A/N: I am SO sorry it has taken me so long to post. Life has been very busy and I just got sidetracked from the story basically, but I'm back! I will do my absolute best to keep up with it! I've been looking forward to this chapter for quite some time now...so...I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. There is some Rated R portions at the end. So...BEWARE! Enjoy!

Chapter 16

Gwyn sighed, resting her chin against her fist and staring out the window in the private library in the House of Wind. Everyone had been pretty on edge the past few days since Elain's threat and it was starting to wear down on her. Azriel had been very protective of her, more so than usual. At first, she'd found it romantic and sweet. Now, she was starting to find it a little annoying.

She was a Valkyrie, for Caldron's sake. She knew how to take care of herself. She'd survived the Blood Rite and helped in rescuing him from Vallahan. She felt she deserved some credit.

Cassian had advised her to just be patient with him. He had tried explaining that even though they weren't mated yet, his instincts to protect her were going into overdrive and that the primal part of him needed to protect his mate at all costs. She understood that, she did, but she couldn't help feeling annoyed still when he would go overboard like blocking doorways before she could go outside so that he could check the perimeter. She had to keep reminding them that they were very far up the side of a mountain and she was sure Elain couldn't get to them unless she could somehow climb all of those stairs.

She needed to get out of the House and have some fun, get her mind off of everything. She had a feeling it would be good for Azriel too. Being around his family always loosened him up and helped relax him, made him happy. Mor had talked Feyre into moving their family dinner up a few days this week so that she could be there before her next mission. She wanted to tell everyone her surprise finally and then maybe go to Rita's. Gwyn was perfectly okay with this idea. She needed a drink. She'd been to Rita's once in the past couple of months and she'd enjoyed herself.

She rose from her chair and left to go start getting ready. She wasn't going to wear anything special, but she still wanted to change into something more comfortable than her training leathers. It didn't take her long to change into some soft black leggings and a thick sweater. When she was done, she met Azriel, Cass and Nesta on the balcony waiting for her.

She stepped up to Az and smiled softly, "Ready to go?"

He nodded, "We were just waiting for you."

He lifted her into his arms as Cassian did the same with Nesta and they both shot into the air. They made it to the River House in record time. Azriel took her hand once they'd landed and he'd set her back on her feet. The four of them walked inside and made their way into the living room as usual. Mor popped in front of Azriel, a nervous look on her face. "Az, would you mind if I steal you away from your mate for a few minutes? There's something I'd like to talk to you about."

Azriel nodded, glancing down at Gwyn. She smiled up at him encouragingly before he turned back to Mor. "After you."

Once Mor and Azriel had left the room, Gwyn walked further into the room and took a seat next to Feyre on the couch. Feyre smiled at her, handing her a glass of wine. She tucked her legs up underneath her and got comfortable, falling into an easy conversation with Feyre and Nesta while she waited for Az to come back.


Az leaned against Rhys's desk and slid his hands into his pockets, the picture of casual. He could sense that whatever this conversation was about to be, it was going to be difficult for at least one of them, if not both.

Mor started pacing in the open space in front of him, wringing her hands together nervously. She kept glancing over at him, opening her mouth as if to start speaking, then would close it and continue pacing. He let her continue her inner battle for a few minutes before he spoke up.

"Mor, whatever it is you've brought me in here to tell me, just say it. I can handle it, I promise."

She took a deep breath and nodded, stopping in front of him. "Azriel…I should have said this to you so, so long ago. I was scared. I was a coward. I let it drag on for centuries."

"Mor…whatever you're going to say, you don't have to."

She nodded. "Yes, I do. Az…all those years, those centuries, that you had feelings for me-."

Azriel shook his head, looking away. "Mor, stop. You know that I no longer have feelings for you. I've moved on. I have a mate now. I'm happy. We don't need to have this conversation."

Mor huffed in frustration. "Azriel, would you just listen to me? I'm trying to tell you something! I know that you've moved on. I know that you're happy. It's the only reason I'm not absolutely beside myself telling you this. It's why I can finally tell you this, in a way. So I need you to just listen to me."

