by Karen Kelley
A small animal rustled in the underbrush, drawing her out of the web of pleasure he was weaving around her. She remembered exactly why they couldn’t make love, and stepped out of his arms.
“You’re a prince.” She turned around and faced him.
His forehead wrinkled. “What does that matter?”
“You’re of royal blood.”
“As are you. A princess.”
She opened her mouth to refute his words, then shut it without saying a word. That was right. She remembered his telling her.
“You were serious?”
“Your lineage can be traced as far back as mine. Your ancestors have also been rulers.”
Something fluttered inside her. She was a princess. Like Cinderella. Well, except she used a Swiffer to mop her floor so she was pretty certain it wasn’t quite like scrubbing. And she’d never cleaned out a fireplace in her life.
Fred had talked to her, though. Her parakeet from childhood had communicated its thoughts.
Wow, her life was almost parallel to the fairy tale. How weird was that? Except she’d had loving parents. And no prince had…Okay, scratch that. Her prince had arrived to carry her off to his castle, even if it was on another planet.
No, it didn’t matter. She was not going to fly off to another planet and play dress-up. “But you know how to be…to be royal and everything,” she told him. “You’re a prince.”
“And you’re a princess.”
She shook her head. “But I don’t know how to be a princess, and the next verse is that I don’t want to be a princess. I don’t know the first thing about being one.”
“It’s only a title.”
“Only a title. Easy for you to say, you didn’t grow up in Miller Bend. We don’t have royalty here. I’m just small town. I’m jeans and boots, longneck beer, and burgers from Dairy Queen.” She shook her head. “I don’t know how to be a princess. I can’t leave with you. Ever. I need to go home now, please.” The sooner she left, the better.
But when she moved to gather up their towels, Kristor pulled her into his arms. “I can show you everything you need to know.”
“But it still doesn’t change the fact I refuse to shift again.”
So you will let me die. Shintara’s thoughts filled Ria’s head, followed by sniffles.
Was Shintara crying? Oh, God, more guilt heaped on Ria’s shoulders. It wasn’t fair. “I mean, I’m not sure I can,” she said, breaking. How could she not shift? Her animal guide was a part of her. Ria didn’t want her to die and, worse, knowing she had caused her death. “I’ve never even been on a plane,” she whimpered.
“You won’t have to fly if you shift,” Kristor said.
She studied his face. “I wouldn’t?”
He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. “No. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” he said.
He looked as though he was telling the truth. “I could shift, and not fly?” She wanted to be perfectly clear.
“Yes.”
She still didn’t trust him, but she forgot everything when his mouth covered hers. Sweet Jesus, this was what she’d been missing all her life. Heat ignited inside her as desire swirled around her stomach. His hands cupped her butt, pulling her closer until she could feel his need.
Ria didn’t protest when he guided her back down to the towels. Why would she, when she wanted him as much as he wanted her? Rather than let him control the situation, she took charge, pushing him onto his back. She ran her tongue across his nipples and over his abdomen, nipping, then kissing.
She straightened, tugging at his swim trunks. He raised his hips to accommodate her desire to have him exposed and stretched out in front of her.
Slowly, she peeled his trunks down. Her throat went dry, and it was all she could do to take a breath, as memories flooded her mind. She remembered last night, when he’d plunged inside her, filling her, making her come again and again.
She stroked her fingers down the side of his erection. He drew in a sharp breath. She encircled it, squeezing lightly, sliding the foreskin down.
“You’re magnificent,” she breathed. Leaning forward, she licked down him, then back up. He grabbed her shoulders, squeezing lightly, massaging, hips raising. He needed more from her, and silently begged for more.
Ria wouldn’t hold back. She drew him inside her mouth, tasting the man. Her tongue caressed the soft tip, swirled around, then sucked him deeper inside her mouth. Her nipples strained against the material of her top, and she grew damp with her own need.
With his free hand, he pulled at her top, as if he guessed her thoughts. It came loose, and he tossed it away. Then his hand was touching her, tugging on the nipple closest to him. Heat flooded her body, settling between her legs as small spasms erupted inside her.
“Don’t stop,” he said.
Stop? Not a chance. She liked what she was doing to him. The taste, the feel of him inside her mouth. No, she wasn’t about to stop.
He raised enough to grab her waist and move her so that her legs straddled his face. Then he untied the strings on each side of her bikini. The warm air caressed between her legs, causing the most incredible sensations to wash over her, but it was nothing compared to when he sucked her inside his mouth.
She closed her eyes for a moment, unable to move, to breathe as she came from just one touch of his mouth, but he didn’t stop as he continued his assault.
Nor did Ria as she brought him back inside her mouth, sucking and licking, cupping his balls, massaging with her free hand.
The inner muscles of her legs tightened as she tried to hold on to each spasm that assaulted her body with unbelievable pleasure.
She closed her eyes, and cried out, unable to think straight as her body began to quiver. She’d never…It was so…
“Enough,” he moaned. Kristor nudged her head and she stopped. He continued to massage with his finger, though.
He moved her body so that she straddled him, but rather than enter her, he moved so that her sex was nestled against him.
