Chapter 34: Ravage Me Before You Go

𖤐••{LUCÆRYS’S POV}••⛧

I raise my hand and knock gently on Azeria’s door.

"Azeria," I call softly.

There’s silence for a few heartbeats before her voice comes from the other side.

"Come in."

I push the door open to find her sitting on the edge of her bed, her hands folded in her lap. Even after I enter and shut the door behind me, she doesn’t look up at me.

I rest my back against the door and fold my arms.

"Azeria... are you okay?" I ask quietly.

She finally looks up before giving me a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

"I’m fine," she murmurs.

She’s not.

And I know exactly why she’s upset.

I push off the door, and as I cross the space between us, a smile curves my lips when an idea comes to me—one I know will cheer her up.

But the moment I come close enough, my smile vanishes and my shoulders drop.

"Azeria, what are you doing?" I say sharply.

I rush forward and grab her wrists, pulling her hands apart to stop her from picking at her fingers.

My eyes widen as I stare at her fingers, my stomach twisting at the sight. Her nails are smeared with blood and the skin around each one has been picked raw, leaving angry, bleeding wounds.

She’s always done this whenever she’s anxious, frightened, or desperately trying to cope with something. It’s a habit she developed after what happened to us so long ago, one she never managed to break no matter how hard she tried.

I watch as the bleeding slows and the raw flesh pulls itself together until the wounds seal. Then my brows furrow, my concern deepening as I stare into her eyes.

"Azeria..." I whisper, gently turning her hands over in mine. "So you’re still doing this to yourself?"

She jerks her hands away from mine and folds her arms tightly across her chest, turning her face away.

"I don’t want to talk about it," she mutters.

A sigh escapes me as I straighten before lowering myself onto the bed beside her.

"Then let’s talk about what’s actually bothering you," I say firmly. "It’s your mother, isn’t it?"

She immediately turns back to face me.

"It’s not just her, it’s everything else," she admits, her tone filled with hurt. "This family has survived and stood together through thick and thin. Samæl’s rebellion and his murder of my father didn’t break us. The bloody war that started right after didn’t break us. But Rhiannon..."

Azeria pauses for a moment before giving a light shrug.

"I don’t even blame the poor girl," she continues. "She never asked for any of this. But her presence in this empire has brought out the worst in people—the worst in my mother. And now, for the first time, my family is turning against itself."

I slowly raise my hand and cup her cheek, searching her eyes for a few heartbeats.

"Azeria," I say softly. "You feel everything too deeply."

Her eyes flicker with sadness.

"You care too much," I go on, "and you worry about everyone. And whenever something goes wrong, you convince yourself that it’s somehow your responsibility to fix it."

Her eyes begin to glisten.

"But it isn’t," I say, brushing my thumb gently across her cheek. "None of this is your burden to bear. You didn’t cause what happened to Rhiannon. You can’t change your mother’s mind. You can’t stop Azræl from making his own choices. And you certainly can’t protect everyone from the consequences of what’s happening."

Her eyes drop to her hands.

I follow her gaze and my chest tightens when I see the faint traces of blood still staining her fingertips.

"I know you’re hurting," I whisper. "And it pains me to know I have to begin my journey home tonight."

She immediately looks at me.

"You’re leaving?" she asks, her brows drawn together.

I give her a small nod. "My parents summoned me back to Noctis."

"Oh," she says slowly, her shoulders sagging. "I’m really going to miss you."

A small smile tugs at my lips. "Well, you could always come visit."

"Not with everything that’s happening right now," she replies quietly. "I guess this is goodbye."

For a moment, we do nothing but hold each other’s gaze until Azeria leans in. The moment she presses her lips against mine, I realize just how much I don’t want this to be goodbye.

I pull back just enough to look into her eyes.

"I don’t know when I’ll see you again," I whisper.

Her fingers curl around the front of my shirt. "Neither do I."

"Then promise me something," I say, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"What?"

I rest my forehead against hers.

"Promise me that when I leave, you’ll keep a place for me here," I murmur, resting my hand right where her heart is. "Until I return, I don’t want another man’s lips on yours... or his hands where mine have been."

Her breath ghosts over my lips.

"I promise," she replies softly. "Now promise me something too."

