Chapter 5

Celeste woke to morning sunlight pressing against her closed lids. She shifted slightly and felt a hard body pressed along her back and a strong arm draped over her waist. She tensed slightly and realized at some point in the night she had wiggled up against Azriel. His wing still rested over her and his mouth blew warm air into her ear. She listened to his soft breaths for a moment and then started to turn so she could look at his face.

He gave a soft murmur in his sleep, pushed his hips forward and she felt his hard length against her backside, as his hand pressed into her stomach. Her face heated and she quickly rolled so that she was facing him, but she was still wrapped in his arms.

His eyes shot open and his hand moved to grip her hip tightly.

"Good morning," she said softly. Her hands pressed against his muscled chest, over the dark, beautiful tattoos embedded in his skin.

His eyes shuttered and his hand moved slowly to rest against her back. He cleared his throat and managed to say, good morning to her in return.

She smiled shyly at him, her heart beating rapidly. "I didn't mean to wake you." She should move away from him, should feel shy under his gaze, knowing the hardness that lay in the space between them. Yet, she had never felt more safe, more comfortable than in that moment. Wrapped in his arms.

Her stomach swooped as he said, "I don't mind." He made slow circles with his hand on her back, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, his voice still gentle and coated with sleep.

"Mmhmm, you?"

His hand stilled a moment and his lips pursed before he said, "I think that's the best sleep I've had in a very long time."

Her face warmed again. "Well, that's good."

He chuckled. "It is." His hand had moved to her shoulder now and his thumb made slow sweeps across her skin.

"Are you hungry? Would you like me to get you something?"

"Actually…" She bit her lip, but then quickly stopped when his eyes darted to her mouth. She recalled his confession from the other night. "I would like to stay here for a little longer, if that's okay?"

He moved his hand to her face, gently pushing hair out of the way. "That's more than okay," he replied quietly, a smile breaking across his face, shadows darting around the contours of his skin.

Celeste felt comfortable laying here with him. There was obvious sexual tension between them and she would want that release soon. But she felt like there were some steps that needed to happen before that. And she felt so safe and happy lying here in his arms. She just wanted to know him better.

"Will you tell me more about what it is to be mated?"

He tensed slightly but said, "what would you like to know?"

She shrugged her shoulder gently, bumping his hand and said, "all of it."

And so Azriel filled her in on the basics, explaining the grand rituals some participated in, to the more simple things they could do to solidify their bond. The feminist in her cringed slightly at the idea of her having to make him a meal as a gesture, but it seemed like something simple enough to do. She realized that maybe it was something she wanted to do. He told her how they would be able to sense each other's emotions or when the other was near or injured. She had already picked up on some of that connection, but apparently it would grow stronger once the bond was officially accepted.

"So, are we married?"

"Not technically, although if that's something you want…" he trailed off.

"No, no it's not that."

His face fell slightly and she regretted her rushed words, but didn't want him getting the wrong idea. "We'll be connected for life through the mating bond, it can't be easily dismissed or broken without consequences on the individuals."

"I was engaged," she blurted.

His brows drew together and the hand that had been playing with her hair stilled.

"I thought you should know. In my other world, I had been engaged to a man." She plowed on despite the strained look on his face. "We haven't been in love in a very long time, but...I felt stuck and didn't know what else to do and then I fell into this world and...I found you. I don't know what it all means yet. But what I do know is, I want to get to know you, Azriel." She reached her fingers up to brush along his jaw. His eyes closed and he resumed playing with her hair.

"I would like to get to know you too," he said after a moment. When she looked up at his face he was smiling down at her. "Thank you for telling me."

She smiled back at him and moved her fingers to grasp the back of his neck, pulling his face closer to hers. There would be no interruptions this time as his lips brushed gently against hers. Celeste let out a sigh, tightened her grip on him and he pushed his mouth against her. It was a tentative kiss and then he pulled away, his long lashes brushing against his cheekbones as he looked at her.

Dizzy and confused, she looked up at him. He kept her cradled in his arms but said, "tell me about your life."

She blinked her eyes, trying to clear the lust that had fogged her brain. "There's not much to tell."

"I would like to know anyway. Don't you have family in your world? Anyone else who would be wondering where you are?"

