A Price for a Princess Read online

  My nails dug into Ekho's thighs as the heat inside me grew. I was impaled between them, unable to move on my own and only allowed to take what they gave me, and I wanted that. Help me, I wanted whatever they would give me, again and again. My moans of delight were met with increased pace between them and with a growling shriek Ekho came hard in my mouth, his come spurting against the back of my throat as I swallowed again and again to catch it all. Perseus shouted and I felt him spasm inside me, the heat of his come setting off aftershocks of pleasure for me. Perseus dropped down on the bed next to us with a groan and I released Ekho's cock and slumped down on him. No one said anything for several minutes as we all caught our breaths.

  Ekho lifted me up and moved me between him and Perseus and they both turned towards me, caging me in their arms and holding me tight. I had never felt more cherished then I did at that moment, and I wanted it to last forever.

  After some gentle kisses and sweet whispered words, Perseus slid from the bed and rang for the servants. After a full breakfast, the tub was filled and we bathed together, and the two girls from the day before helped me dress in clothing provided by their council of elders. It was a requirement to dress appropriately when meeting them. Perseus and Ekho were wearing dark silk trousers and white blouses with dark purple jackets embroidered with gold and silver. My dress was the same dark purple with a fitted bodice tight enough to burst my breasts with the pressure, a drawn waist and a floor sweeping length. The sleeves were wide and the fabric was silky and decadent. They used hot irons to force my straight hair to curl, and they placed a delicate tiara on my head and jewels on my neck and fingers. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I never looked lovelier, but also more unlike myself.

  "Gorgeous," Perseus promised, kissing the top of my hand. "But you look good in everything."

  I smiled in thanks and Ekho said, "Better in nothing."

  I snorted indelicately at his humor and kissed his furry cheek.

  Odin and Finn had chosen to remain in their Centaur forms after rising that morning, so they wore only the blouses and jackets, theirs a navy blue signifying guards to the royal family. We met up with them and then followed the Dire Wolves to the council chambers. Rysk and Tyrant met us at the doors to the chamber to escort us inside.

  The council reminded me of the supreme court. In a large domed chamber with galleys for an audience, seven men sat in red robes behind a long table. I sat between my husbands in front of the council and we waited for them to say what they were going to say so we could get home.

  Home. Home to Cholas.

  I didn't have any more time to consider that as the man in the middle rapped a gavel on the table and the audience fell silent.

  "Princess Daeton," he spoke with a loud voice, "we thank you for bringing peace to our kingdom once more. The wizard's threat over our land is lifted forever, and while we mourn the passing of our prince, we are grateful for the peace that came through you."

  I didn't know what to say, so I kept my mouth shut and smiled politely.

  The man to his left said, "Princess, while the prince believed you were meant to be his fated mate and would have married you and secured your royal position, his passing changes things greatly."

  The man on the far end of the table spoke up, "Aedan Grona was not the last of his family line as he believed. He has a distant cousin, the duke Nenda Fria, who is coming in tonight to take the throne as prince of the land. As he is already married, princess, and does not wish to share either himself with you or you with your mates-" He paused for a moment, looking perplexed and I took the opportunity to breathe out a sigh of relief.

  "Thank goodness!"

  Ekho and Perseus chuckled quietly and squeezed my hands. The council looked confused so I explained, "I'm very glad that the new prince is not interested in pursuing a marriage with me, because except for him being a bear, there is nothing that ties us together. I'm mated to my two men and that's all that will ever be for me. I was worried that perhaps you would try to saddle me with royal responsibilities. I'm grateful that is not the case."

  More than grateful.

  The council all smiled in relief. They must have assumed I would fight to remain a princess. Although the clothes were nice, I was used to simpler things.

  "The prince asks you remain here tonight, to join in the welcoming celebration and so that he may thank you himself. In the morning, the guards will escort you to your home."

