A court of shadow and spying (Azriel X OC)

wet dreams

My body was like fire, my insides wanted to melt from the pleasure and the constant throbbing at my sex, almost made me go crazy.
I accepted my next drink, emptying it in one go before turning back to the others loitering in the lounge. The atmosphere had become quieter, more contemplative now that it was almost three in the morning and most of the guests had gone back to their homes, leaving only the night owls on the dance floor. Estrella and Gabriel had left the party half an hour ago, after Estrella had discussed at length with me that if I was going to do a make out session with Azriel, please don't do it in front of her. But she winked at me before disappearing with Gabriel, and I knew she would have done the same had it been Gabriel on the dance floor. I sighed and leaned against the bar as I watched the inner circle. They were all so at peace with themselves, no one seemed startled at what was about to come, like it was the most normal thing in the world to party before spreading the news of a potential war. I signalled the bartenders. I would need another one, if I wanted to finish the night without Azriel in my head. But I knew, even with the alcohol pumping through my veins, that it would do no good, for my thoughts burned for him every second since he had left me on the dance floor. My body reached for his, our connection was taut as a bow scythe and the next time I touched him I would fire. I didn't know if it had something to do with the fact that we were potential mates and that mother or damned cauldron were driving us to finally seal this bond, but I felt myself automatically drawn to him when he was near. And that's exactly why I kept my distance. I didn't want to once again present to the world almost my naked body, spread out for Azriel like his one and only feast. The bartender placed the glass of whiskey next to me and I nodded my thanks. At least the alcohol made me think less, which probably wasn't good either, because I didn't know when Thesan would hold his meeting with us and whether Helion, the High Lord of the Day Court was even present. Maybe I should have paid more attention during the meetings Rhys had held, but I couldn't change that now. So, I sat at the bar and waited, like a fucking idiot. I picked up the glass and swished the whiskey around in it before draining it in one go. It was disgusting, but it was pleasurable to feel the burn in my throat and how the whiskey warmed my body and to imagine that it wasn't all of the lust and desire that had taken over inside of me. It was going to be one hell of a long night, I had a feeling, so I ordered another.
'Don't you think that's enough?'
It was Nesta who had joined me and just sat down on one of the bar stools.
I laughed and turned my head towards her.
'Sure one, that you have to say that', I said before ordering her one too. Nesta remained silent, knowing she had little to argue with.
'Well then, cheers', I muttered as the bartender gave us a rueful smile. Maybe he knew what I was trying to forget, maybe he just knew that the next morning was going to be torture for me. I said nothing, however, and emptied the glass again. My gaze was again fixed on Azriel, who was sitting next to Cassian and Mor on the sofa, Mor almost in his lap, and it literally tightened my insides from the jealousy that was flowing through me. Didn't she know that he was mine?
I checked our connection to make sure Azriel wasn't feeling any of my chugging jealousy before turning back toward the bar so no one would see the look on my face, which I now couldn't hold back. He would leave me for her, I was sure of it. God, it drove me wild the way he looked at her sometimes and I knew he still had his feelings for her, just rarely revealed them, but I had no idea where that was taking me now. I heard their laughter and I clenched my fists briefly before Nesta set another drink down in front of me.
'Let's go dance', she said and pushed the drink towards me, which I drank immediately. I would have preferred to spit it out, as disgusting as it was, but I just coughed up briefly before following her onto the dance floor.
'Hell, what was that?', I called over to her over the music, but she just winked.
'One of my special blends', she said seductively, and I laughed out loud.
'That was disgusting', I rhymed, before letting the music seduce me and leaning against the fae who had come up behind me. Nesta grinned before she too was led away by two more dancers. I knew she was doing this to distract me, but I also knew that she and I were using it to make Cassian and Azriel jealous. And that brought me a whole new kind of pleasure. I pressed my back against the fae's chest and brought my arms to his neck, bringing his face closer to my neck. We swayed to the music and his hands held me by the hips, he swung them, bringing them against his and I rested my head against his shoulder. After a while I forgot, I was trying to make Azriel jealous and just enjoyed the dance with the fae. He could move, I had to give him that, as he spun me around to face him and our upper bodies met. He took my arms and ran them across his neck with his before his moved back to my hips and his knee pressed between mine and we swayed our hips in unison with the music. I knew he didn't want anything more than to dance either, which is why I didn't worry much about anything more than just enjoying this.
'You dance really well', I murmured in his ear and he laughed up.
'so are you, I'm glad I chose you', he murmured and pulled me closer to him, but his gaze swung over to another Fae who was watching us with a biting look.
'Ah', I grinned, 'so you're trying to impress him', I stated, laughing into his neck. He gave an approving hum before whispering in my ear.
'And I also know you're doing the exact same thing, with this guy who's been staring over at me with death glares for quite some time now.'
I laughed and let my head sink into my neck before sighing.
'Well, it's his fault', I said before we got back to dancing and we twirled around on the dance floor, close together, both on a mission to piss off the partner we wanted. I was having a great time with him, though, as he told me how he had found his sweetheart, and what had happened that made him so jealous now. My gaze found Nesta's for a moment, but her eyes had become more urgent as she pointed her head toward the inner circle. And the fact was not me and Nesta were in the attention of the two Illyrian warriors, but the other High Lord who had appeared. With a nod I confirmed to her that our dance party would probably come to an end before I let my partner know and he left me with a sigh.
'Thanks for making him jealous', he purred in my ear before kissing my hand. I swung my hair over my shoulder and grinned before pulling away from him with a wink and walking with Nesta to the others. As we approached the others, I felt the full force of the power that the three High Lords and one High Lady exuded together and I almost turned back. Nevertheless, Helion caught my eye first.
