The Beast's Bride

by Myles, Jill

  "Yes! One witness protection scenario coming right up!" She wiggled her fingers with excitement. "Unless you changed your mind and wanted to be a fairy godmother?"

  12Oh Jesus. She didn't want to be either. She wanted to stay right here with Duncan. She clung to his slippery skin, eyes wide with horror. "I don't want to leave! Not now, when we just fixed things!"

  "Leave?" Duncan's hands tightened on her, his voice a low growl. "No. You're never leaving my side again, sweet Pippa."

  "I might not have a choice," Pippa told him in an aching whisper. She turned sad, pleading eyes to Muffin. "Please. Can't I stay here? With Duncan?"

  "That's not part of the fairy tale," Muffin said, tapping her chin. She looked troubled. "Then again, neither is the beast marrying the wicked stepsister."

  "He won't have a happy ever after if I leave," Pippa told her. "Isn't that a crucial part of the story?"

  The fairy godmother gave her a shrewd look. "Let me consult my superiors." She pulled out a bright pink Barbie flip phone and began to dial. Shoving a finger in her other ear, Muffin turned away. "Hello, yes. Let me speak to Jim. I have a FTE—fairy tale emergency. Yes, I'll hold." She glanced back at Pippa and Duncan and waved a hand. "Just give me a minute."

  "What is she doing?" Duncan asked, his lips murmuring against her hair.

  "Making a call," Pippa said breathlessly, and crossed her fingers. Please, God, let this work out.

  Duncan pressed a kiss to her brow, and Pippa leaned in to his embrace. He was slick with the remains of his…rebirth…and smelled sweaty. She didn't care in the slightest. Her hands stroked down his wet back, feeling the cords of his muscles as he moved against her. He felt so good, so perfect.

  Nothing would be better than staying here. Ever. She tilted her head back when he kissed her brow again, leaning in for a real kiss. His mouth brushed over hers, and then they were kissing, tongues melding. Her hand slid to his nape, holding him against her.

  She thought he'd feel a bit different now that he was human, but to her vast pleasure, he felt exactly the same as before. He was the same Duncan she'd always kissed. And she moaned with pleasure as his tongue slicked into her mouth.

  "Yes, I know," Muffin's sharp little voice rose as she spoke into the phone. "But they're making out right in front of me and it seems a bit unfair, don't you think?" Her voice lowered a bit. "Yes. Tongues and everything. And he's very, very naked."

  13Pippa chuckled against Duncan's mouth. She slid the knitted shawl off of her shoulders and handed it to him. "Perhaps you should put this on."

  "I know," Muffin was saying into the phone. "Yes. She was the stepsister. Yes, I'll hold."

  Muffin rolled her eyes at them and shook her head. "Bureaucrats."

  Duncan knotted the shawl at his waist, and put his hands on his hips. "You realize I've no idea what's going on? Who is she talking to?"

  Pippa shook her head and moved back into his arms. "Long story. I'll tell you later, if we get a later."

  He ran his fingers along her jaw, exploring her with his touch. "Does this long story involve the reason why you wouldn't marry me?"

  "Couldn't," she corrected gently. "And yes. But it seems we're married now, aren't we?"

  "Aye. And I'll be damned if they'll take you from me now," he said, linking his arms around her waist. "I meant it when I said I'd travel across hell and back to find you once more. If they separate us again, there will be no stopping me." His face was grim, his amber eyes intense.

  Nearby, the cellphone snapped shut. "Calm down there," Muffin said. "There's no need to go all Doctor Who on us. No traveling space and time required. You," she said, and pointed at Pippa. "Your case is officially on hiatus."

  "It is? What does that mean?"

  "It means…you go into the waiting queue," Muffin said bluntly. "That's for supervisory review. I'm just a middleman, you see. I can't make these big decisions on my own. Someone else will get back in touch with you shortly."

  "Shortly?" Pippa echoed, clinging to Duncan. "And then what?"

  "Once your case is processed, you'll be moved on to the correct pending resolution."

  Pippa's heart sank. She wouldn't get to stay after all? "How long do I have?"

  "These sorts of things take about two hundred years to resolve," Muffin said cheerfully. "I'm afraid you'll just have to wait."

