50. Cherry Blossom Perverts
50
Cherry Blossom Perverts
Aliza
I hadn’t chosen my dress with flying in mind, but the scandalously high thigh split proved a practical touch, allowing me to sit astride the horse without problem. Well, only one problem. The amount of leg on display was no more than I’d have in my trusty old shorts, but the glaring lack of a crotch was an overwhelming distraction.
Idris sat behind me, one hand holding Saeth’s mane, the other wrapped around me, holding me snug to his body. His fingertips skimmed dangerously close to the split. It would only take one flex and he’d brush the skin of my inner thigh. My flesh hummed in anticipation. I could think of nothing else. Well, almost nothing.
As he had when he’d flown me to the Blood Gate, he nuzzled into my neck, but this time he peppered my skin with tantalising kisses and nibbles that had my head lolling back onto his shoulder.
Poor Saeth. It was a violation, but I was powerless to resist.
Luckily, our flight was short.
Wings wide, Saeth sailed in a sloping arc to a hill topped with an enormous cherry blossom tree, heavy with flowers. He landed smoothly on the petal-carpeted ground, and Idris abandoned my neck and leapt down, only to offer me his hand .
I hesitated. There was no way I could swing my leg over the horse’s neck without giving the prince an eyeful.
Idris smirked, no doubt reading my mind. “Lean forward and swing your right leg over his back.”
I straightened my legs and rotated my ankles, showing off my glittery silver shoes. “I don’t think these were made for jumping.”
“I won’t let you fall.”
That was a lie. I had fallen hard, and he had done absolutely nothing to prevent it.
“You better not,” I grumbled, following his instructions. “You clearly didn’t think this through.”
My dress slithered around my leg as I slid from Saeth’s back. Idris was true to his word. Large hands closed around my waist, taking my weight, and my high-heeled feet met the ground with a featherlight touch. At once, Saeth gave an indignant snort and stomped away, ruffling his wings in disgust. Idris chuckled and his hands tightened on my waist, revolving me on the spot as he stayed behind me.
I gasped.
He was right; from up here, we’d have the perfect view of the firework display. The sprawling manor grounds nestled amongst a crown of hills, the tallest of which was our new perch. From up here, the ball was nothing but a lake of twinkling lights. Our view of the sprawling night sky was obscured only by the pink, fluffy boughs of the blossom tree.
Idris’ hands skimmed my waist as I twisted, lacing my fingers behind his neck. “What is it with you and high places? ”
A floral-scented breeze swirled around us, setting petals flurrying around the stirring skirt of my dress. With it came the faint hint of music, too distant to make out clearly.
“I like to sweep you off your feet.”
I laughed, and before my smile had faded, his lips were on mine. His kiss was as light as a feather, slow and tender. My eyes slipped closed as I melted into him, turning my insides into something golden and glowing. It wasn’t scientifically possible, but neither was anything else here.
He broke away, gazing down at me with soulful eyes. “I’m glad you came. I wasn’t sure you would.”
“I like to keep you on your toes.”
“No tiara tonight?”
“I wanted to be myself. No fancy ballgown. No crown. No boring, suitable hair.” I shook my head, setting my hair swishing over my back. I’d packed the bleach and dyes along with the sunscreen and returned my mane to its former glory in my bathroom at Neath. The colourful stains marking the tiles would wash away eventually. At least, I hoped they would, or Sage might take a leaf out of Maelgwyn’s book. “Just me. Besides, a tiara wouldn’t have looked right with my dress.”
The simple sequin creation hugged and skimmed my body to perfection, hiding any wobbly bits and showcasing my assets with its cowl neckline and peachy cut. The slit revealed not only my long leg, but my incredible shoes. I’d never worn such a high heel before. There was nothing quite like towering over my dainty, feminine friends, feeling like a she-hulk, but that didn’t mean I didn’t appreciate a killer shoe. With Idris, I could wear them and still feel as delicate as the blossoms dangling above me. I’d never felt as beautiful as I did tonight .
“You’re right,” he agreed, and his hands disappeared from my waist. I didn’t realise what he was doing until a sprig of cherry blossoms slid into my hair. “But this looks perfect. You are perfect.”
