Risk and Reward

Chapter Six-Spoils of Victory

*cough* There's a little uh...spice in this chapter. o_O Remove yourself if allergic. ;)

Naturally, Nesta isn't here so I get her room to myself. It was either remain here, sleep with Elain, Mor, or winnow between houses. I think Feyre was also hoping that by having a friend nearby she may entice Nesta to the house. I could have told her she didn't have a chance, but I didn't want to take any hope from her. Fondly, I think to my hounds snuggled around the fire before I remember they have free reign over the house and yard via a doggy door. My head shakes, but I can't settle down.

I leave the room and slowly walk through the comforting house, smirking when I find Cassian still sleeping on the couch across from Azriel. My fingers claim a bit of soot from the fireplace and I carefully smear it onto his face without waking him up. The only reason I can is because wine has addled his senses. Any other day he'd have me on the floor with a blade on my neck. I wipe the soot on my hand off on a cloth and press my lips together to keep from laughing at the sight of his messy face.

"I'm not taking the blame for that," Azriel speaks across the bond and I jump even if the words aren't audible. I spin around and see him carefully sitting up with a hand massaging his temples. Even with a headache, his eyes burn as he looks me up and down just in my nightgown. That fire never changes, never goes away no matter that he's seen me naked hundreds of times. Felt my naked body.

"You'd give up your mate?" I tease and the corner of his mouth lifts.

"You can handle yourself." He says and the words have more meaning than the surface. His hand reaches for me and I instantly take it. We're pulled through the shadows before arriving in a small room with two small beds; this must be the room he and Cassian are sharing. "Would you tell me what happened? Today. Iknow I saw it, but I want your narrative." He specifies, but I know what he's talking about.

I nod and launch into the story while showing him the images in my mind. His hands claim mine when they start to shake and I tell nearly the whole thing while sitting in his lap. I tell him about the cage, the darkness, the bars, the chains, the skeleton now buried on our property, and how I walked out of there and felt...free.

He listens raptly, letting me struggle over the parts that are more difficult and smiling proudly at me at the end. "I'm glad, Kaira. More than glad." He murmurs in the quiet of the room, of the house where everyone is asleep.

"Thank you for trusting me. For letting me handle it on my own." His eyes shine with the fire in the corner of the room, warm and safe.

"Always." He returns as if it's a given and with him, it is.

I snuggle a little closer and feel him relax further as I do, like I soothe some part of him that chafes the nearer I am. My hands reach back and start slowly unbuttoning his shirt while he watches me contentedly. "I trust you too," I tell him and hum as I discard his shirt to reveal his beautiful, tattooed skin.

"I know." He says and I can tell he's a little confused, but more than willing to follow my lead. I guide his hands to my shirt and he removes it from me with a deep purr vibrating out of his chest when my chest is bare before him. It's almost a reflex for him to instantly start dragging his fingers around and over my breasts that feel weighted the more he touches me.

My words stall on my tongue as he distracts me. "I...I wanted..." I sigh as his lips slide onto my neck and feel him smile against my skin. "I'm trying to talk, Az." I barely object, moaning quietly when he nips at my collar bone.

"Am I stopping you, heart?" He questions with his arms wrapping completely around my waist so my chest is flush with his. Cheat. I hum the affirmative and he rumbles with laughter before he pulls his head back with humor shining out from his eyes.