  "Two…two hundred years?" Hope bloomed in her chest, and she felt Duncan give her an excited squeeze. "I get to stay here for two hundred years?"

  "No, actually. You get to stay here until death-by-natural-causes or two hundred years, whichever comes first. If your case comes up and you're no longer here because you've expired,"

  13Muffin shrugged. "Case dismissed. It seems to happen a lot with supervisory cases, but what can you do?" She fluttered her eyelashes innocently.

  "Muffin, thank you so much!" Pippa flung herself at the fairy godmother and enveloped her in a hug. "You're the best!"

  "Don't thank me, honey," Muffin said with a grandmotherly pat on her back. "I'm just doing my job. Though if you do get a survey card in the mail, give me good results, will you? My quarterly review is coming up and my scores are in the toilet." She winked.

  "Uh, okay."

  "Now," Muffin said, patting her on the cheek. "I've got to run off. It seems I'm getting an intern, so I need to show her the ropes before my next case. I take it you'll be all right if I leave you here for the next two hundred years?"

  "Just fine," Pippa breathed.

  "Good." Muffin winked at her, gave a small wave, and then disappeared in a cloud of rainbow glitter that stuck to Pippa's skin.

  She closed her eyes and coughed, fanning the air around her, and when she could open her eyes again, the fairy godmother was gone.

  She'd done it. And she was still here. Pippa turned to look at Duncan, scarcely believing her eyes.

  He gave a loud whoop, grabbed her by the waist and spun her around. "My Pippa!"

  "Duncan, Duncan, Duncan," she chanted, hugging him with excitement as he spun her. "I have to pinch myself because it feels like I'm dreaming. If I am, I never want to wake up."

  "This cannot be a dream," he told her. He stopped spinning and cupped her chin. "In my dreams, I do scandalous things to your body."

  "Says the man that's naked," laughed Pippa. There was so much joy in her heart she wanted to burst from the sheer happiness of it.

  "You are my wife. My beloved. My Pippa," he said in a husky voice and kissed her.

  And she would be his for the rest of their lives. She smiled and leaned into his embrace. "I love you so much, Duncan." Her hand brushed through the loose, damp curls of his hair. "I would have loved you just as much if you had remained the beast, though."

  "I know you would have. That is why I fell in love with you—because it did not matter what I was, only who I was. You are the first woman that has ever made me feel thus." A half smile 13quirked his mouth. "I suppose you shall have to content yourself with a prince instead of a beast, though."

  Pippa chuckled. "Oh, Belle is going to be so jealous. I'm so glad you're mine."

  He grabbed her and hefted her into his arms. "I think it's time we consummated this marriage, wife."

  13

  CHAPTER TEN

  As Duncan carried her into the castle, she stared in wonder at her surroundings. The sun was out, brilliant in the skies. The roses that crawled through the gardens didn't seem quite so forbidding, the thorns a normal size instead of finger-length. The black fountain simply looked cloudy now.

  The biggest change was in the castle itself. The last time she'd looked at it, the flagstones were flat gray and dark, cold, and wet. Now, the castle seemed to be made of pale stone that seemed warm in the sunlight, and the windows glittered with stained glass.

  And as he carried her forward, people rushed out of the doors. Smiling, laughing, weeping, normal people. No animal heads. No weird silence. "Prince Duncan," they cried. "Princess Pippa!" And they chattered their thanks to the happy cou
ple, surrounding them and hugging each other over and over again.

  Duncan smiled and laughed with them, even as his steps carried him directly to his chambers.

  He would not be deterred in his path, and it made Pippa blush. Everyone would know where they were going. Strangely enough, though, she didn't really mind. She was going to bed with Duncan, her husband, and life was wonderful.

  When they got to his door, a smiling man with a bushy mustache (the boar-butler, Pippa suspected) opened the door for Duncan since his arms were full. He shut it again as soon as Pippa and Duncan were through, and then they were alone.

  Blessedly, blessedly alone.

  Duncan set her down, glanced around, and then grinned at her. "I can scarce believe my happiness at this moment."

