Chapter 71

Elain ran the towel quickly over her skin when she stepped out of the tub. She had just turned toward Lucien who had followed her out, when he over and took the towel from her hands. Her eyes followed him as he dropped it to the floor and then he was moving toward her, a smirk evident on his face. Unable to help herself, Elain's gaze moved over him, not having had this proper view of him before, and she smiled in return.

"Like what you see, Petal?" he asked, and Elain nodded an instant before he had lifted her from the floor. She wrapped her legs around his waist, wet skin sliding against wet skin. Lucien's hands moved up her back and then he was kissing her. Elain grinned into the kiss, sliding her arms around his neck as she listened to his heartbeat. She was only vaguely aware of Lucien carrying her into the bedroom and gave a surprised gasp when he dropped her onto the edge of his bed.

"What are…?" Sitting up on her elbows, she fell silent when Lucien went to his knees by the bed. His eyes met hers as his hands slid up her legs, spreading her wide before him. Elain's heart thudded in her ears, increasing in pace when he gave her a smirk, winking with his good eye before he dipped his head to her and Elain fell back against the covers with a groan.

Bringing her hand up, Elain clamped it over her own mouth, stifling a cry when she felt his tongue on her. An instant later, Lucien had reached up to take hold of both of Elain's wrists, pulling them down and pinning them by her hips. He held both of her wrists there so that she could do nothing, touch nothing, as he continued to lick at her and, when she felt him push that hot tongue into her, she let out a loud shriek, her back arching as she tried to move to respond.

Lucien released her then, lifting his head as he crawled onto the bed over her. Elain's hands went immediately to him, trailing gently up his back. Before she could do anything further, however, he had taken hold of her and moved her further up the bed until her head hit the pillows and his fingers traced her jaw. "Are you certain that you're okay enough for this again already?"

She could hear his heart in her head, feel her own pumping wildly in her chest, and she was hot all over. Need and desire coursed through her and she nodded, sliding her arms around his neck and pulling him down to kiss him. "Yes." She murmured. "Yes…"

Lucien evidently needed no further encouragement. One of his hands slid down between her thighs and Elain gasped when his fingers went to exactly the right spot. His other hand slid down the inside of her leg to her knee and he pulled it up and out wide as he kissed her again. When he pulled his fingers from her, Elain felt him adjusting himself over her and she barely had a moment to brace herself before had pushed himself deep inside of her. "AHH!"

"Alright?" Russet and gold eyes met hers and Elain wrapped herself more tightly around Lucien before she nodded.

"Yes." She gasped, "Uh… Mhm…"

He was still for only a moment before he began to move, his lips brushing her cheek before moving to her ear, and Elain could hear every breath he took and released. She could still feel the hand he held behind her knee as he lifted it higher, opening her wider for himself, as he thrust again and again. Elain's breath came quicker and quicker as she clung to him. This was different to how it had been in the glade; Lucien seemed more desperate, more focused on this single movement, and Elain squeezed her eyes shut. She focused her own attention on the feel of him between her thighs, sliding in and out of her and she felt her breath catch slightly as delicious shudders passed through her. "Ah…Ah…" Small whimpers escaped Elain as Lucien's hand shifted from behind her knee up into her hair and he held tightly as she then hooked both her feet around behind his own legs as he continued to move deep inside of her. "Ah… Mnn…"

Quicker and quicker Lucien moved, his heartbeat keeping time in Elain's head, and his breath being panted against her ear and throat. Holding tightly to him, her hands slid over his slick back as she sifted through everything reaching her down the bond. She could feel his desperation, his need. She could feel lust and desire, but then also she could feel his anxiety at having to go back to the Autumn court. She could feel his fear.

It was his fear that was driving him, Elain realised. It was rising higher and higher within him and, lifting her hand higher up his back, Elain slid her hand up the back of his neck and then around his jaw to his cheek. His breaths were still being panted into her ear and, turning her head, Elain pressed a kiss to his cheek. "It'll be okay." She whispered, feeling his hand tighten in her hair slightly.

Groaning, Elain just held tightly to him. She took all of the anxiety and fear coming off of him, and returned gentleness and love, stroking his back carefully and murmuring soft words of encouragement and comfort. He wasn't as gentle as he had been that afternoon, but he was thorough, and before long Elain was moaning his name as he shifted both of his hands to brace himself over her, his thrusts rhythmic and smooth.

After she had shrieked her release, hearing Lucien's own cry before he collapsed down over her, Elain continued to stroke his back, slow and steady. Eventually, his breath in her ear had slowed and become more even and then he had shifted to the side, moving his weight off of her, and she turned to face him, keeping her arms around him as best she could. When she caught his gaze, he looked a little distracted, and she pressed a kiss to his cheek, drawing his attention.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Yes…" Elain smiled, "I'm fine…"

He kissed her gently between her eyes, one of his large hands moving down her back. "I'm sorry," he breathed, "if I hurt you…"

"You didn't." she replied, meeting his eyes, and lifting a hand to his cheek, "Not at all…"

"Good."

Cuddling into him, Elain hooked one of her feet around his leg again, smiling when he slid his own arm around her waist, holding her firmly. Her eyes moved around the room, taking in the oranges, red, and golds with which he had decorated his space. She had noticed this the first time she had come in here, noticed that he had tried his best to make his room resemble the Autumn Court, and she thought about that now.

Lucien had lived here for quite some time. This had been his space, enough so for him to feel territorial about it. This had been his home, and where he had felt comfortable, and he had tried to make it look like Autumn. He didn't hate the Autumn Court in his heart, she realised. It was still important to him.

"Maybe…" she murmured, running her hand over him gently, "maybe when you go back, everything will be okay. Maybe Eris will have fixed things, and you will be able to visit more often. You might be able to see your mother, and come and go as you like… Maybe you will be able to spend more time there."

She felt hope slide down the bond toward her then.

"Maybe…" he agreed.