Page 29

Some things you never get over. You can never forget. One bad experience can stain dozens or hundreds of positive experiences.

In a strange nest of prehistoric avian shifters, I was an oddity. An anomaly. Which my birth house had gladly exploited.

Why settle for a Blood from among a multitude of lions, tigers, bears, and wolves when you could have something so strange and unique as to defy all explanation? Queen Turaj put me on display at an early age and fostered me at numerous courts once I matured. Especially to sibling queens she needed to subdue and intimidate.

She dared queens to bed me. To experience the strange sensations my unique anatomy could instill. And yes, in the beginning, I hurt more than I pleased. I had to learn to control the flare of frilled flesh that spirals around my cock. Too much, too quickly, made for an uncomfortable or even frightening experience. Nothing was worse than deploying the frill and finding myself locked inside a crying or terrified partner. Unable to withdraw. My flesh burrowed into theirs.

I learned to control every aspect of myself. Incrementally opening my capabilities to maximize my partners’ enjoyment. Nothing more. It was a subtle fuck-you to House Azhdar. Rather than subdue, I charmed. I learned how to give pleasure in a variety of ways without releasing my true self.

When I came to House Isador, my queen already had a reputation for enjoying monsters. Adding me to her Blood increased her notoriety and fame.

Now her daughter gazed up at me with sultry dark eyes sucking me under. Threatening to loose every restraint and control I’d been able to teach myself over the centuries. Shara’s head tipped slightly, her bond delving deeper like a swift, silent river. “The Isador Menagerie.”

“Some did call us that, especially after she accepted me,” I admitted. “I hated bringing any shame to my queen and house.”

Shara only laughed softly, her nails pricking my skin. “I know little about my mother but even I know she never felt a moment of shame. Especially when it came to any of you. Neither will I. I’ve already taken three kings, when any other queen would have simply had them killed. I love my Blood. I love my monsters. I love my menagerie as much as my mother must have loved all of you.”

Her right hand released my ass and glided back up my flank, dancing over my shoulder, to cup my cheek. “You’re safe with me, Nox.”

I couldn’t suppress the jolt that rattled me to my core. Safe. What did that even mean? Honestly?

“It means you’re free to be your true self with me. You don’t have to control and suppress your urges. I want it all. I have flesh eaters in my Blood. I revel in blood of all kinds. If you need restraint⁠—”

“No,” I said quickly, though my cheeks flushed. Heat curled through my groin, a slow, deadly spiral at the base of my spine. “Quite the opposite, really. But I will never forgive myself if I hurt you or cause you a moment of fear. If I fully engage, we’ll be locked together. It can be… alarming. The first time.”

“I’m familiar with such anatomy. My bear has a hook that flares and locks inside his partner.”

That was encouraging, at least.

“Describe what will happen,” the alpha said. “Then I can be prepared in case I need to intervene.”

It would be easier to show her. Though I was loath to leave the exquisite wet heat of her body. Gritting my teeth, I pulled out and rocked back on my knees so she could see my cock. Fully erect, foreskin retracted, my flesh glistened with her juices. Deep, dark red at the base, darkening to purple at the tip. Not too strange at first glance.

She sat up more and lightly swirled her finger over the slit, making me suck in a hard breath. “Where does the buzzsaw come into play?”

Nearly panting, I managed to say, “The ridges. Winding around the shaft. Down to the base. It’ll begin to flare out in an undulating spiral that feels like it’s spinning inside you. If it fully flares, we’ll be locked together.”

“How long?” Her voice lowered to a sultry drawl as she stroked her fingers down the spiraled ridge.

“Ten—” I stuttered. “Twenty. Minutes. Maybe longer. It’s… been. A while. Not sure.”

“It’s not spikes or something that will injure her internally?” Rik asked.

She gripped my cock firmly enough I groaned. “You said it was an evolutionary element of your DNA to ensure your species continues. So it’s meant to feel good. Not hurt the potential breeding partner.”

“Right,” I gasped out. Sweat beaded on my body. Heat spread through me in a molten flood of lust. I’d never been able to flare outside of a body before, but if she kept squeezing me, she might be able to examine the frill at her leisure before letting me back inside her.

She tightened her fingers. “Look at me, Nox.”

Unaware I’d squeezed my eyes shut, I focused on her face. Goddess. Her eyes burned like deep black pits, sucking me under. Rolling me into eternal darkness.

“I’m not afraid. In fact, I’m going to enjoy the hell out of this feast. I’m going to feed on you. Your pleasure. Your blood. Your body. I want it all.”

Instinct made me flick a quick glance up at Rik. Just to be sure. I didn’t want the giant alpha to clobber me if she changed her mind later.

He crossed his arms over his chest and gave me what I could only say was a supremely confident and smug grin. “What my queen wants, she gets.”

SHARA