The Cursed Queen (Dragon’s Curse #1)

Ryu

A lot had transpired within the last few weeks, causing my head was still spinning. I guess I should've thanked the dragon gods that I was freed from captivity before I became a mindless dragon servant, too, and I was. I simply didn't expect my rescuer to have been the princess of the very kingdom who'd captured me and was also my fated mate. Trying not to think about that was nearly impossible, thanks to the revelation that she was a hybrid, and possibly the King's lost heir.

So much to wrap my mind around.

While everyone else was losing their minds, I tried mitigating my own emotions while trying to conciliate my lover's fury. Honestly, I wasn't sure how to feel, but I knew my feelings weren't important right then. Now I was in my cave, finally putting some clothes on and left to my own devices. I finished tying the sash around my waist to close the black and gold robe I wore before looking into my reflection in the mirror and sighed.

Why was nothing in my life easy?

I mentally cringed at my inner pity party, but why could I not have something in my life go right? If it wasn't one thing, it was another. A constant quagmire of misfortunes that followed me wherever I went. I could never get peace.

"?" I looked toward the mouth of the cave and spotted Drayce, fully clothed in a sleeveless maroon tunic, black pants, and boots. The muscles along his arms bulged as one rested against the cave wall. My mouth watered from looking him up and down.

My relationship with Drayce was the only ray of light I had to shine through the many dark clouds that hovered over my head, even if it didn't start off that way. We were enemies first, then rivals, then we became friends, then so much more when we bedded together. Now he was my love. My fire. How would that change now that the princess was meant to be ours?

"Hey," I said, ushering him inside.

Drayce approached me, pulling me into his embrace and sealing his lips over mine as if needing to be reminded that I belonged to him. I opened up for him, letting his tongue invade my mouth as my arms wrapped themselves around his neck. I let out a moan in pleasure, feeling him pulling me closer until our bodies were meshed together with no space between us. His cock was hardening and grinding against my hip.

After what felt like hours of drowning myself in his kisses, Drayce pulled back and rested his forehead against mine. We remained like that for several minutes, our eyes shut, needing the other's presence to center ourselves. My fears from when I was locked in that cage returned to me. I thought I'd never see him again. I thought I'd never get the chance to have this with him again. That I'd never get to tell him how much I loved him. The separation and fear for his safety ate away at me, but I tried my best to remain calm. Struggling and fighting the inevitable would've only made things worse.

As much as it frightened me, I was prepared to accept my fate.

"I thought I'd lose you," Drayce finally whispered.

I lightly kissed his lips again. "Me too."

"If anything were to happen to you, I—"

"Shh." I gripped his face and looked up into his eyes. "None of that now. You're safe, as am I. I'm here, my love."

Drayce took on a crestfallen expression. "But for how much longer?"

I knew what he was referring to, and unfortunately, I didn't have an answer for him.

"We are in quite the predicament," I said.

Drayce agreed. "She's fated to us, and to Andriel and Ladon. Plus, there's the druid knight. Was he with the princess before all this?"

"I don't think so, otherwise I'm sure he would've said as much."

"So then, the issue lies within the four of us."

"Three," I corrected. "Remember, Ladon said he doesn't wish to claim her."

"Ladon's a fool," Drayce growled. "You can't just turn your back on someone who is deemed to be fated to you."

"He's suffering, my love, and he's in shock at learning the truth about the princess. He needs time and a chance to heal his emotional scars."

"Why are you taking his side?" Drayce quirked a brow at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Because he's suffered far more than you and I have. We were never forced into submission by the druids. Not yet. But Ladon was under the influence of druid magic and was made a pawn by a dragon rider. I can't imagine what he had to endure, can you?"

Drayce took a long moment before deflating in resignation. "Perhaps not, but it wasn't the princess's fault. She clearly did not know what was taking place behind closed doors."

I noticed how hard he was trying to defend our mate. His natural instinct combined with the fated bond was causing him to be protective of the princess. I also felt the pull in my core. My dragon was eager to see her. He sensed her distress, and wanted to make sure she was okay, but I had to remind myself that Andriel and Virgil were with her now. Andriel was also fated to Princess Seraphina, so he wouldn't let anything happen to her.

"I'm sure that Ladon is aware of that, but right now, he's in pain. Too much pain to be thinking logically. I'm sure within time he'll realize that Seraphina isn't the enemy," I said.

"So, you believe she's telling the truth? That she never knew about the cruelty towards us shifters, and that she wants to help free the rest of our people?" Drayce asked.

