A/N: Okay, so. I was originally NOT planning on going this direction...at all. But...I got to typing and BAM! Here we are. So. I hope you enjoy!
Chapter Fifteen
It had been coming up on three weeks since Gwyn had been back to the River House. She didn't want to run into Elain and have another confrontation with her. Nesta had assured her that they had put her in her place, but she still had a bad feeling about the other sister. She had missed the last three family dinners, if you included the one she'd walked out of. She had tried to convince Azriel to go even though she refused, but he wouldn't. He simply stated that if she weren't going, neither was he.
So, they had stayed away. Az had gone to check in from time to time with Rhys. They were still trying to deal with the situation with Hybern, after all. Azriel had sent in some of his most trusted spies back to Hybern in his stead to monitor the state of things, Cerridwen being one of them. The Inner Circle had had a very long and heated conversation one night whilst discussing who should go back to gather intel. Naturally, Azriel thought it should be him. Everyone else in the room disagreed.
So, Az had been on edge a bit since his spies had left. He was constantly checking his reports, reading them over and over again. When he wasn't reading reports, he was either training or cleaning his weapons. Gwyn knew he was doing anything he could to keep himself busy so as not to think about what might be happening over there. Rhys kept an open line of communication with the spies after what happened to Azriel, so he was checking in with him frequently.
The day had come for another family dinner and Nesta walked out onto the balcony where Gwyn was lounging on a chair, soaking up all the sun she could get. She looked up and smiled at her friend, setting down her book as Nesta settled into the chair beside her.
"Hey, I thought you were going with Cass to the city for some shopping."
She nodded, leaning back in her chair. "We already did. Cassian isn't that big on shopping, so he rushes me. We just got back, so I thought I'd come find you and see what you were up to. I knew you weren't with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Brooding because we saw him up in the training ring, as usual."
Gwyn sighed, nodding her head. "He's been there for a while. I was too, but I got tired and took a break. I don't know how he manages to train so hard for so long. And he does it all the time."
Nesta nodded absently. "Because he has a lot on his mind. It makes it easier. The training works out his frustrations. You know…there's another method of working out that'll ease his frustrations too. And it involves you."
Nesta threw her a sultry grin as Gwyn rolled her eyes, erupting in a fit of giggles. "You're ridiculous, Nesta. We're not going to have sex just to make him less frustrated. That wouldn't make for a very good first time."
Nesta snorted. "On the contrary, a frustrated male will go to great lengths to achieve success. So…it might just be the greatest sex of your life. I know you two have done things, but…you haven't gone all the way yet. That might be part of his problem and he just doesn't want to come out and say it. You know Az. He's not the type of male to put pressure on anyone he cares about. Are you…ready for that step?"
Gwyn thought over her words, taking her time answering. Her and Azriel had done some sexual things several times since that first time, just never going all the way. Now that they had made that first step, they had both been eager to keep doing it. She had told Nesta and Emerie what had happened at training the next day and they had freaked out. Thankfully, Azriel hadn't made it out into the training ring yet, having stayed behind to grab a few things. Otherwise he would have immediately known she had told her friends just by their squeals.
Finally, she looked over at her friend with a soft smile on her face, "I think I am. He's been so great and so patient with me. He takes everything at my pace to make sure that I'm comfortable. I feel immensely grateful to have him."
Nesta smiled, happy for her friend. "Good. You know I'd kick his ass if he didn't treat you right."
Gwyn chuckled, nodding. "I know. There's no need."
Nesta sighed after a moment, causing Gwyn to look back over at her confused. "Gwyn, there was a reason I came and found you. Feyre wants you to come tonight, to family dinner. There's someone who's going to be there that she wants you to meet. She assured me that Elain will not be there, she won't even be in the house."
Gwyn stared at her friend for a long moment. "Who is this person that Feyre wants me to meet?"
She shrugged. "She didn't mention who it was. She just said to make sure you're at family dinner tonight and that Elain will not be there. I guess you're not the only person she's been a bitch to lately. It takes some effort to piss off my brother-in-law, believe me, I would know. But…please. It's been lonely there without you. I miss your comments and your laughter. You definitely keep everyone on their toes and I love it."
She chuckled, looking back over the city, thinking it over. After a few moments, she sighed. "Fine. If Elain won't be there for certain, then I suppose I could go. I hate to even be that way…I just don't want to get into another confrontation with her like that. That's twice now and both about Azriel. Something's got to give and it's not going to be my relationship with him."