Slowly, carefully, he decorated my hair, arranging the blossoms like a tiara. “There. A crown fit for the queen of the living and the undead.”
“Actually, they prefer to be called ‘undying’.”
“Queen of the Undying.” He gazed down at me, his pupils wide and dark. “My love for you is undying, I hope you know that.”
His words had me glowing again, but he stepped out of my grasp, leaving me swaying without his powerful form to steady me. His hand enveloped mine and he led me deeper under the shadows of the tree, to where a picnic blanket and fat cushions had been laid out over the fallen petals. A large hamper and metal bucket dusted in frost caught my attention. Two corked bottlenecks peeped over the rim.
“You did this?” I breathed, my heart somersaulting. Nobody had ever done anything half as sweet for me. I turned to him, unable to hide my smile. “I thought you weren’t sure I was coming?”
He half-shrugged. “I wasn’t, but that doesn’t mean a male can’t hope. Take a seat.”
He steered me to the blanket and held my hand as I eased the weight off my feet and arranged my dress, careful to maintain some level of decorum. Idris settled beside me, reaching into a pocket hidden in the lining of his jacket. He pulled out a rose gold phone.
“This is for you.”
“Oh my god!” I forced myself to take the gift with some level of polite grace, rather than snatching it in excitement. “Where did you get this? ”
“When I asked your parents for photographs, I explained that you’d lost your phone in the fire and they explained that it was possible to acquire a new one. I gave them the gold and went back to collect the phone a few days ago.” His face grew solemn. “I hoped you’d come tonight, but if you didn’t, I was planning to deliver it to Nairsgarth in the morning.”
My eyes brimmed with moisture as I held down the button and my new phone flared to life. Mum and Dad hadn’t said a word about this when I’d gone back for sunscreen. It was a high-end model, the sort I never would have splurged on for myself.
“Sneaky.” All three of them, conspiring to surprise me. My smile grew.
“Now you can take all the photos you like.”
I would. It might not be able to make contact with the people beyond the rifts, but I would treasure it if only for the gallery it would soon hold, and for the meaning behind it. For the people who had given it to me. I set it down beside me on the blanket. “Thank you, Idris. I love it.”
“Anything for you.” He lowered his eyes, smiling softly before busying himself with the hamper.
He retrieved two crystal goblets, handing one to me. The cork pop had my heart leaping in excitement, not for the fizzing wine he sloshed into my glass, but for whatever was coming tonight. This was where I belonged; not here, in this place, but wherever he was. This was right .
“To us,” Idris murmured.
I clinked my glass against his. The crystal chimed softly like a bell, far superior to any toast I’d heard in the human world. “ To us.”
In unison, we drank, and my ears began to hum with warmth as the prince held my gaze. God, he was gorgeous.
“Oh, wait!” I snatched up the phone, opening the camera and holding it at arm's length. “Let’s take a selfie.”
The last time I’d asked, he’d been stubborn and reluctant, scowling into the lens. This time, Idris leaned in close without complaint, his cheek touching mine as he smiled freely. Heat rushed over my skin, along with those barely there threads of electricity. I hadn’t decided whether it was his magic, or just that elusive spark people talked about. The spark of connection, of new beginnings.
I flicked open the picture; the first one to exist on my new phone. Somehow, it felt fitting that it was of the two of us, side by side.
“That’s cute,” I observed, staring at the screen longer than I had any right to. For once, I wasn’t studying myself for imaginary flaws, but simply admiring my companion, and the easy happiness he exuded, even in picture form. Happiness that was reflected in me.
Idris grinned, shooting me sidelong glances as he began emptying the picnic basket, as though afraid I might take the opportunity to make a run for it. I snapped another picture of him, with my crystal flute held up in the foreground, then set the phone aside again.
Sipping my wine, I watched Idris move, admiring the shift of his back and shoulders beneath his tailored jacket. He took his time, his head dipping as he focused on whatever the hell he was doing. He was far too beautiful for me to care about food. His hair, already slightly windswept, tumbled over his forehead, coaxing a smile from me.
