𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒-𝙖𝙯𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙡

XVII

Lorelei and Azriel had to keep their hands tied together until they were able to consummate their mating, which she wanted to go and do so badly. She knew Azriel did as well from the emotions he was sending down the bond.

She had scolded him to behave, but sent her own emotions at him.

They sat with the family to eat, excitement and happiness echoing through the dining room. They had decided to have the feast at the River House since they would be at the House of Wind for Starfall later that night.

When they finished eating, Rhysand said that he had an announcement. "I-"

"We." Feyre hissed at him.

He gave her a playful smile and started over. "We have a gift for the newly mated couple."

"You guys didn't have to." Lorelei said, feeling a blush creeping up.

Rhysand leaned back in his seat. "We wanted to. As your High Lord and Lady. But from me as your cousin and brother. The Townhouse is yours."

Azriel choked on his wine, some landing on Mor, which had Cassian cackling. She simply snapped her fingers and she was clean. She waved her hand when Azriel had apologized. He turned to his brother. "Rhys, you've had that forever."

"Exactly, it's time to get rid of it and I couldn't think of anyone better to give it to than you two." He gave them a sincere smile.

Lorelei thanked him. "But I didn't know that you had a townhouse. Why is this the first time I'm hearing of it?"

"Surprise." Feyre said with an apologetic smile.

+

Azriel flew her up to one of the verandas of the House of Wind. It was a cold and uncomfortable ride. She wasn't able to change out of her dress due to the ribbon around hands and the placement of their arms was a little weird. But they had made it up nonetheless.

Rhysand told them beforehand that usually, guests from the city were invited up to the house to watch the stars fall, but he had wanted to keep it private. Especially because it was Lorelei's first time witnessing it. She thanked him and accepted the glass of wine he held out to her.

They drank and talked as they waited for the sun to set and for the moment the stars decided to fall. Lorelei participated in the conversations, feeling like she was fully a part of the family now.

She caught Azriel looking down at her from time to time, felt the adoration and pure happiness fill him down the bond. She smiled and held onto his hand, sending the same emotions back to him.

The sky turned from a rich orange and purple to a deep blue-black. Lorelei looked out at the city as they walked outside. The citizens were starting to pack the streets, looking up at the sky, waiting. Usually the city would be filled with light from sunset to sunrise, but now it was dark, so they would be able to appreciate the stars.

Their gasps reached Lorelei's ears and she turned to look at where they were pointing. There, across the sea, like they were shot from the horizon itself, were millions of stars. They arched across the sky, passing right over them. More and more came, a never ending line of stars moving from one edge of the sky to the other.

Lorelei couldn't bring herself to look away from the sky. Her eyes burned, and she wasn't sure if it was because she wasn't blinking or because she was forced to miss this for twenty years.

She was pulled away from the beautiful stars when Azriel ran a thumb across her cheek, wiping the tears that had started to fall. She sniffed and looked away from him, embarrassed at her reaction to something they have seen every year. He grabbed her chin and turned her head so she was looking at him again. "I reacted the same way when I saw them for the first time."

Lorelei let her tears fall freely at his words. He was her equal in every way. He understood what it was like to witness something for the first time, to experience things. She dropped her head on his chest and his free hand came to the nape of her neck, holding her there.

She didn't know if they were alone, didn't care if they weren't, because all she felt was him, felt his shadows as they wrapped around her. Her shadows didn't hesitate to join his and then they were in a cocoon of each other's shadows.

It blocked out the sound of everything. Every scent, thought, and feeling. It was only them in a blanket of darkness. And even though they couldn't hear the music, Azriel moved them in a slow sway, following his own rhythm.

Lorelei looked up to find him already staring at her. He smiled faintly. "Yes, my love?" He basically purred.

The nickname and tone sent a shiver down her spine and a spear of heat down to her core. She stared at him with wide eyes. "I was going to say something," She whispered. "But I forgot."

Azriel laughed. "And why is that?"

"You are very distracting." A piece of hair had fallen from where he slicked it down and she couldn't stop thinking about how much better he looked.

"Oh?" His smile widened, a cocky tone deepening his voice. She couldn't pretend that she was annoyed at how full of himself he got, couldn't think about anything other than his body on hers. She was grateful for their shield of darkness when his hand started to move around her body. Was grateful that no one could see the desperation in her arched back when his hand snuck its way in the slit of her dress and in between her legs.

"Azriel." She whined when he pulled his hand away. She felt his arousal as strongly as he felt hers down the bond and within the cocoon, it was worse. His eyes darkened and she felt exactly what her voice did to him.

He didn't say anything as he lifted her up and shot them into the sky. She screamed at the suddenness and hid her face in his neck. His chuckle rumbled against her.

They were back on the ground in a minute and Lorelei looked up at a house she was not familiar with. So this must be the Townhouse. Azriel led Lorelei to the front door, opening it so she could walk in first.

They were met with a mudroom that opened to stairs right in front, the kitchen on the right, a dining room, living room and the door to the backyard beyond that.

"You could always explore later." Azriel said softly, his shadows pulling back, disappearing to her shadows.

Oh right, they were in the middle of something.