Nesta nodded, swinging her legs back over the side of the chair and coming to face Gwyn. "Good! Now that that's settled, let's go get ready for tonight. We only have a couple of hours until we're supposed to leave, so…let's go get fabulous."
Gwyn smiled and followed her into the House. "Oh, we should probably let Az know that we're going tonight. That way he can get ready himself."
Nesta snorted. "You're probably right. I'm sure he needs a bath after all the training he's been doing."
They went up to the training ring and found the two Illyrians. Cass was punching at the practice dummy and Azriel was leaning against the wall a little ways away, drinking some water. Gwyn smiled and moved towards him. He returned the smile when he saw her and kissed her in greeting.
"Where did you disappear off to? I haven't seen you in hours."
She shrugged. "I was tired of training, so I took a bath and then went up to the balcony and was enjoying soaking up the sun while watching the city and the clouds. It was nice."
He smiled, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "I'm glad you had a good afternoon."
She nodded. "Speaking of…Nesta has convinced me into going to the family dinner tonight. What do you think?"
His brow furrowed as he surveyed her. "How did she convince you? She didn't bribe you into going, did she?"
She held up her hands. "No, nothing like that. Feyre wants me there tonight. I guess there's going to be someone there she wants me to meet. Nesta also said that Elain won't be there. Something about I'm not the only one she hasn't been nice to and that it takes effort to piss Rhys off?"
Az huffed, looking towards Nesta and Cassian. "Did she say who would be at dinner?"
She shook her head. "She didn't know who it was. But as long as Elain isn't there, I'm fine with going. And…I said this to Nesta too, I hate being this way. I hate feeling this way, Az. I can't keep hiding. Something needs to give. Every time I've really seen her, she's started an argument that revolved around her feelings for you. I don't know what to do with that."
Azriel sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before turning back to face her. He placed a hand on her face gently. "I'm really sorry to have put you right in the middle of everything like this. It isn't fair to you. You should feel safe going over there, but instead you feel like you need to be cautious and worry about whether or not she'll be there. That's not fair to you at all. I'm going to do my best to handle this. I'll speak with Rhys and Feyre again tonight, see if we can come up with a solution."
She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing herself closer to him. She tucked her face into the crook of his neck. "Thank you. I'm not trying to put this on you…I just don't know what else to do."
He nodded, rubbing her back soothingly. "Everything will be okay, Gwyn. We'll get it taken care of. She'll be put in her place, don't you worry."
She leaned back and smiled at him. "As for tonight, Nesta and I are going to go get ready. You…may want to take a bath before we go."
He laughed, "Are you trying to say that I stink, Berdara?"
She shrugged, stepping out of his arms. "Maybe, maybe not."
As she walked away, she swished her hips a little extra, knowing he was watching her walk away. A breeze pick up right then and she caught the scent of his arousal and couldn't help the bubble of laughter as she peeked back over her shoulder and found him watching her intently. She gave him a sassy smile and kept walking. Nesta met her by the door and the continued on into the house.
Nesta threw her a wicked grin. "I saw that back there. I know exactly what you just did to him. You are wicked."
Gwyn smirked. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
They continued on to Nesta's room where they spent the next couple of hours getting ready. Gwyn borrowed one of her outfits for the evening. Nesta looked Gwyn up and down and smiled. "I was given this dress as a gift, but it's really not my style at all. It looks outstanding on you though. I think you should keep it. I will never wear it."
Gwyn was wearing a dark blue knee-length dress that hugged her waist and flowed downwards with a modest keyhole in the top. The straps were thin and left her shoulders mostly bare. For shoes, she was wearing a pair of silver flats to accentuate the blue. Nesta had swept half of her hair up, leaving the rest down and slightly curled.
"Azriel isn't going to know what hit him when he sees you."
Gwyn chuckled stepping away to look at herself in the mirror. She had to admit, she did look very nice in the dress. Blue was her favorite color to wear. She turned back to her friend and smiled. "We should probably get going. I'm sure they're waiting for us by now."
Nesta snorted. "I'm sure Azriel is, but with me not prodding Cassian along, he's probably just getting out of the bath."
Cassian was using their old rooms to get ready since they were in their new rooms. That way they had some privacy.
