48. A SPECIAL OCCASION
Darkness had fallen, and The Elderwood had been transformed into a magical forest, the likes of which completely outshined the Woodland Court’s decor and pomp.
The tree trunks were wrapped in millions of white lights, illuminating elegant tables piled high with tiered platters of pastries, aromatic meats, and enchanted glasses and goblets that filled themselves from the bottom up with whatever drink the consumer desired.
Garlands of greenery and rich red flowers cascaded down the length of every table and flowed onto the floor, dripping with silk ribbons at each end.
And in the midst of it all, elegantly-dressed fae mingled, laughed, and drank in our honor.
Every head turned, chins dipped, and knees bent in curtsies as we passed by.
Niall led me further into the forest, toward an open glade where soft music filled the trees.
“Did you do all of this?” I asked.
His grin answered me before his words did. “Amarna and Sorscha helped.”
As we entered the throng of guests, I caught snippets of conversations.
Most of them consisted of females gushing over my dress and fawning over how romantic it was when Niall saw me coming down the stairs.
But no one stopped us. In fact, they parted, making a clear path to the glade ahead.
When I saw what was waiting there, I gasped . . .
Hundreds of candles floated in the air, casting their soft, golden light upon the grass-laden dance floor.
More silk ribbons adorned the tree branches, draping from limb to limb, encasing the space as if it were reserved for only Niall and me.
Every detail had been meticulously curated, and I loved him all the more for it.
“Everything is stunning, Niall.”
“You, my darling, are stunning.” He slipped my arm from his, taking my hand instead and pulling me to the center of the clearing.
“I’m not sure how the humans do it,” he said, “but here, we have a dance, just the two of us.”
“It’s the same.” I wrapped an arm around his shoulders, letting him cinch me against his body and lead me in step as the music began anew. “You know, now that we’re married, I would call you my husband in the human realm.”
“Mmm, husband . . .” He weighed the word on his tongue. “I like that. And what would I call you?”
“Your wife.”
His eyes pulsed, a rim of gold igniting around the edges of his irises. “I like that even more.” His hand slid lower down my back as he leaned into my ear. “Do you know what I’m going to do to you later, wife?”
Chills skittered across my skin, and I pressed into him, smiling and losing myself to the sound of that word on his lips.
“I’m going to lay you down and watch as my shadows strip this dress off of you.”
I sucked in a breath, blushing at the deep, sultry tone his voice had suddenly taken on.
“Then, I’m going to remove anything you’re wearing underneath, and feast between your legs.”
An intense pulse of desire flooded my core, sending a sweeping warmth and a clenching need straight between my thighs. “Niall . . .” I breathed, trying to keep my composure.
Around us, bystanders smiled as they watched Niall lead me around the floor, none of them the wiser to the fact that he was about to have me coming undone with the things he was whispering.
His fingers gripped the back of my dress. “And after I’ve satisfied you with my tongue, I’m going to take you, again and again, and savor every scream of pleasure you release. I’m going to spill myself inside you until you’re so full of me that I’m dripping down your thighs.”
I choked on my own breath, and my steps faltered. A flush washed over my entire body, making my knees weak.
He gripped me tighter, pressing his hard length against my abdomen. “Do you like the sound of that?”
My eyes fluttered closed as I buried my face against him and took in long breaths, trying to keep my light from bursting free. “If you only knew . . .”
“Oh, darling, I know—I can feel it. But I want to hear you say it.”
I finally lifted my head and looked up at him through lust-heavy lashes. “I love the sound of that.”
I didn’t know where his sudden forwardness and savage words had come from, but they had me in a chokehold that I didn’t want to break free of.
“Good,” he said. “Now, we just have to endure a short time here for the sake of appearances, but I’ll be counting down the seconds until I get to feel you come apart beneath me.”
With a sinful grin, he pushed me out into a spin, and I fell further into the throes of my desire with each turn.
When he finally reeled me back in, my labored breathing wasn’t from the spinning, it was from the things he was making me feel.
Every new wave of his arousal radiated down the bond, making me hum from within.
Damn, this was going to be a challenge.
A gentle applause snapped me out of my own head, and I scanned the crowd.
Everyone was smiling, especially Aremis.
Gods, that male wouldn’t let himself feel any emotions, let alone tune into his own, but he certainly had no problem reading others.
He gave me a knowing look, but I challenged his stare and flicked my eyes over to where Maeson was standing, an obvious reminder that he should tune into her feelings, or his own, instead of everyone else’s.