"Oh, I have no doubt." I was surprised by how firmly I believed it, even when I spent no time with her. But Andriel seemed to, and he believed in Seraphina. Andriel was one of our best dragon warriors in the den, with a firm grasp on reality and an excellent judge of character. He wasn't the type to be fooled by someone obviously playing a trick on him. Then again, she was bound to us all. Would that influence our judgment? For me, my feelings were unwavering. I held onto the belief that the princess was on our side.

"So do I," Drayce muttered, then rubbed the back of his bald head. "But what about us? Where does this leave our relationship?"

My heart stuttered as that agonizing question loomed over our heads. "No idea. I don't want to say goodbye to you."

"I don't either." Drayce reached for me and gripped my upper arms. "I love you, . You're the most important person in my life."

"I love you too. In a perfect scenario, if the princess had to choose between us, she would decide to be with Andriel. Then you and I could stay together, and Ladon could go on with his life without the princess. But would your dragon be okay with someone else claiming her when you can't?"

Drayce's lips quivered as he struggled to find the right words to say. I could tell he wanted to deny it, to say it wouldn't bother him or his dragon, but I knew the truth because I felt it, too. The mere thought of Seraphina not wanting to choose me as her mate felt like ice in my veins. As much as I didn't want to accept that she was meant to be mine, she was part of my soul now.

"No," Drayce finally let out before huffing out an exasperated breath. "Why did this have to happen? Why is she fated to us? Both of us! How is that even possible?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I wish I knew. But now, all we can do is accept it and move forward. If she chooses one of us, then we have to respect it and say our goodbyes."

"No!" Drayce charged for me, even as I feigned right and backed away. My lover moved with me until my back was against the wall. His hands shifted to his long, obsidian talons and reached out, shattering the stone beside me. I was pinned in the middle, his six-five height towering over my five-ten. His eyes were engulfed in crimson flames, teeth bared as he looked down at me.

I didn't fear him. Drayce would rather tear the wings off his back before inflicting pain on me, so I knew I was safe. But I was suffocating in the heated fog of emotions that were seeping out of his body. Anger, desperation, love, lust. My heart quickened as Drayce lowered his head down to my neck, inhaling my scent from the spot between my neck and shoulder. He stuck his tongue out and slowly licked a trail along my skin.

I let out a shaky gasp, heat flaring from my core and traveling down to my groin. My love's arousal enhancing my own.

"Mine," he growled, the voice of his human and dragon forms married together.

By the gods, how his dominance and ownership of me sent a chill running down my spine. My cock was now rock-hard and pitching a tent in my pants.

His throat rumbled with approval as he brought a hand down and took hold of my stiff erection.

My voice went up a pitch, pleasure coursing through me as Drayce began a slow steady rhythm of his hand running up and down my cloth-covered length.

"You will always be mine, you hear me?" Drayce whispered in my ear, his voice dropping lower. "If you think I'm willing to surrender you that easily, you're sorely mistaken."

"F-Fuck." My voice cracked under the influence of Drayce's hold over me.

I didn't want him to surrender me. I wanted to be his, always and forever, but he had to know that this was beyond our control now. We couldn't stop what fate had in store for us, but if he wished to pretend that we could still have this—at least for a bit longer—I was more than happy to oblige.

This moment would have to last for an eternity.

Drayce backed away, his dark eyes hungry for more. "Take them off. Now."

I swallowed and began undoing the sash around my waist. Letting it fall to the floor, I then pulled off my robe, letting it fall as well. I regarded my lover, who was watching me intently. His sole focus was on me. The desire was evident in the way he struggled to keep control. I loved knowing how much he wanted me, even when we used to hate each other. Back then, I could tell he found me fascinating. The gentle breeze that stirred his fire, as he used to say.

He licked his lips as his eyes roamed my bare chest, holding back from taking me now and devouring me like a fully cooked feast.

"Continue," he growled.

I chewed on my bottom lip as I undid the tie of my pants. Thankfully, I hadn't put on my sandals or boots, so I let the pants fall until they were in a puddle under my feet. I pulled them away from me then kicked them to the side, standing there completely naked, fully erect, and anticipating more, for my lover to enjoy with his eyes.

And enjoy, he did. He stalked over to me with sharpened gaze before hoisting me off my feet. He carried me to my bed, where he gently laid me down, his eyes continuing to roam over my body. Drayce rested a hand on my chest, his fingers running down along my skin, his dark complexion a stark contrast to my fair features. We were opposites of one another. He was dark, rough, and quick to anger, whereas I was pale, soft, and with a clearer mind.

