The Magic Shell

by S. E. Smith

  “I don’t know what this nuclear bomb is, but I hope you are right,” she said with a touch of humor before she looked out over the water in the direction of the palace. “What if I can’t find my parents? The spell – my people vanished around me. What if they are gone for good and there is no saving my home?”

  She leaned into Ross when he slid his arms around her. He pressed a light kiss to her brow and stared out across the water. This felt right.

  “I know that it is hard to keep the doubts and negative feelings at bay, but you have to, Gem. Your parents are there. Ashure could see them – or at least shadows of them. We will defeat whatever we face and you’ll have your home and family back again. I promise. We can do this – together,” he vowed.

  Her throat tightened at the sincerity in his voice. She turned and wrapped her arms around his waist so she could lay her cheek against his chest. He rubbed his chin against her hair.

  “I believe you,” she whispered.

  “Hey, the food is done,” Ashure yelled. “If you want any, you’d better hurry. Dragons don’t like to share, and Drago is trying to hoard the lot.”

  Ross’s chuckle blended with her smothered giggle. She pulled back and looked up at him. He brushed her hair back from her face.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “No problem. We sort of forgot to wash the fruit,” he said with a rueful grin.

  “I can wash them,” she replied with a wave of her hand, sending a burst of water over the basket.

  “That is still the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” he sighed.

  Ross chuckled when he thought about the story Ashure had shared with them earlier about using Nali’s sea monkeys to create havoc while he made off with some of the King of the Giants’ finest brandy. The man had a good sense of humor, but there was an element of danger to him that made him fit right in with the rest of the badasses in the group.

  Dinner had been a lively affair with stories from all the others. Ross had brushed aside their teasing when he refused to share any of his stories. That didn’t stop Gem from sharing his encounter with the man-eating plant, though.

  He was so lost in thought that he forgot what he was supposed to be concentrating on. It wasn’t until he received a painful slap to the back of his hand that he pulled his mind back to what he was supposed to be doing – learning to fight with a sword.

  “Ouch!” he said, shaking his hand.

  Ashure put his hands on his hips and shook his head. “How do you expect me to teach you how to defend your fair maiden if you don’t pay attention to the lesson?” the pirate asked in exasperation.

  “Defend? I hate to tell you this, Ashure, but Gem can thoroughly kick my ass. She almost broke my nose and she kneed me hard enough to put my balls up into my throat. That woman is a fearsome adversary if I’ve ever met one,” he dryly retorted.

  “Ah, ouch. Still, you never know when you might need to defend her – not to mention yourself, but hey, she’s more important, is she not?” Ashure asked as he lifted his sword and waved his hand at Ross to continue with the lesson again.

  Ross tried to copy Ashure’s movements. “Yeah. So, what’s your story? I know Drago can change into a dragon, and the other guy – Gant – can change into a giant. Nali can do some kind of weird changes like those wings I saw on her back when you guys arrived, and Orion is like this fish guy who can breathe under water, but you seem almost normal, if I ignore the outfit,” he mused, waving the end of his sword at Ashure’s shirt, trousers, and knee-high, brown cuffed boots.

  “Ah, but that is my power, young student. I appear normal and so am often underestimated,” Ashure said, stepping forward in a classical fencer’s pose.

  “I’ll try to remember that, Master Yoda,” Ross chuckled.

  They spent the next hour sparring. Ross was feeling pretty good by the time Ashure called a halt to their lesson. Of course, Gem and the darkness probably had more to do with the pirate calling it quits.

  “Thanks, Ashure,” Ross called out as the man bowed to Gem before walking back to the fire.

  “You did well, human,” Ashure responded.

  Gem chuckled when Drago asked Ashure how Ross had done and the pirate replied, “Nali’s sea monkeys could whip his ass.”

  “Ouch! That hurt,” Ross muttered in a mock offended tone.

  Gem laughed again. “Nali’s sea monkeys can whip everyone’s ass. They are cute as can be, but they have a devilish sense of humor and a fiendish knack for making mischief. Ashure has felt Nali’s wrath more than once and had to deal with them,” she replied.

  “Ah, well, I don’t feel so bad then,” he chuckled.

  Gem bit her lip and looked over at the others before she turned back at him. Ross tilted his head and returned her look with a questioning one of his own. If he wasn’t mistaken, his Princess appeared to be a little nervous.

  “You mentioned earlier that you would…” She cleared her throat before continuing, “…that you would like a little privacy…with me. I – there is a small private cove not far from here – if you would like to…?”

  Ross placed a finger under Gem’s chin, and gently lifted her head so that she was forced to look at him and he could see her eyes. He smiled and ran his thumb along her jaw. Her skin was glowing with the strange, wispy colors that he had noticed before.

  She parted her soft lips. Before he took this any further, he wanted to be clear about how far she was willing to go, because he was pretty damn interested in exploring the feelings inside himself. For the first time in his life, he wanted more than a one-night stand.

  “I want you, Gem, and I’m not talking about just a kiss. If you come with me to that cove, there is going to be a whole lot more than kissing going on. I want you to think about that, Princess,” he warned.