Az looked back at her, taking her all in. He could see just by the way she was standing how nervous she was. Something was eating her up and she needed to get it off her chest. He loosed a breath and nodded for her to continue.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment before meeting his gaze. "Azriel…I don't even know how to start this conversation, but…I didn't want to be out there tonight with the rest of our family and have you find out with everyone else. You deserve to know before them. It wouldn't be fair to you if I didn't tell you this way. It's not fair to you that I waited this long, but…I digress. You're one of the only people who has known me the longest. Between you, Cass, and Rhys…you've been there and you know my story. You were there for my story. Regardless, I haven't breathed a word of this to anyone, besides Feyre. She's the only one who knows…not even Rhys."

She took a deep breath before squaring her shoulders, a glint in her eye. "I'm just going to say it. The reason I didn't reciprocate your feelings all these centuries, why I didn't try anything with you…is because I prefer females. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but…you know firsthand how it is in the Hewn City. Their tolerance for people like me…is nonexistent. I would have been a pariah and in more danger than I had been. So I kept it to myself, locked so far down inside of me that no one would ever suspect. And then Eris happened…I couldn't stand the thought of being shackled to him the rest of my life, so…Cassian was my way out. I didn't want to use you because I knew how you felt and it wouldn't have been fair to you, Az. I didn't want to give you hope that there might be something between us only for me to not feel the same way. And…everything happened, so fast. Then you were confessing your feelings for me and I just…locked up. I froze. That was my chance to tell you and…I panicked. I didn't want you to look at me the way I knew everyone else would. I wouldn't be able to stomach it. Az…I'm sorry."

He stared at her for a long moment, taking in her words. It had never been about him at all. All this time, he had thought something had been wrong with him, but…it had nothing to do with him.

Mor's voice broke. "Az, please say something."

He ran a hand through his hair, looking towards the windows. "I'm not mad at you, Mor. If anything…I'm relieved to know it wasn't me, that there's not something wrong with me. It would have been nice to have known 500 years ago, but…I understand. I get what it's like to have someone look at you and judge you for what they think you should be and not for who you are. I'll admit that it's a lot to process, but…"

He shook his head and looked back at her. There were tears running down her face. He stood from the desk and walked to her. He gently brushed away her tears and rested his hands on her upper arms. "Mor, all I want is for you to be happy. I want you to be as happy as I am. Whether you're with a male or a female, it makes no difference to me. As long as they treat you right and make you happy, that's all that matters to me. Everything else is in the past. I appreciate you telling me though. You know I don't like surprises."

She huffed out a shaky laugh before throwing her arms around him. "Thank you for being so understanding. You're the best, Az."

He chuckled and pulled back, smiling softly down at her. "So…why tonight? What made tonight so special you wanted to tell me?"

She bit her lip and took another deep breath. "That's the other thing I wanted to tell you. I've actually started seeing someone and…honestly, I'm tired of hiding it. I want it to be out in the open and share it with my family. So…I brought her with me tonight. To introduce as my girlfriend."

Az's eyes widened a fraction. "Is it someone we know?"

She rolled her eyes and moved away from him, back towards the door. "I guess you'll just have to come see for yourself."

Az chuckled and followed her out of the office and down the hallway, following the loud voices and laughter coming from the living room. As soon as they entered, his eyes scanned the room for anyone that wasn't normally there. His eyes settled on one particular female sitting next to Gwyn. His eyes shot to Mor who was already watching him, waiting for a reaction.

His eyes had widened upon seeing who was sitting there and seeing Mor's face only confirmed his suspicions. She lowered her voice so that only he could hear her. "I'm going to tell them. It's now or never."

Az gave her an encouraging smile. "You'll do great. Everyone will be okay with it, I promise you."

She nodded, again nervous as she made her way towards where she'd been sitting and Az made his way to Gwyn. He perched on the arm of the couch next to her and took her hand in his own. She looked up at him with a question in her eyes. He subtly shook his head, telling her that he'd tell her everything later.

