“He what? Your wolf’s a Monstrum?”
Kiera took a breath and tried again more slowly, though no less enthusiastically.
“Exactly–he’s a Monstrum–a real one. He stowed away on the Mother Ship when the Darklings destroyed their world and he got stuck in his primal form because he lost his mate and started losing his mind and—” She laughed a little helplessly, the joy of it all bubbling over again despite herself. “Oh, Iyanna, he’s wonderful. He’s so sweet and protective and he was trying so hard not to scare me, and once he could talk—really talk—everything started making sense. He helps me around the animal sanctuary and I’m so happy. I’ve never felt like this before–certainly not with Jerome. Brux is just right for me–we’re right for each other. It’s perfect.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the connection, then Iyanna sent the emotional equivalent of a hug.
Oh, honey, she said softly. You really are head—over—heels in love, aren’t you?
“I am,” Kiera admitted, grinning even though she knew her friend couldn’t see her. “I know it sounds crazy. Maybe it is crazy. But it’s real. He’s real and he’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a man–maybe because he’s half—animal, you know?”
Half—animal? And you’re sure you’re all right? Iyanna asked carefully. He hasn’t hurt you?
Kiera gave a little snort.
“Hurt me? Of course not. Not even when he was still in full wolf form. He’s never hurt me, Iyanna. Not once.”
Iyanna’s concern didn’t vanish entirely, but it softened.
“Well…all right,” she said slowly. “If you’re happy, I’m happy for you. I mean, it seems like you’ve fallen in love with a real—life werewolf, but I’m married to a dragon myself, so what can I say?”
Kiera laughed.
“Well, that’s true.”
“Speaking of Dra’vik, I feel him calling me but you’d better tell me everything later, Iyanna said. “And I mean everything, because this is the wildest thing I’ve ever heard even by your standards.”
“Deal,” Kiera promised. “Come visit me or send me a new Think-Me and I’ll give you all the juicy details.”
As the mental connection faded, Kiera felt warm all over. She was so happy about her new love, and it was such a relief to tell someone. She loved her big Monstrum warrior, but sometimes it was nice just to chat with a girlfriend.
Which was why, when the golden Monstrum shuttle descended a few hours later and settled onto the main landing pad in a blast of dust and hot wind, Kiera’s first thought was simply that Iyanna had come early.
“Oh good,” she said, hurrying across the sanctuary grounds. “That was fast. Hey–Iyanna came for a visit,” she called to Brux, who was closer to the home-dome. “She’s the woman who was with me when I first found you at the BAR ship–remember?”
Brux looked up from where he was stacking feed crates with one of the work—bots and frowned.
“That is not the shuttle that brought us here,” he said quietly. “It looks different…and it smells wrong.”
Kiera slowed–he was right. The sleek, golden ship wasn’t Iyanna’s oversized shuttle which had been modified to hold animals. This ship was military. Larger, darker, and more heavily armored, it had the Monstrum insignia blazing silver along its side.
The hatch dropped with a metallic hiss and several armed warriors came out and Kiera stared at them
They were Monstrum—huge males in combat harness and body armor, carrying shock—lances and moving with grim efficiency. At their head was a broad—shouldered warrior with horns curling back from his temples and scales like dark bronze beneath his armor.
He didn’t waste any time.
“Brux of the Lykan Clan,” he said in a rumbling voice. “You are ordered into custody by authority of the Monstrum High Commander and the Monstrum Council.”
Kiera’s mouth fell open as she stared in confusion.
“What? What’s happening? Who sent you?” she demanded, but none of the warriors answered her. All their attention was fixed on Brux who had gone very still beside the feed crates.
The lead warrior’s gaze shifted to Kiera briefly, not unkindly but without softness either.
“You will stand aside, female. This is not a safe situation.”
Kiera’s shock burned away in an instant.
