Chapter 164

The conversation about the trade routes and other such seemingly important topics dominated the room both through dinner and afterwards when the faeries present split off into smaller groups. Elain tried to listen as much as she could, but she found the repeated opinions irritating, and the lack of progress in the plan got under her skin. She knew that Lucien was listening, she could tell by the way that he sat straight in his seat, his head cocked just a little. Elain was unable to help watching the way that his vibrant red hair fell into his face, covering his golden eye as he kept his head turned just enough to try and catch snatches of conversation coming from Eris and Tarquin.

"Handsome mate." She murmured, sliding her hand up his leg. "Why don't you go and join them?" her eyes moved over his face, enjoying the way that the firelight lit up his skin and turned his hair to molten metal.

"No…" His eyes slid toward her, and Elain tilted her head as she met his gaze. "Whatever they would say would change if I were there." He gave her a gentle smile, "Besides, I prefer being by your side." One of his warm hands come to rest over her own and she smiled back at him.

"Even if I am being secretive?" she asked, teasing him. When Lucien gave her a devious grin, raising an eyebrow at her, Elain felt heat pool between her legs. "Uhh…" her breath was a soft groan.

"Especially when you're being secretive." Lucien's voice was a soft purr, and the look on his face told Elain that he knew precisely the effect he was having on her. He leaned into her then, his lips brushing her ear and his breath hot against her skin, "Would you like to meet me by the refreshment table…?"

"Yes…"

Lucien smiled at her as he straightened and then he got to his feet, striding across the room. Elain drew a steadying breath before getting to her own feet and following him. She picked up a goblet of wine when she reached the table and took a sip as she turned her eyes on her mate whose own eyes were running up and down the table, taking in what had been placed out for them. When his eyes reached her, Elain watched Lucien look her over. As he moved closer, she felt her heartbeat quicken, and she heard his do the same when he reached a hand out to her, brushing her hair back over her shoulder.

"Didn't you want a drink?" she asked and he tilted his head. His fingers skimmed down her back, following her spine, and Elain shivered. Lucien smiled more widely.

"I just wanted you over here with me."

"Why?"

"Come…" Lucien took Elain's hand, and she allowed him to pull her behind one of the curtains. With a start, Elain realised that this was the very same curtain that she had pulled him behind after she had thrown some fruit at Sorcha.

"Lucien…?"

He turned her, pressing her back against the wall as he adjusted the curtain around them from behind so that nobody else in the room would be able to see them. "Yes…? He murmured, shifting forward until he was pressed against her, his hands tracing up her thighs, bringing her dress with them.

"What are you doing?" she breathed, still able to feel that heat between her thighs. Lucien's hands continued up her legs, before he slipped one hand between them. Elain gasped, and Lucien's eyes, both russet and golden, flicked to her face. "Wh-what…?" she broke off, her eyes closing. "Ah…"

"Perhaps…" she could feel his breath on her face as he held himself still pressed against her. "I thought I might be able to convince you to tell me…" his fingers rubbed at Elain and she gasped again, "Tell me why you've been taking things from our room…"

"I… I can't…" she grabbed at Lucien's shoulder as her knees grew weak. Knowing that it was only his hold on her, and his body pressing firmly against hers, and holding her against the wall, that was keeping her on her feet, Elain allowed her head to tilt back against that wall. "Lucien…"

"Shhh…" his lips moved across her cheek, and then down her throat. "Someone might hear…"

"If… if they hear…" her words were nothing more than soft pants by this point, "It's your fault…" He pushed his fingers into her, and Elain choked back a groan, trying to open her legs more widely for him. Lucien's lips continued to move across her throat, and she was unable to help her hips moving against him when she felt his teeth scrape her skin.

"Give up your secret, mate." She could hear the smirk in his voice, feel it against her throat, and she bit back a soft laugh.

"I won't…" a moan escaped her when Lucien's fingers began working inside of her. His other hand came over her mouth and she heard a quiet chuckle from him.

"Petal, one would think you want to get caught."

Shaking her head, Elain clung to him. When he pulled his fingers from her, she felt him fiddling with his own clothing for a moment. Her head had not yet cleared enough to think straight before he had lifted her with one hand, the other still firmly over her mouth, and then he was properly inside of her.

Elain didn't care that there was only a curtain hiding them from the rest of the room. She didn't care that every High Lord of Prythian, and her sisters were just on the other side. She didn't even care that someone could find them at any moment. All that she cared about was that Lucien felt so very good, both his hand over her mouth, stifling her groaning as he moved inside of her, and the way that he held her against that wall. When his lips returned to her throat, Elain couldn't help her nails scratching at him, raking over his coat and shoulders. She was gasping with every thrust into her, thankful that he was trying to keep her quiet, and heat flooded her when Lucien began grunting into her ear.

She hadn't thought that she would ever be doing this here, but Elain realised that she very much enjoyed it. The utter excitement reaching her down the bond from Lucien told her that he was thoroughly into it as well. There was a different kind of energy about him like this, and Elain knew that she wanted to see him like this again, although she didn't know what they would have to do to achieve that.

When she made a more high-pitched sound, Lucien's hand over her mouth tightened as he tried to cut off any and all sounds she was making. His rhythm didn't change however, and he continued to thrust up into her body with the same vigorous enthusiasm. Elain just clung to him as he pushed her closer and closer to her edge.

She came with a shriek, cut off by Lucien's hand, mere moments before he followed her, shuddering and groaning as he did so. His hand remained over her mouth even as he pulled himself from her, and set her back on her feet. Elain's hands went to her dress, smoothing it down over herself and trying to make herself look presentable. When he eventually removed his hand, Lucien bent to press his lips to hers, and Elain wrapped her own arms around his neck, returning the kiss with all the heat she still felt within herself.

Helping him fix his own clothing, Elain began to wonder how they would sneak back out from behind the curtain without anyone noticing. The grin Lucien gave her told Elain all she needed to know. He was going to do it they way he always did everything. Balls and sass.