by Lisa Daniels
“Don’t worry,” Adrik beamed at her. “As of your escape, they have absolutely no one to protect. When they received word that all four of you were captured, the kingdoms began to protect princesses—and princes.”
“Why would the princes need protection?”
“A prince could impregnate their women as easily as their men can impregnate you. The shape shifters have ways to ensure that the princes would do what they wanted. Then the children would be delivered to the palace as servants. They would have considerably more skill at an earlier age. And over time, those kids would be unmasked as children of the princes. It was not the preferred method since the children would not have the same bond, but it would have worked if Jake could not get any more princesses.”
“What is wrong with him that he is helping the shape shifters?” Fayina began to rub her temples.
Taking that as a sign, Adrik moved behind her and began to massage her shoulders. “Relax. There is nothing to worry about on that score. My people are closely monitoring Jake and his men, and we should be able to finally put an end to what they are doing within the next few weeks.”
“What if you can’t?”
“If worse comes to worst, we can simply ask the wolf shifters for help. They have a long-standing hatred of that kind of behavior—even more so than we do.”
“You could ask the dragon shifters, too.”
Adrik burst out laughing, “Not a chance. They have their own problems to handle right now. Two of the three kingdoms are just starting to recover from decades of problems, so the princes and kings have to focus on that. Besides, that isn’t the kind of thing that requires their help.”
“But they are now married to humans. Wouldn’t it be best to help now that there are blood relations? Maybe their children are safe, but I know for certain that two of the princesses they married will worry about their nieces and nephews.”
“Yes, they do have reason, but hunting is not their strength. We ask them for assistance with negotiations and discussion—which are not our strengths.” Adrik pointed to himself, “I am considered one of the best at it.”
Fayina laughed as she remembered what Filip had said. “Filip would not agree with you.”
“And there you have the problem. Filip is one of our most intelligent leaders, but he is lost when it comes to any kind of negotiations. If I am a pushover, he is an immovable object. No, we need the dragons for talks. The wolf shifters are not only the best hunters, they take any kind of large-scale abuse of humans personally. And they are tenacious.”
“They don’t sound nearly as dangerous as a dragon, though.”
“No, they don’t sound as dangerous, but they are far more effective and efficient when it comes to taking care of problems. They are not notorious procrastinators, not like bears and dragons anyway.”
“You talk highly of them.”
“That’s because they are so humble and unassuming. They don’t ever ask for anything in return, not like the dragons. Wolves will do something if you give them a good reason. That is all they need. But we would prefer to handle this on our own. There are far too few wolf shifters to drag them into something so dangerous.”
“Why?”
Adrik waved a hand, “Sorry, but this is a conversation for a different time. Right now, we should really be focused on you and what you would like to do.” He looked at her, the smile gone.
Fayina bit her lip and looked away. “You said that you think my family will start a fight soon. What makes you think that?”
“Jake has managed to sow doubt about where you are since they don’t have control over any of you now. After all four princesses escaped, he had a backup plan, and he’s implemented it. Even Myra’s kingdom is considering war since all four of them think that one or two of the other kingdoms now are holding the princesses as hostages.”
“What? Do you mean that none of us has returned home yet?”
“Apparently not. There were some unforeseen issues that changed the courses of my brethren. The fact that the other prisoners have returned, but the princesses haven’t, has made it particularly difficult to convince the four kingdoms that you are alright.”
With a heavy sigh, Fayina said, “I suppose that I should go back and tell them what happened. At least let my family know that I am no one’s hostage.”
“The problem with that is that showing up in your father’s kingdom will make the other three turn against you. As barbaric as your family is, they will not be able to handle three kingdoms attacking. Not at once.”
“So, what should we do?”
“Filip has come up with a plan, but we have to coordinate to make sure that all four of you reach home at the same time.” Adrik twisted his lips and looked at his hands. “After that, each shifter will make sure that the princess in his charge will end up where she wants to be.”
“What do you mean?”
“So far, two of them have decided not to return home. They have agreed to prove that they are safe, but—”
“You mean Iliya found a way out of an arranged marriage?” Fayina’s eyes shone at the idea that her friend had managed to escape her fate.
Adrik nodded as his smile widened. “Yes, she has managed to avoid an arranged marriage.”
It was clear that Adrik knew something about her friend. Narrowing her eyes, Fayina asked, “How do you know so much? I haven’t seen you reading anything or talking to anyone.”
“That’s because you have been sleeping every time we have visitors.” He quickly held up his hands. “Never your friend. Just other bear shifters, since we can move around so easily and quickly. We discussed what to do a few days ago, but the others need more time to get to their homes.”
“I thought we were a long way from home.”
Adrik seemed to debate whether he should say anything else. Finally he decided on, “They are all further away. We will need about a week to get you home. My brethren will need several weeks to make their respective trips.”
“What did they do? Leave the continent?”
“Yes, they did.”
Fayina shot numerous questions at him, but Adrik avoided giving her a straight answer.
