Page 14 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg (Dragonis Academy, Year 3)

A deep, satisfied purr ripples in my chest as I watch him—my ancient drake who saved me from certain death and gave me this sanctuary.

He hasn’t demanded his rightful claim, though everything in my blood screams I should give in.

Still, I have my own designs on him. Slowly, I rise to all fours, the blanket’s coarse weave rubbing against my palms and knees.

A soft purr vibrates in my throat as I prowl toward him.

I’m coiled with tension and desire—after all, we are alone in a cavern beyond the academy’s reach.

I feel strangely safe with Klauth. But that doesn’t dampen my hunger. I want him to be mine.

“Mina?” he murmurs, leaning back a fraction when I draw closer.

I press my nose against his abdomen, inhaling the warm, masculine scent clinging to his skin—a tang of sweat, a strong drake musk made richer by the cavern’s heat.

A throaty purr escapes me, and my pulse quickens as I pick up the subtle undertone of his desire.

Klauth leans back without a word, granting me free access to his throat.

I sweep my tongue from his collarbone to just beneath his ear.

My taste buds tingle with the salt of his skin.

“Mate, my mate…” I purr, teasing my teeth along the spot near my first bite on his neck. A wave of heat burns through me, tightening my core. I could devour him if I let myself go.

“Mina…” he breathes, husky and reverent, while his strong fingers move to the buckles on my leather jacket. The metallic snap of each fastening echoes through the cavern, mingling with the distant drip of water seeping somewhere behind us .

I recline onto my haunches, popping the final buckle free, and let the jacket fall away. The sudden rush of warm air against my skin makes me shiver. Beneath, I wear an ace wrap over my sports bra, binding my chest flat.

“Why?” Klauth’s tone is curious, laced with concern. His eyes hold mine steadily as he carefully slips one talon under the bandage, slicing it open.

“Boobs get in the way of archery and swordplay,” I mutter, feeling a stab of insecurity.

The real reason is more complicated. I never wanted the unwanted attention.

Even the leathers can’t entirely hide my curves.

My breath stutters at the intensity of Klauth’s stare as the wrap unwinds, revealing the simple sports bra that barely contains me.

I force a casual shrug. “I take after my father’s mother—big breasts, short stature.

” My hands move to the zippers on my boots, the scrape of metal surprisingly loud in the hush of the cavern.

I peel off my leather pants, kneeling in just my sports bra and thong, goosebumps rising on my skin despite the heat from the stone floor.

I eye him pointedly. “Your turn. You’re overdressed. ”

He blinks as though coming out of a trance, a flush darkening the scars on his cheeks.

Without another word, he strips off his shirt, tossing it aside.

In the dim, golden lamplight, every scar on his torso stands in relief, a crisscross map of battles waged over centuries.

Abraxis is marred too, but he can’t compare to Klauth’s unyielding history etched into his flesh.

My sports bra hits the ground next, followed by my thong.

The moist air of the cavern caresses my bare skin, drawing out a sharp intake of breath.

Klauth glances my way, and when he fully turns, I see his length throb in time with his heartbeat.

Heat flares in my belly. Before he can take another breath, I launch myself at him, hoping to pin him like I would Abraxis.

But Klauth has centuries of experience on me.

He catches me mid-leap, swinging me around so my back lands against the blanket in a surprisingly gentle collision.

A husky growl escapes him, reverberating in my chest as his strong arms cage me.

His dragonic eyes blaze like molten blood. The human side of me twists with indignation at being overpowered. But my dragoness side is gleefully purring, thrilled at his display of dominance.

“If you love me…” His voice is gravelly, fluttering over the sensitive spots along my neck. He peppers kisses along my jaw, tracing a path to his original mark. “If you are mine … You will submit to me here and now. Forever.” His breath washes hot across my pulse.

Inside my mind, my dragoness rolls onto her back, baring her throat to his drake in a gesture of acceptance. I tilt my head, exposing the scar he left on me recently. “I am yours, and you are mine. Eternally.”

He thrusts forward in a single fluid motion, making me gasp as his length fills me completely.

I hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

He bites down over the old mark on my throat, and a jolt of pleasure and pain surges through me, stoking the fire in my core.

Each roll of his hips sends sparks igniting through my body.

The heated stone beneath me amplifying the sensation of being trapped in the arms of a red dragon.

Then I feel him shift, his length growing more textured, ridged in a way that has me crying out with each thrust. I dig my nails into the stone, half expecting to gouge it, as wave after wave of pleasure rips through me.

My climax slams into me, molten and overwhelming, while Klauth’s canines stay locked in my throat.

Suddenly, he rears up and throws his head back.

His roar fills the cavern as he finds his own release, his dragonic ridges flaring and holding me fast. Another surge of ecstasy crashes over me at the feel of him locking inside me.

He finally lowers his head to my neck, lapping gently at the sensitive wound. The metallic tang of blood mingles with the humid air, while sweat slicks our bodies. My breaths come in panting gasps as I meet his gaze—there’s awe there, quickly replaced by a flicker of alarm.

“I’ve never … It’s never…” He glances down at our still-joined bodies, and I see understanding dawn in his eyes. “Apparently, my drake used his knot and flare. It’s usually just for … breeding. I’ve never done it before.”

I rest my hand on his chest, feeling the pounding of his heart under my palm.

“Then we shared a first.” A breathless laugh escapes me, though I feel a shiver of adrenaline at the idea of being stuck like this.

The heated floor seems to amplify every subtle movement, intensifying the press of our bodies.

Klauth settles more of his weight on me, careful not to hurt me. The stifling cavern air wraps around us like a second skin. I slide my hands along his jaw, drawing him into a slow, tender kiss. My frantic need to bite and claim him fully has faded, replaced by a deep sense of belonging.

After a moment, I catch a glimpse of the small rod implanted in my forearm. “Take it out,” I whisper, voice trembling with conviction. “I’m done living by everyone else’s decisions. I want to live on my terms now.”

His gaze drifts to the tiny outline on my arm. “What changed your mind?” He presses a soft kiss to my cheek, and I feel the grit of the cavern floor shifting beneath us.

“Everything I’ve done until now—enrolling in the academy, training for war—it was all because my father demanded it.

I was supposed to be a weapon. I don’t want to be one.

I want to be me, whoever she may be.” My voice tightens, a tear slipping down my cheek.

Gently, Klauth kisses it away, his breath warm on my skin.

“If this is your wish, I will grant it.” With a deft flick of his talon, he cuts a small line on my arm.

We work together to push the implant free until it clatters onto the stone.

It splinters on impact, a quiet echo in the steamy darkness.

Klauth kisses the fresh wound, his saliva sealing it with the faintest tingle of heat.

I purr low in my throat, wrapping my arms around his neck once more. The distant rush of wind through the mountain pass and the constant hush of the magma flow make the world feel strangely alive around us. But in this moment, all that matters is him and the choice I just made.

I run my fingers through his hair, my gaze fixed on the scarred planes of his face.

For nearly twenty-three years, I’ve moved through life on rails set down by someone else.

Now, for the first time, I’m free to choose.

And it’s all because of this beautiful, war-torn drake I saved from an egg—who saved me right back, and gives me the strength to finally live.