"Oh, well actually...no. Not really anyways. I was an only child, I never met my dad. So I guess he's somewhere out there, but I don't care. And my mom…" A pang of sadness hit her in the chest and Azriel's hold on her tightened, as if somehow by holding her together, he could keep the hurt away. "She died when I was eighteen, a little over seven years ago. I had no other family and was with Tyson by then—" Azriel tensed at the name of her ex-fiance and she could have sworn a small growl built at the back of his throat. "So I moved in with him and just went through the motions of life, until now.

I got myself through college working three jobs, realized I didn't want to be an ultrasound tech and became a freelance journalist. My work got picked up quickly by an agency and I had the opportunity to travel the world a bit. But I hit a wall with that job and it felt like I wasn't going anywhere with it. I still always felt like something was missing...like I had seen and done it all but there was still more. I just had no idea it would be something like this." She nodded at the limited space between their two bodies.

Azriel tilted his head quizzically. "Something like 'this'?"

"I mean…" she groaned, how could she explain to him what she felt, how he made her feel. How this city already had her heart and the male holding her owned her soul. "The way I feel when you're near, the comfort of the city when I walk through it. It feels like...home." She finally let it out in a breath and watched him tentatively.

His eyes widened and glistened softly, no shadows in them now. He pulled his scarred hands to gently cup her face. The violent look of them paired with his gentle touch almost made her weep. "Hearing you say that…" he choked out. "You have already made me more happy in the last three days than I have ever felt in my entire life."

Her heart squeezed in her chest, she could hardly breathe. His words hit her so hard, a male of over 500 years old and she was the reason for his happiness? It was too much, she didn't have the words. Celeste lifted her mouth in answer, pressing a gentle kiss to the underside of his jaw. He moaned softly. She moved her mouth down his jaw, pressing soft kisses to his throat, his shoulder. Azriel's face was buried in her hair and he nibbled at her ear. She arched into him and then on a whim, reached up to stroke a finger along the ridge of his wing. He hissed into her ear and his hips bucked against her.

"Sensitive, remember?" he growled into her ear and she blushed furiously. She hadn't realized when she touched him it was a sensitivity like that.

"Sorry," she said, softly.

He pulled away to look at her. "Don't ever apologize for touching me. Especially like that." He ran a finger along her heated cheeks and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"We should get up." He pulled away from her as he said it, the blanket pooling into his lap as he sat up.

She tried not to show the disappointment on her face, she would have loved to spend more time in bed exploring other sensitive spots; but she had been the one to say she wanted to get to know him first. He must have read something on her face because he said, "When—if you accept the mating bond⇤—" Celeste winced slightly at his change of words from 'when' to 'if' and feared he thought she was still hesitating. What had happened in his lifetime that made him so hesitant to allow himself to hope.

"We will spend days in bed together," he finished saying, a hungry gleam in his eyes.

Celeste challenged his choice of words and said, "when we accept the mating bond then." And she got up to find something to wear, grinning wickedly at the surprised, but pleased look on his face.

A short while later, Azriel and Celeste sat at the dining table from last night. Breakfast foods had magically appeared in front of her and she was either getting used to this new world or was too hungry to marvel at it.

Celeste was digging into her second helping of bacon when Cassian strode in. She sensed Azriel tense beside her and his wings flared slightly. Cassian chuckled and took a seat across from them.

"Easy brother." A plate appeared in front of him and as he dug into his own food, Azriel's wings tucked in slightly. "Haven't even accepted the bond yet and already so protective."

Azriel gave him a dark look and the shadows that settled around his shoulders seemed to whisper.

"You're going to have to keep this one on a tight leash, Celeste," Cassian said with a wink and her cheeks warmed.

Now the shadows burst out slightly, covering half her body from view, she almost couldn't see her plate. She could hear Cassian still laughing. "Need an hour in the ring?"

Azriel grumbled for a moment and then said, "yes."

"What's that?" Celeste asked, curious to learn more about his world.

"Training." He was still tense and she couldn't wrap her head around his turn in mood.

"Can I watch?"

He looked over at her, his shoulders relaxing slightly. His eyes were dark, but as they moved across her face a brightness grew. "If you would like to."

She bobbed her head and they finished eating.

