Chapter 35
I couldn’t sleep. Arrazyl spooned me, arms tucked around me, his breathing even and deep.
He’d been cautious when he’d taken me into his arms, but I didn’t have the energy to push him away.
And despite my jumbled feelings, being in his arms again felt good.
I love you. I’d never heard that from a man I’d dated.
My heart had leapt at the words but I had to be careful. They were merely words after all.
Earlier, Vuldrex and Junyv had brought us a giant meal of all the things I’d expressed that I liked to Arrazyl throughout our time together, and he’d coaxed me to eat as much as possible.
He seemed intent on trying to make what happened up to me, but I didn’t know if that was possible.
Even as careful as he was with me, I internally flinched whenever he touched me, remembering the vicious way he killed.
I wondered what my brother was doing right now. Was he also finding it difficult to sleep? Likely not, he never had trouble falling asleep no matter where he was. I smiled faintly.
Arrazyl shifted and his thick member pressed against my back, searing hot, pulsing enticingly.
He caressed my waist before settling back into his usual rhythm.
My body responded to his touch, knowing what he could do to me, and I was horrified to find slickness between my thighs.
That was the very last thing that should be on my mind right now.
I sighed, even more uncomfortable now than before, as my cunt pulsed with need. Just go to sleep. The thought helped about as much as the fabled counting sheep that I’d tried. As exhausted as I was, I still found it hard to sleep these days, especially when I knew nightmares waited.
Eventually my eyelids grew heavy.
I jerked awake, blinking blurry eyes as beams of sunlight lit the room. I was facing Arrazyl and he caressed my back tenderly as he gazed at me with lidded eyes. He brushed my hair from my face, passing his thumb over my cheek before rubbing my back again.
“Good morning.” I said. I should get up. I didn’t.
“When you’re ready, I’ll call Vuldrex for breakfast.”
“After everything I ate last night, I won’t be hungry for a while. You should just have him bring you something.”
The corners of his lips tilted up, “right now I’m fine feasting my eyes on you.”
I smiled softly at the silly words and reached out to run my fingers along his shoulder and chest. He shivered and I pulled away.
“I really should get up.” I sat up, putting distance between us.
“Why don’t you get in the bathing pool and relax? I’ll have Junyv come attend to you.”
“I don’t need to be attended to.” I paused. “I didn’t have any nightmares.” I’d slept soundly when I finally fell asleep.
“Good.” He leaned over to me and pressed his lips to my temple before getting up. “Let’s keep it that way.”
“What are you going to do?” I finally asked what was on my mind.
He paused, and I could see the conflict on his face. “I’m going to spend the day with you.” Before I could tell him that wasn’t what I meant, he continued, “and then I’m going to take warriors and two other Vorazyr and go get the female and babe back.”
I sucked in a breath and turned toward him, getting up on my knees so I could grip his shoulders. “The danger in going to them and fighting them on their turf is high.”
His lips tilted. “Are you worried about me, dhysari?”
My gaze turned to a glare. “Of course I am. And I thought it was dhysa.”
“While dhysa means pretty little female, dhysari means my love.” I sucked in a breath at the second admission. “Go relax in the pool. I will come to you soon and spend the day with you. We can do whatever you want. Even if that is nothing but gaze at the view.” With those sweet words, he left.
I needed to think and made my way to the pool, stripping and slipping under the water, submerging my head and taking a moment to bask in the complete silence.
Peace enveloped me and I could finally hear myself think.
The last few days my head had been so full of stress and nightmares that I hadn’t properly processed everything.
Suddenly, hands gripped my arms and hauled me up. I gasped as my head broke the surface.
“No, you mustn’t!” Junyv clung to me, eyes wide. “I know you’ve been through horrible things, but this isn’t the way.”
I blinked. “What did you think I was doing? I was just enjoying the silence under the water.”
The expression of sheer panic dimmed, and she peered at me. “Oh. You don’t want to hurt yourself?”
“No.” I gave her my best encouraging smile. It felt like it stretched my face too much after the morose expression I’d worn for days.
She released me. “I’m sorry for interrupting you, then. My intent was to save your life, but since you don’t need that, I’ll finish putting out your bathing products and a new outfit.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“Of course I do, it’s my job.”
It was a losing battle, so I was just grateful she didn’t try to wash my hair for me. Even when she was finished she lingered, keeping an eye on me while pretending to straighten things that were already perfectly placed.
I washed my hair with the lovely smelling soaps she’d brought before leaving the sanctuary of the water. She opened an enormous, fluffy white bath towel, and wrapped it around me.
She was combing my hair—something I did protest, to no avail—when strong footsteps announced Arrazyl.
He stepped into the bathroom, suddenly making the massive room seem much, much smaller. Junyv and he exchanged words in vorikaan and she scurried out.
His predatory gaze hungrily took me in, all dripping hair and fluffy towel. He stepped forward, prompting me to step back. He stilled, and I immediately felt bad at the hurt that flashed across his face, quickly replaced by a careful mask. “Let me help you dry off and dress.”
“That’s not necessary.”
He inclined his head and retreated back into the bedroom. It seemed like the air came whooshing back into the room, the bathroom spacious again. Arrazyl was magnetic, that was for sure.
