Bride of Dragons (The Dragon's Virgin Tribute)

Title Page

Copyright Page

An Excerpt From the Story

.

.

.

.

.

T
hey came close to her bed. Like a pack of predators, they surrounded her. Why did they all have to be here at once? Images flashed in her mind. She imagined intimate acts with one while others watched. She'd always imagined such deeds to be private. Her face went hot as she blushed, and she tried not to look at any of them.

They touched her. A hand on her ankle, pulling at the hem of her dress. Picking up the ends of her hair. Three pairs of hands.

Vaermax unfastened her belt and pulled it away, bending close and looking into her eyes as he did so. Ylissa could feel her chest heaving with her halting, trembling breaths. There was something about him that made her unable to look away. He had that same little half-smile, as though he knew something she didn't. She found it annoyed her. What could possibly be amusing about this situation?

She tried to muster up a glare, but it was hard while so distracted. She shivered as a hand ran up her leg, drawing up the flimsy fabric of her dress. Fingers stroked her bare thigh, and trailed over the curve of her hip. A claw traced a fine line over her shoulder, her jaw.

Vaermax drew her focus back to him, leaning over her. Slowly, he reached out and put a claw under her chin, tilting her jaw up as though to get a better look at her face. His eyes glowed with desire.

It was impossible to tell who was touching her where. Someone was on the bed, next to her. A dragon aroused in anger or lust grew three times hotter than usual. Even Ylissa would wake up burning, longing for someone to touch her, to love her. She felt all three of them radiating heat now.

There was a tearing sound, and started in alarm. Looking down, she saw that the Prince stood over her, the torn hem of her dress in his hands. Her eyes widened as she glanced downward, her gaze drawn over his smooth brown skin with its dancing designs, to the dark patch of hair below his belly. His manhood stood erect, pointing straight ahead. It was huge, and Ylissa felt a pang of fear.

He ripped the fabric as she watched, slowly, as though relishing the task. Watching as the tear traveled up the center of the dress, revealing her body bit by bit. Her bare legs, then the bare mound of her sex. She pulled her legs up in a vain effort to shield herself, but he knelt on the edge of the bed and gently held her still. With one last movement he tore the remaining cloth open, revealing her high, full breasts.

Vaermax bent his head and pressed his lips to hers, demanding her attention again. He smelled of smoke, and his lips were soft and warm.

Hands reached around her to cup one breast, and Ylissa gasped aloud as fingers rasped over her nipples. When her lips opened, Vaermax slipped his tongue inside. His hand slid around her jaw, holding her helpless as he ravished her mouth. His tongue was long and forked, and skilful. He brushed it over hers; teased her lips, withdrawing, returning.

It was as though some trance had come over her. The sensation of hands all over her, stroking and teasing her flesh, was overwhelming. Ylissa was unable to move. She swayed in their grasp. Her nipples had hardened, and turned unbelievably sensitive. Her heart hadn't slowed its frantic rhythm.

Lord Thress was the one laying next to her. When Vaermax broke their kiss and moved away, leaving her breathless, Thress bent over her and placed a kiss on her neck. His hard manhood pressed against her hip as he sucked and nibbled on her neck, below her ear. He was burning hot, but his mouth left trails of moisture that cooled as he breathed on her skin.

Hands stroked every inch of her exposed skin. Someone was caressing up her leg, claws gently raking over her knee, her inner thigh.

Thress slid a hand over her stomach and under her hip, pulling her body to face him. He cupped her ass, squeeze her flesh, making a guttural sound of approval. She felt his cock throb, pressed up against her.

Y
lissa was the only female born to dragonkind in thousands of years.

Her birth had been celebrated throughout the realm, and all others where dragons dwelled. But as she'd grown it became apparent that she had none of the abilities a dragon should have. The ability to change form never came to her, so she could not fly or breathe fire.

She was exceedingly normal, human-woman sized, and weaker than everyone else. If it hadn't been for the small buds of horns that peeked out from her hair, she might have thought that somehow she was human.

The elders and seers insisted that she would produce powerful offspring. And, their hope was, more females for the dragons. She had been locked away for her whole life, in preparation for coming of age, when every dragon of high birth would compete for the right to be her mate. The consort of the first female dragon.

Ylissa wasn't so sure. They had put a lot of faith in her - even intended for her to be Queen, and rule alongside her oldest brother as a sibling pair, like the dragons of old had done.

It was a nice dream. But it was her secret fear that she wouldn't live up to their expectations. That she would simply remain a small, weak, nearly-human woman. That she would bear nothing but male children, and the dragons would go on as they always had. Dependent on humans for their survival.

Her mother had once been a human Princess. In the manner of the dragon Kings, her father had accepted her mother as a tribute from the human folk. That had been thirty years ago. She had produced many male eggs - and finally, her last child, Ylissa.

Now her mother the Queen was growing old, for she was a human and humans did not live as long as dragons. Still a handsome woman with regal bearing, her mother was the only noble female Ylissa had known. The two of them had always been very close. Ylissa had inherited much of her manner from her, and the Queen had taught her a lot of human history and customs, and brought her human books to read.

For this alone, Ylissa was grateful. Her books kept her mind active, kept her company on the long nights when she was alone in her tower, behind barred doors. She read about human Kings and Queens, about heroes, maidens in distress and handsome knights. The books her mother gave her were her most precious possessions, even if no one else understood. Unlike humans, dragons did not record their history or tales in books.

