Chapter 28
Nymiria rolled over onto her side, adjusting the pillow under her head to better support her neck.
With all of the curtains pulled closed, there was no way to tell what time of day it was. But she'd decided that it didn't matter. Because Aziel's bed was the most comfortable bed she'd ever had the honor to lay in. The sheets were like satin against her skin, the pillows were just the right amount of firm, and the mattress was just the right amount of soft—
She moaned, wiggling her body deeper into the grooves of the mattress that cradled her perfectly.
"It feels good, doesn't it?" His voice came from the doorway, a low and seductive sound that had her body heating instantly.
She slowly turned to face him, pulling the sheets up just enough to cover the fact that she'd removed the nightgown she'd been wearing. Aziel stared back at her with an intense darkness burning in his eyes, his movements slow as he sauntered towards the bed.
There was a feeling low in her belly, a coiling sensation that started there and spread through her limbs. Her lips parted when he stepped into the light of the fire blazing in the hearth, revealing a muscled body decorated in deep, dark lines that spread across his chest and stomach like branches of a tree. The roots of his hair were now just as black as the branches marking his skin, his eyes a mix of warring blues and greens.
The moonflowers along her skin started to tingle, causing a shiver to run up her spine as she watched him slip into the bed behind her. His thighs pressed against either side of her body, encasing her completely.
His hands were trailing along her back, moving up to her shoulders, circling around her flowers and fisting the back of her hair. With a gentle tug, her head was resting against his shoulder, her neck bared to him. She felt the tip of his nose along the dip between her shoulder and her jaw, his other hand gripping the sheet that still concealed her body. He tugged at it, drawing a gasp from her when the fabric scraped over her peaked breasts.
"Look at you," he whispered, his tongue dancing over the crook of her neck. She lifted her hips in response to his thumb grazing over the swell of her breast. She felt empty. Hot. Everything felt like it was one fire. "I have never seen someone so perfect in my entire life."
"You're just saying that." Her breathing hitched, a wet heat gathering between her thighs—pulsing harder and harder with each intoxicating stroke of his hands.
Aziel chuckled. His fingers danced closer to her stomach, her head lolling back against his shoulder. His lips found that sensitive place just below her ear, a shuddered breath escaping her. “Say it again for me.”
She hadn’t kept count, but she was sure that he’d asked to say those three words fifty times throughout the night. Nymiria’s face burned, hands moving over his thighs. “I love you.”
Fingers trailed up the inside of her legs, swirling over vines and petals until they brushed against her sex. “Again.” He urged.
“I love you—”
Nymiria jumped at the sound of a fist pounding against the door, her already thundering heart skipping a beat, her eyes going wide with worry. In contrast, Aziel’s eyes narrowed, his calm features hardening immediately as he slipped out from behind her. “Stay here.” She nodded, quickly reaching for her shift beside the bed and pulling it on.
He opened the door with a strong jerk, his body seemingly prepared to attack whoever was on the other side. But when Hilla began whispering frantically to him, his shoulders sagged. After a few minutes of quiet conversation, Hilla was running away. Aziel turned back to her, his eyes dark with concern.
“What happened?” Nymiria asked. Aziel carded his fingers through his hair, eyes unfocused as he aimlessly moved about the room. She carefully inched out of the bed, brows drawn together. “Aziel, what’s happening?”
He went still, jaw ticking. “It’s Ilona.” Nymiria felt her breath catch, feeling as if all of the blood had been drained from her body. “She’s giving birth, but something isn’t right. Everything was fine, she wasfine, but something changed.”
She didn’t even hesitate. Nymiria didn’t waste another second listening to what he had to say before she was grabbing the suit jacket slung over the back of his chair and slipping it onto her shoulders. “Let’s go.” She turned, only to feel the pressure of Aziel’s hand gently closing over her arm.
“Nymiria, I don’t think you should go with me. She’s going to d—”
“No.” She snarled, her panic like a hot stone in her chest. “Don’t you dare say it. Itwon’thappen. Not if I’m there.”
His head kicked to the side in confusion, but when her insinuation became clear, he sighed. “Are you sure that you are ready for something like this? Saving a life isn’t easy.”
“Is claiming one any easier?” She countered.
It took a moment for him to respond, the heaviness of his duties weighing at his shoulders. “No. I don’t suppose it is.” He said, finally. “I just want you to be prepared for what you may feel if—if it doesn’twork.”
Nymiria shrugged, allowing her tears to fall. “I have to try.” She said simply. “I didn’t try to help her before, but I cannow. Just let me try.”
It was with a curt nod that he finally turned, allowing her to dress quickly before they walked towards the door. They left the palace and stepped out into the pale grey of the early morning light before disappearing into the forest.
Nymiria was aware that childbirth was a very long, grueling, and loud process. She’d heard a few births through the walls in Yaar, but she’d never assisted.
When they reached Ilona’s cabin, she could immediately sense that something was wrong. It was far too quiet. Far too warm. Nymiria could smell Death in the air, a distinctive smell that made her heart race. Aziel didn’t return her quick glances, he stared straight ahead—his features hard and riddled with a variety of emotions.
He’d told her once that he didn’t always like this part of his role as the God of Death, but Aziel the human was not in control. It was the sentient version of himself that’d come to take claim.
