21. Chapter Twenty-One
Istruggled to maintain balance between the silent chaos that predated this rebellion and helping Aurelie overcome the obstacles of what she was, or who she could become.
Even more, I struggled to remain patient as her words grew harsher. Still, in times like this, where we swayed beneath the stars and allowed nothing but our beating hearts and mellow breaths to occupy our shared space, I was reminded what serenity this bond held.
It was, in every way, intoxicating.
Only when her shoulders had relaxed, and her rapid heart mellowed, did I speak. “Tomorrow, I will ensure Lyra, the cartographers, and Isaac have everything they need to stay safe. I’ll send word to Queen Evangeline, and then we will go. I understand we are on borrowed time and that this will not be easy.”
Aurelie backed away from my embrace and looked at me. She took hold of my hand and nodded once. She started walking backwards, tugging on my hand to follow, but I nearly stumbled over my feet when she abruptly stopped and jolted onto the tips of her toes, pressing a sweet, fleeting kiss to my lips.
“I love you, Eero. I don’t tell you that often enough, and I do not wish to be anywhere but here. I promise.”
My eyes were heavy and hung over her as a small smile twitched across my face. I snatched her other hand and twirled us around in a dance that followed the melodies of the breeze. There wasn’t any rhyme or reason, but her fit of giggles as I guided her side to side was the only music I needed. Her joy, something that had become such a rare thing, ushered in euphoria that buzzed across my skin. I tugged her to my chest after the laughter faded, bringing her lips to mine and silencing her.
“And I love you, Aurelie Cane, no matter the fight, no matter the anger. You are mine, and I am yours.”
Her cheeks prickled with a blush. We’d shared so many moments here in such a short time—from the place we stood, nestled underneath a canopy of trees, to that creaky bed and the hot springs off the beaten path. This place felt like a home, even if we were strangers occupying a manor that once housed sorceresses from all realms. Even if we were at the mercy of a queen who, today, saw my reign as a good thing, but could change her mind at any time. Even if a rebellion shadowed over the temporary light, serving as a constant reminder of the loss we would most certainly face in the coming weeks.
But Aurelie Cane was my light, and she was eternal. No storm, cloud, or midnight sky could suffocate this sort of happiness. Even if this fight for my throne ended with my head on a pike, it would be worth it.
Just so long as she was safe—so long as I made her happy. My fiery mate, vicious witchling, and betrothed. I’d never understand all that had happened, but none of it mattered in the end.
Her fingers grappled into my silvery hair, and mine pressed into the plush skin of her hips. I guided her to the tree nearest us. I could moan at the thought—the taste of her blood against my tongue, the marks of my teeth that would fade and heal and please. I nipped at her lip and relished the visceral reaction that danced between us, from the slightest tremble in her legs to the rush of arousal through my chest.
This had been hard. On her, on me, and on our escapades beneath silken sheets, all for reasons I’d never fault her for. If they existed for the rest of our days, that would be fine. More than fine, really.
As long as her happiness remained, I would never push her beyond the boundaries she set. Her peace was more important to me than anything else. But when my lips parted from hers, she chased after me. That roused a deep, raspy chuckle.
I gazed upon her with heavy eyelids and stroked the wild strands of hair that framed her face. “I need you to be okay.”
It was a calm, cool, quiet request, but it resonated within her. I could see it in the way her eyes twinkled and her smile faded into neutrality. She, again, stood on her tiptoes so our noses brushed, her fingers dancing along my cheek. I could hear the rhythmic beat of her heart hasten, akin to the time we almost kissed in the greenhouse.
And there was that warmth again. Genuine. True.
That’s exactly what this was.
This time, when she kissed me, it was more delicate than a lone petal flitting through the air. Her lips ghosted mine at first before we shared the same breath and our hearts thrummed to the same beat. There wasn’t anything that could pull her from my undivided attention as her hands danced across my chest before grasping the thin material and tugging me closer. My hand pressed against the trunk to level myself.
Her tongue was running along the edge of my lip, and I was groaning with every little taste of her. Every stroke. Every motion. It was slow and purposeful. Arousal flared between my legs as my other hand slipped down her body, skimming over the curve of her hips.
