Shadows Whisper | | Azriel

58

Astryn felt entirely safe. For perhaps the first time in her entire life, she felt completely and utterly safe.

Here, in Azriel's secret home where the world couldn't touch them, she felt safe. There was a part of her that never wanted to leave. She didn't say it, though, because she knew Azriel would probably agree to it. It wasn't fair to ask that of him knowing he would say yes and abandon the world with her. Besides, she would miss Cassian.

So, she let herself be content with just this short time in paradise. She let herself be happy hardly leaving bed with how much she and Azriel ached for each other constantly. She let herself be happy learning to cook from him. She let herself be happy tending to his garden with him. She let herself be happy curled up on his lap as he read his books about ancient fictional heroes aloud to her. She let herself be happy with this new feeling of safety.

Azriel, as promised, had taught her how to make pancakes and she now woke at dawn and made pancakes every morning before doing the exercises Cassian had taught her. She felt pride at all her improvement, and she was excited to show Cassian, excited for him to be proud of her too.

Azriel didn't stay asleep for much longer after she woke up, but he didn't get out of bed, pretended to still be sleeping so she could savor that private time. Even the shadows left her alone as she did her exercises. They didn't watch over her as much here anyway. They felt as safe as she did.

That's not to say the shadows were entirely absent or distant.

Azriel cursed as he found himself getting hard at just the thought of the night before. The shadows had bound Astryn's wrists and ankles, left her spread wide open for him. One shadow curled around her throat with an enticing burn of quite enough pressure. Astryn had begged for more, begged for Azriel to wrap his hand around her throat and give a squeeze.

Azriel nearly came from the memory alone.

His situation wasn't made much easier when Astryn strode into the room, sweaty from her workout and wearing nothing but one of his shirts.

Astryn's nose twitched and her eyes drifted to Azriel's crotch. Despite the week of sex, she still blushed at the sight. It made him smile, though he also nearly growled when the scent of her own arousal filled the room.

"I want you," Azriel muttered, and she took his shirt off and tossed it aside. He sat up in bed and stared at her for a second. She somehow got more beautiful each and every time he looked at her. "Come here," he instructed, and she obeyed. "Good girl," his praise was enough to get a soft moan from her. He laughed, soft and amazed. "You're so perfect. Absolutely flawless."

"Az, please," she begged, eyes wide and pleading.

"Did you like what we did last night? Did you like being restrained?" he asked, and she nodded eagerly. "Out loud, darling. Tell me what you liked."

"I liked—" she cut herself off, blushing deeply. "I liked not being able to move. I liked you being in control."

His grin was damn near feral.

"Lay on your back," he instructed, and she obeyed without question. He prowled over to the closet and opened a large chest. When he turned back to her, he had rope. "Can I use this instead of the shadows this time?"

The shadows growled in his head and he internally snapped at them to get out. Much to his surprise, they listened.

"Yes," she answered quickly, staring at the rope in wonder, "please."

He ran his hands over the rope, staring at it for a split second before he looked at her again.

"If you want anything to stop, say red. If you don't want to stop but do want to slow down, say yellow," he instructed, "and if I checkin and you're enjoying what we're doing, say green and we can continue. Understood?"

"Yes, yes, I understand," she confirmed, nodding rapidly.

He wordlessly grabbed her wrists and tied them together before binding them to the headboard. He tied her ankles next, keeping her legs spread wide. He had one more length of rope, and he tied that one around her throat, the slack hanging as a leash to the makeshift collar.

"How's that feel? Is anything too tight?" he asked, eyes darting from one binding to the next.

"It's good," she mumbled before remembering what he had told her, "green. It's good. I like it."

"Good girl," he praised, smiling down at her. He took hold of the slack from the rope around her neck and pulled, grinning as he saw his handiwork in action. Tugging the leash tightened the collar just slight, giving the pressure she was so fond of. She moaned at the feeling, finding the sensation even better when paired with the feeling of the rope against her skin.

"Az," she muttered his name like a prayer, "I need you."

"Beg for it," he instructed, "beg for me to fuck you."

"Please," she begged quietly, "please, Az, I need you."

"Need me to what?" he asked, his voice low and soft. "What does my good girl need from me?"

She moaned quietly, squirming in her bindings as his fingers lightly ghosted over her exposed skin.

"Need you to fuck me," she got the words out, her face gone red, "please, Azriel, I need it. I need you so bad. Please."

"So perfect for me," he praised, "my perfect, beautiful mate. I'll give you everything you need."

"Please," she repeated desperately, "please, Az."

He shushed her gently and climbed into bed with her. He looped the rope hanging from her neck around his hand and eased himself into her. He didn't take it slow once he was inside of her, knowing by now she preferred it this way.

"You okay?" he asked gently, pausing his movements as her eyes welled up with tears.

"I—green," she said urgently, "it's so good."