When they walked into the dining room, they found both males waiting for them, talking. Their conversation halted as they turned and Azriel's eyes locked on hers. He drank in the sight of her, walking over to stand directly in front of her. He smiled down at her, his eyes coming back up to her face from taking her all in. "You look beautiful, Gwyn."
Her face lit up at his compliment and she leaned forward, bracing her hands against his chest and placed a kiss on his mouth. His hands snaked around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Their kiss deepened and she could feel his need for her pressing against her thigh.
Someone coughed pointedly by the doorway and Azriel broke away, glaring over at them.
Cass chuckled, "Look who's playing chaperone now."
She watched him roll his eyes before turning back to her with a smile on his face. "Ready to go?"
She nodded, her nerves starting to kick in. Meeting this new person was making her nervous. Az seemed to catch on to her anxiety as they walked through the door to see Cass and Nesta ready to leave. He nodded to Cass. "We'll only be a minute behind you."
Cass must have seen something in his face, because he didn't question it or make a snarky remark. He simply nodded, scooped Nesta into his arms and launched into the air.
Azriel turned back to her, concern written all over his face. "Is everything alright, sweetheart? Are you still wanting to go?"
She nodded, wringing her hands. "I do want to go. I'm just nervous. It makes me nervous meeting new people. I don't even know who it is, which makes it even worse. Anything could happen tonight. My mind flashes between everything ranging from it going remarkably well and it being a great evening to it being a complete disaster."
His brow furrowed and he pulled her tighter against him. "Would it make it easier on you if I asked Feyre who will be there tonight? She'll tell me if I ask."
Gwyn bit her lip, emotions warring inside of her. Finally, she nodded. "I think it would. Maybe you know the person even and can help my anxiety by telling me it'll all be okay, who knows."
He chuckled and leaned his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes for a few moments and she knew he was reaching out to Feyre. It didn't take too long and his eyes were looking into hers again. "Well, I can tell you that the male you'll be meeting isn't a threat. You have nothing to worry about. I don't particularly like him, but that doesn't mean you won't either."
She pursed her lips, waiting for more. When none came, she shifted nervously on her feet. "That's it? That's all you'll give me? What's his name? Where's he from? Why's he here?"
He gave her a small smile. "His name is Lucien Vanserra. He's from the Autumn Court. And he's here to speak with you."
Her eyes widened. "Lucien…isn't that the name of…?"
He nodded. "Lucien is Elain's mate, though they haven't accepted the bond. He's been trying to get to know her, but as far as we know she's been distant with him. She's never wanted anything to do with being Fae since she was Made. They discovered they were mates that night. It was a lot to take in."
Gwyn nodded absently. "I can't even imagine. But…why me? Why does he want to speak with me?"
He shrugged. "Feyre wouldn't divulge that information, but I would assume it would have something to do with Elain. You know, she won't be upset if you don't feel like you can do it. They'll understand."
She shook her head. "No, I need to do this. I am a member of the Inner Circle now. I need be brave and just go get this over with."
A smile lit up his face. "I am so proud of you, Gwyn."
A matching smile graced her face as well. "You know, so am I. But let's not keep everyone waiting too much longer. I'm starving."
He chuckled and swept her up into his arms. He pressed a passionate kiss to her lips as he launched them straight up into the air. Their lips stayed locked even as they flew past the wards and they disappeared into nothingness.
They stepped into the foyer and Gwyn's hands immediately started to shake slightly. Azriel reached over and took one in his own, squeezing gently. He stared directly into her eyes, pausing in the middle of the foyer. "Are you ready, Gwyn?"
She took a deep breath and then nodded. "I am. Let's do this."
He smiled at her, pressing a kiss to her temple before leading her into the living room where he knew everyone was gathered waiting for dinner to be served. Of course, everyone was already there. They were the last to arrive. Mor sat in an armchair with a glass of red wine. Nesta and Cass were lounging on a loveseat, talking quietly, a whiskey in Cass's hand and what looked like water in Nesta's. Her friend had gone from drinking all the time to only drinking occasionally, usually only on girl's night.
Gwyn's eyes settled on Feyre and Rhys sitting on a couch speaking with a male with flaming red hair. They turned to them as they entered the room and the male followed their line of sight to land on her. He only had one eye, she realized.
He stood from his seat and smiled warmly at her. "You must be Gwyn. I'm Lucien Vanserra. It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you."