  She laughed nervously. “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I wasn’t hoping there would be more than a kiss,” she admitted.

  Ross briefly closed his eyes when a shaft of need, so unexpected that it was painful, shot through his body. His cock was now on full alert. Opening his eyes, he flashed her a heated look that conveyed his aroused thoughts.

  “You – are dangerous, Princess, in more ways than one,” he informed her in a slightly hoarse voice.

  “You better believe it,” she tartly responded.

  Ross gripped her hand, and followed her as she led him away from the fire. He sure as hell hoped that the others did not worry about them. If they did, they might get an eyeful.

  “Maybe I should…,” he started to say, looking back over his shoulder.

  “I told them that we were going to get cleaned up and would find a place nearby for the night,” she informed him.

  Ross made a pleased sound that resembled a growl. “You planned ahead. Got me right where you want me, seductress.”

  Gem sent him a heated glance laced with humor. “Not quite yet, but I will,” she promised.

  He grinned and tightened his grasp on her hand, looking around as they walked silently along the beach. The night was beautiful. He had seen some beautiful nights out on the water back home, but nothing like this.

  The stars were so bright he felt like he could reach up and touch them even with the light of the double moons. He thought of the Milky Way back home that looked like a river of milk with all the stars running through it. Here, there were colorful bands of nebulosity that looked like a rainbow had been painted across the heavens.

  The smooth, glass-like surface of the lake mirrored the sky. He stopped when Gem pulled away from him. She turned and smiled at him.

  He stared at her hands as she gripped the bottom of his sweater that she was wearing. She slowly pulled it over her head. Beneath it, she wore a light green tunic over leggings.

  He chuckled when she had to pause long enough to remove the assortment of knives hidden around her body. There was something hot about a woman with a weapons fetish. It wasn’t until she pulled off her boots that he realized he was standing there gawking at her li
ke some teenager.

  He bent over, untied his boots, and toed them off. He crossed his arms and gripped the bottom of his T-shirt, pulling it over his head. He tossed it to the private pebbled beach and pulled off his socks. They joined the growing pile of clothes.

  When he finally straightened up to remove his pants, Gem had already removed the rest of her clothes and was walking toward the water. He almost fell flat on his face in his haste to get his pants off. His eyes were glued on Gem as she waded into the water, naked.

  “Hot damn,” he hissed.

  21

  Ross shook his head when his manhood bobbed in agreement. He’d been fifteen the last time he had a reaction like this. It had been his first sexual encounter with a girl on vacation from Portland. He had a feeling this was about to blow that memory right out of the water.

  Deep down, he still found it hard to believe he was in a magical world about to make love to a Princess straight out of a fantasy. He rubbed his hands together and swallowed when she looked back over her shoulder at him. Okay, he would admit it – he was a bit nervous.

  “Get a grip, Ross! Since when have you ever had trouble pleasing a woman? Hell, since when have you ever doubted that you could?” he muttered to himself.

  He sauntered down to the water’s edge. Gem turned and faced him. He waded into the water, surprised that the temperature was pleasant. It would have been very embarrassing if it was cold. The thought made him smile, and he couldn’t resist looking down to make sure. He looked up when he heard the lilting sound of laughter.

  “What?” he demanded with a grin.

  “You are very impressive to look at Ross Galloway,” she teased.

  He wiggled his eyebrows and flexed his muscles. “You haven’t seen anything yet, Princess,” he humorously retorted.

  “At the moment, I’m getting a very good eyeful,” she responded.

  Ross could feel his cheeks flush. Yes, she was getting a very good eyeful. She lifted her hand and blew a kiss before she turned and dove under the water. He knew in that instant that his heart was well and truly caught.

  He leaned forward and dove into the water after her. It was refreshing and soothing against his aching muscles. The moons had risen and were almost full. They illuminated the water, and he was surprised to see the iridescent glow of assorted rocks under the shimmering surface.

  He emerged in waist-deep water and turned around looking for Gem. He spun around when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. Gem looked up at him with a small, almost shy smile.

  “You’re beautiful, Gem,” he murmured.

  She leaned into him. He felt her sliding her hands up his arms to his shoulders and bent forward to meet her lips halfway, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. He groaned when the tip of his engorged cock brushed against her stomach. She tightened her arms around his neck in response and used the buoyancy of the water to lift her legs and wind them around his waist.

  Their breathing became faster as the passion between them built. Ross wanted to take his time to discover every inch of her, but his body was demanding that he claim her hard and fast this time so that he could take his sweet time with her later. He slid his hands down from her waist and cupped her buttocks. In this position, all he had to do was enter her.

  He swept his tongue across her upper teeth before he pulled back a little, sucking her bottom lip. Then he drew back and looked at her. They gazed at each other in silence. He wanted to watch her expression as he took her.

  “Take me,” she demanded, tightening her legs so that her heels dug into his buttocks.

  “Over and over, love, over and over,” he vowed.

