Chapter Thirty-Five

We made it back to Shasenai in time for our celebration feast. All right, we were a little late, but, just as Vax said they would, they had waited for us. We walked into an enormous dining hall to the sound of applause.

Low, black, glossy tables of the sort preferred by undersea folk sat in rows to either side of an aisle that led to a space used either for dancing or entertainment. I've only been in one other royal dining hall, that of the Royal Castle of Racul. Our whole crew had gone, invited by Duke Lock, ex-assassin and close friend of Teng. King Tarocvar's dining hall had a similar setup to this one, though the tables were higher and had chairs instead of the cushioned backrests the Sea Dragons used. Again, similar to that other dining hall, Vaxarion's table was set on a dais and he actually had a seat. Though higher than the others, the King's table wasn't as tall as those found on land but was the perfect height for his wide, low, heavily carved, black-lacquered throne.

Nodding and smiling at his court, Vax led me down the aisle and up to the dais. The applause died down as he let me go and waved at his throne. It was more of a daybed than a chair, with a broad and deep seat surrounded by a low railing. A railing, not an armrest. The frame was to rein in the cylindrical pillows that bordered the main cushion and served as armrests. There were additional pillows to support the King's back, all of them made of silk and embroidered by hand. The perfect fodder for a pillow fight.

I restrained the urge to pick up a pillow and whack the King. Instead, I sat down on one side of the seat, leaving a good five feet for Vax to settle in. He chose to sit in the center of the throne. I wasn't sure if it was simply where he normally sat or because he wanted to sit pressed up against me. Then he slid an arm around me.

Yup, it was the latter. And I was good with that.

With another nod from the King, servants rushed out of a door on our left, the first of the group streaming up to the dais, all smiles as they deposited platters of steaming delicacies before us. I thanked them before they hurried off and then reached for one of the serving spoons.

"Allow me," Vax said and snatched up the spoon before I could.

I chuckled. "Oh, you're going alpha on me?"

"I have always been the alpha."

"You know, just because you're a top, it doesn't make you the alpha."

"Of course not," he huffed, as if that were an offensive suggestion. "It's because I'm the King."

I rolled my eyes. Mainly because he had a point, and I couldn't think of anything to say. But then Vax was filling my plate with mouth-watering food and I didn't give a fuck about alpha shit. Buttery shellfish, grilled vegetables, crispy fried fish, hot bread, and even pork stew from the surface. Actually, there were a lot of delectables from the surface served, including the wine he poured for me. I was shocked by the spread, and I'd been prepared to be impressed.

"Are those sesame balls?" I reached for a little bowl heaped high with deep-fried balls covered in sesame seeds.

Vax grabbed the bowl before I could and brought it closer to me. "Yes, I hired a chef from Rasokai, and he often prepares treats from his homeland. Do you like these?"

"I love them!" I grabbed several and popped one into my mouth while I held onto the others. The dough was sweet and chewy, filled with a lightly sweet custard. "So good!"

"I'll have him make them more often," Vax promised.

"Not too often," I said. "I don't want to get sick of them."

"Unlike me, who you'll never get sick of." He winked at me.

"No, I'll never get sick of you, Your Majesty."

"You're permitted to use my first name in public now, my sea butterfly."

"Well, fuck. If you're calling me that in public, you can bet your fine ass I'm calling you Vax."

Vaxarion laughed boisterously, and the sound made several members of his court smile. I saw some relief in their eyes too. They must have worried endlessly for their king while he fought his need to be with his mate. Shit. He had done something most Land Dragons deemed virtually impossible, and he'd done it at the worst time in our mating. Dragons were supposed to be savage directly after mating. Primal. Lost to their beasts. If something happened to keep them from their mates, they went bonkers. As in, run-for-your-lives bonkers.

Sitting there, finally having a moment's peace to think it all through, I found myself reeling in wonder. Not just over what Vax had been through, but also the fact that I was mated to a Sea Dragon! A king. Vax. He was mine forever. We were bound in a way that no one could break, not even us. It was astonishing. A pirate and a king. Wow!

