by Lisa Daneils
Bridget put her hand in his. “Yes.”
He carefully pulled her to her feet. Taking the water from her hand, he placed it on a nightstand by the bed.
Hesitantly, the prince placed a hand on her face before lowering his face to hers. Bridget closed her eyes, her heart racing.
When nothing happened, she opened her eyes to see Liam’s eyes only a few inches from her own. “You are really beautiful.”
“And you are easily the most handsome m—person I have ever seen.”
Her slip-up caused Liam to look away. When he looked back at her, he asked, “Does it bother you?”
“Does what bother me?”
“The fact that I’m not human.”
“No. I may not have known you for long, but the person you are… your species doesn’t matter at all. You are amazing. And so handsome.” She giggled a little as she said that because Liam looked surprised. “I like it when you show emotions. You don’t need to hide them with me, you know? Please feel comfortable to be yourself.”
Nodding, he said, “Alright.” He moved quickly, pressing his lips against hers. At first, he kept his mouth closed, moving his head a little awkwardly.
Bridget wondered if she should have asked if her species bothered him, but with the insults of the princes still fresh in her mind, she was too afraid to find out. Opening her mouth a little, the princess tried to encourage him to feel more relaxed. The feel of his tongue sliding into her mouth was cool and wet, very different than her first husband’s. It seemed to wind around hers, pulling it into his mouth while continuing to explore.
His hands slid her dress over her shoulders and down her arms. The way Liam’s hands gently touched her skin caused her to shudder and grip his coat tightly before beginning to unbutton it. This seemed to encourage him as he pulled her closer, his hand working to unhook her undergarments. Bridget let go of the coat and began to unbutton Liam’s shirt, stopping just long enough for him to pull her bra down her arms.
His arms felt so strong as he lifted her off the floor and lay her down on the bed. The prince stopped and looked down at her, his eyes roaming over her body as if trying to memorize all of it. Bridget felt a little bashful. Her first husband definitely had not looked at her like that.
Liam’s voice was sultry as he said, “Let me know if I make you uncomfortable and I will stop.” His arm moved around her back, resting on the opposite shoulder blade as he pulled her body against his. When he placed his mouth over her nipple, Bridget arched up into him, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist. Taking this as an invitation, Liam moved a hand around her hip and pulled her against him as he sucked on her nipple. When she moaned, he released her. Liam moved away a little as he pulled at his coat and shirt to remove them. Bridget’s hands began to undo his belt, something she had never done with her previous husband. She had entered Liam’s room with a certain expectation, but at this point, the princess was no longer comparing what she was feeling to her previous experience. This was nothing like what she had experienced before. There was a raw desire that was obvious in Liam’s actions that was infectious. As he became more passionate, Bridget found her body responding on its own to every touch.
He explored her body inside and out for over an hour. When Liam was finally spent, a part of Bridget was disappointed. Pushing the thought that they would never be together like that to the back of her mind, she wrapped her arms around him. Giving him a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth, she murmured, “Thank you, Liam.”
Nestling into his chest, the princess began to drift off to a very sound sleep. The last thing she remembered was a soft voice saying, “It was my pleasure. Please sleep well so that you are prepared for what is to come.”
The desire to ask what he meant could not beat the exhaustion that had built up after several nearly sleepless nights and the emotions of the last day.
Chapter 8
A Dangerous Honeymoon
When Bridget woke the next morning, all evidence of what had happened the night before was gone. The clothes had been put away, the water glass that had been knocked over was nowhere to be seen, and her husband was quietly moving around an adjacent room.
Sitting up, Bridget pulled a robe from the corner of the bed and put it over her naked body. Remembering what he had said about a connection, she closed her eyes, trying to find it.
“What are you doing?” There was a hint of amusement in his voice, and Bridget was pleasantly surprised to see the sides of his mouth curved up when she opened her eyes.
“Looking to see if I can feel the connection.”
“Oh.” He moved over and sat down in a chair. “Can you sense it?”
“I don’t… I can’t tell. What does it feel like?”
“It’s like a pull that draws us together.”
“Kind of like a string connecting us?”
“Um, more like the feel of the pull of gravity. Don’t worry. It’s there, even if you can’t feel it.”
“Okay. I believe you. Sorry, I don’t feel it.”
“You don’t need to apologize. It’s not something you’ve… been trained to notice. I am glad that it will not make you uncomfortable.”
“Does it—does it bother you?”
Liam shook his head, “Not at all. If you are ready, I can tell you a bit more about what we need to do today.”
Bridget moved over and sat in the chair near him, her mind quickly going back to what had happened the last time they had sat in the chairs. She felt her body temperature rise a little. Any hopes that she had that the thoughts weren’t showing on her face were quickly dashed.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. Just a little warm.”
