Page 42

I spun to Miko, gathering her up in my arms and backing several paces away from Beast. “Did he hurt you? I’ll kill him him if he did.”

Miko sighed. “I’m fine, Bane. He barely touched me. I think he has a soft spot for human women.”

Smirking, I hugged her a teensy bit tighter. “Well, it’s not like I can blame him.”

Beast stomped up the stairs, halting halfway up. He huffed, directing all three of our stares to him. “First, I heard that,” he accused, narrowing his black eyes on Miko, causing me to cover her mouth and the laughter no doubt quivering to break free.

She exhaled a stilted breath against the side of my hand through her nose, then licked my palm. My eyes hooded, cock jerking a that-was-so-sexy-I-almost-came greeting against my fly.

“Second, they’re your responsibility now, Belle,” Beast said petulantly, his words growing quieter as he continued his trek up the staircase. “For now, I suggest putting them into the wing with the spell reinforced guest rooms.”

“Great idea, Love. I’ll do just that,” Belle chirped.

I barely registered Beast and Belle’s conversation, all of my focus tunneled into primal need.

“At-hem,” Belle delicately cleared her throat.

Inhaling Miko’s intoxicating scent, laced with bursts of honeyed arousal, I bent to press my lips to her ear. “You’ll pay for that later, brat.”

“Good. I’m tired of waiting for you to make the first move.”

The moment shattered a moment later when Miko’s belly grumbled against my palm skimming her torso, drowning out Belle’s soft words and agitating my instincts meant for mates.

“Sorry, what was that?” Miko questioned Belle, her husky voice rasping over my ballocks.

I didn’t hear if Belle responded as I fought against the automatic frown at her loss, flipping it seamlessly into a cocky grin. My chest tightened, fierce longing stretching within me, extending phantom fingers toward my Honeybee.

Beast kissed Belle with such casual abandon. Would Miko and I ever get there? Do I even want to?

Burying the hectic thoughts, I snatched Miko’s hand before she could widen the gaping distance between us and pressed a lightning-quick kiss to the back of her hand.

My cheek stung as I slapped myself with my free hand, forcing myself back to the present.

Miko stared at me, one manicured brow twitching upward. “Where were you just now? It was like walking an inebriated person home after one too many.”

“Eh?”

While I had been traversing the labyrinth inside my skull, we had followed Belle and now stood within a well decorated but sparsely furnished bedroom. Miko’s belly complained loudly, making me chuckle. My eyes tracked to Belle as she stood in the open doorway.

“Anyway, I’ll let you two get settled and be back in a few minutes with some food,” Belle stated.

“Thank you,” I offered too late, the door clicking shut and lock thudding into place soon after.

My Honeybee pried her fingers from mine, then flopped onto the crimson bedspread, the mattress groaning like an indignant youngling. “This repetitive capture needs to end. I refuse to allow the HHC to trap me like this,” she glanced over at me, ears tinting pink. “us, like this.”

“Mhm,” I concurred and sat on the edge of the bed, her hip bone rubbing against my thigh.

She covered her face with her hands, letting out a long sigh. “I meant to tell you earlier, I only managed to get through about a dozen grimoires. More than half of them aren’t written in English.”

“Did you learn anything?”

“Yes, but none of it relates to portal magic.”

My ears twitched, seconds later a knock sounded on the door. “I’ll get it.” I caressed Miko’s thigh, groaning as she sucked in a breath. “I wager that’s your food.”

I was proven right when the door swung open, revealing Belle carrying a silver tray, haloed in the warm light cascading from brass wall sconces. “Hi!” she said brightly. “I’m sorry, I can’t come in. It was one of Beast’s many stipulations to allow you to stay here and not in the dungeons.” Her eyes crinkled with sadness.

I shrugged. “Understandable. I’d do the same in his position.”