A Court of Whispers and Song

Chapter 44

Mind-Blowing. Absolutely fucking mind-blowing.

He still struggled to catch his breath. Sweat cooled on their overheated skin, plastering her ginger strands of hair to his bare chest. Gwyn's head laid heavy against him, her delicately arched ear pressed to the thundering beat of his heart. Her soft, rapid pants warmed over his ribs like a summer breeze.

She'd fallen fast asleep after their second round, and he'd been too comfortable to move her. Azriel's rough fingertips roved in lazy lines down the smooth, graceful arc of her spine from neck to rear, then up again. His eyes drifted shut as he tried imprinting her body, this moment, into his memory.

The sex was nothing short of wondrous. A stunning revelation leaving him stripped bare. Utterly destroyed. By her fearless beauty, her bravery. And Az was so proud of Gwyn for cutting another ribbon. She'd faced yet another challenge boldly with grace. And yet again, he'd been born witness to something important. Every kiss upon her lips, the touch of her skin against his, felt like a benediction. The moment they became one felt like a dream realized. So damn good. Too damn good to be true.

Can we do it again?

A glimmer of curiosity shone in those sea-blue eyes at her ask. The desire to explore. To discover new means to deliver pleasure. For him. For herself. His eyes fixed on his Valkyrie as she brushed her fingertips over his swirled ink with a fond touch, straddling him.

"Show me what to do, Shadowsinger."

So Azriel did.

Lifting her hips, he guided her up and down his rigid shaft, gritting his teeth against the urge to thrust hard.

"Like this, Gwyn," Az said, peering up at her glazed eyes and parted lips. Another firm drag on his cock had him biting back a throaty groan. "Then you can roll your hips. Circle them. Touch yourself while you do so. Use your hands on my chest for leverage. And use those fucking beautiful thighs and ass," he'd said, clutching her backside. He gave one firm cheek a little love tap for good measure. Gods, she was right. He really was obsessed with her impeccable ass.

After experimenting with different movements, Gwyn found her rhythm. All her breathy sounds kept his rapt attention. Azriel absorbed each expression, learning from them. Every catch in her breath when he hit the perfect spot deep inside her. Each time her head kicked back and her eyes fluttered shut. The slight protrusions of her brows and crinkling of her nose when something wasn't quite right. Each moment she figured out what felt good was a feast for the fucking eyes.

Silken sheets nearly sent Gwyn over when she leaned back, adjusting her position. She cackled and snorted as her hands slipped. Azriel bolted upright and caught her before she took a header off the bed, chuckling deeply against her chest, hugging her close.

"You didn't see that," she muttered, shaking with a quiet laugh, rubbing her cheek against the top of his head.

Arms still locked around her, he kissed the center of her throat. His tongue flicked over where his lips last touched. "Oh, I most certainly did, Valkyrie."

"The sheets were at fault. They're far too slippery."

He snorted in amusement. "Are you blaming my sheets for your sweaty palms?"

"Excuse me, I do not have—" He pulled her mouth down to his and kissed her into silence.

Sex had never been like this before. Throughout his five hundred years of living, he had experienced nothing close to this. Never so lighthearted. Carefree and happy. For fuck's sake, they were having fun. Nearly the entire time, Azriel grinned like a damn fool.