#thoughtswithhailey

Mates

summary: MATES.

Despite the happiness of the morning success and a wonderful afternoon with the boys, I felt panic settle over me at their serious look. Thousands of possibilities flitted through my mind about what they wanted to talk about however one stayed at the forefront of my mind; they decided they wanted to be together so Azriel was breaking up with me. 

I mean, it made sense. Eris was fae, a high lord’s son even, and I was just human. I could never compete with him. Plus it was impossible to mistake the way they looked at each other, even though there was obvious tension and animosity there was also passion and intrigue. The two were like tortured unrequited lovers who actually both loved each other but refused to admit it. It was very Jane Austen of them, honestly.

So as they stared at me with such serious expressions and grim determination in their eyes that was the only thing I could think of. 

Tears started to fill my eyes even though I knew this would happen eventually. No one ever loved me forever. I was a good time girl, someone to pass the time with until they found their forever person, so I shouldn’t be surprised. It still hurt, though, that it was happening so soon. We barely had any time to enjoy our blissful little bubble of happiness before he chose someone else. Maybe that was for the best. The less happy memories I had to dwell on would hopefully mean that i would get over it that much faster. 

I tried to tell myself that lie as they glanced at each other. 

And then Azriel was…holding me?

Despite my arm full of frogs, which I was certain he hated, he cupped both my cheeks in his giant hands and lowered his forehead to mine with such an earnest expression I focused on him instead of my mounting anxiety. 

“No, no of course not. I told you; you’re mine. We just need to discuss some things. Take a breath for me.”

I hadn’t realized I had stopped breathing. That was probably why my vision was going black. Inhaling a deep breath through my nose I closed my eyes to enjoy his scent as I let his words register; he wasn’t breaking up with me. Which left one question. 

“What do you want to talk about?”

A gentle hand landed on my shoulder then and Azriel released my face so I could turn to look up at Eris’ penetrating gaze. “Come sit,” he instructed, gently ushering me over to a bench near the path we had walked down. 

Azriel followed close behind and the two of them lowered me and my frogs between them. Looking down at my friends I adjusted my grip so I only had George in my grasp, allowing the other two to hop down to their freedom. They turned and gave me a wink each before disappearing back towards the tidepools, leaving me alone to learn my fate. 

Eris took my free hand in his and held it firmly on my thigh as he cleared his throat. “There is something I need to tell you. I should have told you sooner, perhaps, though I am unsure when would have been a good time. I know we’ve only just met so this is quite untoward to be so bold as to declare my intentions, however Azriel has informed me that it is for the best so I do not mislead you in my intentions as we get to know each other. I-”

“Eris. Spit it out,” I demanded, unable to listen to his nervous babbly a moment longer.

“You’re my mate,” he blurted out. 

I stared at him. 

And stared. 

George stared too. 

Surely that was incorrect. I had imagined him saying that because there was no way that I, a human, was supposed to be the mate of Eris. Although, Feyre was Rhys’ mate and Elain was Lucien’s, Nesta was Cassian’s. Who was to say I too couldn’t be turned into a fae in the near future then, if Eris truly believed me to be his mate? But no, that was impossible. Those kinds of things didn’t happen to me. Well okay they sort of did because I somehow ended up in the fae world, but that was the extent of it. I couldn’t be someone’s mate. They had to be playing a prank on me. 

Looking from him to Azriel I tried to read his expression only to find him completely closed off. There wasn’t even amusement there over whatever kind of joke they were playing on me, just…nothing. 

Averting my eyes from both I turned to look out over the Sidra, watched the cerulean waves lap at the rocky shore under the bridge. Truly the world was so beautiful, so perfect, and I still didn’t know how i had managed to find myself in it. For a brief moment my mind tumbled the idea of being in a dream or a coma again, though I quickly dashed the thought away. We had well since proven that theory was a lie. This was real, and Eris really was trying to tell me I was his mate. 

Though his reason for such a lie was a mystery.

“That’s impossible,” I finally replied, shaking him head at him with what I hoped was a playful smile. “Stop fucking with me, okay? I’ve had a nice day and I’m not in the mood for this nonsense to ruin it. Now, since you dragged me over here go get George’s basket from the pools and we can go home.”

Eris frowned, the hopeful look vanishing from his face as he shook his head. “No, Hailey, I’m not uhm, ‘fucking with’ you. I’m being serious. You’re my mate.”

I rolled my eyes at him, keeping my grin in place when I really just wanted to smack him. He was quite the actor it seemed. “Be so fucking for real, Eris. You think I’m going to fall for that? C’mon, I’ve been the butt of this joke before, albeit it was a crush and not mates, but still I’m not falling for this.” Rising from my seat I turned back towards the path we had come down. “Get George’s basket and let’s go.”

Before I could even think to move, two sets of hands were wrapping around my arms to pull me back down to the bench. I glared between the two of them, truly over whatever game they were playing. I opened my mouth to argue some more since my anger was starting to bubble up but as soon as I opened my mouth Azriel’s shadows slid inside effectively shutting me up. His rough fingers grabbed my chin and jerked my face towards his as he leaned in so our eyes were level. Intense hazel eyes met mine with such a serious expression I almost believed him. 

“Listen to me right now, little human,” he all but growled, the dominance in his voice causing my entire body to freeze. “This isn’t a fucking joke. This is a very serious matter, one that’s causing me a significant amount of stress actually, and I want to get this shit figured out. So sit the fuck down and listen to what he has to say so we can discuss this and figure out how to move forward. Do you understand?”

Something about the way he talked to me and was manhandling me seemed to calm my nervous system and I nodded without thinking about it. The shadows slid out of my mouth and he released my chin, took George from my hands, and nudged me to turn towards Eris. 

The red haired fae’s mouth was quirked up at the side as he looked between us. “That’s rather effective. It’s ashame I have flames instead of shadows. Burning her doesn’t seem an effective way to get her to calm down. I suppose I’ll have to think of something else if you’re not around.”

I glared, folding my arms over my chest. “That’s rather presumptuous of you.”

The other side of his mouth quirked up and his attention locked on me. “Gods, you’re beautiful when you’re irritated. Your eyes get this determined sparkle and your eyebrows draw together like you’re trying to figure out if you want to kill me or not.”

“I would recommend not provoking her right now,” Azriel murmured from behind me. George gave an agreeing ribbit. 

“Right,” Eris murmured, the amusement sliding off his face to be replaced with a serious expression. “Hailey, when I saw you at the peace ball I knew. From that first glimpse I felt that pull, the unmistakable connection between us and every moment I spend away from you is causing me anxiety. I’m not sure how this all plays out or how to make this work. I’ve never been one to be in a relationship, both for my own sake and that of my partners because of who my father is,. This, though? This isn’t something I can ignore. I want to get to know you better so we can see what this connection can offer.” He shifted uncomfortably then, his eyes darted over my shoulder to Azriel before coming back to mine. “In full transparency, having a mate would be the best thing to happen to me not only because finding someone to be my partner would be the greatest gift of all, but because having one would me I could finally unite the Autumn Court against Beron. I don’t want to lie to you, so I will tell you this; my first thought when I recognized who you are to me was that I could finally take my rightful place at the highlord of my court. Almost instantly after I realized how much I also wanted to be around you just for the sake of being near you. So, please think about this. I don’t expect an answer right away. I just wanted you to know my intentions as you are going to be seeing a lot more of me, if you want to of course.”

That was a lot to take in, a lot to unpack, and I was sure I was going to be spending a lot of time later doing so. The one question that came to mind blurted out of my mouth immediately. “What about Azzie?”

“That’s up to you,” Eris murmured. “You know Azriel and I have history, and I would never expect you to give up what you have with him for me. I can see the two of you are good together, and I’m certain the three of us could be, too.”

I felt my heart stutter at that and my vision hazed for a second. “Three of us?” I repeated even as my own voice sounded far off to my own ears. 

“If you want,” he hastened to assure me, eyes widening. “We don’t have to. It’s just an option. Azriel and I have a history, as you know, and there are some complications regarding that, however both of us would be interested in making this work with you if you decide that’s what you want.”

I swallowed. 

The two of them. And me. Both of them, with me? The three of us, together. 

Dozens of images flashed in my mind of tangled limbs and soft moans, hands running over my body and mine over theirs. Heat rose in my cheeks, and the rest of me, when I considered what it would be like to have these two gorgeous fae showering me with attention or letting me explore their sculpted bodies. The idea of watching the two of them pleasure each other had my breath quickening at the mere thought of the possibilities. 

“Fuck,” Eris groaned, his eyes darkening and his eyes became hooded. 

My gaze focused back on him in time to see his nostrils flare as he took in a long breath and my cheeks turned scorching hot as I realized what he was smelling. 

“Is he the one you were thinking about the other night?” Azriel murmured against my ear, having moved closer without me knowing. 

