Page 71 of Queen of the Cursed Egg
Mina walks to the edge of the water and stares out over the waves, her silhouette graceful against the endless blue horizon. I step up behind my mate, and that feeling of something being wrong intensifies, though now it’s colored with anticipation rather than dread.
“Mina...” I whisper as I kiss just under her ear, and her scent hits me like a freight train, rich and intoxicating with new undertones that make my mouth water and my pulse race. Carefully, I lift her hair, the silken strands slipping through my fingers like liquid moonlight, and see the magenta of her scales gleaming in the afternoon sunlight.
The sight stops my heart for a full beat before it resumes at double time. She’s in heat, and that’s what my instincts have been screaming about all day.
Slowly she turns and looks up at me, her eyes all dragon as she stares at me, the golden depths swirling with ancient fire. “I choose you, Klauth.” She kisses me under my jaw, her lips soft and warm against my skin, and I purr deeply for her, the sound rumbling from somewhere deep in my chest.
“Do you mean it?” I lean down and kiss her lips softly, tasting the sweetness of her mouth and the promise of what’s to come.
“I mean it. I’ve been tracking you since after I spent time with Balor this morning.” Her fingers find their way to the buttons on my shirt and pop the top few slowly, each small sound unnaturally loud in the relative quiet of our private beach. I watch as each button comes undone, my heart speeding up with each inch of skin she reveals. I feel my heartbeat thundering in my ears.
For once in my long existence, I am speechless, struck dumb by the magnitude of what she’s offering me. Her eyes are focused on the buttons, then on the path her hands take sliding up my chest, thesensation of her fingertips against my skin like electricity. The feel of her skin against mine is like the first time all over again, that perfect combination of silk and heat that sets my nerves ablaze. Her skin feels like warm silk sliding over mine as she cups my shoulders and slides my shirt down my arms, the fabric whispering as it falls to the sand. I’m rooted to the spot, paralyzed by want and ancient protocol.
Ancient protocol dictates the female decides when she’s willing to breed. I am at her mercy, and never has submission felt so much like worship. Scales ripple under my skin as her hands slide down my abs to my pants, each touch sending shockwaves through my nervous system. My pulse throbs in my cock in time with my heartbeat, the dual rhythm becoming the only music that matters. The softest of purrs escapes Mina’s lips as she drops my belt to the sand with a soft thud and then unbuttons and lowers the zipper, letting my pants fall around my ankles. I am completely bare before my mate, and she looks me over with eyes that burn with dragonic fire, her inspection both thrilling and terrifying. This is the hardest part of the traditions, waiting for the inspection to be over, knowing that acceptance or rejection hangs in the balance.
Mina steps before me and slips the straps of her sundress off of her shoulders, letting it hit the sand with barely a whisper of sound. Slowly she turns for me, and I see the full breadth of the scales on her body, their iridescent beauty stealing what little breath I have left. Since hitting wyrm status, her scales have changed, becoming more pronounced and elaborate. Not only does she have scales that fan out over her shoulders like butterfly wings, there’s a second set now, more defined and beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen. The second set of wings stretches from the center of her hips over her tailbone, covering both ass cheeks and extending several inches down the back of her thighs like living armor made of precious gems. Magenta is mixed in with the green and silver, the colors swirling together in patterns that speak of fertility and readiness, which tells me she’s carrying her first egg, the knowledge hitting me like a physical blow.
Mina moves and kneels on the sand, then drops down onto her forearms, leaving her ass in the air in full submission, the ultimate gesture of trust and invitation. My drake roars in my head as we close the distance between us in seconds, drawn by instincts older than time. “My eternal love,” I say as I caress Mina’s hips, feeling the silken texture of her skin and the subtle ridge of scales beneath my palms, before sinking my length into her hot, welcoming depths. The sensation is indescribable, like coming home after an eternity of wandering, every nerve ending singing with pleasure and completion.
Knowing at this very moment I am producing my heir with the love of my life almost steals my breath away, the magnitude of it overwhelming every other thought. Every stroke my heart beats just for her, the rhythm of our mating becoming a prayer made flesh. Knowing this incredible female chose me sight unseen all those months ago. She fell in love with me while I was imprisoned, not knowing who I was at my core—the knowledge fills me with humility and fierce protectiveness. I will spend the rest of my days worshiping the very ground she walks on, and even that won’t be enough to repay what she’s given me.
Soft moans escape Mina’s lips as I take my time thrusting slowly in and out of her, savoring every sensation, every sound she makes. I flood our bond with how much I love her, pouring every emotion I can’t voice through our connection until it flows between us like molten gold. Her orgasm washes over her like gentle waves, and I do everything in my power to prolong her release, feeling her inner walls flutter around me like silk ribbons. Mating is supposed to be rough and quick, but not today. My child will be born flooded with the love I have for its mother, conceived in tenderness rather than a mere biological imperative.
