She heard the crunch of bone snapping as he let out another growl through clenched teeth. His two long fangs that jutted from his upper lip retracting before her eyes.

Isabelle moved toward him, but he held up a hand. "No." His eyes shifted to the privy. "A robe. In the dresser... There is-" another strangled groan tore from his lips.

Isabelle rose in understanding, darting to the privy, hands shaking as she pulled open drawers and sifted through clothes. She was unfamiliar with men's garments, but she found the dark blue robe he had mentioned along with a shirt that seemed smaller than the ones he'd worn and a pair of britches.

Isabelle ran back with shaky hands. Nervousness and excitement all coiled in her gut. What would he look like? Would he treat her the same in this form as well?

"Dear god," Isabelle dropped the clothes on the floor, hands running up to her mouth in horror. He was writhing on the floor a deluge of fur and skin shifting before her eyes and black fur waved onto flesh. The horns once curled round the side of his head now retracting into his skull. He roared out in pain and Isabelle stood frozen watching the shift as the large beats head shrunk shaking. "Don't look," he rasped through pained breaths.

But Isabelle couldn't look away. Only when she saw the form of a naked man, slick with sweat, his bare ass visible and face panting into the stone floor, did she blush and walk back into the privy. She had only seen a glimpse of his body but it was enough to stoke the dancing flames in her body once more.

The image of leaned toned muscles and short wavy locks played in her head. She had yet to see his face, but she feared she had already glimpsed far too much then was proper of a lady, and yet she wanted to see more. To explore this foreign anatomy, and the curious and strange feelings it gave her.

"Isabelle?" His voice called tentatively from the other room. It was still just saw deep but missing the usually gravelly, rough undertone.

She peered her head into the room, the warm glow of the fire still casting tones of yellow across the walls.

A man stood before her in a rich blue robe. His frame was slightly smaller than the creature she had come to know. He was taller than John, not as broad shouldered, but lanky. Isabelle had already caught a glimpse of just what kind of muscles were hiding under there.

His skin, a rich olive with a mess of dark short waves, sat matted with sweat atop his head, giving a rough exotic look. Perhaps, from his mother. A sharp jawline framed his striking features. He was not handsome. He was -"beautiful." The words slipped past her lips. Her eyes widened, immediately clamping her treacherous mouth shut.

A boyish grin broke across his face. The first time she had seen a smile so breathtaking.

"I was apprehensive for a moment," he strode toward her with long easy strides, looking far more comfortable in this skin. "Glad to know that this form pleases you." He stopped just inches from her. Head dipping low to meet her gaze.

A shiver crawled up her spine.

Hazel. His eyes were hazel. A beautiful warm honey color, that glowed like the embers of the fire themselves, a mossy green tinging the edges.

"Though," His head tipped further, voicing crawling across her flesh in a rough whisper. "I fear this form is far more dangerous."

"Why?" She asked, coming closer to his gravitating gaze, her lips parting involuntarily.

"Because, now, I no longer fear to be near you, to touch you," her brown eyes widened as his thumb traced gently down the curve of her cheek. "How long I have yearned to do this," his voice barely a whisper.

"Adam?" As if snapping out of trance he backed away.

"I apologize for my forwardness."

She flushed. She was not a stranger to the wonton gazes or flirtations nature of men. John, the cook, had teased her often, but this felt different. Earnest.

"Isabelle." The seriousness of his tone snapped her from her thoughts.

"If the king- if I am unable to get you safe passage. The king is a petty man, and he-" Adam was struggling to find the right words as he started to pace about the floor in front of her, a hand on his chin. His dark brows furrowed in concentration. Every human gesture she found mesmerizing. She barely registered his awkward tone, her eyes drinking in his new form with a warm appreciation.

Isabelle reached out for his hand, stopping him mid-stride. He froze at her touch.

"It's alright. I said I would not leave Rosie. Perhaps he will be lenient. I am willing to accept the punishment."

