Page 135 of Of Storm and Emerald
Music played and laughter filled every corner as people danced and talked with free abandon. It was wonderful, and Auraelia couldn’t help the smile that formed as she made her way through the crowd.
She loved their Fall solstice celebration. Loved how it brought all of the courts together to celebrate the beauty and unity of their realm.
It wasn’t long after they arrived that Xander asked her to dance, and her surprise must have been evident because his brows furrowed in confusion. When they were fully ensconced in the flow and rhythm of the dance, he probed as to why she’d looked so shocked.
“I just thought that you would ask Piper.”
“Why would you assume that?”
She looked at him incredulously. “You’re joking right? I could cut the tension between the two of you with a rusty butter knife.”
“Rae–”
“Don’t try and deny it, Xander. I don’t have a problem with it if that’s what you’re worried about. But for the love of the goddess,pleasefigure it out. I have my own longing glances to deal with that I don’t need to be a third-party spectator to yours.” The latter was said with laughter and love, and Xander sighed.
“You really think there’s something there?”
“I do–” Auraelia hesitated a moment, debating whether or not she should say something, then decided that it was better than not saying anything. “I also think that she’s in denial. She’s torn between acknowledging her feelings for you, and the confusing ones she has about Aiden.”
Xander tensed at the mention of the Sapphire Isles emissary. “He’s not good for her, Rae.”
Auraelia let out a short, exasperated breath. “That may be, but it’s not our place to tell her not to be with someone. Especially since you and I both know it would just drive her to them. Andmaybeshe doesn’t know that there is a better option right under–well over–her nose.” She smiled and winked at her brother.
She loved both of them so much and just wanted them to find happiness.
Xander chuckled and shook his head. “Yeah, well, we’ll see what happens.”
They finished out the dance in comfortable silence, then parted ways. Him, presumably in search of Piper, and her in search of Daemon.
She could feel him. Feel the pull of his soul to hers, taught like a tether holding a ship to the dock during a storm. But she couldn’t seem to find him.
Auraelia walked out of the ballroom and into the gardens.
It was early, the sun had barely begun its descent and blue still blanketed the sky. The torches that had been set out to line the pathways remained unlit, as were the candles floating in the fountain, but the garden still felt magical.
The mixture of voices and music filtered out through the doors, but as she walked further into the organized chaos that made up the garden, the noise floated away on a breeze, leaving her in a relaxed silence as she wandered the gravel paths.
She hadn’t gone far when the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and her magic began swirling beneath her skin.
She smiled but continued her walk. Running the tips of her fingers along the rose bush that lined this particular path, careful not to prick her finger on their thorns. “You know, it’s not nice to sneak up on people,” she said into the void of silence that surrounded her.
Daemon’s deep chuckle rumbled from behind and sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. “I suppose you're right–” his arms snaked around her waist, pulling her flush against his body as he ran his nose up the column of her neck before stopping at her ear. “But it’s not really sneaking if you canfeelme behind you.” His words were barely a whisper, and they sent a wave of awareness through her body.
Her nipples stiffened into peaks behind the fabric of her dress, her skin prickled, and a heavy heat settled in her core.
Daemon’s hands skimmed along her stomach, his fingers brushing across her bare skin through the cutouts.
She leaned into the touch and rested her head on his shoulder.
“Ineedyou, my star. I could think of nothing else after I saw you last night.” He pulled her hips back into his and pressed the hard ridge of his cock into the soft curve of her ass.
She moaned and reached behind her to palm him over his pants. He hissed between his teeth then spun her around and gripped her chin between two fingers.
Auraelia locked her eyes on his and ran her tongue along her bottom lip.
“Fuck, Princess,” he groaned, his eyes rolling into the back of his head, before he devoured her mouth with his own.
Dropping the hold he had on her chin, he slid his hand in her hair at the nape of her neck, pulling gently to angle her the way he wanted her.
