Page 75 of The Forsaken Heir

Cassius placed the tray of food on a table and nodded to Aurelius.

“How’s he doing?”

I shrugged. “He’s still sleeping.”

Cassius nodded to the door. “You’ve got some people out there itching to see you. Is it okay if I let them in?”

There was no doubt who he was talking about. I chuckled and nodded, waving for him to open the door.

Delphine, Rasp, and Vincent all hurried into the room. Vincent eyed Aurelius with worry.

“He’s gonna be all right, Vince,” I said.

The relief on his face was obvious, and he nodded almost imperceptibly.

“I brought far too much food,” Cassius said. “Join us. I insist.”

“I could go for a little something,” Rasp said.

Delphine shook her head. “Why am I not surprised?”

“I haven’t eaten since breakfast,” Rasp said. “Damn, it’s been like twenty hours. You can’t hold that against me.”

“Have at it,” Cassius urged.

We chatted and nibbled on small salads, breads, meats, and cheeses. The whole thing had a weird familial quality to it. Although none of us shared blood, save for the king and his unconscious son, we had become a sort of family unit. It was nice—warm and cozy, even though we were in a sterile room.

“That looks good. Can I have some?”

We all froze, turning in surprise to find Aurelius pushing himself into a sitting position in bed.

“Aurelius,” I gasped and hurried back to his side. “Lie down. You need to rest.”

He waved me off, and when he did, I noticed the red welts had almost faded completely.

“I’m fine. That nap did wonders. Can I get something to eat?”

Rasp and Vince nearly ran each other over to bring him food. Aurelius tore into the bread with gusto, eating like it was the last meal he’d ever have. I stared at him, shocked at how hungry he was. Bastien must have starved him.

“Did they give you anything to eat there?” I asked, heat rising to my neck as my fury flared again.

Aurelius shook his head and swallowed, sipping from the water mug he’d been given. “No. Freddy snuck in at one point and gave me a sandwich, but that’s it. Bastien wouldn’t allow anyone to give me anything else.”

“Bastard,” Cassius hissed.

“His parents are actually married,” Vince said. “He wouldn’t technically be a bastard.”

Cassius looked at him with a sort of patient irritation. “It’s a turn of phrase, Vincent.” He returned his attention to Aurelius. “How do you feel, son?”

“A lot better, actually. The healers here did a great job.” He handed the empty plate to Rasp. “Can I have some more? It feels like my stomach has been hollowed out.”

“On it, bro,” Rasp said, rushing back to the tray.

“When can I get out of here?” Aurelius asked. “I’d like to sleep in my own bed tonight.”

“Hold on now,” I said. “Shouldn’t you sit tight? Stay here for at least a few hours?”

The door opened before he could answer, and a nurse stepped in.

“It looks like our patient is awake,” she said, smiling happily at Aurelius.

“Yeah,” he said. “I was actually going to ask when I could go back to my quarters.”

“Let me check your vitals first. See how the potions and balms are doing,” she explained, “then we can make a decision.”

Aurelius continued eating as the nurse went about her work. It astounded me that he could eat so much given what he’d been through. His metabolism must have been even higher than most other shifters.

“The prince looks to be in great health,” the healer said. “The exterior injuries have healed nicely, and from what I can sense, his system has flushed out that poison.” She checked Aurelius’s pupils. “What about your dragon? The stuff they gave you probably suppressed him. Can you sense him?”

Aurelius nodded. “I can.” He sounded absolutely jubilant about that.

“I could feel him before, but he was so weak that I couldn’t really shift. And he was emotionally muted, I guess? I don’t know how else to describe it.”

“If that’s the case,” she said. “I don’t see why you can’t sleep in your own bed tonight.” She glanced at a clock on the wall. “Well, what little night there is left.”

“Thank you,” he said, looking like he’d like nothing better than to lie down and sleep for a year.

“Goodnight, folks,” the healer said as she left.

“We’ll give you a few minutes to get dressed,” Cassius said, and we drifted out into the hallway.