Ten minutes later, Azriel and Cassian had led her up through the house to a large training ring on the side of the mountain.

Azriel set her down on some lounge chairs, kissing her forehead as he moved to wrap his hands and pick a weapon from a rack along the wall.

They started off slowly, circling each other and then something clicked and they were on each other. Celeste gasped at the power and violence of the two males and their swords clashing. She spent the next hour in awe, her jaw on the floor for most of the time.

When they finished, they bumped fists and retrieved water. Azriel approached her, his body slick with sweat and glowing under the heat of the sun.

"That was...amazing," she managed to say as he took a chair beside her, letting his wings spread out. He laid down in the chair, but his body was not relaxed as he sipped at his water. "Will you teach me?"

His head snapped to her. "To fight?"

"Yes. I want to be able to do that." She had never had the need to defend herself, but this world was foreign. While she had watched them she had craved in her bones to be able to move and fight like that.

"I can do that," he said with a small smile that she was coming to realize was reserved only for her.

Feeling confident, she got up and straddled his hips. He sat up onto his elbows, his eyes curious. Cassian gave a wolf whistle as he disappeared through the door and Azriel shot him a vulgar gesture. She giggled. Guess some things were the same as in her world.

She traced a finger down his chest and his breath hitched as she stopped at the top of his pants waistband. "Now?" she asked.

"What?"

She smiled coyly and got up. She felt as his eyes tracked her, that would show him to not leave her wanting for more.

"Can we start now?"

"Start what?"

She couldn't help but laugh, she hadn't realized how that had affected him.

"Training." He sunk back into the chair and groaned.

"What did you think I meant?" she teased.

"You know exactly what I was thinking." His face was bright and his shadows danced around his wings and body. "Unfortunately, we can't start today. I have somewhere I have to be."

"Can I come with you?"

He stood up and approached her. All he did was brush a knuckle against her cheek and her knees felt weak. "Not this time. Feyre would like to meet with you, she's working on the River House, I can take you there for the day."

She tried not to show her disappointment, but felt excited that the High Lady wanted to see her. Even though it was hard to see her as that, she was definitely someone's good side Celeste wanted to be on.

"I'll see you when I'm done."

"Okay."

Azriel put a shirt on, using his magic to get the fabric around his wings and buckling weapons to his body as his armor shifted into place. When he was finished he reached a hand out to her. Celeste took his calloused hand and he pulled her close. She shifted her arms to wrap around his neck, their foreheads pressed together. He scooped up her legs and shot into the air. A squeal escaped her and Azriel chuckled. She felt his shadows play with her hair as it blew in the wind. She could spend the rest of her life in his arms, flying through the sky.

"I love that feeling," she confessed to him.

"I do too," he said against her ear.

They flew over the city and followed the river. A large manor loomed in the distance and Azriel banked, landing in the front yard.

Feyre walked out the front door, greeting them with a smile and a wave. She was dressed in a silver gown that flowed around her, twinkling in the sunlight. As she approached, Celeste felt compelled to curtsy. This is what she expected a High Lady to look like.

Azriel chuckled quietly, pulling her up by the elbow and Feyre waved her hand. "Not necessary, you are a part of this court now, you do not bow to us."

Celeste looked up at Azriel, he gave her a reassuring nod and a small smile to Feyre. A new emotion flitted across his face at Feyre's confession.

"I'll be back this evening," he promised her, pulling her in for a chaste kiss against her cheek. He disappeared in a scattering of shadows and Celeste walked to Feyre's side.

"You wanted to see me today?"

"I did," Feyre said, guiding them back to the house. "I wanted to familiarize you with the city. Just let me change out of this gown."

A short while later, Feyre lead Celeste through the house and into a grand library. Celeste had been able to see the house was large, but perhaps it was magic that allowed such a large space to occupy the manor. She moved in a circle, taking inthe space, awe written on her face. Feyre smiled happily.

"You can use the library anytime you like."

"Thank you."

"I wanted to show you something specific though. When I first came to Prythian, I spent a short time in the Spring court."

Celeste raised her brows, questioningly.

"A long story, for another time…" Her face was grim so Celeste didn't push the matter.

"I didn't know much about this land and wished I had. I once came upon a map—though incomplete, it helped."