"What are you thinking, my sea butterfly?" Vax asked.

I snorted. "I can't take you seriously when you call me that. You sound like a bard."

Vax chuckled. "Very well. What's on your mind, Mate?"

"You, of course." I shook my head. "I can't believe you chose me."

"I didn't."

"Excuse me?" I scowled at him.

He leaned down to kiss me. Just a quick peck and then a nuzzle before he said, "I did choose you for bedding, but the magic chose you for me. And I'm glad it did because it knew better than I what I needed."

"Yeah, all right. You turned that shit around."

Vaxarion's hand slid down my back to rest just above my ass. "I should have kept you my slave for longer. Maybe it would have taught you some respect."

I snorted. "I respect you. But I'm your mate now. That means I can call you on your shit."

"Call me on my shit?"

"Yes. I can point out when you've said or done something wrong."

"Ah. Yes, you have that right. You're a duke now, outranked only by me."

"Thanks, but I knew that."

He nodded. "Because you have a duke friend."

"That's right. Well, he's more Teng's friend, but yes. Lock's union is even more shocking than ours."

"How is ours shocking? Sea Dragons take lovers outside our race all the time."

"But I'm a pirate."

"No one down here cares about that, especially not me."

"True." I slid my hand on his thigh. "Maybe it's only shocking to me."

"Why?"

"Because I never thought I'd get anyone as incredible as you, much less form an eternal bond with him."

"That is an excellent answer," Vax said with a happy rumble.

"At least I'm not a human."

"I only know of one other Sea Dragon king who has mated, and he mated a human."

"No, he didn't," I scoffed.

Vax beamed at me. "Yes, he did. A human from another world."

"Shut up! Now, I know you're teasing me."

"No, it's the truth. When the Dragon Gods fought, it opened rifts through space and pulled two men here from another world. Both men mated Dragon kings—one on land and one in the sea."

A shiver ran over my arms. "You're serious."

"Yes."

"Two men from another world?"

He nodded. "Both human."

"There are humans in other worlds?"

"Yes. Their world only has humans as the higher life-form."

I snorted. "That can't be true."

"It is. Unless both men were lying, which I doubt. They gave their tales separately. And both described the same type of world."

"And one mated a Land Dragon while the other mated a Sea Dragon?"

"Yes."

"Doesn't that seem strange to you?"

"That is most definitely strange. But then, it was caused by the Gods."

"No, I mean with who they mated. That two men were brought to our world is amazing enough, but then for the mating magic to bind them to Dragons—one of land and one of sea—makes it seem less random."

"As if they were pulled through those rifts because of the mating magic?"

"Yeah. Maybe."

"Interesting theory. Especially since it was divine Dragon magic that created the passages."

"Your Majesty and Your Grace!" Yavess interrupted us.

Vax and I looked over to find Yavess standing in the space before the dais.

"On behalf of the Morilren Dread, I congratulate you on your mating. We are delighted that our king is the second Sea Dragon king to find his mate!"

The court cheered and applauded.

Vax nodded and grinned at them.

"To celebrate, I've prepared some special entertainment," Yavess went on. "I hope it thrills, inspires, and delights you."

Yavess clapped his hands and a group of half-dressed men and women from several of the undersea races came streaming up the aisle to line up before us. Yavess stepped back, then turned and went to his table, just to our right. As soon as he was settled, music started to play. The musicians came up the aisle and stood along the left wall while the first group began to dance.

Lithe bodies twirled and bent. Undulated. Hands tipped in claws trailed along dark indigo skin. Frilled ears twitched as lips brushed them. Tentacles clung to muscular thighs.

I cleared my throat and shifted my shaft into a more comfortable position. As a pirate, I'd seen many erotic and exotic performances. I had even watched them with my chosen lover for the evening. But those performances had been in dark taverns or around campfires, once even on the deck of the Lu-Ken. They were not in a royal dining hall while I sat next to my mate.