Mischief

Summary: at the peace ball in the autumn court I am enjoying all the new friends and of course plotting some mischief

After the little incident upon arrival things got way, way better. 

Azriel took the roll of a possessive boyfriend with the way he herded me through the crowd after Beron’s words and I fought down my agitation over it. After being single for so long I was accustomed to taking care of myself so I had to remind myself that this gorgeous, strong male wasn’t insulting me by protecting me, he was just doing what was in his nature; guarding what was his. 

And apparently I was his. 

A thrill shot through me at that along with the doubt and I had about five seconds to squash all these feelings to focus on being happy. I was at a mother fucking fae ball; I was going to enjoy myself. 

Feyre and Rhys took it upon themselves to introduce me to the other high lords and lady, as it seemed Kallias had made Viviane High Lady of the Winter Court not long after the wars had ended. All of them looked pleased, if not down right eager, to meet me. They seemed excited by my presence and indicated that the humans that had landed in their realms were not so happy to be there nor did they have any knowledge about the world in general, so for them to meet me who knew more than I should and was more than pleased to have escaped my own world for theirs was apparently intriguing for them. 

While they questioned me about things in my world and what I knew along with how I was adapting to theirs, as well if I had any ideas to help the other humans adapt as well, Azriel stood guard behind me. 

He never interfered in any of their questions or interrupted with his own thoughts, just stood behind me like a solid wall of moral support. Along our journey through the guests he supplied me with glasses of wine to sip, a sparkling juice when he noted I didn’t want much of the wine, and some of the snacks that were going around on trays. Every once in a while he would place is hand at the small of my back to steer me around someone or brush his knuckles down my arm almost as if to reassure himself I was still there, and every small gesture nearly brought me to my knees. 

Once I had met everyone Feyre and Rhys went off to greet some others leaving me to Azriel as Cassian and Nesta had already disappeared somewhere. Azriel looped an arm around my waist to guide me towards one of the empty tables off to the side of the dance floor and seemed content to stand in silence as I absorbed everything going on around me. 

To say the experience was breathtaking would be an understatement. 

With the sun having almost fully set the warm glow around the party, accompanied by the lanterns giving off their own amber hues, everything truly looked magical. People danced and laughed and talked, all seeming so joyous. And in the midst of it all? I felt wanted. 

For the first time in my life I was in a room, or rather an outdoor space, where I was wanted. People wanted to meet me, my friends were pleased I was there, and Azriel….

Warmth bloomed in my chest. Perhaps I had finally found where I belonged. Perhaps taking the position as the human world emissary would be a good thing and I could truly start an entire new life in Prythian. Was it so crazy to hope that all of it would work out?

Elain’s words rebounded in my head once more threatening my happy thoughts. 

“Hey,” Azriel’s deep voice was gentle in my ear as his shadows slid around my shoulders, tugging my chin to look up at him. I met his normally blank gaze that was now filled with concern and confusion. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” I nodded in response, forcing those thoughts from my head and looping my arms around his waist. Taking a step closer so our bodies were brushing put me at a height disadvantage, so I tilted my head back so I could still look at his ridiculously handsome face. “I was just thinking is all.”

“You’re always thinking,” he murmured, a faint grin curling over his lips as he trail a finger down my cheek. “I wonder what it’s like in this brain of yours.”

“Loud,” I grinned. “There’s never a dull moment inside, I’ll tell you that.”

“Rhys would probably go mad in minutes if he decided to access your thoughts again.”

My grin widened as I slid my hands lower, blatantly grabbing his muscular ass without a care who could see us. “I’m sure he would be horrified of all the things I’ve been thinking about letting you do to me. He would need to bleach his eyes after.”

Azriel’s eyes heated and he let out a soft groan, obviously keen to get back to the topic we had agreed to discuss after the ball. Both of us had casually hinted at the freaky things we wanted, never diving too deep into the topic just yet all the while promising each other what I hoped were truly heinous things with our silent looks. I was enjoying myself at the party but I was sure I was going to enjoy myself even more after. 

One of his big hands, hands that I so desperately wanted to leave their marks on my skin, wrapped around the back of my neck and brought my face a breaths apart from his as he whispered, “I cannot wait to get you alone again. I’m afraid we might need to have Madja on standby to heal you again in the morning.”

A hot wave of desire slithered through me and I nearly whimpered at the idea of him and his cock doing the same thing to me as the night before, unsure if I could actually survive that much pleasure. 

A satisfied smirk curled over his lips as he closed the meager distance between us, his lips soft and gentle against mine as he gave me a lingering yet oddly chaste kiss. “Later,” he promised. 

“Well,” a voice dripping with irritation and something else I couldn’t define interrupted what was one of the sweetest kisses of my life. “Isn’t this sweet? I didn’t realize you were interested in human scum, Azriel. It makes me rethink my own choices when it comes to our…friendship.”

Azriel’s lips released mine and he dragged me behind him so quickly I barely had time to steady myself. Anger radiated off of him as he stood between me and Eris, blocking my view but not blocking my ears from the words being said. His shadows swirled around me creating a veil between me and everyone else in the room, almost like a curtain hiding me from them, and I scowled at this. Protective asshole. 

“Eris. This is not the time or the place to-”

“To what?” Eris sneered. “To go parading your little infatuation with a human in front of everyone? You’re right. This is a peace ball between courts, not a place for you to enjoy your exhibitionist kink by making us watch as you two fondle each other like immature adolescents.”

“There are plenty of other couples in attendance doing much more than sharing a kiss, Eris. Perhaps if you weren’t such a stuck up prude you would not be so offended by something as simple as a kiss between lovers.”

“Is that what you are then; lovers? I suppose labeling it anything more than that would be insulting as you are still obsessed with one of the Archeron sisters, or was it that little redhead from the temple? Or Mor? It’s hard to keep track nowadays of where your affections lie since they are so easily discarded when you find a new toy to play with.” 

“She’s not a toy,” Azriel bit out, his shadows swirling around him angrily. “She is mine. Not that what we are to each other matters. It’s none of your business.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Eris murmured, his voice full of warning and I could practically see his eyes glinting with danger even though Azriel and his shadows were blocking me from this entire exchange. “She is my business as she is in my home, my world, and living with my allies. Everything about her concerns me just like everything about you does, too, Shadow Slinger. We might not be-”

“Eris!” Azriel interrupted him with a lash of his tongue. 

Silence fell between the two of them and I couldn’t help but grin. Were they having a lovers quarrel? It sure as fuck sounded like it. If I didn’t know any better I would say they sounded like angry exes and not just reluctant allies. No, something was for sure going on between them and I wanted to know every single detail. 

I’d had just enough fae wine to make me bold, not reckless, and even knowing full well that Eris was a scary mother fucker did not deter me from my decision; I knew Azriel would protect me. 

Stepping out of the protection of shadows and from behind Azriel’s well muscled back I flashed my sweetest smile up at the handsome redhead and said, “Aw, Eris sweetie, you boys don’t need to fight over me. I’m happy to entertain you too this evening. If you want to get to know me better to prove that I’m good enough to be emissary for the new humans, by all means, let’s get to know each other.” Holding out my hand to him I kept my smile in place, pleased to see surprise flare in his eyes. “Why don’t we take a walk around and you can tell me all sorts of things while subletting insulting me for being human, and Azzie can follow behind us glaring at you the entire time?”

Despite himself Eris’ lips twitched. “Azzie?”

“Mhm, little Azzie is quite my protector it seems, when he’s not breaking into my room and carving his dagger into my skin.” I rolled my eyes dramatically for Eris’ benefit even as his own eyes widened, and I shrugged. “We got over that little incident, so I’m sure you and I can come to terms with me being human and you hating me for it. Come on, take my hand like a good boy and let’s go for a walk.”

As if responding without even thinking Eris immediately reached for my hand, his eyes locked on me, and behind me Azriel choked on his own laughter. 

Chapter One - The Beginning

Chapter Two - The Prison

Chapter Three - The House of Wind

Chapter Four - Azriel

Chapter Five - Day Two

Chapter Six - Fae Wine

Chapter Seven - Aftermath

Chapter Eight - Mor's Betrayal

Chapter Nine - Truth

Chapter Ten - Bargains and Croissants

Chapter Eleven - Faking It

Chapter Twelve - Training with the Enemy

Chapter Thirteen - Crossing the Line

Chapter Fourteen - Pain and Pleasure

Chapter Fifteen - Dreams Do Come True

Chapter Sixteen - Eruption

Chapter Seventeen - Dresses

Chapter Eighteen - Sunlight and Freckles - Azriel's POV

Chapter Nineteen - Desperation

Chapter Twenty - Reassurances

Chapter Twenty-One - Complications

Chapter Twenty-Two - Light - Eris' POV

Chapter Twenty-Three - Mischief

Chapter Twenty- Four - Drinking Games - Eris POV

Chapter Twenty-Five - Build Up

Chapter Twenty-Six - Reminisce - Azriel POV

Chapter Twenty-Seven - Security

Chapter Twenty-eight - Ideas and Alliances

Chapter Twenty-nine Contentment?