  "Me either," Pippa said softly, smiling up at him. "Everything's been fixed—the curse is gone."

  "All gone, thanks to you." He gave her a quick, hard kiss. "How can I ever thank you enough?"

  "Just love me," Pippa said softly. "That's all I want—to be able to love you and for you to love me in return."

  13"I can do that," Duncan said in a husky voice, and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her once more—it seemed he couldn't stop kissing her—and his hand stroked down her side.

  "Shall we go to bed, my wife?"

  "Absolutely," Pippa told him. Her hands went to the shawl knotted at his thighs, and she pulled it free with an impish grin. "I do believe you need a bath first, though."

  He looked down at himself. His legs were covered in dried mud and bits of grass and lord-knows-what-else stuck to his sweaty skin. He grimaced. "I do."

  So they waited a bit longer, content to sit on one of the couches and cuddle under a blanket as a servant brought in an enormous beaten tub and then began to fill it with hot water. The woman couldn't seem to stop smiling and kept thanking Pippa over and over again, which made her feel just a bit awkward.

  She didn't want to be a hero. She just wanted to be with Duncan.

  When the servant left, Duncan shucked the blanket and sank into the tub with a groan. He let his head fall back, and then glanced over at Pippa. "You have no idea how good it feels to not have to worry about fur anymore."

  She chuckled at that. "I rather liked your fur." Pippa moved to the side of the tub and knelt beside him, picking up a wash towel. "I rather liked all of you, actually."

  "I was a monster."

  "No," she said in a soft voice. "You were just Duncan to me." She wet the towel in the bathwater and began to lightly stroke it over his shoulders. "I would have loved you the same if you had never changed back."

  He grasped her hand and gave her a long, searching look. "And are you sad that I did?"

  "Not at all." Pippa smiled at him. "I don't care how I have you, as long as I have you. But I know you were miserable as a beast, so I'm happy for you."

  His hand gripped her hair, and he pulled her in for a soft kiss. "Sweet Pippa. I'm not worthy of such love."

  "You are," she protested. "Now, can I have my wash towel back? Unless you want to clean your own back?"

  He handed it back to her and grinned. "I would love your touch on my skin."

  Warmth pooled through her, and Pippa leaned in, lightly washing him with the cake of soap he handed her. As she did, she explored his 'new' body. His shoulders were broad, though not 13frighteningly massive like before. There were small scars here and there that she traced - scars that had been hidden by the fur. She wondered if they had come before or after his

  transformation as a beast, then supposed it didn't matter. Her hands moved along his arms, enjoying the feel of his muscles. Duncan groaned and tilted his head back, leaning against the rim of the tub as she cleaned him.

  "This is a bliss I scarce dreamed of," he admitted in a soft voice. "I am moments away from dragging you in with me."

  Pippa smiled, brushing the cloth over his chest. "Then you'd ruin my exploration. And I'm enjoying it so." She swiped the cloth over his collarbones, then down the front of his broad chest.

  He wasn't entirely smooth, she noticed; dark chest hair was visible along the hard pectorals, and trailed into a line at his belly button. He did, however, have an extremely firm six pack that just begged to be bitten. "This is a nice perk," she told him in a soft, teasing voice, and trailed the cloth down to his belly button.

  He groaned in response, his golden eyes mere slits that watched her every move. "Will you wash lower? Or does your teasing end there?"

  "My teasing knows no bounds." Pippa smiled archly and slid the cloth lower, cupping his cock. "And it's nice to see that some things haven't changed. This feels just as impressive as it was before."

  Duncan gave a shudder, his cock thrusting against her hand. "Your touch drives me wild."

  "Then I'll keep touching," she teased lightly and swirled the cloth over him.

  To her surprise, he quickly slid under the water, completely immersing himself. Then he resurfaced and pushed his hair off his face, wiping away the streams of water. "Clean enough."

  He stood up, water pouring from his body, and his cock was at her eye level. "I want to bed my wife, not bathe."

  "Your wife thinks that's a terrific idea," Pippa breathed, tossing the cloth into the tub and getting to her feet. She squealed when he grabbed her by the waist and dragged her to the bed, dripping water on her.