By the time he offered me a plate, I was all but gawping at his profile, at the little frown that rumpled his brow as he worked .
“Thanks.” I took the plate without looking at it, my attention drifting to his hands, to the fancy dagger that he sank into an apple.
With careful, precise motions, he whittled the fruit into wafer-thin slices. My eyes dropped to my plate. Taking pride of place amongst various delicacies was an exquisite rose constructed of apple slices. My skin flared to life, shimmering and tingling in realisation.
“It wasn’t Anwir,” I mumbled, still staring at the work of art on my plate.
In my peripheral vision, I saw the dagger fall still as Idris looked up from his work. I met his questioning stare, my mouth hung open. “You made this.”
He tossed the dagger, catching it after it finished its somersault. “Guilty as charged.”
“No, I mean… that day after the curse was broken. Anwir brought me food, and there was an apple shaped like a rose. You made it.”
He resumed his carving, dropping my gaze. “You were hungry, and you couldn’t have any of the meat I’d caught. I heard you telling Anwir that you liked apples.”
“Okay, but still.” He’d barely known me, and he certainly hadn’t liked me. “It was a hell of a lot of trouble to go to for a stranger.”
“I wanted to see you smile because of me. Is that a crime? All you did was scowl at me.”
“Because you were rude.” I laughed at the charming absurdity of it. I knew why he’d tried to push me away, why he’d tried to blame me for waking him to a living nightmare, and I didn’t blame him, even if he was a walking contradiction. “You could have just tried being nice.”
“I wanted to maintain anonymity. ”
I raised an eyebrow. “So you carved a food flower and had your brother deliver it to me?”
“It worked. You smiled.”
“And was it worth the effort?”
“Yes.” He licked his lips, a nervous gesture. “Your smile lights up the darkness.”
I was nothing but a puddle, dissolved by his words. My ears ignited, the blush creeping to my face. It wasn’t that I couldn’t take a compliment, but something about the heavy-lidded way he gazed at me laid my soul bare.
“Well, that’s good, because you—” I booped my finger on the tip of his nose “—make me smile.”
Even by moonlight, the colour sliding from his face was evident. “Not always.”
Well, now was as good a time as ever to talk about difficult things. I waited for him to continue.
“I’ve said it before, but you were ill and didn’t want to listen, so I’ll say it again. I’ll say it as many times as you need me to. I’m sorry, Aliza. I… I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Of not being the person you needed me to be. I didn’t think I could step up and shoulder the weight of the crown. I didn’t think I could take it from Anwir. I know he’s a prick, but he’s still my brother, and I love him.” He gave a cold huff of laughter. “He might not deserve it, but I do. I didn’t think I could do any of it, but I knew I couldn’t hold you back. Look at you.” He skimmed his fingers over the hair falling into my face. “Destiny knew what it was doing when it chose you. You are perfect for this. ”
“And now?”
Idris shook his head. “If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I’m selfish. I gave up my birthright because I wanted to be free. I threw my family into turmoil by marrying a human peasant. My son died because of my choices.”
“That’s not—”
He silenced me with a finger on my lips.
“It is true. If I’d been a better prince, if I’d done my duty, none of this would have happened. Perhaps Maelgwyn would not have been able to seize a weakened throne, and perhaps innocent lives would not have been lost. And then… I met you, and discovered a new want. You should have been mine, but my stupid, selfish choices meant Anwir had taken my place. A spiteful part of me was pleased when you told me you wanted to leave Neath; I couldn’t have you, but neither could he. A bigger part of me, the selfish part, wanted you to stay, but I… I loved you even then, Aliza, and for the first time in my life, I wanted to do the right thing, no matter how much it hurt. That’s why I tried to let you go the first time, and it’s why I tried to give you up the second time. To free you of me. To let you pursue your destiny. I won’t say I was completely wrong for trying to do the right thing, but I was mistaken about what, exactly, was right. I can’t fight this. I won’t. I’m weak and selfish but I’m yours, whatever the cost.”
“What about your freedom?”