He inclined his head as if to say, You’re right, and sauntered off in Maeson’s direction.
Whatever song had been playing ended, and I stood there, still caught in my whirlwind of need like I was wrapped up in the early phase of the mating bond all over again.
Niall leaned down once more, his breath warm against the shell of my ear. “Did I mention that after the union, a couple’s desire can become so intense that it’s nearly impossible for them to keep away from each other during the celebrations?”
So it is like the mating bond all over again.
“No,” I murmured under my breath. “You failed to mention that.”
“Mmm, well now you know.” He tossed me another grin as he turned to greet Laurent who strode across the clearing toward us.
I whooshed out a breath, suddenly feeling like this gown was too tight in all the wrong places.
“The two of you have always made a handsome couple, but this union becomes you.” Drastia’s High Lord clasped arms with Niall. “Congratulations, my friend.”
Senna followed on her mate’s heels, letting out a squeal as she pulled me into her embrace. “I am absolutely thrilled to have another Lady among the group. The High Lord meetings get far too monotonous with so many hard-headed males around the table.”
I laughed, hugging her back. “I will be just as grateful to have you there.”
She pulled away, beaming with a smile. “You’re too kind, Auren.”
A pair of gray wings caught my eye next. Remic was approaching, carrying two glasses in his hand. Behind him, Silas and Nivelle followed.
“A special drink, courtesy of your mate,” he said, offering me a glass containing some sort of creamy liquid over ice.
“You mean my husband,” I said, putting emphasis on the very human word.
Next to me, Senna hummed with approval. “Husband. Ooh, I like that.” She spun, locking eyes with Laurent. “Shall I call you ‘husband’ too?”
“Whatever your heart desires, darling,” he answered, earning a satisfied giggle from her.
“What is this?” I asked Remic as I looked down at the drink.
“That”—Niall stepped up to my side—“is the special liqueur I picked up the first time I took you into Calledan’s city center.”
I recalled him purchasing a bottle from a shop and saying it was something that would “steal my heart,” but we hadn’t found time to drink it.
Unless . . .
“You were saving it . . . for a special occasion, weren’t you?”
Niall smiled. “I like to be prepared.”
“Bold,” Senna said, lifting an amused brow.
Niall took the other glass from Remic and clinked it against mine. “Trust me. Try it.”
I lifted it to my lips, catching a whiff of vanilla, something buttery, and a hint of cinnamon. When I sipped, my eyes widened. “Oh my—what is this?”
Niall chuckled. “It’s a cream liqueur that I knew you’d fall in love with, given your affinity for cinnamon sugar toast.”
My next sip was more of a gulp. “It’s divine.” I savored the chilled cream, wondering how many more bottles he had.
He grinned at me over the rim of his glass. “I will say it’s quite potent, so do with that what you will.”
A soft melody of strings began, and I took another large sip as I perused the space around us. Across the glade, Aremis offered his hand to Maeson for a dance. Not too far from them, Breck stood, fully invested in conversation with a few other fae.
Laurent reached around Niall for his mate. “Allow me to take advantage of this moment and spin my own Lady around this enchanted forest.” He took Senna by the hand, grinning from ear to ear as he whisked her away.
Nivelle quietly filled in the space Senna had just vacated, and peered down at my drink.
“Want some?” I asked her.
“Depends on what it is.”
“I can’t explain it. Just try it.”
She took it and sniffed, then tasted. Her eyes widened just as mine had, and she lifted the glass higher, inspecting its contents. “Is there more?”
“Niall, I hope you bought more than one bottle of this,” I said, nodding toward Nivelle who had all but claimed the drink as her own.
“It makes my shoulders feel . . . warm and tingly,” she said as she sipped again.
Niall laughed and summoned another empty glass, handing it to me. Then, he brought forth the bottle, pouring a serving and giving me a wink. “I have plenty.”
A deep male voice cut in from behind me. “If this is some sort of drinking game, let me offer you some advice: you have to actually drink what’s in the cup, not just stare at it.”
I turned to find Roirdan gesturing to Nivelle and me as we inspected our beverages. Vanir stood at his side, both of them holding glasses of an amber-colored liquid, like what Niall was drinking.
Nivelle rolled her eyes at the commander’s attempt at humor, and he noted it. He leaned forward. “Do witches even have alcohol on Neveshir?”
“What is alcohol?” she asked.