“Oh. I’ll open a window. Hold on.” He stood, and her eyes followed his form as he crossed the room to the balcony. Flashes of how he had moved on top of her last night juxtaposed over the calm, cool figure in front of her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to clear the thoughts from her mind. Bridget couldn’t imagine that it was a normal response, and it made her feel very incredibly base. Her thoughts seemed to be in stark contrast to her husband’s, who appeared to be entirely focused on what they had to do.
He is only doing what is necessary to help you. It was a cold little voice in her head that Bridget was starting to hate.
“Is that better?”
“Yes, thank you, Liam.”
He returned to his seat. “To answer your question from last night, shape shifters cannot hold such a difficult form like a dragon for long. And the amount of time that it would take for them to cool down afterward would be phenomenal. They run the risk of imploding too, which will dissuade most of them from attempting it. Humans have a much more… definite form compared to other humanoids. Magic users who begin shape shifting often go insane, forgetting who they are or even what their species is. It is not unheard of for them to get stuck in another form, or worse, to be trapped in the middle of a transition. They won’t be able to use a dragon form for long, and certainly not more than once or twice a year. We know from previous encounters, it has been difficult for them to become bears for any real length of time. That form is so bulky and requires a very different constitution than the human form. Not quite as much as a dragon, but much harder than most other forms.” He ran a hand along his forehead. “Still, it is concerning that they have been able to achieve a dragon shape long enough to destroy an entire port. The one thing that I want to make clear is that we are going into dangerous territory. There could be some shape shifters remaining, whether because they are stationed there or because they have lost their minds. If I tell you to do something,” he sat forward on his seat and took her hands, “I want you to promise that you will do it. No questions, and certainly no debate.”
“I promise. Whatever you say, I will do.”
“Even if you think I am in trouble, you must do what I tell you to do.”
Bridget shifted a little in her chair. “Are they a threat to you?”
&n
bsp; “I am much more vulnerable in my human form, but I am still far and away more physically… capable than you. I can take more damage and survive. So even if you see me in trouble, I don’t want you to do anything other than what I tell you to do.”
“What if I—”
“No.”
“You didn’t let me finish.”
“I don’t need to. This is exactly what I mean. If you are going with me, you have to do what I say without hesitation. No matter what, no matter how scared you are, no matter what you see happen to me, you will do as you are told.”
Bridget looked at Liam, her mind torn between making the promise and trying to persuade him to see things her way. Finally, she gave in. “I promise. If you are in danger, then what chance do I have?” She gave him a self-deprecating smile.
“It isn’t a flaw. You are simply recognizing your limitations, and that is what most people have to learn to survive. They may have once been human, but they no longer have the same weaknesses and consciousness of humans. They will not hesitate to kill, and you are no fighter. Being born into a position where you were fortunate enough not to have to worry about survival and fighting has shaped who you are. It also means that you are more likely to think that you can resolve a problem, even if you have no experience. You have already demonstrated that when you met my brother. The inclination in you is not to the extent of your father or brother, but enough that it worries me.”
“I understand.” Glancing at her hands, Bridget almost felt like a child being told what to do. “What should I look for when we get there?”
“If you see any corpses that look wrong, don’t get close. Point them out to me, and I will examine them. Other than that, look for signs of where they might go next. Your brother indicated that the attacks seemed completely random, but as he said, there must be some pattern that we simply haven’t noticed. I stand a better chance of figuring out what that pattern is since I have more knowledge of their history and habits.” Liam stood up. “While we are there, you are free to ask whatever questions you would like and to explore, but remember: don’t touch anything that has obviously been affected by magic.”
“What are the signs that something has been… magicked?”
A little smile played on his lips, “That’s why I say obviously affected by magic. With as much as it takes for them to transition, when something goes wrong, the signs are very obvious. I suspect you will get an idea of what that means early on. Do you have any further questions or concerns?”
Bridget was about to shake her head, but then something occurred to her. “Will residual magic affect us?”
“Not if you avoid touching it.” Liam was focused on packing a few things as he said this, but the way he worded it bothered the princess.
“What about if you touch it?”
His eyes darted to her for a second. “I know what it means to go into these areas, so you don’t need to worry about it.”
Bridget stood up. “Yes, that is what my father and brother have been telling me for years. ‘You don’t need to worry about it, Bridget.’ Or, ‘It isn’t anything that should concern you, Bridget.’ And now I find out that these were just ways of dismissing me because they didn’t want me to be concerned. I don’t want people to tell me what I should and shouldn’t be concerned about.”
Putting down his things, Liam looked at her. “People don’t want you to worry about things where you have no control. What is the point of worrying when there is nothing you can do?”
“How does anyone know that I can’t do anything if I’m never given a chance?” The princess closed her eyes for a moment and pursed her lips. Turning back to face him, her voice was strained. “When my husband first fell ill, I was told not to worry. That it was not my place to tend to him, and that it would unnecessarily distress me. Perhaps I might not have been able to do much, but as his wife, I would have tried to get him to rest more. Would have done more to make him comfortable when things got difficult. I know I am no healer or fighter, but that doesn’t mean I can’t support the people I care about. I realize that you will let me go at some point, but I don’t want to just be a burden to you until then.”
