29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"Love is the greatest gift life can give us, and yet it is the hardest. Nothing hurts as badly as lost love. I wish with every fiber of my being that my heart stopped the same time Margaret's had." – Lord Jonathan, Eight Lord of Sídhetír.

" H e's asleep," Cethin said. I fought to open my eyes, but it felt as if a great weight pressed them down.

"Still?" The new voice belonged to Thomas.

"Yes," Cethin answered. That single word was laced with worry. I tried to force myself to move or even make a single noise, but my body didn't respond, frozen in place. Shuffling sounded before Cethin continued, "He has slept longer than I anticipated."

"Father said he would sleep for a while to adjust to Sídhetír."

"It's been four days."

"Aidan expended copious amounts of energy when he first bonded, and he was tightly linked to Sídhetír. It's going to take time."

"I'm aware," Cethin said. "But I want him to wake."

"He will." There was a slapping sound like Thomas hugged Cethin and patted his back, which I didn't imagine my mate enjoying, but no snaps or harsh words followed. Cethin must have tolerated the touch. "Do you know how the Day Queen reacted to Blodwen's death or what exactly Aidan did with the contract?"

"No," Cethin replied. "Aidan is not allowing any fae in or out of Sídhetír in his slumber."

Thomas sighed. "We shall have to wait and see."

"Go," Cethin said, his voice steady. "I will notify you when Aidan wakes." His footsteps were almost silent on the wood floor before the bed dipped with his weight. Fingers brushed along my jaw, then cool lips pressed to my forehead. I wanted to open my eyes and respond, but my body wouldn't cooperate.

Sleep began to drag me away from Cethin, and I clung to awareness. Cethin needed me. But no matter what I wanted, sleep took me.

A beam of sunlight streaked in through the open window and kissed my face. I took a deep breath, eyes closing against the bright light. The warmth of magic slid under my skin in greeting. Sídhetír. They were still there, in the depths of my mind. The sensation of being bonded to the land wasn't as overwhelming as it had been the first time. Perceiving Sídhetír and all who inhabited it was odd, but not painful.

My mind instinctively raced across the face of the land, searching for any issues. I paused on Elmbury. Two full-blooded fae walked through the village, and I recognized them both. One was Fergus, who co-owned the florist shop with his very human husband, Conor. The other was a farmer whose name I didn't immediately remember, but I'd seen around. Neither had I guessed were fae. And they were not the only ones; I sensed a dotting of half-fae as well.

I was not the only half-fae in Sídhetír. Not even close.

Another distant light glimmered from the trees. The trees were not a boundary to my senses. The woods belonged to Sídhetír as much as the rest of the land, but the previous lords had been unable to perceive them because of the magic within the roots. Fae had lived among the trees, their magic saturating the woods. But as a half-fae, I saw what those before me were unable to perceive.

Iris. She was a light fae.

An arrow crashed right through my heart at the realization. I should have known. She never left the woods and had healing abilities. She'd most likely known what I was. Iris, much like everyone else in my life, had lied to me.

Cutting through the sting of betrayal, warm breath tickled my ear. Cethin slept right next to me. His arm was thrown over my waist while one of his legs was slung over mine. His head nestled against my neck and his even breath rushed over my skin. I slid my hand up his arm, fingers tracing the thorny vines encircling his limb. The marks shifted and throbbed under my touch, which sent a smile to my lips.

"Cethin," I whispered. He groaned and rocked into me. I stroked his arm. He must be exhausted. I couldn't see any visible injuries, but I wasn't sure how much time had passed since the battle or how fast his healing abilities worked.

I lifted his hand to my face and kissed his palm. "Cethin."He sighed, awakening. When his fathomless eyes met mine, he stilled, then shifted closer. "Aidan." His lips pressed against mine. "How are you?"

"I believe I am well." I ran a hand up his back, feeling his muscles tighten under my fingertips.

"Truly?"

The image of Blodwen's lifeless body at my feet rose from the depths of my mind, and my stomach churned. I'd killed her. In the moment, taking a life hadn't bothered me in the slightest. Sídhetír demanded recompense for the dead, and my anger had outweighed any other thought.

His hand strayed from my face, down my neck, and rested over my pounding heart. He rubbed my sternum as he whispered, "It's alright."

"I killed her."

"Yes," he said. "But you protected us. All of us."

I swallowed, shaking my head. Cethin settled on top of me, practically squashing me. The cool comfort of his body and the familiarity of his scent calmed my skittering pulse. I relaxed beneath him and hooked my arms around his waist, accepting the gift Cethin was.

