Page 50 of Unseen

CHRISTMAS MORNING

A s it turned out, I could take plenty more, and by the time the sky began to lighten, illuminating the snow-covered ground, Azriel and I were finally asleep in each other’s arms, a tangled, sweaty, sticky mess. But oh, what bliss it was.

A highly recommended first Christmas together as husband and wife.

I blinked at the dull light cast in through the window, flexing my hand on Azriel’s hard chest. “It is morning, darling.”

“Mmmm.” He groaned, his arms tightening around me. “It was morning when we finally stopped fucking, beloved.”

I giggled softly, nuzzling into him. “You are quite right.”

“And now, lying here with you, all I can think of is to do it all again.” He rolled me onto my back, kissing my neck as I squealed.

“Azriel, you are insatiable! ”

“When it comes to you, wife, I am indeed.”

I slapped gently at his back, laughing as his mouth continued to roam. “Come now, let us have some breakfast, I am famished, and it is Christmas morning!” I smiled up at him as he raised his head, and reached out to stroke his cheek. “Then later you may unwrap me again, and do as you like with me.”

“As I like?” He lifted an eyebrow. “Anything?”

“Within reason,” I said quickly, and Azriel laughed heartily.

“I shall have you again today, of that you may be certain.” He rose to his knees, his eyes roving up and down my body.

“Such beauty must not be wasted.” He pushed apart my thighs, unabashedly looking upon my sex, and a growl emanated from low in his chest. “I shall never tire of the sight of my seed dripping out of your body, beloved.”

“You are a beast.” I tried to clench my thighs together, giggling as I clutched my hands to my face. “An utterly depraved beast.”

“And you would have me no other way.” He grinned at me, lifting my leg to nip his teeth into my calf, before dropping my leg to the bed and getting to his feet. “Now, we should indeed dress, as I have a present for you.”

“Just one?” I pouted playfully, sitting up and leaning on one hand.

Azriel stared at me, admiringly, lightly shaking his head.

“What?” I asked, pushing the hair out of my face.

“You. You are an angel. A vision. And you are my wife.”

I rolled my eyes a little, a flush rising on my cheeks. “You call me that often enough to be sure of that fact, don’t you think?”

“But you are now.” He dropped his eyes from mine, running a hand through his hair as a crooked grin pulled at his lips. “You truly are. The way you look at me is…” He cl eared his throat, turning away and squaring his shoulders. “Let us dress now, I am famished too.”

I wanted to ask him what he’d wanted to say, what it was about how I looked at him now that had affected him so, but I did not want to press upon a point and perhaps ruin our Christmas.

Instead, I went to the bathroom to wash as best I could, and allowed Azriel to help me into a green and white grown, a red shawl tucked around my shoulders.

The house was cold, and we made our way quickly to the drawing room, and the comfort of the fire. Azriel rang for the maids as I languished in front of the flames, warming my hands.

“Bring us tea here, and we shall breakfast later,” he informed the maid when she appeared. “And make sure the kitchen knows to prepare a fine dinner for the staff.”

“Thank you, sir.” The girl’s face was bright as she bobbed into a curtsey. “A merry Christmas to you sir, and to you, madam.”

“And to you as well,” I said with a smile, and she left quickly.

Azriel smiled at me, tapping his fingers on the mantelpiece. “Now, which of us goes first in the present giving? Only there are precious few parcels underneath this tree.”

“Allow me to gift you first, darling.”

The way his eyes lit up every time I called him by that name - it did something to me, something untold. As though perhaps I did hold some of the power in this marriage after all. Had he not always said he was my servant?

I got to my feet and plucked a small gift from underneath the tree, delicately wrapped and secured with a red bow. “For you.” I said, as I presented it to him.

His eyes stayed on me as he unwrapped the black velvet box. “And what could be in here?” He flipped open the latch, and his eyes dropped down to the box’s contents. He laughed and shook his head. “Cufflinks, beloved?”

“Indeed.” I smirked down at the box of cufflinks, an E that almost resembled a set of hand shackles. “It was as close as I could get to the design, without the silversmith thinking me truly depraved.”

“Shackles for your captor, ey?” Azriel took my chin between his fingers, grinning before planting a kiss on my lips. “You have a wicked sense of humour, my little viper.”

“I hope you like them though.” I raised my eyebrows innocently. “I thought you could wear them to the New Year’s Eve ball at the Grantham’s.”

“Perhaps if I get drunk enough I will tell everyone the true meaning behind them?” He chuckled darkly as I swatted at his chest. “I am sure the crowds would love to know it all.”

“Oh, stop it you.” I threw myself back down in the chair, draping my arms over the armrests and gazing up at him haughtily. “Now me. I wish to be spoiled.”

Azriel sighed, putting the box down on the side table. “Well, beloved, I have the usual fare here, jewels and so on, things that you shall find pretty but no doubt lose interest in almost immediately. However.” His grin widened. “I do have something I would like to fetch for you now.”

I frowned. “Fetch for me? Wherever from?”

“Wait here.” He strode from the room just as the maid came with the tea, and I watched her serve as I waited.

Within minutes, I was again alone, sipping the warming brew, when Azriel reappeared with a large, green velvet box, topped with an enormous gold bow.

“What in heaven’s name have you done?” I asked with a laugh, and he placed the box at my feet.

“Careful now,” he said, pointing at the lid. “It might bite.”

“It… Might… what?” Even as I asked the question, the box jiggled about, and a soft yip sounded from inside it. I stared at t he box, open mouthed, before lifting the lid and peering inside. “Oh my god! Azriel!