  "My wife," he said in a low, pleased voice, and leaned in to kiss her. His lips moved against hers, tongue stroking into her mouth. "My beautiful wife. My beloved Pippa."

  She moaned as he continued to press hot kisses on her with each word. Her hands clung to his slippery shoulders. "Duncan," she breathed. "I want you so badly."

  13"Then why are you still so clothed?" he growled against her throat, and then nipped at her flesh.

  She dragged her hands up her legs, pulling her skirts up and revealing her thighs. "Not fully clothed everywhere. I'm bare under here."

  He groaned, eyes closing for control, and then his hand followed hers under her skirts, shoving them up until they bunched at her waist. Her sex was exposed to the air, her thighs quivering when his gaze locked there. He growled his need at the sight and then buried his hand between her thighs, fingers stroking between her folds as he continued to kiss her.

  Pippa whimpered and bucked her hips against him, need rising in her. She was wet already, soaking with need. His fingers made a slick noise every time they brushed up against her skin, and the sound was incredibly erotic.

  "Ready for me?" he asked, and then kissed her, ending the kiss with a tug on her lower lip.

  He sucked on it for a moment, and then nipped at her skin with his teeth again, varying the ways he loved her.

  She nodded quickly, spreading her thighs wider for him. Her hands dragged at his shoulders, as if her sense of urgency could somehow force him into moving faster. "This is like a dream. I thought we'd never touch again."

  "This is real," he told her in a soft voice. His thighs slid between hers and she felt the heavy press of his cock against her skin. "All of this is real."

  And he surged deep inside her.

  She cried out, back arching with the bolt of sheer pleasure that rocked through her. In one quick move, he'd seated himself all the way to her core, and tiny shocks of pleasure began to ripple through her, over and over again.

  Duncan began to stroke deep inside her, pumping into her with a frenzy that matched her own. She raised her hips to meet his, faster and faster, and they exploded within moments, clinging to each other.

  It had been rough, and brief…but so incredibly worth it. When Duncan collapsed on top of her after shouting her name, Pippa wrapped her arms around him and held him tight, breathing in his scent. He smelled like the Duncan she remembered. That had not changed either. "I love you," she murmured against his skin. "So much."

  13"I love you too," he told her, lifting up on his elbows and pressing a kiss to her face. "Will you tell me something, though?"

  "Anything."
/>   His brows drew together. "Why does Belle not remember your name? She calls you Pippy."

  A wild giggle erupted in Pippa's throat. "Because she's not very smart?"

  "Aye, there is that." He chuckled, rolling onto his back and dragging her into the crook of his arm to rest against him. "But she is also your sister. Surely she would know your name."

  "Well," Pippa said, tracing a finger along his skin. "The name of her real sister is Philippa.

  Where I come from, Pippa is short for Philippa."

  " Her sister," he repeated, musing on her words. "But not you?"

  "Long story," Pippa told him.

  "Well," Duncan said, hugging her against his chest. "I don't mind long stories.”

  “No?”

  “A very credible authority told me we have two hundred years together.”

  She laughed and wrapped her arms around his very human neck, holding him close.

  “However shall we pass the time?”

  He leaned in as if to kiss her. “I’m sure we can think of a few ways…”

  ~ The End ~

  13

  Thank you so much for purchasing this book! I sincerely enjoy writing this series, and there will be more to come in the future. I have ideas percolating for at least three more!

  If you are the type that likes to review books, I’d love for you to leave me a review! Reviews are like crack for authors. We are always looking for our next fix. 

  Enjoy this novel? Check out the rest of the Once Upon a Time-Travel series: Novellas

  Mirrorlight

  Shimmerlight

  Sunlight

  Darklight

  Full Length Novels

  The Mermaid’s Knight

  The Beast’s Bride

  The Scarecrow King (coming soon)

  13

  About Jill Myles

  Jill Myles is the pen name for USA Today Bestselling Author Jessica Clare. As Jill Myles, she writes a little bit of everything, from sexy, comedic urban fantasy to zombie fairy tales. As Jessica Clare, she writes erotic contemporary romance. She also has a third pen name (because why stop at two?). As Jessica Sims, she writes fun, sexy shifter paranormals.