"No!" Adam shouted, surprising her. "No. That's-" his tone softened. "If what he said was true and you are a-virgin." The words passed his lips with no small amount of embarrassment. "Then Henry will have you as this year's sacrifice. You will not survive! Don't you see? For most blood maids the nobles have their hands on them anyway, so it is usually a maiden plucked from another village or a scullery maid. But, if he has an excuse-Isabelle he will kill you." Adams' hands were on her shoulders now, almost shaking her, to sink the words into her head.

"He wouldn't. Rosie would-'' Adam's eyes bore into her own and she lost confidence. Would he?

"Pardon me for this intrusive question, but are you truly untouched?"

She flushed hard, eyes looking anywhere but his face. Her actions were answer enough. He let go of her shoulders, stepping away with a sigh.

The fire crackled in the long silence between them.

"Isabelle," Adam broke the pause, "I couldn't bear it if I lost you. It's my fault for bringing you here. My selfishness has driven us to this."

Her heart jumped to life as he closed the space between them once again.

"I know this is sudden. But if you would allow me to be selfish once more. If you would have me..." Isabelle's mouth hung agape. Was he proposing what she thought?

No. She backed away shaking her head and his face shadowed with disappointment.

It was unthinkable that she, an unwed woman, lay with a man she'd barely known but a fortnight. Yet, a small voice reasoned, the other girls seemed to have little issues uncrossing their legs in the name of survival.

Perhaps to survive, this is what she must do. And if she was to be honest with herself, she was attracted to him; both his earnest heart and caring ways. And the way his human form pulled her own body with sinful thoughts and urges.

"I won't force you," he added. "The choice is entirely yours. Though, I will confess that I have thought of you, often." Her brown eyes locked onto his golden gaze, a glow in them that burned deep into the pit of her stomach. "You are the light of hope that brought me out of the dark," he inched closer and this time she didn't back away. "When I first met you, I had a fight with Henry. He wounded me and I ran from the city. I was reserved to die then, but your kindness gave me the strength to return. To live. I did not think it possible such a warm light could exist. Could accept a-beast, as a friend." He reached for her hands and the coil in her belly wound tighter. "If we had met under different circumstances...I would have liked to court you properly. To woo you, my sweet Isabelle."

The coil snapped and her stomach fluttered wildly. She swallowed hard to keep the butterflies from climbing up further into her throat, but she was already choked for words.

It was the most vulnerable, most open she had seen him. And she owed him the same honesty in return. She gathered a breath of courage.

"I doubt I would have met you under different circumstances." As a fallen noble she would have no opportunity to visit the palace. Upon seeing his crestfallen face, she added, "But- I am glad that I met you Adam. Even under these circumstances." She took a breath summoning the courage. "I too confess that I have enjoyed our time together this past while and you're human- I mean.." Her face was too hot to think straight. "And -I. I find you, beautiful. Both body and soul." She whispered, dropping her gaze, hoping his human ears did not pick up the last part. She was beyond embarrassed, her heart thundering in her chest as a knot started to pool deeper past her stomach and into her core.

"Isabelle," Adam reached for her hand bringing it up to his lips and placed a long tender kiss, the feel of soft lips on the back of her hand seared her flesh. His honeyed gaze unwavering as he tugged gently on her hand and she allowed him to draw her closer, till there was nothing but a sliver of space between them. She could feel the heat of his breath on her face.

His mouth hovered inches from hers, as fingers came up tracing the curve of her jaw, her cheek, before brushing a stand of her long loose waves back behind her ear, leaving a trail of liquid fire where he touched.

Was this what she wanted?

"Beautiful. You are so beautiful," he murmured, as if committing her very existence to memory. The heat was building deep inside her begging for release, to the point where she almost thought it painful. She had seen a kiss. Known what it was supposed to look like. And so she reached up on her tiptoes, grabbing the fabric of his robe to steady herself and closed the gap between their lips.