“If you tell me to leave, I will use my freedom to follow you, anywhere, wherever you go, to the end of time.”
I gave him a close-lipped smile. It was exactly as Sage had said; Should you choose your kingdom, he will follow, of that I am certain. “My own little lovesick shadow? ”
“Please believe me, Aliza. My intention has never been to hurt you. I have only ever wanted the best for you.”
I did believe him. How could I not? Despite his claims of selfishness, he’d proven himself to have a good heart, one that called to my own. I nodded. “How about, in the future, you let me decide what’s best for me?”
He smirked. “You’re the queen. Who am I to argue?”
My mouth went dry. I whispered, “You could be a king.”
“Would that give me the power to disagree with you?”
I shook my head, setting my hair swaying. “Well… maybe, but it wouldn’t give you the power to win the argument.”
With a soft smile, he leaned close. His lips brushed mine as he said, “You drive a hard bargain, but I accept. I’ll be your consort, if that’s what you ask of me.”
Tears seeped beneath my lashes as he kissed me. I could do this. I could be happy. I could make this world better than I’d found it, with Idris at my side. My voice was choked as I murmured against his lips, “You will make a far better king than Anwir ever would, I hope you know that.”
“Please don’t talk about my brother while you’re kissing me.”
I clapped a hand over my face as I snorted and dissolved into laughter. Maybe it was that one sip of wine, or maybe it was the potent mix of elation and relief and…
Composing myself, I set down my glass. The words I was about to say had never crossed my lips in anything but a platonic way. My belly was alive with frantic butterflies. I took a deep breath.
“I love you, Idris. ”
He blinked, but otherwise settled into unnatural stillness. “You do?”
“All this talk of destiny is whimsical and all, but I hope you know that’s not why we’re here. I don’t love you because of some prophecy, or because you saved my life and created a bond, or because destiny chose us, or anything like that. My heart chose you, Idris. I chose you, and I love you.”
Bracing my weight on one arm, I leaned forward and traced a finger over his cupid’s bow and to the corner of his mouth. His lips parted beneath my touch, and I slid my hand to his jaw, guiding his face to mine. When our lips met, every thought but those of him fled from my mind. I was nothing but the sensation of his lips grazing mine, his tongue sweeping into my mouth, his fingers sliding into the hair at the nape of my neck. I existed only because he did. For him. A collision of universes. Cosmic matter that had been shaped and moulded so the two of us could be here, now, beneath the gently weeping blossom tree.
He was mine. He loved me and I loved him, and nothing could come between us.
I didn’t bother to break the kiss as I crawled onto his lap, quivering at the brutal length already straining against the confines of his trousers, begging to come out and play. The split in my dress gaped as I straddled him, but I cared very little for modesty as enormous hands slid up my thighs, one sequin-clad, one mind-meltingly bare.
Idris’ chest heaved beneath my fingers as I fumbled blindly with the buttons of his jacket. One by one, they popped free, and I slid the garment over powerful, broad shoulders. Those award-worthy muscles shifted as he tugged his hands out of the sleeves. I neither knew nor cared where the jacket landed as I tossed it away and wrenched the hem of his shirt free of his trousers.
We panted as though we’d run a marathon as I pulled away and he lifted his arms. His shirt slid free, mussing his windswept hair and revealing a torso that had my breath snagging in my throat. I needed to admire him, but sitting back had his erection grinding against me, and I snagged my lip between my teeth with a whimper. His hands shot to my waist, gripping tight as he ground my hips against him. My core throbbed in answer. I knew exactly the sort of pleasure he promised me, and though my greedy body disagreed, I had no desire to rush to the end.
My fingers grazed over his intercostals and down to his abs, relishing each swell and dip. He was a masterpiece, even with the brutal new scar slashing across his torso. He’d been carved by angels, or else by countless hours of hard training, and he was all mine. I swept my hands over his broad chest, marvelling at my good fortune before I sent them low again, looping into his waistband. My fingers trembled as I set to work on the buttons, inching lower until they skimmed my eager core through thin layers of fabric. It wasn’t my touch I wanted, but Idris’ hands were busy elsewhere.