As they talked, Feyre led Celeste to stand in front of a large map. As she studied the artwork she realized how very little she knew of this new world. The map showed an island divided into seven territoires, each labelled a court. In less detail the map also showed, 'human lands,' islands and a continent beside what she now knew as Prythian.

"As you know, my mate and I rule the Night Court." Feyre pointed to the largest territory on the map. It was painted in dark, shimmering colors and showed a rugged landscape of mountains, lakes and forest.

Feyre spent the next hour explaining alliances, enemies, wars and treaties to Celeste. She answered every question thrown at her and Celeste was grateful for the time. She felt better knowing more about this land and the place her mate called home.

They took lunch on a terrace overlooking the glowing river and enjoyed idle chatter.

"How are you holding up?" Feyre asked her gently.

Celeste wanted to go to a default response, but realized she could be honest with the female across from her. "I feel...overwhelmed. In a wonderful, yet terrifying way. It feels like I'm home and yet I feel like it will all be snatched away from me like a dream."

Feyre nodded her head in agreement. "I know what you mean."

"How is it possible to be so enamored with someone I've barely met?" For that's what it was right? Something like lust and infatuation, not love, not yet anyways.

"My mate and I had a very different start than what you and Azriel are building. But trust your gut, and more importantly trust your heart."

Celeste nodded her head, that she could do.

After lunch, they spent the afternoon in the city and Feyre took Celeste to an opera performance. The singing was unlike anything Celeste had ever heard, the voices ethereal and magical. The sun began to set over the sea and Celeste realized she had no way of telling time here; not a way she understood yet anyways. Her stomach fluttered at the thought of getting to see Azriel soon and as much as she enjoyed her afternoon, she wanted to be with him again.

Feyre seemed to sense her agitation as they walked down a street and said, "Azriel should be back soon, let me take us back to the manor." She took Celeste's hand and in a whirl of magic they were back on the front lawn. She didn't think she would ever get used to that, but it was certainly handy.

They went into the drawing room where Rhysand and Amren were already seated with drinks and a small fire blazing.

Feyre glided to her mate's side like a magnet drawn to it's match. "Have you heard from Azriel?"

"Not yet," he replied, kissing her fiercely. Celeste watched as they paused and looked at each other and she got the strange sense they were having a conversation.

Amren seemed to have the same suspicions because she said, "spit it out."

Rhysand gave her an annoyed look and ran a hand through his dark hair. "It's probably nothing. We'll give it another hour."

Amren huffed into her glass of wine, but didn't say anything more.

Celeste could feel dread pooling in her stomach and she couldn't figure out why. She looked out the window and noticed that dusk had quickly given way to night. She began to wonder when Azriel would appear. She scoured the room as if he might step out of the shadows.

Time seemed to move slowly and the wine she had accepted was making her feel heavy. Feyre tried to pull her into their conversation, but they spoke of things she didn't fully understand yet and she kept watching the door.

It was while she vigilantly watched that she finally saw a pair of wings appear. She deflated when she realized they belonged to Cassian who had come in with Mor.

Both their faces were strained as they came into the room and Rhysand nodded at them as they found a place in the room.

Celeste could feel something shifting in the room as Rhysand slowly stood and all the attention turned to her, yet no one directly looked at her. She swallowed a lump in her throat and rose with Rhysand who was smoothing down his jacket as he regarded her.

"Azriel should have arrived an hour ago, he should have done a check in about three hours ago…" He kept talking but Celeste couldn't take the rest of his words in. They buzzed around her head and she felt like she could hardly breathe. Everyone in this room was worried. Her capable, strong mate was missing, that's what Rhysand was telling her.

Her breaths started coming out in sharp pants and the room felt warm. She knew this was too good to be real. Meeting her mate only to lose him, that's what happened to people like her, she didn't get a happy ending.

"I can't breathe…"

An arm wrapped around her, centered her and she clutched Feyre's small hand.

"We'll find him," Cassian promised. He had stepped into her view and all she saw was leather and muscle. She nodded her head numbly as he clapped her shoulder.

She knew she would be useless to help, this world she still didn't understand. Where was he? Why had the whole room worried about his lack of returning?

Celeste let herself be guided to a bed, where wine and misery pulled her under.