When Gwyn turned back towards the room, Mor cleared her throat. "Um…so I told you all that I had a surprise. I guess it's now or never. So, I'm just going to say it. I'm dating someone. And yes, you all know them. In fact…"

Mor's eyes slid to Emerie on Az's right. "I brought her with me tonight."

The room was silent for all of ten seconds before questions and squeals erupted all at once. Feyre was beaming with pride as she sipped from her wine glass. Rhys was glancing back and forth between Feyre and Mor, his lips slightly parted in confused. Nesta and Gwyn were squealing in delight, not at all phased by the revelation. Cassian, however, seemed to be getting upset.

Mor looked over at him, worry flashing in her eyes. He shook his head dumbfounded. "How could you not tell us? Did you not trust us?"

Rhys looked over at him, brows furrowing. "Cassian…"

Cass shook his head. "No, why didn't she say anything all these centuries? Why…why the hell did you sleep with me that night if you prefer females?"

Az looked over at his brother. "She needed an escape, Cass. You know that. She had Keir and Eris breathing down her neck. She needed a way out, to be free."

Cass looked at him. "So the answer is to use me? And why am I the only one who seems upset that she's kept this giant secret from us for so long? That only now when it's most convenient for her does she finally tell us. And why the hell are you not upset? Or even shocked? You pined after her for five centuries only to find out that she prefers females instead?"

Az leveled a look at him. "I'm not upset because there's nothing to be upset about. That's all in the past. And I'm not shocked because she took me aside when I got here and told me. I wasn't upset then and I'm not now. You seem to be the only one getting an attitude."

Cass shook his head. "No, you're not upset because you just found your mate and you're happy. You're willing to put everything else behind you for that simple fact. It's blinding you."

Azriel stood, angling slightly in front of Gwyn out of habit. "Cass, you need to go cool off before you say something else that you'll regret."

Cassian stood from the chair he'd been sitting in. "Well, I'm glad I seem to be the only one actually thinking about what this means. Now, if you'll excuse me."

He stormed out of the living room and out of the house, slamming the door behind him. Nesta remained sitting where she was, head in her hands. She looked up at Mor who was silently crying, staring after him. "I am so sorry for how he acted, Mor. He just needs to cool off and let it all process. It'll all be fine."

Emerie stood from her chair and walked over to Mor. She took her face gently in her hands and leaned their foreheads together. "We knew there might be some resistance. Not everyone was going to be happy about it."

Mor nodded, reaching up and grasping Emerie's hands in her own. "I know, but…it's Cass…out of everyone I thought…"

Emerie nodded, doing her best to soothe Mor. "I know. It'll be okay though. Let him process it and come around in his own time. We can't force it."

Feyre stood from the couch and walked over to them. She placed a hand on Mor's back, causing her to look away from Emerie and to her friend. "Emerie is right. Let him cool off and sort through his thoughts. He'll come around. You two have been through too much for him not to."

Rhys stood from his seat as well, clapping his hands. "Well, that sure was exciting. Now, are we all ready to eat?"

They all turned and looked at him incredulously. He raised his brows. "What? This is old news to me. I guessed two centuries ago about Mor preferring females. I've just been biding my time waiting for her to spill."

Mor's mouth dropped. "You mean you knew? How?"

He shrugged. "All the nights at Rita's, certain looks I would see you throwing at other females, how unsatisfied you'd seem after obviously being with a male. I was obvious."

Feyre just shook her head at him. "You sneaky bastard. How do you do it?"

He chuckled, walking towards the dining room. "Ah, Feyre darling, that's for me to know and you to find out."


The night ended on a more peaceful one. It was a little somber with Cassian having left, but they all made the most of it. Azriel had offered to fly Nesta back up to the House, but she declared she didn't want to be anywhere near Cass for the night and that she was staying there.

Gwyn walked out onto the front lawn and looked up at the stars smiling. "I'm so happy for them. They both deserve to find someone who will make them happy."

Azriel nodded, coming to stand beside her. She looked up at him. "You've been quiet tonight. Is it because of Mor?"

He shrugged, looking up at the stars. "It's a lot to process. I mean, obviously I no longer have those feelings for her, but…five centuries is a long time to be in love with someone who can't even love you back."