Chapter Thirty - Tentacles

Chapter Thirty-One - Training, Fighting, And Stretching

Chapter Thirty-Two - Origins of George

Chapter Thirty-Three - The Meeting

Chapter Thirty-Four - Courting

Chapter Thirty-Five - Mates

Chapter Thirty-Six Mario Kart Tournament

Summary: The official self-insert fanfic of my adventures in Prythian. Chapter one details how I ended up in the wonderful world of Prythian and from there, who knows what will happen. Enjoy.

Content Warnings: language, violence, weapons, sexually explicit

Of course I was running late. I was always running late on Monday’s because who the actual fuck likes waking up early to commute to a job that we previously did from home for the last three years and yet now we have to go into the office to do because the higher ups felt like it was necessary for ‘team morale’ or some shit? So yeah, I was running late because I like sleeping in and waking up two hours earlier than I used to just so I can take the stupid bus all the way to a job I don’t even love is not exactly something I enjoy doing. I would much rather be curled up in my bed all day reading my fairie smut but no, I have bills to pay. 

Scowling I grabbed my keys and hurried out the door, my kindle stuffed in my bag and my headphones blaring Taylor Swift. At least I remembered to pack the necessities to get through the day. After locking the ancient door of my shithole apartment, and yes it is a shithole because the lights barely work due to whatever electrical system they installed in this pre-world war two building, I rushed down the hall to the giant floor to ceiling mirror to check my outfit. 

Honestly this mirror gave me the creeps from the moment I moved in this building three years ago. It’s huge and foggy, taking up the entire wall at the end of the poorly lit hall of the second floor. It looks like something straight out of a horror film and when you combine it with the dim lighting, the exposed pipes running along the ceiling, and the faded chipped paint of the hallway, it was enough to elicit a few shivers down my spine. Every day I harbored a small token of fear that this wasn’t just a mirror; it was a portal to hell or something. 

That wasn’t going to stop me from taking a mirror selfie in it on my way to work every day. Nor was being late for work, obviously. 

Pulling out my phone I opened Snapchat and flipped the camera in preparation to share my hastily put together fit with my friends. I scanned the fit in question and grinned. Damn, I looked hot. The weather was still warm out so I had on my little black pinafore dress that brushed above my knees and a puff sleeved white shirt with a giant lace collar underneath. Paired with my platform docs and the tattoos, it was giving everything I needed to establish dominance in my office of boomers. 

Shifting closer to the mirror I turned to make the angle more flattering when I noted movement within the mirror. 

Yeah, that’s right. Within the mirror. 

The hallway was, as always, empty. Nothing behind me would cause movement to happen within the mirror and yet there it was; something flickering in the very middle of the mirror almost like starlight in the night sky. 

My pulse raced as I slowly lowered my phone, eyes focused on that flicker. Surely it was the gems on my nails reflecting some light, right? Because there is absolutely no way something inside the mirror is flickering. There is no way that this creepy ass mirror is actually a portal, right?

Wrong. 

As I stepped closer I felt something tugging on me. It was as if a little lasso of warmth reached out from inside the mirror and latched onto my heart, my soul, and yanked. I didn’t even have the opportunity to scream before whatever force was pulling on me dragged me forward into the mirror. 

To say it was uncomfortable was a vast understatement. 

One moment I was in that creepy ass hallway and the next it felt like I was tumbling through all of space and time. Thankfully I was never a breakfast person or that would’ve exited my body the wrong way with how my stomach was turning as I was hurled through what looked like galaxies of stars and planets. Everything whirled by so quickly I couldn’t focus on it and as someone who suffers migraines and motion sickness, it wasn’t the best feeling. I snapped my eyes shut and clutched my bag to my chest, desperately hoping that my kindle was okay. 

I was in the middle of a particularly interesting dragon shifter series and I truly did not want to lose my kindle. 

After what felt like eons of basically zero gravity somersaulting in a temper controlled environment I had maybe two seconds of warning when a blast of cold air enveloped me before I smacked into the hard, frozen ground. 

Well fuck, that hurt. 

Groaning I sprawled out on whatever surface this was, whatever planet or world or realm, and kept my eyes shut. 

Surely this was not happening. 

Okay, maybe I had dreamy my entire life of falling through a portal and escaping this life I lived, especially in those early years of my life when I was still stuck in the house of horrors that was my childhood home, but having it actually happen? Maybe I was sleeping and this was one of those elaborate dreams I had sometimes if I ate blueberries before bed. Like that time I dreamt I had a husband and he turned into a pile of green grapes because a magician broke into our house and cursed him, then when I told my friends about it they all showed up to my apartment in wedding dresses which resulted in me yelling at them if they thought it was funny that I was a widow. 

Anyways, I digress. 

If it truly was a dream why not open my eyes and see what was going on?

Even though I was very convinced this wasn’t a dream considering how my body now ached from the impact with the ground, I forced my eyes open.  

Above me a sun shone brightly out of a soft blue sky and I squinted against it. Somehow my headphones had managed to stay on during this journey and The Prophecy was playing loudly in my one ear while the other had slipped off. Th overstimulation had me groaning as I reached up to tug them off. 

Before my hand could get halfway to my headphones something wrapped around my wrist like a vice and I froze. 

Glancing sideways I came face to face with something, well someone, clearly out of my dreams. 

A pair of hazel eyes peering out from a gorgeous tan face connected with mine and my breath caught in my throat. His raven dark hair flopped over his forehead as his emotionless stare focused on me while everything in my body lit with life, his shadows swirling around his head with interest. 

There was no fucking way. 

And yet…

A pair of giant, and I truly mean giant, bat like wings protruded from his back, folded neatly behind him and begging for me to touch them. He was clad in his leather armor which shone softly in the pale sunlight, the bright blue siphons indicating which bat boy was staring into my soul. 

Surely I had hit my head. 

Azriel opened his luscious lips to say something but was interrupted by a booming laugh from behind him. 

I turned my eyes to the figure clad in leathers and red siphons standing off to the side, his arms folded over his chest and a smirk on his face. He winked at me as he spoke, his deep voice rattling my insides as he said, “Fuck, Az, the mother just loves despositing redheads at your feet, doesn’t she?”

Az. Azriel. Shadow Daddy of my dreams. Fuck me. Truly fuck me. If this was some elaborate dream I really fucking hoped that I wasn’t going to wake up before we got to the good parts this time. 

“Hey,” I managed, causing both of their eyes to narrow in on me. “I’m not going to try anything I just really want to pull off my headphones. Is that cool?”

Azriel’s eyes flickered towards my headphones then back to me before he nodded slowly. Carefully I let go of my bag and reached up to tug my headphones off my head. Both sets of hazel eyes tracked every movement like hunters and I was their prey, which in turn caused Clittia to twitch. Yeah, I named my clit Clittia and I’m not going to apologize for that. She was as excited as I was about whatever weird dream not-dream this was. 

“Who are you?” Azriel demanded, his fingers that were wrapped around my wrist growing tighter. His shadows danced around his ears, whispering things into them too low for me to hear and I had to wonder if they knew. Whatever they said had his expression darkening. “And how did you get here?”

“Well, my name is Hailey. I’m not entirely sure how I got here to be honest. One minute I was looking in a mirror and the next minute it felt like something had dragged me inside it and I fell through space to land here. Can I sit up by the way? The ground isn’t exactly comfortable.”

Two large, scared hands moved quickly, wrapping around me and hoisting me up into a sitting position. My head spun for a moment and I groaned, shutting my eyes over the pain and nausea. “Fuck, this sucks.”

“Are you hurt?” Azriel’s deep, grumbling voice murmured softly almost as if he was concerned. 

Clittia made her presence known again and I sighed. She needed to calm down. 

“A little. Smacking into the ground isn’t exactly comfortable, Azriel.”

And that’s where I fucked up. 

The hands that were gently holding me tightened to a bruising grip as Cassian let out a hiss, drawing his sword from his back. 

“How the fuck do you know my name?” Azriel demanded, his face mere inches from mine and contorted with anger. “How the fuck does this keep happening?”

“I’m gonna need you to calm down,” I murmured, eyeing him. “If this isn’t a dream this is truly fucked up and you’re not exactly making this easier for me.”

“Talk. Now.”

I rolled my eyes and gave my head a small shake to clear it, trying to think what to say in this situation. Whatever was happening might not be a dream, or a coma induced hallucination, or something along those lines, so how was I supposed to explain to these fae males that I knew all about them and even fapped to the idea of them a few times? 

