Flames of Cobalt and Crimson

The Kiss

Azriel

Cassian half-dragged me through the corridors, gripping my arm tightly, until we'd made our way to the guest wing. We had been granted adjoining chambers, as we typically requested in any foreign court if we visited together. He swung the door open and practically shoved me inside.

I'd been feeling a low, smoldering mix of anger and jealousy from him since I'd joined in on the banter with Helion, and it had felt a bit like playing with fire. Now, I realized, I would find out if I was about to get burned.

He pulled the door shut softly behind him - having enough presence of mind not to slam it - and I heard the click of the lock as I turned to face him, letting a bit of the wickedness I felt show on my face. As I took in his expression, though, that smoldering anger raged into a bonfire and I swallowed hard, all playfulness gone. That last part, when Helion had touched my face... that had been too far.

He seemed to be waging an internal battle and losing. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated, and his face was a portrait of angry disbelief. I could see the muscles ripple beneath the skin of his arms and he was practically quivering in place. I tried to focus on the bond - tried to send soothing shadows and peace to him while frantically trying to sort through the emotions that just barely peeked through beneath the anger.

I felt an abrupt shift in him, like flipping a switch, and all that tumultuous fury changed to something hard and predatory. He lunged for me, gripped me by my biceps, and whirled, pinning me to the wall. Only my quick reflexes kept my head from slamming into the stone and I'd barely had time to flare my wings, preventing them from being trapped behind me. It was still a vulnerable position to be in, but having my wings out could provide more leverage against the wall, should I need it.

He got right in my face, snarling softly. Dangerously. "What the fuck was that?" His voice was rough but too detached. I searched his face with wide eyes. This wasn't Cassian, this was Enalius in the flesh.

"Cassian, I'm sorry. Really, I am. I took that too far. But... well, next time, don't start that shit." He blinked at the hint of challenge in my tone, but damn him, he had to know I was right.

His eyes blazed into mine from beneath his lowered brows. "Do you want him, Azriel?" he asked, quiet and deadly.

"I said I was sorry."

"That's not a ' no' ."

"Cassian-"

He surged forward, up against me, his body pressing me harder into the wall. His lips crashed into mine, stealing the words, and I could've sworn I felt the floor tilting beneath my feet. He snatched my jaw in his hand, gripping me tightly, and his lips molded to mine. His other hand found its way into my hair and he threaded it through his fingers before gripping his fist and tugging, angling my chin up slightly. I felt a new kind of inferno through the bond that mirrored the one rising inside me.

I groaned against his lips and he wasted no time deepening the kiss, slipping his tongue into my mouth and pulling me tighter against him. I knew he must be able to feel my body responding because he ground his hips into me, creating some delicious friction, and I gasped a hissing breath through my teeth, breaking the kiss. I could swear I felt the bond shining a little bit brighter.

I was dimly aware that my split lip burned and throbbed, and I knew it would be bleeding again soon - if it wasn't already. He tugged at the roots of my hair again, tilting my chin up higher to gain access to my neck, a low sound of objection rumbling in his throat. I needed to say something-

He pressed firm kisses to the corner of my jaw, beneath my ear, atop the pulse point on the side of my neck. Here he paused, nipping his teeth lightly, and I swallowed another groan, forcing myself to stay still when my body tried to arch into him. His lips were on mine again before I could speak, stealing my breath and setting the room back to spinning, though I was pressed so hard against the wall I knew I wasn't moving. And I kissed him back, letting my hands roam over his shoulders, his hair, and down his sides. They drifted to his hips and settled into the slight hollows there between his muscles, and I ignored my objections for just a little longer. This felt both right and wrong, at the same time, and I knew I had to stop it before it went any further.