimates her." Azriel's dark voice rumbled across the table as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.
"I think he's just self-centered." Elain's quiet voice interrupted Azriel, the gathered party turning to stare at her. "He wanted me to mate with Lucien because it would have been less stress for him and his court."
"True... but he is the High Lord of the Night Court. I think sometimes his royal responsibilities get ahead of his family." Cassian's dark eyes were rimmed with respect for his High Lord.
"Cassian is right." Azriel agreed suddenly. "And after today, I think Rhys may have more respect for our connection..."
Cassian let out a huff. "No shit Az... I've never seen you like that in our five hundred years together."
Nesta straightened up in her seat, looking toward Azriel with acute interest. "What does that mean?"
But Azriel was avoiding her stare, his hand now reaching for Elain's under the table as his eyes scanned the lower lights of Velaris through the open-air balcony across from the dining table.
Answering for his brother, Cassian began speaking animatedly. "Nes, it was insane. Az basically uprooted all of Velaris when he realized Elain was missing. Honestly, it was kind of scary..."
"I thought it was a little dark when we came back, but I just assumed that was Rhys' Night Court shit..." Nesta rolled her eyes dismissively.
"Velaris wasn't swallowed up in Night Nes... it was swallowed up in Shadow." Cassian's dark voice rumbled across the table as Elain let out a startled gasp, her head swiveling to Azriel.
His ears began to burn as he dropped his stare from the view outside to his plate, picking up the wine glass and swirling the dark liquid around as he shook his head. "I just didn't know where she was—"
"One minute, I'm outlining plans with some Illyrians up at Windhaven," Cassian interrupted Azriel, launching into the story. "And the next minute I have Rhys in my head asking where the hells you three went. I fly down from the mountain, deciding to stop at the House to check for you. You're not here, obviously," Cassian was looking at Nesta before his eyes flashed back toward Elain, his wings flaring. "So I launch into the skies toward Velaris, only to realize that the whole fucking route is shrouded in complete darkness."
Elain's hand shot to cover her mouth as her other hand squeezed Azriel's scarred one tighter. She nodded, willing the General to continue his story as Nesta's eyes flashed toward Azriel as well, surprise wreathing her lashes.
"I'm like—wait.... What fucking time of day is it? Because I can't see for shit. Nothing. All of Velaris, gone." Cassian wooshed his breath, his hands out, nearly knocking over Nesta's wine glass.
"So I'm like—this must be REALLY fucking bad if the females are missing and Rhys is in my fucking head like he is. I'm flying, scared as shit that I'm going to run into a flock of birds or something, screaming at Rhys to lighten up the skies so I can land in one piece when I see this fucker flying above the city, siphons blazing, blue light nearly pouring from his eye sockets. Shadow and pure black darkness spearing down into the streets, wrapped from his ankles and wings and arms into the clouds and the city below... it was some freaky shit."
Nesta sipped her wine and let out a whistle. "Damn."
"Yeah." Cassian nodded, taking a sip from his wine as well. "Like I know you're a Shadowsinger Az, but fuck... after today... I feel like I really KNOW you're a Shadowsinger."
"How did he—how did you guys get him to stop—" Elain's voice was small, worry and fear twisting her features as her dark brown doe eyes turned to Azriel who was still staring at his wine.
"Well, Rhys was shouting at him from the lawn of the River Mansion, but Az wasn't there. It's like he had gone to another realm." Cassian shook his head. "I landed next to him and we just kind of had to wait until he lost steam. I think his shadows figured out you guys weren't in the Night Court?"
Azriel finally looked up from his wine to see Nesta tutting her tongue, smiling warmly toward Elain. "Well aren't you two the pair? Elain and her golden light, and Azriel's black shadow. It's perfect really... and on top of everything else... forbidden love..." She sighed romantically. "You do know that's one of my favorite romance book tropes right?"
Elain smiled and laughed at her sister, leaning closer to Azriel with a smile.
"After today, I'd classify their love as tolerated more than forbidden..." Cassian laughed and squeezed Nesta's hand. "Rhys seems to understand this isn't some crush..."
