Page 51 of Chains of Nightshade

"You'd keep my curse?" Her fingers curl against my skin. "Willingly?"

"Every damn day." I lean closer, breathing in her scent. "Let it burn inside me. Let it remind me what happens when I stray."

A slow smile spreads across her face, and she reaches up with her free hand to caress my cheek. Her touch is gentle, but there's steel beneath it. "What a perfect reminder." Her thumb traces my bottom lip. "So you'll never forget who owns you."

I close my eyes and lean into her palm, savoring the warmth of her skin against mine. The curse pulses between us, a constant reminder of our bond, and for the first time since she cast it, I welcome its presence.

"Never," I whisper against her palm. "I'm yours, Vera. Always."

“I want a mate,” she says softly, her eyes meeting mine. “Someone who will stand beside me, not beneath me.”

My heart stops at her words. For centuries, I've been alone, feared, hated. Now this remarkable woman wants me as her equal, her mate. The curse pulses between us, but it's no longer a chain – it's a bridge.

"A mate?" My voice comes out rougher than intended. "You'd trust me with that? After everything?"

Vera steps closer, her magic dancing across my skin like electricity. "You've proven yourself. Not just by taking that blade, but by choosing to stay bound to me even when I offered freedom."

I cup her face in my hands, studying every detail – the determination in her eyes, the slight upturn of her lips, the way her pulse quickens under my touch. "I don't deserve this."

"That's not for you to decide." She covers my hands with hers. "I want you, Aurel. Not as a slave, not as a servant, but as my equal. My partner."

"Your mate," I breathe, still hardly daring to believe it. My coils shift restlessly against the ground, betraying my excitement. "You're sure?"

"I've never been more sure of anything." She rises on her tiptoes, pressing her forehead to mine. "So what do you say? Will you be my mate?"

The answer burns in my chest, as clear as the curse that binds us. "Yes. Gods, yes." I pull her closer, overwhelmed by the trust she's placing in me. "Your mate. Your equal. Yours in every way that matters."

I pull Vera into my arms, my lips crashing against hers with a desperate hunger. Her magic sparks between us, sending shivers down my spine. The curse pulses in time with our heartbeats, no longer a chain but a bridge connecting us.

"I'll be yours forever," I breathe against her lips, my coils wrapping protectively around her legs. "My mate. My equal."

She laughs softly, the sound making my heart skip. Her fingers trace the scales at my neck, sending electricity through my body. "Forever is a long time for an ancient being like you."

"Not long enough." I capture her lips again, drinking in her warmth, her taste, her essence. My hands tangle in her hair, holding her close as if she might disappear. "I've waited centuries to find you."

"And now?" Her breath catches as I trail kisses down her neck.

"Now I'm never letting go." The curse thrums between us, and I welcome its burn. "Every breath, every heartbeat, every moment – they're all yours."

She pulls back just enough to meet my gaze, her eyes bright with power and love. "Show me."

"Are you sure?" I ask, my voice a low rumble that seems to vibrate through the very air around us.

Vera grabs my hand and guides it into her panties, to her soaking wet pussy. The heat of her is scorching, a stark contrast to my cooler serpentine skin.

"Does it feel like I'm uncertain?" she asks huskily, her eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that takes my breath away.

I grin, taking her by surprise when I push two fingers inside her pussy. She's tight, and the way she clenches around me sends a jolt of desire coursing through my veins. Her gasp is music to my ears, and I can't help but feel a primal sense of satisfaction at her reaction.

As I curl my fingers inside of her, thrusting back and forth, she bites her lip, her eyes fluttering shut. "Oh, fuck," she groans, her head falling back as she gives herself over to the pleasure.

Using my tail to keep her steady, I yank her top down, exposing her breasts to the cool night air. Her nipples harden instantly, and I can't resist the urge to tug at them, to roll them between my fingers before lowering my head to suck on them. She writhes against me, her body responding to my touch with an eagerness that matches my own.

I can feel the power of her magic pulsing beneath her skin, mingling with the raw, untamed energy of my own. It's a heady sensation, one that I never want to end. With every moan that escapes her lips, with every buck of her hips against my hand, I know that I am completely, irrevocably hers.

Wrapping my hand around her throat, I pull Vera closer, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. She tastes like fire and revenge, a heady combination that sets my blood ablaze. My fingers inside her move rhythmically, coaxing her closer to the edge. She comes undone with a shuddering gasp, her body clenching around my fingers as she rides out her climax, grinning like a madwoman with the sheer ecstasy of it.

The sight of her like this, wild and untamed, only stokes the fire within me. I need more. I need to be inside her, to feel her warmth enveloping me completely.

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