Dragon Knight-Commander (A Cullen Rutherford Shapeshifter Romance)

Chapter 2

Cullen held the bridal of a pretty, brown mare and raised his eyebrows when I hesitated. 'You need help getting up into the saddle?' he asked gently.

'I don't - I have never ridden a horse, apart from this week with you,' I said.

He cocked his head to one side. 'How can that be?'

'Never wanted to,' I said.

'Fine. We take my horse. You can start lessons tomorrow.' He placed both hands behind my waist and threw me up into the saddle of his skittish stallion. He swung himself up behind me. He twisted my calves back and told me to grip the side of the horse with them. An arm locked me against his front and the other held the reigns as he took off at a fast pace through the snow. We rushed along at such a speed that if the horse had stumbled or he had removed his arm, I was aware I would fall off the mountain and die.

I held his large, gloved hand with both of mine against my belly and leant back against his armour ignoring the pleasant, fluttering sensations. He was high-handed; spoke about me, not to me and had some anger management issues but he was a spectacular man and my body responded to his touch. I shook my head. I was definitely not his type. He'd need a warrior like Cassandra or a beautiful, leggy spymaster like Leliana.

We descended slowly down the mountain and for the first time I actually appreciated the cold beauty of this country they called Thedas. The castle was built high on the side of a mountain range that was chocolate box perfection, including a majestic waterfall. I wondered if it was The Alps.

The snow fell thick and fast once we were through the woods at the bottom. I'd plaited my wet hair after the bath and it was still damp. The leather leggings they'd given me to wear were warm but the stiff, woollen coat was too thin for this weather and my body shivered against him. He passed his reigns into the hand that held me and pulled his fur around my neck, leaving only my head exposed. I looked up at him to say thank you but the smile faltered on my lips. He was glowering and gritting his teeth as if he was in pain.

'This is the place,' he said and pulled up the horse. 'Not all the temple has collapsed, it is sheltered inside.'

I stole another glance up at his jaw. I had a question. It could make him angry. He was a hard man to read. I went for it. 'You said this is an Elven Temple.'

'Is that important?'

'Just to clarify, does that mean that you have Elves in Thedas?'

He showed his teeth.

Yes, I wondered if that would make him angry. 'Are they just normal or do they have pointy ears?' I asked.

He swung me down with him and tugged me behind him, through the piles of packed snow. 'Stay close,' he said softly as we entered. His hand went to the hilt of his sword.

Inside the light was dim and it was hard to see until my eyes became accustomed. Everything remained the same: the piles of broken stone, the triangular lesion in the earth, minus the winged demons and spiders that had bubbled up from it, their beady eyes following my hand - like puppets in a horror movie. I sank onto my knees and searched in the rubble.

'What do you seek?' Cullen asked.

I looked up. 'Anything. Something to make me remember.'

'Who is the Hunk of Bearman, child?' He stepped closer towards me and crossed his arms.

I jumped and felt my cheeks redden. 'Who?'

'You rolled around every night crying out for him. I was tempted to send out a search party, just to get a decent night's sleep.' He said this without humour, possibly because he was sleep deprived. His eyes bore into me. He was the size of a bear and was still wearing his bear furs, so really he should have guessed who I was referring to.