Azriel smiled, dropping his head again to look at the wineglass, his thoughts swallowed in the recent memories of the day.
The tang of fear and horror that had swallowed Azriel from the moment he sprinted down the hallway, remnants of Elain's golden glow still in the air, only to find her missing... it was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Unlike Hybern... unlike losing Rhys under the mountain... it was as if he had become darkness itself at that moment. His magic, which he had often kept at bay, in control and in servitude to him—it overtook him: swallowing him whole, Azriel falling into the belly of the beast, shadow, and magic, power and pain shooting from every part of his being, unwilling to stop, unwilling to be bridled until one question was answered:
Where was she?
He was only tangentially aware that he had taken to the skies, his limbs a mess of shadow and magic, siphons and power emanating and sweeping from his body and wings and into the city below. Agony and fury— menacing darkness floating above Velaris, his body seething with magic, shadows hissing and spearing as his wings flapped, rage focusing on the single task of locating her.
And when, after some time had passed, Azriel, unaware of how much or how little it was, did not find her—could not find her, he fell.
He fell from the clouds, his wings flapping weakly as he landed in a heap, hurtling from the skies like a fallen god of old. The defeat and despair began swallowing him, eating his flesh from within as he felt his body wracked with sobs, his breathing stunted and shallow. Panic and hysteria finally seizing his very soul, he felt as though death was near when Rhysand rushed to him, picking up his head to hold him, an expression of shocked dismay on his face.
Azriel had never opened his mind to the Daemati before.
He had never let him in—never allowed Rhys to truly see him: his life, his memories, his pain, or his trauma. He had always been guarded, always been at an arms-length, for five hundred years.
But at that moment, tears streaming from his eyes, his breathing dissolving into mania, he clutched at Rhysand's collar, thrashing in pain and agony, and he opened his mind.
Flinging open the doors of his psyche, Azriel revealed his memories, unveiled his soul, and invited the Daemati inside.
He showed Rhysand what she was to him. What they had vowed—what they had promised one another. He showed him the first time he had realized he loved Elain, long ago in the gardens of the townhouse. He showed him how she made him feel, the future he desired with her. He showed him how she had unlocked something hidden deep within him—how her presence had begun to heal his five hundred-year-old wounds. He showed him everything.
And after he was finished pouring out his soul, Azriel collapsed in his brother's arms, only one coherent sentence breaking from his gasping breath. "I can't... I can't live without her." Rhys pulled Azriel tighter to him, his own heart racing as the shadow around them began to dissipate. "I'll die." Azriel croaked out, his sobs now fading as Cassian came close to his brothers as well.
And Rhysand, with all the fervor and all the strength he had within him, had held his brother to his chest, nodding and willing strength into the Shadowsinger as he breathed out his response. "We'll get her back for you Az. I promise."
Coming out of his reverie, Azriel peeked over at Elain, his hand still woven into hers as he smiled over toward Cassian and Nesta. "You're right about that one Cass... this isn't some crush."
ﾟ☆: *.☽ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ☽ .* :☆ﾟ
Elain followed Azriel down the hall of the House of Wind back toward his bed chamber.
The retelling of the afternoon's events from Cassian's perspective had left her speechless, unable to voice her thoughts to Azriel, save for a warm smile and a gentle hug. After the battle, the sisters had secured the fortress before winnowing into Velaris, only to find the city in complete disarray. The winged Illyrian males were raging and arguing on the lawn of the mansion, siphons blazing and glittery night pouring from the clouds. Darkness seemed to be evaporating from the nearby streets, the disgruntled fae unhappy at the magical interruption on their afternoon. The hysterical yelling between the brothers had caught Elain by surprise, but after setting eyes on the sisters, the brothers had immediately ceased their argument, charging toward the females instead.
Rhys had declared that he knew Feyre could handle herself in battle, though Elain noticed a sickly pallor to his skin, and his white-knuckled grip on her hand didn't unclench until he had winnowed her back into the mansion. Cassian had bellowed at Nesta, chastising her for fighting without him, her sister rolling her eyes as she sauntered away swinging her hips and tossing her hair, though she had a smirk of obvious enjoyment playing at her lips as the General followed after her, his arms thrown wide as he continued his lecture.
