The Dawn of the Cursed Queen (Gods & Monsters, #3)

by Amber V. Nicole

“Mine.”

“Are you all right?” he asked, his eyes watchful. “Yes.” I smiled back. “Just a little sore, but good sore. Happy sore.” “Ah.” Pure male satisfaction filled his eyes, and he smiled to himself. He flicked his wrist, and an ablaze dagger formed in his hand. I had never seen this one. “Good sore,” he repeated smugly.

“During our three-day sexathon?”

“This is sad,” I said. “What?” he asked, his fork halfway to his mouth. “You are never allowed to do the shopping, ever.”

“Dianna Unirson? No.” “That’s your last name?”

I smiled against his lips, and he ran a hand down my back. “What’s so funny?” I shrugged. “Samkiel Martinez. It sounds funny.”

“Then what is it?” “A casmirah. I have only ever read about them. They are rare, mythological creatures that only fly through the sky to herald a new ruler. One flew for my father, and now one flies…” His words trailed off, his eyes darting from me to my hand, and we both stared at my ring. “Oh.”

“You hum?” Orym asked. I merely shrugged. “Not that I am aware of.” “Are you aware of a lot recently?” I gave the elf a soft smile before sitting at the small table in the center of the room.

What's wrong with Reggie?

“But what frightens me has not arrived yet.” “What does that mean?” Orym asked. “You should get some sleep and spend at least one more day resting.” Orym’s face paled as he stood. “We need to tell them.” “We will when they return.”

I said nothing as he headed for the door, nothing about his concerns or worries about what was to come and nothing about the harsh cold that followed him from the room.

What’s wrong with Reggie?? Is he sick or dying? Maybe something to do with Nismera having two other fates in her possession?

Kaden’s brows shot upward as he regarded me. “What?” I asked, gazing down at the sparkling gown that hugged my body. “Nice tits.”

“Speaking of outfits, what are you wearing? You look like a gothic vampire with that high collar,” I asked, my eyes raking over his reflection as I reapplied my lipstick. Kaden smirked but looked away, and I smiled. Tit for tat, you bitch.

Apparently, slaying millions of beings together drew them closer because I had heard them together numerous times since they returned. Once again, Nismera came first, and I was tossed aside.

Nismera literally comes first… (skull emoji)

“Besides, you’re the strongest witch on this side of the realms, Camilla. It’d be a shame to lose you.” I rolled my eyes, adjusting one final pin in my hair. “Strongest? Is that a compliment?” Kaden grumbled. My eyes cut toward him. “Hmm, the world is ending.”

Casmirah fly through the sky when a new ruler is about to ascend. One blazed through the sky last night, and Nismera believes it is heralding her reign now that Samkiel is dead and she’s eradicated the threat of Dianna’s rebellion.

Only a fool would challenge Nismera with any hope of winning.”

“I hate to burst your bubble, but you deciding after years that she is finally good enough for you will not work. Even if you manage to drag her back after you murdered her sister and her actual love, she’ll never touch you again, never love you again. You will never be Samkiel.” I expected him to snap my neck, to hurt me, anything but what he did. The anger in his eyes fizzled, his grip on the back of my head loosening. “I have a plan for that.”

EXCUSE ME?!?!?! WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN KADEN?

“I know you want to think the worst of my brother, but Isaiah is the only thing keeping that girl out of the beds of any general who decides he wants a taste of The Hand. He keeps her close to keep her from being raped.”

“Saving someone from something that horrific doesn’t make you a good guy. It makes you decent. It should be normal to be disgusted with that,”

There is no being more depraved and heartless than a leader protecting the people they love.”

I heard them together inside. Maybe kissing me made him realize how much he really missed her, and now that she had finally given him the time of day again, he was done with me. It seemed I’d only been a distraction. I should have known. Why did I ever think I could change him? He wouldn’t even change for his chosen family. I was nothing to him, to no one.

but it was the crown on her head that garnered whispers. Silver prongs reached for the ceiling and branched off like sparkling sunlight. I had never seen anything so beautiful. Kaden made a noise in the back of his throat, and I tipped my head toward him without looking away from Nismera. “What is it?” “That crown.” He kept his eyes straight ahead, speaking around his glass. “It was my father’s.” Unir’s crown.