When I went out after dressing the main doors leading into the sitting area were open and Junyv and another steward were carrying armfuls of items in.
“What’s all this?” I joined Arrazyl, who stood off to the side.
“These are for you.” Junyv said as she and the other female brought baskets and small hykh leather trunks of goods into the room.
I frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Junyv flashed a quick look at Arrazyl before averting her eyes again, and he turned toward me. “These are gifts from those who know you.”
“What?” I gazed at the items. “They know what happened?”
“Some of it. They know you were injured, but they don’t know the details.”
“You should open this one first.” Junyv set a basket down on the low decorative table in front of me. It had a soft cloth draped over it. I lifted the cloth and my lips parted in surprise. Small, glistening cakes and drinks in glass bottles filled the basket.
“Isn’t this what you were given when we were out gathering?” I asked Arrazyl.
“Indeed. What did you do to gain Jyyl’s favor?”
“Maybe nothing, maybe it’s poisoned.”
He chuckled and took a small piece of cake, popping it into his mouth. “She wouldn’t dare. She knows you’re favored by me.”
That didn’t make her serve me that one day. “It may be because of her grandson.” I admitted.
His eyebrows rose as he waited for my explanation. I told him about what happened and he stared at me. “You got a ykth to release its prey?”
“I guess I didn’t know the limits of how someone should be saved from it.”
He grinned. “You’re amazing.” I smiled, my heart giving a squeeze at the look in his eyes. “Why don’t you open the rest of your gifts? After this, I’ll have to step up my own gifts to you.” He paused, his eyes flickering between mine. “I noticed you kept the jewelry I gave you.”
I touched my neck, though I didn’t have the necklace on. “I was hurt, but that didn’t mean I wanted to forget every memory with you.”
“Jacqueline.” His voice was full of pain and he pulled me into his arms, wrapping his wings around me so I was cocooned, safe. I pressed into him and rested my cheek against his chest. The strong, steady rhythm of his heart calmed me and I slipped my arms around him.
“There is something very special I want to share with you. Would you go with me?” he whispered the words against my hair and pressed a kiss on the top of my head.
I lifted my head and smiled softly at him. It was all the permission he needed, and he gathered me into his arms, cradling me like I was precious. He brushed past the balcony doors and leapt into the air in one fluid movement.
The flight was fast. I looked around curiously, wondering what he was up to. An enormous waterfall draped over the cliff for at least a quarter mile and Arrazyl arrowed for it. He flew behind the waterfall, revealing a cavernous open shelf with what had to be hundreds of colorful vorilh.
“What?” I breathed.
Arrazyl landed close to the cave wall and set me down.
“Watch the one there,” he pointed at a vorilh that was pacing, clearly straining.
I joined him when he sat down. He pulled me back against his chest and we watched in silence as the baby vorilh came into the world.
The female strained and huffed in a weird, bird-like manner, though she was giving birth to a live baby, not laying eggs.
Another one, presumably her mate, stroked her long neck with his beak.
Minutes passed and a round sack finally slid free, shining with vivid colors while being see-through. The vorilh let out a relieved breath, but the baby inside didn’t move.
I leaned forward, worried, but Arrazyl wrapped a powerful arm around me, anchoring me in place. “We must never interfere.” he murmured against my ear.
The mom nudged the sack with the top of her beak and to my relief and delight the baby twitched. Then it started to move and stretch, and finally it used its talons to claw out of the sack.
We watched another few births, some harder than others. Some I had to hold myself back because the babies took so long to finally start cutting their way out.
After the vorilh settled in with their newborns, we still stayed there, enjoying the environment as the parents interacted with their babies. A few others further down the cliff continued to labor.
Arrazyl shifted behind me and his hard length, so ready the wide part was already engorged, prodded my back.
A throb of need and an ache to be with him so fully, tied together by our mating, made me clench.
I had felt broken for days, and now as I gathered up the pieces of myself, something only I could do, I was ready for him.
To remind me I wasn’t alone, to remind me he cared for me.
Because sitting here in this sacred place for them, one even few vorpyr got to see, I knew he did.
I turned to face him, straddling him and pressing my lips to his.
He groaned and our breath mingled as I swept my tongue over his bottom lip and into his mouth, tasting him, tangling my tongue with his.
He sucked on my bottom lip before sliding to my top one.
Moaning into the kiss I rocked my hips, grinding into his length.
The sounds of our panting and soft moans filled the space.
I pulled back and slid my top off. His eyes flashed in approval, and he cupped a breast, rubbing my taut nipple. He dipped his head and took my breast in his mouth. I sucked in a sharp breath at the pleasure that thrummed through me.
My clit throbbed and I arched back, giving him access as he rolled and pinched one nipple while sucking and laving the other.
My thighs trembled and arousal trickled out of me.
I unfastened his pants and wrapped my hands around his cock.
Pre-come glistened on his head and my body clenched in response as I gently worked it.
He groaned, thrusting into my hands, and his sucking and licking intensified.
I cried out when he grazed my nipple with a fang, sparks of pleasure shooting through me.
“Arrazyl.” I panted. He lifted his head, his eyes hot with desire. “I need you.”