Chapter Forty-Two
Bellamy
S he looked radiant as her face turned skyward, her long curly hair billowing in the icy breeze. My heart threatened to leap out of my chest and follow her, the beat erratic. For once there was a sense of rightness in the air, because Asher was finally choosing us.
I knew this meant taking her home to meet Adbeel, which would result in her learning about a past and a future I feared. But maybe that was what she needed to truly see how much she mattered to the world. Though, I had to admit, seeing her like this—carefree and happy—made me want to delay that inevitable conversation a little longer.
“You know, I used to think you were incapable of love.” Henry’s words stole my focus, my eyes hesitating on Asher’s retreating form atop Wrath for a moment longer before straying to him.
“What do you mean?” The rise and fall of my shoulders was followed by a slow roll of Henry’s eyes as he walked forward once more. There was silence for a few moments, as if he were collecting his thoughts to best explain. I allowed him the time—as annoying as it was.
Of course I knew how to love. Sometimes, I thought I loved too much, allowing hurt and disappointment and loss to slowly chip away at my soul. Proof could be found in the way I acted after Asher disappeared. Or after we lost Winona, Pino, and all of Haven.
“You never said it. Not to me or even to Noe or Adbeel.”
My feet stilled, the accusation followed closely by memories flooding my mind. I said it. I had to have said it. They were my family. They were everything to me.
I had said I loved them, right?
“The first time I had ever heard you say you loved someone was the night you first met Asher. Do you remember that? Your hair looked ridiculous, and you were acting like a fool. I thought that you had lost your mind. And I was also terrified of what she might do to you, to our realm. But, more than anything, I was jealous of the idea that you would have someone that you cared about more than me, than our family we had built.” I tried and failed to keep my face blank as he spoke, not wanting any of my feelings to distract his line of thought. But hearing him admit that left me gaping at him in disbelief. “Do not look at me like that. You know that you are bad at showing affection. Noe might assume you love her, but you have never said it to us. I truly thought you were not able to feel something like that, as if whatever they had done to you as a youngling had altered you in more ways than one.”
“Of course, I love you, Henry. You are like a brother to me. No, you are my brother. I guess I took that for granted and never thought to explain it.” We pressed on, our boots getting stuck in the snow as it deepened at the base of the hill. I tried to step into the footprints Wrath had left behind, but his leaps were too far apart. All the while, I thought about what Henry might be getting to with his statement. How had I never said that I loved them? It seemed such an odd thing not to say when so many years had passed with my Trusted at my side. “I am sorry I did not ever tell you that.”
With a deep sigh, Henry draped his arm around my shoulders, weighing me down and causing the snow to sink into my boots. Gods, he could be irritating. A smirk lifted his cheeks, his freckled, tan skin slightly red from the chill.
“Saying it does not count when you are forced to, but I will still take it. I love you too, even though you are a raging lunatic. But that was not the point of what I was trying to say. I meant that I see the way you look at Ash, and I suddenly want something like that. Maybe it is jealousy, or perhaps I like the idea of copying you to steal some of the attention, just so your head does not grow too big.”
We laughed, the humor nearly coming out as scoffs. Asher and Wrath had disappeared into the tavern, which remained a long distance away. Still, I slowed my gait, wanting to give Henry as much time as he needed to explain his thoughts and feelings.
“Genevieve is like Asher in a lot of ways, fiery and stubborn and a natural-born leader, but she is also vastly different. She takes more than she gives, and she is spoiled. Not just in riches either. That girl has more money and gowns and jewels than she could ever possibly have use for, but according to her, she is surrounded by an abundance of love, too. It is odd to come across someone like that. At first, she pissed me off. I hated what her brother had done to Asher, and I was sure that she was just as evil. But then I went to her, planning on apologizing, and she threatened to gut me. Suddenly, I was acutely aware of the passion that flared in her eyes, of the rise and fall of her chest as she pointed a small dagger at my stomach, of the way her curls looked like spun gold in the light of the flames. So, I kissed her, and even though I knew she would kiss me back, I had still been stunned to hear the knife clatter to the ground and feel her arms around my neck. Not a day has passed since that I have stopped thinking about that pissy princess.”