Gwyn pursed her lips, but kept silent, sensing there was more he wanted to say. After a few moments of silence, he continued. "You know I'm happy for her, for them both. I wish them both all the happiness in the world. They've both been through so much and to have found each other…that's a miracle. For so long, I never thought that I would ever have someone look at me the way Emerie looked at Mor tonight. I'll admit that there was a part of me when she told me that was hurt. I'm male enough to admit that. But…when I looked at her face…I saw how hard it was for her to tell me that. I saw her fears and insecurities. She was scared…of hurting me. Here was my friend, confiding this huge secret she'd been keeping from the whole world her entire life. My feelings seemed inconsequential compared to that. But…that's okay. I've had the past few hours to let it sink in a little more and…I'm okay. I wouldn't change anything because…who knows if I ever would have met you or fallen in love with you if Mor had told me all those years ago and allowed me to move on. So, yeah…I'm okay."

Gwyn had completely frozen. He looked down at her from the stars and noticed the shift. His brow furrowed, but before he could say anything, she slowly tilted her head to the side. "You…you love me?"

His eyes widened. He hadn't even realized he'd said it. He'd meant every word, but he'd wanted to tell her in a better way than this. He put his hands up, taking in a quick breath. "Gwyn, I…uh. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I didn't want that to be how…I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Please don't feel like you need to say it back. It's okay, really."

A smile slowly spread across her face before she reached up and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. When she pulled back, she stared into his eyes. "I love you too, Shadowsinger."

He couldn't breathe. She'd sucked all the air from his lungs with those words. She pressed another kiss to his lips, this one a little harder than the first. When she pulled back, he had a grin plastered across his face. "Take me home, Az. There's one more surprise waiting for you tonight."

Before she could say another word, he'd wrapped his arms around her and shot them into the air. Her squeal of delight echoed through the night as he flew them home.

They kissed all the way home, Az knowing the route by heart and let his shadows watch for threats. They landed on the balcony and Az pulled away from her just enough to look down into her eyes. "So, what is this surprise?"

She giggled, "You'll have to wait and see until we get back to our room."

Our room. That still sent a thrill right through him. He was about to respond when his shadows whispered in his ear. "Gwyn, do you mind if I catch up with you? I'll only be a few minutes. There's something I need to take care of."

She smiled lovingly at him and nodded. "Of course. Take the time you need. Say hi to Cass for me."

He had started turning away from her, but stopped. "How did you know?"

Her smile widened. "I saw your shadows whisper in your ear and I assumed this is where Cass went after he left. So, go talk to your brother and try to calm him down. Then come find me." She threw him a wink before turning and sauntering back towards the House, swishing her hips as she went to accentuate her words.

He chuckled, knowing he'd do anything to get back to her as quickly as possible, but there was just one thing he needed to do first. He shot into the air and made a beeline for the training ring. It would be much faster this route. He immediately spotted Cass throwing punches at the training dummy and landed in the middle of the arena.

"Go away, Az."

"I'm not going to do that and you know it. Now out with it."

Cass kept hitting the dummy, not turning his focus away from it. "There's nothing to say. I said my peace."

Az shook his head. "No you didn't. There's something eating at you. Otherwise you wouldn't be here destroying the new dummy."

Cass finally stopped and turned to his brother, knuckles raw from use. "How are you so okay with this?"

"How are you not? You're even closer to Mor than I am."

He threw his arms out. "Exactly! If I'm so close to her, why the hell didn't she tell me? Why did she feel the need to lock that secret away for five fucking centuries? Did she not trust me enough? Don't get me wrong, I don't care that she prefers females. I don't care that she's with Emerie. That's fine. But…"

Cass looked away from him, his shoulders sagging. Az nodded in understanding. "I know. It feels like a betrayal of trust in a way that she lied to us for so long. But…Cass she had her reasons. And I'm not going to tell you what she told me in Rhys's office. That's for her to tell you herself. I was hurt at first. But then I thought through all of her reasons and who Mor actually is. You may not believe me, but she had a damn good reason to do what she did. So…just go talk to her. Maybe not tonight, but…soon. You need to patch things up with her."