Her eyes squeezed shut, pressing firm onto soft lips. Warm and inviting. She felt a strong arm wrap around her waist gently drawing her closer till her body was flush with his. Breast pressed against hard muscle under the rough fabric of her dress and the ache grew between her legs.

She could feel her nipples harden, the sensation imparting a breathless moan from her lips. Breaking the kiss he gave her a moment to catch her breath.

"Was that an invitation?" Adam leaned back, studying her face. His gaze molten, and she shuddered, finding the beast lying behind his eyes.

"That was-" She searched for the right word "incredible," Isabelle's eyes fluttered again leaning forward. Instead of a kiss, she found his lips hot on her ear.

"I can show you more. Would you like that, Isabelle?"

Her eyes opened when she could no longer feel the heat of his words in her ear. He was by the door to the privy. Her head cocked to the side in confusion. Were these matrimonial actions not done on the bed?

"Isabelle?" His tall dark form leaned against the door frame, robe slightly disheveled at the front where she had fisted her hands. "Tell me what you want. If we go through with this, it cannot be undone."

Lust clouded her vision, eye focusing on the way his mouth moved, on how soft it felt and how much she yearned to do it again. Her body screamed the answer was obvious, but her heart stuttered a moment longer.

"Will you- I am not sure how to proceed."

Adam reached out a hand, beckoning her forward "First. I would like to take a bath. Would you care to join me?"

"That is-im-improper is it not?" Isabelle stuttered. His laughter, rich and warm, fluttered around in her belly. "Isabelle, compared to what is to come, this is not that improper."

She took his hand allowing him to lead her back into the large privy. He reached down to place his hand in the sunken bath, mumbling a curse under his breath.

"It's warm, but far from hot." He placed a few more logs onto the raised hearth by the wall. "That should do it."

He glanced at her questioning gaze. "This is not a mere fireplace, it is a furnace. It heats the water from underneath."

"I have never heard of such a thing in a castle," Isabelle stared in wonder.

"Apparently the architect was inspired by the Roman bath houses," he grabbed some kindling, holding it in the furnace till a thin flame flickered on the end and went around lighting the candles in the space. Several sat in a tray on the floor by the large round bath in varying heights and several more in their brass holders on the wall. When he was finished the whole room was bathed in a warm amber glow.

"Ready?" Isabelle swallowed hard. "Would you like some help?" He offered and Isabelle wondered for a moment if this was the same reserved Adam she had come to know. The man before her was self assured. Confident. Comfortable.

Maybe too comfortable.

"Adam!" Isabelle shielded her eyes, as he undid the front of the robe letting it slide to the floor and giving her a peak of his male form in all its glory. She peered through the gaps in her fingers when she heard splashing. A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. "The temperature is sufficient. Are you not going to join me?"

Really, what was there to be bashful about? she reasoned with herself. She had been naked and judged in front of strangers. This was someone she knew, cared for, and yet that seemed to make it twice as nerve wracking.

With shaking hands she turned her face to the wall, undoing the buttons of her dress till it slipped to the floor. With the fabric gone, bumps ghosted her skin, as the cool air licked her flesh. Only the cloth binding round her chest remained and she unwound it slowly, the motion not quite as painful as last time. Had the lotion had time to seep in?

She still faced the wall when the cloth too fell to ribbons on the floor. She ran hands across her breast and stomach. The lotion had absorbed and somehow the raised scar tissue seemed less inflamed.

Summoning the courage she turned to face him, her body hot under his gaze and her hands coming up to hide as much of the scar as she could across her chest.

"Do not hide yourself from me," his voice a strained whisper. Adam sat on the far side of the pool, on one of the built-in benches below the water. It was clear enough that she could see the pride between his legs and she blanched at the size of it. She had seen farm animals couple. She had confidence she roughly knew what the act entailed. But she did not have confidence that that would fit.

Isabelle, shuffled forward cautiously and dipped a toe, feeling the warm water before quickly wading in. She had decided to drown in sin tonight, there was no going back.

