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Erika lay cradled between the thighs of a red-haired man, his hands cupping her breasts and toying with her nipples while a violet-horned woman knelt between her legs, attending to her.

Erika arched and writhed in obvious ecstasy, her breathy moans increasing in pitch and tempo until her climax shook her.

The woman between her thighs eagerly lapped at her while she came.

Then they changed places and Dimitri watched in fascination as Erika went down on the other woman while the red man positioned himself behind Erika and swiftly speared her with his huge cock.

In a previous life, Dimitri might have announced himself and asked to be included, but now he just stood enthralled. Alex would have loved the opportunity to be a part of this. The only thought in Dimitri’s mind was that this was only one room out of dozens. He wanted his own dragon.

He turned to express this thought to Corey, but shut his mouth before the words could sneak out. Corey stood completely rigid and not at all entertained by the scene. His jaw flexed, no doubt grinding his teeth hard enough to lose a layer of enamel … The man was too tense in general.

The sounds in the room escalated. Then before their eyes, the three exotic newcomers shifted almost in unison, as if they had some shared cue when they orgasmed.

Suddenly the previously human-looking figures became mythical, beautiful beasts with wings flaring wide and elongated faces spouting colored smoke and resonant cries of pleasure.

Red and white and lavender. Dimitri found it difficult to stop watching until Corey cursed and walked away, leaving Dimitri staring, wide-eyed.

He thought the dragons would be bigger, but that didn’t mean they were any less impressive.

He wanted to be a part of this ritual so badly the wanting made him numb to the hard throb between his thighs.

Logically it made no sense, but his compulsion spurred him on and he went with it, moving to the next door in the row.

The closed door stood there, its gilt surface glowing with subtle, tantalizing pulses of light.

The door. Camille’s notes had detailed the importance of these particular doors. Each one represented a new phase of the ritual. Each one required a unique personality to open it, and her notes speculated that their group had the perfect combination to see the ritual through.

He stared at it. Tried to be analytical about it.

From an anthropological standpoint, it was a curiosity.

Dragon worship wasn’t unheard of, but what culture was so beast-centric as to depict humans in coitus with reptiles?

Dragons, just like Alex and I always believed.

The thought sent a thrill through him, but he tried to process the information objectively anyway.

In the Western world, it would’ve been seen as Satan worship, no doubt.

But in the context of what he’d witnessed a moment ago, he believed there had to be more to it than mere zealotry.

They’d looked human at first. Super-human, really, but still recognizable and articulate creatures.

The red-haired one was particularly vocal, and there was no mistaking how much he’d been enjoying giving it to Erika for all he was worth.

And she was every bit as vocal in reply. Fuck, had that been a turn-on.

But the more he stared at the golden image carved into the door, the less it mattered.

He stepped closer and raised a hand to trace the figure of one of the two dragons that flanked the human.

When his fingertips came into contact with the surface, a jolt of pure, electrical pleasure shot through him.

“Are you crazy?” Corey asked. Dimitri jerked back from the door as though he’d been caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

“I’m going in,” he said.

“The hell you are.” Corey gripped him by the shoulder. Dimitri pulled away, frustration churning in his stomach and beginning to condense in a hot ball of spite at being held back. Before he could retaliate, another figure joined them.

“Let him go in,” Kris said in a soft, measured voice. “He’s meant to open that door. You see the twins there?” Kris pointed at the raised figures on the door’s golden surface.

Corey gave the door a cursory glance. “I call bullshit,” he said. “You slipped some drug in our dinner last night. Now we’re all hallucinating.”

Kris shook his head. “I won’t deny this is a powerful place, but all I’ve done is help guide you all to where you already belong. Dimitri belongs inside that room.”

“What happens once I go in?” Dimitri asked.

“You’ll have a choice to make. One twin or the other.

When you give your Nirvana to him or her, and the dragon returns the favor, you will be bonded to that dragon.

The power of your union will help to fill the Queen’s well.

Then, when the time comes, she will awaken and release that power, calling the rest of the brood to the skies. ”

“And then what? They take over the world?” Corey asked in a bitter tone.

“No. Dragons have a symbiotic relationship with humans. Your kind is rarely aware of us. Only those bonded to us know.”

“What the fuck do you mean us ? Are you one of them?”

Kris smiled and nodded. “I’m a pure blood.

I’m the conduit through which they will feed all their collected power to the Queen.

” He turned to look at Corey. “You should prepare yourself, my friend. There are only two of you left after Dimitri, and you’re the only one suitable to be the Queen’s mate. ”

“Let me guess … she likes to bite off the heads of men after she’s done with us, right?”

“You know, Corey,” Dimitri interjected, “I liked you at first, but now you’re just being an obstinate asshole.”

“You’re the delusional one. I don’t know what Kris did to us, but I don’t believe this magical dragon bullshit.”

“Fine. You go on not believing it. I’m going to see for myself.”