There it was. The truth he had not wanted to admit. One that plagued him enough to accept that love came in many different forms, but none as strong as the love you could feel in a stranger whose heart beat in time with yours. In a future that you had not realized was possible until you looked in their eyes and understood that not even the sun could shine as bright.
“You are in love with her.” Not a question, but a statement. Because neither of us would lie to one another. We never had. Until Asher, that was.
“I am.” His response was quiet, a faded and pained version of his normal voice.
“And you told her,” I guessed, looking at him through the corner of my eye. He winced, his arm momentarily tightening on my shoulder.
“Would you believe me if I said it was an accident?” Turning my head fully, I leveled him with a half-lidded stare, my lips pursed. He groaned, running his free hand through his hair. “Fine, I did it on purpose. But what was I supposed to do? She was on top of me, and she was making the most intoxicating noise. I swear her hair was glowing. Then she said my name, and I just could not stop the words from leaving my mouth.”
“How fast did she run?” My question earned me a smack to the side of my head, pulling a snort from me before I could stop it.
“She did not run! The bitch came on my face, acted like I said nothing, then told me to leave. Do you know how many times I have got off on the memory of it? Absolutely ridiculous.” His free arm flew into the air, fingers stretched wide as if the memory were before us and he was directing me towards it.
That moment would easily go down in history as one of the biggest tests of my self-control. Instead of laughing, I let out a long whistle, lifting my arm and placing it around his shoulders to match his own hold on me.
“Asher once threw a butter knife at my chest, so I think it is safe to assume that your little love story could get worse and still workout.”
He groaned, mumbling something along the lines of, “Gods, please, do not let her stab me in the chest.”
Slapping him right in the spot where Asher had stabbed me, I smiled. “Unfortunately for you, I do not think that Genevieve has quite as poor of aim as Ash.”
By the time we walked through the door to the tavern, Asher and Wrath were both seated at a table, people all around them flashing looks of confusion and disbelief towards the dalistori. Asher had been continuously practicing leaving her shields down, so I knew she likely was being bombarded by a slew of derogatory remarks. Still, her smile did not falter, her back straight and chin high. The male beside her caught my eye, stopping me in my tracks.
He was young by the look of him, probably thirty years or so. He wore a long-sleeve top that was a blue so deep it matched the night sky. His trousers and vest were both pure black like his hair, which sat in a messy knot at the base of his neck. I could tell that he was attempting to speak to Asher, though the smile on her face could not hide the furrow of her brow that told me she did not understand much of what he was saying. Not that the dimwit seemed to care as he prattled on.
“Ah, now this is what I need. We can skin him alive, maybe tie his feet to Wrath and have the dalistori run for a mile. Or ten? Oh, what if we—” I cut Henry off with a raise of my hand in his direction. He groaned, knowing I was about to spoil his fun.
“As much as I would love to pull out each of his teeth and shove them into his eyes, I have to trust that Asher can take care of herself. If I always act like a jealous and possessive lover, then she will think I do not believe in her. We need her to know we have faith in her strength, especially for what is to come.” Without warning, I grabbed the front of Henry’s shirt and dragged him over to a secluded table in the corner, where we watched as Asher’s annoyance grew.
After another few minutes, her smile faded entirely, and I saw the rage boil in her eyes when he put his arm on the back of her chair. My grip on the table threatened to snap the wood, the sound of it splintering too quiet to be heard over the voices in the crowded tavern. Apparently, this city was full of day-drinkers, and I could not blame them. Everyone knew war was coming, and that was enough to push creatures of all kinds towards paths they might not have wished to walk along before.
Fed up with sitting still, I called to my shadows, summoning the pencil and paper that I had left back at the inn. They appeared in my hand, and I quickly unrolled the paper, scribbling a quick note to Asher.
Need any help?
When the paper landed in her lap, unbeknownst to the man, I saw her shoulders sag in relief. Her hands adjusted near her knee, drawing the man’s attention. As if he thought it an invitation, he smirked and grabbed her upper thigh. I shot up, Henry’s hand gripping my tunic and attempting to hold me back. Wrath hissed beside her, looking as if he were prepared to tear out the man’s throat.
