Chapter 313: An Anger tempered by Lust
Cass raged for a little longer after that, especially because now he had energy to do so. The room was a mess when he let the others back into it, but it wasn’t for long. As soon as he was calm enough for others to enter, he told Lucian, and Lucian let the others in.
Lucian, for his part, was remaining stoic. More like a knight then what he was normally like. It seemed that he was using his powers, his ability to read Cass’ emotions and could tell that he was on a thin fucking edge.
Hell, he was just glad that the man wasn’t a total fucking idiot because otherwise, he might have strangled him after he heard the news. The worst part? The fucker probably would like it.
As Sam, Edgar, and Byron entered the room, low and cautious like they were entering into a dangerous animals room, Cass waved his hand and magic flowed from him. Soon, the mess that he was sure was alarming for everyone to see was quietly cleaning itself up.
With a start, Cass had a sense of Deja vu. Like this wasn’t the first time he’d done it. It was the first time for him, but given the feeling, probably not the first time for Lord Blackburn. Cass winced. He knew that Lord Blackburn had a temper, he didn’t like realising he was leaning into it.
No one else seemed to mind, and Sam rushed over to his side, Byron going to stand with Lucian, and Edgar? He took his time coming to Cass’ side, looking concerned, and left out.
"My Lord? Is everything alright?" Sam’s words washed over Cass and Cass felt his lips turn up in that fucking smile. Sam winced. It didn’t take a genius to know that it was not a pretty thing. It was full of the hatred and anger that Cass was feeling, as well as the disgust.
"No, nothing is alright, and I still have to hold this together until after the fucking ball." Cass spat, less at Sam, and more at the whole situation. He made sure to turn away from the man so he didn’t spit on him. The sigh that left his lips was involuntary, his whole being needing it. "Fucking fuckers. If I could get my hands on their fucking necks..." Cass muttered, his voice dropping down into a low, angry growl.
Lucian watched him from a distance, while Edgar came to a stop next to Sam. Both men were greatly concerned.
"I might suggest that if you are speaking of the gods, Cass, maybe keep that to just around the nursery tree. If it’s not the gods..." Edgar took a deep breath, before letting it out slowly. "I could maybe help?" He suggested and Cass scoffed. He turned his gaze towards Edgar, scanning him, taking him in.
His pretty features, his handsome eyes. The way that even while he was worried and nervous and feeling left out, he still looked like a damn work of art. It wasn’t anything he could control, it was just the way he looked. Out of the two of them, he should have been the more delicate one. It was so fucking annoying how everyone around him was more capable, more efficient then him. Cass had just grin and bear it.
Damn it. How the fuck did Lord Blackburn get through this damn feeling? This all consuming hopelessness over what you couldn’t do, and what had been done without your fucking consent?
"Edgar, I’m not going to ask you to go up against them. I’m not going to ask any of you to do that. This is between me and them, and they are going to realise they picked the wrong fucking person to mess with." Cass hissed. Edgar blinked, staring at Cass, before he nodded.
"Understood, Cass. Are you hungry? Lucian asked me to grab a bottle of wine for you, but if you’re feeling up to eating, I can just leave it in the room for you for later." Edgar was being sweet, kind. Cass didn’t have space inside of himself for kindness for others.
Rage consumed him. He wanted to lash out. Wanted to scream. Wanted to throw more things, become destructive. There was this abrasive feeling in his chest, that told him to get angry. Get mad. Be an asshole to those who cared about him.
Cass was familiar with this feeling, had let it speak to him when he had been younger, a kid who didn’t know better. Had gotten his ass handed to him over the years before he smartened up and learned that pride was useless. Which was why he was even angrier that it was trying to consume him now.
"Forgive me for if my tone is to be desired, but I’m guessing something isn’t quite right right now, and I have this rage consuming me." Cass spat. It took everyone in the room a second to register his words, and once they did, Cass watched as Sam and Edgar’s shoulders dropped.
"Is this related to...your monthlies?" Edgar asked softly and Cass gave an indignant snort.
"Oh, fucking absolutely." Cass grumbled. "And I’m not hungry. I doubt human food is going to help me right now." Cass sounded pissed. He was. He wanted to be fucking normal. Edgar nodded, his eyes softening, while Sam stiffened.
Sam went white, his gaze growing sharper as he examined Cass. Cass noticed from the corner of his eye that Sam opened his mouth several times to speak, but closed it again. Lucian watched Cass, speaking softly to Byron. The two were speaking to each other at such a low frequency that he was sure that no one else could hear them.
That made Cass mad.
Everything was getting under his skin right now. What he actually wanted under his skin? Inside his skin? A co-
Cass halted, his body jerking to a halt as the thought froze him in place. Fuck. Fuck! He wasn’t better at all! Was this the price he had to pay for trying to defy something that had been going on for years? Dirty fucking thoughts follow by his damn mouth watering?
Cass spun, turning towards his bed where he grabbed one of the pillows and gripped the end firmly with his hands before he began slamming it against the post holding up the bed. No one laughed at him, even as his face burned with embarrassment at his own thoughts.