Cass looked back at Azriel. "I never had a problem about her using me that night. I always knew what it was. I knew she was betrothed to Eris. I knew she wanted a way out. So I gave it to her. But now…it was all a lie."

"Cass, it wasn't a lie. She did want freedom from Eris, just for more reasons than you originally thought. She needed out of that life Keir had laid out for her and you gave it to her. Who knows what would have happened to her if she had been forced to marry him. We would never have seen her again, that's for sure. You saved her from a horrible existence. Be happy with that."

Cassian blew out a breath, nodding his head slowly. "I guess you're right. I guess I need to go find Mor too."

Azriel nodded, turning back towards the House. "I believe she's still at the River House. She didn't seem too inclined to leave any time soon when we were leaving. Oh, and Nesta is there too."

Cass looked up at him with sad eyes. "She didn't want to come back here after I left like that, did she?"

Az shrugged. "Looks like you have two females to go woo."

He faintly heard Cass chuckle before taking off into the night sky. Az ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. He was just glad he was able to talk some sense into him.


Gwyn flipped the page in the book she was reading to pass the time. She didn't know how long Azriel would be with Cassian, so she figured she might as well get comfortable. Before she could finish the page, the door quietly opened and then shut. She heard footsteps approach before they stopped in their tracks. She looked up at him under her lashes to find him staring at her with wide eyes, lips slightly parted.

She was laying on the bed wearing a new nighty that she had gotten on a recent shopping trip. This one was just a little more…revealing than the ones she usually wore. And it was blue, the exact color of his siphons.

"Did everything go okay with Cass?"

He swallowed thickly. "Uh…yeah. He's on his way back to the River House now."

She smiled sweetly at him and closed her book. "Good. I'm glad you were able to help."

He just continued standing there, staring at her as if not sure what to do with himself. She chuckled and stood from the bed. She walked around and stopped right in front of him. "Do you like it? It's new."

He nodded, roaming his eyes down her body. "I do. Is this my surprise?"

She cocked her head to the side, pretending to think. "Mm, partially. I have other things in mind for us too."

His brows rose, but he allowed her to slowly undo the buttons on his shirt, making her way all the way down before starting on the button on his pants. "Are you…Are you wanting me to take my clothes off?"

She smiled at the effect she was having on him and nodded. He stripped out of his clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor. She grabbed his hand and led him over to the bed. She reached up and pressed a gentle kiss to his mouth, leaning into him. His hands were instantly on her, roaming up and down her sides, her back, her ass. She could feel him pressing into her thigh in response. She pulled back just far enough to breathe onto his lips, "Help me get out of this thing."

A low growl escaped his throat as he quickly assisted her in shedding the negligee. Once they were both standing there naked, She reached up and placed her hands gently on either side of his face and looked into his eyes. "I'm ready, Az."

He nodded and made to move them onto the bed. She stopped him and turned his face back to her. "I don't think you quite I understand. I'm ready. For you."

He stood there staring at her for a long moment, confusion clear in his eyes before understanding flashed across his face. She heard his heart beat pick up slightly. "Are you sure? We don't have to. I told you that I'm not pushing you into it."

She smiled up at him and nodded. "I've been sure for a while now. I was just getting up the courage to say something and then tonight when you told me that you love me…it gave me the push I needed. I want to do this, Azriel. I want to have sex with you. All the way. I'm ready."

He took in her face and how confident she was. Finally, he nodded. "Okay. We'll go slow and if there's anything that you don't like, please tell me. You won't offend me, you know that."

She nodded, falling more in love with him every second. They moved onto the bed and he positioned them so that he was on top. He kissed her sweetly. "Do you want any foreplay before the main event or do you want to just go for it?"

She put her hands around his neck and ran them through his hair. "For this first time, could we just go for it? I don't want to chicken out."

He smiled at her and nodded. "Of course. But I am going to do one thing first."

He trailed his fingers down her stomach until he reached her core. He pressed a finger against her entrance and waited until she nodded for him to continue before he slowly slid a finger inside. She gasped and arched her back into his chest. He slowly slid the finger in and out of her before adding a second. He continued sliding his fingers inside of her for a few moments and she knew he was getting her out of her head and trying to make her more comfortable.

