Chapter 29
Cold nipped at my cheeks, turning them rosy the moment we left the warmth of the room.
Bundled up in my shirt, leathers, and a cloak on top for good measure, I still found myself shivering.
My years spent in the North had done nothing to brace me for the level of frigidity of the Winter Court.
It would take almost no time at all to strip bare and plunge myself into the hot water, but I’d convinced myself—reasonably so—that I would freeze solid before I could make it.
Alandris, on the other hand, had already stripped down to his pants and was sauntering toward the water without a care in the world. He’d kicked off his boots before he’d even stepped outside. My toes curled in my own boots at the thought.
“There is something seriously wrong with you.” I cringed. “Get in already!”
He cocked a brow. “Eager to get me undressed?”
I averted my gaze. “I—I am worried about you. That is all.”
His laughter was almost enough to make me look up from my feet. “Of course, my apologies.”
A breath later, I heard the splash of water and raised my head enough to find his discarded clothes in a pile in the snow.
Dragging my eyes up a little farther, I found Alandris chest deep in the hot spring, his eyes sparkling with teasing humor.
“Your turn, Nairu. Should I turn away, like last time?”
My mind wandered back to the ‘last time’ in question—that crystal clear pool in the caves. It felt as though it was hundreds of years ago. My memories were incomplete back then. I’d been so hopeful at the time, and yet so hesitant. I wasn’t that same girl, not even close, but still, I hesitated.
I’d tried to convince myself that if I let Alandris in any more than I already had, there would be no going back.
I’d endured so much, I was confident I could overcome anything.
But he would be the one chip in my armor.
Losing him would be the one thing I was incapable of overcoming. It would break me.
What I hadn’t realized was that it was already too late.
He’d already become my weakness.
“No,” I answered him, finally. “Don’t turn away.”
Surprise flickered on his features before they shifted into something different. Heated.
I threw my cloak to the veranda first, before grasping at the laces of my under-bust. Tugging at the laces, slowly, one by one, pulling them through the eyelets until that too was discarded behind me. My fingers, shaky from the cold, fumbled with the hem of my linen shirt.
There was nothing left to fear. Not with him.
Never with him. My own thoughts spurred me into action, and suddenly, I couldn’t move fast enough.
I tossed my shirt behind me and gasped when the cold air hit my chest. Wasting no time, I tossed off my boots and pants, and then I was jumping into the water until I was neck deep, gasping for air.
The heat flooded my body at once, and I leaned my head back in relief, letting out a long breath.
“Not so bad, was it?” Alandris’ voice was closer than I’d expected.
I turned to look at him and found myself struck silent.
He was beautiful. Had I not taken the time to admire it before?
His long black hair was like strands of silk spreading out in the water all around him.
His eyes were freckled with spots of teal and pupils ringed in a blue so light it was almost silver.
The way they looked at me now made that silver almost look like liquid flame.
“You are magnificent,” he murmured, sliding closer yet.
I followed the trail of his gaze as it worked its way over me, lingering on each part of me as though he were seeing me for the first time. Taking note of every little detail as I had. My heart raced as I watched him, waiting.
He reached forward, running a finger along my jaw. “What is it you want, Nairu?”
I pulled my lip between my teeth. “You.”
“I’m yours.” He leaned down to whisper the words against my lips before pressing a lazy, almost drunken kiss to them. “I want to take my time with you. I want to be gentle with you, but fuck, I want you too. I don’t know that I can.”
My permission came in the form of closing what minuscule gap remained between us until I could feel every inch of him pressed to my skin. The sensation of his skin against mine lit a fire deep in my chest, traveling lower and lower until every bit of me tingled with desire—need.
Alandris’s lips trailed down my neck, nipping at the skin, as his arm snaked around my waist, gripping my hip.
He hoisted me up, my legs wrapping around his waist, my arms curling behind his neck to steady myself.
The cold bit my skin the moment he lifted me out of the water, and I gasped at the sudden change of temperature.
“I’ll keep you warm. I promise.”
I let out a strangled moan as he took my breast into his mouth, his tongue swirling around the peak of my nipple. I dug my nails into his back, leaning my head back as he flicked his tongue back and forth, licking and biting up my neck until he made his way back to my lips.
No longer was his kiss that of a restrained male. No, he was devouring me, and I, him. Hands tangled in my hair, he tugged me back to deepen the kiss. The slight sting of pain, paired with pleasure, had me gasping for breath.
More. I needed more. “Please, Alandris.”
Alandris chuckled, dark and deep. “Patience, love. I’m not even close to done with you.”
He released his hold on my legs and drove us back to the edge of the hot spring. My back pressed against the rocky perimeter, and I brought my hands to his chest. I was ready to beg him again. Every part of my body was screaming for him, but he wouldn’t relent on teasing me.
