The sounds of the bustling little town of Sartu reached Dante’s ears long before the cluster of stone and wooden buildings came into view late that afternoon. The scents came last, setting his stomach to rumbling at the whiffs of roasted meat and fresh bread. He hadn’t fixed them breakfast this morning nor had they stopped to have lunch. He hadn’t eaten at all, though Bear had offered him chocolates thrice as she picked at them throughout the day, eventually emptying the box.

Now, if she had offered to let him lick that melted chocolate off her thumb, he would have had a hard time declining. It’s a good thing he hadn’t seen her lips wrapped around her thumb, expertly flicking her tongue over it, before she left him alone to bathe this morning. He likely would have found his own private area to wrap his hand around his cock and imagine that was what she’d licked. Dante shook his head as if he could empty the image from his mind.

She was the princess. She was the reason his parents were dead. She was a monster.

So why did the smell of her blood send his stomach to his throat in panic? No thought of Sol had crossed his mind in those few seconds when he was terrified for her safety before he smelled the other scents that indicated where the blood had originated. He was terrified solely for her, not what her death would mean for himself.

She was two years old when his parents were killed. She couldn’t have possibly been a monster then, even if she were one now--a fact Dante was starting to have a hard time convincing himself of. It seemed the worst thing she did was attempt to use her feminine wiles to convince Dante to release her, and he couldn’t fault her for that. He respected her more for not just letting him take her without a fight. Though it wasn’t much of a fight.

“That smells so good.” Bear’s voice ripped him from his thoughts as her nose finally alerted her to what awaited them, what he’d been smelling himself for several minutes already.

“Would you like to explore, eat, or rest?”

She gave him a devilish grin. “You owe me a tavern meal and I would like to collect.”

Dante wasn’t going to argue with that. They made their way toward one of the larger buildings that bore a sign depicting a circle flanked on either side by a knife and fork, passing by a row of various shops. Bear’s gaze scanned each one through the windows, her eyes lighting up at one in particular. “Wait. I want to go in here first.”

Before Dante could respond, Bear slipped through the door. Dante followed her into a shop filled with produce, jerky, hard cheeses, sweets, and spices. The smells made his stomach rumble more. He found Bear looking over a display of hot peppers, the shopkeeper already making his way to her to offer his assistance.

“Good evening. Can you tell me which is the spiciest?” she asked as the weathered man approached, tucking in his wings so as not to disturb the displays.

The man chuckled as he carefully picked up an elongated red pepper with knobs all over it. “This one, dear. Though it’s too hot for you, I’m sure.”

Bear swiftly plucked an identical pepper from the display, placing it in her mouth and biting it just under the stem. The man’s eyes widened as he watched her casually chew and swallow it, showing no signs of discomfort. Dante’s senses didn’t pick up anything, either. Nothing but a slight glisten of perspiration on her face.

“Hmm. Not spicy enough for me. Thanks, anyway!” Bear flicked her eyes to Dante. “Pay the man for the one I sampled, husband.”

Dante forced himself not to roll his eyes as she sauntered out the door. He pulled a bit of coin from his pocket and handed it to the man, who eagerly accepted, though held up a finger.

“Give these to her,” he said as he disappeared behind a counter at the back of the small shop. When he returned, he handed Dante a small cloth bag. “These are the hottest peppers in all the world. I bred them myself. They’re too dangerous to keep on display. You mustn’t touch them; they burn the skin. Only alcohol will wash the oil away if you do.”

Dante nodded his thanks, tucking the small bag into the larger one he’d acquired this morning that now bore all their extra clothes and supplies.

Bear wasn’t on the street, but Dante followed her scent into the tavern where he found her already at a table, gnawing on a piece of bread. He sat opposite her and tore himself a piece off the loaf in the center. “You like spicy food?”

“Who doesn’t?” she said, holding her hand over her mouth to obscure the half-masticated bread within.

Dante didn’t, but he didn’t feel the need to correct her assumption that it was universal. “We’ll stop there again tomorrow before leaving and stock up on food so I don’t have to hunt for each meal.”

“Splendid idea,” Bear answered in a too-cheery tone that belied she didn’t care in the slightest.

Why would she? Dante had made it clear he’d feed her one way or another. That he’d take care of her. He cursed himself for making her think he was soft. For making her think she was safe.