Every single being in her presence went to their knees, including Kaden and I, because the crown she wore told everyone exactly what and who she was now. King of the Gods.

My chest hurt as my reality crashed down on me. I did not want to be in this castle of a prison with a demon of a ruler who pretended to be kind. I did not want to feel for a man who had betrayed all he claimed to love and now treated me as a passing distraction. I did not want to dance and fake a relationship with my arch-nemesis. I couldn’t do it, not anymore. A fine tremor went through my body, and my eyes burned. I had been strong for so long, but now I felt like I was going to break apart. I wasn’t strong enough.

sharp edges, no matter how beautiful, still cut.”

I was just so… frustrated with him. The stolen glances and midnight kisses had heightened my need and made me… hope. He made me believe that maybe there could be something, that maybe I wasn’t alone.

“You know, you talk a big game when it comes to her, but gods, do you play your part right. You can’t keep your hands off each other. And don’t even try to lie to me. I know it isn’t all just for show. I heard the two of you together the night before last.” “Camilla.” He reached for me, but I darted away, heading for the door. I was beyond mad, but the heartbreak threatened to bring me to my knees. Here I was, second best again. It was the same in everything. No matter what I did or how powerful I was, I was still not enough. Not for her, for my family or the world, and not for him.

It didn’t matter. All of this back and forth was just a prelude to the inevitable. Nismera’s claws were in Vincent far too deep, and I’d never had a chance.

“Me,” I whispered. “You have me.”

I will not have half of you. Stolen kisses behind closed doors are not enough.

“Fight, Vincent. Fight for something you want for once. Otherwise, let her kill you. Because this? This is not living. Not for you and not for me.”

“But I heard,” I said, wanting to believe so much, but I would not ignore what I knew. “I went to check on you the other night, and I heard you in your room. The sounds…” Vincent stood a fraction taller, pressing every hard edge of himself into me. He stepped between my legs and ground his hardness where I ached for him, those cerulean blue eyes burning as he stared down at me. “Myself.” His thumb caressed my lips in one sweep, and he thrust his hips against me. “After you got me worked up, as you put it.”

“Vincent.” My voice was as breathless as I felt. “Don’t.” His eyes darted to mine, and I knew this was a mistake. “Don’t leave me. I’ve hurt and pushed everyone away, everyone that meant anything. You are all I have now.”

Maybe I was never meant for a happily ever after, but I could stand by this broken man. I would stand by him because it was already too late for me. My hand caressed the side of his face. “I won’t leave you.” I placed a kiss on his lips and then pulled back a fraction. “We go together or not at all.

She had truly terrified me when she said she would leave. Something in me had snapped, awakening the ugly beast in me. Protective and feral, it feared losing this haughty witch more than the demon goddess that had created it.

“I’d fall to my godsdamn knees right now to have just a taste of you,” I said, trailing a blistering path up the column of her throat. “To see how far I could stick my tongue in you before you screamed, but she’d taste it.” “Good,” was Camilla’s breathless response before she nipped at my lips.

“I want to fuck you so badly, Camilla. You are all I think about, all I dream about, all I want.”

I only cared about her. All I cared about was Camilla.

Gods, she was the most beautiful woman in any realm.

“Gods, Camilla. I want to feel you dripping down my cock as I take you.” “Fuck me,” she begged. “Please, Vincent. I need…”

“Don’t forget your panties,” Cameron said to Camilla.

Dammit Camron xD

Can’t walk around smelling like hot witch sex, now, can you?

Please, the Vincent I knew, or thought I did, died long ago. I now know you’re just as heartless as the bitch who made you.”

There is no way to turn them back.”

“You know what’s funny?” “What?” “You hated Dianna so much, but she was willing to die for those she loved. She may have teeth and claws and be every bit of the monster, you believe, but she at least has a heart. You…” Cameron shook his head. “I’m just surprised I didn’t see how heartless you were before.”

we need to plan our next course of action.” “I have an idea!” I said, raising my hand. “We kill her.” They looked at me like I’d grown two heads, and I shrugged.

“Akrai,

baby,

“They nicknamed her The Shadow in her death camps. She is far quicker than most goddesses, and they say when she fights, you only see a flash of her silver hair before your body meets death.”

We had tested the sturdiness of it three times, just to make sure it was exactly what we needed.