The beasters glowed, as did Vargr, their beaster attributes embellished with motes drifting on the surface and lines of swirling blue. Horns shimmered azure and curled above heads, where bone had clearly thickened to support the added weight.The horned ones had heavy foreheads, as well as overly thick cheekbones and jaws. Some of them had clawed hands, wings, or scales, and all had striking blue eyes.
Or call it eerie blue—she guessed it depended on taste whether they were pretty or weird.
I love weird, she decided, ticking off another box on her newly unearthed personality.
They stared at her, or her ass.Men.
She would be the first new woman they’d seen for ages. Maybe for five years. Relationships would be well established. Perhaps some feared she would rock the status quo or thought they could fuck her. They’d soon learn otherwise.
Cyn resisted poking out her tongue or raspberrying them. Tempting, though. Instead, she pursed her lips then swayed her ass even more.
“I see what you do,” Vargr said from out the corner of his mouth. “Desist. I have enough to worry about with getting them to accept you.”
She smirked and raised an eyebrow. If wanting to screw her wasn’t acceptance she had definitely lost touch with her human side.
Arrayed along the walls were shopping carts full of supplies. Food mostly, though some carts were stacked with guns or clothes. Though imagining these aggressively male beasters pushing shopping carts almost wrecked her imagination; it would be a most convenient method, except when it came to stairs.
“How do you transport those when you go up or down a story?” She gestured.
“We carry them mostly. Though maybe I will get you to carry mine.”
“So romantic,” she said quietly.
“That’s me.”
Sitting atop the long, glossy black reception desk was a beaster with a bald scaled head, stubs of horns, and arms she decided were thick enough to tear apart a truck. Those too had scales with small horns sprouting at the shoulders. At least he wore a shirt along with his dark leather pants. The shirt was ivory colored with a fabric and cut that screamed money, or good looting abilities.
He slid off and vaguely saluted them, stomping over to stand with his legs well spread.
“Vargr.” He nodded then his mouth pinched in. “She’s new. Trust you to find the last stray human. How is this possible? Not Lure-affected, and so…”
“Ahhh. Boaz meet Cyn.” Vargr looked from one to the other.
She nodded. Boaz nodded. The tension in the air made her ever so wary.
“Cyn is not exactly human, but I’m not explaining here. When is the next meeting?”
“You feel she’s worth discussing at a meeting?” Again Boaz appraised her, only this time his gaze roamed her full length. She returned the appraisal, made sure to look as skeptical as he did.
“I do feel so. It’s complicated. I want to keep her free, not chained or hobbled.”
Boaz snorted. “I’ll call one now. It’s due. That Worshipper foot-soldier is here still and wants to talk. Afterward, you chain her up with the others until we make a decision.” When her smile slipped, his broadened. “I can see her appeal. She has fire.”
“Oh, definitely that.” Amusement sparked in Vargr’s eyes.
Fire? It seemed insulting. “Chained, Vargr? Is this not contrary to our… agreement?”
“It’s only until I sort this out.”
Boaz frowned, and she was sure she saw concern there. “It’s for everyone’s protection. I’m sorry, but it is necessary.” Then he added to Vargr. “She is very clear-minded.”
“Yes. As I said, not quite human.”
“Uh-huh. If you want to clean up, go up the big staircase to the first room on the right or left. The water supply is good. We found a new reservoir. Don’t be long. Meet us in the boardroom. There.” He pointed at a hallway that led past elevator doors and ended at double doors.
Despite Boaz’s apology, she fumed.
This was why she’d refused to come here, only shewashere, and guessed she must endure until she left them. This bond Vargr was so certain of, she would stretch it, and break it, if it even existed as soon as she figured out how much the Lure still affected her. Leaving before she understood that would be stupid or crazy, or both.