"Fucking. Thoughts. Fuck. You." Cass ground out, furious he couldn’t even control himself. He could feel Lord Blackburn inside of him, could feel his pity for him. Cass wanted to laugh cruelly. Lord Blackburn was pitying him? Him?! He was the motherfucker who had been going through this for years? Why the fuck would he be pitying him?
The pillow exploded in a cascade of fluff and feathers. Cass knew there was another word for it. He didn’t give a fuck. He then dropped the empty carcass of a pillow and gave the bedframe the middle finger. It felt good, right.
Lucian burst into laughter, unable to contain himself.
Cass snapped his head in his direction, glaring angrily. Lucian waved his hand, his eyes warm.
"Please, continue. I’m sure no one liked the pillows anyways. I certainly didn’t." Lucian joked and Cass turned his middle finger towards him. Lucian’s eyes curled up as he smiled. "Sweetness, I don’t know what that means." Cass wanted to spit on the ground, but he wasn’t a degenerate.
So he let out a long, suffering sigh, shifting his stance as he continued to glare at the dragon.
"It means, fuck you, derogatory." Cass stated with more calmness then he thought he could muster in this moment. Lucian’s eyes brightened, and Edgar even snorted.
"Derogatory? I don’t know what that means." Lucian said carefully. "But I do know what fuck you means." Cass’ lip curled up in a snarl.
"It means, negative. Not good. Not in the way you’re fucking thinking." Cass told him and Lucian tossed his head back and laughed.
"Oh sweetness, I know you’re trying to wound me, but you really aren’t. Your cheeks are too flushed, and you aren’t throwing things at me to tell me to leave. If you actually want to tell me to ’fuck you’, you need to actually mean it." Lucian’s voice was kind, cloying, and made Cass’ blood boil.
He was making fun of him. He wasn’t even using it right!
"No, it means fuck off when you use it like how you are saying it. Broader." Cass said stiffly, and Edgar sighed, putting his head in his hands.
"If you two are going to flirt without me, could you at least do it when I’m not in the room? I feel like a third wheel." Edgar said, and Cass stiffened immediately. His whole body went stock still, his face flushing a dangerous shade of red. Lucian’s voice haunted him as he laughed, loudly, and Sam coughed.
"I am not-we are not-Edgar!" Cass hissed, annoyed, flustered and Edgar was smirking under his hand.
"You are very much flirting, Cass. Whether you are aware of it or not." Edgar said and Cass felt like he was going to explode. He was shaking, the simmering in his gut was rising, and fuck it, he was angry. At all of them. But right now, more at Lucian than anyone else.
So, he did something reckless, without much care for who saw him. It was his fucking bedroom, after all. Everyone else could go fuck themselves.
Cass reached for Edgar, grabbing the man by the front of his shirt and yanked him forward. It was clear that Edgar was not expecting him to have as much strength behind his hold as he did. Everyone seemed shocked, including Cass.
Who knew semen gave him super strength?
Edgar stumbled forward, his hand coming off of his face to tentatively catch himself if he needed to, and Cass pulled the other man towards him. Edgar’s eyes were wide as Cass narrowed his own before he grabbed Edgar’s face in his hand and pulled their mouths closer to each other.
Edgar let out a small gasp as their lips met, and Cass was the one who deepened the kiss immediately. Did he know what he was doing? Absolutely not. Did he care about that right now? Fuck no.
Edgar let out a soft noise, before he was angling Cass’ head, kissing him with a better technique, but not in a show off kind of way. Like he was coaxing Cass in a different direction. Cass didn’t care as long as it felt good.
Cass’ toes curled against the thick rug, and when Edgar pulled away, all the anger had drained out of Cass and he felt like he was floating. His body was relaxed, his shoulders down, and the burning in his chest, in his stomach was replaced with something softer. Gentler.
It could still roar to life, but it had taken on a different tone. Edgar’s cheeks were flushed, and he held Cass slightly away from him, his eyes dazed.
"What in the gods name?" He whispered, his eyes darting to Lucian. Lucian had ushered everyone else out of the room and had come to stand near them, a knowing look in his face.
"It’s his demonic blood, Edgar. He tastes sweeter during this time." Edgar listened to the other man speak, while Cass made a face at the revelation. Sweeter? What the fuck did that mean? Was he a damn candy or something? Gross. Ugh.
Edgar licked his lips, as if chasing the taste, before he dropped his head, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
"No wonder you’re in charge. I feel like I’m on the edge right now. I understand why Cass chose just you now. I’m...not resistant to this in the slightest." Edgar muttered, raising his gaze and Cass flinched. The man looked...resigned. Like he’d finally come to terms with something. Cass wanted to tell him that wasn’t why he’d chosen Lucian, he didn’t view Edgar as lesser than, but the words caught in his throat at the way that the other man was looking at him.
Cass knew he couldn’t let this miscommunication last, knew that it would damage something, but the words kept getting caught in his throat. The silence dragged on, and Cass worried more as he felt Edgar begin to pull away.
Lucian stepped in.