Azriel has never been this nervous in his existence. Neither has he sweated so much in his life. Even in battle field. But the prospect of facing Nesta Archeron and asking her permission to be with Xander was enough to rattle his bones.
He should have done that before claiming him for the whole of Velaris to hear. But neither him nor Xander was in the situation to ask permission. So here he was. Sitting on the roof top of house of wind and letting the evening sun bath him. While his mate was practicing with his brother.
A smile tugged on his lips as he imagined Xander giving hell for Rhysand. It was like watching father and son fighting sometimes. Or most of the times. He was glad. He was glad that Xander could find comfort in Rhys. Not the kind of comfort he could give. No. A parental comfort.
Xander's father was just. He was just there in Xander's pre teens. Doing nothing to help his family hold together. Thrusting the responsibility on Feyre and sat in the side lines. That was the main reason Xander disliked his father. He tried to forgive his father for what happened after they got wealthier. He tried. But he couldn't.
Whenever he saw his father with that golden cane walking and talking around the house, a stab of pain would shoot through him. Did he just let them suffer on their own? Xander had asked Azriel one night. Azriel didn't know what to say to that. So he was glad Xander had a great relationship with Rhys.
Cassian on the other hand though. He was vicious and cruel when it came to teasing Azriel. Rhys had to held him back physically during today's afternoon training. But when Cassian asked Xander if he could join him in bath Azriel lost his shit. He pummelled Cassian into one of the mountains behind the house. He only felt better after releasing all that pent up energy.
But his cock became instantly hard when Xander hugged him all sweaty and dirty from the training. He stood on his tip toes and whispered in Azriel's ears.
"You territorial Illyrian baby."
Azriel without missing a beat transported them to the bathtub in his own bathroom . Where he fucked Xander from the behind.
Azriel shook his head as his cock sprang to life because of the memory. Probably not the best time to have an arousal. Not when he was going to step into lion's den. He stood up and retrieved the romance novel he brought for Nesta and the bouquet of white Lillie's for Elain. He casually asked Xander what Nesta would like to do in her free time. Xander mentioned that Nesta loved to read toe curling romance books. Azriel catching the meaning behind it browsed whole of Velaris to find a suitable book.
Turns out that he could learn a thing or two from romance novels. He had to adjust his pants continuously while going through the books in book shops. Azriel admitted that if Xander ever decided to read romance novels, Azriel would gladly recreate any scenes he wanted. Because he was absolutely a simp for him.
With a single beat of his wings Azriel landed on the balcony with gliding glass doors. Azriel shook his head which was telling him to turn around and never come back. He forced his leg to take steps forward as the glass doors opened. Nesta wasn't sitting in the dining room. She must be in one of the sitting rooms. Azriel released a breath he was holding in. He chugged a cool bottle of water in one go.
Azriel knocked on the double doors and waited for Nesta to open the door.
She is in there.
His shadows whispered. He listened for her footsteps and stepped back as the door opened. Grey eyes identical to his mate's own stared back at him. Without any warmth. Without any love. Without any emotions.
"Hello."
He greeted her. Not knowing what to say. Her eyes were steel like as she stared him down without blinking.
"Can I come in?"
He asked her. He waited for her to say anything. Her lips were pursed thin in a straight line. She finally stepped aside and opened the door for him to enter. Another loose breath escaped him. He bowed his head and stepped inside. The clicking of door echoed through the other wise empty room.
Sweat lined Azriel's eyebrows as he waited to say something. Cauldron why is it so difficult?
"This is for you," he extended the book to her. Nesta looked between his face and the book for a few times. She finally plucked the book from his hand and flipped through the pages. She closed the book in a snap which made Azriel wince. She placed the book on the table and turned towards. Her arms crossed over her chest she looked like she was going to battle someone.
"Is Elain in there?" Azriel asked her. "Since two weeks," her voice sounded distant and emotionless. "Can I see her?" He asked her. Nesta's eyes scanned him up and down. She finally turned around and strides to the door to adjoining the room.
Azriel was greeted by a sickly looking Elain. Her skin was pale, so pale like a paper and thin like a paper too. Her hair has lost the glow she had when she was human. Her cheeks were shallow and her eyes were red rimmed.
"Hello, Elain."
She turned her eyes towards him. She regarded him with nothing in her eyes. "This is for you," he extended the white lilies for her to take. Her slender fingers wrapped around the bouquet and took it out of his hands. She sniffed them and looked at him. Something flashed in her eyes.
"Beware of the hounds."
Azriel blinked. What does that mean? She turned towards the window stared out without saying anything else. His eyes caught Nesta. When she didn't say anything Azriel bid his goodbye to Elain and left the room.
He stood there and contemplated on how to tell Nesta that her little brother and him were mates. Because he still remembered her uproar when Lucien claimed Elain as his mate. He was afraid of her reaction. He knew that Xander would be with him wether he has his sister's permission or not. But Azriel wanted to be a honourable male.
When Nesta entered the room again and found him standing there she raised her eyebrows. "I wanted to talk to you about something," he told her.
"If you are here to tell me that I need to start training I need not hear you speak. Because I will repeat what I said to that overgrown bat. I don't care about training."
Cassian. She was talking about Cassian. So that's what Cassian been doing these days. Coaxing Nesta to train.
"No I am not here to talk about that. I am actually here to talk about Xander."