Despite our differences, we came together to form a love that most shifters only dreamed of having. We weren't fated to one another, a disappointment to both of us, but we loved as strongly as one would a fated pairing.

"You're still as beautiful as the day I met you," Drayce said softly, his fingers continuing to run along my body. "A true masterpiece of the gods."

My face reddened at his sweet words. "Always a charmer behind closed doors."

"That's because they're meant for you, and you alone." Drayce leaned down to take my mouth in his.

It didn't take long for the kiss to ignite our inner flames. My dragon's fire flooded my system, sparking more of my desire to the surface. I reached up and cupped Drayce's face, my back arching up as I moaned into his mouth, tasting his heat surfacing from his mouth and traveling down my throat. The hand that was roaming my body snaked lower until he gripped my length and began pumping me.

Fueling by lust, I bit down on my love's lower lip and pulled slightly. Drayce gave a predatory growl as his free hand moved to the back of my head. He gripped a handful of my black hair and pulled my head back. I moaned as the sharp pain melded with the jolt of pleasure.

"No matter what, you belong to me," Drayce affirmed. "Say it."

"I belong to you," I whispered obediently, the demand making my already stiff erection harder. So much so that precum began leaking from the tip.

"Say it again."

"I belong to you, Drayce. I'll always belong to you."

"Mmmm, that's my good boy." Drayce began peppering kisses along my check, my neck, my collarbone, and continued downward. His lips moved down my abdomen until they reached my hipbone, then his tongue licked along my length before gently gliding it over the tip of my head.

"Ah!" I cried out.

Drayce grinned devilishly at me. "You like that?"

I nodded vigorously. "More. Please."

"My pleasure." Drayce's tongue worked around the head of my cock before gliding up and down my length. While his mouth lapped up all the precum dripping from the tip, one of his hands toyed with my balls while the other traveled up to tweak one of my nipples. I whimpered and switched from side to side. My hands gripped the sheets as pleasure flooded my body in all directions. Satisfied with the taste of what was to come, Drayce wrapped his lips around the head of my cock, then sucked me down to the base. I couldn't stifle my cry fast enough.

Drayce worked my cock hard, his head bobbing up and down, eagerly waiting for me to spend in his mouth. His hands continued working on me to where I could barely move. All I could do was convulse on the bed, my body overheating, and the need to come growing with every second. The hand that was working on my nipple moved to the other one. The hand playing with my balls pulled back just as Drayce released my cock with a loud pop, only to lick down the length and started feasting on my sack.

My back arched up as my moans coming out hoarse and pitchy.

Drayce continued stroking my cock as he looked up at me. "You're so pent up, . I can't wait to drink you down. Give it all to me, my love."

"Drayce," I whined, feeling myself getting close. The combination of his hands and mouth on all my sensitive areas had me crawling over the edge until I couldn't contain it any longer. With a cry, I unloaded. Drayce knew it was coming, and covered my length with his mouth, drinking me down as I continued erupting in pleasure.

I collapsed onto my cot when I was emptied, my love licking his lips and smirking down at me. I giggled and lightly swatted his chest, to which leaned down, taking my lips into his. The salty tang along his tongue told me I was tasting myself, causing my cock to spur back to life as I chased the flavor of it in his mouth. Drayce groaned in hunger, his cock still rock-hard and pressed against my thigh. Needing more, I spread my legs further apart, feeling the head of his cock now rubbing against my opening.

By the gods, I needed him to stretch me. To fill me. To feel the sting as he impaled me with his thick length and take ownership of that part of me that no other man would ever claim. Taking the message, Drayce moved himself out of the bed before going to my shelf, where he knew the herbal oil I kept would be. He grabbed the tiny bottle before climbing back onto the cot, dabbing the contents in his fingers before toying with my hole with the coated digit.

"Please," I begged.

Drayce bellowed a predatory snarl, his eyes dark and dilated. "I love how you respond to my touch. So compliant. So needy. It pleases me immensely. It makes me want to devour you."

"Then do it," I said with a shake in my voice.

At my words, Drayce pushed a finger inside me, shoving through the tight walls until he was knuckles deep. It stung slightly, but felt so good. It wasn't enough. I needed more. My love took his sweet time torturing me with his slow movements. He went from one finger to two, then to three, working my entrance enough to allow his cock to enter with little resistance. By the time the third finger entered me, my length found its second wind, as stiff as it was the first time, protruding upward and demanding Drayce's attention.

