Shadowsinger

Chapter 17

Gwyn was still awake when Azriel silently slipped into his room, she was waiting for him, gods, she must be exhausted, it had been dark for hours. Azriel couldn't move from the doorway, couldn't quite believe his eyes, she was right there, in his room, waiting for him, she must be looking for him in the night sky. Every moment that he stood there, completely enraptured by the female before him, his heart cracked, and broke, then reforged, then broke again before he finally stepped into the room. He moved almost silently, there was something about her, something that he couldn't place, but whatever it was, it drew him in, he couldn't stay away.

"Gwyn," he breathed, alerting her to his presence before he risked touching her, and she sighed in relief,

"You were gone so long," she muttered, still gazing out of the window, and Azriel slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on the top of her head, her little sigh of contentment soothing his racing nerves.

"I'm sorry, I had a few more things to do than I'd expected, but I'm fine." Gwyn leaned back into his touch, and closed her eyes,

"But you're here, that's all that matters." All that matters. Her voice rang through Azriel's mind again and again, until she squeezed his arm, and turned to face him, concern glittering in her eyes, "What is it?" Azriel blinked in surprise, "Something's bothering you. What?" Mother above, she was going to be the death of him,

"Just thinking,"

"About?"

"You. You waited for me, you should have gone to bed, but you didn't."

"How could I not wait?" She breathed, slowly lifting her arms to encircle his neck, leaning fully into him, and Azriel braced against her weight, letting her slowly push him backwards, and something in her eyes changed somehow. If it were possible, the silvery tones in her eyes shone brighter, the teal color shining in the dim light. She smiled gleefully for a moment before shoving him backwards, and Azriel allowed her to push him onto the bed, sitting at the edge as she traced the shape of his jaw with one finger, drawing all his attention. He hadn't noticed her move, only noticed once she was sitting sideways in his lap, her arms around his neck, leaning into his shoulder. He tentatively rested a hand on her waist, the other slipping under her knees to hold her up. "How could I not wait?" She repeated, "You were out there trying to do some good, trying to save lives, how could I not wait? How could I be so stupid to allow this selfless," she pressed a kiss to the edge of his jaw, "Brave," another kiss, one for each word she continued to speak, "Intelligent, kind, compassionate male to come back alone?" she looked him dead in the eyes, tears mirroring his own starting to form in her eyes, "I will never leave you to do anything alone. I can't, Az, I can't do that to someone I love, I can't, I won't, ever."

"Say it again," he whispered, not quite trusting his ears, and Gwyn quieted, as if realizing what she'd said, then smiled, 

"I love you, Azriel." Blood roared in his ears, and everything around him faded, everything except this beautiful, wild female in his lap. He didn't hear himself speak, but knew he was saying those words back to her, and more besides, but for once, the shadows had fallen silent, not bothering him with their incessant whispers and advice. The way his mind was racing, perhaps he just didn't hear them as Gwyn's mouth crashed into his, her hands immediately diving into his hair, and tugging, hard. Azriel moaned through the kiss, and Gwyn pressed closer. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. He tried to shift her on his lap, so that she wouldn't feel the growing hardness through his leathers. He gently nudged her to the side, tilting her head back to deepen the kiss, even as she let out a moan that had his heart racing, Gwyn moved again, her hands still in his hair, oh shit, she was definitely going to notice, "Az?"

"I'm sorry,"

"You - what? Why are you sorry? I was just going to ask if I hurt you, you flinched when I grabbed your hair just now."