Ria didn’t think there was anything left inside her until he moved her sex against his erection. Her body tingled to awareness. She began to rub against him, the fire inside her building to a fever pitch. He held her in place, making the contact complete.
“I love watching you in the throes of passion,” he whispered. “Seeing the desire burning in your eyes as you rub yourself against me. Knowing I have tasted the essence of the woman you are. The little bounce in your breasts, the curls between your legs covering you. But I have seen what hides beneath.”
Oh, God, he was killing her with words. She couldn’t see through the haze of her desire. She could only feel the friction building between them. She moved against him faster and faster. Harder and harder. Her body clenched, but she didn’t stop. She wanted him to come. Through the fog of her desire, she watched his face, saw his need.
“Did you like it when I sucked you inside my mouth?” she asked, gazing down on his face and seeing how tightly he kept his own passion in check. “When I ran my tongue down your length? Did you like that? I loved tasting you, feeling you inside my mouth.”
He jerked to a sitting position, pulling her tight against him as he came. Growling.
She wrapped her arms around him, holding on, panting as she sought air. She continued to move against him, the heat inside her building until she stiffened and cried out her own release.
Their ragged breathing was the only sound. As that quieted, everything around them grew still, their world coming back into focus.
“That was good,” he said. “Very good.”
“Messy, though.”
He laughed close to her ear.
This was what they’d meant by pushing the boundaries. She’d read about it in a magazine. Ria had a feeling she’d pushed a lot of boundaries and tried something new today. This was the first time she’d had sex outdoors. The first time she’d had sex when the man didn’t come inside her
.
Did that make her bad? If it did, she had a feeling she liked being bad.
She suddenly frowned. “This is not taking our relationship slow.”
“I thought we mated slower than the first time.”
She leaned back and looked into his face. “That is not what I meant.”
He sighed dramatically. “I thought as much. But you enjoyed it.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “Yes, very much.” Probably too much.
He suddenly groaned and doubled over. She knew what it meant. Great, now she would be stuck out here until he shifted back. She wondered how long that would be. As she looked up at the sun beating down on her, she wished she’d brought some sunscreen.
Crap! The Women’s League meeting was tonight. If she missed it, there was no telling what she would get volunteered for.
Chapter 14
Ria took a quick shower, then slapped on the minimal amount of makeup that was allowed when going to one of the Women’s League meetings. They were such sticklers for protocol. Sheesh! She pulled on a pair of jeans, heels, and a strappy little blue top. She glanced at her watch. If nothing happened, she should make it to the meeting right on time. One last look in the mirror and…
She paused, noting the twinkle in her eyes, the look of satisfaction on her face. Crap!
It was the look of a woman who’d been making love all afternoon. That wasn’t good. Be serious! She wrinkled her forehead and frowned.
Great. Now she looked as if she hadn’t had an orgasm in years.
This was nonsense. When had she ever cared what people thought about her?
Truthfully?
Okay, maybe she did care, but she wouldn’t lose any sleep over what anyone at the Women’s League thought, or the other townspeople for that matter. If she worried about every little thing, Ria would have been losing a lot of sleep in her lifetime.
A horn honked. That would be Carly. Since Ria’s car was still at Pet Purr-fect Grooming, she’d bummed a ride from her friend. They usually rode together anyway. Carly hated going alone.
Ria hurried down the stairs and opened the passenger door. “Hi, sorry I was running late.”
“No problem,” Carly said, but she kept looking at Ria, rather than putting the car in drive.
“Did I smear my mascara?”
“No, but you look different.” She worried her lower lip as she drove away. “Relaxed, happy…I’m not exactly sure.”
Ria lowered her window, letting the breeze rustle through her hair. “I spent the afternoon with Kristor.”
“Apparently, you enjoyed yourself.”
“We went to Miller Crossing. The place where we used to go all the time. We swam and lay in the sun.” For some reason she didn’t really want to talk about how they’d also had fantastic sex. It had never really stopped her before, but this time was different.
“You took him to our secret place?” Carly asked.
Ria sat a little straighter when she heard the hurt in Carly’s voice. With Carly being sick, then meeting Kristor, Ria realized she’d neglected her friend.
“Why don’t you come over for supper tomorrow night? I’ve missed hanging out with you.”
Carly relaxed, smiling at her. But just as quickly, her smile vanished. “Won’t Kristor mind?”
“Carly, you’ll always be my best friend. You do know that will never change.”
“You’re right. I guess I’m just hormonal.” She snagged a parking place in front of the library, and after she cut off the engine, they got out and went inside. It looked like everyone was already there. Most of the chairs were taken. They found a couple of empty ones at the back and slid into them.
“I was wondering if you two were going to show.” Mary Ann’s thick southern drawl rang across the room. “We were about to start without you, and you know what happened the last time you missed a meeting.”
“And I do not plan on getting volunteered for another thing that I don’t want to do, so yes, Carly and I are here.” Ria was smug, she didn’t care. No more skimpy cheerleading uniforms for her!
“Carly got lucky last time,” Mary Ann said.
