Pixie of Frankenstein [A Tail Like No Other: Book Two] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove)

by Scarlet Hyacinth

  “Indeed, Prince Kirril,” the Fairy Godfather answered. “Time is of the essence. I could get you to your home, but I highly doubt your parents would appreciate that. You still have influence in Arthuria. You must get Victor, Larue, and Philippe there at once. I will guide you to Snow.”

  Kirril seemed to be computing the steps of what that implied. Whether he believed the Fairy Godfather or not, he was obviously not willing to take the chance with his family’s safety.

  “You’re right,” he said. Turning toward Dineiro, he released a deep sigh. “Baby, I hate leaving you, but you must stay here where it’s safe. I won’t risk you or our child.”

  Dineiro’s lower lip trembled, and he looked like he was going to cry, but he nodded jerkily. “I understand.”

  My heart ached at the sight of his sadness. Kirril and I might not always see eye-to-eye, but the man worshipped Dineiro, and he was amazingly protective of the young dragon. Alas, Dineiro would soon start to nest, and he couldn’t leave the safety of the forest at such a delicate time. Kirril’s departure would already be hard enough.

  Obviously noticing my friend’s anxiety, the Fairy Godfather slid to Dineiro’s side and patted his shoulder comfortingly. “Worry not, sweet dragon. Nothing will harm him.”

  “I’ll be in my home city,” Kirril said in a comforting tone. “What could possibly happen?”

  Instantly, I remembered how much the human could piss me off. Saying that was just asking for trouble. Scenarios of destruction popped in my mind, but I didn’t say anything due to Dineiro’s presence. In the end, I had to believe that this time, Kirril was right. Life, or fate, wouldn’t be so cruel to finally bring Victor and me together, only to separate us.

  * * * *

  Acknowledging the need for urgency, we set out at once. Not even the forest was laughing any longer as we headed out, leaving Merlinia and all our friends behind. Dineiro in particular looked heartbroken, although Larue’s pixie family seemed just as concerned.

  To his credit, Kirril did his best to reassure Dineiro, and by the time of our departure, the dragon had calmed down a little. Even so, our journey began on a distinctively glum note.

  However, Bowie seemed on our side, as much sooner than I’d expected, we reached the river Dozmary, the natural barrier between Arthuria and Merlinia.

  “It seems like forever since we were last here,” Kirril said with a sigh. He was obviously remembering something that bothered him, probably a meeting with his siblings that had happened here.

  None of us said anything. We crossed the river in silence, with Kirril walking ahead, Larue and I following, and Philippe ending our little procession. He was still in panther form, but that would soon change, once evening fell.

  “So what’s the plan?” my brother asked as we finally set foot on Arthurian soil. “Do we just burst into the royal palace and accuse the princess of being an evil witch?”

  “We need to talk to the real Morgannian heir first, and to my brothers,” Kirril replied. “And we have to be very careful. Likely, Anelah will be able to tell who you are on sight.”

  “Well, perhaps she shouldn’t see us then,” Philippe suggested. “We can always stay at an inn in Camelot, right?”

  “We could, but I think we should stick together,” I replied. “For all we know, she’ll be able to tell when we arrive there. A powerful witch like her must be keeping tabs over her spells.”

  “I agree,” my mate offered. “We stick together. That’s the only way we can beat her.”

  “But in any case, how are we supposed to find the mysterious Snow?” Kirril asked. “It’s not like Arthuria is a small place, and so far we’ve received no real guidance from the Fairy Godfather.”

  “We need to have some faith,” Larue told him. “He helped me change shapes. He won’t fail us in something like this.”

  As it turned out, we didn’t have to figure our dilemma out immediately, because Camelot was quite far away from the border. Soon, we had to stop for the night. I could already feel the change approaching, and sat down at the bottom of a tree, next to my brother.

  By now, Larue was quite used to the process, so he knelt next to me and waited quietly. I relaxed my body and forced myself to accept the shift. At last, as the last of the sun’s rays disappeared, melting into the incipient gloom of twilight, the power of the spell flowed over me, shrinking me into a cat.