Liam looked at her for a moment, then sighed. “I can understand how you feel, but I am not simply dismissing your abilities because of your position. If I were to try to explain what happens to shifters who are exposed to shape shifter magic, we would lose hours of the day, time that is best spent at the sites. To put it as succinctly as possible, their magic will affect me just by being in the area, but as long as we do not remain in the area for too long, it should be fine.”
“And what is too long?”
“Two hours.”
“Will you be alright visiting multiple places if the magic affects you?”
“I should be. The breaks between exposure will give my molecular structure time to repair itself.”
“So that’s why we aren’t going to be spending a lot of time on the coast? Your body can’t handle a lot of contact with the magic?”
“My body cannot handle exposure to that kind of magic well, no. But I do not expect that it will require long to get the information I need to know either. Shape shifter magic is not subtle.”
“Okay. I think I understand.”
He walked over to her and kissed Bridget on her forehead. “Go dress, then we will say farewell to your family before leaving.”
With all of the goodbyes out of the way, the couple headed outside. Liam took her hand and led the princess to the edge of a forest.
Confused, Bridget asked, “We aren’t going to take a carriage?”
“No. I have a much faster means of getting to our destinations. How are your riding skills?”
“Do you mean on a horse?” Bridget watched as he looked back at her and nodded. “I do alright.”
“You will need to ride like a man. Have you done that before?”
“No, but I believe it is more natural than the way a woman sits atop a horse.”
“I certainly agree with you there. Just make sure to hold on tight.”
“Could you not sit behind me?”
“That would be a very interesting trick. No. You will be on top of me.”
Flashes from the night before went through her mind and Bridget blushed. The prince noticed and his laugh sounded most welcome to cut through the concern she was starting to feel.
He continued, “You shouldn’t have too much trouble mounting, but I will assist in boosting you up.”
“So you are going to take your other form?”
“Yes. And if I am being honest, I am surprised that no one has asked yet what it is. Perhaps it is obvious?” He looked askance at her.
“No, it isn’t in the least bit obvious. I think that I am the only one who knows you are shifter, so no one else even knows to ask.”
“And yet you never did ask.”
“I was afraid it might be a rude question.”
His expression softened. “Not at all. It’s only natural to be curious. I thought perhaps you were trying to keep your distance, considering.”
“No. I am very curious to learn more about you, but not at the expense of your privacy. If it is alright, what is your other form?”
“A dragon.”
Bridget’s feet stopped moving. Liam was a bit slower in realizing her shock and pulled her forward. Quickly correcting his error, the prince caught Bridget before she hit the ground. Her cheek pressed against his chest, her large brown eyes looked up at him trying to figure out if he was kidding. “Thank you.” She quickly pulled away and looked at him to find signs that he didn’t mean it.
“I assure you that it is no joke. When I say hold on tight, I mean lean into me and hold on like you did last night.” There was a smile on his lips that told her he was enjoying her shock.
Her cheeks became a bright red as she tried to say yes.
“Our things should be at the first inn by the time we reach it this evening. If you need anything before then,
let me know and we will make additional stops. I’m about to shift, so stay here. When I turn to look at you, that is the sign to approach and mount me. Sit between my shoulders near my neck. It offers the best place for your legs to hold onto me. Press your body against my neck and hold on to my neck as much as possible. As you get more comfortable, you may sit up, but always remember to hold on with your legs.”
“Okay.” Bridget watched apprehensively as her new husband stepped away from her. Seconds later, his large frame began to expand, his clothing appearing to dissolve as his limbs rapidly grew and extended. Almost as fast as it had started, the transformation was over. Standing in front of her was a dragon about four times bigger than the largest horse she had ever seen. It was obvious why she would not be able to sit side-saddle on Liam—there was no way her arms would be effective in holding onto his thick neck.
His eyes were exactly the same, just much larger when Liam turned to look at her. For a moment, she was surprised by how beautiful he was, his golden scales shining in the sunlight. Then reality set in and she realized he was waiting for her. Hurrying forward, she approached his left shoulder. His wing moved down and helped to lift her off the ground.
Once she indicated that she was situated, Liam began to move forward, his powerful wings beating hard against gravity. The initial fear as the wind whipped through her hair was quickly transformed into exhilaration. Not enough for her to try releasing her arms from his neck, but she was able to appreciate the view of the world below her. It seemed strange that no one at the palace had talked about dragons over the last few days. This showed that the princes were quite adept at hiding what they really were, and that they could fly into and out of the kingdom without being noticed.
It seemed like no time at all before Liam began to descend. Bridget began to scan the lands below them, until she finally saw the destroyed village a few miles away from the ocean. Located on a small river, it almost looked peaceful from the air. The closer they got, the more obvious it was that there were no survivors. All of the homes had been demolished.