"Anything."

Her fingers curl tighter around my collar.

"Don’t take another lover while we’re apart," she says. "I don’t even want you looking at another woman."

My eyes narrow and my lips pull into a sheepish smile. "But my mother is a woman."

"Oh Gods, Lucærys, you know exactly what I mean," she says, laughing softly.

I can’t help but chuckle too.

When it finally fades and we fall quiet again, I take both her hands in mine, locking our fingers together.

"I promise," I murmur before capturing her lips with mine.

The kiss starts slow and gentle.

I welcome her, parting my lips as I move them with hers. Our tongues slip into each other’s mouths, tasting, savoring, and fighting for dominance as they dance together.

I gently push her down, going along with her until her back is against the bed and I’m right on top of her. As we continue to kiss, my fingers find the neckline of her gown. I pull at it until it rips and her breasts spill free. Then I break the kiss, my chest heaving as I stare down at her full, succulent tits.

I cup both of them firmly, letting their weight fill my hands. Her nipples are hard against my skin as I palm her tits. I shift my attention to them, flicking them gently and rolling them between my fingers.

Azeria bites down on her bottom lip, her eyes darkening with lust as she watches me.

"Do you like that?" I ask, my voice rough.

"Yes," she whispers.

I lower my head to one of her breasts, taking the nipple in my mouth. As I suck slowly and swirl my tongue around the hardened peak, her eyes flutter shut and a shudder wracks her body.

Breathless moans begin to leave her lips as I pleasure her with my mouth, moving back and forth between each nipple until she’s a whimpering mess thrashing her head from side to side.

When I finally pull away, I waste no time ripping off anything that conceals her naked body from my gaze. Once she’s lying completely bare before me, my cock strains against the fabric of my trousers, aching for release.

Within seconds, I strip myself naked and my cock springs free, throbbing with a bead of my seed already leaking from the tip.

"Suck my cock, Azeria," I demand. "I want you to wet it with your tongue."

Without hesitation, she gets on her hands and knees, her eyes never leaving mine as she seductively crawls toward me. She wraps both her hands around the length, stroking me gently before her tongue darts out and licks the drop of seed leaking at the tip, sending a shiver coursing throughout my body.

She drags her tongue along my shaft before closing her mouth around the head. Slowly, my cock disappears into her mouth inch by inch until I feel it hit the back of her throat, her eyes never leaving mine the entire time.

She draws a groan out of me when she starts moving, swirling her tongue along my shaft as she pulls back until just the head remains in her mouth, then sucking me deep again until almost the entire length disappears inside her again.

My eyes drift shut as I throw my head back.

"That’s it," I groan. "Worship my cock with that mouth."

Her head bobs, and wet sloppy sounds fill the room as she quickens her pace, making stars dance behind my eyelids.

Before I know it, I sink my hands into her hair, holding her head firm as I begin thrusting my hips forward, fucking her mouth mercilessly. She gags every now and then, but still, she takes it very well. And every time she moans around my cock, the tremors send waves of pleasure through me.

The moment I feel my balls clench tight, I go even faster than before.

"I’m going to come and you’ll swallow it," I say roughly. "Swallow every single drop of my seed, Azeria."

She moans in response, nodding her head as much as she can.

A deep growl tears from my throat, my hips jerking as my body trembles violently, spurt after spurt.

My fingers loosen from her hair, and my chest heaves as I pull out of her mouth. My cock is still throbbing and erect, slick with my release and her spit.

Azeria lies back on the bed, spreading her thighs wide open.

My cock twitches as I look at the soft, plump lips of her cunt, the entrance already glistening with her wetness.

She holds my gaze as her fingers trail from her stomach all the way down to folds of her cunt, then she slips two fingers inside and begins touching herself.

"Lucærys," she whispers. "I want you to fuck me as if this will be our last time together. I want you to ravage me so hard that this moment will be the only thing I think of for months."

A devious smirk curves my lips as I climb on top of her, planting my hands beside her head.

I lean in slowly until my lips brush against her ear. Then I take her earlobe between my lips and, for a few heartbeats, lick it gently, nibbling at the soft skin and making her shudder beneath me.

"As you wish, my love," I whisper.