  After leaving the council room, we spent the day enjoying the luxury of the castle. Perseus changed into his horse form and he, Odin and Finn battled each other and several guards on horseback in an impromptu jousting tournament. Ekho entertained us all over lunch playing a small stringed instrument like a guitar and singing, cracking jokes and winking at me suggestively every time a word he sang could be considered even remotely naughty.

  We moved back into the grand bedroom to prepare for the celebration dinner with Prince Nenda and his wife. The same slave girls that had attended us the night before and at times during the day came back to help me dress and fix my hair. While Perseus and Ekho lounged with Odin and Finn, who were all now in their fully human forms, the two girls stood behind me at a dressing table and began to braid my hair.

  "What are your names?" I asked. The dress I wore tonight was a deep gold with ivory insets in the bodice and matched Ekho and Perseus' jackets.

  "I am Draya and this is my sister, Fontaine, princess." The tallest of the two girls said shyly. It was as if no one had ever asked her what her name was.

  "You don't have to call me princess anymore. Prince Aedan is dead, and he only ordered me called that because he wanted to claim me. I'm just Daeton."

  They nodded, but I had a feeling they would never just call me by my name. "How old are you?" I asked, watching them as they concentrated on my hair, weaving the braids together with ribbons and jeweled clips.

  "I am 16, Fontaine is 15, pr-, uh, Miss."

  I smiled at Draya, figuring Miss was better than princess. "I'm 18. How long have you been here in the palace?"

  "All our lives," Fontaine said, meeting my eyes for a moment in the mirror, "our mother was an attendant to the queen. They allowed her to marry our father who was a stable hand. We were born into this life. It is all we'll ever know."

  My heart ached sharply. I couldn't imagine growing up as a slave, never being my own person. "Are your parents still here in the palace?"

  Draya's smile was soft and sad, her blue eyes luminous. "They went into the afterlife, Miss, a few years ago. We were lucky; the prince could have put us to the slavers in Dran. He let us stay on, as long as we did our duties without complaint."

  I let the conversation drop as they continued to work. They were slight, young women, underfed, and their long hair - Draya's a light brown and Fontaine's a dark chocolate - was dull and their skin was pale from lack of sun. Although their pretty blue eyes were sad, there was youth there that needed to be let free to play, not to die slowly under the foot of a leader that would keep them until they were of no use. To think that Aedan may have considered even for a moment to sell such young girls to slavers made my vision go red. It wasn't the first time since he had died that I was glad that he was dead.

  "Ah, is anyone as lovely as our wife?" Perseus grinned when I walked out of the bathroom.

  He kissed my cheek and Ekho kissed the other one, "None as far as the eagle flies," Ekho growled.

  "I'm pretty sure that no wife before me has ever been complimented more."

  "We only speak truth, my lady," Perseus bowed deeply and so did Ekho. The only thing that made the scene less than serious was Ekho's tail twitching behind him.

  When the call for dinner was made, we moved together as a group, Odin and Finn walking behind us and speaking about the fun they'd had on our trip and how nice it would have been to have mate-dreams and find brides within the walls.

  Impressively carved wooden doors were opened for us and a caller announced us as the lady Daeton and her husba
nds, Perseus of the House Cosmo and Ekho of the Northern Lands. We all laughed under our breaths at how they'd tried to make us sound more regal than we actually were, but it was a nice touch all the same. The newly crowned Prince Nenda was a tall, slim man with dirty blonde hair cut short and a thin mustache. His wife, Tuli, had a lazy eye and a nice smile. They greeted us warmly, thanking us for all we'd done for the kingdom.

  We sat at the royal table for the feast, enjoying platters of food with everything imaginable piled on them, servants scurrying back and forth to fill drinks and serve. Nenda and Tuli asked about my realm and my life and they shared their plans to start a family now that they were going to be settling into the palace.

  "When you leave tomorrow," Nenda said, running a slim finger around the edge of his glass, "we'll send you with guards to keep you safe."

  "Thank you, Prince Nenda," I said.

