A Court of Dark and Decay

Chapter 9- Play Savior

The flight was short. The rain pounded against Cassian, cooling his head. He had felt that darkness in her, long before he had ever touched her. It never scared him, only one more thing about her that endlessly fascinated him. But then, on the beach, it was so raw and so powerful, his own power responded hungrily. That darkness made the bond bleak and fragile like glass. He felt it under her skin with every touch, tasted it on her tongue.

He didn't know why he could still feel it toying with him even as Nesta walked out of his arms at the estate, not bothering to look back at him, swishing her hips and lifting her chin.

Cassian tried- really really tried- not to watch those sinful hips as he gathered himself and followed her into the estate.

Rhys greeted them at the door. To his credit, he only stopped for a few seconds, looking at the two of them side by side through the door. Cassian knew he could smell it on them, if not the lingering arousal then the stronger bond that the two now shared.

Rhys took a breath and spoke to Cassian first, "We have a healer waiting for you upstairs." He stepped aside so the two of them could walk in, Nesta cutting Cassian off to walk in first.

So it was back to that then.

The only difference was that now whenever she brought a hand up to mindlessly stroke her collarbone as she listened to Rhys- a nervous habit she did often- he knew exactly what that collarbone felt like under his lips. What sounds he could draw from her when he kissed them. Lower.

His crotch tightened.

Nesta's face went red and she brought her hand down to her side, letting her hair fall over her shoulder and over those collar bones.

Not that it helped Cassians situation, as Nesta with her hair down and drenched in that white dress made him want to kick Rhys out of his own house and take his time to-

"Cassian, did you hear me?"

His head snapped toward Rhys, and he realized he had been staring at Nesta. She was beet red, eyes down. She now had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Rhys was holding out a blanket to Cassian.

Cassian shook his head a bit and ran a hand through his hair. He gripped the blanket and wrapped it around himself as he replied to his brother, "Healer in my room, yes. I'll go up there after we talk."

Nesta's lips pursed at that. She didn't want to talk.

"No, brother." Rhys said, stepping past Nesta toward Cassian. "Go now. We can talk later."

Cassian paused. "That's a half truth?" He could sense it in Rhys, the lingering end of the sentence.

Rhys put a hand on Cassian's back and turned him toward the stairs, in the exact opposite direction of Nesta. The animal in him, the part of him that could still feel Nesta's skin under his fingers, could still hear her moans- that part of him screamed at the idea of leaving her so soon after the beach. After he was so close to finally joining with her, giving her the life she deserved, making her happy and abolishing all of that darkness.

His soul screamed at having to leave her, even for a moment.

She would hate him if he knew he was thinking that.

Her head snapped up, eyes locking with Cassians, and gave him a small nod.

Go.

His heart eased at that, if only a little.

"We, you and I, will talk about this later. I'll brief you on everything," Rhys said as he led Cassian up the stairs.

Rhys kept talking, about what they were going to do at the camps, updates on Devlon the snake and his latest efforts to disobey Rhys, and to his credit the General in him was listening.