The High Lord of the Day Court is a shimmering dark-skinned Fae with onyx hair. He is very muscular and wears a glimmering crown of golden spikes. He’s moving with languid grace and power; one could describe him as "the sun personified."
His appearance stole my breath for a moment, he was so graceful and held himself with such confidence as anyone would want. Nesta and I slowly stepped into the shadows of the inner circle together, both of us knowing that we had neither the power nor the status to have a say now. My eyes flickered nervously back and forth between the High Lords, not knowing what to expect. I knew that these two High Lords were probably Rhysand's greatest allies, perhaps along with the Winter Court, yet I did not want this meeting to degenerate. But it did not seem to come to that. Thesan and Rhysand, as well as Feyre, greeted Helion warmly, who with graceful posture gave flattering smiles and laughed. I watched everything silently and followed the others from the inner circle as they followed their High Lord and High Lady. I quickly lost track as we walked through the large deserted hallways and through huge rooms with paintings and warm carpets until we finally arrived at a suite. It was relatively small compared to the other rooms in the palace, but still large enough to hold twenty people. Thesan instructed us to sit down on one of the many comfortable looking couches, while he and the other High Lords, as well as the High Lady, sat close to the table that was placed between the couches. Cassian and Azriel took seats at the sides to their High Lord and High Lady, should anything happen, while Nesta and I plopped down on one of the couches off to the side. I was glad she was there because it gave me someone to share this situation with. I knew Nesta had met these High Lords before, yet it was also new for her to be part of such meetings.
'So Rhysand', Thesan began, his voice low and pure as he looked at Rhysand and finally at Helion. His beloved had come with us, a silent guard who would do anything for a loved one.
'Why are we here?', asked Thesan.
Rhysand looked at the two and sighed.
'There are some troubles in Night Court', he began. 'And they may affect you soon.'
And so, he began to talk about Keir and his crew and the years Rhys had been able to keep them at bay. The Court of Nightmares had always had a mind of its own, and Keir and his inner circle planned and plotted. Rhys told of the spies who never came back and the information they never got and ultimately how they had chosen me.
I shifted uncomfortably on the sofa as Rhys told them about me and what I was. Shame welled up inside me like a wave threatening to drown me. I looked down at the floor, unable to withstand the stares that weighed on me. I wanted nothing from them, not their pain, not their hate, not their disappointment. I felt Azriel at my shield, but I didn't want him with me now. I didn't need anyone else telling me that it didn't matter what I was. Because the thing was this. Everyone looked down on you if you were a prostitute, damn everyone. And I was so sick of it. My eyes slid up and met Helion's and Thesan's, who were staring at me, but this time I stared back. A cold, hard stare that was meant to challenge them to say what was on their lips.
Come on, I said to them in my mind, just say it. I've suffered worse than men bad-mouthing me.
Thesan turned away without saying anything and turned his attention back to Rhysand, but he was still watching me. Helion grinned mischievously at me, a glint in his eye.
'And what would it take to convince you to spend the night with a High Lord?', he asked, leaning forward a bit. My eyebrows shot up and I heard Azriel's growl filling the room. But my gaze remained fixed on Helion, on his muscular body, tanned from the hard hours in the sun, and involuntarily I wondered what it would be like.
A small grin played around the beginnings of my lips.
'I guess that would depend more on the pay', I said softly. Azriel's growl grew louder and it vibrated through me, making me squeeze my legs closer together.
'But I guess I'm not in the mood today, High Lord', I added, before leaning back against the couch a bit and waiting for the others to resume the conversation.
Helion glowered at me, his eyes sweeping brazenly over my body, lingering on places I would have preferred to cover. His gaze fleetingly went to Azriel, who had his face consumed in a grimace of hot anger, and only his High Lord's gaze held him back. As if he seemed to have noticed something between us, he just grinned and turned back to Rhysand, who after a brief pause let go of Azriel and continued to elaborate on the problem.
Rhysand told about the files we had received through me and that Thesan's lover was one of the targets. You could literally see Thesan tense up and his power bubble under his skin when he heard about it. But his beloved was already behind him, silent and strong, as one would expect from a commander of a legion. He put a hand on Thesan's shoulder.
'We would ask you to be careful', Rhysand warned. 'We don't know what they have planned, or if they will carry out that plan. Everything still seems to be pretty inconclusive and we wanted to make sure you were warned. And if they do decide not to winnow here, they may try to turn up around your borders, Helion, so we ask you to be careful that no one crosses the borders without permission. We'll keep doing our best to keep them in check and keep spying if we can', Rhys informed them further, looking at everyone with a furrowed brow. Everyone knew how reluctant he was to ask for help, but if we didn't find out what was going to happen, then perhaps the extent of it would be worse than expected.
But the answers were as expected. They would help us and try to minimize the damage and of course assure their secrecy. It was almost four in the morning when we ended and Thesan offered us to spend the night here, to which we gladly agreed. I had one of the servants escort me to my room before thanking him and sending him away. I needed no one but my bed and sleep, which was unlikely to come. I sighed as I peeled out of my tight, sweaty dress and disappeared into my bathroom for a shower. The water trickled and ran down my naked body and my muscles began to relax under the warmth of the water. Today had been eventful and I had far too many things on my mind to go to sleep, yet I stepped out of the shower and dried off. I took off my jewellery and threw it on the small dresser before dropping naked onto the bed. There was no point in looking for things in my closet now, my body heaved a sigh of relief as it sank into the mattress and the soft sheets wrapped around my body. And before I thought it, my thoughts fell silent and sleep came over me.