She could feel Azriel tensing beside her. She glanced in his direction and saw he seemed to be physically restraining himself from something. Cass barked out a laugh. "I'm really enjoying this new side of Az. Now he's a territorial brute just like the rest of us."
Lucien glanced between the two of his, his brow furrowing. He seemed to come to some kind of realization rather quickly as his brows shot up his forehead, his eyes going to Azriel. "When did it happen, if you don't mind me asking?"
Azriel squeezed her hand. "A few months ago, right after I was rescued."
Lucien nodded, smiling at them. "Well, congratulations. I am happy for you, Shadowsinger. And it seems the two of you have accepted it?"
Gwyn bit her lip, glancing up at Az. They were saved from answering by Nesta who stood from her spot next to Cassian and came to join her. "It doesn't matter about their bond. What really matters here is yours. I may not like you, but I do have to admit you are Elain's mate. Has Feyre filled you in on her behavior lately?"
Lucien tensed at Nesta's words, glancing back at Feyre. "She has. She told me about the confrontations with Azriel and Gwyn, the arguments with Nuala, the heated interactions with others in town, among other things. What exactly are you expecting me to do here? You do understand that she has not accepted or acknowledged the bond between us. She barely even looks at me."
Rhys spoke from his spot on the couch. "We do understand, Lucien, but as her mate we felt that you needed to be included in the conversation. Something in her is changing. Or has already been like that and is starting to come out. Either way, we need to figure out how to handle it before it gets out of control."
He motioned for everyone to sit and we did. Azriel pulled her over to the remaining armchair before sitting and pulling her down onto his lap. She sat across his lap with her ankles crossed, leaning back into him. His arms were around her waist, holding her to him. She knew part of the reason for sitting this way was to show the outsider male that she was Azriel's mate and taken, but she loved it.
Lucien sighed, running a hand through his hair. He turned to Feyre. "How can I help?"
"When was the last time you spoke with her?"
He shrugged, thinking it over. "A couple of months ago, I believe. Maybe when we were searching for Azriel when I stopped in to report."
Azriel tensed beneath her. "We?"
Lucien turned back to him, nodding. "Rhys asked me to search Hybern for any sign of you since I wasn't widely associated with the Night Court. He thought it might speed things along, make people more willing to open up to me, make it easier for me to get some kind of information. I was in Hybern for about three weeks, looking. I am sorry I wasn't able to help further. Rhys didn't tell you?"
He shook his head slowly, his eyes finding Rhys's. I didn't tell you because I know you don't like the male. I didn't think it was necessary information. Besides, right after you woke up, you found your mate and were trying to move on from what happened. I was trying to let you.
Azriel swallowed thickly from Rhys's words that had come suddenly into his head. He gave his High Lord a subtle nod, telling him he understood.
Gwyn turned and kissed Azriel on the temple, pulling him out of his internal battle with himself. He smiled up at her and they both turned back to the conversation.
"Has she ever talked about Gwyn with you? Or any negative feelings?"
He shook his head. "No, I've only heard of Gwyn from you guys. As for negative feelings…I mean, she's mentioned on occasion that she wishes she were still human, but other than that, nothing really."
Rhys's eyes snapped to Lucien's. "She still wishes to be a human?"
He nodded. "She brings it up from time to time in our conversations, what little of them we do have. I don't know if it's because she's still pining after that human man who will only love her if she's human or if she genuinely wants to be a human."
Nesta snarled at the mention of Greyson. She had always hated the man and hadn't been too sorry to see him go. "If she's still pining after that piece of trash, then she needs a wake-up call. He was no good for her, human or not, and now she just needs to get over it."
Feyre frowned. "It's not always that simple to just get over it, Nesta. It took me a while to get over Tamlin and everything that happened."
Mor shook her head, "That's different. He abused you. That's justified to take a long ass time to get over. Greyson, to the best of our knowledge, never touched her or mentally abused her. She seemed genuinely happy, and not in the trapped kind of way. Only after she was Made did he turn into a massive dickwad."
Rhys lifted a brow. "Dickwad? That's what you're going with?"
She shrugged, taking a pull from her wine. "He is. Can't convince me otherwise."
Feyre shook her head, "Regardless of Greyson, she's been here a long time now. I would think she'd be over him by now, but if she's not, there's not a whole lot we can do about that. What we need to focus on is her attitude. I will not allow her to keep disrespecting our family in our own home. She is my sister and I love her dearly, but something has to change."
