She perches on the edge of the chair, the nightgown riding up her thighs, giving me a torturous glimpse of soft, thick creamy flesh and a hint of matching lace panties. I bite down on my lip to suppress a groan, whilst discreetly adjusting the now growing cock in my pants. I move, stopping behind her and placing my hands gently into her damp hair. I summon a low heat into my palms, ensuring I don’t burn her, and rake my fingers softly down her scalp, drying the silky, soft strands with careful precision.
“You did well today,” I say gruffly, distracting myself from the throb in my pants. “Tomorrow, we leave for Aurora’s Veil.”
My hands continue to comb slowly through her hair, drying it section by section, and she lets out a soft moan, the sound making me close my eyes and quietly inhale.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. That just felt so good. I love head scratches.” She giggles, trying to hide how mortified she is.
I chuckle under my breath, ignoring the way the sound made me feel. Gods, what the fuck is wrong with me, getting pleasure from the sight and sounds of a mere mortal.
I spend the next five minutes finishing drying her hair and then step back slightly. “I’m all done,” I announce, stepping in front of her.
She jolts slightly, blinking up at me with dazed eyes. “I must’ve drifted off,” she murmurs, running her fingers through her hair. “Thank you, Korithax.”
“I thought it was Kori now?” I tease, tilting my head.
“Ah, that’s just for show, remember?” She says in a mocking tone.
My smile vanishes, my features instantly hardening as I turn to walk away from her. “Right,” I mutter coldly. Just for show. Of course it was, fool. “You can take the bed,” I continue, “I’ll sleep on the floor.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she protests.
“It’s fine. Goodnight, Daisy.”
She hesitantly climbs into the bed as I lie down on the cold marble floor, hating every second of it. The chill seeps into my bones instantly, despite my continuous heat. I’m so glad I can vanish my wings whenever I please, because it would be painfully uncomfortable laying with them spread out beneath me down here. I stare at the large glass ceiling, the stars above shimmering softly as I listen to her rustle about the covers, her teeth chattering softly.
“Can you stop that?” I snap.
“Stop what?” She mumbles.
“Chattering your teeth. It’s very annoying when my hearing is considerably a lot stronger than yours.”
“It is?” She squeaks. “I’m sorry. It’s freaking cold in here.”
I sigh, returning my focus to the night sky above. I manage to endure it for a few minutes longer, gritting my teeth against the sound. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, I push myself up off the ground and stride to the edge of the bed. I yank back the covers, making her yelp and sit up in surprise, and slide in beside her.
“Come here,” I grumble. “If I have to listen to that all night, I might just bash my head off of these shiny fucking floors until my skull caves in.” She scoots over hesitantly, shuffling close to me. Her body brushes mine—and holy fucking shit, she’s freezing. “Gods above Daisy,” I mutter.
“I told you!” She softly shouts as I squirm at the touch of her freezing body on mine. She presses her ice-cold feet against my legs, and I hiss, making her giggle. “Thank you,” she whispers.
I don’t respond, feeling her body slowly warm up with my body pressed against hers, her head resting gently on my arm. I lay there stiffly until her breathing evens out, and I dare a glance at her. Her lips are slightly parted, her hair falling over her face as she softly snores. I feel the tug between our souls pull gently as I watch her, the sensation so strange it makes me twitch
“Goodnight, little flower,” I whisper, gently wrapping my arm around her to pull her closer into me.
I awakento find her still curled into my chest, my arm still wrapped protectively around her as if she were mine to keep safe. I guess she is now. My future wife, my future queen. This small, breakable mortal, her golden hair spilling across me likea river of light. She’s still asleep, her chest rising and falling steadily, her soft little snores barely audible.
I watch her, unmoving. Her face is peaceful, relaxed in a way I’ve never seen before. The morning light makes the soft freckles on her pale skin stand out even more, each one like a smattering of the cosmos across her little button nose.
Gods, she’s infuriatingly beautiful.
I stroke a hand gently down her back, feeling the delicate curve of her body beneath my fingers, savouring how nice it felt to have contact like this. This was not something I did at all in my world. I either had quick fucks or nights of long, filthy sex that would make any mortal blush. But afterward, they would be kicked out of my chambers, and I would lie alone. That’s the way I like it, the way I have always liked it. I’m not a physical contact type of man, I’m the—I will destroy your body in the best of ways, then tell you to fuck off—kind of man. Yet here, right now, the feel of her soft body pressed against mine felt indescribable.
Her eyes flutter open, meeting mine in sleepy confusion. Fuck. I clear my throat and untangle myself from her immediately, standing to grab a shirt that I threw over a nearby chair.
“I’ll go collect us breakfast,” I say, my voice still gruff from sleep. “Is there anything you would like?”
She yawns, sitting up against the pillows. “Do they have coffee?”
“I shall find out,” I reply. “A maid will assist you in dressing. Your clothing is in the pack.”