After a moment, he leaned up. "What did you do with the contract? I can sense that you signed it and that you are the Lord of Sídhetír, but nothing more."

"Balance. Your mother asked me to consider that word in exchange for her help."

"She did?"

"That's all she wanted. When I was signing the contract, I couldn't help but think about it. So that's what I did."

"What?"

"The door will follow the seasons of the human realm. During the spring and summer, the gate will be tethered to the Day Court, and during the fall and winter, the gate will remain in the Night Court."

His mouth hung agape.

"What am I but balance?" I asked, repeating both Eilidh's and Sídhetír's words. I ran my hands up his back, fisting them in his long hair. "Do you think your mother knew this is what I would choose?"

"I do not see how that is possible, but it does not mean she didn't."

"She knew I was your mate. That the Heir of Sídhetír would be your mate."

"She never told me so," Cethin said with a frown.

I smoothed the crease between his eyebrows. Arching, I kissed him. "We're together now."

"Yes," he said. "I will never let you go."

"How very convenient, for I plan on keeping you right beside me."

Cethin kissed my chest where his mark lay. Warmth flooded my veins as my cock twitched, starting to fill with my burgeoning desire. His lips moved over the crescent moon and star, his tongue occasionally swiping at my skin. He moved up to the two flowers on my collarbone, one larger than the other. My breath quickened as Cethin pressed whisper-soft kisses down my arm.

He rolled me onto my side and kissed the thorns covering my shoulder blade, only to stop on the back of my arm. "Is that another bud?" His voice was so smug, I rolled my eyes. He nipped at the skin. "One more, dearest, and you will be my husband."

My cock stood at attention from his words. "Do you wish to wait until then?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, lips trailing down my side and teeth nibbling on my skin.

"I mean we could get married in the human way. Now."

He forced me onto my back, and his eyes scoured my face. "Is that something you desire?"

"You would be Lord Byrne, then. Well, if you want to take my name in the human realm." Though Byrne as a surname was difficult for me to think about. I had been Aidan Ryan for my entire life, not a Byrne. But that was now the surname I would have to use.

Cethin held my face in a firm grasp. "I would wed you this instant, Aidan. You and I are bound together. A marriage ceremony is but a formality in my mind, but I would if you wanted."

"I want to."

"Then let us do it now. How do we go about it?"

I laughed and arched up, so my hard cock pressed into his stomach. "Maybe not at this moment."

Black eyes glowing, he said, "I concur."

His fingers traced my shaft, then formed a cage and slid up. I groaned, my hips moving to chase the friction of his touch. His hand slid up and down my cock, moving faster. I grabbed the back of his neck and crushed my lips to his. I waited only the barest moment before forcing my tongue into his mouth, desperate for him.

Hands fisted in his hair, I kept him right where I wanted him. As Cethin stroked me, the kiss got wetter and hotter, but I had no desire to stop. I could not believe this was where my life had led. Only weeks ago, I hadn't known of Cethin's existence, and now I couldn't imagine living without him.

Cethin's fingers wandered away from my cock, and I growled in protest.

He kissed my neck, biting me. "I don't want you to come yet." Cethin leaned up, and his aspect changed, growing sharper and his horns appeared.

I brushed his harsh cheekbones before running my fingers along his jagged horns. His expression tensed and his eyes remained on mine. "Fucking hell, you are lovely, Cethin."

Smirking, he replied, "As are you."

When he tugged on my balls, I whimpered. His lips trailed down to my chest, taking one of my nipples into his mouth and sucking on it. I clutched his horns as I panted.

"Fuck," I moaned when he bit my nipple and his fingers alternated between my shaft and balls.

He moved to my other nipple and gave it the same treatment as the first. His fingers slid from my balls and circled my ass. "Aidan," he whispered against my skin. "I want to fuck you."

I nodded, biting my lip. My cock twitched at the thought of Cethin nestled inside of me and more liquid leaked out of my slit.

"I will be gentle."

"I trust you," I said in a harsh voice, breath uneven.

Cethin kissed me. "I love you."

"I love you too."

His lips quickly moved down my stomach as he stood. Cethin disappeared for only the barest moment before he returned with a plain tin I recognized. He settled in between my legs and took the head of my cock into his mouth, tongue lapping at the liquid.

"Moonlight, you taste good," he growled. I grabbed his horns, keeping his face close to me. Cethin didn't seem to mind, because he smiled, then took me fully into his mouth. He bobbed up and down, and I grunted, fingers tightening. The wet, warm heat of his mouth was addictive. I wanted to arch up into him, but I controlled the urge. His tongue lapped and swiped my shaft as he sucked on me, drawing breathless cries from my lips. One of his hands cupped my balls and played with the sensitive skin until I was writhing beneath him.

