All Chapters of Surrogate of the Sleeping Dragon: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

*Ember*My eggs were harvested for the procedure and I spent nearly a week in bed recovering from the fatigue of it and wondering if this was still such a good idea. Finally, I felt good enough to sit in the garden and enjoy breakfast. Coffee warmed my hands through a pottery-style mug as I watched the first dim light of dawn creep above the horizon. The sky warmed up to a beautiful orange and hot pink. The morning was crisp, the air damp and soothing to the lungs.I loved this view from the balcony in the early mornings. It was quiet, and there was no one else around. Not the bubbly Nola or the brooding Zephyr. Kieran was still keeping himself scarce, except for our online chats. But that was okay. Seeing him in person made me nervous, too.“It’s beautiful isn’t it,” came the familiar voice behind me.I turned in my lounger and saw Kieran standing in the doorway of the balcony, looking at me. “The view is spectacular.”“I think so, too.” He was still looking at me. “An

*Kieran*I made my way to the kitchen wanting to surprise Ember with a hearty breakfast. I had read online how embryo implanting can cause some cramping and discomfort for females and hoped to make the start of Ember's implanting day a little easier. After all, she was doing this for me and the future of our kingdom and deserved to be spoiled. For years I had been controlled by others and my bloodlust as a dragon was out of control. Building this castle and village had been an escape for myself as well as many others trying to run from the oppression in our homeland. I had a violent past, and I had made awful choices in order to survive. I took in a deep breath thinking about the past once again, knowing how much it haunted me.As I grew older and years passed here in the human world, I had come to the realization that I would not let my future be anything like my past. Others such as therapists and friends had tried to convince me I deserve happiness.I knew they were righ

*Ember*After the awkward dinner, I couldn't shake the feeling of doubt that had crept in. Kieran's dismissal of my input hit me hard, making me question my place in all of this. I couldn't help but wonder what my role would be in this child's life. Would I just be the surrogate, the vessel that carried the heir to the throne, or would I have a say in how they were raised? Would I be nothing more than a distant memory while Kieran took the reins of their life?I found I really hated the idea of that and tried not to let the dismay it caused consume me. I'd known what I was agreeing to; it wasn't fair for me to get tangled up like this and make a mess of everything just because it wasn't how I imagined having my first child would be.I walked through the castle corridors toward my room, my mind swirled with conflicting emotions. The walls seemed to close in around me, amplifying my sense of uncertainty. Was this what I wanted? To be forever bound to Kieran? I couldn't deny the att

*Ember*I felt a flicker of fear earlier but Kieran had promised me we wouldn't go all the way until I was ready. I could see the spark of arousal in his eyes when he walked into the bathroom grabbing a sash from his bathrobe. But my curiosity got the better of me when he walked back over to the couch we had been sitting on in front of the fire. The glow of the fire accented the muscles on his arms as he came around the couch and knelt down in front of me."I have an idea," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at me. "What is it?" I said curiously, licking my lips and watching the passion in his eyes heighten as he looked into mine. "If we bind your hands behind your back, you won't have to worry about hurting me with them. And we can still have a good time." Kieran answered with a mischievous look. "Anyways, you might find you enjoy it. There's no harm in exploring."I bit my lip as I contemplated the idea, "All right. What happens if I don't want to continue?""Then tell m

*Ember*"You seriously think that's something you would crave if you were pregnant?" I said as I laughed so hard I clutched my chest and squinted my eyes shut."Yes! Jalapenos and ice cream! I mean both are amazing, why not pair them together?" Nola answered my judgemental toned question laughing along with me. Nola had taken me to the game room which was just around the bend from my favorite room which was the library. She said that taking a mental health break was just as important as taking time to study and practice. We ended up eating popcorn, playing board games, and currently we stood around a pool table trying to figure out how to play. "I'm not sure I understand. I hate spicy food. No jalapenos for me!" I said scowling at the thought of adding extra spice to my favorite dishes. "Okay okay, but when you become pregnant what do you think you'll want to eat?" Nola asked me with a pointed look as she brushed her hair behind an ear. "Um… I haven't really thought abo