Dark Queen’s Army

by I. T. Lucas

  Mey wanted him inside her so badly, but this was fun too. She liked having complete control over Yamanu’s pleasure. It gave her a heady sense of power.

  Finding her rhythm, she sucked and rubbed in tandem, synchronizing her up and down movements with what he was doing to her on the other end.

  Their bodies moved in perfect harmony, her bottom gyrating in sync with his hips, and her groans and moans echoing his. They were both climbing toward the inevitable climax. Except, Yamanu’s iron will and determination meant that he wasn’t going to allow it to happen.

  “No more.” He stopped and gently kissed her swollen lower lips.

  When he lifted her and turned her around, Mey was disappointed but not surprised.

  “After your transition,” he said before taking her mouth.

  As his tongue breached her lips, she tasted herself on it, her essence mingled with his, sweet and tangy at the same time. Could he taste himself on her? Did he like it?

  Still kissing her, Yamanu rolled her beneath him and settled between her spread thighs. As the tip of his shaft probed her entrance, her hunger spiked, and she arched up, wedging the head inside her.

  As Yamanu pushed the rest of the way, they both groaned in unison.

  “I love you,” she whispered. Wrapping her arms around his broad back, she held him to her tightly.

  He retreated and surged in again. “I love you too.” Another rest and another surge.

  Tightening her fingers on his shoulder blades, she lifted her legs and locked her ankles in the small of his back.

  At first, Yamanu set a slow and steady rhythm, but his iron willpower could stand only so much. Soon he drew his hips back and began to thrust faster and harder.

  She tried to keep up, but he was too strong, too fast for her, and in the end, she let go, giving herself up to him.

  Surprising her once more, Yamanu rolled them over, so she was on top. “Ride me,” he commanded.

  She did, pushing herself up and slamming back down with strength and ferocity she didn’t know she had in her.

  He reached between their bodies and pressed his finger to her clitoris. “Come for me, my lady,” he ordered.

  She shook her head. “Not yet.”

  With a wicked, fanged smile, he closed his hand on her hip and rubbed his finger over the center of her pleasure. “Now.”

  As he thrust up, Mey was powerless against the climax that sprang free and rippled through her. The keening moan that accompanied it was a sound she’d never heard herself make before.

  Boneless, she collapsed over his chest.

  He kissed and caressed her gently, then rolled them again, so he was on top.

  “Yamanu,” she breathed.

  “I’ve got you.”

  Gripping both her hips, Yamanu let loose, pounding into her with the force of a battering ram. As Mey climaxed again, so did he, and knowing what was coming, she turned her head and elongated her neck.

  The pain was sharp, but she no longer feared it. Between one sucked-in breath and the next, the pain was gone, and another orgasm ripped through her, then another, and another.

  When she could take no more, euphoria swept away the intense arousal, calming her and lifting her up on a cloud of bliss.

  26

  Mey

  Mey woke up feeling sore, which was odd. Usually, the venom took care of all the little aches and pains that vigorous lovemaking could leave in its wake.

  Except, she wasn’t sore in that way. Her muscles hurt as if she’d exercised for too long and hadn’t adequately stretched after. But other than bed sports, she hadn’t done anything strenuous in weeks, and she hadn’t felt like that the other times.

  Was she coming down with something?

  Yamanu had told her that the start of her transition would trigger flu-like symptoms. Could it be that it had started?

  Hope fluttered in her chest, but Mey was afraid to let it fly. It was probably nothing. She’d been working long days in the café and then not sleeping much at night. No wonder her body was starting to protest the strain she was putting on it.

  Yamanu’s side of the bed was cold, which meant that he’d woken up long ago and had gone to the gym. She smiled, and her eyes went to the nightstand, where he always left a love note for her before leaving.

  Waking up in Yamanu’s arms was the best, but getting a love note every morning was nice too.

  She lifted it up and unfolded it, smiling at the lopsided heart he always drew at the bottom. Usually, the note said that he was in the gym and was going to bring breakfast on his way back, and this time it was no different.

