The Spymaster's Assassin (An ACoTaR Fanfic)

Chapter 35

Summer Court was hardly what I would call a vacation.

Azriel and I barely got any time alone. For some reason, the Spymaster and Assassin weren't trusted, even though we weren't technically there for the Book. Besides, plans had been stalled much later than planned as it was with all the bullshit from Haven and Ravenna and even Lucien. I wasn't about to do anything to cause us anymore problems.

High Lord Tarquin had ordered several guards to follow Azriel and I around while he attended to the others. So, Az and I became the distraction while Amren, Feyre, and Rhys went about doing the serious business of making sure that the focus was on us so they could steal the Book.

A part of me thought it was funny we were being given so much attention.

Az decided it would be fun one day on the beach to completely undress down to his boxers and grin at me until I, too, was in my bathing suit which consisted of underwear and a wrap around my chest.

He then decided that playing tag like this was ideal. And we laughed and chased each other along the beach, tackling the other with kisses and then running away again, occasionally flying out of ther others' way or disappearing into shadows to avoid capture.

We let the Summer Court guards watch us in annoyance with our matching tattoos and annoying mating bond shenaniganery. The four of them merely watched us, moving back and forth with us along the beach as we ran through the white sand.

Then Azriel caught me, hugging me from behind, arms around my stomach and he breathed in my ear, "Let's surprise them."

I smirked, knowing of his meaning, and we disappeared in a poof of shadow and reappeared a few yards down the beach. The guards jumped and moved closer to us to keep an eye on us.

The trouble makers. We did this a few more times, each time appearing progressively farther away from them so they had to chase us back and forth. They seemed to not mind it, save for how hot it was.

"It's taking a long time." I whispered to him when he caught me again and we landed in the sand side by side, breathing hard. "You think they'll be done any time soon?"

"Perhaps." Azriel said. There were clumps of went sand in his black hair and I leaned up on my elbow and brushed my fingers through his hair to get the clumps of sand out. He merely closed his eyes as I did this.

"You're going to need a bath, Az. You're disgusting."

He opened one eye, amused, then closed it again and said, "I'm not the one who tackled me into the ocean."

I scoffed and sat up more. "You just like me playing with your hair."

"So do you." He countered, eyes still closed.

I rolled over to lay on him a bit and continued to brush sand from his hair. "Hm. True. You do make some excellent braids in my hair." I said. His arm came up around me, hand rubbing my back, fingers just under the joints of my wings at my shoulder blades.

"I suppose I do. I get complimented for them quite a bit." He says, eyes still closed. I moved my hands from his hair and cupped his face in my hands.

"Hm. I'm gonna have the biggest sunburn ever." I groaned and dropped my head on his tattooed chest. I looked up at him and scowled and poked his forehead. "You're lucky you have darker skin so you don't burn as easily."

He raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at his lips as he said coyly, "My ivory-skinned mate will have to deal with me having to apply aloe to her burns every single day, then."

My face went red and I mumbled, "S-Sure."

He grinned and sat up, pulling me with him and tilted my chin up to place a kiss on my lips. "At least your wings won't burn." He mumbled against my mouth, placing a kiss on my cheek.