“I was at death’s door. I really wouldn’t call that lucky,” Carly whispered.
“At least you didn’t have to put on the outfit that Mary Ann designed. Sheesh, I felt like a stripper.”
“Was it really that bad?”
“Worse than you can imagine,” Ria said.
“Eww, I wonder if she wore it for Bobby Ray first?”
“Probably.”
Mary Ann brought the gavel down on the desk, drawing their attention back to her. “I hereby call to order the Women’s League meeting. The first order of business will be ideas to raise money to buy the new x-ray machine for the hospital. Are there any suggestions?”
“We could do a cookbook,” Amy said.
Ria groaned and scooted down in her seat. Carly followed suit. She and Carly had chaired the last committee that did a cookbook and it was a hell of a lot of work. There was no way she had time this year. It was hard enough trying to figure out who she was.
The meeting droned on. Ria smiled in all the right places, and offered suggestions in others. She laughed at some of the things Carly said that were sarcastic, and they both got called on the carpet for giggling.
“I enjoyed tonight,” Carly said after the meeting. She was driving Ria to her shop so she could get her car.
“I had fun, too. Did you see Rayann?”
“Ohmygod, I couldn’t believe she actually wore a mini-skirt to the meeting. She’s got to be at least sixty-five.”
“Fifty-seven,” Ria said.
“Is that all? Good Lord, she must have had a hard life. Her face has so many wrinkles that if she had a facelift her eyeballs would be on her butt.”
“Look who she’s married to,” Ria reminded her.
Carly grimaced. “Oh, that’s right. I take back all I said about her. I heard Amos forgot where he lived one night because he’s slept around so much.” Carly pulled in next to Ria’s car, and shifted into park before turning in her seat. “Why the hell does she put up with him?”
Ria rubbed two fingers together. “The man has money. And don’t feel too sorry for her. Rayann isn’t quite what anyone could call true blue.”
“Then they deserve each other.”
A comfortable quiet settled inside the car that comes only when two longtime friends share something together.
“I had a good time tonight,” Ria broke the silence.
“Me, too.”
“See you tomorrow for supper?”
“Yes, tomorrow.”
Ria got out of the car and unlocked hers, sliding into the seat. Carly waved, then backed out as Ria started her car.
It had been fun tonight.
Then why did she feel just a pinch of guilt?
Maybe because the whole time, Ria had thought about Kristor, and wondered what he was doing.
You lied to her, Labrinon told Kristor.
I was forced to lie.
How could he tell Rianna that if she shifted into her animal guide, the guide would have control, and Rianna would have no say in what happened? She would never shift, and her animal guide would die.
He couldn’t let that happen. He knew Rianna well enough to know that she was a kind and gentle person. To kill anything would also kill her.
I did what I had to do. He increased the cycle’s speed, but still it was not enough. He needed to rid himself of the guilt he felt. By the gods, he had done what he thought was best.
Kristor pulled off the side of the road, hiding the cycle behind trees. He raised his face toward the night sky, as if to worship the stars. And maybe he was. Many of their gods had chosen to dwell with celestial beings. Maybe they would look down upon him with pity, and help him accomplish his mission successfully.
Tonight he would pay homage to the gods and soar the skies with Labrinon. Kristor took a deep breath, then exhaled as the shift bega
n. The burning sensation had eased over time and the many shifts that had occurred but, still, changing was not always a simple matter.
He groaned, slumping to the ground. A thick fog wrapped around him. Nose became beak. Feet became talons that could slice the hide off a man. Kristor stretched his arms toward the sky. They became black-tipped wings that opened, lofting on the wind.
Kristor blinked and saw through new eyes. Hello, old friend.
Not so very old. I still have eyes as sharp as a young hawk’s. Now, let us glide through the air, feel the wind on our face, because for now, we own the sky.
Kristor saw through Labrinon’s eyes, and saw the ground below. They shared each sensation. He felt the wind on his face, smelled the heady scent of the pine trees, heard the cries of other birds. He had no cares, no worries.
Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to give up his human form and go through life living with his animal guide as the dominating force. There would be no wars, no more fighting, no cares.
You would not want that. Only living on the edge of life? You would die, and then I would be the only one left, Labrinon told him.
Are you saying you would miss me?
Do not let it go to your head.
Warmth flooded through Kristor. As I would miss you if you ever left me. We are one, even though we are separate. You are a part of me as much as I am a part of you. I doubt the other could survive if one were gone.
I didn’t say I couldn’t survive without you. I only said I wouldn’t enjoy it as much.
Kristor was smiling when he closed his eyes, going deeper into Labrinon and only letting the sensations go through him. He felt the dips and the rises as Labrinon flew over the land. Then he slept as Labrinon traveled across the night, hunting, watching.
It was early morning when Kristor awakened, sensing he was back where he started. The change began: Wings became arms, the beak his nose, talons were now feet.
“It’s cold,” he mumbled. The sun was just rising above the horizon.
Next time, shift inside the warmth of a dwelling. Then I will return there. I thought you would want to be close to your conveyance, although it’s a poor substitute for flying.