“If you all won’t be terribly offended,” Delphine said. “I’m going to head on to bed.”

She did look wrung out and exhausted. It had been a long day. We’d been up for nearly twenty-four hours straight, and they hadn’t been the most relaxing hours in history.

I hugged her. “It’s fine. You earned it.”

She smiled wanly. “Wake me up for lunch.” She pointed at Rasp and Vincent. “If anyone wakes me before that, I’ll have a very nice dragon hide jacket for this winter. Understood?”

“Damn, got it,” Rasp said, holding his hands up in surrender. “Calm down.”

Aurelius walked out, looking refreshed and only slightly disheveled. The walk back to his room was subdued and quiet. Aurelius was at home with the silence, content with enjoying our company in the quiet.

At the door, Cassius wrapped Aurelius in a tight embrace. “I thought I’d lost you, you dumb kid.”

Aurelius patted his father’s back. “Not this time. Takes more than that.”

“I suppose it does,” Cassius said. “A good quality to have, if I do say so myself. You get to bed and rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Vincent lunged forward and threw his arms around Aurelius. There were no words, just an unspoken understanding. Vincent, who’d been overlooked his entire life, and Aurelius, the man who’d seen his worth and done his best to build him up.

Vincent finally released him, and it looked like it took all his willpower to do so. “I’m glad you’re home,” he said, then hurried after Cassius down the hall.

When they were gone, Aurelius gave me a cocky grin. “And what about you? Are you happy I’m home?”

“Are you really asking that?”

“Admit it, you were thinking about me every minute, weren’t you?”

“You’re an asshole.” I rolled my eyes, then sighed and pressed my palm to his chest. “I did. Not every minute. Every second .”

He put his hand over mine, and the heat of him flooded through me.

“I can’t even tell you how much I missed you. There’s no way to put it into words...” He gazed into my eyes, sending a million unspoken words into my mind with that look. “You’re the only thing that got me through all of it.”

“Why did you order Vincent to take me away?” I asked, the question slipping out before I even had time to think about it. That thought had been stewing in my head since it had happened.

He shook his head in exasperation. “To get you to safety, Elle.”

“I was getting away, though. Vincent could have stayed to help. From what I’ve seen, he’s the strongest dragon you have. He’d have been better off helping you . You could have gotten out.”

Aurelius put his free hand to my cheek, and my knees went weak at his touch. “Get out and know that you were lost somewhere in Laurent territory? Absolutely not. Never.”

Tears spilled down my cheeks. “But they hurt you.”

“Look at me,” he commanded, and I obeyed, unable to help myself. “Everything I went through was worth it. I’d do it again a thousand times if it meant you were safe.”

His words struck me with thunderous force, and I could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth. Could anyone truly do that for someone else? To go through what he’d gone through for me? Me? The person whose parents had casually cast her aside like she was nothing?

This was true emotion, real connection.

Love?

I curled my fingers into his chest and hauled him toward me. I pressed my lips to his with a fervent and hungry desire that I could barely comprehend. It was like my body and soul were starving, and only he could satisfy me.

Aurelius wrapped his arms around me. His hands slid down to cup my ass, and he backed us into his room, kicking the door shut without ever taking his mouth from mine.

Fueled by the terror and stress of the last couple days, my desire forced me to throw away all inhibition.

I’d almost lost this man, and he was with me again.

There was no way in hell I’d take that for granted.

Every ounce of the fear that had burrowed into my bones melted away under his hands.

I wished I could melt into him, become part of his body.

Anything that might bind me to him even closer than I am now.

Aurelius’s hands roved over my body as we stumbled to the bed. He palmed my breasts, squeezed my ass, and gripped my hips. His need poured into me with every touch and every kiss.

Reaching down, I cupped his thick erection through his pants. A moan escaped my throat as I imagined him thrusting into me over and over. I needed him. Right now. The release, the connection, the closeness… I was desperate to feel all of that.

Tearing my lips from his, I dropped to my knees and unzipped his pants. I freed his cock and licked my lips before I took him into my mouth. The heat of his skin warmed my tongue and made everything else fade to the background.

