Daughter of Azeroth

76 | NO GOING BACK

**This chapter contains mature content**

Idira woke. The scent of leather, earth, and cedarwood filling her senses. A shadow moved across the room. She caught her breath. It had been no dream. Khadgar had come to her after all. Numb with cold she waved her hand, sending the sleeping echo to another bedroom.

'Archmage?' she called. He stopped, his back to her, his shoulders stiff, his hands curling into fists. She suppressed a tremor of fear, recalling his hard, jealous look.

He turned and glanced at the bed, where his echo had just been, his expression unreadable. 'I am sorry,' he said, low. 'I have intruded on your privacy.' His words held no anger, only resignation. He turned to leave.

'Please,' she said, biting back a tremor of cold. 'Don't go.'

He stopped.

She slid off the bed and went to him, blades of cold slicing into her feet. 'Stay with me,' she whispered.

He took a step back, his gaze falling to her shift for a beat. His lips parted as he took in the fullness of her breasts; her nipples pressing against the sheer material, taut from her inner cold. 'Idira, it isn't right,' he said. He looked back up at her, his eyes veiled. 'You are my apprentice, under my care.'

'Look at me,' she gestured at the coating of frost shimmering against her skin. 'I stopped being your apprentice days ago.'

'As you say,' he said, ragged, his gaze straying to her breasts once more. 'Still, I will not stay.'

Deep spikes of burning cold shot through her torso and legs. She caught her breath, staggering to keep upright. His arm came around her, pressing her against him as he led her back to the bed. 'You must sleep,' he said, tight, 'you have worked so hard. Rest. I will come back to you tomorrow.'

She caught his sleeve as he turned to go, holding him back. He turned, abrupt, his eyes dark, smouldering.

'Please, just sleep beside me,' she breathed, willing him to stay. She watched him as he waged his inner battle, his gaze straying to her breasts, continuing down to her hips, his lips parting as he reached her lace knickers. He exhaled, soft.

'It's all I ask,' she said, sensing his resolve wavering as her eyelids drifted down, trapped in the numbing shock of cold, 'you don't have to undress if you'd rather not.' A harsh bolt of ice slammed into her. She shuddered, her eyes snapping open from the jolt of it. He was still looking at her, his gaze lingering on the lace edge of her knickers. 'I'm cold,' she shivered. 'The echo cannot warm me, but you can. Please.' She patted the bed beside her hip, enticing him.

He stood over her for several beats more, his chest rising and falling, his eyes almost black. He turned away, abrupt. Idira watched him, her heart pounding. He was going to leave after all. She bit her lip, her heart cracking. He hesitated beside a chair, resting his hand on its upholstered wing rail. He glanced back at her, rent by indecision. She waited, her heart begging him to relent.

Several more heartbeats passed, slow. He reached over his shoulder and pulled his staff from its holster, hesitating yet another heartbeat before setting it against the chair. His back to her, he removed his shoulder collar, boots and belt, dropping them onto the floor, a reckless heap.

Still wearing his tunic, he turned back to the bed, his expression unreadable. She closed her eyes, her heart soaring as the bed frame creaked under his solid weight, drinking in his blazing warmth as he stretched out beside her. A heartbeat's hesitation. His arms slid around her, pulling her against him, enclosing her in his scented warmth. She clung him, drinking in his heat, quaking as the deepest aches of cold eased from her body. Her fingertips grazed the base of his neck. He started, shocked by her icy touch.