Chapter 123

Her blood heating as she walked into the sitting room with Ashk, Elain stared hard at the back of the blonde head belonging to the slight faerie speaking to Lucien. The priestess was leaning forward, her elbows on her knees, as she said something followed by a laugh that made the hairs on the back of Elain's neck stand up. Lucien was sitting straight in his chair, and Elain was pleased to see he was not leaning forward to hear whatever was being said to him. His eyes were on the priestess as he nodded in agreement with whatever she had said, and Elain released Ashk's arm, heading straight for the pair by the table.

Russet and gold eyes flicked up to meet Elain's own eyes as she approached the table, and Lucien's face relaxed a little, a smile appearing to brighten his features. Elain lifted a hand to trace across his shoulder as she moved around behind him, trailing her fingers down across his chest. She allowed those fingers to dip down just beneath the white linen of the Day Court attire he wore, her hand settling against his chest as she wrapped her other arm around him, pressing against him from behind. Her gaze settled on the face of the priestess now looking up at her and Elain smiled pleasantly, completely aware that her actions had quite clearly just staked her territory, claiming Lucien as hers, and she smiled more widely when she saw that the priestess had been aware of that also.

"Petal…" Lucien said softly, turning his head to press a kiss to the inside of her elbow, the closest part of her that he could reach, "This is Sorcha."

"Hello." Elain's voice remained pleasant, but she held the priestess' gaze without so much as blinking. After a moment it was Sorcha who looked away, her blue gaze sliding down to where Elain's hand disappeared beneath that linen across Lucien's chest.

"How lovely to meet you." Sorcha's voice was sweet and bright. "I have heard tell that you are a Seer…?"

"Of sorts." Elain replied, her head tilting when Sorcha smiled even more widely. This smile looked a little less friendly though, and Elain was reminded of the vulpine smiles that she had received from Lucien's brothers when she had visited the Autumn Court. She felt a flicker of concern from Lucien down the bond and then he had lifted one of his own hands, his strong fingers encircling the wrist of her hand not currently pressed to his chest. He lifted that hand to press a kiss to the inside of her wrist, and Elain relaxed just a little.

"We are," Lucien said conversationally, "hoping to spend some time in the Day Court libraries, learning more about Elain's abilities."

"Yes, I should think that would be a good idea." Sorcha said, her eyes turning on Lucien as her smile brightened again. "Knowledge is power."

"So they say."

"You know," Sorcha went on, her eyes lifting to meet Elain's once again, "there are several accounts of the personal histories of some well known Seers which you may find interesting also."

"Oh, thank you. I will look for them." Elain replied. Sorcha nodded, and sat up a little straighter, brushing her perfect golden hair back over her shoulders and then smoothing her robes down over herself.

Lucien's grip on Elain's wrist tightened just a little and he turned to look up and around at her. "Are you ready for bed, my love?"

"I am a little tired…" she smiled down at him, her smile growing when he pressed another kiss to the inside of her wrist.

"Shall we retire then?"

"Yes, I think so…" She slid her hand back up Lucien's chest to his shoulder, allowing it to drop to her side when he stood up, turning to face her. She couldn't help her eyes moving over him then. He did look marvellous in the Day Court clothes, and she knew that her thoughts were evident on her face when his fingers came up to brush her cheek softly.

"I don't suppose anyone would mind if we just disappear…" he said and she nodded, taking his hand in hers and moving for the door. Elain did not look back at Sorcha, but she could feel the priestess' blue eyes following them until the door closed behind them, closing them off from everyone still in the sitting room.

She was unable to shake the other faerie from her mind all the way back to the room she shared with Lucien, but once they were alone behind their locked door, everything else melted away. She headed into the bathroom, wanting to freshen up a little and she pulled her braid free to let her hair fall loose down her back and around her shoulders. By the time she had come back into the bedroom she found Lucien standing in front of the full length mirror, his head cocked to one side as his eyes moved over himself. "What are you doing?" she asked, grinning as she watched him.

"Do you really like this?" he asked, turning to face her, and Elain's grin widened even further as she looked him over. Moving a little closer, Elain reached a hand up to touch him, tracing her fingers over the linen across his chest as she leaned into him her, eyes holding his gaze as she smiled.

"I very much do." She told him, her voice low. He raised his eyebrows, his metallic eye clicking and whirring as he gazed down at her.

"Do tell me why, Petal." He purred and Elain felt shivers move down her back as she leaned even closer.