“I didn’t pick that chocolate out for you. The shopkeeper added it when she saw the other supplies I was getting and I felt obligated to spend more coin because I roused her from bed to open early. That’s the only reason I brought you those and the soap and hairbrush.”

It was a half-truth. He did feel badly about waking the old woman in his attempt to secure the supplies and return to the forest before Bear woke and had spent more than he normally would have because of it. The woman had picked out the chocolates and packaged them, but only after Dante requested it. Though, if Bear was half as ornery as Marnie got without chocolate during her cycle, that was more for him than her. And Dante had no choice about the hair care items. If he hadn’t bought them, the only other possible option for caring for Bear’s hair would have been to cut it off. Though impractical, it was beautiful, and Dante didn’t want it to come to that.

Bear rested her elbows on the table, dangling that piece of bread in front of her mouth, though she didn’t take another bite. “I would think someone in your profession would simply take what they wanted. Yet you allowed a shopkeeper to swindle you out of more gold?”

“I wouldn’t allow anyone to swindle me out of anything.” Dante huffed a breath through his nose, shaking his head. Bear really thought she was going to pull one over on him. “I paid for what I wanted, as any normal person would. If I needed something and had no money, I might be forced to take it, as any normal person would.”

Bear wagged that piece of bread around, raising a brow. “Did you take me because you needed something and had no money?”

Dante was saved from answering by the barmaid’s approach. Bear politely ordered mutton, beef, vegetable stew, and cheese, requesting enough for her and her husband, please and thank you.

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Dante again reigned in his eye roll. “And a tankard of ale for me.”

“And me,” Bear added.

The woman left and Dante gave Bear a piercing look. “Why do you keep calling me that? It’s not necessary.”

Bear looked at him a while with a soft smile on her lips. “You’re not as good at this as I thought you’d be. Shall I be the captor and you the prize? Show you how it’s done?”

Dante grunted. Unbearable indeed.

“You know you won’t let me sleep in my own room. It would be far less suspicious for a married couple to share a room than…whatever people would assume we were.”

She was right. He hadn’t thought about it. He hadn’t let himself think about their sleeping arrangements after suffering through the thoughts that eddied around his mind today. The thoughts that centered around her lips, her tits, her ass.

Lunin, it’d been too long since he’d gotten laid if he was letting such thoughts interfere with his mission. No wonder she thought him inept. He was certainly acting like it. But why was she helping him? Not actively attempting escape was one thing, but actively helping keep their identities--his crime--a secret was quite another.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Do you not want to go back?”

It would make sense, he supposed. If she was truly in love with Maria and couldn’t be with her because of her obligations as the crown princess, if she valued that love over her duty, she might want to be kidnapped rather than marry whoever it is she’s betrothed to. Maybe she thought to escape when they’d put more distance between them and Hogard, using the abduction as a cover to become a nameless soul in a small town and send for Maria so they could have a life together in peace.

Bear blinked and Dante sensed her heartbeat quicken. He’d struck a nerve. He was right. She didn’t want to go back. That was why she’d been so complicit.

“Where are you taking me, Con?” Her voice was timid, unlike he’d ever heard it. She wanted to know which was the worse fate if her plan failed: their destination and an unknown threat or Hogard and a life of obligation.

Dante tore another piece of bread from the loaf and ate it as he scanned the half-full tavern. He had glanced over each patron when he arrived, content that none were royal guards or anyone he recognized. But the door had opened and closed a few times since they sat down, people filtering in and out, and he’d decided to do another sweep. He didn’t need to; he’d looked each time a new patron entered. But he didn’t want to look at Bear right now. He didn’t want to see the despair on her face.

The barmaid brought the ale first, and Bear drank hers faster than Dante himself did. By the time the woman brought their food, both mugs were empty, and Bear requested two more. Bear ate greedily, Dante following suit. The food and ale seemed to raise her spirits, and her sweet, rosy cheeks were again plump with a smile.

Bear had nearly finished her second ale when the barmaid returned again to collect their remaining dishes. At the woman’s approach, Bear slid her hand over the table to grasp Con’s, her fingers wrapping around his. An unwanted warmth spread through him along with the unwanted thought that he’d like those soft hands on him more often.

“My husband and I would like a room for the night. Do you know of any?” Bear rubbed her thumb over the top of Dante’s hand, and he couldn’t take his eyes away from her as she spoke to the barmaid, smiling genuinely at the woman.