Lucien looked at Feyre, resolve in his one russet eye. "Let me speak with her. Maybe I can…I don't know, figure out what's going on."
Feyre nodded, looking over at Nesta who shrugged. "It's worth a shot. If he can magically whip some sense into her…I guess let him."
Feyre sighed, nodding. "Okay. When would you like to speak with her?"
He shrugged. "I can go now. I don't mind."
Feyre and Rhys shared a long look, everyone in the room knowing they were speaking in their minds. She finally turned back to him and nodded. "She's across the city working on a garden. I'm sure she won't mind the company."
He nodded and stood. "I'll do my best to figure out what's going on. I'll let you know how it goes."
He stood and as he was leaving the room, he stopped next to Gwyn. He took her hand and smiled. "It was nice meeting you, Gwyn. Maybe we'll be able to hold an actual conversation at some point and get to know each other."
Azriel tensed beneath her, his hold on her tightening. Lucien saw it all, and smiled faintly, about to move away when she spoke. "I'd like that very much, Lucien. It was nice meeting you as well. I'm sorry for causing you all this trouble with Elain."
He shook his head, his smile growing slightly. "From everything I've heard, you've had nothing to do with this. You've just been the unlucky one on the receiving end of it. I'll do my best to fix it."
With that, he waved his goodbyes to them all and left the room. Once he was gone, Azriel finally relaxed. Rhys chuckled, swirling his drink in his hand. "Wound a little tight there, Azriel? Need to go let a little energy out?"
Feyre rolled her eyes, standing. "No sparring tonight, you three. Dinner's done and on the table. Let's go eat before it gets cold."
Mor snorted. "Yes, mother."
Feyre huffed out a laugh. "I suppose my maternal instincts have come out a wee bit since having Nyx."
It was Nesta's turn to snort as they all moved into the dining room. "A wee bit? The other day you yelled at someone to stop running in the house."
She rolled her eyes as they all sat down at the table, diving right into the food. They all fell into easy conversation and ate their dinner laughing and talking, the earlier tension evaporating.
As the dishes were all being cleared and they slowly made their way back into the living room for drinks and more conversation, Nesta turned to Mor. "So, are you ever going to stop postponing going to Rita's? We're dying to know what this surprise is."
Gwyn nodded enthusiastically. "I'm excited to finally go. I've never been."
Mor nodded, looking down into her drink. "I don't know if Rita's is the best place to reveal my surprise. I was thinking about doing it here…maybe next week? But we can still go to Rita's. Maybe after that or something."
Feyre's eyes connected with Mor's and they stared at each other for a long moment before Mor finally looked away, a blush rising to her cheeks. Rhys noticed and looked at his mate, confused. She shook her head subtly and the conversation continued.
They talked for another hour or so before they heard the front door opening and then arguing. The voices moved towards them a ways before they stopped, just within earshot.
"I don't understand why you're so upset, Elain. I'm just trying to understand what's going on."
"You don't need to know anything about me! You're nothing to me!"
"Elain, I'm your mate, whether you've accepted the bond or not. That's what I am to you. I will always care about you. From my understanding, you've been getting upset with people lately. I'm just trying to figure out if there's a reason for that as I've said before."
"What does it matter what I do with my life? This life isn't even mine. It was forced on me when I was thrown in that Cauldron. Nothing about this life is right."
There was silence for a moment. "So what do you want? Would you rather be with Grayson? He doesn't want to be with you. He's made that clear. Or do you want to be with Azriel? You've made your feelings for him obvious."
Az tensed beside her, everyone's eyes landing on him. He pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated. She could sense his rising frustrations and leaned into him further, brushing a kiss on his cheek, letting him know she was right there. He gave her a small smile of appreciation.
"My feelings are none of your concern."
"Except they are! I am your mate, damn it. I get that you don't want this life. I get that you're not used to having a mate. But your feelings for other males are at the top of my concerns. Azriel is a good male and he is mated to someone else, a good female. From the sounds of it, you keep trying to get in the way of that. Elain, he has made it perfectly clear to you that he does not want a relationship with you. He does not have feelings for you. He's with Gwyn now. Let it go."