I pull Mina up to kneel when I feel myself getting close, my control fraying at the edges. “Almost there, my eternal love.” I kiss under her ear as I hold her flush to my body, feeling every curve and valley ofher form pressed against mine. Three more thrusts, and my knots swell, the sensation almost overwhelming as I feel my flare expand, locking me in place before I come harder than I ever have in my life, white-hot pleasure consuming every nerve ending. Mina cries out as a roar rips free from my lips, the sound echoing across the empty beach like a declaration to the gods. I turn my head and bite Mina over my original mate mark, tasting copper and salt and the indefinable essence that is uniquely hers, praying to all the gods and goddesses that we were successful.
Carefully, I maneuver us to lie on the sand, the warm grains cushioning us as I rest her head on my bicep, her hair spilling across my skin like liquid silver and emerald. The only downside of being a mature drake—we get locked in place as small orgasms hit, sending more of our seed into our mate, each pulse accompanied by waves of pleasure that keep me on the edge of consciousness.
“Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” I kiss Mina’s shoulder and hold her tightly against me, suddenly afraid that my size or enthusiasm might have caused her discomfort.
“It was perfect. A beautiful setting, a private place for just us, and good weather.” Mina laughs a little and lets out a contented sigh that vibrates through her body and into mine. “After we rest, I need you to drop me off somewhere and send Thauglor to look for me.” She carefully turns her head, mindful of her horns as she tries to look over her shoulder at me, her eyes soft with satisfaction and love.
A smile crosses over my lips as understanding dawns. I know exactly where Mina wants to go. The knowledge filling me with a mixture of joy and anticipation. Thauglor and I spoke about it at length the other night, the conversation filled with hope and careful planning. Mina promised that is where their first child would be conceived, the sacred oasis he offered to her as his mating present.
Carefully, I lower my hand and rest it on her lower stomach, feeling the slight warmth there that speaks of a new life beginning. If sheshifts now, she won’t be able to shift back until after her eggs are laid. The ancient magic that governs our kind ensuring that growing life remains protected. It’s why she needs me to take her to the oasis Thauglor created all those centuries ago, that place of beauty and memory where their love story will reach its next chapter.
I feel the minute Mina falls asleep in my arms, her breathing deepening and her body relaxing completely against mine, trusting me to keep her safe while she rests. The salt breeze carries the scent of the ocean and the faint perfume of tropical flowers from the island’s interior, while seabirds call overhead in a peaceful symphony.
A nap right now sounds divine, the combination of post-mating endorphins and the warm sun making my eyelids heavy. Soon, I’ll need to take her to Thauglor, but for now, I’m content to hold my mate and the mother of my child as she sleeps in the paradise we’ve found together.
CHAPTER 49
Mina
I am sothankful that Klauth was so understanding about what I was asking of him. His acceptance of our unconventional arrangement filling me with warmth and gratitude. I know if I shift now, I can’t shift back to my human form, the ancient magic that governs our kind, ensuring that growing life remains protected within my dragon’s body. At this present moment, I know there’s at least two eggs forming, a strange tingling sensation deep in my core that speaks of new life beginning to take shape. Stepping into the water, I wade in to hip deep, enjoying how cool it is against my skin, the temperature a perfect contrast to the heat building within me from the eggs already developing.
What Cerce told me echoes in my mind, her words carrying the weight of ancient wisdom: as females get older, we tend to lay more eggs. The thought sends a shiver of anticipation and slight apprehension through me, but that’s a concern for later. For now, I focus on the pristine beauty surrounding me and the anticipation of what’s to come.
If Klauth does as I ask, Ziggy will bring Thauglor to me, the thought making my heart race with nervous excitement. I walk into the deeper water, standing within the distance of the waterfall’s spray, feeling the fine mist kiss my skin like tiny diamonds. The water is crystal clear, so pure I can see every detail of the bottom, and the stones glitter like polished gems, their surfaces worn smooth by centuries of flowing water. For whatever reason, algae doesn’t seem to grow here, nor does the water support life. It’s as if this place exists outside the normal laws of nature, preserved in eternal perfection.
I feel Ziggy’s and Thauglor’s arrival before they actually manifest here, their familiar energy signatures blooming in my awareness like flowers opening to sunlight, warm and comforting in their predictability.
“Good luck, big guy,” I hear Ziggy pat Thauglor’s shoulder, and I smile at the supportive gesture. Ziggy is probably the most supportive mate I have, always ready with encouragement and understanding when we need it most.
“It’s time?” I hear the waver in Thauglor’s voice, the uncertainty making my heart clench with affection and desire to comfort him.
A soft smile crosses my lips before I turn to face him, water cascading from my hair and skin in silvery streams. “It is. And as promised, we’re here.” I slowly wade through the water to stand on the shore naked before him. I feel the rivulets of water race down my body, cool trails that make my skin pebble with goosebumps as the mountain air touches my wet flesh.
Thauglor swallows hard, his throat working visibly, and tugs at his collar, the gesture betraying his nervousness in a way that’s endearingly human despite his ancient nature. His hesitation catches me off guard, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his usually confident features. “Are you okay?” I close the distance between us and rest my palms against his cheeks, feeling the slight roughness of stubble and thewarmth of his skin. I look up into eyes that swirl with sapphire fire and barely contained emotion.