  When I began to recover, I was greeted with the sight of my naked brother, something which I honestly would have preferred to avoid but couldn’t be helped in a family of shifters. Fortunately, we’d thought ahead, and Kirril rummaged through his pack, offering Philippe something to wear. They were roughly the same size, and the Arthurian’s clothes suited my brother well. For my part, I was trapped in a pool of clothing due to the difference between the bulks of my two sizes. I’d have actually been distraught at that—usually I remained naked for the purpose of the shift—but Larue extracted me from the trap of my own garments and cuddled me to his chest. As such, the situation didn’t seemed so bad anymore, and I started to purr.

  Naturally, my brother found this extremely funny and started to snicker. Even Kirril cracked a smile. Their amusement didn’t bother me. Few things could when I was with Larue.

  Kirril gathered my clothing and stuffed it in his bag, and then, we continued our journey. At last, we reached a small village, where the Arthurian found us an inn.

  Unsurprisingly, Kirril was well known here. The innkeeper received us with hearty chuckles and warm embraces, seeming genuinely pleased to see Kirril. “Honesty, Prince Kirril, we didn’t think we were going to see you for a while now.”

  “And why is that?” Kirril asked. “Arthuria is still my homeland, even if my heart is somewhere else now.”

  “That’s just it,” the innkeeper said carefully. “My son is a soldier in Camelot and he told us you’d gone to Merlinia to wed a…well, a dragon.”

  His gaze went to Larue, and I couldn’t say I was surprised that he’d singled my mate out. Even if Larue kept my wings folded back, he couldn’t fully hide them.

  Oddly enough, the human didn’t seem to notice that particular part of Larue’s anatomy, though. “I apologize. I don’t mean to be indiscreet. Both of you are, naturally, welcome.”

  He thought that Larue was a dragon, which surprised me. Even an Arthurian should have been able to identify pixie wings, especially now that Larue was so big. Well, he actually thought that Larue was Dineiro, and Kirril’s mate, which irritated me. My mate must have decided he didn’t owe the human any explanations and said, “Thank you. Your words are much appreciated.”

  “We’d like dinner and two rooms to rest,” Kirril added. “My companions and I are very tired after the road.”

  “Of course,” the innkeeper answered. “At once.”

  Fortunately, the man seemed to guess further inquiries would have been very inappropriate, no matter how friendly Kirril had once been with Arthurians. He didn’t question Kirril in the slightest, and just provided us with what we had requested.

  The dinner was actually much better than I’d have expected, especially since I got to eat from my mate’s hand. I made a mental note to repeat the action when we could actually turn it into something sensual, because it had a lot of potential.

  When we got to the latter part of Kirril’s request, though, I was sorely disappointed. The two rooms given both had double beds, which left us somewhat stumped. We couldn’t exactly explain that we needed two singles because I was actually a shape-shifter. The innkeeper was probably spooked enough at the thought of having a dragon under his roof without realizing the cat he hadn’t even glanced at was a magical creature, too. He’d be traumatized for life.

  In the end, none of us made any comment. I stoically endured being handed to my brother like a pet, only because I knew this was just as hard for Larue, and we were fighting to be together now. Still, I couldn’t help a snarl of frustration as Philippe entered our assigned quarters and shut the door behin
d us, therefore shutting out my view of Larue.

  “Be a good kitty now,” he teased me. “I’m sure you won’t have to stick with me for long.”

  He dropped me on the bed, and I glowered at him, something that probably wasn’t as effective as I’d have liked because of my current form. Yes, cats could look quite fierce when they wanted to, and I’d mastered that technique well, but it was wasted on my brother.

  He arched a brow at me and sat down as well. “You do realize I’m happy for you, right?” he asked.

  In truth, I did realize that. There was plenty of sibling rivalry between us, but my brother wouldn’t be so petty so as to hate me for finding my mate. “Yes,” I said, my anger deflating. “It’s just not easy to be so close to Larue, and yet, so far away.”