Finally, he pulled his fingers out and settled over her. He looked right into her eyes. "Are you ready, Gwyn?"

She nodded. "I am."

"Okay. I'll go slow."

She nodded again and continued running her fingers through his hair. He kissed her passionately as he pressed himself against her core, but went no further, allowing her to adjust to the sensation of him being there first. He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers so that he could watch her reactions. He reached back down and carefully eased just the tip inside. They both gasped at the same time.

Az rasped out, "Gwyn, talk to me."

She nodded, her eyes squeezed shut. "Keep going. I'm fine. It's tight, but it feels good."

He slid in a little further and her fingers tightened in his hair. "Gwyn…"

She shook her head, "Az, I'm fine. Please…"

A little further and a moan slipped through Az's lips, his head falling to her shoulder. "You feel so good, Gwyn."

She nodded, arching her back slightly into him. "Keep going…"

They kept at that pace until he was fully sheathed inside of her. He paused and let her get accustomed to him before he moved again. He pulled his head up from her shoulder and kissed her softly. She, however, had other plans. She quickly turned it into a passionate kiss and wriggled her hips the best she could in their position to tell him to start moving. They both needed some friction.

He got the hint very quickly and pulled out slowly, going almost all the way out before pushing back in. He kept his slow rate going for a few thrusts, but then Gwyn had other plans. When he was just starting to push back into her, she bucked her hips enough that he was thrust all the way back in. They both moaned loudly.

He got the hint very quickly and picked up the speed. He leaned down and sucked a nipple into his mouth, pulling a deep moan from her lips. He was determined to make it as pleasurable as possible for her. He sucked on her nipple for a few moments before switching to the other side. Her moans were driving him mad. She was pulling some out of him as well.

Just as his teeth grazed her nipped, her hands reached down and stroked along his wing, sending a shudder through him. "Gwyn…if you keep that up I'm not going to last much longer."

She swallowed her moan and looked at him, her hair was a mess, cheeks flushed, and her eyes were glazed with desire. "Good. Because I won't either."

He thrust into her harder and faster as her fingers found that spot on his wing. It was only another moment before she was crying out his name, her release ripping through her body. His followed a second later as he pumped a few more times into her before he went slightly limp on top of her. He kept himself propped up enough so as not to crush her, but he allowed himself a minute to catch his breath and for his release to settle over him.

He pulled his head back from her shoulder. "How are you doing?"

Gwyn smiled lovingly up at him, still trying to catch her breath, her cheeks flushed. "Wonderful. That was…incredible. We're definitely doing that again soon."

He chuckled and slowly pulled himself out of her before rolling to the side. His eyes were already started to droop a little, an after effect from his release. She looked over and smiled when she saw him struggling to stay awake. She kissed him gently on the mouth. "I'm going to go get myself cleaned up real quick and then I'll be back. Why don't you get comfortable under the covers?"

He nodded and watched her roll out of the bed. She padded over to the bathing room and sent him a smile before slipping inside.

He crawled under the blankets as he had been instructed and did his best to remain awake while he waited. His eyes had just closed on their own accord when the door to the bathing room opened and then a moment later she slipped under the covers.

She slid over to him and he opened his arms for her, his eyes still closed. She snuggled into his embrace and sighed happily. "Thank you, Azriel. For everything. Not just tonight, but…everything you've done for me. I love you."

He tightened his grip on her and kissed the back of her neck. "You've done a lot for me as well. I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you too."

They drifted off to sleep in each other's arms, dreaming of each other and how happy they were together.


A/N: Soooo...thoughts? Originally, I was not going to have Cass get upset...and then it just sort of happened. It made sense for SOMEONE to get upset...and out of everyone there it made more sense for it to be him. I didn't want Az to get upset...so. Yeah. There you have it. As for that last scene...I guess everyone knows what THAT means, right? :D

Anywho, I will do my best to get on writing the next chapter right away. I already have ideas for it. Any ideas are welcome. Review! :) Until next time!