Nesta's eyes snapped to his. Suddenly the image of her shoving her finger in the king of Hybren's face flashed across his face. The ferocity and the protection was the first thing he noticed.
"Is he all right?"
"He is fine. He is actually doing better."
"Then what do you want to talk about?"
Azriel took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and thought about Xander's laughter. That gave him the strength to press forward.
"Xander and I are together."
Azriel waited. He waited for Nesta to say something. She was silent for a whole minute. Her eyes were unreadable. This was the first time Azriel was unable read someone's expression. Even his shadows shied away from her.
"You love him."
A statement. Not a question. A statement. Azriel nodded his head.
"With all I have."
Nesta for silent for another minute. That was Azriel's longest minute in his life.
"Take care of him Azriel. Do not let him down. When my brother loves someone he loves them to a degree of fault. He always did that. Don't break his heart while he was already broken."
Azriel thought about what she said. He would lose himself to madness if he broke his little minx's heart. He would die before he let him down. He nodded his head.
"And we are mates. Xander accepted the mating bond four days ago that's where we have been. That's why he hasn't visited you," Azriel rushed his words out. He held his breath as Nesta's eyes narrowed.
"Take care of him."
She told him and took the book she was reading into her hands. Just like that she dismissed him. Azriel said his goodbyes and left the room. He let out a long breath as he walked outside the house. He couldn't help the smile tugging on his lips.
Azriel hollered into the dusk sky as he launched up. His wings took him to where he wanted to go. To Xander. To his mate. His mate.
When he saw Xander manipulating darkness in the clearing he destroyed, Azriel's beat slowed down. He admired him from afar. His grey eyes glittered with the specks of evening sun. His lips tugged when Rhys clapped his hands. His mate was a beautiful male. Very beautiful indeed.
Azriel landed with a thud on the ground sending stones and twigs snapping away. He strode towards Xander and cupped his cheeks. He peered into his eyes for a minute. Xander was shocked. He didn't expect Azriel to come here. Azriel claimed Xander's lips in a sensual kiss. His lips moved along with Xander's. His tongue traced the line of Xander's bottom lip. Asking permission for entrance. Xander opened his mouth and let Azriel's tongue explore him.
Xander was breathing heavily as Azriel rested his forehead against his. "What was that for? Not that I was complaining," Xander asked. His eyes were still closed from the intensity of the kiss. "I just wanted to kiss you," Azriel's voice was husky.
"Did you miss me, shadow singer?" Xander teased him.
"Of course I missed you, my little minx. The world felt heavy without you in my arms," Azriel's admittance caused Xander to snap his eyes open. Azriel's tender smile made his knees weak. He clutched onto Azriel's shirt and steadied himself.
"Oh shadow singer," he mumbled. Xander kissed Azriel with desperation. Xander couldn't get enough of Azriel. His hands went straight to Azriel's neck causing the hair there to stand erect. Azriel's scarred hands roamed his torso and tugged at everything that came in contact with him. Their clothes were discarded. Forgotten in a heap on the forest floor.
Azriel slowly lowered Xander onto the ground and kissed down his torso. Azriel swallowed Xander's cock and started bobbing his head up and down. He wetted his own fingers and started fingering Xander's hole. Xander was feeling overwhelming pleasure. He wouldn't last long if Azriel kept doing this to him.
"Az," he moaned.
You can cum anytime you want.
Azriel's voice echoed into the mating bond. Sending shivers all through his body. That was the last straw for him. Shadows danced all around them as Xander released inside Azriel's mouth. His cry of pleasure shook ground he was laying. Azriel sucked every single drop out of his cock and let it go with a pop.
Xander thought Azriel would have swallowed his release. Gods that male was surprising him continuously. Azriel's straddled Xander's face. His thick thigh was resting on either side. The slight hair was caressing his cheeks and sending pleasurable jolts through his body. He expected Azriel to stick his cock inside his mouth. But he didn't. His scarred hands opened his mouth and held his jaw and neck open. He leaned down. Xander thought he was going to kiss him.
But Xander's release flowed from Azriel's mouth to his own. Xander's back arched as his taste buds were filled with his own release and Azriel's spit.
"Swallow everything," Azriel commanded him. His throat bobbed in Azriel's grip as Xander swallowed the contents.
"Tell me, my love. How do you taste?" Azriel asked him. He released Xander's jaw and fisted his cock. Xander watched as Azriel's gaze completely turned carnal.
"Like yours," Xander told him. With a growling sound Azriel drove his cock deep into Xander's mouth.
"That's right. Mine. Fucking mine," Azriel's grunted.
Xander twisted his tongue around Azriel's cock and drove him crazy. Azriel pulled out of his mouth and breathed heavily. "I want to finish inside you," Azriel told him and entered into his hole. He started thrusting inside him.
The spymaster has claimed Xander Archeron as his own. He would burn kingdoms and empires and cities to find him. He would slaughter anyone and everyone who dares to harm his mate. He would kill for him and bathe in their blood and wash away his sins in them. And he would fuck his mate in that same blood and reach his high.
He is his.
Xander Archeron is Azriel's.
Today.
Tomorrow.
And the day that follows.
Till the day he dies. Xander is his.
Azriel spilled inside Xander and rested his head against Xander's chest. Both of them were breathing heavily.
"I love you, shadow singer."
"I love you, my little minx."