Page 18 of The Flame King's Queen

“Sha’lenla.” My mate doesn’t seem to notice that we’re not alone. Despite his injuries, Zabriel hooks his left arm around me and lifts me smoothly up and against his chest. He covers my mouth with his in a kiss that steals my breath. He speaks the endearment over and over again between kisses. To my surprise, the powerful scent of a rut is rising from his body.

“How are you in a rut? I’m not in heat,” I whisper. I had the vague idea that Zabriel’s mating cycles and mine would be synchronous from now on, and seeing as I’m pregnant, I can’t go into heat, and neither would he rut.

Zabriel replies by growling and sinking his teeth into my shoulder. His dragines pinch my flesh, and the sensation sends a delicious wave of heat through my body.

Releasing me, he says to Dad and Anise, “I apologize for intruding. I hope you are comfortable in my castle.”

“I… Yes, we are, Your Majesty. Thank you for your hospitality,” Dad says.

My family is staring at Zabriel in shock, and I see him through their eyes. A massive man with scorching red eyes, his long black hair loose and flying in the wind, barefoot and wearing just a robe. He’s holding me in his arms and biting me. No wonder they are at a loss for words.

Anise is staring up at him with an open mouth. “Do you havefangs?”

“Anise,” Dad admonishes in an undertone. “This is your king.”

Zabriel smiles at her, showing off his elongated dragines. “I possess dragon’s teeth. That dragon’s teeth.” He nods at Scourge. “I will return Isavelle to you soon. Excuse us.”

Then he turns around and carries me away with him. Dad and Anise stare after us. I want them to love Zabriel as much as I love him, but so far, I don’t think my mate has made the best impression on them. First he appeared out of nowhere, covered in blood, and killed a man, and now he’s dragging me away from them in a fever of desire.

As soon as Zabriel gets us inside our bedroom, he presses me up against the door and kisses me hard, and all other thoughts flee from my mind.

I’ll worry about my family later.

“I still don’t understand how you’re in a rut,” I gasp as he kisses my throat and nips it with his teeth.

“I must fuck you to make the baby stronger.”

My eyes widen. “You must what?”

“How will our baby grow strong if I don’t rut you many times while you’re pregnant?”

“The baby will grow strong while I eat nourishing food, of course.”

“Is that not what your kind do? Human men are so careless.” He carries me over to the bed, drops me onto it, and shrugs out of his robe. I’m treated to the sight of my mate’s bandaged chest, the erect shaft of his cock, and his swollen knot. “That is your duty, to eat good food, and this is mine.”

“You need only say that you want me,” I say with a smile, and pull him down to me so I can kiss him. “You know I won’t deny you anything. There is no need for this story, unless it’s part of your culture.”

Zabriel’s brow creases in confusion. “Story? What story? This is very real. Human men don’t do this for their mates?”

“You meanyou’reserious?”

“I would not joke about our baby’s health and strength. Ask theHratha’lenabout it if you like. Why would Alphas rut while their mate is pregnant if it wasn’t good for the baby?” He takes my hand and wraps it around his knot.

The rich scent of his musk fills my nose and makes me dizzy with desire. “Well, I—”

Zabriel kisses me again, and I forget what I was going to say. If this is good for the baby, why not?

“Sha’lenla, the scent of you pregnant is driving me wild.” He sinks his teeth into my shoulder and mutters, “By the gods, my aching teeth.”

My slick is enthusiastically drenching my clothes in anticipation of his knot. His erection is bulging as he strips me bare, and his knot is aggressively swollen.

Without even thinking about it. I moan, roll over onto my stomach, and lift my hips up into the air. It’s pure instinct when he smells like this.

Zabriel leans forward and drags his tongue up my sex, tasting my slick and working my clit. With my cheek on my bed and looking beneath me, I can see him pumping his cock in his fist.

“Please, Alpha,” I whimper.

Zabriel freezes, and immediately sits up and drags the head of his cock along my sex. “You know I lose my mind when you beg me like that. Do you need me, Omega?”

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