They slid under the hair falling over my shoulders and hooked the spaghetti straps of my dress, gliding them down my arms. The cowl neckline dipped lower, revealing the strapless bra that was, quite frankly, a miracle of engineering. It was the only one I’d found that managed to be both pretty and functional, supporting the weight of my ample breasts without sliding down or cutting off my blood supply. Now though, it was only in the way .
Idris’ fingers slid to my back, exploring the garment. He’d undoubtedly had no experience with modern human lingerie, but after a moment, the clasps sprang free, and my bra disappeared, exposing me to the night. He didn’t bother to take a breath before he smothered himself in my flesh.
A breathless, triumphant smile spread over my face as my head lolled back. I had yet to meet a man who could resist my cleavage, and now Idris had put all other men and males to shame. I wanted no other. My assets were all his.
He kissed and nuzzled each breast, squeezing them together, and when he sucked my nipple into his mouth, I ground along his length again, heedless of the open buttons now digging into my thighs.
His groan tremoured through my flesh, low and deep. Everything inside me turned to liquid. God, I needed him inside me, though even having him jutting against me would be enough to finish me if I let it. I didn’t want that. I wanted everything he could give me. I wanted him to blow my fucking mind, just like he had last time.
“Off,” I muttered, hooking my fingers into the waistband of his underwear. “Now.”
Though his mouth stayed in place, tongue swirling, his hands fell to my hips, holding me still as he bucked against me.
My moan was a pathetic little whimper. His gentle nip, in tandem with another grind, coaxed a louder sound from my mouth.
With a final lap of his tongue, he released my nipple and gazed up at me. “Go on, then. What’s stopping you?”
His fingers bit tight, and he rocked my pelvis back and forth. Sensation sparked and shivered along every nerve. I needed him inside me, and yet I couldn’t bring myself to break this bone-melting contact, even for a second. He was nothing but torture, and I couldn’t get enough.
I should have put more thought into this. I should have stripped him naked before ever getting into this delicious predicament.
With an impatient groan, I forced myself to my feet before I could talk myself out of it. Idris grinned and flopped back on the cushions, giving me an unrivalled view of those glorious biceps as he folded his hands behind his head.
Smug. That was what he was. Delighted with himself as he gazed at the disarray of my dress and everything it revealed.
Wobbling on my heels, I bent low and dragged his remaining garments over his hips, maintaining eye contact the entire time. Or, I would have maintained eye contact, if Idris’ focus hadn’t snagged on my swaying tits. My own attention caught on the absolute monster of an appendage that lay over his belly, thick and twitching in anticipation. The temptation to lick the glistening drop from its end was almost as strong as my desire to impale myself. Tonight was about us, though, and I needed it to be a melding of both of our bodies. There would be plenty of time to show him exactly how smug he should be, later.
For now, I ignored the devil on my shoulder and straightened. Idris’ eyes followed my hand to the slit of my dress, followed as my fingers slipped under the silk, lifting it higher until the waistband of my thong came into view. His gaze hardened, a hunter sighting his prey. I bit my lip and gathered up the skirt, then peeled the fabric up and over my head. The sequins rustled as the dress tumbled to the ground, leaving me naked but for my shoes and a scrap of lace .
I turned my back on Idris, sliding my hands over my backside and squeezing as I glanced over my shoulder. “What do you think?”
Hot. I didn’t need a mirror to know I was absolutely smoking hot. Not only had Mother Nature blessed me with an hourglass body and the legs of an Amazonian warrior, but weeks of hiking did wonders for one’s derrière.
“I’m fucking in love with you, that’s what I think.”
Not the answer I was expecting. My heart turned to mush, despite the heat in his growl. Without another word, I wiggled out of my thong and turned around again, crawling over him. My hair tumbled around our faces in a colourful veil.
“I love you.” I smiled briefly before kissing him.
His hands roved over my body, worshipping every curve and sparking my skin to life, thousands of glittering stars in what had been barren darkness. I reached between our bodies and closed my fingers around his cock. He hissed, every muscle tensing beneath me as I guided him home.