I swallowed past the dryness in my throat as a Kaikeyo's hand adhered to a Leeya's pale pearlescent stomach, locked in place by the suction cups on his fingers. The Leeya—a woman—moaned and bent backward, her beaded nipples poking through the wispy fabric of her top. The Kaikeyo bent his head to brush his cheek against one of those nipples. While he did that, one of his chin tentacles reached out and wrapped around the Leeya's other breast. And squeezed.

What the fuck? How far was this going to go?

As I gaped at the "dancing" couples who were beginning to moan and lose some of the clothing they couldn't afford to lose, Vax's hand slid around my waist. My stare shot to him. He was smiling softly, and that smile distracted me long enough for him to undo my trousers. But when his hand found my cock, I jerked out of my daze.

"What are you doing?" I hissed as I shoved his hand away.

Vax chuckled and whispered in my ear, "Look around, Zix. It's acceptable."

Other couples were stroking each other as they watched the dancers. Even Yavess had pulled one of the Kaikeyo slaves onto his lap and was sucking on her plump breasts absently as he watched the performance.

"Holy shit," I whispered. "I've heard stories about Sea Dragon courts, but I wasn't expecting this. Are we going to fuck right here?"

"We could if you wished to." He shrugged. "But most people choose to take the final act elsewhere. This is just the appetizer." His hand went back into my pants and gripped me. "Is this all right?"

My breath came faster. I barely got out the, "Yeah."

His thumb circled the head of my cock, spreading the liquid that had gathered there. "I'd like you to straddle me, Mate."

"You would?" I glanced around.

Most of the court was busy with their partners, though they still watched the dancers as they, uh, got busy too. No one was watching us. A thrill raced down my spine. How fun would it be to celebrate our mating by actually mating in front of the court? All right, maybe not that far, but perhaps a little oral?

I licked my lips and straddled the Sea King. Vax growled happily and transferred his grip to my ass. Without his hold, my cock flopped against his belly. But then I shifted back so I could undo his pants. The King's cock burst free—a thing of elegance and primal power. My mouth watered.

Grinning at him, I yanked the pillows out from behind him and put them to either side of us. Facing him, with those pillow walls up, it almost felt as if we were alone. But then I heard the soft sounds of sex, and I looked over my shoulder. It was the dancers. They were naked now and going at it. I'd call it fucking, but they were too gentle about it, turning what could have been base into something as beautiful as their dancing. Groups of two, three, and more came together, their nude bodies shining under the floating lights. The curve of tight asses, lush breasts, and muscular thighs made me suck in some air, but my breath came shooting out when I spotted a thick, dark, Gashi cock slamming into a pearly Leeya ass.

"Oh, fuck," I groaned and spun back to my mate. "I don't think I can do this."

Vax sat up and wrapped his arms around me. "You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with, Zix." He tucked me away and buttoned my pants.

I let out another breath, this one of relief. Then I put his cock away and fastened his pants. "I think I'd prefer to not share what we do with others."

He grinned. "I think I'd prefer that too. I don't like the idea of other people seeing your nude body and coveting it."

"You're a shapeshifter. Nudity shouldn't bother you."

"It doesn't. But your nudity, viewed by lusty eyes, does. And you are not a shapeshifter."

My lips twitched. I had to bite the lower one to keep from grinning. "I don't want other people to look at you like that either."

"That pleases me." He grabbed a sesame ball and held it up to my lips.

"This pleases me," I said before gobbling up the ball.

"Have you had enough to eat, Mate?"

"Yes. I think I have."

"Good. Then get up. I may not want to share you with my court, but I do want you. Now."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" I stood up and held a hand down to him.

Vax lifted a brow at my hand, gripped it, and stroked his thumb over the scales there.

"Stop teasing me," I grumbled and pulled him to his feet.

"It's a promise, not a tease." Suddenly, Vax snatched me up and tossed me over his shoulder.

We left the hall to the sound of scattered applause and cheering. Oh, and some deep moaning.

It was the best party I'd ever attended and all the better because we left early.