Chapter 27 Azahara
Azahara
“Illyan, I cannot believe you would do that,” Azahara scolded them. “You know it puts me in a shit position. I don’t remember any of them! It would have been safer if we had gone to a different tavern.” Her hands rested on her hips.
Illyan sported a black eye, and she suspected that Kaed might have given it to them, although she hadn’t received confirmation or denial. It could have been Zhal, but odds were the Fae would be worse off from a single punch by her.
“How did you even know they knew who I was?” Azahara’s frustration boiled beneath her skin.
Illyan averted their gaze from her, refusing to make eye contact. “There was a photo behind the bar. You were in it.”
Her shoulders slumped, and she released a heavy sigh. “Damn it, Illy.” She was thoroughly upset with them. “Give me until morning, please.”
Illyan, being young even by Fae standards, seemed to exhibit typical behavior for their age. Fae didn’t reach maturity until around five hundred, if not six. However, this fact didn’t excuse their use of her to secure their accommodations.
Illyan nodded, their voice filled with remorse. “Sorry, Ladybug.” Azahara felt her heartstrings tug. There would be no way she could stay mad at them, even if she wanted to.
As they departed, she sighed and tilted her head back, gently rolling her neck to release tension. Soft hands then reached out and massaged her shoulders in slow, circular motions. The soothing touch elicited a contented hum from her lips.
“I hadn’t noticed the photo, or I would have dragged them out immediately,” Kaed admitted, pulling her closer to him.
She groaned and nodded. “I know, and I know they mean well. It was just reckless.” Mentally, she was exhausted, and even though it had been a relatively easy day, she was ready for sleep.
“It was. We can find another place to stay tomorrow.”
“No, no.” She pressed her lips together. “It’s fine. I’m tired of moving around. I can do some damage control in the morning.” He pressed his thumbs together, gliding them up her neck and trailing them along the edge of her hairline.
“Zhal has already spoken to Broan and said you had an accident a few years back. That you don’t remember much, if anything at all. He seemed to take it as fact, considering your reaction.”
She turned to look at him, her neck popping. “She did...?” Surprise laced her tone.
“Yeah, and I asked that dinner be served here in the room so you don’t have to deal with the drunken patrons tonight.
” He brushed her hair to the side, revealing her delicate neck.
With tenderness, he pressed gentle kisses along the curve, nuzzling his nose against her skin. “Have you seen the bathroom?”
She hadn’t been able to do so because she had been scolding Illyan. In truth, she hadn’t had a moment to fully absorb the room itself.
Their room occupied the top floor of the four-story tavern, boasting ceilings that stretched at least fifteen feet high.
A magnificent chandelier in gold and black adorned the center, casting a warm glow from lit candles on numerous candlesticks.
Hand-painted designs graced the ceiling and walls, featuring captivating motifs, from mythical sirens to exquisite animals, captivating her attention.
The room was furnished with essentials such as a dresser, a table with chairs, and a grand bed, completing the space.
Black velvet sheets and satin gold pillows exuded an air of luxury.
Multiple windows offered views of different parts of the city, with the most notable being the one facing the bed.
From that vantage point, the majestic castle loomed above, standing hundreds of feet taller than the tavern. Its grandeur was captivating, and she couldn’t help but imagine the interior illuminated by countless lights.
With a smile directed at Kaed, she led him into the bathroom.
The walls and adornments created a cohesive aesthetic by mirroring the bedroom’s color scheme and style.
It provided a striking contrast to her own dark and calming bathroom back home, radiating a bright and inviting atmosphere.
At its center stood a massive tub that could easily be mistaken for a spa.
A shower nestled behind a glass wall and a vanity with matching gold trim completed the rest of the room.
It was the tub that demanded her attention. “Wow.” Like the rest of the city, it was made of marble, with swirl designs in gold and black paint and golden hardware. It was fit for royalty.
Azahara looked back at Kaed. “I’m going to take a bath right now. Forget dinner.” She turned the water on and then said, “Join me?”
“You don’t have to convince me.” He gracefully removed his shirt, causing her to bite down on her lip in anticipation. The sight of his well-defined abs and sculpted chest never failed to elicit a blush and a delightful tightening in her stomach.
“You’re drooling,” he teased.
Gasping, she shook her head. “Why do you have to call me out like that?!” He was grinning at her, laughing through his teeth.
