Page 12 of Beast

The woman turns and squares off against me. She moves, herlimbs fluid and close to the ground. She circles me, her every step a testamentto grace and potential violence. I watch, taking in the way she stalks arounduntil I have the rules of engagement down. I could take a sword from Beck, butthat will only prove that I have better weapons than she does. I need to takeher down in a way that leaves no question who is in charge. The instinct todominate the lithe creature in front of me is overwhelming.

I mimic her, allowing my body to flow in a predatoryfashion. An almost drugged sense of peace falls over me as I give in to myprimal urges. This is a simpler place. The world narrows to include only twopeople.

She seems to realize my intent. Her eyes form slits, and hermouth firms stubbornly. She reaches her hand out as though to swipe at me. Ireact instantly. I bat her hand down. I don’t hold back. I hear the smack as myhand slaps viciously against hers. She pulls it back quickly, clearly surprisedat the violence.

“Är du Första?” She bites her bottom lip as sheasks the question.

“You will kneel and take the fucking translator,” I declare.

I move my hand down in a gesture she can’t possibly mistake.I want her on her knees in front of me. She might not know why I want her to doit, but she will know where I want her. “Reeve, get the chip. Get it now.”

She backs up, but she doesn’t back down. Her eyes slidebetween me and the door being guarded by Beck. It’s obvious she’s trying todecide between fight and flight.

“Kneel!” I will allow her neither option. She will kneel andsubmit. There is no other acceptable outcome.

She turns and runs. I jump into action. Before Beck can drawhis sword, I’m on her. I wrestle her to the ground. I pull ruthlessly at herarms, gathering her wrists behind her back and shoving her breasts into thehard dirt of the floor. I use my weight to cover and control her. She fights,but my hold dominates her petite body. She spits out curses until I’ve finallyhad enough of her rebellion.

I gather her wrists in one hand. I use my other hand toshove her face into the ground and, running on primal instinct, place my fangsdirectly over the delicate bones of her neck. I bite down with a gentle butunmistakable force, careful not to break the skin. She stills beneath me. Theonly movement from my prey is the breath rattling in and out of her chest. Sheis obviously aware that I can break her neck with the slightest force. She’s atmy mercy.

“Jag lämna,” she says breathlessly. She relaxesbeneath me.

I have the insane urge to press my victory. The prettypredator lays still and silent under my body. Even her words sound submissive.The impulse is there to pull off my slacks and pound into her softness,claiming that which I have conquered. I could spread her thighs and take her.She’s mine by right of battle. She will accept me now.

Instead, I take a deep breath and sit up, releasing my holdon her neck. I didn’t break the skin, but there are twin indentions where Ipressed my fangs. I stare at those marks, allowing my finger to trace them. IfI used a bit more force, her blood would have flowed into my mouth. Consortblood. I’ve heard the stories. Consort blood is sweet, sweeter and richerthan any meal pill. If the stories are true, her blood can make me stronger andfaster. Every instinct in my body screams to plunge my fangs in and drink myfill. I want so badly to feed, though it has nothing to do with hunger.

But I’m not an animal. I’m a modern man, and I have a job todo.

“The chip,” I command, holding my hand out.

Reeve responds immediately. The chip is in my palm, and Iplace it against the delicate skin right behind her left ear. The chipdisappears, burrowing painlessly through skin and bone and into the brain.

“My consort needs a bath. See that it is drawn.” I don’tleave my position. I move my hand forward, rubbing across her neck. She’s stillbeneath me, her eyes closed, her posture utterly submissive.

It fills something inside me I didn’t know was missing.

“Your consort?” Reeve asks. There’s no mistaking the shockin the gnome’s voice.

“Dante, what are you saying?” Beck questions.

“You heard me.” I grin, looking at the gnome. “I’ll takeher. Do you need cash or will credit do?”

Chapter Five

Kaja

I sit quietly as the First checks the water. I’m notsure why he needs such a large bowl, but many things in this odd world confuseme. One thing I am not confused about? Him. I keep my eyes on the First. Ithink about running again, but he caught me so quickly. I still remember themoment when he placed his fangs against my neck and proved himself to be alpha.I was wrong. I thought him weak, but he is obviously the First in this pack.

“Bath,” he says.

There are many more words in the strange language he speaks,but the word “bath” stands out. He speaks rapidly to the creature in the pointyhat. My stomach growls. The little ones are fast. I haven’t been able to catchone yet. Perhaps now that I’m out of the cage, I can make a meal of the fatone. I will only feast on the male, though. He’s the one who spoke to the thinman with the sharp claws. The male is the one who locked me in the cage. Thefemale brings me fresh meat and sings while she works in the tent. I find thesounds soothing. The small female talks to me. I don’t understand her words,but there seems to be kindness behind them. I know I shouldn’t, but I am fondof the female and won’t eat her.

Of course, I won’t do anything yet. The First keeps his eyeson me. Anytime I attempt to stand, he moves over, places his hand on my neck,and forces me back down. He says something called “wait.” I think it means tosit. He is First here, so I do.

When they walked in, I believed the large man with dark hairand the sword was the leader. Now I utterly discount the fact. He doesn’t evenhave fangs or claws so far as I can tell. He has the sword because he cannotfight with his hands. The one with the reddish-gold hair, he is the leader. Heis the one who forced me to submit. He didn’t use magic to do it, either. If hedid, I would still fight him as I fought my captor and the little ones. I willrespect this First’s dominance because it is natural.

It isn’t anything like the Nightmare Man.

I let myself think about it for once.