Her mother had summoned her to her chambers, while everyone else in the castle was busy entertaining the visiting nobles. She bade Ylissa sit with her, and told her the story of the day she'd met her husband the King.

She had been terrified, a maiden of course, and had spent much of her life secluded as Ylissa had been, waiting for the day she would be sent in tribute to the dragon King. She had certainly never met a dragon until that day, and had been terrified. But over time she and the King had forged a strong love.

"And so will you," her mother assured her.

They spoke the common tongue of humans, a secret language just between the two of them. The story had been told many times before. But now, on the eve of Ylissa's coming of age, she added something new.

"It may be frightening. It may be painful. But it is a woman's lot to do our duty. Even the last female dragon.” The Queen smiled to soften her words. “Our husbands are chosen for us, but that does not mean we won't grow to love them. I know that one day you will be happy."

Ylissa's handmaidens filed in, signaling that it was time for her showing. The handmaidens too were something unique among dragonkind, and had been brought in at the Queen's insistence that noble women needed attendants.

The maids were each from impoverished human families, which had been paid a fortune in dragon gold for their service. The girls were kept as secluded from the male dragons as Ylissa herself. Aside from her mother, they were the only friends she'd had.

Their privacy ruined, the Queen stood and left the room without a word. She turned her head away, but there was a shine of tears in her eyes.

Ylissa drew on her silk robe and followed the maids. They prepared a bath, with water heated by the hot pools that ran under and through the caves. They poured water over her hair, and washed every inch of her. They shaved all the hair from her body. They rubbed fragrant oils on her legs, her neck, her breasts. Ylissa wasn't accustomed to such an intimate touch even from her maids, and blushed, feeling even more nervous.

"You are lucky, my lady." Mira, the youngest handmaiden, was her friend and spoke to her often.

"Lucky?" Ylissa raised an eyebrow, holding still so that the two other girls could work her hair into its intricate style.

"Of course." Mira's eyes were shining, and she was clasping her hands together. "You will be the mother of queens."

"Hmm." Ylissa muttered non-committally. It was a pity Mira couldn't have the honor. Right now, she felt like she would happily change places. But of course Mira was just a commoner, a human peasant. And it was the royal blood that was important. A commoner could never carry a dragon's egg.

The girl continued happily. "Why, even now the Lords are competing, to select those who will have the honor of mating with you."

Ylissa's brow furrowed. She turned her head to face Mira, frustrating the two maids who were working on her hair. "What do you mean, 'those'?"

Mira paused, sensing she had said something she shouldn't. She drew away from Ylissa. "Well - I mean to say..."

"Spit it out!" Ylissa did her best imitation of the commanding tone her mother had used with the servants.

Mira blanched. Reaching up to adjust Ylissa's diamond necklace around her neck, she stuttered. "I... They have decided, my lady, out of respect for the oldest families, and to increase your own chances at producing many eggs, the three strongest, fiercest, most skilled of the lords will become your consorts."

"Three!"

"Yes, my lady." Her eyes were downcast, anxious. But Ylissa didn't reprimand her. She was speechless. Three! How could she be expected to bed three men?

The romantic tales her mother had told her, tales of betrothal and blossoming romance between a Princess and her new husband - of belonging to him and him only for life - it felt as though they had been ripped away from her.

The promises of romance had been the only thing that sustained her - the hope that she might find the same happiness as her parents... Was she instead to be chained to three males and forced to service them all? To be treated as nothing but a brood mare?

Her mind fell blank. She stood still, numb, while Mira finished with the necklace then scampered away to fetch Ylissa's wedding clothes.

The dress was filmy, translucent white, and long enough to just brush the floor. The handmaidens belted it under her breasts, with a golden belt. They draped a heavy white cloak around her shoulders, and placed a dainty golden circlet on her head, taking care not to disturb her elaborately arranged hair. Ylissa had to hold her head very straight, feeling as though the whole thing might slip sideways.

It was time to be paraded out in front of all the visiting nobles of the kingdom, and the neighboring kingdoms. Her husband – husbands? She corrected herself – were in that crowd. She took a deep, shaking breath.

Mira took hold of Ylissa's hand. "Please," Mira urged, patting it nervously as she started leading her from the room. "Remember to smile, my lady."

A pair of dour guards joined them outside the door. They took her down many passages - hallways Ylissa had never walked before - and out onto a balcony of sorts, overlooking a huge cavern.

The roof of the cavern was open, high above. It was a dim day, but even so the light was dazzling to Ylissa, who did not get much time in the sun. She squinted and shielded her face for a moment, then slowly looked out over the rocky expanse

Hundreds - maybe thousands - of dragons in human form, stood along the tiers and in the nooks of the cavern, observing the fight that was taking place below.

At first sight of Ylissa, there was a murmur among the crowd, and then they began to cheer. She had never seen so many people. Never seen more than twenty gathered together, really. And all eyes were on her.

Mira, standing behind her, stepped forward and murmured in her ear. "Perhaps you should wave to the people, my lady? They are here to see you."

Ylissa took a few deep breaths, stunned by the sight and overwhelmed by the noise. Hesitantly, she raised her hand, and gave a timid wave.