“Y’all know what books are, I’m sure, since Nesta reads them all the time and the House of Wind basically started a book club with her,” I started. Cassian tensed, his eyes narrowing further at the mention of his mate. “Well, in my world there are books in a series called A Court of Thorns and Roses. So far it’s four books and a novella about that winter solstice where Nesta stormed out and your threw her present in the Sidra. Anyways, you all are characters in a book series that I read, and this morning on my way to work I looked in the mirror and fell through a portal or something that seems to have deposited me inside my own fantasies. Or I am severely brain damaged and this is all a hallucination. I’m not sure.”

Both of them stared at me, then glanced at each other in some silent conversation before Azriel’s hands tightened further. Next thing I knew I was being hauled up into his arms and darkness surrounded us. 

Fuck. 

Drinking Games - Eris POV

Summary: there are games and we are drinking

Eris

Her hand was in mine. 

She was willingly touching me. 

Her scent was surrounding me. 

Gods, she was so fucking perfect. 

Her delicate fingers gripped mine with surprising strength, weaving in between the spaces of my fingers that I had never considered empty until hers filled them. Her other hand had come up to grip my bicep, holding me close to her as we leisurely walked the well lit paths around the party, and I swore it was the most intimate way I had ever been touched in my life. 

Oh, I had been touched and had touched in return. Many nights I spent between the thighs of a willing partner, or them between mine, and not a single encounter could compare to the simple way her innocent touch ignited everything in me. It took only seconds for her to hold me like I was her dearest friend and when I had waved my free hand to light the rest of the torches lining an unused path she had turned her radiant smile up to me like I had not just insulted her multiple times over. 

“It’s truly wonderful here! I love seeing all of you do your little tricks,” she beamed up at me, clearly pleased with my small display of magic. A content sigh escaped her lips and she leaned in closer as if she was trying to draw heat from me as a cool breeze whisked past us. Behind us I could feel the lingering gaze of Azriel, Azzie, and tried to block him out so I could enjoy these few precious moments with her. 

“It’s very different from the Night Court.”

“It is,” she agreed softly, turning her head to look around once more. “I like the Night Court, or that I have seen of it, is beautiful. Velaris is one of the most stunning cities I have ever seen, and yet it does not compare to this.”

“This?” I asked, not sure I was hearing her properly. 

Looking around I tried to see it through her eyes, taking in the array of perpetually color changing trees and the crunchy leaves beneath them, the crisp scent of autumn that clung to everything all year round, and the chilled air. It was the same views I had spent my life with aside the rare times Beron sent me on missions elsewhere and though I loved my court, it was nothing compared to the wondrous starlit sky of the Night Court. At least there they had different seasons that would change the monotony of day to day life. Living in forever autumn made every day, week, month, year, every fucking decade feel the same with nothing to break up time passing. Each day was as boring and tortuous as the last. 

“All of this!” she exclaimed, releasing her grip on my arm to gesture around and I instantly felt the loss of her touch. I opened my mouth ready to beg her to give me back that small pleasure but she did so before I could, her grip even tighter before as her face lit with excitement. “Fall has always been my favorite, Eris. The colors are richer and the air is earthier, everything just feeling cozy and perfect. Sweaters by the fire, crunchy leaves underfoot, apple flavored treats and savory squash dishes! There is nothing like fall, and it’s always too short in the human world. I get maybe two weeks of it, if that, between the end of summer heat and the snow coming in. I’ve always wished I could live somewhere that’s like this all year round.”

I blinked, unsure I was hearing her properly. She truly loved this? I mean…I suppose if you’re human and only get weeks of this a year for the meager amount of time a human exists I can understand why it would be wonderful to see, still… Her loving it, her wishing she could have this year round? The cauldron must have known when it chose her as my mate, giving me someone who wouldn’t mind the constant state of the weather. As much as I adore my mother, she hates the forever autumn even more than I do, constantly complaining that she wants the warmth of summer. Having a Lady Autumn who loves her land would be a nice change for our people. 

Of course, I was getting ahead of myself. She could not be Lady Autumn if she was tied to someone else and by the possessive way Azzie was hovering behind us I had little doubt in my mind that he had laid full claim to this female. 

I tried to hold back my sigh at that. My mate and Azriel? Fucking ironic really considering the years of tension between the shadow singer and I that I had avoided acting on specifically because of how complicated it would make my life, and now there I was walking arm in arm with my mate who was claimed by that same male. 

I had the worst luck. 

Truly. 

“I think we should play a game,” Hailey suggested absently, tugging me slightly to the right so she could step her slippered foot on a particularly crunchy leaf, then grinning to herself when the sounds of it under her foot filled the air. 

Fuck she was cute. 

“A game?” I asked, tugging her towards the left to do the same and my heart warming when her grin spread wider. 

“Mhm. It’ll be fun. We go back and forth asking questions, and we have to answer honestly. If you don’t want to answer a question then you have to drink and you forfeit your right to ask a question.”

“How will we know if the other person is answering honestly?”

She shrugged. “You have to trust each other.”

Interesting. Obviously I did not trust she would give honest answers and I did not like that I would not know what she would ask, however this might be a perfect way to get information out of her, get to know her. “We will need wine.”

“Azzie!” she chirped, turning to him with big eyes and a bigger smile. “My sweet, sweet Azzie, can you fetch some wine and three glasses?”

His eyes narrowed on her. “Three?”

“You’re playing too, aren’t you?” she batted her eye lashes. 

Those eyes narrowed even further and he looked between the two of us for a moment before he sighed. “You stay right here where I can see you. I’ll be back in a moment.” The warning in his voice was clear, evident that he didn’t trust me alone with her, and I gave him an eye roll. There was little I could do to harm her considering were were a dozen yards from the rest of the gathering. Not to mention that I would never lay a hand on who was going to be my savior. He didn’t need to know that last part though. 

The nearest servants were within eyesight so he would be back soon even if he was out of earshot for a moment. Though, with those shadows of his I wasn’t sure if he was ever truly out of earshot. I glanced down and eyed my pretty mate. “I am shocked he let’s you call him Azzie.”

“I have a feeling I’ll pay for it later,” she laughed, looking all too pleased about that prospect. 

I tried not to imagine what that meant. 

Moments later Azriel returned with two bottles and three glasses, his expression as somber as ever. Wordlessly he turned towards a well lit gazebo that was in view of the party yet secluded enough that we wouldn’t be bothered by the main event unless someone truly wanted to speak with us. There were cushions on the ground and a small warming lamp in the middle making it the perfect place to have whatever game this was. We all took our seats and Azriel poured three generous glasses of wine before turning his ever watchful gaze to Hailey. 

“Since you know this game you start first.”

“Great!” she clapped her hands together, looking between us with a calculating expression. “Okay, I’ll start with you Eris; what’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever put your cock in?”

I stared at her. 

Next to her Azriel closed his eyes for a brief moment before he lifted his glass and took a long drink, only for her hand to lash out and grab him by the throat, heedless of his shadows. “No! Don’t you dare fucking swallow that! You can only drink when it’s your turn, and I asked Eris not you, so that’s against the rules!”

 Azriel looked down at her, eyebrow raised in a silent question of what to do with his mouthful of wine. I watched in rapt amusement as they glared at each other, both seemingly irritated and amused at the same time. I had never seen Azriel look so playful, so relaxed, and was pleased to see there was an actual person under his cool demeanor. 

Wordlessly Hailey leaned closer to him, her hand still locked around his throat, and opened her lips in invitation. Azriel gave a huff of amusement before leaning forward and sealing his lips to hers, the wine he was apparently not allowed to drink pouring from his lips to hers. 

My body heated a few degrees as I watched her throat work, swallowing down the wine as a small trickle escaped the corner of her mouth to slide down her cheek. Fuck if that wasn’t hot as my own fire and I desperately wished it was me pouring that wine into her mouth, or drinking it from his. Either would do. 

Once she was satisfied she got all the wine from him she released his throat and turned back to me with an expectant look. “Well?”

I cleared my throat, trying to push down the arousal filling me before Azriel could smell it, and tried to think. The answer wasn’t exactly pleasant, but I did agree to this game and I did want to ask her questions so I sighed and answered honestly. “Uhm, I suppose the weirdest thing I ever did that to was a pumpkin. My brother, Lucien, carved one to look like his girlfriend for our annual pumpkin carving contest and when he turned around to fetch a different knife I carved a hole in the mouth area and…well…”

Her eyes widened comically large as she stared at me for a moment and I was certain she was about to stand up to leave, disgusted by this. Instead a peal of laughter erupted from her mouth and she reached out to pat my knee. “That’s fucking amazing. I’m definitely bringing that up next time I see him. Okay, your turn then.”

Relieved by her reaction I relaxed slightly, trying to think of something I wanted to know about her. Well, I wanted to know everything. There wasn’t anything about her I didn’t want to know, only I had to pick one question to start. “Okay, Hailey. If you had to eat one food every day for the rest of your life what would it be?”

“Chocolate croissants,” her and Azriel both answered at the same time, which caused her to roll her eyes at him obviously sharing some inside joke. 