He reached a large hand out, wrapping around her slender wrist and guiding her to him. His beautiful features twisting to anger at the sight of the size of the wound now nothing more than a fading scar.

"Anna truly is gifted. I will have to thank her." Isabelle said.

"Yes," though his eyes still burned with hate at the sight of it.

He pulled her forward till his body was close enough that she could reach out and touch it.

"I want you to look at me. Touch me," he whispered, as if reading her thoughts, "I want you to feel comfortable with me."

Adam let go of her wrist. He closed his eyes, making no move to touch her further and slowly tentatively she reached a hand to his chest. The hardened muscles flexing under her explorative touch. She inched closer running hands across his broad shoulders, up to his face. She brushed along his full lips, hard jawline that clenched under her touch and over his thick brows fisting hands into the dark curls on his head. Though still slightly sweaty from the transformation his hair was softer than she'd imagined, fine and thick.

Her attention drew south as his manhood twitched underneath the water. Hands exploring down the lines of hard muscles of his stomach, down to the line of hair, that tapered into fine curls below the water.

"That's-" he grabbed her wrist, "-far enough. If you don't want me to take you here, I suggest you stop now."

Isabelle dipped her head, ears burning. "I-I'm sorry."

"It's nothing to apologize for," he tipped her chin back up, with gentle fingers so she was looking into his heated gaze once more. "The fault lies with me. I cannot control myself around you."

How many more sweet words could she take before she melted? No one had made her feel so precious. Like a rare gem. She knew she did not possess the fair features of Jaqueline or the exotic beauty of Rachelle, but the way he looked at her-she felt like a queen.

It was the most intimate she had been with anyone in her life. It was uncomfortable, yet comfortable at the same time. An odd feeling.

"Isabelle," he captured her attention once more as his thumb ran over the curve of her lips. She leaned into the sensation with a greed she didn't know she possessed till now. Her lips were on his once more, hands tangled in one another's hair. He nibbled on her lower lip and she gasped at the sensation, lips parting for a moment, as his tongue slid in to explore the warm cavern of her mouth.

She moaned at the sensation of his tongue brushing against hers. Her knees gave out and she knelt on his lap as his hands roamed down to her waist. Tentatively she moved her tongue out in an effort to mimic his ministrations. She could feel something long and hard pressing between her ass.

"Damn," he swore, breaking the kiss and she felt something firm brush along her inner thigh. He brushed back her tousled locks. The ends of her long mane cascading in a ring around her back and hips. "The devil could not have devised a more perfect temptation."

Her eyes fluttered shut once more at the touch of his hand moving down to cup one of her breasts. The other resting on the nape of her neck. She leaned her head back, submissive, as he nibbled and planted kisses, down her slender throat, to her collarbone before reaching for the other breast bringing it into his mouth.

Isabelle let out a cry, the breathy sound surprising her as her back arched into him begging for more. Her hands fisted into his dark head of hair drawing him closer. The feel of his tongue wrapping around her nipple tickling the most sensitive place between her legs, where the ache was becoming almost unbearable. She ground her hips into his leg seeking release and he moaned into her breast, pulling away.

"Temptress," he purred a smile. Isabelle felt like she was burning up. She needed a release from the heat. "Please," she begged, pressing against him once more, the ache subsiding slightly as she did.

He cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to focus on those honey pools of warmth once more. "Are you sure this is what you desire?"

"Yes," she breathed, never having wanted more in her life than the release from this sweet torture.

He slid a finger slowly between her legs. The world tilted at the feel of him stoking her innermost place. Her body clamped around his finger reflexively.

"A-Adam, Oh..." Isabelle's head fell on his shoulder, her arms on his chest as she clung to him for support, her legs wobbling like a newborn foal.

"Let's go to bed," he whispered sweetly. All she could do was nod, clinging to him as he carried her in his arms, draping his fluffy blue robe over her body and laid her gently on the bed. 

PROCEED TO CHAPTER 22. B