Frustrated after several minutes, Fayina flopped down on the floor. Pouting at him as Adrik sat near her, she muttered, “It’s not fair, you keeping so much information to yourself.”
Adrik smirked, “That’s not going to work on me. I was raised by a species that believes in tough love. I’m going to focus on what you need over what you want. And right now, I’m afraid you need to focus on yourself instead of the other princesses.”
Something about his words struck a chord with her. “Where have I heard that before?”
Adrik watched her closely but didn’t say anything.
Fayina sucked in her cheeks. “And now you are acting strange. What are you planning?”
Adrik just watched her.
Feeling like he was waiting for a specific reaction, Fayina shook her head. “Stop looking at me.”
“No.”
“Adrik, please stop looking at me.”
“Why?”
“Because I asked nicely?”
“First you demanded, so no.”
“You are acting childish,” she pouted at him.
Without warning, he leaned forward and gently bit her lower lip.
Stunned, Fayina watched as his eyes never left hers. When he pulled away, it clicked.
Throwing her arms around his neck, she pressed her lips to his. Adrik immediately pulled her to him and slipped his hand down the back of her pants. Fayina wrapped her legs around him, her body pressing up against his. Adrik’s other hand slid up her shirt and suddenly, Fayina felt the bra loosen. She pulled his shirt off and pushed him to the ground. Adrik’s gentle eyes smiled up at her, and Fayina paused to take in his perfect face and muscular arms. Too afraid to say the words bubbling up, she leaned over and kissed him, moving down his neck as she worked his pants off. As soon as her own were out of
the way, she placed herself alongside him, moving her lips along his hard body. Taking his hands, she held them over his head and slid over him. Adrik moaned, and Fayina looked at him as he closed his eyes.
No longer able to stop herself, she buried her face in his neck. Hoping that he could not hear her, she murmured into his collarbone, “Gods help me, but I love you.”
He hardened inside of her, and Fayina suspected that he had been able to make out her words. Embarrassed and wanting to forget, she sat up and began to move along him more rapidly. Without the bra, her breasts moved freely as she reached a climax.
As soon as she started to relax, Fayina lost control. Adrik rolled her over and began to aggressively move inside her, as if in response to what she had done. One of his hands held both of hers above her head as he murmured something in her ear in a tongue she did not know. It was enticing and erotic, and she quickly screamed out his name as her body clenched again. Before she could catch her breath, Adrik flipped her over and slid his body along hers. His hands expertly moved up her sides, cupping each breast as he thrust into her again.
Chapter 10
Adrik’s Belief
The next morning dawned as Adrik finally allowed Fayina some time to rest. As soon as he stopped, he returned to the gentle, mild-mannered shifter she knew. She couldn’t remember when they had moved to the bed—they had managed to move all over the cave that night. Yet there they were, and he was pulling the sheets over her.
“Are you warm enough?” His eyes were concerned as he took a cloth from the end table and wiped some of the sweat from her face.
Fayina pressed her body into his. “That’s better.”
He laughed and slipped under the sheets. Putting his arms around her, Adrik gave her a gentle kiss.
Fayina licked his chin, taking him by surprise. Giggling, she said, “You aren’t fooling me with that gentle kiss. I’ve mentally recorded hours of you being the most aggressive person I’ve ever seen.”
“It wasn’t too much, was it?”
To assuage his obvious concern, the princess kissed his neck. “I’ve never felt so good. Though I admit that I do not have quite as much stamina as you. I am extremely tired.”
Adrik turned a little and reached for water. “Here, drink this. It should help before you go to sleep.”
Sitting up a little, Fayina did as he said, then held out half a glass to him. “You, too.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he smiled as he took the glass. Finishing it, he placed it back on the nightstand.
Not wanting to break the spell, Fayina knew that she would have to discuss what was coming. As much as she wanted to ignore her future, she asked, “What now?”
“That is up to you.”
“It isn’t up to me. You have a say, too, and I want to hear your thoughts.”
“Every life is precious,” Adrik pulled Fayina closer. “But for the first time in a long, long time, I believe that someone is more precious than all others.”
Fayina buried her face in his chest. That was not at all what she was expecting to hear. “That has nothing to do with the future,” she said, turning her face up to look at him.
“It is only about the future. Do you really need me to spell it out for you?”
“Yes.”
Adrik gave her a disbelieving expression.
“First,” Fayina said, mimicking his tone while teaching, “I’m not a mind reader.”
Adrik wrinkled his nose at her. Pulling her into a deep kiss, he shut her up for a moment. When he finally let her go, he covered her lips with a finger. “There is no second or anything else. I’ll tell you.” Giving her a gentle kiss, he stroked her face. Adrik made sure to make eye contact with her as he said, “Divines help me, but I love you, too.”
“Oh, you brat!” Fayina said, pushing him away.
Adrik laughed as the princess scooted away in the bed.
Rolling away from him, she pouted, “That’s just wrong of you.”
She could feel him moving on the bed, slowly closing the gap between them. “It’s what you wanted to hear, though.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Your body did.”
