A Price for a Princess (4 page)

My Centaur had saved me.  I'd never been happier to have been foolish enough to rush into danger.

Chapter 4

I held tight to his back with my legs and carefully unwound the whip from my wrist.  The wound left behind was angry and raw, and it felt like several layers of skin had disappeared when I pulled it free.

I held it by the handle, keeping the long length away from his body and put my other arm around his waist, holding myself steady.  His hand landed on mine, pressing my palm into his flesh, and I sighed deeply, closing my eyes and resting my forehead against his back, in the small place between the swords.

I didn't understand what was happening to me, but everything about this man felt right.  With my eyes closed, I sought out the beast inside me and she was growling contentedly.  I took in a slow breath and let the scent of him envelope me, all male and heat and power.  It was overwhelming.  And I'd been around enough matings to know what it meant.  It was the mate-call, the way that bears found their mates.  Sight and scent were the big carriers of the mate-call, and my father had described it once as being unable to be separated from my mother when it first happened.

I was at once both elated and freaked out.  It was incredible to have found my mate within this strange realm and so soon after arriving, but what if he didn’t understand the mate-call?  I had no idea how to seduce a man and I hadn't done much over kissing and fooling around with other were-bears.

"Is your wrist okay?"  He said, stirring me from my swirling thoughts.

"I think so. But it does hurt."

"We'll get it looked at soon."

"Where are you taking me, anyway?"

He chuckled and the sound was wonderful.  "I thought you'd never ask.  It's not good to be so trusting, you know.  Especially not for someone as beautiful as you."

"You didn't answer my question."  I tweaked his side with my finger and thumb and he snorted a laugh.

"True.  I'm taking you home."  He looked over his shoulder at me as I straightened from where I was leaning on him.  "My name is Perseus."

"Daeton."

"What are you, Daeton?"  I liked the way he said my name, like he was rolling a piece of candy across his tongue.

"Bear."

"You don't look very furry."  He smiled, showing perfectly white teeth.

"I haven't shifted yet.  They told me I wouldn't shift for another few moons."

"Who are
they
?"

"My guards, the ones that took down that Vehsi before you snatched me away."

"I saw them.  My people will bring them here when everything is sorted out.  Are those Dire Wolves tracking us yours, too?"

"They belong to Prince Aedan.  We're on our way to his castle."

He stopped abruptly and I slid against him.  "Are you his bride or something?"  His voice came out on a snarl.

"No!"

He let out a relieved breath and said, "Then why are you going to see him?"

I sighed.  "It's kind of a long story."

"Alright.  But I want to know everything.  If I have to fight the prince for you, I just want to know what I'm getting myself into beforehand."

My mouth fell open on a soft gasp and I couldn't stop my grin when he kicked off again and said, "Don't act so surprised.  Our kind have truemates just as any other supernatural creature.  You're mine, and I'll be damned if I'm going to give you up to the prince."

I stifled my laugh.  Wouldn't Rysk and Tyrant be surprised?  We stopped to shop and I picked up my mate instead.

The land behind the marketplace was lush and green, with rolling hills of vibrant wildflowers and stands of tall shrubs and trees.  He headed towards the hills at a fast gait and what the guards had called a settlement loomed into view.  The homes had the appearance of barns, with wood slatted walls and thatched roofs.  The double doors at the front of the homes were large, tall enough for the Centaurs to enter without ducking.  Dozens of homes dotted the area at the base of the hills and when he slowed to a trot, the sound of water rushing nearby sounded like a waterfall.

Centaurs and human women came out of their homes to greet us, waving and smiling as if they were expecting us.  Perseus headed towards one of the larger homes where a plump woman with dark hair pulled the doors open and waved us inside.  Just inside the doors was a large gathering room with a kitchen off to the left and a seating area to the right, complete with fireplace and hearth.

"Slide down, sweetheart," Perseus said, steadying me with his hand on my waist and taking the whip from me with his other hand.  The fresh soreness from riding on his back without a saddle was quickly forgotten when I landed on the wood floor and my feet tried to shatter as I yelped in surprise.  He tossed the whip into the corner and quickly scooped me up in his arms as Rysk and Tyrant raced into the home, cursing and calling my name.

"Calm down."  I said to them, "I'm perfectly fine."

Perseus moved towards the kitchen and put me on a high counter, his gorgeous face etched with concern.

Rysk growled, "Put her down this instant."

Perseus shot him an angry glare as he began to untie the laces of my tennis shoe.  "She's in pain.  You clearly pushed her too hard and she's not used to such physical exertion."  As if my body had decided to make a point, both Rysk and Tyrant made shocked gasps as my shoe dropped to the floor and Perseus gently tugged off a very bloody sock.

"Moman," Perseus called over his shoulder, and the plump woman came up.  She picked my foot up gently in her hands and said, "I'll draw a saltz bath.  She'll need a few days to recuperate while her wounds heal."

 She smiled at me, introduced herself as Perseus' mother, and walked out of the main room through an arched doorway.

When my other foot was free of sock and shoe, he circled my ankles with his fingers, massaging them lightly and said, "You'll stay here with me until you're healed."

"We don't have time to stay."  Rysk said, "And you have no say in what we do or don't do."

