Page 9 of Tricky Princess
“You’re the one that put me to bed naked,” Ros snapped.
“You always sleep naked.” Sam shook his head as he walked away.
Ros was sure Billy had glimpsed plenty over their time together as a weird, mismatched group that didn’t understand boundaries. Devon was the only one who hadn’t seen Ros fully naked—yet.
Ros headed to the bedroom and grabbed his favorite jeans from the chair in the corner. The house had worked through the night cleaning clothes, weapons, and for some reason, stacking about ten romance novels next to his daggers. Nine daggers in total lined up neatly in a row, all silver except for one. The black obsidian dagger was his favorite and oldest weapon. Spinning it once in his hand, it disappeared with a whisper of his shadows. He did the same with four more and then packed one in each boot. The last two would go downstairs for Devon and Sam to use. Grabbing his bag, he shoved his clothes, a few hair ties, and toiletries in the dark canvas sack. The sound of his friends bickering was quickly becoming louder, and he mumbled a prayer for strength.
Soon, they would be back, and the cabin would no longer feel so empty. Even with his friends circling around him, it had never felt right. A warm breeze tickled his neck, and he turned before crossing the threshold. The stack of books caught his eye, and something tugged at his chest, causing his shadows to shudder around his hands as he rubbed at the painful pull. He headed toward the books and grabbed the top three, flipped each over, and then let them disappear into the shadows with his daggers. They would be available for him when he needed them.
As he headed down the stairs, both Garm and Billy’s voices sounded louder than usual. As if…
“Can you stop ogling her?” Devon whispered.
“He can ogle me all he wants.” Billy was smirking as Ros stomped into the kitchen.
The deep tone of Garm’s growl shook the small window above the sink. His presence in his human form was startling, and Ros felt the need to back down. Even in his basic jeans, long-sleeve cotton top, and boots, his oldest friend was breathtaking and scary. His massive amount of muscle was intimidating, and he was so tall that his dark curls almost brushed the ceiling. Ros wasn’t surprised Devon looked ready to wet himself. Sam stood there with his mouth gaping open, his eyes bouncing between Garm and Billy. It was only the second time Ros had seen Billy in her human form, and it was still a shock. The two beasts made a magnificent pair. Her canvas pants, boots, and simple sweater did nothing to dull her beauty. Amber eyes glowed wickedly as she baited Devon and Sam to say something, to poke the beast who was vibrating in front of her, blocking her view from the friends who didn’t know how to function with her in this form. She poked her head around Garm’s towering frame, causing her dark hair to sway.
“That’s enough,” Ros bellowed.
Sam’s mouth closed with a snap as he blinked rapidly, and Billy only smirked more. Garm still shot daggers at Sam, whose eyes were now trying to look anywhere else. Ros glared at all of them and paused on Devon who was shrinking further behind Sam. There wasn’t time for bickering or getting used to Billy and Garm being on two legs.
“Please,” Ros said, pinching the bridge of his nose as his headache gave a painful pound. “We don’t have time for this.”
Garm glared a little more before Billy rested a hand on his crossed arms. His shoulders instantly relaxed as his eyes met hers. He searched her face quickly before grumbling and crossing the room to lean against the wall.
“A little warning would have been appreciated,” Ros said to Billy. She had to choose today to show herself to Sam and Devon. “Is there a reason you’re in your human form?”
“Since we don’t know what the town is like, I figured this form would make it easier to blend in.” She shrugged.
Billy had a point. The five of them would portal to the town that was on the coast of their destination without investigating first. They didn’t want to waste the energy to portal all the way there, back, and then there again. Billy made it seem simple; you stepped over the entrance and you were moved to the edge of the road to Hel. Ros was still skeptical, but after his numerous failed attempts, he was desperate.
“Easier to blend in? You look like a dressed-down queen, and Garm over there looks like a Norse god. How big are you, anyway? Do we have time to measure you?”
“Do you mean his height or his dick?” Billy’s sharp teeth glinted as she gave them a full smile.
“Both,” Sam and Devon said together.
“How about no?” Ros groaned. “Is everyone packed? Do we all know the plan?”
Billy whined, a tone she used regularly in her beast form, probably sad that everyone wasn’t about to whip out her favorite body part. But then she said, “Yes, grumpy shadow daddy, we are all ready to go save our girl.”
A spark of possessiveness crept in his mind. Ellea was his. But he needed to realize that she was also theirs. They were all about to risk themselves on a dangerous journey, and he would need to leave his brutish tendencies behind. Billy gave him a look like she knew the thoughts running through his mind. Probably because she did; even in her human form, she could read his mind.
“Grab your bags. Let’s get out of here before we get into a dick-measuring contest.” Ros headed toward the table to grab the small bag Sam had packed for him and shoved it into his own.
Billy stepped toward Ros, grabbing him by the arm and forcing him to look at her. He had expected judgment and teasing, but Ros saw his own feelings mirrored in her eyes.
“This will work,” she said softly.
“It has to.”
Everyone stepped in close, exchanging glances before they each grasped someone’s hand or shoulder. Ros and Garm would work together to take them to their destination. Their shadows shimmered and stirred together, and as one, they stepped through the opening they created.
The world was cast in darkness as their single step paused and their world moved around them. In a second, darkness turned to cobblestones and silence greeted them. Ros quickly looked around to find so many people looking at them, dumbfounded. They had arrived in the middle of a celebration.
“Fuck,” Ros cursed as the shouts started and Devon began dry heaving.
“Shit,” Billy added. “Let me find a phone and we can call the council to take care of this.”