Even as wet as I was, I couldn’t take him all in one go. With a stifled moan, I bowed my head and began to rock my hips, pushing down onto him as far as I dared with each movement. Every inch forced another breath from my lungs and another thought from my head, until I was nothing but a quivering mess. Nothing but his.
I sat up, reaching behind me and bracing my hands on his tense thighs before sinking down onto that final, impossible inch.
“ Fuck ,” Idris snarled, his hands clamping over my hips.
It was almost too much, and I stilled on instinct, giving myself time to adjust. I couldn’t form a coherent thought, never mind remember how to speak, to tell him to give me a moment, but Idris didn’t rush me. Instead, he only gazed at me, half greed, half wonder, as I shuddered and panted atop him.
But that mind-melting fit was too perfect to waste, and I began to move against my better judgement, gyrating my hips, relishing that aching fullness as he shifted inside me. The fit was deep enough to turn my brain to slush and my thighs to jelly, but somehow I found the strength to rise up onto my knees before sinking onto that divine cock once more. This time, slick with my arousal, it slid in fully in one stroke, and my head fell back, sending my cry to the heavens. I couldn’t help it, couldn’t remember how to be discreet, but nobody was around to hear us, so I let the last of my control slip from my grasp.
Cries and moans ratcheted out of me as I rode him, no longer intimidated. He’d been right, the first time, back at the cabin; I could take it.
What I couldn’t do, was maintain my grip on sanity. I needed to feel everything. Still riding, I grabbed handfuls of my breasts and squeezed. Every bounce and jolt of my body sent bolts of sensation through my flesh, but it wasn’t enough. I pinched my nipples, my breath escaping in a sigh.
Idris lurched upright, almost unseating me, but his hand pressed at the small of my back, holding me steady. He buried his face between the swell of my breasts, pushed together by my own hands, and his tongue and teeth joined the fray. Positioned like this, the sensitive spot between my thighs ground against him with every movement.
“More,” I begged, not knowing exactly what I was asking for but certain that I needed it.
His hands closed around my backside, his fingers biting as he squeezed tight, spreading everything. God, I was his, and he could have me forever. His lips abandoned my tits and closed over the spot where Jacques had once bitten me, where the vampire guard had nibbled. Idris’ fangs were a sharp but gentle pressure, not breaking the skin, but hovering just the right side of pain.
“Idris, please.” Why was it not enough? Why did I want him to bite harder, to sink those teeth into my skin and pin me to him?
The mere thought of it was my undoing. My arms wrapped around his head, grappling and squeezing, as though I could force the pressure I needed and pierce my own skin with him. My orgasm obliterated me, and my body rode on instinct, jerking and undulating and writhing. Idris’ rumbling snarl vibrated through my neck and his arms tightened around me, crushing me to him as he joined me in my free fall. My inner walls clamped around him, milking every last drop he pumped into me.
We clung to each other until my moans subsided, leaving me breathing as heavily as him. His shoulders heaved under my arms as I loosened my grip on his hair. With a kiss, he withdrew his mouth from my neck and flopped onto his back, pulling me with him. I could do nothing but collapse over him and wait for my scattered senses to return as his fingers trailed up and down my sweaty spine.
At last, I wrangled my melted muscles and unsheathed him. He groaned, stiffening as I flopped down onto the blanket, staring at the blossom canopy. Reaching blindly, I found Idris’ hand. His fingers slipped between mine, curling closed, and his head fell to the side.
The look he gave me was nothing short of adoration, but then, he’d looked at me that way the last time, too. “You are so beautiful.”
“You’re not going to dump me again, are you?” Now that the madness was clearing, concern crept in, taking its place .
His fingers tightened around mine. “Never.”
“What if my arms and legs fell off and—”
He silenced me with a kiss, tender and lingering. What had I been saying? Why was I worried? Did anything in the world matter but him?
Our lips parted and Idris opened his magnificent eyes. They flitted over my face before settling to hold my gaze. “I said never, and I mean it. I’m yours. How could I be anything but yours?”
The bond ignited, swelling like a newborn star, until its light consumed me. I was his. I had always been his.