Making a mental note of this answer for the future I nod, waiting for her next question. She turned to Azriel, who immediately tensed at her too sweet smile, and she asked, “Are your shadows individually sentient, or are they just an extension of you?”

Ah, clever. Certain that many people wondered this as a shadow slinger was so incredibly rare and not much recorded about them in any texts, that answer was one only a shadow slinger themself could answer. Of course Azriel looked from her to me, then reached for his wine glass. Hailey scowled but did not stop him from drinking, only looking back towards me. “My turn again,” she declared. “Eris, who do you think the most handsome high lord is?”

“Helion,” I responded without thought. 

“Like mother like son,” she laughed. 

I frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

“Is that your question?” she raised a brow. 

I paused, debating that. While I did want to know what that meant I was sure I could just ask mother about it later, and I didn’t want to waste my chances to ask them both questions. It was rare to see Azriel so unguarded, let alone playful, and I needed to take advantage of that while I could. So I shook my head and looked over at him. “Azzie, what does Hailey taste like?”

Hailey’s jaw dropped open as Azriel’s nostrils flared, shadows swirling angrily around him. By the glint in his eye I knew I had overstepped and yet he didn’t reach for his glass. Instead he asked, “Which part of her?”

“Her lips.”

“Which ones?”

Hailey clapped a hand over her mouth as a snort echoed from her, and even I grinned a little. As angry as he looked Azriel was amused. If he wasn’t he would already be drinking. Swirling my own glass I shrugged. “Her mouth I suppose.”

“Like sunshine and a hint of chocolate.”

I looked over at her to see her eyes bouncing back and fourth between us, clearly surprised and yet there was a hint of interest in her look. Azriel, seeming now very interested in this game, leaned forward to ask, “Hailey, who do you think has the better hair between me and Eris?”

“Eris, obviously,” she shrugged, turning towards me to grab a strand in her hand. “I’m a sucker for a male with long hair. Eris, do you prefer giving or receiving?”

“I think there is merit in both. Hailey, if you had to pick one high lord to fuck who would it be?”

“Helion for sure. Azzie, have you ever kissed Rhys?”

“No. Eris, have you ever kissed a high lord?”

And so the questions went on, back and forth in rapid fire each of us asking silly questions about each other, Hailey throwing in casual questions about Azriel’s shadows every once in while making him taking drinks of wine as he refused to answer any about them. I watched as his eyes grew slightly glazed, clearly enjoying the very strong Autumn Berry Wine that was a specialty of our court, until Hailey finally turned to Azriel and asked, “Azriel what does Eris taste like?”

“Cinnamon and apples,” Azriel replied, his words slightly slurred. 

Then his eyes widened. 

Fuck. 

A gleeful grin spread over Hailey’s face. “I knew it!” she shouted, bouncing up and down on her cushion. “You two kissed! Did you do more? Were you guys together? For how long? Why aren’t you together now? How are-”

Her excited tones, growing louder and louder with each question, were suddenly cut off as Azriel’s shadows stuffed her mouth full. “Enough, little liar,” he hissed, true anger in his slightly drunken gaze. “You’re fucking clever, asking me questions you knew I didn’t want to answer so I would answer that one without thinking. I should’ve known you were up to something.”

Despite her mouth being full of shadows she still tried to talk around them, something I was almost certain sounded like “I’m always up to something.”

Another one of his shadows stroked down her face, causing her cheeks to heat, as he murmured, “You are very, very lucky we did not have time before we came here to discuss punishments for acting like a brat. Otherwise when we got home I’d be using this pretty little mouth of yours until I was satisfied and then sending you to bed all hot and needy.”

Fuck. Those words followed by her soft whimper and the air suddenly saturated with the sweet scent of her arousal was enough to make me instantly hard. Before I could even contemplate how to process all of this Azriel stood, pulling her to her feet with him, and said, “It’s time we returned to the party. I am sure Rhys is wondering where we have gone.”

Taste

summary: maybe one day dreams will come true

I woke up surrounded by warmth. 

It wasn’t the kind of sweaty warmth that you wake up to when you fall asleep with a pair of jeans on, or when your a/c unit decides to stop working in the middle of the night when its the middle of summer and sweltering heat outside. No, it was that cozy warmth of waking up wrapped in your favorite blankets when the room if just the right level of coolness to keep you snuggled in bed all day without a care in the world. 

Or perhaps the warmth of waking up plastered to your partner with their body keeping you warm in the chilled room and no obligations to be anywhere for the entire day, as that was how I awoke. 

Grinning at the pure bliss of that I curled in closer to the warmth of the skin below my cheek, pressing my body closer as a sigh of contentment escaped my lips. 

When another source of heat pressed against my back, however, I froze. 

There were absolutely two of them. 

My eyes snapped open to find the chest my face was plastered to wasn’t the normal olive toned one marred with scars that I knew so well. A slightly paler one with a dusting of golden red chest hair that was tickling my cheek greeted me instead. A strong hand clad in various gold rings clutched mine where it rested over an evenly pounding heart, and I looked down to see a different hand with long healed scars resting possessively on my hip. Our legs were a tangled mess I wasn't even sure whos were whos under the sheet but one thing I was certain of was that nothing I had ever imagined was as wonderful as being wrapped up between the two of them. 

A pair of soft lips pressed against my throat as Azzie nuzzled into me, his hips pressing into my ass and a chuckle filling the room. “She’s awake, Eris.”

A low hum vibrated under my hand and cheek where it rested on his chest as Eris pressed his own kiss to the crown of my head. “Good morning, mate,” he murmured in a husky, sleep ladened voice. “I’m impressed with how long you can sleep for. I thought we might have to spend all day in bed waiting for you to awaken.”

“Not all day,” I yawned, giving in to the urge to rub my cheek against him for a moment before I pushed myself into a sitting position. 

The two of them followed suit and I soon found myself seated between two gorgeously sleep rumpled males, both of whom were looking at me with unrestrained desire in their eyes. It was then I became aware I wasn’t in the clothes I had fallen asleep in. Clad in only a shirt and panties it was very, very obviously that sleepy me had less than honorable intentions with how damp I felt between my thighs. 

Fuck. 

“You smell so fucking good,” Eris groaned, grabbing my hand once more and bringing it to his lips for a kiss. “Azriel, I don’t know how you ever let her leave this room when she smells this good and is this cute when she wakes up.” 

Cute. Eris had called me cute. 

“It’s not without effort,” Azzie confirmed, pressing his mouth to my bare shoulder where the neckline of the shirt had drooped, revealing my skin. Tingles shot through me at the sensation of both their mouths on me, twin points of pleasure yet not insistent in their persual. “It’s even more difficult when I wake up with her mouth wrapped around my cock, or when I get the pleasure to wake her up as I taste her. She makes the most delightful little sounds when shes still asleep but needy enough to grind on my face.”

Heat crept up my cheeks at his words and I squirmed between them. 

While I had convinced myself to come to terms with what had been said the day before and to give whatever this was a chance, I wasn’t entirely ready for the commitment of the two of them yet. As much as my body obviously wanted it my mind was fighting me, knowing the potential for heartbreak had just doubled. 

“I-I-”

“Hm, I think she’s still a bit hesitant for it all,” Azzie murmured, reading me so well. “That’s okay. As we said, we can take it all as slow or as fast as you like.”

Eris nodded his agreement, carefully placing my hand back on my thigh and scooting away so there was a few inches of space between us. “I didn’t mean to rush you. I apologize.”

“It’s okay,” I accepted quickly, shaking my head. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I do, obviously, I just…this is all a lot all at once.”

“Do you want to talk about it more?” he offered. 

I squirmed again, unable to stop the rising heat, the rising need in me as I got a better sight of his bare chest. Gods he was perfect. Azzie was gorgeous of course with his battle forged muscles and swirling shadows, while Eris was a bit leaner yet just as strong. With his hair mussed around him and a shadow of beard stubble on his chin he could easily pass for a male model. Between the two of them and the fact that I had slept pressed between them, talking was the last thing I actually wanted to do.

His nostrils flared and his eyes darkened considerably as his strong fingers tangled in the sheets. “Hailey…”

“I think we are going to have to take care of that if we want her to be able to focus,” Azzie suggested, his hand curling around the inside of my thigh as he leaned close to me. The familiar scent of him hit my nose, turning the fire burning inside me into a raging inferno of need. He glanced between me and Eris before he grinned. “Alright little liar, how about this; I’ll take care of you while your mate watches so he can know how to please you in the future, should you let him, and afterwards we can all go get some breakfast?”

“Watches?” I repeated, my voice abnormally high as I absorbed his words. 

“Mm, I think he would enjoy watching you find pleasure.”

