Page 24 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

She nodded, sliding her hands over any part of me still covered in debris. “You almost made it,” she said, taking another tiny step toward me, her hands coming to rest against my chest.

I cleared my throat. “Further than the last few times.”

Her hand slid down my chest, dipping lower. I didn’t even feel the slight twinge of pain as she crossed my abdomen. She cupped me through my trousers, and I grunted, my cock twitching under her touch. “Want a reward?”

“What do I get?” I panted. “This is by far the closest I’ve gotten to the river. I think it should be a very big reward, especially given you crashed into me.”

Her bottom lip protruded ever so slightly as she opened my pants. “Poor baby, let me fix it.”

Words and all coherent thoughts left my brain as she knelt in the brush before me. Her eyes, those godsdamn eyes, made my heart race as she glanced up at me. Never breaking eye contact, she reached inside my trousers and fisted my cock, dragging it out in one solid move.

Dianna’s lips curved in an absolutely wicked smile, and I nearly groaned. “Already slightly hard for me, huh?” My body jerked as she placed a single kiss against my bare hip and nuzzled her cheek against me, her breath a warm rush over my shaft as she said, “Let’s see if we can make it harder, yes?”

Her tongue darted out, flat and thick, sliding along the underside of my cock. A soft moan left my lips as she watched me. Now I knew why she’d pressed me against the tree. It was the only form of stability I’d have while she tortured me into oblivion.

My hips moved, chasing her mouth as she licked one side, then the next in long, devilishly wicked laps of her tongue. She watched me through her lashes and delicately traced the side of my cock, my body twitching with each lick. She wrapped her hand around my base, squeezing and releasing rhythmically before stroking. The veins pulsed along my length as she did exactly what she said she would and made me fucking hard.

I groaned in earnest as she flicked her tongue underneath the head, my cock jumping in her hand at the sensation, but it was the wicked smile and kiss she placed atop the crown that drove me fucking mad.

“I thought I was to be rewarded,” I groaned. “Not tortured.”

Her laugh was downright evil before she leaned forward and took my cock in her mouth. My head fell back against the tree, and I twined my fingers in the silky tresses of her hair. She took me deeper and deeper, sucking and swirling her tongue in that feverishly skilled way that drove me mad.

Dianna braced her hand against my thigh, swallowing me damn near whole. I didn’t care who heard my moans and gasps as Dianna devoured me. She pulled back, sucking at the head, her luscious lips wrapped tight as her hand stroked my shaft in tight, rhythmic circles.

My hands fisted in her hair, urging her on as she took and took from me. I felt her moan around my length, and I felt myself rush toward the precipice, pleasure gathering at the base of my spine.

“Fuck, Dianna.” I groaned as my hips followed her every movement.

Dianna purred in response as if she enjoyed every single sound of pleasure I gave her. She cupped my balls, rolling and squeezing gently, using the exact pressure she knew made me wild. My Dianna set my whole body aflame. She always did, even when I was too stupid to realize what was between us. She was my living flame.

Another stroke and everything disappeared. I no longer felt the dull ache of pain in my abdomen, but with her near me, my failures, my vicious, cruel mind reminding me how, even with all my power, I was not enough, went silent. When she looked at me, touched me, and spoke to me with admiration and determination, I truly believed I was more than enough.

With another wicked flick and roll of her tongue, she twisted her hand, and I lost it. My pleasure barreled through me, and I groaned loud enough to shake the damn trees above. My skin flushed, heat boiling up from my toes as my hips thrust forward. Dianna braced herself and leaned into my push, stealing every last drop from me, sucking lovingly as I finished in her mouth.

Dianna’s smile was filled with wicked satisfaction as she leaned back and ran her thumb underneath her lip. I smiled, knowing that even though we played and joked about her rewarding me, I already had the biggest reward life could have offered me. It was her. It was always her.

WE HEADED TO ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SPOTS HERE IN JADE CITY. PAST the winding hills and through a few miles of forest was a field close to the edge of one of the floating rocks they called home. This spot was covered in trees and glittering moss. Two smaller floating rocks hovered above, partially concealed by pink clouds. Dianna loved to watch the sunsets from here, and it was far enough away we could train and speak freely without eavesdroppers. Plus, the view was gorgeous.

I had missed the beauty of the other realms, how oddly unique they all were. The first time we came up here, Dianna had assumed her wyvern shape and flew between the aerial islands, making sure it was safe for us. Then, a few other times, just for fun when we made it up here. I liked to watch her after training as she glided between rocks and clouds. She couldn’t smile in her wyvern form, but her little chirps as she flew seemed like a laugh.

“I wasn’t trying to be mean earlier.” Dianna’s voice cut through my meditation, her pacing increasing tenfold. “I just meant we need to get serious.”

A soft chuckle left my lips as my hands rested on my crossed legs. I took another deep breath, and my side tingled, the small nerves around the edge of the wound healing but too damn slow.

“I thought we were pretty serious,” I answered on an exit breath.

“I meant with training. You can’t save the entire cosmos if you can’t wield a sword,” she said. “It’s been a few weeks. We can start incorporating more pull-ups and push-ups. You know, upper body strength.”

“Uh-huh.”

She turned again, continuing to pace feverishly. “Maybe have you throw a boulder around or something. Really work the obliques.”

I peeked one eye open as she chewed at the flat of her thumb. “All right. And where has this boulder-throwing idea come from, per se?”

She paused, looking toward me as she waved her hand. “Close your eyes. Less talking, more meditating.”

I grinned even as I asked, “This would not have anything to do with Roccurem immediately going back to you after I left?”

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