  Mey brought it to her lips, kissed it, and then put it inside the nightstand’s drawer. Once she transitioned and was allowed out of the village, she was going to buy a nice box to store them in. She’d looked online but hadn’t found anything that was pretty enough as a keepsake and could also preserve her notes.

  The question was where to find the kind that they used in museums to preserve old scripts. If she and Yamanu were going to live practically forever, the notes would have to survive a very long time.

  Paper didn’t last long at all. Luckily for history, old texts were written on clay, which lasted much longer. If not for that, people would have assumed that the ancients hadn’t had writing at all. She wondered how many more civilizations had writing, but nothing of it survived.

  With a groan, Mey turned on her side and closed her eyes. Maybe she should just go back to sleep. Could it be that Yamanu’s venom hadn’t worked well last night because of the massive shroud he had performed?

  They had made love only once, which was atypical for them, but that was because of her. She’d floated away on a cloud of bliss and hadn’t come back until morning. Yamanu could have probably gone for another round or two.

  Another possibility occurred to her. What if she was getting accustomed to the venom, and it was losing its effect on her? She should have asked Callie and Wonder about it. Or maybe just Callie. Wonder had been an immortal already when she and Anandur became a couple. Callie started her relationship with Brundar as a human, and she had experienced his venom bite as one. Had it lost its effect on her as well?

  That would be a shame.

  Mey loved waking up invigorated rather than exhausted, feeling great rather than achy. She’d even entertained a few naughty thoughts about visiting Brundar’s club, not only to observe but possibly to make use of one of the private rooms. Knowing that nothing was going to hurt once playtime was over made it much less scary to try.

  Yamanu might not be on board for that, though. He was a gentle soul and not into kinky games.

  She would have to suggest it in a roundabout way, so he wouldn’t feel pressured into it. Her man loved to please her, and he would do his damnedest to fulfill her every fantasy, even if it meant going to a club that he would have never set foot in otherwise.

  Besides, it wasn’t on the top of her list of things to try. She hadn’t had fantasies about bondage and wasn’t into pain. But she was curious and liked to try new things. Otherwise, how would she discover her passions?

  There were many things on her list. Like visiting places that she hadn’t visited yet, learning to surf, on water and on snow. Learning how to belly dance for real, sky diving, and swimming with sharks. None of it was crucial to the enjoyment of life, but Mey liked collecting moments, experiences. And overcoming her fears felt good. She was terrified of jumping out of a plane, but she wanted to try it anyway. And the same was true for swimming with sharks.

  If she transitioned, she would have infinite time to collect as many experiences as her imagination could come up with.

  27

  Yamanu

  When Yamanu entered the house, he expected to find Mey in the kitchen, sipping on her coffee as she had done every morning since she’d started working in the café.

  As he usually did after the gym, Yamanu had stopped at the vending machines and gotten pastries for them to share with a cup of coffee be
fore both of them headed out.

  Today, though, no smell of coffee had greeted him, and the coffeemaker sat silent and empty on the counter.

  Was she still in the bathroom?

  He glanced at his watch, making sure that he hadn’t miscalculated the time. Just as he’d thought, it was seven-thirty.

  Perhaps she was getting dressed.

  Worried, he hurried to the bedroom and found her sleeping. The note he’d left on the nightstand wasn’t there, though, so she must have woken up and put it in the drawer with the others he’d written for her.

  It was such a sentimental thing to do, and he loved her for it. Mey cherished those notes as if they were precious gifts.

  “Wake up, my sleeping beauty.” He put down the bag of pastries on the nightstand and sat next to Mey on the bed. “You are going to be late.”

  She groaned and turned on her side, pulling the blanket over her head.

  He tugged on it. “It’s seven-thirty. You should be on your way by now.”

  She turned around to face him and opened her eyes. “I’m not feeling well. I think I caught the flu.” She started to lift her arm and then let it plop back down. “Everything aches.”