A knowing smirk played on his face. “What is it you want, Nairu?” His fingers trailed up my inner thighs, stopping, waiting. “You’ll need to be specific.”
My voice came out breathy and raw. “Touch me. Please.”
His fingers drew circles against my thigh. “Show me.”
I curled my fingers around his hand and dragged it farther up until he was cupping my pussy. That sensation alone was almost enough to shatter me, and I had to bite back a whimper from escaping my lips.
“Good girl.” Alandris circled my clit agonizingly slowly, before moving down and pushing one finger inside of me. He looked up, gauging my reaction, and I nodded. He pumped in and out before adding another, and I lurched forward, grinding against his hand.
He crashed his lips to mine as his thumb worked my clit, and I could barely return the kiss, moaning sloppily against his mouth. I chanted his name like a prayer. “Alandris. Fuck.”
His rhythm increased ever so slightly, and I felt the pressure build to impossible heights. With his fingers alone, he already had me melting in his hands. I couldn’t imagine how much more intense it would feel with all of him inside of me. He was going to be the death of me.
Fingers curling inside me, I felt that pressure burst and buried my head into his shoulder to muffle my screams. My heart was exploding in my chest, my vision going white as he slowed his movement, easing me down from my high. He kissed my forehead and brought his eyes to meet mine.
“Can you trust me?”
I nodded.
Before I had a chance to ask what he meant, he was out of the water, holding a hand out for me to join him.
I took his hand without hesitation, letting him lift me up to join him in the snow.
I expected to be freezing the moment my skin touched the air, but I felt nothing at all.
Instead, there was a wave of warmth cloaking me from head to toe.
“What is this?” I asked.
Alandris waved his hand in front of him, a small wisp of fire swirling between his fingers. “Just a bit of magic. I did tell you once that I knew a few useful tricks.”
I smiled at first, but quickly frowned, remembering how he’d failed to mention this earlier. “You certainly didn’t use it to help me get into the water.”
“I’ll admit, I wanted to tease you a bit.” He grabbed my hand, leading me back to the house, our clothes left stranded in the snow. “Why don’t I make it up to you inside?”
I bit my lip, cursing internally.
The death of me.
I followed Alandris to the bedroom, letting him lead me to the giant plush bed covered in extravagant silk and furs.
The firelight cast the room in shadows, which danced along his skin in a way that framed his sharp, angular features, making him look like something of another world.
Beautiful in a way that seemed impossible.
I wanted to be familiar with every part of him.
Every curve and freckle and scar. I wanted everything.
I wanted it forever. And even if that wasn’t possible, even if our survival was a slim chance at best. At least for tonight, I wanted to pretend.
It was with that confidence that I pushed him down to the bed, crawling over him.
His eyes flicked to mine, but he didn’t vie for control.
He merely guided me, hands gripping my hips to keep me balanced while I slowly lowered myself down on top of him.
A soft groan escaped his lips as I sunk onto his cock inch by inch lower and lower, adjusting to his length until I could take all of him.
I wished I could ingrain the way he looked at me—once I was fully settled atop him—into my memory.
Like I was everything. Like I was forever.
And he didn’t need to pretend because he was going to ensure it stayed that way.
I rocked my hips slowly, my own pleasure melding with his.
His hands cupped my ass, pulling me deeper and deeper with every stroke until I could barely hold myself up.
With my legs and arms shaking, he took the opportunity to flip me onto my back.
He pressed back into me, bringing his fingers to my clit once more.
The combined sensation was too much and not enough all at once. I closed my eyes, gasping for air as a moan tore through my throat.
“Eyes on me, love,” he said, gently grabbing my jaw and turning me towards him. “I want to see your face when I send you over the edge.”
Fuck.
He raised my leg over his shoulder, angling himself to hit deeper than I thought possible. I wasn’t going to last another minute like this. I could already feel that familiar pressure coiling in my core. And he was taking me relentlessly, hard and fast.
“Alandris—I can’t—I’m going to...”
He leaned down to kiss me. “Let go, Nairu. You and me.”
Stars burst behind my eyes at the same time both of us cried out.
Alandris collapsed down on top of me, careful not to put his full weight down on me, and I shifted us to our sides.
I curled up against his heaving chest, and he wrapped his arms around me, kissing the top of my head.
I was utterly spent, and I could have, would have, passed out right then, just like that.
Only Alandris’s voice kept me conscious.
“Let me clean you up. I’ll be right back.”
He wasn’t gone long, but I was still wavering in and out of sleep when he returned and pressed a warm rag between my thighs. “Mm, Alandris?”
“Yes, love?”
“Will you stay here?”
He hummed a laugh. “Of course. I’m not going anywhere.”