She tugged at my shirt again, and I understood.
I tutted, tapping on the bark near her ear. She smirked against my skin, and when warmth bled from her fingertips against my skin, the tang of magic enveloped us. I opened my eyes and saw a glittering shell—one that shielded us from wandering eyes.
I didn’t even have time to admire the humming energy around us before she pulled me back down to her lips. In a few swift motions, the tunic was gone, and she traced every dip, valley, and definition of my chest. Her whimper brushed against my cheek as my nose grazed across her skin before dipping into the crook of her neck. I suckled on the skin, tucking my hands under her tunic and ghosting the scarred skin. Sólkon”s bites never faded fully, and I feared they never would. I avoided the sutures that snaked across her body, nails dragging across every unmarked stretch of skin my fingers could find.
It was the lightest of touches.
Still, I felt her melt into me with a sigh as her head tipped back to give me all the room I wanted. A low, rumbling purr rose from my chest, and I peppered her collarbone with soft kisses. I nipped at the skin with a primal urge to mark her.
My cock twitched at the mere idea of allowing her the sort of euphoria she deserved, but I wouldn’t be the reason Aurelie had to revisit that torture—no, if I never got to bite her again, then I’d be content. Just so long as she was okay.
I cooled her back with my magic, earning a hiss drowned by my chuckles.
There was nothing more satisfying than the sounds that fell from her lips. They were lyrical and ethereal, and it was music to my ears. My name rolled off her tongue in the most exquisite way, and I couldn”t help the grin that curled across my face. My tongue swirled along her neck, and her knees wobbled. She grasped my arms, her heart racing beneath that fragile chest.
She was the sweetest thing I”d ever tasted. Each and every moment we had time together—the sort of time without war and ruin and chaos—I was reminded how much control she held over me. How badly I would fight for this. How hard I”d fall. How far I”d go. How many years I”d spend searching for her if we were ever separated.
A growl rumbled in my chest, and my hips bucked. I desired that soft whimper to become a moan as I balled the hem of her tunic in my fists and tugged so hard, it started to rip.
My eyes flicked open to meet her gaze, her pupils dilated and her chest rising and falling with every heavy breath. “You have no idea what you do to me, do you?” I asked.
Her tongue swiped across her bottom lip, and although I saw fierce confidence dancing against her irises, she dared to shake her head. I cocked my head. She pressed a finger to my chest and pushed me back enough to rid herself of the tunic. The magic followed our bodies—it was the first time I’d witnessed how much control she had over that power within her. I watched gooseflesh race across her exposed skin, but as she guided me to the soft grass, my hands reached for her, pulling her close again. Her knees straddled my waist as my fingers traced across the shape of her throat, delicately toying with her.
I was going to devour her.
Her lips brushed mine again, and my thumb swiped across her jawline. Her hands dropped to the hem of my trousers, and my breath hitched.
“You have no idea how much power you have,” she breathed, mocking my last question.
Then she sank down the length of my abdomen, her hands grazing my skin as she went.
“By the gods,” I moaned, a hand running through her hair and grasping the strands. I leaned forward, gazing down at her and watching the way her eyelashes fanned her cheeks. Her hands dragged down my legs, nails scratching over the skin, and I shivered.
The fabric dropped.
Her lips were soft as she pressed a kiss to my thigh. My muscles tensed, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. My chest tightened, my breaths short, and when her fingers wrapped around the base of my cock, a gasp fell from my lips.
It wasn”t enough to just touch her.
It wasn”t enough to kiss her.
But this was enough to make me worship her every sound, her every breath.
When she took the tip of my cock between her lips, I threw my head back. The groan that fell from my lips was guttural, and I tugged at her hair. It was only then I realized how sensitive I was. Her tongue flicked against the head, and my hips bucked.
She chuckled, but I could barely look.
The sight of her, on her knees, her hair framing her face, her breasts exposed from the torn tunic… My lips parted into the shape of a quiet moan, one that edged her to push harder. Faster.