Her lip stuck out further. “I did tell it to.” She could tell that he was right behind her.
His hand touched her lower back and worked up her side. Adrik’s body pressed against hers and his hand moved around to her breasts. His voice was husky as he said, “Your body is more honest than you are. Don’t worry, we can work on that.”
Surprised, she turned to look at him. He stopped her from saying anything with another kiss, a slow, sweet one. Fayina felt her body relaxing in his arms. “No one has ever had this effect on me. How do you manage it?”
He brushed her bangs out of the way and kissed around her face. “Because I love you.”
“That doesn’t explain anything.”
Adrik paused in his quiet petting. “Bear shifters have their own type of magic. I found mine a long, long time ago, when I was really young. Mostly because it formed my personality. That made it much easier for me to learn and master it. Most bear shifters aren’t capable of using any kind of magic until their 20s or 30s. I was using it before I was 10. It has meant that I’ve had roughly a century of mastering it.”
Fayina kissed his cheek. Running a hand through his hair, she asked, “How does that help me to feel safe?”
“I have the ability to put people at ease, even when they shouldn’t be. With most people, I don’t need to use it because my personality naturally puts people at ease.”
Fayina laughed, “Are you bragging? I mean, I’m not arguing with you, but it seems a bit cruel considering who you are talking to.”
“I'm talking to the woman I love. No bragging required with her, apparently.”
“Right,” she rolled her eyes. “She’s argumentative, rebellious, sneaky, and distrustful.”
“That isn’t who you are naturally. It is who you had to become. The person that you are around me is the person you are outside of the deplorable conditions that you have suffered all of your life.”
“There’s no way you could know that.”
“Yes, that’s part of my magic. I can see who a person should be compared to who they are becoming. The older a person gets, the more difficult it is to change the trajectory of who they are. You are still so young, so there is plenty of time to save you from turning into the woman you have expressed so much contempt for.”
Fayina wanted to reply with a snide remark or dismiss what he was saying, but there was an earnestness in his voice that kept her quiet. Instead, she rested her head on his shoulder. “I don’t want to leave you, Adrik. The idea of going back to my family was difficult before. Now I don’t think I can do it.”
“You have to, at least for a little while. They have to see you to stop any other wars. We will have Jake neutralized soon, but we have to ensure that he doesn’t cause any war. That would make it that much more difficult to keep him under control.”
Finally, the princess asked the question she had been avoiding for so long. “Then what happens?”
“That is up to you. I feel that it is too early to propose to you. More time is required so that you don’t feel rushed.”
Fayina stared into Adrik’s eyes, and knew that she couldn’t contradict him. “Are you always going to know how best to handle me?”
His hand moved along her body in a way that was far more suggestive than petting. “I can refrain from saying it if you would like.”
Fayina giggled, “How considerate of you.”
“Anything for my Fayina.” He leaned forward and kissed her more deeply. His hands were beginning to stimulate her, even though she had been so exhausted a few minutes ago.
“If we aren’t getting married, then what happens?”
“Until you are ready—or perhaps to help you make up your mind—I can allow you to live with me.” His voice was low, and the way he was looking at her let her know that the time to talk was ne
aring an end. “I am not ready to return home yet, so if you would like, I can take you with me around the human kingdoms. We would never need to mention where you are from, and we can give you an alias if you want to remain hidden.”
“That sounds like it could be exhausting.” Fayina closed her eyes, her body responding to his touch and shutting off her brain.
“You could stay in my home back in my kingdom.”
Fayina eyes shot open. “What do you mean your kingdom? Like, the kingdom where you live up north?”
“I will eventually return there, but not for a few years yet. But what I mean by my kingdom is that my father is stepping down as soon as I return, and I will be king.”
Fayina placed a hand on his chest, stopping Adrik’s further advances. “You mean you are a prince?”
A lopsided grin graced his face. “Sort of. All of the bear shifters who saved princesses are. We have more power and magic than regular bear shifters. It is part of the reason why there are greater expectations of us. But we still get to pick our own mates.” Though he was patiently explaining his position, his eyes belied the way he felt. As if Fayina needed further proof of his feelings, Adrik’s hands were already stimulating her again with gentle touches in strategic places. That was when she realized that he was nearly as devious as she was.
Giving him a light push, she tried to force him to focus. “Are you saying I would live up there without you?”
“Yes. I would not be as happy as if you stayed with me, but knowing that you are back home will give me more reason to finish what I am doing faster.”
“And what are you doing?”
“Right now, I am trying to convince my love to stop talking and give in to her desire.” His hand skillfully brushed against her thighs, making it nearly impossible to focus.
Gripping the sheets tightly, she said, “If I'm being honest, I don’t think that will work.”
“What?” His hands stopped moving and he looked down at her with a hint of fear.
“I don’t think...” She let her words hang in the air for a little while as she watched his gorgeous face shift through several emotions. Quickly pushing him over, she rolled on top of him. “I don’t think that I can wait for you to return to me.”