"No. They haven't accepted the bond. For all I know, they never will. We never did. He deserves better than her. I'm the one he should be with. Not her. She's just some priestess whore nobody who's friends with Nesta. She's nothing but a warrior brute."
Azriel abruptly stood from the couch. Cass made to stop him, but Rhys held out a hand, silently saying to let him go. His fists were clenched tightly at his side, his shadows swirling rapidly around his shoulders. They could all tell he was pissed. Gwyn stayed sitting, letting him handle it. She really didn't want to get in the middle of the three of them right at that moment. She knew Azriel could handle himself.
They heard Azriel's voice low, pissed. "Elain, I am only going to say this once, so listen carefully. If you ever speak that way about my mate again, it will not end well. I let Feyre and Nesta handle it last time, but right now…you need to watch what you say, very carefully."
"Why her? Why pick her? You just left me standing there that night after giving me that necklace. I thought you were going to kiss me. So what stopped you?"
There was silence for a moment and they all wondered what was happening in the foyer. They all knew Lucien was just now finding out about this kiss for the first time.
"I thought it was what I wanted. I was wrong. I realized that it wasn't right to do that to another male. You are his mate, Elain. Whether you like it or not. You are. I had no right to give you that necklace or try to kiss you that night. Now, I do apologize for giving you the wrong impression, but I thought by you giving me the necklace back you were moving on, not harboring feelings. I found my mate and I couldn't be happier with her. Now you need to stop threatening her and making things difficult for her, or I'll be forced to do the same."
Lucien's voice broke through their argument. "Elain, you obviously don't want a mate. At least you don't want me as your mate and…honestly, after all of this, I don't think I want to be mated to you either at this point. I always imagined if I ever found my mate that she would be caring and loving, not bitter and angry."
"So what are you saying, Lucien? You're right, I don't want you. I never have."
"Then I'm rejecting the bond. You're free to do whatever you like, or whoever you like, but…stay the fuck away from Azriel and Gwyn. They deserve better than to be treated this way by you. Move on. Find someone else. He's made it very clear to you he doesn't want you."
Gwyn stood from the couch and walked into the foyer, coming to stand next to Azriel, sliding her hand into his. She locked eyes with Elain, staring her down angrily. "You can call me all the names you want, but it won't make Az want you. He is mine, do you understand me? He is my mate and I will go down fighting for him if I have to. So back. Off."
Azriel's hand left hers and then his arm slid around her waist, pulling her into his side. She wrapped her arm around his waist as well and glared daggers at Elain who just stared at Az. "How could you let her control you like that? You deserve so much better."
Az shook his head. "There is something wrong with you, Elain, deeply wrong."
She shook her head, a wicked smile coming to her face. "Oh no, my Azriel. There is nothing wrong with me at all. I'm finally able to be myself."
Elain's eyes trailed over Azriel and down to Gwyn where they hardened. "You haven't seen the last of me yet, bitch."
She blew Azriel a kiss before throwing a grin at Lucien and striding out the front door, slamming it behind her.
Gwyn looked up at Az, a frown on her face. "Well, that wasn't what I was expecting to happen."
Rhys and Feyre stepped into the foyer behind them, causing them to turn. Feyre looked upset about the situation, but she let Rhys speak. He looked at Lucien, his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry we dragged you into this, Lucien, but now you see what we've been dealing with."
He nodded grimly. "If I had known she was like this sooner…I don't know. I've never seen her act like this before. If this is who she really is, then that's not someone I want to be mated to."
Rhys nodded. "The Cauldron doesn't always find the best matches. My parents are a perfect example for that. Lucien, you are still welcome here anytime. You've earned your place here. You don't need to use Elain as an excuse to come visit. I believe Feyre darling would benefit from your visits as well."
Feyre smiled as warmly as she could under the circumstances, "I may not know what's going on with my sister, but you and I will always be friends. I hope you do decide to come visit. I always enjoy them."
He smiled at her and nodded. "So do I. If you need anything from me, please don't hesitate to ask. If Azriel gets captured again, I'll be more than happy to help join the search party."
Az rolled his eyes as Gwyn covered a laugh with a cough. Rhys chuckled, nodding. "We all appreciate that. As you know, in situations like that, any extra help is greatly appreciated."
Lucien bowed his head slightly and took his leave, apologizing on his way out for not being able to do more. Feyre just waved him off assuring him it wasn't his fault. When they were alone, Feyre turned to Gwyn.