But Azriel?
He was puzzling to Elain. His siphons were a dull blue, now she realized they had been drained, but there on the lawn, the heavy day weighing down on her, Elain had simply allowed herself to collapse into his arms, the Shadowsinger flying her up to the House of Wind immediately. She noticed that his heartbeat was normal and his face was set into his mask of casual indifference. But looking up at him as he flew, she could see a mild expression of hysteria set on his lashes, dried tears on his cheeks, and a tautness to his wings.
It reminded her of how he looked when he had rescued her from the camp in Hybern— but worse somehow.
She was going to ask him about it, but after landing in his room at the House of Wind, Azriel had simply held her tight before wordlessly stripping off her clothing, gripping her bare skin to his, rocking her in his arms. They had laid like that for a long time, peaceful, until she felt the inevitable arousal build, and then they were moving in synchronism, Azriel thrusting into her as her back was pushed up against the chilled wall, her legs wrapped around his perfect body. She felt the emotions of the day slip away as he fucked her, moaning and growling into her ear as she fell into ecstasy over and over... it was a heavenly use of her time, though now Elain wished she had asked him more about the afternoon.
Entering his room at the end of the hall, Elain's eyes fell to the nightstand beside his bed. "Is this the headache tonic I gave you for Solstice?" Her eyes danced merrily at Azriel, having just noticed her gift sitting on his nightstand.
Although she had been in his room earlier today, she had been... occupied... her eyes flashed to the wall on the opposite side of the room, warmly. Now returning to Azriel's chambers after the cheerful dinner with Cassian and Nesta, Elain was taking in the sight. His room was bare, save for a few items of clear personal significance, not unlike his rooms in Rosehall. The stone walls were bare, the desk nearly bare, only the basic comforts of blankets, a rug, curtains, and candles. It almost appeared like a guest room to Elain, save for the headache tonic on the nightstand drawing her attention.
"I may have kept it as a reminder of you..." Azriel answered her question, smiling back at her as he uncuffed the sleeves of his dress shirt, unbuttoning the front of it to expose his muscled chest.
"Darling, you were supposed to USE the tonic!" Elain huffed at him with a smile, shaking her head. "It's probably gone bad by now!" Elain picked up the tonic and laughed, wagging it in his direction.
Azriel stepped toward her, his hands now in his pockets, his shirt open, his abs rippling in the warm evening light as he came toward her, towering over her with his height, dark hair and dark wings causing Elain to swallow.
"Darling?" Azriel's dark voice rumbled over her, causing her heart to begin racing again. "Hmmm..." He shook his head, a look of consideration swallowing his expression.
"You don't prefer that pet name?" Elain purred, closing the distance between them, reaching toward his waist in a playful hug, clasping her hands behind his back and tossing her head back, her curls grazing the top of her hips as she stared up at him, an expression of mock-innocence dancing along her lashes. "What then shall I call you?"
"I'm sure we can come up with a few titles for me." The Shadowsinger's voice cascaded over her as he tucked a curl behind her pointed ear, a dark smile playing on his lips.
Title.
The word sent a shiver down her spine and a flush to her cheeks.
Elain's mind flashed to Azriel's occupation, as Spymaster and professional torturer, before it bounced to the now-scabbed bite mark on her neck. Azriel had left the slice of pain earlier that morning, his teeth nipping at her skin as he thrust into her, the sharp pain igniting her body even more, drawing her into the most indescribable climax she had ever experienced, pain and pleasure mingling in impossible nerve-ending satisfaction. Confusingly, the bite was thrilling to her. Beyond sensual even... the memory causing her to wet just thinking of it again. Gazing back into his dark hazel eyes, Elain vaguely wondered what skills this Master of Torture could use to draw out her pleasure.