  Hope surged in his chest. Could it be the start of her transition?

  “I’m calling Bridget.” As much as he liked Julian and Merlin, he didn’t want their hands on his woman.

  It was a stupid sentiment, and if Bridget wasn’t available, he would have called either of them without hesitation. But as long as he had a female alternative, he was going to use it first.

  “Don’t call the doctor,” Mey said. “It’s probably nothing.”

  “Let her decide that.”

  “Fine. I’m too weak to argue.” Mey turned on her side and tucked her hands under the pillow.

  Pulling out his phone, he selected Bridget’s number.

  She answered right away. “Is Mey transitioning?”

  “That’s why I’m calling you. She’s not feeling well.”

  “Does she have a fever?”

  “Let me check.” He put his hand on Mey’s forehead. “I don’t think so.”

  “Did you just use your hand? Never mind. I need to stop by the clinic to get my things, and then I’ll come over.”

  “Thank you. I know you are not working in the clinic anymore, but since you have the most experience with transitioning Dormants, I feel better knowing that you are taking care of Mey.”

  “That’s why I’m still on call for when a Dormant transitions. Besides, I love it. It’s like delivering new babies, just fully grown. I’ll be there shortly.” She disconnected.

  Yamanu chuckled. “Bridget is on her way.”

  “What’s funny?” Mey asked.

  “She said that helping Dormants transition feels to her like delivering fully grown babies.”

  Mey turned on her back and put her arms over the blanket. “I get it. She’s delivering new members to the clan.”

  “True. Can I get you something? Would you like me to make coffee? I brought pastries from the vending machine.”

  Mey grimaced. “I don’t want anything to eat and thinking of coffee makes me nauseous. Tea would be nice, though. But before that, can you text Wonder and let her know that I’m not coming in?”

  “Sure.”

  He pulled out his phone again and fired a quick text.

  Wonder’s response came a few seconds later. I’m keeping my mental fingers crossed.

  He texted back. Thank you. A prayer to the Fates would be greatly appreciated as well.

  Naturally. Kiss Mey for me and tell her that I will pray for her to transition smoothly.

  “Wonder sends you kisses and says that she is going to pray for you.”

  A tear slid down Mey’s cheek. “That’s so sweet of her. Everyone is so nice to me here.”

  Yamanu frowned. Perhaps his hand wasn’t good at detecting fever because Mey was not the overly emotional type, and he’d heard that a fever sometimes had this effect on humans.

  “I’m going to make tea.”

  “Thank you.”

  When he was done, a knock on the door announced the doctor’s arrival.

  He opened the door for her.

  “Hello, Yamanu. I assume Mey is in bed?”

  “Yes. Please, follow me.”

  Two things occurred to him as he led Bridget to the bedroom. One was that the place still smelled from last night’s lovemaking, and the second was that he should have offered the doctor tea as well.

  There was nothing he could do about the scent, but he could make another cup of tea.

  “Hi, Bridget,” Mey said. “Thanks for coming to see me, but I’m sure it’s regular flu and not the transition.”

  Yamanu put the teacup on the nightstand. “Can I make one for you as well, doctor?”

  Bridget arched a brow. “Since when am I Doctor to you? You always call me Bridget.”

  He shrugged. “Seemed appropriate for the occasion. What about tea? Do you want some?”

  “Maybe later. Right now, I want to see what’s going on with Mey.”

  She opened her bag and pulled out a thermometer. “Can you move your hair so I can put it in your ear?”

  Mey lifted a shaky hand and did as the doctor asked.

  Bridget waited until the device beeped. “A hundred and one,” she read the display.

  Yamanu smiled sheepishly. “It seems that my hand is not good at measuring fever.”

  “No, it isn’t.” Bridget turned to Mey. “Tell me what hurts.”