But in the end, Asher did not need anyone’s help.
She smiled wide, earning a blush from the man beside her. Her magic flooded the air, tasting like vanilla and pressing into my skin like a reckoning. Then she grabbed his wrist, smacked his palm onto the table, and shoved my pencil through his hand. He howled in agony, the pain on his face bringing a smile to my own. Asher, too, seemed pleased by the tears that streamed down his cheeks as he desperately attempted to wrestle out of her grip. But she did not let go, instead twisting the pencil further into his flesh. When she leaned forward, whispering into his ear like a lover, he silenced himself and let his head lull back.
The moment she ripped the pencil from his flesh, he slumped to the side, his body hitting the ground. All the while, no one in the tavern but Henry, Wrath, and I seemed to take notice of the scene, like they could not see or hear it. Our eyes locked then, and I laughed as she winked, tipping back the man’s untouched mead—which she quickly followed with her own. Wrath’s venomous chuckles could be heard from across the room, wicked delight in his yellow eyes as he stared at the man on the ground.
“Never tell her I said this, but life is so much more fun with her in it.” Henry’s amusement left me smiling like a fool, because all I could have asked for was my family to love her like I did. Luckily, it was hard not to. Especially as she snapped her fingers and three people stood, walking towards the stage in the far right corner where they picked up instruments and began to play. A woman walked over to Asher, handing her another mug. My love, my Princess, my future handed her a gold coin in return, whispering softly to her. The woman blushed and nodded vehemently before walking back behind the bar.
Then Asher was up, her hips swaying tantalizingly to the beat—the mead in her mug sloshing over the edge as she sped up. My eyes remained glued to her, obsessed with every minute movement. Others joined in, making their way to the center of the tavern where space had been dedicated for dancing. And dance she did. Once more, she topped off her drink, and I knew she would regret not pacing herself later. But, for now, she flashed her white teeth, those full lips perfectly framing them. Setting her mug down on a nearby table, she grabbed the woman from earlier, latching onto her waist and spinning them in a circle.
Giggles came from her as Asher tugged her into a messy dance, the two of them moving to the beat with no real rhyme or reason to the sway of their bodies. Henry stood, stealing a drink from the table in front of us before he joined in. I remained where I was, my eyes never leaving Ash. Captivating did not begin to describe her.
A barmaid offered me a drink, which I accepted with a nod despite my eyes remaining trained onto the dancing princess before us. By the time she let the woman go back to work, a shine coating her face from the heat of the bodies beside her and the constant moving, I had already consumed a cup of wine and two of mead.
We locked gazes once more, and I knew that I was in trouble by the way she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and undid her cloak. My cock twitched in my pants when she leisurely made her way towards me, her hands roaming over her body and her hips rotating. Again, I felt the pulse of her magic, this time watching as every set of eyes looked away from us like we did not exist.
Immediately, I discovered why she was affording us privacy. Her fingers met the laces that secured the front of her dress, gently undoing them as she walked. My breathing halted—like if I so much as took in air, I would miss this moment. When the green dress was fully open, exposing the black band of fabric that supported her breasts, she let her fingers run lazily between them, tracing a teasing line down her torso.
A desperate groan left my lips as her hands tugged the fabric off her shoulders, letting the garment hang by her elbows. She continued to sway, now only ten feet away from me. Her feet stilled, and as she let her head fall back, I stood, ready to damn it all and take her on the floor.
Stay there, Elemental.
Her words were an order, though the sultry tone made the command erotic. Like always, my mental shields slipped when the temptation of her affection was nearby. Without looking forward, Asher let her dress fall, wearing only her black tights, undergarments, and boots. My moans were loud now, my hand dipping into my trousers and gripping my cock. I pumped myself to the sway of her body, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she watched me.
Do you want me, Bellamy?
I nodded vehemently, groaning at the memory of her on top of me. She flashed a wicked smile as one of her fingers hooked onto the fabric hiding her breasts from me.
What would you do to get what you want? Would you kill? Lie? Beg?
Again, I nodded, this time trying to fight against the order to stay where I was, my body stuck despite my efforts. So, I took a note from her words, and I begged.