“I thought you could use a companion for all your solitary walks,” he said with a smile.

The little golden-brown puppy looked up at me with her warm brown eyes, her tail wagging frantically as I lifted her from the box. “Hello, little one! Just look at you!” The pup eagerly licked my face, trembling with excitement. “Oh, Azriel! She’s perfect!”

“I understood from my father that you always loved animals, and yet he who hated them, would not allow any in the house.” Azriel ran a hand over the puppy’s head, who quickly turned and began to lick that instead of my face.

“It seemed only fitting that this Christmas you receive everything anyone ever failed to give you.”

“She is perfect!” I smiled up at him, cradling the pup to my chest. “Thank you. She’s the most wonderful gift I’ve ever received.”

Azriel stroked a finger along my cheek, then sat down opposite me to take up his cup of tea. “You’ll have to think of a name now.”

“Hmm, what shall we call you?” I looked down at her little face, and her wide, questioning eyes gazed back. “You look like a Gertie to me.”

“Gertie?” Azriel asked with a laugh.

“Yes, when I was a child my uncle had a German shepherd called Gertrude, and she was the most wonderful dog. But this one is far too sweet and soft to be a Gertrude.” I lifted her up, and her little backside waggled back and forth as her tail wagged furiously. “What do you think? Are you a Gertie?”

She yipped happily, and Azriel chuckled.

“There you have it, the girl has found her name.” He lit himself a pipe, his eyes staying on me as I cuddled and kissed Gertie. “Seeing you happy is the very best gift I could have ever received, do you know that?”

“I could never have imagined, even just a few weeks ago, that I could ever be this happy.”

His lips twitched, and he exhaled a large plume of smoke. “I suppose I am not the terrible brute you thought I would be.”

“Not at all.” I said it quickly, stopping myself before I said something I knew I should not. Not yet. “You make me very happy, Azriel.”

“Mmm.” He looked out the window at the snow-covered gardens, sucking on his pipe. “I think we are in for more snow.”

“I think you might be right.” I nuzzled Gertie’s wet little nose. “Perhaps after breakfast, we should take this little madam for a walk before it snows again.”

Gertie stayed in my lap as we ate, enjoying little strips of bacon, licking my fingers and searching for more in my skirts. Azriel laughed, and Gertie yapped in response.

Dressing for our walk, pulling on my thick woolen gloves, I felt something chip away within me, something cold giving way to something warm and wonderful.

The grounds were silent, but not eerie. Scraps of blue sky peered out from behind the brilliant clouds, and I kept my arm firmly around Azriel’s as we walked, Gertie tugging eagerly on her leash as her tiny nose investigated every inch of the white snow.

“We mustn’t stay out too long,” Azriel said, watching the little pup with concern. “She will get too cold.”

I leaned my head against his arm. “You are truly enigmatic, did you know that?”

He gave me a sideways smirk. “Is that so?”

“Yes, listen to you, so kind and sweet over a little dog.” I gazed up at him, smiling softly. “I see you in a new light. ”

“A good light I hope?” He looked determinedly ahead, squaring his shoulders.

“The very best light.”

Azriel cleared his throat, and gestured at the trees ahead. “I shall have these cut down in the spring, we should expand the gardens.”

I frowned, looking to where he was pointing. “The… the gardens?”

“Yes, indeed.” He still would not look at me.

In that moment, I realised that it was not just I who had never been this happy, who had never felt any sort of meaningful connection with another.

Azriel had pursued me, certainly, had dreamed of me, and coveted me.

But now that he had me, I felt that perhaps something had happened to him that he also could not have imagined.

“Azriel.” I came to a stop, Gertie walking rushed circles around us as I looked up at my husband’s face. “It is good to be happy.”

“Is it?” He squinted at our surroundings, his brow furrowing under the brim of his hat. “Happiness is fleeting.”

“Content, then.” I took his face in my hand, and made him look at me. “Darling, you have nothing to fear.”

“I have everything to fear.” He put a hand over my own. “Dishonour is not rewarded, beloved.”

“You must stop this,” I said gently. “You, who has told me again and again that good opinions do not matter? You are now worried about dishonour?”

He took my hand in both of his, pressing it to his lips, for a very long moment. “I will do everything I can to keep you happy, as happy as you are today. I will not let it be taken from you. I swear it.”

“And I believe you.”

He took me in his arms and kissed me deeply, sweet and searing, his fingers stroking my cheek as he did. Gertie ran rings around us, wrapping the leash around our legs, and we laughed against each other’s lips as she barked at us.

“This could become a problem at night,” Azriel said, casting a smile down at the pup. “Perhaps she will have to have her sleeping quarters in with your maid.”

I giggled as we disentangled ourselves. “Yes, perhaps we shall.” I looked at him with a sigh. “Must we go to this New Year’s Eve party?”

Azriel frowned at me. “Are you not eager to get out amongst society again?”

“I am not eager to go into the snake pit and be judged by all those eyes.”

“I will not let anyone judge you,” Azriel said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as we headed back towards the house. “Besides, I am eager to show off my beautiful wife.”

I gazed up at him, and he returned my look with a smile.

“Do not worry, Evie. It will do you good to be out in society again.”

“And your business associates will not be angry at you for flouting their request to keep our marriage quiet?”

Azriel laughed, mist emanating from between his lips in the cold air. “I make them far too much money for them to be angry this long. Do not concern yourself with all this beloved.” He kissed my temple. “Think only of wearing a pretty dress and dancing until your feet hurt.”