"I'm sure you can figure it out…" She slid her hand up the bare skin of his chest and to his shoulder, her fingers moving gently across the bitemark she could still see there. "I also like that this is clear for everyone to see…"

"Everything is." He murmured, and she smiled even more widely.

"Well… knowing that this is all mine…" she slid her other hand around his back, as she tilted her head, letting her hair fall over her shoulder as she continued to look up at him. He laughed softly.

"Doesn't it look at little ridiculous, though?" he asked.

Elain stepped back from him, letting him see her eyes move slowly over him, and warmth flushed through her when her eyes reached his face and she took in the expression there. "It does not look ridiculous." She breathed, both hands lifting to his arms and turning him to push him back to sit on the edge of the bed. "Do you think Helion looks ridiculous?"

"No…" he murmured, and she felt his warm hands against her legs as she stood over him. "But he's…"

"He's what?" Elain asked, one of her own hands shifting beneath Lucien's chin and lifting his face so that she could see it. "What is he that you are not?"

"High Lord?" he asked, grinning, but Elain shook her head.

"Other than that… do you think that you are somehow less physically appealing?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper, "Because you are not…" She shifted forward, climbing onto his lap as she all but straddled him. Biting her lower lip gently between her teeth at the pleasant feeling of Lucien's impressive thighs beneath her own, she met his eyes as she settled over him. "You are magnificent." She told him, "And you look like you belong here… in that outfit… your skin… the whole thing…" she traced her fingertips lightly across his shoulder and down his arm. "It only highlights how you fit here…" Elain pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. "You are golden and resplendent like the sun… like Helion…"

"You look like you belong here, too." Lucien's voice was thick, and Elain could hear the emotion behind it. "Maybe we both do…"

"We could…" She shivered when his hands moved up her back and he bent to softly kiss the side of her throat. Elain gave a soft sigh and tilted her head, allowing him easier access to what he was doing as one of her own hands slid up the back of his neck into his own vibrant hair. When she felt Lucien's teeth scrape against her skin, she let out a soft groan as her other hand gripped his shoulder, and she knew that she was wet. "Lucien…"

"Yes, Petal?" she could tell that he was trying to sound innocent, but that he knew exactly what he had done, because one of his hands was suddenly between her legs and he gave a small laugh against her ear when she jumped slightly at the feel of his fingers. "What is it that you want?" this too, was murmured against her ear and Elain didn't even try to bite back a groan.

"My mate." She breathed, reaching down between them to lift her own short dress out of her way. This was far easier than their usual attire, and Elain added something else she liked about the Day Court clothing when her hand was easily able to find Lucien beneath the linen. Grinning at the soft sound he made deep in his throat as she began to gently stroke him, Elain glanced up at his face from beneath her lashes, her heart thundering in her chest at the look on his face as his eyes slid closed and he bit his lip. She hadn't even noticed that she had adjusted herself, lifting herself onto him, and it was Lucien's choked moan as Elain sank down over him, taking him deep inside of her, that brought to her attention what she had done. At the feel of Lucien, hot and hard inside of her, Elain held herself on her knees for just a moment, her hand still tightly gripping one of his shoulders as she took one slow breath after another.

When she allowed herself to move, Elain sank further onto him, taking herself down onto his firm thighs, and enjoying the way both of Lucien's strong hands moved to grip her tightly by her hips. His breath was shaky and Elain clung to his shoulders as she carefully shifted herself, rising slightly and tilting her hips. She liked the way Lucien's breath seemed to catch and he used his grip on her to pull her back down with a groan. She grinned, her eyes moving across his face as she tried to read his expression. "Oh… you like that?" she murmured, her own breath abandoning her. Lucien nodded, his hands beginning to guide her movement with her hips, smooth and even, and Elain did her best to maintain the steady rhythm.

After several minutes, she found herself gasping, seemingly unable to catch her breath and she took one of Lucien's hands from her hip, bringing it up to her ribs, guiding him to her breast. His hand caressed her, and Elain began moving her hips in a more circular pattern, her eyes on Lucien's face as she did so.

"Cauldron boil and fry me…" he groaned, and Elain slid a hand from his shoulder around the back of his neck, her eyes still on her face as she continued her movement, grunting with her effort and at the feel of him hot and hard inside of her.

"I… think that… you… should… wear… that… more often…" she told him, breaking off with a gasp, and closing her eyes to try and maintain her focus on what she was doing. A small sound from Lucien let her know that he had wanted to answer her, but was struggling to do so. She felt his agreement down the bond however, and knew that she would be seeing him in his Day Court attire again. Especially if this was the reward he would receive.