"By the gods, I love how easily your body responds to my touch," Drayce muttered pleasingly. "My beautiful, sensitive hybrid."

I couldn't utter a response since my words felt trapped in my throat. All I could focus on were the digits sliding in and out of me, loosening me up, and getting me ready to take my love's thick cock.

When Drayce felt I was ready, his fingers slid out of me. He lifted my legs and folded them over my chest, exposing my tight pucker to him. Licking his lips, he held down my legs with one hand, then used his free hand to line the head of his cock with my hole. I mentally prepared myself for the intrusion. No amount of prepping would erase the burn that would come with him sliding his thick length inside me. Not completely, but I came to love being stretched to accommodate his thickness.

I winced the moment I felt his cock head pushing through my inner walls. My teeth gritted, and my hands clenched the sheets.

"Relax, my love." Drayce paused to give me a chance to breathe.

Once I felt adjusted, I nodded to Drayce to keep going. He entered me slowly, assessing my expression to see if I was feeling discomfort. When he was all the way in, I felt his cock breaking through my channels. The pain subsided, and in its place was a wave of pleasure. I pushed my hips forward, needing him to move.

He chuckled at my neediness and swatted my left cheek. "You will learn patience, boy."

By the will of dragons, this man was going to kill me.

"Please," I begged.

"Please what, my love?"

"Fuck me, Drayce. I need you to move."

Drayce purred at the sound of my desperation. Showing mercy of me, he slowly began pulling out. He stopped at the head of his cock, then thrust hard back inside me. My back arched as a guttural cry left me. That was the last bit of gentleness he had for me. Now it was his usual hard and rough pace. Just the way I liked it. When Drayce pounded into my hole, it was as if he was a starving man. Like he needed my hole for his survival.

His dragonfire spewed from his core and traveled into my body, incinerating my soul until I was spiritually connected with him. My own inner fire reciprocated and spiraled to fill his core. Our eyes shifted as we strengthened the bond he and I shared. We weren't fated mates, but with every moment we made love, the strength of our bond could be measured with that of a fated mate bond. His pelvis continued slamming into me, claiming me with every thrust.

My breathing grew ragged. My cock was red with the need for release, precum dripping onto my belly to form a small puddle. I reached down to grab it, stroking myself and matching the rhythm of Drayce's pace. I barely got started, yet I already felt close to combusting.

"D-Drayce... fuck... getting close, nh," I got out.

"Let yourself go," Drayce growled as he quickened the pace. "Let go, ."

Unable to hold it much longer, I felt the pressure building and let out a strangled cry as my release gushed out of me. Streams of hot cum spilled out of me, painting my chest and hitting up to my chin.

My love wasn't too far behind. With a few more thrusts, he pushed all the way into me and held himself in place. His release engulfed me, filling me until I felt full. As soon as Drayce emptied himself, he collapsed on top of me, not caring about the streams of cum on my chest. All he cared about was sealing my lips with his.

I loved this man more than anything. My reason for living.

"I love you," I whispered when we pulled apart.

"I love you too. I always will," he replied.

As much as I didn't want to ruin the moment, my mind drifted back to the princess. If I were honest with myself, the thought of rejecting her as my fated mate was something I was contemplating. What had me hesitating was the princess herself. In hindsight, she and I seemed like the perfect pairing. I mean, what were the chances of me stumbling upon another dragon hybrid. She was now going through everything I'd been through when I first arrived at the den.

I could be her guidance. Nobody would understand her struggle better than I could.

That was it, right there. The need to be near her. To protect. That was why I couldn't reject her. Not without getting to know her, at least.

"Promise me you'll keep an open mind," I whispered.

Drayce stirred and mumbled, half-asleep. "About what?"

"About Princess Sera. About our fated bond with her. Promise me you'll connect with her before deciding."

He said nothing for a long moment.

"If nothing changes about the way we feel, or if she disapproves of our relationship, then we can reject her as our mate. But I want us to see what she's like first."

I thought for sure he wouldn't agree. He was so adamant about letting the princess in that nothing I said would cause him to waiver.

Several heartbeats later, he let out a groan in defeat. "If it's that important to you, then I promise."

That pleased me. Feeling sated and content, I allowed myself to relax and drift off to sleep, curled in the embrace of the man I loved.