Page 40

STOP

C as was waiting directly in front of the door and it would take an act of the Mother to move him from his place.

He didn’t think anyone in the Mother’s House had nefarious intentions toward Emryn, but religious fervor could quickly turn to something else, and he was more certain than ever that Asan’s plan was a wise one.

She could not be kept completely out of the limelight, it was impossible as Princess of Rodilla, but they could keep the wings covered until she could learn how to conceal them. And she would be slightly safer that way.

The door behind him opened and Emryn stumbled into his back, wrapping her arms around his waist. He could feel her shaking slightly, and he turned to face her.

She looked pale, tired, and that was more than understandable. “Emryn?”

“I’m ready to go home now.” She buried her face in his shoulder. “I found the bird. He refused to speak to me.”

“We will discuss it back at the manor,” Asan said quietly. “If your business is concluded, we should return so you can rest.”

“Yes please.” Emryn looked over Cas’ shoulder at Asan. “There is nothing more I can do here.”

When they returned to the manor, Cas took Emryn to their room, and nearly jumped out of his skin when she reached for him, pulling him in to kiss him.

He wrapped her in his arms, kissing her back. There was a question here, in her kiss, and he wasn’t able to figure it out before she pulled back slightly and looked at him.

“Yes, darling?” He kissed her forehead. “Is there something that you need?”

“Yes, but I don’t understand the consequences.” She sighed. “The Mother said- but I still don’t know who she’s talking about even though I can hope it’s you.”

“Back up, Emryn, tell me what the Mother said.” He led her over to the bed and knelt in front of her. “Talk to me, and we can figure it out.”

“I have three people I’m supposed to find,” she said. “The Phoenix, the Seeker, and the Flame.” She took a shaky breath. “And today, she said that my Phoenix burns for me, that he’s close and already belongs to me. So I think it’s you, but I don’t know what happens if I’m right.”

“What do you think needs to happen?” Cas asked, head spinning slightly.

“I don’t know,” she said in a shaking voice. “I wanted to ask you to take me to bed, but again, I don’t know what happens if I’m right, or even if I’m wrong.”

“Darling, you are thinking far too hard about this,” Cas told her. “What do you want? Be selfish for a moment.”

“I’m bad at that,” she sighed. “I just want- I want you to care about me, Cas, and I-”

‘I do.” He leaned up and kissed her briefly. “Before all this, after, and into the future, Emryn. You are stunningly easy to care for.”

“I don’t know what to do with that.” She looked confused. “I want it, but put it in my hands and I’d probably drop it.”

“I’ll help you.” He knelt up to kiss her again, surprised when she slipped off the bed to join him on the rug, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He wasn’t- Mother help him, he wasn’t going to take her further than she was willing to go. He wasn’t going to press her down onto the rug and cover her.

He skimmed his hands up her sides, hearing her ragged intake of breath. Feeling the curve of her waist, the swell of her hips, the gentle bend in her back.

It was intoxicating, but he couldn’t-“

“Cas,” she pulled back and panted his name at him. “Please?”

“What, Emryn?”

“I want-” She swallowed hard. “I want to know what it’s like. Will you love me?”

Mother of All, help him stay steady. “Are you sure, Emryn?”

She nodded, nerves in her eyes. “I’m being selfish, Cas.”

He bent in to kiss her again. Soft, gentle, moving his hands back to the curve of her waist. “Be selfish for me, Emryn. If you want to stop, tell me.”

“Alright.” She pulled him in again.

He had no idea what to do, but he supposed that if he just started touching her, one of two things would happen. She would either ask him to stop, or they were going to make love here.

He moved his hands, softly grazing the dress she was wearing. It was only barely on her, and it was the work of a moment to undo the laces and the clasp on the cloak and push them away.

His wife was lovely. Soft. Cas moved his hands again as her wings came up. Cupping her breasts and using his thumbs to tease the hard peaks.

She whined into his mouth, pressing into his hands, seeking more feeling.

This was going to kill him, but he was going to go as slow as she needed. He wanted her to enjoy what he was doing, and that meant that he had to focus entirely on her and not on how tight his pants were.

He helped her stand, helped her discard the rest of her clothing and helped her up onto the bed. “Relax for me, he purred in her ear. “Let me show you what it means.”

She nodded, looking up at him with eyes that were already clouded with desire. It was possibly the most seductive thing he’d ever seen.

And she wasn’t trying.

He dropped his lips back to hers, guiding her hands above her head, leaving her open for his touches.

And he took full advantage of it, skimming his hands over her softness, trying to figure out where she liked to be touched.

Which seemed to be everywhere, she was sensitive, body bowing up as he teased her breasts. He lifted his head slightly, kissing his way down her neck, to take one of the tips into his mouth, nibbling it gently.

She grabbed at him, crying his name as her entire body locked up and her scent filled the air.

He hadn’t expected that, but Mother if it wasn’t making it difficult to keep a lock on his passion.

She went limp, panting a little as he raised his head and looked down at her. “Did you enjoy that?”

She nodded, face flaming.

“Then I’ll have to do it again.” He smiled at her and claimed her lips again.

It was a slower climb this time, he slowed his touch, gliding his hand lower towards the curls at the juncture of her thighs. Sliding a finger through the evidence of her passion and finding the little bundle of nerves there.

He didn’t have to do more than run a single touch over it before she flew again, crying her passion into the air of the room.

Cas went to hold her until she relaxed against him, breathing shaky and harsh. He wasn’t certain if he should continue, but she had other ideas.

Emryn turned to him, undoing the buttons on his shirt and laying her hands on his chest. “Will you show me what to do for you?”

He kissed her briefly, covering her hands with his and smiling. “Alright.”

They exchanged touch, slow and easy and where he touched her, she touched him and he very nearly lost control like a rank youth when she cupped him through his pants.

He managed not to, but couldn’t control the guttural sound, or the roll of his hips into her hand. “Emryn-” he moaned her name, pulling her back when she tried to pull away. “Please, more.”

She nodded, concentration in her eyes as she returned her hand, brushing him softly. Which he was intensely grateful for, he wouldn’t have been able to handle anything else.

“Cas?” She looked up at him. “Will you love me now?”

He didn’t wait for her to ask twice, rising to discard his clothing and going back to her, positioning himself between her legs and looking up at her.

She just nodded, pulling him up to kiss him.

Cas was nearly out of his mind, but not so far where he wouldn’t be careful not to harm her.

He entered her slowly, hissing as she covered him with her soft heat, and stilling as she adjusted to him. Mother, it was so hard, so hard to wait when his entire body was screaming at him to take her.

“Cas,” she kissed him again and it broke his will. Stroking deep, hilting himself in her. It was bliss, it was torment, it was everything, she was everything.

Her little gasps turned to moans, turned to little cries as he stroked into her, her body tensing as she got closer to her edge. And when she flew, when she cried his name and her entire body locked down on him, he let the heat of her flame burn him to ash.

They came down slowly, holding each other tightly. Cas moved to the side, sliding free slowly and folding her in his arms as she tried to get her breath back.

“Are you alright?” He asked. “Can I get you anything?”

She nodded, smiling at him. “We should clean up, and I could use some water.”

They curled up in bed afterwards, slowly falling asleep, and Cas knew one thing was irrevocably true.

He was utterly in love with Emryn.