A Court of Wildest Dreams

Chapter 4

A heaving sigh left his parted lips.

The savage pounding of his damp chest failed to quiet down as the last indication of his temporary release spurted out to the already soaked sheets.

Drenching the newly dried parts for the fifth time that night.

No living sound disturbed his wild fantasy for all night.

With Nesta and Cassian residing in two different rooms for the night, a night court tradition for soon-to-be-mated couples to stay the night before their ceremony apart, Azriel wasn't expecting furniture shattering and the resounding moans and occasionally screams of his sister-in-law for tonight.

With all the sex Nesta had been throwing at Cassian for months now, a night off would be both healthy and enticing.

A sad smile marred Azriel's dry lips. He had been past the point of playing the part of the brooding jealous brother, panting after a mate for months now.

He wasn't just jealous now. He was desperately miserable. He'd gone numb after months of witnessing the intimacy, the closeness and the love between his brothers and their mates.

Months of watching from afar, the petite figure running around the gardens, pink and sometimes sky-blue gowns swaying around her perfect legs, golden-brown locks free like a seabird dancing in the morning breeze, each time she got up early to plant a new rose bud.

He'd held on to his promise, though. The Solstice Night had been the closest he'd ever gotten to touch her, feel her and taste her. His one and only chance to take something from someone for himself.

Azriel was never selfish. Always followed his High Lord's footsteps and put himself and his needs second.

Not this time.

He snarled at the sinister thought wandering around his head for all he remembered. Of closing his eyes to anyone and anything and put an end to these fucking restless nights.

Maybe one day he did. When his bones shattered and heart bled under the numbing pressure of ignoring his writhing needs. On that day, maybe he would forsake the whole world and all the consequences just so he could be with the one his heart desired.

His brows drew together like all the other times, he repeated these words in his head. His shadows were asleep, or else they would be swirling in restless rounds around his head. Adding more to his headache in their own unique way.

He had no idea why. Even a simple guess seemed so remote.

It was like they didn't want him to sadden himself with thinking about all the wildest dreams he had. Which didn't quite make sense.

He'd been nurturing dreams and imaginary lives he could never have with off-limited females all his immortal life.

His shadows never used to care that much about the sharp needles Mor had stuck in his heart for years every time she ignored his love, till they tried to suffocate the vision of him fucking Elain every time he was brave enough to pull it in the middle of the day. They'd become more intense and agitated each time.

Till he quit and turned his wild imaginations into a night-time routine which resulted in his bed's new habit to be soaked up each night by dawn and body sated and limp from a momentarily pleasure just to make him thirstier each morning.

But tonight's activity with no doubt would come handy when the morning came.

Five releases had taken the edge off enough for him to ease down to sleep.

He could use a couple of hours of peaceful silence to gain enough courage for his aloof mask's clicking impeccably into place.

Tomorrow would be tough.