  "And as you saved our kingdom from the wizard's threat, I grant you one favor. Anything that you would have, ask and it shall be granted."

  My mind spun for a moment, the wealth of the palace at my fingertips, clothing and luxury to last me several lifetimes. But then my mother's voice murmured in my ear, and I knew that even though I wasn't technically a real princess, I was the daughter of the king of my den and that meant I needed to behave appropriately.

  "There are two slave girls that attended me these last two days, Draya and Fontaine. I'd have them released to me."

  He chuckled, "Such a simple request, but good help is hard to find. I'll see them ready by morning to join you."

  I thanked him again, pleased that I'd managed to think of something less selfish than piles of gold and woven silks. My mother would be proud.

  Dancing followed the feast and Perseus and Ekho both showed themselves to be great dancers, and although I was relatively coordinated, the steps were confusing and I tripped often. Before my frustration bloomed, Perseus lifted me inches off the floor and held me tight against him with one arm, and danced us both around the room.

  That night, after I made love to my husbands on the large bed, we lay tangled between the satiny sheets and catching our breaths. Ekho kissed my shoulder.

  "You could have chosen anything, honey kitten. Why did you pick two slaves? I thought you didn't like slavery?"

  "I don't. I want to set them free."

  "That's very sweet, love, but they've only ever known slavery. If you let them loose outside these walls, they'll wind up in a brothel or worse, on the auction block in Dran." Perseus pulled covers up over all of us and pulled me towards him as Ekho curled against my back.

  "Then we'll take them with us, until they're ready to be on their own. But I want them to be free."

  "Such compassion." Ekho clucked his tongue and kissed my neck. "You capture a bit more of my heart every day."

  "Mine, too." Perseus said with a low voice.

  Mine, too.

  Epilogue

  After fitting Perseus, Odin, and Finn with thick blankets to make the ride easier, Ekho and I climbed onto Perseus' back, and Draya and Fontaine each took a Centaur to ride. Provisions had been made for us, satchels filled with dried meats, fruits, and skins of wine. Tuli had taken pity on the slave girls and sent clothing for them. Although not as fine as what she'd gifted to me, the girls were now wearing pretty blue dresses edged with white lace, and their eyes were bright with hope for their future.

  I hugged Rysk and Tyrant before we left. "Wipe those sad looks from your eyes, both of you." I chided them, squeezing their hands.

  "It's hard, my lady," Rysk said with a thick voice, "to know that we nearly brought you to your death."

  "But you didn't. And along the way I found my mates. I couldn't be happier for the way things worked out, and I have you thank for it."

  "We don't deserve your thanks," Tyrant said, "but we're grateful for it. If ever you have need of us, we'll come right away."

  I kissed both their cheeks, watched them blush, and said goodbye.

  At the palace gates, surrounded by Dire Wolves who were going to see us safely home, Perseus said, "Where to, love?"

  "North." I said, wiggling a bit on the blanket until I was comfy. The dress had several layers so I was much more comfortable than if I'd been wearing jeans. It wouldn't matter to me if I never wore jeans again.

  "North?" He looked over his shoulder at me in question.

  "Yes, north to the Leonemen land. Ekho's got a bride to introduce to his family. And then we can go home."

  "Are you sure you want to go back to Cholas?" Perseus asked starting off at a trot from the palace and turning north when we reached the main road.

  "Of course."

  Perseus said, "We will take you back to your family for a visit as soon as we are able. We can journey through the portal that reaches the Centaur city in your realm."

  That sounded wonderful. I hugged him with one arm and reached the other one back to pull Ekho closer to me.

  "How did we get so lucky?" Ekho asked, squeezing his arms around me tightly.

  "We're all lucky," I promised, and I really felt that was the truth.

  Over the course the journey north to Ekho's family, I fell a little bit more in love with them every day, until the night before we crossed into the Leonemen territory when I shared my love for them both. They echoed the love to me, promising their hearts forever in exchange for mine, which I gave freely. I had never been in love before, and I was glad that I could share another first with the two men who had come to mean everything to me.