Please, Asher. Please, let me have you.
Her laugh was whimsical, breathtaking in the same way her body was. I hissed out another plea, this time aloud. My hand was stroking in jerky movements now, my cock not pleased by my own touch when hers was so near.
I told you I would love you the way you deserved, and I will. But first, crawl to me, Bellamy.
And, though she did not order it with her magic, I immediately fell to my knees and crawled to her.
The moment I was within reach of her, I latched onto her ankle and summoned my shadows, portaling us back to the inn. She gasped when we appeared in our now-dark room, a snow storm growing outside and stealing the light of the day. I kissed my way up her body, stopping only when we heard a scream of fright from behind us.
I turned, shielding Asher and finding two men in our bed. No, not our bed. This room was shades of violet, with heavy winter wear scattered about. It was their room. Asher began apologizing, her slurred speech not doing much to assuage the fear in the mortal men’s eyes. I, too, profusely apologized. Then I grabbed onto her tighter and willed us into the correct room. We both looked around, verifying we were where we belonged this time.
While I knew she would be embarrassed and livid in the morning, Asher only laughed as we stood there like fools. So, I kissed her, my tongue darting into her mouth with a fervor that I always seemed to have in her presence. The moment she moaned my name against my lips, I lost all control. With a growl of desperation, I separated from her and promptly stripped us until we were both completely bare.
Lifting her up, I shoved her back into the wall, lost in the addiction of the taste and feel of her. My lips and teeth and tongue consumed her neck, my fingers digging into her ass as I rubbed my now-throbbing cock against her.
“You wanted me to beg? I will beg all damn day, Asher. Please, let me fuck you. Let me worship the ground you walk on. Tell me I can have you, Princess. That is the way I want to be loved.” As if my words were all it took, Asher groaned in ecstasy, her head smacking into the wall as she writhed against my cock.
“Yes,” she whispered through clenched teeth, her eyes squeezing tight in preparation for what was to come. And as I took her there against the wall, watching her come undone, I knew nothing would ever be quite as stunning as Asher.
***
When our eyes were heavy and our bodies sore, I held her tightly within my arms, breathing her in and basking in the feel of her skin against mine. I found myself humming a tune, playing with the long strands of her hair. Oddly enough, it left me with the realization that Ash still did not have a birthday.
“Have you ever heard of a birthday?” I asked her, knowing the answer before she even spoke it. Her eyes fluttered open, head tilting back to look up at me. My fingers continued to massage her scalp, wishing I could exist in this moment forever.
“A birth day? Is it a day when many are born?” She rested her chin on my chest, those gray irises alight with curiosity. I smiled down at her, placing a quick kiss to her nose.
“Sort of. A birthday is one day each year when you celebrate your birth. In Eoforhild, demons remember which day they were born and throw parties and get gifts annually. It is a tradition of sorts.”
A look of disbelief pinched her face, her lips turning down in a frown. “That seems horribly self-centered.”
Laughing at her take, I recalled Lian and Ranbir’s initial reaction to the idea of birthdays as well. They had not understood it either, but now we celebrated their chosen birthdays each year, and they eagerly counted down the days to them.
“Believe it or not, the day you were born is worth celebrating. Maybe you could pick a day? That is what Ranbir and Lian did. Me too, when I was old enough for Adbeel to explain it to me.” She was silent for a few minutes, the only sound around us our synched breathing. When she did speak, there was an unexplained air of awe to her voice.
“When is Star Festival?” she asked, backing away to fully look at me. I furrowed my brow, trying to recall what day it was.
“Actually, it is in two days if my mental calendar is correct. I am surprised you even know what that is seeing as it is a holiday of the gods. Why do you ask?”
With a dazzling smile, Asher sat up and kissed my cheek. “If I am going to be selfish, then I think I better go all out.”
***
The next morning, amidst planning and preparations, I offered the couple across the way an apology along with a bag full of gold coins. Asher had giggled as she listened to their thoughts of bewilderment when I went to their door to explain and then gasped in surprise when they fell to their knees upon realizing who she was. While we worked on celebrating both Asher’s birthday and Star Festival, I realized just how important she had become to the world, and I smiled at the thought.