“Oh, God,” Aurelius hissed and thrust his hips forward, sinking into the back of my throat.

Having him inside me, in any fashion, sent a thrill straight to my core.

My heart My pussy ached, dripping wet and hungry for him.

After everything he’d been through, I wanted him to feel good.

To feel everything I wanted him to feel.

Nothing would have pleased me more than watching him shudder in orgasmic bliss.

My cheeks hollowed out as I sucked on him and swirled my tongue over the head. Aurelius gripped my hair as he thrust forward again and again. I moaned around him before pulling free. His cock glistened with my saliva, and I took a moment to admire it before I stood.

“Get on the bed. Now.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Yes, my lady.”

In a matter of seconds, we were both naked, our clothes tossed in haphazard disarray around the room. I dragged my gaze over his naked body. Heat spread through me at the desire in his eyes.

“Come here,” he whispered, taking my hand. “I want you on my face.”

“Is that an order?”

“If you want it to be.”

He lay back, and I climbed onto him, lowering myself to his lips.

I sighed as his tongue flicked across my clit.

He dug his fingers into my ass cheeks as he pulled me farther down, urging me to ride his face.

I rocked my hips back and forth, grinding my clit against him while he sucked and licked me.

My body shuddered with desire and pent-up need.

This was what I wanted. Pleasure and passion. Carnal bliss that wiped away all thought and memory of his captivity. Even if it only lasted a few minutes, it would help. We could lose ourselves in this and forget the world for a time.

Aurelius’s tongue had me teetering on the edge, an orgasm threatening to engulf me already.

He’d only been gone a couple of days, but it felt like years.

It was a gulf of time and space that made me yearn for release in a way that basically sent all coherent thought spinning away, leaving behind nothing but a carnal need.

I gripped the headboard and rode his face faster. “Make me come, baby,” I murmured. “Make me come.”

Taking my words to heart, he sucked my clit with abandon. The pressure that had been building exploded. My hips spasmed as the waves of pleasure sent me into paroxysms of delight.

As the last shudder receded, I crawled down his body until his thick cock brushed against my entrance. I looked into his eyes, grinning.

Aurelius brushed my hair from my face and cupped my cheek. “God, I missed you.”

“Show me how much,” I whispered as I slowly lowered myself onto his cock, swallowing him inch by delicious inch.

He groaned as he filled me. The delicious stretch had my eyes rolling to the back of my head. A new climax began to build when he was fully seated inside me. The power of the emotion from having him there—not just with me but inside me—nearly brought me to tears.

Aurelius gripped my hips and began to ram up into me. I lost myself in the pleasure, giving my body over to him.

Clutching at his shoulders, I thrust my hips against his, riding him as he fucked me. Aurelius slid his hand from my hip to my clit, circling his thumb with just the right amount of pressure.

“Come for me,” Aurelius grunted, thrusting into me. A command.

The desire in his voice and his need to watch me give in to ecstasy finally sent me over the edge. An inarticulate moan burst from me as pleasure rocked through my body, sending shivers up and down my back. My pussy clenched around his cock as he continued to fuck me.

Aurelius cupped my breast and ran his thumbs over my nipples, a look of pure wonder on his face. I leaned forward and rested my forehead on his, never once taking my eyes away from his.

“Harder,” I panted. “Fuck me harder, Aurelius.”

He growled, and I could feel the low vibrations in my chest as he slammed himself upward into me, harder with each thrust.

“Fuck,” I cried. “I’m gonna come again.”

Aurelius wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tight against him. “I’m coming, too, baby.”

Seconds later, we both cried out in blissful release. I collapsed onto him, sucking in air. My body trembled with exhaustion and satisfaction. Aurelius stroked my hair and kissed me again. Unlike before, this was slow and intimate rather than hungry and desperate, and it made my heart flutter.

I snuggled against his chest and fell asleep almost instantly. No rest had ever been as sweet or as relaxing. I had Aurelius back. He was safe. He was here.