I woke up to the warmth of Aeliana's body pressed against mine, her soft breath fanning my neck as she slept. The room was dim, the morning light barely filtering through the heavy curtains. I knew I should get up, had a damn mission waiting, but hell if I cared right now. I wanted to stay like this, just a little longer, soaking in the feel of her against me.
I tightened my arm around her waist, pulling her closer, and she stirred, her lashes fluttering as she slowly woke up.
"Ciara," she mumbled, her voice husky from sleep. "You need to get up."
I groaned, burying my face in her hair. "Fuck that," I muttered. "I'm not going anywhere."
She chuckled softly, a sound that sent a shiver down my spine. "You have a mission," she reminded me, her hand gently pushing against my chest in a half-hearted attempt to make me move.
"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled, refusing to let her go. "Mission can wait."
Aeliana shifted, turning to face me, her eyes sleepy but full of warmth. "You know it can't."
I smirked, trailing a finger down her spine, feeling her shiver beneath my touch. "What are they gonna do? Start without me?"
"Leora will kill you if you don't get your ass out of bed," she said, though her voice was filled with amusement.
"Let her try," I said, leaning in to brush my lips against hers. "I've got better things to do right now."
She kissed me back, her lips soft and warm against mine, but then she pulled away, her expression serious. "Ciara, you really need to go."
I sighed, rolling onto my back and dragging her with me, so she was sprawled on top of me. "What's the hurry?" I asked, my hands resting on her hips. "We've got time."
She gave me a look, one that was half exasperation and half affection. "You're impossible."
"And you love it," I shot back, grinning.
She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips. "You're not going to make this easy, are you?"
"Never," I said, my hands slipping under her shirt to rest on the warm skin of her back.
We stayed like that for a few minutes, just enjoying the quiet, the feel of each other. It was moments like this that made everything else seem so far away, like the rest of the world didn't matter. Just me and her, in this room, in this bed.
"Ciara," Aeliana said again, her tone a little more insistent this time.
"Fine, fine," I sighed dramatically, sitting up and bringing her with me. "I'll go. But I'm not happy about it."
She laughed, the sound bright and full of life, and I couldn't help but smile. "You'll survive," she teased, pressing a quick kiss to my lips before pulling away completely.
I watched her as she moved to the edge of the bed, my eyes following the curve of her back, the way her hair fell over her shoulders. Damn, she was beautiful. And she was mine, even if she didn't quite know it yet.
I reached out, grabbing her hand before she could stand. "Wait."
She turned back to me, raising an eyebrow. "What now?"
I pulled her back towards me, wrapping my arms around her waist and nuzzling her neck. "Just one more kiss."
She sighed, but it was a playful sound, and she leaned down, her lips brushing mine in a soft, lingering kiss.
"There," she said when she pulled back, her voice a little breathless. "Satisfied?"
"Not even close," I murmured, but I let her go, watching as she stood and stretched, her shirt riding up to reveal a sliver of skin that made my mouth go dry.
"Too bad," she said with a grin, pulling her shirt down and giving me a pointed look. "Now get up before I have to drag you out of here myself."
I smirked, finally swinging my legs over the side of the bed and standing. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
She just laughed, shaking her head as she headed towards the door. "Hurry up, Ciara."
I grumbled under my breath, but I followed her, grabbing my gear as I went. We were halfway to the door when it suddenly burst open, slamming against the wall with enough force to make the paintings rattle.
"What the fuck—"
"Ciara!" Leora's voice boomed through the room, and I barely had time to react before she stormed in, her eyes blazing. "Why the hell are you still here?"
"Morning to you too, grandma," I muttered, trying to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.
"Don't you 'morning' me," she snapped, grabbing my arm and practically dragging me out of the room. "You've got a mission, and I'm not about to let you screw it up because you were too busy making out with your girlfriend."
Aeliana was following behind us, trying to stifle her laughter. I shot her a look over my shoulder, but she just shrugged, a smile playing on her lips.
"She's not my girlfriend," I said as Leora hauled me down the hallway.
"Could've fooled me," Leora muttered, her grip on my arm like a damn vice. "Now move it."
"Jesus, I'm going, I'm going," I grumbled, but she didn't let up until we were in her office.
She finally let me go, and I rubbed my arm, scowling at her. "You didn't have to drag me, you know."
"If I didn't, you'd still be in that damn bed," she retorted, crossing her arms and glaring at me. "Now, sit down. We need to talk."
I flopped down into a chair, crossing my legs and trying not to look too pissed off. "Alright, what's the deal?"
Leora sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose like she was already tired of my shit. "You've got a mission, Ciara. And it's important."
"Aren't they all?" I said, raising an eyebrow.
"This one is different," she said, her voice serious. "You're going to be escorting the Duke and Duchess of Ashhaven. They're visiting for some political bullshit, and they need protection."
"Sounds boring as hell," I said, leaning back in the chair. "Why can't someone else do it?"
"Because I'm telling you to do it," she snapped. "And because this isn't just about keeping them safe. There's something else going on, and I need you to find out what it is."
"Great," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "Just what I needed."
"You'll be leaving in an hour," she said, ignoring my complaints. "So get ready."
"Yeah, yeah," I said, standing up. "Anything else?"
"Just one thing," she said, and there was something in her tone that made me stop and look at her.
"What?"
Before she could answer, the door to her office opened, and a woman walked in. And holy shit.
She was breathtaking, with green, flowing hair and eyes that seemed to see right through me. She moved with a grace that was almost unnatural, her steps light and deliberate. Her presence was commanding, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
"This is Lady Cassandra," Leora said, her voice cutting through my daze. "She'll be accompanying you on this mission."
I blinked, trying to shake off the effect she had on me. "Uh, hi," I managed to say, my usual bravado faltering just a bit.
She smiled, a slow, knowing smile that made something in my chest tighten. "Hello, Ciara," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Good things, I hope," I said, trying to regain my composure.
"Very good things," she said, her eyes locking onto mine in a way that made me feel like I was being stripped bare.
"Well," I said, clearing my throat. "I guess we'll be working together then."
"Indeed," she said, her smile widening just a fraction. "I'm looking forward to it."
There was something in the way she said it that made me wonder just what I was getting myself into. But whatever it was, I had a feeling this mission was going to be anything but boring.
I shook my head slightly, trying to clear the fog that Cassandra's presence had created. Damn, she was stunning, but I shouldn't be thinking like this.
I had Aeliana, and she was more than just beautiful she was hot, she was everything. I mentally kicked myself for even letting my thoughts wander like that.
Cassandra's eyes stayed on me, like she was waiting for me to say something, but all I could think about was how I needed to get my head straight. I forced a smile, hoping it didn't look as strained as it felt.
"So, Cassandra," I said, trying to sound casual, "I guess we'll be spending a lot of time together on this mission."
"Yes," she replied, her smile never wavering. "I'm sure we'll make quite the team."
Her words were smooth, almost too smooth, and something about them made my skin prickle. I knew I had to keep my focus.
Aeliana's face flashed in my mind, her laugh, her smile, the way she looked at me when she thought I wasn't paying attention. There was no comparison Aeliana was the one who mattered.
I turned to Leora, who was watching me with a knowing look, and nodded. "Alright, I'll get ready."
As I left the room, I couldn't help but glance back at Cassandra, but then I shook it off. I needed to focus on what was important, and right now, that was making sure I didn't fuck up this mission.