  “Oh, stop complaining,” my brother said, ruffling my fur with his big hand. “It’ll happen. You’ll see. And by the way, your mate is quite lovely. I don’t suppose you’ll consider sharing?”

  At that, I jumped him, scratching at his arm with my sharp claws. He yelped and dodged my attack, his instincts just as sharp as mine. We were still engaged in our so-called fighting when a knock sounded at the door.

  Instantly, I knew who it was. Abandoning Philippe, who no longer posed any interest, I rushed in the direction of the man I loved. “Open it,” I told my brother, already pacing in front of the door and barely managing to hold back the urge to scratch at the wood like a real feline would have done. “Come on.”

  Laughing, Philippe obeyed, and of course, he found Larue at the other side. “Exchange rooms?” my mate asked sheepishly.

  Philippe bowed politely, gesturing for my mate to enter the room. As Larue took his invitation, Philippe stepped out. “Sleep well, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

  I hissed at him, although I wasn’t actually angry. In fact, when my mate closed the door and earned us privacy, I felt quite relaxed. “Thank the Goddess the innkeeper finally went to bed,” Larue said. “It seemed to take forever.”

  In that moment, I realized with a measure of surprise that my brother had distracted me while we waited for Larue. He was happy for me, indeed. I kind of felt guilty that I’d allowed him to get away with it.

  “Philippe pissed me off, and we passed the time by me trying to scratch him to death,” I admitted.

  My mate laughed. “I thought he showed some battle wounds to prove it.” Sobering, he added, “You know, I had my doubts about your brother, but I think that deep inside, he actually cares about you.”

  I leapt back on the bed as Larue took off his boots and his shirt. He left his pants on, which was probably for the best, given that in the morning, we’d wake up next to each other. When he lay down on the somewhat lumpy pillows, I cuddled next to him, purring once again.

  Smiling, Larue pulled the quilt over us. I relaxed against his chest and closed my eyes. It was not the first time we slept in the same bed, but before today, his size had kept me from fully enjoying it. Now, that limitation was gone. I told myself it would be enough until the curse was broken and fell asleep while still trying to convince myself of it.

  Chapter Ten:

  In Which Size Matters

  I liked cats. I always had, even before I’d met Victor and when I’d been pixie-sized. Granted, they didn’t always like having pixie dust thrown at them, but as a rule, we got along, and their purring had always soothed me.

  That might have been one of the reasons why I slept amazingly well, although I suspected it probably had more to do with the fact that I felt Victor so close to me, like never before. Either way, when that peacefulness broke, I instantly awoke, unsettled.

  I’d long ago grown accustomed to my mate’s necessity to slip away from my side at daybreak. Usually, I slept on him, and for that reason, it was in no way surprising that he woke me every time. In spite of the change in circumstances, the same thing happened now. When my feline-shaped mate escaped my hold, I opened my eyes and gazed at him. “Morning already?” I inquired.

  He nodded, which always looked very cute when he was in cat form. “Time flies when we’re together.”

  I lay down on the bed and watched him, anticipation coursing through me. Even in my pixie form, I’d always looked forward to seeing him naked, and that hadn’t changed in the slightest now.

  As the first rays of the sun slipped into the room, Victor’s form blurred, and all of a sudden, my human mate stood in front of me. Just like every morning, he was nude and aroused, and my gaze was inexorably drawn to his erection.

  It had intimidated me quite a lot before, but now, it just awoke a lust inside me that I couldn’t hope to smother. Before I could stop myself, I left the bed and reached for him.

  My mate opened his mouth, as if intending to say something, but I didn’t allow him to speak. Instead, I brushed my lips against his, stopping him.

  “You knew this was going to happen,” I whispered. “It couldn’t not happen.”

  I distantly remembered that we’d had some sort of reason why we’d decided it wouldn’t be wise to have sex. However, my every instinct urged me to complete our bond, to finally take what I’d been wanting for so long. How could I possibly deny it?

  It might not have been fair to Victor. He was clearly struggling, something which really didn’t surprise me. Since I’d been so very small and frail, he’d become overprotective of me. Perhaps it had been the only way his affection could manifest. In the end, it didn’t matter, because we’d surpassed that stage and I wanted more.

