Species Unknown [Book 1: Aves]

TWENTY-SEVEN

THE KITCHEN WENT silent following Aileen's cruel departure. In her absence, a heavy silence fell over the room. I suddenly had the urge to start squirming again, but Elias remained unbothered by my futile attempts to escape.

A slight blush tinted his cheeks, one of which was currently resting on the exposed skin of my chest. I could feel his warm breaths dance across my skin, making my heart race. As much as I hated to admit it, a part of me didn't want to move.

He looked so peaceful. His breaths were steady, and his eyes were shut with a blissful look painting his beautiful features. With my free arm, I gently ran my fingers through his hair, watching his expression. A small smile played over his lips as he let out another sigh, and I found myself smiling too.

Letting out a long breath, I let my head rest back on the floor. Closing my eyes, I raked my fingers through his soft hair. We stayed like that for what felt like hours, and I couldn't be happier.

But that feeling was squashed when the pain began. It started in my legs and worked its way up my back, a tingling burning sensation from the lack of movement and blood flow to my limbs.

I retracted my hand immediately and began to push at him again, but I was no match for the sheer weight of his body pressing me into the unforgiving wooden floor. I'm sure an ordinary man around his height would weigh around 200-250lbs, but he weighed quite a bit more considering his sizable wings.

It was suddenly getting difficult to breathe.

I tried again. "Elias, please. You have to get off me," I said more urgently, pushing at his shoulders. He wouldn't budge.

"Feels good," he murmured, pressing his cheek impossibly closer to my chest. His wings shifted too, circling us and lightly brushing my shoulder in the process. I shivered at the contact.

I thought back to the first time he let me touch his wings, and an idea came to me. I didn't want to do it, but he wasn't himself.

I had no choice.

Biting my lip, I reached over his back to his wing. As I slid my hand over the arch of his wing, a violent shiver raked over his body, and he let out a low moan as he curled himself closer to me.

I held in a noise of my own from the feeling of his body pressing impossibly closer to mine.

Wrapping my fingers around one stray feather, I closed my eyes and gave it a sharp tug.

Elias yelped, immediately recoiling off me slightly. Taking advantage of my sudden freedom, I slipped out from under him, readjusting my robe as I sat up to face him.

"Elias, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" I asked worriedly, looking over the feather.

"That hurt," he grumbled, swaying slightly. I put my arm out to steady him.

"I'm sorry, I had to get you off me somehow," I replied, stretching my legs slightly to regain the lost blood flow.

Elias frowned. "Why? Did you not feel good too?" He asked sullenly, pinning me with his glossy eyes.

My blush deepened. The truth is, it did feel perfect, but it felt wrong to say that when he was so drunk. So, I told him a different truth. "You're too heavy, and this floor is too hard," I said finally, trying to look as apologetic as possible.

He nodded, glaring at the wooden floor beneath us as if it was actually at fault.

"Hey, why don't we go to one of the bedrooms? I'm sure a soft bed would feel much better?" I asked, hoping to finally get us off the floor.

He perked up at that, nodding his head in agreement.

I cast him a small smile and helped him up the best I could, careful not to get too close just in case he decided to fall again.

Together we made our way out of the kitchen and down the hall towards one of the spare bedrooms Aileen had mentioned. I let Elias lean against the door while I opened it before helping him inside and onto the bed. As soon as he settled himself under the freshly washed linens, he lay back, closing his eyes with a long sigh.

Once he was settled, I began to leave. I paused when I felt a hand close around my wrist.

Turning back, I looked down at where Elias had grabbed me, trailing my gaze up from my arm to his eyes that held a silent question.

"Please don't go," he pleaded, sounding slightly more like his usual self, but his eyes were still glossy from the wine.

I thought about this for a moment, but seeing how tired he was after lying down, I figured it would be fine.

"Okay," I said, sliding into the other side of the bed. As soon as I was settled, I turned away from him and closed my eyes. It was silent for a while, but the last thing I remember before drifting to sleep was his arm wrapping itself around my waist, pulling me close.