It was almost too much. I tried to keep my eyes open so I could stare at the dark sky reflected across the water behind her, so I could admire the way she worshiped me, but I couldn’t.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
She didn”t stop, and I could feel her desire growing stronger. She was practically begging for more, and she was pushing me closer to the edge. When I looked down, I saw her staring up at me with a wicked glint in her eye, and it was over.
I released the grip on her hair and clutched the grass under me.
My eyes fluttered shut. My jaw was slack, and her name fell from my lips like a prayer. Every little swirl, every stroke, every moment that her tongue lapped against the head of my cock, I was gone. She had complete control.
And when she swallowed, I felt my soul leave my body.
Her fingers danced up and down my length, but she didn”t release me—not until her name was a desperate, broken plea, and my voice cracked.
But when she did, she didn”t stand. She rested her cheek on my chest, her hand trailing across my body to stop over my racing heart.
I was panting.
Her hand slid down my chest and to her side. The smile she flashed me was the brightest thing in the night, a relief that washed over me. It was the girl I loved. It was the woman I would die for.
She grabbed hold of my hand and helped me up, fatigue coloring her emerald eyes gray. The magic flickered around us, and without another word, we fixed our clothes and raced inside. The second the door shut behind us, the glamour vanished.
She breathed out in relief, blush swiping across her cheeks as she twisted toward the washroom to freshen up. There was an absent feeling without her hold on me, one that both terrified and invigorated me. I followed after her just as she leaned over the basin of the sink, the water trickling down her face.
I brushed aside some hair before resting my hands on her shoulders, ushering her to straighten and tilt her head up. The water was dripping from her face, and my hand drifted up her side. She didn”t hesitate. She leaned into me, and I could feel her heart racing as my hand brushed against her chest.
Her lips twitched into a grin. She didn”t say anything, and her hands dropped to the lip of the sink. She lifted herself onto the tips of her toes to reach for a towel on a shelf above her head, and I followed the curve of her body with the palm of my hand. I felt the soft flesh of her breast, and her body instinctively responded to my touch.
”What are you doing?” she asked.
I chuckled, and the hand on her breast slid to her waist. I tugged her backward so her ass was flush against me before I bent to kiss her neck and let the other hand drift to the apex of her thighs. “Don”t think you”re getting off so easily,” I purred.
Her breath hitched as my fingers slipped between her legs, feeling the warmth radiating from her. It was a gentle caress, and when her hips bucked, I bit back a laugh. She was so sensitive.
“Oh, really?” she hummed. “What happened to not worrying about getting your fill?”
Her taunt roused a soft chuckle before I sucked at the spot on her neck. “My fill and your fill are entirely different things, witchling.”
My fingers circled her clit, and the moan she let loose made my knees buckle. I wasn”t tired, I wasn”t spent—I desired her and her alone.
I slipped a finger inside her, and she groaned, her head rolling back. I could hear her heartbeat racing, and it spurred me on. I pumped in and out, and my lips parted to whisper against her ear, “Fuck, witchling. Do you know what this wet little cunt does to me?”
I was intimately aware of her reaction, the way her head dipped back, the way her face curled into a symphony of pleasure. All her nightmares, trauma, the lingering terror…it consumed me. I had so much weighing down my shoulders, but her well-being was priority number one.
Priority two was reminding her what sort of control she had over me.
And priority three?
“What do you want me to do to you?” I asked, my voice a tease of the tongue as I nipped at her earlobe. Her breaths came out in raspy pants, her cheek hot against mine as I nuzzled into her hair. “Come on, Aurelie. You know my rules. Words.”
“Eero,” she whined and turned her head to me so she could steal a kiss.
I wouldn’t give her that, though—not until her precious desires were dripping from her tongue. Not until she pleaded. Not until, more than all, her lust was shared like a lullaby I never wanted to forget.
I hummed in disapproval, moving to create space. Her fingers hooked into the back of my hair, pulling me down so I was kissing her with the sort of feverish pursuit it made my heart race. “I want this,” she whimpered against my mouth. “I want…you. There’s no question.”
So I didn”t hesitate.