  I was still young, but I felt as if I'd grown up a lot during my time in the Medes Realm. I started the journey as a young, innocent woman and I finished the journey as a unique were-bear, a wife to two men, and freedom fighter for two slave girls. My own life-saving journey had nearly cost me that life, but the future that awaited me in Perseus' homeland was worth anything in my book.

  I'd found my inner she-bear, and she was ready to get on with her new life. And I was, too.

  The End

  * * * * *

  A Note from the Author: Thank you so much for reading Daeton's story. I hope that you enjoyed the world I created for her, and yes, her story isn't over yet! Stop by my blog at rebutler.wordpress.com and leave a comment or to check up on my latest musings and upcoming release information. Drop me an email at [email protected]. I'd love to hear from you.

  Coming Soon...

  A Bond of Brothers: Lynk and Tavian's Story

  Other Works by R.E. Butler

  A Curve of Claw

  A Flash of Fang

  A Price for a Princess

  The Wolf's Mate Series:

  Book 1: Jason &Cadence

  Book 2: Linus & The Angel

  Coming Soon....Book 3: Callie & The Cats

  Read on for an excerpt from the next in the wiccan-were-bear series:

  A Bond of Brothers (Book 4 in the Wiccan-Were-Bear Series)

  Lynk & Tavian's Story

  Shaylee Tianna is a banished fairy with the powers of healing and nature at her disposal. One wintry morning, she stumbles upon an injured and dying were-bear. Saving his life leads to a connection she didn't expect and the love kindled between them is hot enough to melt the snow on the ground. But all is not easy with their newfound love...a brother's claim threatens everything. Can she bridge the gap between them or will choosing both be the end of it all? When a demon from her past jeopardizes all she holds dear, will the cost of her freedom be the lives of the ones she loves most? This story contains one pissed off fairy, a were-bear that doesn't want to share, a sacrifice of blood and flesh that will melt your heart, and m/f/m interaction.

  **Excerpt from A Bond of Brothers**

  “Are you the angel that healed me?” He said with a soft smile and a low voice that made the inside of my body go tingly warm.

  “Angel?”

  He frowned slightly, “I remember wings and feeling very warm. I thought I was going to die but then I woke up with you in my arms.”

  I smiled.
I’d never been called an angel before. “I’m a healing fairy. My name is Shaylee Tianna.”

  His smile returned. “I’m Lynk Stalking Horse. Thank you for saving my life.”

  “It was the strangest thing. I was hunting and I smelled something that called to me. I don’t really understand it, but I followed the scent and found you. I thought you were a real bear and I was going to help you die quickly. When I touched you, I knew you were a were and I healed you.”

  He stared at me for a moment and then he pressed his head to the crux of my neck and took a deep breath. My whole body lit up, shivers raced up and down my spine and I was speechless as my heart tried to pound out of my chest. He moved up my neck slowly, dragging his warm lips up my sensitive skin before crossing my cheek to my mouth.

  His plump lips stopped on mine and for a heartbeat I thought because he was a stranger that I shouldn’t kiss him or touch him, but the next heartbeat I wanted to do both of those things. Months of loneliness surfaced like a raw wave of pain, the heated, delicious scent of him surrounded me, and I could no more get up from him than I could have stopped time. Fisting my hands in his hair, I parted my mouth on a moan and he slipped his arms around me, drew me closer, and rolled me to my back. Our tongues touched, that first gentle slide together like two creatures that were made for dark pleasure, and my body liquefied. His hair cascaded around us like a thick blanket as I released one hand from the thick locks and ran my fingers down his back. I traced the contours of his very naked body as he pressed on top of me, feeling the muscles tense and bunch under my exploration.

  I was shirtless but still wearing my pants and boots, and when I felt his fingers at the button of my jeans, I let out an involuntary moan. He lifted from my mouth and looked down at me. "Do you want me to stop, Shaylee?"