Blushing at the dark thoughts, a tingle alight between her thighs, Elain dropped her clasped hands with a smile, stepping out of the hug and onto the veranda overlooking Velaris.
Though she was inexperienced as a lover, she had felt that Azriel was giving her the finest education on the subject. He was always focused on her, reading her and waiting for her responses before taking things farther, helping her to explore her own satisfaction in ways she could not have even imagined during her frustrating fantasies on those sleepless nights in Patras. Elain wondered if he would slowly introduce her to more... dominating.... methods of pleasure. She squeezed her thighs together, gripping the balcony ledge as another wet wave of arousal swelled between her legs. Feeling his presence behind her, she leaned back into his embrace, his muscled arms encircling her, his chin resting on top of her head.
"I've often dreamed of having you here to share this view." He whispered into her hair, warming her scalp with his breath in the cooling autumn air. "It still feels beyond reality to be able to hold you like this." Azriel's voice broke slightly, his emotion causing her to look up at him warmly.
"I feel the same way." Turning back toward the Sidra, Elain leaned into his broad chest, his heartbeat a steady vibration on her shoulder blades. "We've overcome so much to be able to have these moments. I'll never take them for granted."
He hummed in agreement, his hand at her hip, wandering and rubbing her thigh before it began tugging up her skirt. Elain whimpered slightly, biting her lip as she pressed her backside into him, the need arriving as it had every single damn time Azriel had so much as touched her body.
He growled then, licking the back of her ear as he wrenched her skirt up, his scarred hand reaching under her underwear in a single movement, his fingers hooking into her now-soaking pussy. She gasped in happy surprise. Azriel growled back, seeming pleased to discover her wet arousal as she gasped again, his fingers dragging and pulling through her slit, working and pumping her nerves as she gripped the balcony ledge, her eyes slamming shut as her mouth released into whimpering mewls and gasps.
Pushing her ass back into his rock-solid cock, she arched her back and began riding his fingers, moaning his name. "Azriel.... Oh Azriel...." Her whimpering was almost swallowed up in her heavy breathing. "You always make me feel so good." She purred, mewling again as he picked up speed.
"Do I?" He growled into her ear, his fingers plunging into her opening as his other hand suddenly wrenched down the top of her gown, exposing her breasts to the chilling night air.
Elain gasped again, almost losing her balance as she reached to cover her nipples, but Azriel growled in protest, his mouth at her neck, his teeth retracing the bite from earlier, still tender. "Trust me."
He whispered the command, and she relaxed, allowing her exposed body to fall into heady arousal, her nipples swollen and needy in the cold air, breasts bouncing as his fingers plunged deep within her, his knuckles slamming into her bones as his other hand gripped her stomach, keeping her cheeks pressed into his hard cock.
Elain closed her eyes, riding his hand, relaxing into the familiar sensations she had become addicted to when she suddenly felt a strange warmth and chill twisting and playing on her breasts. Looking down, she saw dark shadow dancing and swirling at her nipples, alighting her nerves in a way she had never felt before. She moaned involuntarily, her nipples completely tender as Azriel worked her wetness with his hand, her climax building as she thrust back onto him, melting into the stinging pleasure at her breasts.
And in that moment, she dissolved into pure animalistic fae female desire, altogether unable to stop her body from moving, slamming back into him, hungry for his hand, her pussy soaked and swollen with desire as her breasts tingled and rubbed against the cooling and warming mist. Elain cried out as she felt Azriel suddenly change tactics, rubbing his fingers again between the lips of her slit, working her nerves as the sensations at her nipples caused her pussy to pulse, the sensory overload overtaking her, pushing her over the edge and into pure bliss. Gasping and crying out, Elain moaned and thrashed as the climax swelled over her, beginning in her nipples before depositing itself between her legs, her nerves sparkling and shooting down her legs as Azriel held her up, her body wracking with pleasure.
She breathed and moaned, her body clenching and releasing, the pleasure sparkling through her until she opened her eyes, realizing she was not standing up on her own, Azriel instead holding her in his arms completely. Turning her toward himself, he smiled warmly and hugged her.
"Take a bath with me."