The sound of the door opening forced Dante to look away as Bear and the woman continued discussing what rooms were available in town, though Bear’s thumb continued its gentle stroking.

A tall, lithe woman stood in the doorway wearing tight-fitting leathers not dissimilar to the ones Dante normally wore. Her brunette hair was pulled back in a short braid with some escaped strands framing her sharp-featured face. Just as Dante had done, she scanned the faces of the patrons as she walked in, tucking a soft leather helmet under her arm. Her pale eyes met his and a smile tugged at her lips.

Just what he fucking needed.

The woman took long, purposeful steps toward Dante and slid into the booth next to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. Her smile widened as she pulled away and opened her mouth to speak. Her eyes flicked to the barmaid and Bear--both staring at her with apprehension--then to Bear’s hand clasped over his. She promptly closed her mouth--though it remained in an amused, close-lipped smile--and tilted her head to the side, narrowing an eye to him in a silent question.

“My cousin,” Dante directed at the barmaid in explanation for the too-friendly greeting, “would probably like some food.”

The newcomer ordered and when the barmaid left, Dante turned to the woman. “Call me Con,” he said, looking pointedly at Bear, whose hand still remained on his. In fact, her grip had tightened since the woman sat down.

The newcomer laughed. “Con?” She looked over Bear, over their clasped hands. “And who might you be?”

“That’s Bear,” Dante answered before the princess could. He cleared his throat. “My wife.”

Bear tilted her head, an amused, knowing smile curving her lips.

Her thumb started stroking his hand again and Dante pulled it away. Her eyebrows twitched in slightly, just for a second, but she didn’t allow her smile to fall, though Dante knew his withdrawal had winked out the amusement she had from learning he’d already had a nickname for her. His mouth dried with the guilt of that realization. He’d hurt her feelings.

“Then who am I?” the woman purred.

“You can be whoever you want as long as you don’t cause us any trouble,” Dante answered roughly.

The woman laughed, reaching across him to wrap her hands around his mug and claim it for herself.“I suppose I’m stuck as your cousin, then. That’ll make for interesting gossip if anyone finds you with your face between my legs.” She wagged her brows at Bear. “I’ll be…Adrina,” she said dramatically, taking a swig of his ale.

Dante closed his eyes, shaking his head. Adrina was always a handful. And while his face had been between her legs the last time he saw her, that wasn’t an accurate depiction of their relationship, and he had no intention of finding his way into her pants tonight. Even if he had just been thinking he needed to put his cock in someone--and soon--to clear out those pervasive thoughts of who he really wanted to put it in. But his eyes snapped open when he heard Bear reach across the table and take the mug out of Adrina’s hand.

“Is that how you speak to someone in front of their wife?” Bear asked, sliding the mug back to Dante.

Adrina snorted. When she answered, she spoke to Dante. “Okay, who is she really?”

Dante ignored both women. “I didn’t hear you arrive.”

Adrina and Bear shared a contemptuous look before the former answered his unspoken question. “Good. Then our stealth drills are working. We coasted in. Though that fat lard isn’t exactly hard to miss once he’s on the ground.” She paused and her lips twitched up. Dante had been around enough dragon whisperers to know she and her dragon were speaking mind to mind. She laughed before giving Dante a conspiratory grin. “He is a fat lard whether he wants to admit it or not.”

The barmaid approached and dropped off a new collection of food and drink before padding away.

“Did you know your friend was going to be here?” Bear suddenly asked, her tone accusing.

Dante shook his head. “No. If I had, we wouldn’t have stopped.”

Adrina swallowed a large bite of meat. “Ouch, Con, ouch. And here I was about to offer you a lift.”

Bear blinked. “A lift?”

Adrina slowly turned her head back to the princess, shrugging a shoulder. “Yes. A lift. A ride. A way of getting from one place to another.” She continued shoveling food into her mouth.

Bear rolled her eyes. “I meant on what?”

Adrina flicked her attention back to Dante. “Not from Pregg, then, eh?”

Dante gave her a warning look. “Not another word.”

Bear kept looking between them, raising her brow, beseeching an answer.

Adrina took a long drag from her mug, letting the tension build, reveling in her reveal. “On Gordy, of course. My dragon.”