  He pressed the tip of his cock against her soft curls. She pushed down until he was between her soft folds at the tight entrance to her channel. He gritted his teeth together to keep from moaning when she slowly relaxed against him. The movement pushed him deeper.

  There was no way he could control his reaction when she pressed her breasts against his chest and began moving up and down. He tilted his head back, and his eyelids drooped when she pressed small, hot kisses against his throat. All he could do was hold onto her and enjoy the way his cock was sinking deeper and deeper inside her with each stroke.

  Ross bent his head and captured her mouth again. Gem parted her lips under his heated kiss. He pumped his hips as she rode his engorged shaft, and she tangled her fingers in his hair as their kissing grew rougher.

  She tore her lips away from his and moaned. “Ross, this feels so good,” she choked out.

  “It’s going to get even better, Princess,” he promised.

  She shook her head and leaned into his shoulder. “Right now I’m finding that hard to believe,” she replied.

  “Hold onto me,” he instructed.

  She tightened her legs. Ross could feel her heels pressing against his buttocks. He wanted to get his hands on her breasts. She leaned back when he slid his hands up her sides. Her low hiss told him that she realized what he was doing. He swore that if they weren’t in the water at the moment he would have broken out into a sweat.

  In her anticipation of what he was about to do, she instinctively tightened her muscles around his cock, and their lovemaking became even more frenzied. He cupped her breasts, lifted them high, and captured a taut nipple between his lips.

  Gem uttered a muffled cry as he rolled the hard pebble between his lips before sucking it in deeply. She trembled in his arms as he worked her nipple until it was sensitive and swollen.

  Ross released her throbbing nipple only to continue torturing her with his fingers while he worked on the other one. He kept up the assault of sensation on her breasts until he felt her channel pulsing in time with his suckling. Only then did he release the breast he was teasing with his fingers and move down to her clit. He found the hidden little nub and began rubbing it as he increased the rhythm of his thrusts.

  She immediately began riding him harder and faster. Small waves welled in the water around them as their need to come washed over them. When they reached a crescendo, their loud cries rang out.

  He thrust into her as she pushed down – both of them seeking to draw out their last moment of release. Their breath mingled when she captured his lips and held him like she would never let him go.

  He hugged her tightly, holding them both upright as she melted in his arms. A final shudder ran through him as he felt the last bit of his hot semen emptying inside her. They remained locked together long after the final waves of their release.

  Ross cradled Gem in his arms, his chin resting on her shoulder while her face was pressed against his throat. Their hammering hearts slowly returned to normal, yet neither of them was ready to pull away.

  He looked out over the lake. The moons made the water look like a bed of brilliant diamonds glistening against black velvet. He studied the sky. The stars glowed like a million pinpoints of light. Somewhere out there was Earth, he imagined, yet he didn’t care. The only thing he cared about was what he was holding in his arms.

  He reluctantly released her when she lowered her legs. He held her waist and steadied her when she wobbled a little. She released a soft chuckle.

  “What is it?” he asked, cupping her chin so that she was forced to look up at him.

  “You were right – it did get much better,” she confessed.

  Ross shook his head and kissed her swollen lips. “If you think that was good, wait until I get you in a proper bed,” he murmured.

  “I can’t wait,” she replied.

  Gem touched his cheek, and he turned his head, pressing a kiss to her fingers. He didn’t want to think about what tomorrow might bring – or the days after that. He would take his time with her while he could because he knew that this moment couldn’t last forever. A princess from any world didn’t have long term relationships with a guy like him. If tonight was all that he would ever have with her, then he wasn’t about to waste it on regrets.

  “If you can make us a little pallet under
the stars, Princess, you won’t have to,” he teased.

  “I think I can manage that,” she purred as she gripped his hand and began pulling him toward the shore.

  Over an hour later, Gem sat up and looked out over the lake. Lightning flashed on the horizon. She could feel a drop in the barometric pressure. She looked down at Ross. He was lying on his back with one arm under his head, staring up at the stars.

  “It is going to rain. We should find shelter,” she suggested.

  “Okay,” he replied in a relaxed voice.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked, leaning over him.

  He looked at her and smiled. “You, the universe, nothing,” he replied, sitting up when she pulled back.

  She grabbed his sweater and pulled it on. Bowing her head, she bit her bottom lip when she pulled the material over her tender breasts. Her whole body felt well and truly loved.

  Ross had touched Gem in places where no man had ever touched her before and, oh, what he had done with his lips! Her body heated at just the thought of the places he had kissed her. She swore she could still feel the moist heat of his breath against her clit.

  She stood up and surreptitiously watched as he pulled on his pants. Then she turned around and looked at a small cluster of trees near the bank. One of them would be perfect to stay the night in. There were enough vines to create a shelter, and the thick moss would make a comfortable bed.

  “We can stay the night over there,” she said, pointing to the trees.

  “I’ll follow you, Princess,” he said.

  He picked up the rest of their clothing before she could. Ross had suggested they wash and dry them while they had a chance. She had agreed, knowing he probably needed a short amount of time to recover before they made love again. She didn’t mind. The short break had given her time to sort through what had transpired between them.