Another finger entered her, and her hands flew back to grab onto whatever part of my face she could reach. She didn”t protest or try to stop me. I moved slowly, toying with her in ways that made her legs shake—in ways that made me shake.
“Do you have any idea how hard it is not to fuck you against this counter?” I ground out, teeth grazing her earlobe.
“Please,” she gasped, and my cock twitched.
I didn”t need to be told twice.
I spun her around, her back hitting the counter, and my lips crashed against hers yet again. It was messy. It was fast. But I didn”t want slow and easy. I wanted her.
And if the way her legs wrapped around my hips as I lifted her onto the sink was any indication, she wanted the same thing.
Aurelie whimpered as her tongue met mine in a clash of teeth and moans and desire.
I rid myself of my pants again and pushed inside her. The gasp that left her was almost sweeter than the sight of her mouth around me—the tightness, the wetness, the way her hands grasped at the counter, and her head tilted back. Her chest rose and fell with every deep breath, and her lips parted into a moan every moment I wasn’t kissing her. Her cheeks were flushed, and the soft moonlight bleeding through the window illuminated her silhouette.
She was beautiful.
She was so fucking beautiful.
I leaned into the crook of her neck, her moans turning to screams of pleasure. I groaned against her, and this bond awoke within us yet again. It was a melody of cries as I bucked into her, as I ghosted my teeth against her skin. I couldn’t bite her—no, not without her consent. My tongue dragged against her skin. I heard the basin cracking from how hard she grasped it, the mirror”s wooden frame splintering under the pressure.
“Don”t stop,” she begged, and I couldn’t help but smile. I got her pleading little moan in the end, though she didn’t need to beg long. I wouldn”t. I couldn”t. I needed this, and I needed her. It wasn”t enough.
Not nearly enough.
My hands grasped her hips, and I pulled her closer. I was as deep as I could get. Her eyes rolled back, and the way she clenched around me was almost enough to send me over the edge again. I gasped and I pulled away from her neck so I could lift her, her legs tightening around my waist as I moved her against the wall near the tub. The painting of a Spring Court meadow rattled and nearly fell.
She was panting, but as I kissed her, she was whispering, “More.”
The growl that ripped from me was primal. I was fucking her harder until we were a mess of sweat and blood and desire, and as I parted to steal a glance, I had to kiss her again. There was a selfish part that wanted to bite her over and over—
She was the sun itself, and the light she emanated was blinding. When she was crying out my name, her entire body tightening around me in every way possible, the painting did fall.
The glass shattered into a hundred little pieces.
She came, muscles spasming around me, and I was close behind her.
Aurelie gasped for air, and I struggled to steady myself. I slowed, but only for a moment, a brief, fleeting second before she was chasing my lips, and I was rocking sloppily into her. I was desperate. I was aching. I wanted her, and I would never get enough.
Silencing my whimpering cry into her shoulder, I held onto her. I wanted to taste her blood and feel her writhe against me. I was honest with myself when I said I’d be content if I never got to bite her again, but by the gods, I hoped that wasn’t the case.
She was a puddle in my arms, and I was struggling to catch my breath. I could barely hold her, but I didn”t care. I didn”t want to let her go. Not now, not ever.
“You”re shaking,” I said softly as the light that bounced off her skin faded. She laughed into my shoulder, desperate and exasperated. I grinned, nuzzling the top of her head and breathing in her scent.
“I don”t know what”s happening to me,” she admitted. “But if fucking me awakens more magic, then I say we swap out the training time with it...”
I kissed the crown of her head before a raw, raspy fit of laughter slipped past my lips. She started laughing too, and she tightened her hold on me.
And for a moment, all was well.
I was happy, and she was too.
I took this moment to admire her before setting her on her feet. I turned toward the bath and started it for her. The hot spring water slowly filling the basin. When I turned over my shoulder to watch her fix her hair idly, I saw the marks along her back.
Bites that were not mine and never would be. A cruel statement made by my brother. A crueler implication of her uncontrolled magic. I stood, moving wavy strands over her shoulder and tracing one of the scars on her shoulder blade.
Her back was a map of pain.
One I intended to fix, however the means.