A Price for a Princess by R.E. Butler

held each other in the kitchen until little Bartholomew said, "Gross, are they going to stop soon?"
    The kiss ended with both of us laughing and we turned to the table and sat down, me between my two mates.  The others at the table were introduced as Harrah and his mate Fawn, and her brother Elam.  I asked about Rysk and Tyrant and was told they were staying in the inn we'd had plans to stay in that first night, and that someone had been sent to let them know I was okay. 
    The table was set with platters of cooked meat and my inner she-bear rumbled in approval.
    Ekho kissed my shoulder with a smile, "Would you like to go hunting?"
    "I haven't shifted yet."
    "But you're of-age, right?"  He quirked a brow at me.
    "I am, but I just turned 18 at the last full moon and I didn't shift that night and I haven't shifted yet.  Since I've been in this realm, I feel my bear more than I ever have before."
    "Maybe you'll shift now that you've found both of us."  Perseus said as he cut into a thick steak.
    Fawn said, "You can go all the way to a bear when you shift?  That's amazing.  It's like the bird-people, they have wings all the time, but they can go all the way to birds.  It would be incredible to be a real lion sometimes."
    Harrah gave her an indulgent smile, plucking her hand from where it rested on her large belly and kissing it.  "We are as we were made, kitta."
    She smirked at him and then turned the conversation to our trip to the palace.  We were behind a day now, and since it was already almost evening, the plan was to leave in the morning and head on to Lorence.  Harrah and Elam wanted to join us for the dangerous leg of the journey, promising extra eyes were a good idea and we agreed.
    After we ate, Rysk and Tyrant appeared and were sullen and moody, saying only that they were anxious to get me to safety within the palace walls.  Ekho, Perseus and I walked them to the inn which was near the end of the market area.  The Dire Wolves were scattered around us as we walked, but between my two mates, I really didn't feel afraid at all.
    We said goodnight to Rysk and Tyrant, promising to be ready at sunrise to leave.  Perseus stopped in front of the small home tucked down another narrow alley and said, "I'll be back in the morning, sweetheart, with the others."
    I blinked in surprise.  "You're not staying here?"
    "No, I'm going to stay with Jandor so you can have time to get to know Ekho."
    I didn't know what to say to that, so I said nothing.  He hugged me and kissed me lightly.  "Goodnight, sweetheart."
    "Goodnight, Pers."
    I watched one of my two mates walk down the alley and back out into the market and turn towards Jandor's home.  I felt a feather-light touch along my arm and I turned to Ekho.  "Are you ready?"  He asked.
    A simple question that suddenly didn't feel so simple anymore.  But whether I was really ready or not, I nodded and followed my new mate into the home he shared with the other Leonemen, and to his room.
     

 
     
     
     
    Chapter 9
     
     
    When the door shut, Ekho growled and it made my skin tingle.  "We don't have to do anything tonight, Daeton.  If you need time to get to know me before we go further, I'm content to just lay beside you while we sleep."
    Warmed by his concern, I moved to his arms and he folded me into his chest and our mouths met in a hot kiss.  I couldn't touch him enough.  My hands roamed everywhere, touching the lean muscles of his upper body and arms as he undid the ties on my dress so it fell to the ground around my feet.  I opened the buttons on his trousers and pushed them down his legs.  His tail swished free and he smiled down at me as he held one hand on my shoulder and stepped free of his shoes and pants.  "It's not tactile, like a finger.  I can't use it to grab things.  It's just, for balance I guess?  And to look cool, of course."
    I grinned.  He was turning out to have quite a sense of humor.  "I like it.  And I like you."
    "Good.  I like