"Cethin. Fuck."

There was a quiet clank of metal, and a slick finger began to trace the rim of my ass. I tensed. Cethin sucked up and off my cock. "Relax, dearest."

"I'm nervous."

His finger stopped its circular movement. "We don't have to."

I shook my head. "I want you, Cethin."

"And you have me. No matter what."

He didn't understand. "I want you to fuck me."

Cethin kissed the inside of my thigh, and I groaned. His mouth returned to my cock, and his finger gently prodded my ass before sliding inside. He did not move it, allowing me time to adjust to the invasion as he sucked me. After a few moments, his finger slid in and out in time with his mouth. My breath quickened. My hips began to move with his thrusts.

A second finger joined the first, and I gasped when Cethin brushed something deep within me. It was as if he was stroking my cock from the inside.

He kissed the weeping tip of my cock. "I will make you feel good." His fingers returned to that spot, brushing it repeatedly. Stuttering moans came out of my throat as I gripped Cethin's horns tighter.

"You are perfect, my Aidan," Cethin whispered against my thigh.

I couldn't reply, because with each movement of his fingers, the pleasure inside of me grew until I was impaling myself onto his fingers.

"Cethin," I demanded, unable to force more than his name out of my lips. My heart was beating too fast and cries mixed with moans kept leaking from my lips while pre-cum dripped to my stomach. He placed my legs on his shoulders, pressing a kiss to one.

"Cethinathiel."

"W-what?" I asked, panting.

"My true name."

I paused. "You choose to tell me this now ?"

He chuckled, kissed my calf. "I love you."

I wanted to respond, but his fingers picked up speed, a third joining the other two. An animalistic cry came from my lips and my head went back as Cethin prodded that perfect spot.

"Aidan." He guided his throbbing cock to my ass. The tip pressed against my hole, and I groaned at the tightness. "Bear down and exhale, dearest."

I followed his direction, and the head of his cock slid in, stretching me. I swallowed. Tears pricked the back of my eyes from the burning sensation.

"I can stop."

"No," I said. "Give me a second."

Cethin grabbed my cock and began to pump me, which made my breath quicken. Slowly, he pushed in deeper, then pulled back before thrusting in deeper. Each time, he slid further into me, opening me up, and my body relaxed.

"I'm inside you," he whispered, practically bending me in half to kiss my cheek.

I panted, unable to get any words out. Fuck. I was so full. I'd never felt anything even close to the sensation of him stretching me. Cethin rocked into me, the head of his cock hitting me perfectly. I groaned, gripping the sheets until my knuckles were white. My cock was impossibly hard. I wanted to stroke it, but I didn't want to come yet and end this.

Sweat dripped from Cethin's face as he thrusted into me in long, smooth strokes that left me shaking. He pulled out, and I whimpered. "Don't stop."

"I'm not." He kissed my ankle. "I'm shifting positions." Cethin guided my legs around his hips and pressed back inside of me. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, and he picked up his pace pounding into me.

Loud moans escaped my lips, and I fought back the urge to come. "Cethin. I'm…"

His lips found mine and he moved even faster, jerking me in time with his thrusts. My head pressed back into the pillow as my mouth opened in a wordless cry and my eyes squeezed closed. Pleasure ripped through me as my cock spurted my release all over my stomach. Cethin squeezed my cock, milking my orgasm for all it was worth as he rode me through my pleasure. With one last ram, Cethin snarled my name and warm liquid spilled inside of me.

Cethin collapsed on top of me, panting. His cock was still inside me, softening, and my legs held him close. Trembles wracked my body from my hard release. I'd never come so hard in my life. He shifted so his cock slid out, but I tightened my arms around his shoulders to keep him on top of me.

I breathed in his scent, trying to calm the pounding of my heart and the tremors in my limbs. He kissed me, lips trailing over my face. "Aidan," he muttered between each kiss. He brushed gentle touches along the line of my jaw before nibbling my ear. His lips found mine, and the kiss was soft and slow.

"Aidan," he whispered again.

My fingers trailed over his back as a tired smile stretched over my face. "Cethin, I love you."

His eyes met mine. "So you will marry me in the human way and make me a lord?"

I laughed. "You are already a prince, but yes. I will marry you."

"Excellent. When your mark solidifies, you shall be a prince too."

"More responsibilities."

He chuckled, pressing his face into my neck. "I shall keep you happy."

"I have no doubt of that."