A Court of Dark and Decay

Chapter 8- Consume Him

He was just staring at her.

And damn herself, she could only stare back.

Nesta's stomach and abdomen ached. Her whole body was screaming. She just hoped she didn't do any damage. She could only hope she made it to the water in time.

Cassian's eyes were a hundred different shades of brown and gold. She was hypnotized in his presence. Every brick of every wall she put up and carefully crafted to keep everyone- to keep him-out had vanished.

All she wanted was to lay herself- her truth, her story, her life, her body- bare to him.

She felt it, so strong, so real, so raw inside of her.

She remembered what it had felt like to admit to herself what he was to her.

Mate.

She hated the word. Possessive and animalistic and primal.

And yet, the very structure of her body bellowed the word as she kneeled next to him on that beach.

Judging by the power surging through the bond, he was thinking the same.

She steadied her breathing, and whispered, "You're here."

His hands, warm and rough against her wet skin, cupped her face. He rested his forehead against hers. Brow to brow, they breathed in each other's presence. They didn't need oxygen if they had each other.

She hardly felt the rain continue to beat down and barely heard the thunder pound as his fingers brushed her cheeks.

Cassian tilted his head up and kissed the top of her head, whispering into her hair, "I'm here."

And then Nesta did something she would only ever do for Cassian.

Nesta wrapped her arms around his neck, moving so she was sitting on his lap straddling him. Cassian responded immediately, snaking his arms around her waist and burying his head into her neck and shoulder. She tangled her fingers into his hair. He squeezed tighter, like he was scared she would going to slip away if he didn't hold her tightly enough.

He smelt of salt. Deeper, he smelt of candles and red wine.

Intoxicating.

Nesta let out a sigh, letting her body sink down onto his further.

Cassian breathed her in just as he had breathed him in. Until their breath was synced.

"Thank you." She said, feeling his head rumble with the echo of her voice in her chest.

Cassian pulled his head off her shoulder, and looked up to her, rain falling down his face.

Nesta's breath nearly caught in her throat.

The bond was an orchestra.

He looked at her like she wasn't a monster. After everything he had just seen, after he witnessed her power, her horror, the thing beneath her skin...

Cassian still looked at her like she was beautiful. He was the only person who ever looked at her like that.

MATE.

Yes, he was.

Nesta hooked her hand behind Cassians head and tilted it upward. He would let her lead this. Let her decide how much she wanted to give, how much she wanted to take.

Nesta knew that because she knew he had already decided to give her everything.

Still, the rain came down around them.