Page 13 of Guardian of the Cursed Egg
“It’s times like this I wish I had wings like Abraxis instead of my horns,” she says, her voice quieter now, thoughtful. “I’d spread them wide and just lay here in the warm water.” A coy smile curves her lips, and she rolls her eyes, that glint of wicked humor sparking in her gaze. “As if you can’t figure it out, I have a wing fetish. I find them sexy.”
She bites her bottom lip, her golden eyes blazing as they shift, turning into those dragon-slit pupils that never fail to stir something primal inside me. The heat between us crackles like a storm about to break, and for a moment, all I can do is stand there, caught between awe and the magnetic pull of her.
I blink several times, her words swirling in my head. Did she really just ask me that? “Are you asking me to shift for you? Wrap you up in my gargoyle’s wings?” My voice is even, but deep down, I’m hoping that’s not what she wants. My shifted form is a monster—not grotesque, but rougher, darker. Not much larger than I am now, but still... different. My skin hardens like stone, and my wings? They don’t attach smoothly like Abraxis’s. The leather stretches awkwardly from my back to my hips, jagged and primal. She wouldn’t even be able to wrap her legs around me if she wanted to.
“Yes, please.” Her smile lights up her face, and then she squeals, scooting back from the edge of the tub. The movement sends ripples dancing over the surface, and every inch of her bare skin gleams through the water. My breath catches—seizes—leaving me frozen for a moment as I take her in.
Before I even realize it, my shift surges to the surface, breaking free with a force I can’t control. She giggles, crooking a finger at me, her mischievous grin making it impossible to resist. The remnants of my sweatpants shred as I rip them away, exposing everything. There’s no hiding how turned on I am, and she notices—of course, she notices. Her smile deepens, heat sparking in her eyes.
So far, so good. I guess. My track record isn’t great; I’ve only ever been with my own kind. Most others are too scared of us—of me. But not Mina. Never Mina. I step into the water, barely sinking into its warmth before she’s climbing me like I’m a tree. Her legs wrap tight around my hips, her hands gripping my shoulders, and I grab hold of her firm ass to steady her.
A soft, pleased purr vibrates through her chest, and she rubs her cheek against mine. It’s intimate, instinctive, and it sends a shiver straight down my spine. I don’t know if it’s a dragon thing, some inherited trait from Callan’s gryphon, or just … her. Mina, always surprising me, always pushing past every wall I’ve ever built.
CHAPTER 8
Mina
Vaughn’s gargoyleform is mesmerizing—raw, untamed beauty. His four horns curl from his head like a regal crown, and his skin is dark, and reminds me of a shark’s hide—rough, dangerous. But those wings. My breath catches every time I see them. Massive, slate-gray expanses of leather and sinew, their sheer power evident in the thick bone fingers that spread the membranes. At the peaks, sharp claws gleam, eerily similar to Abraxis’s. I can’t help but wonder—does he use those claws during mating, the way dragons do? The thought sends a shiver through me, my instincts stirring.
Any lingering doubts about his attraction to me dissolves when he tears away the remnants of his sweatpants with a feral growl. My gaze drops, and heat blooms in my chest as my dragon stirs, purring approval. His erection is impossible to ignore, standing tall and proud, reaching toward his sculpted abdomen.
I don’t wait. Leaping into his arms, I refuse to give him even a second to hesitate. His strong hands grip my ass, pulling me closer. I bury my face against his neck, inhaling his scent, rubbing against him like it’sthe only thing that can soothe the ache thrumming through my veins. A low growl rumbles from my chest as my teeth shift, sharp dragon fangs replacing their human counterparts.
I nip at his skin, a frenzy of instinct and want overtaking me. My dragon screams to mark him, to claim him as ours, and I can feel her pushing for control. But Vaughn has other plans.
His tail snakes around my waist with startling precision, tightening like an iron band and pulling me back just enough to force my eyes to his. His voice is a low, commanding growl, dripping with dominance.
“If we’re going to do this,” he says, his lips curling into a predatory smirk, “we do it my way.”
My pulse quickens, and a mixture of defiance and submission surges through me. My dragon rumbles her discontent, but there’s no denying the thrill that shoots through me at his words.
I’m locked in a standoff, baring my teeth at him, but he only smirks. The audacity of it sets my blood boiling. That smug, infuriating grin dances across his face for just a moment before he lets loose a growl—deep, rumbling, and primal. The sound vibrates through the air, and I feel it, a phantom pulse that twists through my core, sending a thrill skittering over my scales. My lips part, and I unconsciously lick them, tasting the anticipation heavy in the air.
“So?” I taunt, my voice steady despite the storm he’s conjured inside me. “What is your way?”
I try to lean back, but his tail tightens around my waist like a living python, holding me firmly in place. My frustration rises, but it’s tinged with something else—something dangerous, enticing.
The coil loosens suddenly, releasing me, only for his hands to claim their place. His fingers dig into my ribcage as he lifts me effortlessly,and his tail snakes lower, guiding my legs to drape over his arms. I’m suspended, his strength a reminder of how utterly outmatched I am. His eyes blacken, abyssal and endless, just before he surges forward.
His mouth claims me, hot and unrelenting, his tongue moving like it’s designed to ruin me. He devours my core as though it’s the only thing keeping him alive, the need in his every movement raw and consuming. My breath catches as his claws—sharp, lethal extensions of his wings—dig into my shoulders, pinning me in place.
His tongue elongates, snaking deeper, and I arch involuntarily, a helpless cry escaping my lips. Every nerve alights, every thought vanishes under the onslaught of sensation. He owns me in this moment, body, and soul, and I’m powerless to resist.
My orgasm rips through me like the lightning pulsing up my horns. I try to thrash and grind down on his face, but can’t. He tightens his grip on me before his tail snakes up and into my pulsing core, replacing his tongue. Vaughn latches onto that little bundle of nerves, flicking it relentlessly. My hips jerk with every flick of his tongue, his claws on his wings dig into my skin harder, making my back arch further until my head is hanging backwards.
Vaughn rumbles deeply, making his lips vibrate harder against me. Panting, I keep saying his name like a prayer. I feel like I am two heartbeats away from having my orgasm be the death of me.
I let out a sharp gasp as Vaughn pulls me down onto him, the stretch of his length taking my breath away. His soulless black eyes bore into mine, a flicker of human hazel flashing in them for the briefest moment before vanishing. He’s giving me time to adjust, his hands sliding along my sides in slow, soothing strokes. His deep rumble vibrates through me as he leans in, nibbling along my jaw and downmy neck, careful to avoid Abraxis’s side. His lips hover over my shoulder.
“Is this mine?” he growls, his teeth grazing the skin before biting down—not hard enough to break the surface, but enough to send a shiver through me.
“Yes…” I pant, the word escaping as I instinctively try to move to find some kind of release.
His hands clamp down on my hips, stilling me completely. “Not yet, little mate.” His wings sweep forward, cocooning me in their shadow, cutting us off from the rest of the world. His voice is soft yet commanding, a gravelly whisper against my ear. “Gargoyles do things a little differently.” He nuzzles my cheek, his lips trailing down my neck to the curve of my shoulder.
My breath catches as he grips my hips tighter, lifting me almost completely off of him, the sensation pulling a whimper from my throat. Then, with a feral growl, his teeth sink into my shoulder, sharp and unyielding, as he slams me down onto him, burying himself to the hilt.
The sudden, overwhelming pleasure sends me over the edge, and instinct takes over. I lunge forward, sinking my teeth into his neck, just beneath his jaw where it’s most visible—where everyone can see. The act is primal, and I’m loving every moment of it.