"I have to deeply apologize for the actions of my sister. I don't know what's going on with her. She's never been like this, ever. I didn't think she even had a mean bone in her body. With everything that was said though…I hate to even say this, but I think you need to stay on alert for a little while. I don't know what's going through her head, but I don't want anything happening to you. To either of you."
Azriel's hold on her waist tightened, pulling her impossibly closer to him. "Nothing will happen to her as long as I'm there."
Rhys nodded, "Believe me, I know. The need to protect your mate from danger is overwhelming. Just stay by her side until things cool down. I'm everything will be fine. It's just a precaution."
Gwyn bit her lip, looking up at Azriel. He rubbed her back soothingly, offering her a small smile. "Everything will be okay, Gwyn. No one's going to get to you. They'll have to go through me first."
She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek in appreciation, resting her head on his chest. He looked up at Rhys. "I think we're going to head out. There's been enough excitement for one night."
He nodded in understanding. "I'll see you tomorrow when you check in as usual."
Azriel chuckled quietly and turned them towards the door. The second they were outside, he seemed to go on alert, checking for any threats. She rolled her eyes. "Az, I'm safe. She's not going to jump out of the bushes with a knife and stab me right in front of the High Lord and Lady's house. Everything is okay. Let's just go home."
He nodded, scooping her up into his arms and launching into the air. He decided to fly home this time, knowing just how much she loved to fly. It would get her mind off of everything and nothing could get to them up in the sky.
She rested her head on his shoulder and stared out over the city, taking in the view. She was quiet the entire flight back to the House of Wind, so he let her be. After they landed, he took her hand in his and led them down through the House towards their rooms. Once outside in the hallway, she stopped and bit her lip suddenly nervous.
"Az, I have a question."
He turned towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him. He leaned his head down to rest against her forehead. "What's your question, sweetheart?"
"Can I…stay with you…for a bit?"
His brow furrowed and he pulled his head back to look into her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Like…we've been staying together most nights in each other's rooms since we started our relationship. I was wondering with everything going on with Elain, if I could just stay with you until it's all resolved? If not, it's okay."
A smile slowly crept onto his face. "You want to live with me."
She bit her lip, looking away. "It was a dumb idea. I never should have brought it up. Forget I said anything."
He shook his head, pulling her chin back so that she faced him again. "I love the idea, Gwyn. I love sleeping next to you. On our nights a part, I rarely get any sleep because I'm so accustomed to having you next to me. And with everything going on, it'll make me feel better as well knowing you're right next to me all night, safe and protected."
A sassy smile graced her lips. "You do know I can take care of myself though, right? I just want to be with you for the extra support."
He nodded, kissing her cheek. "I definitely know you can take care of yourself, but as your mate my instincts to protect you are going wild. We haven't even accepted the bond yet, I already feel wildly protective of you."
"Yet? How presumptuous of you."
His eyes widened and he pulled back, staring at her. "I, uh. I didn't mean anything by that, Gwyn. I wasn't trying to put any pressure-."
She giggled, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips, stopping him mid-sentence. "I was only joking, Shadowsinger. You know we'll eventually accept it. I have to have a little fun now and again though, right?"
He rolled his eyes, a grin spreading across his lips. "That wasn't very nice."
She shrugged. "Maybe you'll just have to teach me a lesson then."
His eyes darkened. "Maybe I will."
She pulled him towards his door, turned the knob, and stepped into the room, her eyes never once leaving his. Once inside, he grabbed her around the waist and spun her, pinning her against the wall. She grinned. "I think it's lesson time, don't you?"
He growled his response before getting them both naked as quickly as possible. He looked down at her and smiled. "Are you ready?"
She nodded, excitement lighting her eyes. He grabbed her thighs and hoisted her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist and then carried her over to the bed. He set her down gently on the bed before leaning over her, a wicked grin on his face. "This is going to be a fun night."
A/N: In my mind, I really like a bitchy, kind of evil Elain. The other 2 are good...and right now in the series she's just blah to me. So...this is where my mind went for now. Also on the whole Elucien aspect, that is not where I had initially intended to go when I started this story. It honestly, just happened. But...I honestly do believe that Lucien deserves better anyway. So there's that too. So! Any theories on what'll happen next? Or what about Mor's surprise that she keeps putting off? Until next time! :D