  Some people might have called me selfish, but I didn’t think that was the case. I’d learned something from Victor. I had faith that as long as I was with him, everything would turn out all right. And the time had come for us to fully consummate our bond.

  I pressed my body against Victor’s nude one and wrapped my arms around his neck. His hard cock insistently prodded my hip, letting me know that it agreed with my assessment of the situation. Grinning, I nibbled on Victor’s ear, all the while trailing my fingers over his waist. He released a choked groan. “Larue…”

  The sound of my name on his lips came out as a caress. I shivered, burning with need for him. My dick throbbed in want, straining against the material of my pants.

  I’d had the foresight of taking everything else off the night before, although at the time I hadn’t actually considered this consequence. Or perhaps I had, subconsciously. Either way, my good choice brought our naked chests together. My nipples had already hardened, and I released a tiny gasp as my mate reached out to one of them and tweaked it.

  He almost seemed to be acting on instinct, the gesture an automatic response to my presence and desire. I understood exactly how he felt. It might have been preferable to wait, but everything inside me screamed to step forward, not back.

  In the end, I wasn’t the one who took that step. Unlike in the case of our first kiss, which I had initiated, this time, it was my mate who took control of the situation. He crushed his lips to mine, his hesitation gone, replaced by a passion that threatened to consume me. I melted in his embrace, all pretenses of seduction evaporating in his domination.

  I was completely at my mate’s mercy, a slave to his will, but a more than willing one. In fact, Victor seemed to know exactly what I wanted, as he guided me to the bed, not even breaking the kiss in our trek backward. One small nudge from him had me dropping back against the mattress. I stared up at him, somewhat dazed, but not because of the fall. No, it was his taste, his touch that made me drunk on emotion, on sensation. Magic sizzled over my skin, but it wasn’t mine, but rather, a sexual one, full of sensuality and so uniquely Victor’s that I craved more.

  For a few instants, he just looked at me, scanning my face as if looking for some answer to a question I didn’t hear. Whatever he found there must have satisfied him, because he lowered his naked body over mine.

  There were no words after that. I was lost in his eyes, unable to speak. I let my body talk in my stead, and as our mouths met once again, I parted my
lips, granting him entrance. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him as close as I could. At the same time, I curled my leg around his hip, rubbing against him, seeking friction.

  Unfortunately, my eagerness was, to a certain extent, counterproductive, as it made it hard for Victor to pull off my pants. In the end, our frustration with the garment was the one that urged us to break the kiss. With frantic hands, my mate worked on the bindings, and I did my best to help, naturally failing. I still wasn’t fully used to this new, bigger body, which made me a little clumsy.

  Victor, however, compensated for my lack of ability. With a few quick jerks, he undid the threads and then pulled off my trousers. At last, I managed to wiggle out of them, and he tossed them on a nearby chair, possibly with more care than I’d have used. They were, in the end, the only clothes I owned. I hadn’t gotten the chance to purchase a real wardrobe, so I still had to get by with the ones the Fairy Godfather had given me.

  The thought of our benefactor automatically led my mind in a different, more unwanted direction. The curse was the thing that had kept us apart and that had led us to be reluctant to accept this change in the first place. If we went through with this, I’d have to shoulder the enchantment on Victor.

  In that moment, though, I understood something in the deepest recesses of my heart. I wanted it to happen, and not only because of lust. I wanted to share Victor’s burden, to fully understand what he’d gone through. No matter what happened, I had to do it.

  “I’m not afraid,” I told Victor. “Come to me.”

  He did just that. We held each other in an embrace that was half passion and half relief. Victor’s hands roamed over my now-naked body, leaving trails of fire all over my skin. From my lips and my thighs, and everything in between, he caressed me, making me gasp in desire.

  His tongue thrust into my mouth, ravaging me, nearly stopping my breath. All the while, he cupped my ass cheeks, gripping and massaging, awakening an urge inside me that I hadn’t truly experienced before. Suddenly, I felt empty, and I needed my mate inside me.