A Court of Dreams and Nightmares

Chapter 3

Feyre

I tried to go to sleep, but the rustling of the trees, the faint smell of the roses that were once so familiar, so comforting, threatened to overpower me. I threw open the windows, letting in the cool night air. I missed home. The night sky seemed to beckon me, calling me home.

. My hands began to tremble, as my thoughts wandered to what had happened at Hybern. The sacrifices that my entire court had made, the terrible price that my sisters had paid because of me. Nesta would never forgive me, not because of her own transformation but for Elain. I should have insisted that they followed us to Velaris, when the mortal queens denied us their part of the book of breathings. I could have forced them. And know they had paid with their mortal lives. My entire body shook, as tears started to gather in my eyes.

Here, alone in my room I could allow myself a few moments of weakness. I let it wash over me in a huge wave of guilt, grief, fury and regret. How had this happened? Why had we not been more careful?

I curled up on my bed, desperately clinging to the bond inside me, through which I felt tendrils of soothing darkness, caressing my shields as I wept for my court, my family and the world. I needed him. My mate, my love, my friend. I needed him so desperately that it hurt.

I was jolted awake by what felt like a shift in the world. I looked around my room, and everything seemed dimmed, as if a veil had been placed on the world. In the middle of my room, a mass of darkness had formed, flecked with what seemed like starlight. I did not hesitate one second, as I stepped through that darkness and emerged in a world entirely made of the night sky. The bond inside me flipped, expanded and filled the empty void of the broken bargain, and there he was, not three feet away.

"Rhys" I cried as I launched myself at him and felt his strong arms encircle my body. "Feyre darling."

His voice sent shivers down my spine, and I pulled away just enough to trace a finger along his strong jaw, ending at his lips. He purred with satisfaction, his right hand entwined in my hair, closing the distance between us with his mouth. His tongue flicked the roof of my mouth, as I crushed my body against his, letting out a soft moan. "You're mine" I moaned against him, knowing full well the memory those words would stir. He groaned against me, trailing his hands down my taut body, caressing my back, my side, my breast. I was on fire, my breathing became heavy, and all I could focus on was him. I reached for him, wanting to feel his skin move beneath my hands, his hardness against me, inside me, not caring how this was even possible..

He let out an almost feral growl, his eyes capturing mine the moment I grazed him. "Feyre –"he whispered, my name like a prayer on his lips. I moved against him, my body aching to be united with his.

He pulled me down, placing me on that incredibly soft, starlit floor. My clothes had disappeared, like magic, as had his. I took him in, relishing his burning violet eyes, his hard muscular body and those beautiful wings. He was mine. He leaned in, pressing his naked body against mine, lazily tracing circles around my breast, before taking it into his mouth. I sucked in air, wrapping my legs around him and forcing him even closer. I ground myself against him and he let out a small laugh "Patience never was your strong-suit" and with that he was inside me, moving in perfect unison with my body. Every inch of me burned as we drove each other to the edge and beyond. Release gripped us both as our breaths mingled and I whispered, "I love you."

As we lay panting on the floor, tracing idle lines on each other's bodies, I marvelled again at the light that shone from my body, the glow of happiness. "You amaze me" Rhys said, voice soft, yet steady. I met his gaze with a smile "You are not too bad yourself." I looked down his body with a knowing look. He gave me a small laugh and pulled me into his arms. "I want to stay here forever." He said. "Where is here exactly? How is this possible? Not that I complain, I could do this all night." His eyes sparkled with that wicked humour that I had missed so terribly. "Really? All night you say? Care to back up your words high lady?" And with those words, we lost ourselves in each other, my blood boiling with desire and pure joy.