Seduction of a Princess

Chapter Twenty-One

'nother chapter for you guys. This time, I'm showing June how to have some fun... and I get punched in the face, for some reason...

*throws annoyed glance at writer*

Yeah, you just had to do that, didn't you?

*shrugs before writer can answer, starts ignoring his muttered remarks*

Well, you just enjoy.

-=-=-=-

          “You coming?”

          Terrance was standing on the doorstep, keeping the door open for her. The light that flowed out of the opening barely managed to penetrate the darkness, and he couldn’t really see the girl he was holding the door for. He knew she was there though, considering her options.

          She could go in with him. But the silver ring on his hand glistened in the light, reminding her once more that she wasn’t wearing an illusion spell. Her tail and wolf ears were very real and very visible—the only thing keeping them hidden was the cloak he had returned to her. She had protested to this, of course, but he had shrugged and told her that, if they were to go someplace well-lit, she should be the one hiding her face, however much of a shame it was. He had also told her it would be good for her. She should get used to being a werewolf, not a human. The ring was just a mask…

          He smiled at the lack of response from the darkness.

          “It’s really not getting any better than it is now. You might as well just show yourself—no one will even notice your furry parts, I promise.”

          Again, he gestured she should join him in the tavern.

          Of course, she wanted to get inside, if only to see what the tavern looked like on the inside. She’d never been to one, and she was definitely wondering what kind of people would be inside. If they had interesting stories to tell… But Marc wasn’t with her, and that made her more than a bit wary. Of course, she didn’t want to convict Terrance on anything, but he had lured her away from him. She could go back, but… Marc would rant at her and Terrance would say she was a coward. She didn’t want that.

          She still carried the knife, which gave her a feeling of power. She couldn’t kill Terrance with it, but if things turned ugly, she could at least stab someone. They wouldn’t take her just that easily. So another ambush was not what she feared.

          She feared being a werewolf.

          As they had walked to this good tavern Terrance knew, he had made a few puns that made her suspect that there was more to it than a tail and ears. He had told her some facts about instinct, that she didn’t growl as much as he expected her to. She was afraid that being around other people—saying more than the occasional “yes” or “no”—would cause this to increase. She didn’t like the fact of turning into a raging beast in a room full of people she might harm.

          “Well, what are you waiting for? Do I really need to convince you anymore than I have already?”

          He was getting impatient, it was obvious in the nuances of his voice that she now was able to hear surprisingly well—she blamed the ears for that.

          June sighed loudly before trading the darkness of the alley for the light in the doorway.

          “This is important, right?” she whispered as she passed him.