Eris groaned softly and my gaze whipped back to him. A hungry, hood look had crossed his face as he gave a jerky nod. “I would. It would be the highlight of my life so far to witness you enjoy yourself. If you want me to leave, however, so you can-”

“No!” i nearly shouted, shocking even myself. 

The idea of the two of them pleasuring me was a fantasy I had never considered would become a reality, so I had never considered how it would make me feel to be vulnerable with two people at once instead of just Azzie. Despite my predilections for devious thoughts I hadn’t exactly experimented a lot in regards to anything other than mostly vanilla activities, so the idea of someone watching while another person pleasured me was both incredibly hot and incredibly nerve wracking. 

But it was Eris, who was supposedly my mate. 

And fuck I really needed to cum. 

“You want me to stay?” Eris asked softly, reaching out to stroke a finger down my cheek. “You want me to watch?”

“Y-yes.”

There wasn’t a moments hesitation between the two of them. Eris shifted further away to give us space and Azzie flung off the sheets, positioned my back on the pillows, and was sliding my panties down my thighs before I could gasp. The cool air of the room hit my heated flesh and I bit my lip, glancing towards Eris. His eyes were intent on what Azzie was doing, following his movements with a predators gaze. As soon as the damp fabric was pulled from my body he was reaching for it. Azzie handed it over to him as he grasped my ankles, pulling them further apart and placing my feet flat on my bed by my hips. 

“Pillow,” he demanded. 

Eris tossed him one which he maneuvered underneath me with little difficulty, gaze locked between my thighs. I glanced over to see Eris drag his tongue over my panties just as Azzie bent his head between my thighs to do the same, only to my body weeping with need. 

Groans echoed from all three of us and I was certain I had died because this was truly heaven. With expert flicks of his tongue and the already mounting need inside me before he had even touched me Azzie had me whimpering beneath his touch in seconds. The thickness of his fingers pushing against my entrance had me arching off the bed, desperate for more, and I looked down as he lifted his head from me to watch his fingers fill me. The wonderful stretch had my stomach curling with heat as it gathered there, begging for more and an end to it too. A smug grin curled over Azzie’s lips as he felt my inner walls clamp around his fingers. 

“Fuck, baby, you’re so needy this morning. Are you going to come already for me?”

“Please!” I begged, needing more, needing everything. 

“You have such pretty manners to match your pretty pussy, you know that?” he murmured, easing his fingers in and out of me at too leisurely a pace for my liking. I needed it faster, harder, to match the flame burning in me so bright I was afraid it might ignite us all. “Can Eris see how pretty you look wrapped around my fingers, or are you content with him watching your face?”

Asking me questions instead of giving me what I needed was diabolical, but I knew he wouldn’t let me finish until I answered so I managed to string together enough words to reply. “Eris..can watch.” 

Instantly Eris was shifting to stand behind where Azzie knelt between my legs, panties still clutched in his hand. His eyes skated down my body to where the tshirt had bunched up at my stomach, down to my very exposed body that was arching into the shallow thrusts of Azzie’s fingers. 

“Fuck, she’s gorgeous like this,” he groaned. “Does she like your shadows?”

An unrestrained whimper erupted from me at the thought of the shadows and the delicious things they could do to me. The last time he had tased me with his shadows had been ground breaking to the point where I wasn’t sure if I could handle it again, yet I desperately wanted it. Both of them seemed to realize this at the same time for Eris backed up slightly so Azzie could ease off the bed to stand beside him, pulling his fingers free of my body and leaving me crying out. 

“Shh,” Azzie chastised as his shadows danced around him. “You’ll get what you want, in time.”

Like before his shadows leapt on me. Tendrils of coolness locked around both my wrists and jerked them upwards to pin against the pillows while two more wrapped around my ankles, tugging them even further apart. Another wrapped around the edge of my shirt to tug it up, exposing the rest of me to two heated gazes, before it curled around my nipples. 

I groaned, tugging at my new restraints and ready to beg for more, when I felt the gentle brush of them against my clit. 

“Yes, yes, please!” I managed. 

The tapered end of the shadow swirled around my clit for a moment before trailing down to ease inside me. The gentle sucking sensations and the thickness growing considerably as it moved inside me alerted me Azzie had turned them into tentacles once more. To my immense surprise and pleasure another one pressed to my clit, forming a section over it just as the one inside me started to curl and double in on itself, stretching me. Between the two males staring at me like I was a work of art, the rhythmic suction on my clit, and the delightful stretch, I was a goner. Within seconds I was arching off the bed and struggling against the shadows holds as my body convulsed with the force of my orgasm, probably resembling something out of an exorcism or something as incoherent noises fell from my lips. 

Stars burst before my eyes and flames lit my body from the inside, everything becoming too much and not enough all at once. It seemed to last longer than any orgasm I had had before, the crest peaking over and over again until my body felt so wrung out I couldn’t do anything but collapse onto the bed when it finally eased. The suction was still going on my oversensitive clit to the point it was starting to hurt. Tears poured out of my eyes as I opened my mouth in an effort to beg for it to stop but no words would come out. 

Recalling out previous conversation about safe words I remembered he had offered me one for when it was too much and using my last working braincell I managed to whisper, “Butter.”

Instantly all the shadows released me, slithering back across the sheets towards their master as a large body quickly hovered over mine. Bright hazel eyes peered into my soul as Azzie stroked my damp hair from my face. 

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“Too much,” I managed, breathing hard. 

“Sorry love,” he murmured, looking guiltily at me. “I should’ve let you have a smaller once first. Are you okay?”

“Yes, okay,” I nodded, my brain barely better than jello. 

He grinned and pressed a quick kiss to my lips before he pushed off the bed once more. “You said butter, not croissant. Do you want me to stop or just slow down?”

“Butter.”

“Mm, perfect.”

I relaxed back on the pillows once more as my vision cleared enough to look at my males again. Both of them looked flushed and hungry as Azzie let his shadows slowly coast over my calves and up my thighs. The gentle brush of a shadow at my clit had my hips jerking again, so they retreated. Instead it swiped through the wetness that had gathered and gentle pushed in to gather more before slipping out once more and lowering to my other entrance. 

The last time we had done this had been barely anything. Azzie had given me only a small taste of what it could be like, barely an inch before he had given into my pleas to fuck me with his cock. It had felt fucking amazing, that one inch, and if I were being honest I was eager for more. 

“Yes,” I murmured my answer to his silent question as his shadow teased my butt. 

“Fuck,” Eris groaned as he watched the thin shadow slowly ease into me, stretching flesh that had never been stretched in such a way before. 

“That’s it,” Azzie coaxed, gently thrusting into me and with each thrust gaining a little more length. “Remember last time when I did this and I asked you who you wanted stretching your pretty little ass around their cock? How much you liked the idea of that, but wouldn’t tell me who?” 

I whimpered again, nodding as the desire started to build once more under his careful attention. 

“You refused to tell me who, lied to me even, about who you wanted in our bed” he reminded me as the shadow thickened slightly as it thrust back inside. “Are you ready to answer me, love?”

Another shadow slid across the bed and pushed against my pussy, easing inside in the same thrust that the one in my ass thickened just before the point of pain. The stretch, the fullness I felt between the two of them was something irrevocably life changing. My fingers gripped the sheets, tangling in them as my mind went blank once more. I felt so impossibly full I was sure I might explode. It was only when I felt the soft, sure press of Azzie’s tongue to my clit did my body give in once more. The pressure that had been building in my core released and I felt a sudden gush of liquid rush out of me, coating Azzie’s tongue and face as the secret erupted from my lips. 

“Eris!” I screamed. 

Azzie groaned so loudly I felt it against my skin as he lapped up everything I had to offer him, his mouth hungry on me not to pleasure me but just to taste me. Hard fingers pressed into my soft thighs and he slowly eased his mouth and shadows from me as he sat back up. 

His chin glistened and his eyes sparkled as he looked down at me with something akin to pride. “Fuck, that was beautiful,” he complimented. 

Through my post orgasmic haze I looked over at Eris, realizing that I had shouted his name as I came, and was met with a heated stare. His lips were set in a firm line and his eyes so dark I couldn’t even see his pupils anymore. I honestly wasn’t sure if he was mad or turned on, so my gaze drifted down his bare chest to the boxers slung low on his hips. The boxers in question were tight on his trim body, revealing a lot going on inside, including a very very large wet spot. 

Heat rushed through me. 

He…he wanted me so bad he had come without even touching me?

“I want to taste her,” he admitted on a strangled growl. “I need to taste her.”

Azzie glanced back at me to where I was all but lifeless on the bed. I was honestly surprised I was even able to comprehend them both at this point. “I don’t think she’s ready for that.”

Eris took a step closer to Azzie, his eyes locked on his mouth and the heat only growing. “Hailey,” he murmured. “My sweet mate, please for the love of the cauldron can I kiss Azriel?”

Mario Kart Tournament

summary: Eris POV; a tiny slice of life as I get to know my new 'mate'

Eris

“I’m fucking this all up,” I groaned, running a hand down my face as she marched up the path with her frog in tow. 