She slipped her fingers under her shirt and pulled it over her head.
Kaed had her hands in his before she could get the shirt over her eyes. “Hey!” A jovial laugh accompanied her surprise. He brushed his lips against hers, and she bit her bottom lip.
“What did I tell you about biting my lip?” he playfully scolded, flicking his tongue against her parted lips. Instantly, she felt herself melt, her body igniting with a rush of heat, reaching its peak of desire.
“Kaed!” she yelped as his hand darted to her ribs, tickling her. “No!” Ripping her hands away from his hold, she finished removing her shirt. Her hair was disheveled, and she had a gawking expression aimed at him.
“Punishment is punishment, my dear.” He winked and stepped towards the tub, leaving her to catch her breath.
Rolling her eyes, she unclasped her bra and dropped her pants and undergarments. “I’ll remember that” she said under her breath, and he laughed beside himself.
When she approached the tub, she couldn’t help but stare at his bare back. All the scars that told a story, and his butt. It was firm and had a defined shape, toned to perfection. It was another testimony to his training and dedication to being in shape.
Kaed turned his head and licked his lips. “The things you do to me.” It made her blush as he devoured her with his eyes whenever he saw her. “You truly are the definition of perfection, Red.” Giving her hand to him, she bit back a cheeky grin, letting him guide her into the filling tub.
“You compliment me as if you aren’t sculpted with a deity in mind.” The warm water tingled her skin as she sunk in. After her, Kaed slipped in and sat behind her, immediately pulling her to him. She tried her best to ignore his fully erect cock now resting at the small of her back.
“If it weren’t for how you blush and radiate heat when you look at me, I wouldn’t be a believer.
” His hands trailed along her shoulders, brushing his fingertips across her collarbone.
It caused her to sigh and sink into him a bit more, the water now filled to the top, overtaking her shoulders.
She used her toe to shut off the faucet before putting it back into the warmth.
“It’s true. You can tell, after all.” He laughed at her statement, his chest rumbling.
“You are correct. I would know.” There was a brief pause, and then he asked hesitantly, “Do you mind if I wash your hair?” His voice carried a hint of shyness, as if he was unsure of her response.
“Sure, I don’t think anyone has washed my hair for me since I was a child.”
Kaed began cupping water and wetting her hair. “Your hair is gorgeous; I’ve been dying to play with it.”
She chuckled.
“I’m serious!” He splashed her playfully.
“Ah, I know, I know. Sorry.” She closed her eyes, listening to him lathering his hands in the soap. “It hasn’t been long enough for you to notice, but it doesn’t grow.”
He didn’t pause, just slipped his fingers into her soaked hair and began massaging. “Part of the curse?” he asked, sliding between the strands and distributing the soap throughout.
“Mhmm.” Her arms rested at the tub’s rim, and she breathed deeply and steadily.
“What else does the curse cause?” His gentle and considerate tone when broaching the sensitive subject melted her heart. He always displayed kindness, understanding, and respect for her feelings.
“Everything just reverts back to that day, everything about me.” There was one thing that didn’t, but that was oddly specific, and she didn’t want to breach that subject now.
“After the year has come to an end, from what Illy tells me, it’s always the same.
I write a letter to myself the night before, explaining exactly how long it’s been.
Then, I wake up thinking the day before was when I took Mel and Skyy to the Temple of Ohrok.
I have a freak out, but usually come to terms with it.
Then Illy begins helping me settle into the year. ”
“I read that entry recounting what happened at the temple.” His chest rose high as he let out a long, heavy sigh. “If I had been there…”
“I’m glad you weren’t,” she whispered, and his fingers stopped caressing her scalp.
“He is a god, Kaed. You would have been hurt, if not worse.” There was a brief pause before he resumed, his attention shifting to the nape of her neck, skillfully applying pressure with his nails in all the right places.
“But you’re here now. That’s what matters. ”
His soapy hands snaked around her and came to her jaw, cupping it and turning her to him. “And it’s where I’ll stay. No matter what. Through the pain, the panic attacks, your remaking, everything.” He kissed her then, and gone was her resolve.
She turned around, wrapping around his neck and deepening the kiss. Their tongues intertwined, and her hips lowered to his. She could feel his shaft brushing against her thigh. A hunger for it inside her caused her to moan between his lips.