:It’s your blood. It’s your magic. It’s your body. Do as you will, my queen.:
I wouldn’t want just any queen licking my pussy. The thought made me smirk and cringe at the same time. Marne Ceresa…? I shuddered.
But I wouldn’t mind sharing with Leonie—ifshedidn’t mind. My brain had caught up to my Blood wanting to taste it, but another woman, a queen… I wasn’t sure. Plus Rik was always with me when I bled. I didn’t want that to change.
:We can make it work,:he replied.:She’s respectful of the boundaries you set. I don’t have to be inside you while you share.:
Still holding Leonie’s hand, I turned my head enough to look at her. Her gaze shimmered right back at me, her eyes intent.:I have an idea.:
:Yes,:she replied immediately.:I wouldn’t dare ask outright, but if you’re willing, absolutely.:
:Are you sure?:My nose scrunched up, still a little squicked out myself at the thought.:My periods are heavy. It’s… messy.:
She turned her hand over in mine and squeezed tightly.:I can’t fucking wait.:
:I won’t ask Rik to leave me for a single moment. It’d be too hard on him.:
:I understand. Trust me, touching him will be the absolute last thing on my mind.:
LEONIE
Still holding my hand—eventhough Rik carried her upstairs—Shara allowed me back into her bed. Her private, sacred space, made even more sacred by the steady flow of blood from her uterus, the giver of life.
There was so much magic in menstruation blood, even for humans. I knew countless spells made more powerful by even a single drop of such sacred blood. Never in a million years did I dream I’d be allowed to drink from a fertile queen. Even if my own cycle didn’t start, the magical power in each drop would elevate all my natural gifts.
Forever.
After everything she’d already done for me.
Her alpha handled her like the priceless gift she was, his care and tenderness made even more impressive because of his enormous size. I hesitated beside the bed, not willing to interrupt whatever routines they normally did together. I also didn’t want to accidentally antagonize him. Alphas could be extremely volatile during their queen’s cycles, or so I’d been taught. So much of what I knew about breeding queens was only hearsay. Legends passed down from the previous generation of queens who themselves may never have come into their cycle despite living for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Rik kept his own clothing on but carefully removed the soft pants and hoodie she’d worn downstairs. I was surprised there wasn’t any blood on her clothing. From the way she smelled…
I had to swallow again or embarrass myself.
“How do you want to receive it?” Shara asked, drawing my gaze up to her wan face.
I wasn’t sure what she meant. “I’m sorry?”
“I’m using a bit of magic to capture the flow inside me like a tampon or cup so I don’t ruin my pants. It’ll be quite a lot at first since it’s gathered so much, but the stream will slow once I’m lying down again.”
Goddess. I swallowed again, fighting the urge to lick my lips and bury my face in her lap. A whole cup. Of her blood. For me?
Stunned, I dragged my gaze up to her alpha. “I’m surprised you’re allowing so much to be shared.”
Cradling her against his chest, he climbed into bed and leaned against the headboard. I thought at first the bed frame groaned beneath his immense weight, but then I realizedhehad made that grumbling sound. “Then you don’t know me—or her—very well.”
“I may be breeding, as you call it, but I have no intention of carrying an heir right now. Rik gets whatever he wants, especially the first few days, but all my Blood are allowed to drink their fill. We won’t waste a drop.”
Which explained why everyone had been so full of magic and energy the last few days. But goddess above,allof them? There were nearly twenty Isador Blood. If she was bleeding so much… No wonder she was so wiped out.
Her eyes fluttered shut, her lashes dark against her pale face. After eating dinner, she naturally wanted to rest. Or perhaps she was simply so weak she could barely keep her eyes open. “You said you have a doctor helping with your cycle. Does she know how weak it makes you?”
She nodded, sighing. “We’ve tried iron injections and human medications meant to slow periods, but they don’t have much effect on me. I’m trying to just embrace the days of rest and let nature take its course, but it’s frustrating to be so exhausted a full week once a month.”
“It was worse when your reserves were thin,” Rik added. “But this one has been one of the… hardest cycles.”
I had a feeling he’d started to say bloodiest. I moved closer to the bed and dropped down to my knees beside the mattress, waiting for the invitation to join her.
