Brighid’s Quest

“Anything, my beautiful Huntress.”

“Show me how to become one in the flesh with you.”

Wordlessly Cuchulai

“My skin is so soft. It amazes me,” Brighid said. “I had no idea it would be like this.” She smiled up at Cuchulai

“You make me breathless,” he said huskily.

“Don’t lose your breath,” she murmured, taking his hand and guiding it to her thigh. “If you can’t breathe, how will you tell me about the pleasures of this new body?”

He moaned her name and whispered against her lips, “I’ll show you.”

But he didn’t just show her. As he touched her with his hands and mouth he spoke to her, asking what caress she most preferred and where and how his touch pleased her. His hands, roughened by years of swordplay, felt sensuous against the smoothness of her skin and Brighid found that she could not get enough of the feel of that roughness cupping the softness of her buttocks. When his mouth moved to her core and tasted fully of her, she did not look away, but watched him as he finally learned what she had known before him-the joy of a lover’s pleasure.

When she was slick and ready for him, he entered her gently, allowing her time to stretch and receive him. And then they linked hands as they began the ageless give and take of lovemaking. She arched to meet him, reveling in the knowledge that their bodies had finally been able to experience what their souls had already known-the joining of two. When he cried her name and spilled his seed into her she held him close and crested the wave of sensation with him.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

“Changing back is much easier,” Brighid said, twitching her tail and stomping her hooves as if she was worried that something might not have completely transformed back to equine shape.

“It’s amazing,” Cu said. “All these years and I have never once seen my father shapeshift.” He gave her a lopsided, boyish grin. “Although there were a couple of times when I burst into my mother’s chamber and he was there in man form.” He chuckled. “It never failed to surprise me. The last time I was about ten or eleven, and I couldn’t really see him very well. I remember thinking that some stranger had gone mad and was ravishing her, so I brandished my not particularly dangerous wooden practice sword and yelled for him to unhand the Goddess Incarnate.”

“What did he do?” Brighid asked, smiling.

“He looked up at me and said, ‘Later, boy, right now your mother and I are rather busy.’” Cuchulai

Brighid tried unsuccessfully to smother her laughter. “That sounds like a very awkward conversation.”

“It wasn’t a conversation. He talked-I listened. Then he asked me if I had any questions.”

“Did you?”

Cuchulai

Brighid’s laughter turned into unexpectedly girlish giggles. “Stop, you’re hurting me.”

He smiled at her, wrapped one arm around her waist and kissed her soundly.

“I do remember in particular one of the things my father explained to me about shapeshifting during that awkward lecture.”

She raised a silver brow.

“He said a High Shaman can only maintain another shape for a limited amount of time.”

Brighid nodded. “It is common knowledge that a High Shaman must return to her natural form in no longer than the span of one night.”

“Is it also common knowledge that once a High Shaman has returned to her natural form that it takes at least the span of another day for her body to reenergize?”

“No.” Brighid looked surprised. “That part is not well-known.” She let out a long, frustrated sigh. “There’s so much I don’t know, Cu. I feel the change within me, and I sense the world around me in a different way. But I know so little about how to wield this new power.”

“Go easy on yourself. Most High Shamans have prepared for years, and are still being mentored by another High Shaman.”

“That’s the problem. I don’t have a mentor.”

“One step at a time, my beautiful Huntress, one step at a time. First you reclaim your birthright. Then you find a mentor. It just so happens that your husband does have co

She draped her arm around his broad shoulders and nuzzled his ear. “Who knew a man would be such a good thing to have around?”

He chuckled and kissed her. “Don’t tell the other centaur Huntresses-they’ll all want one of their own.”

She bit his neck and he gave a little yelp. They both laughed.

Then Cuchulai

“I’m just hunting deer. I could do that even as a woman-I think,” she added with a quick smile.

“Hunt your deer carefully. By the time you gut it and bring it back here I should have found that damned gelding.”

“I can help you find that damned gelding of yours,” Brighid said.

“I’m sure you could track him in half the time, my beautiful, talented Huntress, but we need the fresh meat, so I’ll have to muddle through without your expertise.”

“I don’t have to come with you, Cu. I just have to-” She rolled her eyes when his amused expression turned guarded and strained. “Cuchulai

He sighed and raised her hand to his lips. “You’re right. And, yes, my beautiful Huntress, I would welcome your help.”

“Just give me a moment and don’t-”

“I know,” he said laughingly, “don’t distract you.”

She gave him an exasperated look before closing her eyes and grounding herself with three deep, even breaths. Then she thought about Cuchulai