Page 53 of Beast

I feel a tiny foot stamp on my shoulder. Apparently fat isnot a good thing to be. For a wolf, it is nice. It tends to mean a wolf cansurvive the harsh winters, but the pixie definitely takes offense.

“All right, then,” the First says. “We’ve waited longer thanwe promised. It ain’t our fault they aren’t out here. If those buggers have alick of sense, they found another plane to hide on.”

I am not sure which bugs the being are talking about, but Ifeel a need to save these. The mother is upset, and no wonder. I can see thesmall pixies with their gossamer wings being held in the cage. Her babies. Themother cannot allow her babies to be turned into some form of food for smellymale creatures.

I turn my head, careful not to dislodge the pixie. I put myfinger to my mouth to let my new friend know not to shout out. The pixie nodsand her wings move as she leaves her perch.

In a blink, I change, my world moving from two-legged tofour. I must be in my strongest form, and I hope the pixie is not afraid. Thepixie lands on my snout, looking seriously into my eyes. If the pixie isfrightened, she does not show it.

“Please.” The pixie repeats her refrain.

I nod, and the pixie takes off, her wings flapping.

On soft feet, I burst through the bushes and attack thefirst green thing.

“Get the wolf!” a man’s voice shouts, and I can feel what Ishould have sensed all along. I am surrounded. They masked their scents orstayed downwind. The soldiers from the marketplace are all around, and moregreen beings leap from their hiding places.

Too late. I realize the trap was laid and baited and Iwalked in.

“Don’t you dare hurt her,” the leader says. He is the tallvampire who was kind to me and fed me treats. He seems to only have a realproblem with Dante.

Dante. He is going to be so angry with me. He isgoing to punish me, and maybe not in a nice way this time. Dante does not likeit when I risk my life. I turn and seek a way out. The pixie is trying so hardto get the cage open and let her babies free. It appears the pixie didn’tbetray me.

There is nowhere to run, but I can do what I set out to do.I leap and pull down the cage. It clatters to the ground, and the door fliesopen. Pixie wings flutter as they all get away.

“Saved them, did you, pet?”

I look up at the man who caught us before.

“I rather thought you would,” he says, not unkindly. Heturns to his men. “I know it doesn’t make a lick of sense, but this wolf is aconsort. She is to be taken care of and protected. I’m sorry, consort. It willonly hurt for a moment.”

He holds the magic box in his hand. Light flows from it andinto me.

I feel fire in my veins, and I fall.

ChapterTwenty

Dante

I feel her fall. It’s like some invisible connectionthat’s always there in the back of my mind is cut off abruptly. As though Kajais there in my brain, a low, soothing hum, and now it’s silent.

“Something’s wrong with Kaja,” I say, getting to my feet.

My heart is racing, panic threatening to overtake me. MaybeI fed too much. Gods, if I hurt her, I’ll die myself. Please, please.I send out silent pleas. Let her be all right. Let it be a mistake.

But I know it isn’t true. Something is wrong. The connectionbetween us was cut. Kaja wouldn’t do it. She wouldn’t even know how to. I pushthrough the brush and into the small copse where I left her sleeping.

Why did I leave her at all? I know how much danger we’re in.I’m an asshole who can’t even take care of my wife. I left her here alone andvulnerable because I can’t deal with how she makes me feel. I am asirresponsible as everyone makes me out to be.

She’s gone. Her clothes were left behind in a neatly foldedpile. The grass around them is a mess, but I can’t count that as evidence thatshe was dragged away. I fucked her on this grass. I rolled with her and playedand screwed. I let her fall asleep in my arms.

Where the hell has she gone?

“Dante?” Meg’s soft voice reminds me that Kaja isn’t theonly woman I’m responsible for.

I turn and feel my eyes widen. Meg is covered inbutterflies. They cling to her hair and perch on her shoulders. Beautiful,winged jewels that glisten in the sunlight. Meg is a lovely picture standingthere with butterflies creating a halo around her head.

“She says she knows where they took the wolf,” Meg explains.