“You’re not. She can be…difficult, when it comes to this stuff. She hasn’t talked a lot about her past but I’m certain she hasn’t had the best experiences and she’s not exactly inclined to believe someone actually wants her. She isn’t even sure I want her.”

I stared at him. Surely she could see how he looked at her, right? The doubt in her eyes and the irritation that had quickly followed told me she didn’t. I had a feeling we had a long way to go before she was going to accept either of us completely. 

“Come on, let’s go.”

We followed after her, hanging a few steps behind as she made her way back up to the main street and then turned towards the general direction of the house of wind. I knew she couldn’t actually get up to the house without someone flying her or winnowing so I wasn’t entirely sure of her plans yet did not want to interrupt what seemed to be a very determined pace. Azriel seemed inclined to stay behind as well so the two of us followed at a safe distance as she and George walked briskly along the sidewalk. 

I admired the way her beautiful hair bounced with every step, glinting like fire in the mid afternoon sun. Watching her long legs stretch with every step she took, the muscles bunching and pushing beneath the soft fabric of her leggings had me wondering what they would be like wrapped around my face or my hips as I listened to her cries of pleasure. 

“Careful,” Azriel warned. 

Shit. 

Focusing my mind on other things I let myself take in the beauty of Velaris once more, admiring the way everyone on the street seemed happy and there were actual children running around playing and giggling. Couples strolled hand in hand without a care, happy to just exist in the moment instead of worrying about what was to come. 

While the Autumn Court had not suffered as much as others during the war, it was still a far cry from Velaris as it had never been like that even before conflicts had disrupted normal life in Prythian. Velaris truly was a magical city, whereas we didn’t even have any cities in my home, just villages. The closest thing to a city we had was the surrounding hamlet near the palace, and even that was rudimentary at best. As I watched people enter shops to buy goods and others stop at market stalls for fresh produce, I realized just how different life could be in my court if Beron was off the throne. 

I looked ahead again to where Hailey was strolling in front of us. Her pace had slowed slightly and George was sitting on her shoulder, seeming perfectly comfortable to ride there and take in the sights just as I was. 

My hope for the future lay within her and her choice. 

We ended up following her in silence for another hour before she finally turned back to us. Her expression was blank as she placed George in his basket, then held him out to me. “Can you hold him while we go home?”

Not needing to be told twice I accepted the basket and George, just happy she didn’t tell me to leave. He blinked up at me before settling in, obviously understanding everything that was going on like the smart little frog he was. Hailey was still quiet as she reached for Azriel, who did not hesitate in sweeping her into his arms then into the sky. George and I watched them rise up for a moment, circle, then head towards the house before I looked down at him once more. “Ready to winnow home?”

He gave a small nod and we were on our way. 

Everyone arrived back at the house at the same time and landed on the balcony together. Hailey took George and gave a quick look to make sure he was okay before she looked back at me. “Do..do you want to hang out for a bit? We don’t have to! I know you’re probably busy and have more interesting things to do, I just thought-”

“I’d love to,” I interrupted her nervous babble. 

A hesitant grin spread over her lips and she gave a quick nod. “Let me get George settled for a nap, then we can play Mario Kart.”

Not long later I was seated next to her on the sofa as she explained the workings of this ‘video game’ to me. I still had no idea how the box was displaying such bright paintings that moved, or how the little hand held device she gave me controlled the moving cart on the canvass, but I wasn’t going to stop her from trying to explain. 

“Just press this one here to make it move,” she demonstrated again, pressing one of the buttons on the device which caused the orange cart to move forward. 

“Right. Okay so this is to move, and I swivel this to guide it.”

“Yes! And this one here is to launch attacks on other drivers.”

“Attacks?”

“Mhm. When you’re driving you will see glowing cubes, and those are power ups you can use to then attack others or advance your character. Just press that button to engage them.”

I glanced at Azriel who was seated in the lounger next to us and he just shrugged, “It gets easier the more you play.”

“Azzie is still really bad at it,” she said gleefully. “Even though I caught him down here practicing a bunch of times when he thought no one was paying attention.”

His eyes snapped to hers and she just grinned, blowing him a kiss, before turning back to the screen. “Okay, I’m going to start the race.”

Trying to remember all the instructions she had given me I focused on the ‘race’. It was evident in the first few seconds that I was awful at this game. Turning was a nightmare and I kept falling off the edge of the path, and at one point I ended up turned around the wrong way. The race after that wasn’t much better, nor the next one. By the third one I got the hang of turning at least, so I fell off less but still ended up in last place in the rankings. Meanwhile Hailey was next to me cackling and screaming the entire time, delight evident in her voice as she practically bounced up and down with excitement every time she threw a shell or a banana. 

After a few more races I managed to place not last, by some miracle, and she seemed incredibly pleased by this. Seeing how happy she got made me try harder and after what felt like a dozen races I managed to even use a shell to hit a cart with a shell at one point, though I was still far behind in the rankings. Eventually she handed her device to Azriel saying it was his turn and promptly curled up on the sofa and tucked her head under my forearm so she could lay on my lap. Seconds later she was asleep, snoring softly. 

“What do I do?” I whispered to Azriel. 

“Just let her sleep,” he replied in a low voice. “She asked you to hang out, this is what she does when she wants to spend time with someone. Sometimes she will read instead, or show you videos on her ipad. Sometimes she just wants to talk about stuff or discuss ideas about her work.”

“It seems rather tame.”

“It is, for the most part. If she’s gotten into the fae wine with Nesta, though? You’re in for a wild night.”

Courting

Summary: there's a lot of feelings here

Okay maybe I had ulterior motives in inviting Eris to lunch. 

Some of them might have been that I loved the way Azriel seemed to squirm, obviously intent on keeping whatever the two of them had a secret, and the strange comforting feeling Eris seemed to evoke in me. I also wanted to keep the conversation from focusing on Azriel and I considering that, even if the tea was working it’s calming magic on me, I was fully aware a fullblown panic attack regarding the ‘l’ word still hovered at the edge of my sanity. 

I decided to ignore all of that, however, and pretend I only invited him out of politeness in return for his gifts he had brought me. 

It was better living in Delulu Land rather than face any of the aforementioned reasons. 

When we arrived at the House of Wind I rushed to George’s enclosure to find him waiting for me. He looked up at me with those big froggy eyes of his and smiled. 

“Hi sweet baby boy,” I cooed as I reached in to grab him. 

The slimy feeling of his skin against mine and his little body nestling into my grip had me feeling elated as I turned to present him to Eris. “Eris, this is my son, George. George, this is our friend, Eris.”

Eris stared at George for a few moments, unblinking and expression blank, before a giant smile lit up his entire face. An honest to gods smile filled with a bunch of shiny teeth and even a dimple in his cheek filled the face of the normally smug son of the most irritating high lord. It transformed him from tortured soul to delighted young male in seconds which had me smiling right back at him, pleased I had garnered this response. 

“Well, he’s quite cute,” Eris complimented, eying George with a look akin to utter delight. “Obviously he takes after his mother in that regard.”

Azriel stared between the three of us, brows furrowed and shadows rippling around him as I held out George to Eris. “Would you care to hold him?”

“Of course,” Eris nodded, reaching for my sweet child. 

I handed him over, pleased to see the ease in which he gathered George into the palm of his hand. George eyed Eris for a moment before he gave a little froggy nod and licked his eye balls. “Aw, he likes you!” I grinned.

Azriel glared. “I thought you said he liked someone if he pees on them.”

I shrugged. “He shows his affection in different ways. Eris, would you like to carry him to lunch?”

“I would be honored.”

Producing the small basket with the velvet lined pillow that the house had conjured for George, I handed it over. “Here, he likes to ride around in this. Now, let’s get going. I’m starved.”

Not long later, we ended up at a little cafe along the river not too far from Feyre’s studio and selected to sit outdoors on the patio that overlooked the water. The waitress had eyed George inside his basket when we had arrived and had looked ready to protest before she had seen who was carrying said basket of frog and had thought better of it. Now George and his basket were perched on the tray of a highchair and he had a few tasty looking bugs that he was enjoying while we waited for our lunch to be brought out. 

Azriel eyed him. “Did we have to bring him? He would’ve been fine at home.”

“Azzie, I was away from him all morning. I’m sure he missed me and he deserves to get out of the house every once in a while too. He needs fresh air.”

“You could release him down by the water,” he suggested, gesturing towards the river. “I am sure he would find all his slimy little froggy friends soon and he would get all the fresh air, all the time.”

I scowled. “Azriel.”

Eris, seeming to sense an argument, reached over and tickled George under his chin affectionately. “Don’t worry little guy, if mommy and daddy start fighting you can come stay with Uncle Eris. I’ll give you all the bug treats your little heart can desire.”