  “Mainly my muscles. They feel like I’ve overexerted myself exercising. But now my throat hurts too.” She cast a glance at the teacup. “Maybe I’m just thirsty.” She reached for it.

  “Hold on,” Bridget said. “Let me take a look first.”

  “It’s not inflamed,” she said after shining a small flashlight into Mey’s throat. “You can drink your tea.”

  Mey took a sip and sighed. “That’s much better.” She lifted her eyes to Bridget. “Maybe it is just regular flu or cold?”

  Bridget shook her head. “The incubation period for the flu is two to four days. You’ve been in the village for much longer than that, and you couldn’t have caught anything from us. We don’t transmit human diseases. But let me do a thorough check-up first.”

  “What about the sore throat, though? Yamanu told me that the symptoms are usually fever and muscle aches.”

  “Well, that’s the odd thing out. Guys get sore throats because they start growing venom glands. They also get gum pain because they are growing fangs. Transitioning is harder for men, but then they don’t have to give birth, so I think we are even.” She winked. “Although giving birth is not a big deal for an immortal female.”

  Mey perked up. “It doesn’t hurt?”

  “Oh, it hurts, alright. But we heal much faster.”

  Mey sighed wistfully. “Yamanu and I want a lot of children.”

  Bridget cast her a stern look. “I recommend waiting at least six months after the transition. But some people are in a hurry and don’t listen. Vivian and Magnus are taking Merlin’s potion even though I advised against it.”

  Mey grimaced. “I hate potions.”

  Standing behind Bridget, Yamanu shook his head, reminding Mey not to talk about the potion he had been taking to help with his abstinence.

  As understanding dawned, Mey’s eyes widened for a moment. “I heard that it tastes awful.”

  Bridget smiled. “It does. Turner and I are taking it too. Now, sit up so I can listen to your lungs.”

  When the doctor was done, she put her things back into her black bag. “I think you are transitioning, Mey.” She turned to Yamanu. “I need Mey moved to the clinic. Do you want to carry her, or should I send over a gurney?”

  He frowned. “Do you expect complications?”

  “I’ve learned that you never know with Dormants. Just to be safe, I’d like to hook Mey up to the monitoring equipment.”

  28

  M
ey

  “I don’t know what’s more embarrassing,” Mey said as Yamanu picked her up. “You carrying me in your arms to the clinic or wheeling me in a wheelchair.”

  “Neither. You are not the first Dormant to arrive like that to the clinic. Magnus ran all the way with Vivian in his arms because she passed out and he panicked.” Yamanu adjusted the strap of her duffel bag, so it swung behind him. “Think of it as tradition. It’s like a bride crossing the threshold of her new home for the first time in her husband's arms.”

  She snuggled against him. “I would have preferred to walk into the clinic, but I’m too weak.”

  “And deprive me of the pleasure of delivering you there in my arms?” Yamanu pulled the door closed behind him and descended the steps from the front porch to the pathway.

  “Can you stop by the café? I want to tell the good news to Wonder in person.”

  “A moment ago, you were embarrassed to be seen being carried by me.”

  She lifted up and kissed the underside of his jaw. “That was before you gave it such a nice spin. I like the analogy of a bride crossing the threshold into a new beginning.”

  He bent his head and kissed her forehead. “We still have one champagne bottle left unopened. I need to ask Bridget if it’s okay for you to consume alcohol during your transition. If she approves, I’ll bring it to the clinic to celebrate.”

  “I’d like that.”

  As they reached the café, it didn’t take long for people to realize what was going on. In moments, everyone got to their feet, clapping and cheering.

  Wonder ran up to Yamanu and Mey and wrapped her arms around both of them. “I’m so happy.”

  Mey laughed. “I didn’t transition yet.”

  “You will. This is how it starts for everyone, and since you are young and healthy, you will have no problem transitioning. You didn’t even pass out.”

  Mey lifted a brow. “Was I supposed to?”

  “I don’t know how it was for everyone who’s gone through it, but most of those whose stories I heard had passed out.”