"That's not entirely true."  A deep voice said from the doorway as a large Centaur stepped through the arch and entered the room, two others flanking him.

"Papan," Perseus said, stepping away from me for a moment and greeting the man by clasping forearms.  "This is Daeton.  Daeton, this is my father, Cosmo, and my brothers, Casper and Abrax."

His father had black hair touched with streaks of gray, kept long and tied behind his head in a loose tail.  His brothers looked slightly younger than him, and both wore their hair long like he did.  Each man wore identical smiles, friendly and welcoming.

The three Centaurs moved to me and Cosmo took my offered hand and kissed the top.  "You are as lovely as the reports said.  And clearly compassionate and strong."  He pulled my arm up gently and looked at the whip mark that curled around my wrist like a red snake.  "The mark will never disappear; there is an alloyed poison in the leather that marks permanently."

I withdrew my fingers from his grip and looked at the mark.  To think that beast had planned to whip a child, knowing it would scar him forever, made me want to go find him and strike him with it.  "In my den, battle marks are worn with pride," I said, smiling as I ran my fingertips over the lightly raised mark.  Axe would have been proud of me.

"Indeed, the same applies for our kind," Cosmo said.  "Perseus, we'll prepare a feast in the groves.  Elektra will bring an appropriate outfit for your bride."

Everything went very quiet on my side and Perseus looked at me with a quirked brow and a soft smile.  "We can wait on that a few days, Daeton."

I shook my head, reaching for his hand as my heart pounded out a staccato rhythm in my chest.  Turning it over in my hand, I stroked his fingers.  "I remember your hands, from the dreams.  When our eyes met across the street in the marketplace, I felt something click inside me.  And when you pulled me up onto your back to get me out of danger, I felt that connection grow.  And now," I raised his hand to my mouth and kissed his palm, "I know who you are.  You're my mate."

He bristled with pride and moved closer to me, dropping his head slowly as if he would kiss me, and I really, really hoped he would.  And then Tyrant broke the sweet scene by growling loud enough to shake loose the rafters.

"That is impossible!  She is meant for our prince!"

Chapter 5

"Excuse me?"  I looked over at them.

Rysk shoved Tyrant back a little and said with a stiff voice, "Apologies, princess, but we are on a mission from our prince to bring you back safely as soon as possible.  We don't have time for this."

Cosmo said, "You're not taking Daeton away from my son, I can tell you that right now.  So you'd better just explain everything so we can decide how best to proceed."

Rysk opened his mouth to protest but I raised my voice, "I'm not going anywhere without Perseus.  And I don't care what you or Aedan think, I'm not walking away from the mate-call.  It would make me insane.  So stop blustering and sit down and tell Cosmo and Perseus everything that's going on."

They shared uneasy glances but relented.  Perseus stood protectively beside me, holding my hand, listening as Rysk and Tyrant shared my story.  If it hadn't happened to me, I would have found the whole thing absurd.  To think that a wizard could kill a were-bear and gain enough power to basically destroy anything and everything he chose was beyond strange.  But once more I was reminded that in this world, where men could be half horse and women could have furry bodies, anything could happen.

Cosmo nodded to Perseus after the story was over.  "I'll go speak with the council, but if my wife says that Daeton needs a few days to heal, then you're not leaving until then.  We'll put you up in one of the empty homes."  He turned in a slow circle and moved out of the house with his other sons behind him.

"This is unacceptable, princess."  Rysk said hotly.

"It is what it is."  I said, giggling when Perseus inspected the bottom of one foot and tickled me accidentally.  Well, I think he did it accidentally.

When the silence continued, Perseus looked over at them, "If you'd prefer, you are welcome to head on to the castle and tell the prince of the developments.  The wizard would be a fool to set foot inside the Centaur camp.  We will keep her safe."

Both men shook their heads.  "We are unable to leave her."

"Then I guess you're stuck here." I said, and then tried to soften things.  "I'm thankful for all that you've done to keep me safe so far.  No one could have predicted that I'd find my mates along the way to the castle.  I'm new in this realm, but I do know that I want to be with Perseus.  Whatever that means for his people, for us, we're just going to have to wing it from here on out."

"Did you say mates?"  Rysk asked, disbelief coloring his features.

Perseus answered, "There are two of us for Daeton.  Me and a male with fur on his hands and black claws."

I looked at Perseus in surprise and he chuckled, his mouth curving into a slow smile.  "Yes, little sweetheart, I had the same dreams as you, starting a few moons ago.  It's the way of our people, to dream-share with mates before we meet.  When our eyes met earlier, I knew exactly who you were even though I hadn't seen your face in the dreams.  I remembered your hands, too, though."  He picked up my hand and kissed the tips of my fingers.  My eyes widened at the little bolts of electricity that shot through me at that simple action.

"I saw a woman with black fur earlier."  I said, clearing my throat.

"Ah, they're not usually around these parts.  She was probably a Lepardish, their settlement is west of here, but they occasionally come for goods.  The male in our dreams had blonde fur, and I think he was most likely a Leonemen.  Their settlement is far north of the castle, though, so I don't know when you'll meet him."

I grinned up at Perseus, amazed at his accepting nature.  "When it happens, it'll be perfect."