“I’m not his father,” Azriel corrected. “And you are sure as fuck not his uncle.”

“Fine,” I glared, folding my arms over my chest. I had had quite enough of this talk about our son from Azriel. “If you don’t want to be his father then Eris can be. Right, Eris?”

“That depends, do I get access to his mommy then, too?” he winked. 

He. Winked. 

Azriel looked ready to combust at that and I thankfully spotted the waitress with our food. “Ah, there it is!” I pointed out, hoping to change the subject. 

Everyone fell into silence as our food was delivered and we started to eat. Upon the first bite of the sandwich I had ordered I realized just how hungry I was and demolished the entire thing in moments. Before I could even look longingly at Azriel’s plate Eris was scooping a large portion of his past onto mine without even asking, then went back to eating his few remaining bites like nothing had happened. As I looked at him, Azriel gave me a hefty portion of his chicken. 

George even nudged one of his bugs towards me, which I politely nudged back towards him. 

Diving back into my now full plate, I felt very taken care of by all my guys. 

Once lunch was over I demanded a walk by the river, just to see if there were other frogs for George to meet, and was pleased when everyone agreed. Eris picked up George and his basket once more before linking his fingers with mine again and Azriel grabbed my other hand, not to be outdone, which left me walking between the two of them hand in hand down the riverwalk feeling like the luckiest person in the world. 

Eris 

I was the luckiest male in all of Prythian. 

My mate, though she did not know she was my mate, was holding my hand out in public with the sun shining down on us and the soft breeze from the river on our cheeks. She chatted absently was we walked, pointing out little animals and sea creatures alike to her George, who sat idly in his basket looking towards each thing she pointed at. On her other side Azriel walked silently, brooding and moody as always. 

I felt a bit bad for him considering what I had walked in on earlier. It had been evident that something he had said had set her off and he had seemed virtually clueless on how to fix it. It was obvious he cared for her and there was little doubt in my mind that there was something more serious in play than just an infatuation between them, though how that factored into my mate bond with her I had no idea.

If I were him I would be pissed as hell. 

Not only was I obviously flirting with her since I couldn’t help it, there was also the unsolved issues between the two of us. Sure, we had come to terms with what had happened that night, but that didn’t mean he had forgiven me for what I had done and I sure as fuck hadn’t forgiven myself. Yes, everything I had done was for my court. That didn’t mean I didn’t feel guilty about it. 

Azriel was a wonderful person and an incredible lover. If the world were a more perfect place, I never would have left him that night and we would have had so much time, so many memories together. Although, if I hadn’t left him that night who knows if either of us would have met Hailey and that wasn’t a reality I wanted to consider. 

“Oh look!” Hailey exclaimed, pointing to a tidepool in the sand and rocks not too far off. “Another frog! Maybe him and George are friends.”

“Why don’t you take George over there for a froggy play date?” Azriel suggested. 

Hailey nodded enthusiastically and grabbed his basket before either of us could blink, rushing over and squatting near the edge of the tidepool to talk to the frogs. 

Which left Azriel and I alone for the first time in a long time. 

He rounded on me instantly. 

“What the fuck are you doing?” he hissed.

“What does it look like?” I shrugged as I slid my now empty hands into my pockets. “I’m sure that you already know my intentions towards her.”

He nodded slowly, his gaze focused on her once more as she laughed at something George did. “I’m aware of your mate bond.”

The words sounded forced, like he was reluctant to say them outloud and I did not blame him for that. Sighing, I cast my gaze towards the sky. “I did not chose her, Azriel.”

“No, you did not, and yet she fits all of your needs, doesn’t she? In your game to overthrow your father and take his title, she would be the perfect pawn in inciting your people to rally behind you. She’s female, for one, and she fits the beauty standards of your court. I’m sure your people would be so pleased to see tiny redheaded high lord children running around, catching frogs and accidentally setting things on fire.”

“She is not a pawn. Fuck, how can you even say that? She’s…everything. Yes, I want to get rid of Beron and take over so I can provide a better life for the people of my court, that is no secret. Having her by my side would obviously help that cause and I am pleased that I finally have some hope in fulfilling my goals. With that being said I will not use her or manipulate her to form a narrative just to achieve those goals. If she wishes to be with me, if she feels any affection for me, I want it to come naturally. From there if she wishes to help me I would owe her everything. If not, I would be content with her remaining in my life while I try to work out another plan.”

He was silent for a few moments, his gaze locked on her and refusing to meet mine, before he finally said, “And where do I fit into all of this?”

“Preferably on her other side, supporting her and I through it all.”

His sudden intake of breath told me he had not expected this answer. 

Looking over I met his hazel gaze with my own and said softly, “It is no secret that I still hold affection for you, Azriel. What we shared that night was special and I have not forgotten it. The only reason I have not pursued you is that it would complicate the standing of my foothold in my court, and in light of recent events it’s more important than ever that Beron gives up his power.”

“And you think your people would accept me by your side if she was there too?”

“I know they would. There are recorded instances of such pairings in our courts history. My grandfather had two mates, and his mother before him, who was heir to the title, did as well. It actually seems rather common prior to Beron, and he is the one that went against tradition. I have little doubt that my people would accept you as long as she is with us. Their values lay in the potential for offspring from the union, that is all. As long as there is a chance for a child, they will accept anything.”

Silence fell between us again as we both turned our gaze to watch her. She had taken off her shoes and was now walking between other tide pools, one frog in each hand as she chatted on to them both. 

Finally, Azriel spoke. “I am not sure how to approach her about this. I hinted to her that I was open to adding another person to our coupling, and she seemed interested yet hesitant. She’s… unsure of herself, sometimes. When she looks at me when she thinks I do not notice, she gets this expression like she isn’t entirely sure if all of this is real, or if she’s waiting for me to tell her I no longer want her. Other times when I try to assure her I do, or express my admiration for her, she gets this panicked look like she might bolt at any moment. It’s difficult walking that line with her.”

“She’s still figuring out how she fits into this world,” I observed. “Think about it, she got displaced from her entire life and ended up in a world she thought was entirely make believe. Nearly instantly she ends up in a high ranking position, has a shadow wielding male telling her he’s obsessed with her, and feels…something, for me. It’s got to be confusing for her.”

“You’re right, of course,” he grumbled, sounding none too pleased about admitting that. “Perhaps I am moving too quickly for her and overwhelming her without offering the smaller reassurances first before getting into the bigger commitments.”

“You basically pissed all over her to claim her as yours with that bite on her neck,” I pointed out. “Not to mention the way you’re constantly grabbing her to show possession, and yet by the look on her face when you said you were taking her to lunch, you have yet to actually court her. Females need to be wooed, Azriel. They need hearts and flowers, romantic dinners and afternoon strolls. You have to convince them that life with you is better than life without you. You can’t just pick one and declare she is yours without courting her first, without convincing her.”

“And if I do all that, how do you factor in?”

“I plan on being her friend. She likes me, there is no denying that, and she likes the idea of the two of us. Eventually she will come to the same conclusion we both did; the three of us together is the obvious answer to everything.”

“What if she does not?”

“I will remain her friend and find another way to remove Beron. My wish is to remain in her life in some capacity, even if only as a friend, for I cannot imagine my life without her in it now that I have known otherwise. She is everything to me, Azriel. Everything. No matter what she wants to give me  I will be grateful for it.”

“I understand,” he murmured. “I will court her, however I think it would be unfair to her for you to not make your intentions clear. You were not there when Feyre found out Rhys had been keeping that secret from her. It devastated her, and I don’t want to see that happen to Hailey, too. It would be fair for you to inform her of your connection and offer to court her as well. Then we can both assure her of our intentions at the same time, and she can make an informed choice to all of our futures.”

I let that idea wash over me, considering the implications of it. I didn’t want her to think the only reason I became her friend was to eventually become her mate and then question everything I had said or done. Telling her upfront did sound like an excellent choice, however the fear of instant rejection had my stomach turning. 

As if he could read my mine, Azriel said, “She likes you, Eris. I can tell from the way she looks at you. Her eyes light up and she gets this dreamy look on her face. She looks at me with heat and passion, with longing and irritation, even admiration at times, but she never looks at me with that purely content expression she has when she spots you. I think she can feel it, the bond, even though she is human. It’s not as strong, and she doesn’t know what it is, but it’s there.”

My heart leapt at the possibility. Could Azriel be right? Did she feel something? If she did, could all of this somehow work out in my favor for once in my life?

She came bounding over then, three frogs balanced in her arms and all of them looking content to be there. “Look!” she laughed, the sound filling my once empty heart with warmth. “George made two friends!”

“Hailey…” Azriel started. 

She only rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t worry, they’re not coming home with us. I asked them and they said no.”

He shot me a helpless look as if to ask ‘What am I to do with her?’ and I just shrugged. 

“Hailey,” I started, glancing between the two of them. “I want to speak to you about something important.”