Page 11 of Beast

Beck moves closer, and the female catches a glimpse of thesword in his hand. She growls and goes after the only target she can get to—me.

“Wait.” The translator falls from my hand as she leaps fromher crouch and pounces.

Chapter Four

Dante

My head smashes against the iron bars of the cage asthe woman slams into my body. She’s slight, but I’m shocked by the strength inher delicate frame. She doesn’t feel insubstantial as she presses down on me.She wraps a hand around my throat.

“Get away from him!” Beck’s command roars through the tent.

The woman snarls as she looks to the king of the Seelie Fae.“Låt mig gå, eller ska jag döda honom.”

My head throbs, and there’s something about the hand at mythroat that is bringing out the beast in me. I look up at the slender femininebody crouched in a dominating fashion, and I feel something break. Too much.It’s too much for me to take. First my father, then Beck, and now this slip ofa woman thinks I’m less than a man. My heart begins to pound. My fangs lengthenin anger rather than arousal, though I will admit that’s present as well. I cansmell her now. My senses are heightened by the adrenaline, and I smell past thefilth to the woman under the dirt. The smell is strangely familiar, as thoughsomething primal in me recognizes her on a base level.

Beneath the filth, there’s a sweetness. It’s there, hiddenunder the dirt and bravado. She thinks she can hide it from me? A dark needbegins to twist in my gut. It’s totally foreign and a bit frightening.

And it is far too powerful to ignore.

“Dante, stay calm, and I’ll get you out of this.” Beck’swords are meant to be reassuring, but all I hear is that Beck intends to getbetween me and her.

She attacked me. She put me on my back and laid her hands onmy throat as though I am some submissive, soft thing to bargain with. I don’tknow exactly what her words mean, but I understand. She’s using me. She’sthreatening to kill me if Beck doesn’t back down and allow her to flee. I’m herpawn, her weak pawn.

She’s afraid of Beck, but I want her afraid of me.

My claws pop out, an ancient gift from my royal ancestors.Almost no vampire uses them now except in the arena when they fight for a mate.It’s considered impolite to show one’s claws, but there’s nothing polite aboutthis situation. My fingertips hurt where the claws burst, but I make no sound.I feel my vision expand and know my eyes have bled out, filling the orbs with adeep green as my irises grow. All of my senses open up. I can see the heatpouring off my opponent, and I know she’s different. She isn’t vampire or humanor Fae.

But she is mine.

Her hands tighten around my throat. She doesn’t bother tolook down at her prey. “Jag vill döda honom.”

She sounds in control now. The frightened girl who pleadedwith me is gone. Her brilliant blue eyes are still on Beck. Beck seems to bethe only thing in the room she finds worthy. I need to make a few things clear.

The growl that comes from my throat is both foreign anddeeply satisfying. My people left our primal selves long ago, but now I allowinstinct to take over, and it feels good.

Shocked blue eyes glance down, as though she’s surprised I’mstill there. I open my mouth and bare long fangs. In a single move, I flip herover on her back and straddle her hips. I don’t try to hide the erection I’msporting. I grind it against her, further intimidation I can use. I genuinelyenjoy the fear in her eyes. It means she’s finally aware of me.

“Don’t try that again, sweetheart,” I say harshly through myfangs. She squirms under me, getting me harder. Her hips buck up, and I grindher down. “I’m a little on edge. Let’s try to start over.”

She kicks up neatly, catching the edge of my cock as sheshoves me to the side. Pure agony blooms across me and I gasp, falling over.

She’s on her feet in the blink of an eye. Through the pain Ihear Beck shouting and the clang of metal against the iron of the cage.Ignoring the pain in favor of the righteous anger that now burns through me, Ifollow. I hiss at the ache in my groin, but I’m on my feet. She runs throughthe cage, seeking her freedom. I follow, knowing I’ll never permit it. She’snot going to get away from me.

Beck’s face is savage as he draws the sword over his head.

“No!” I scream the command in a voice that doesn’t soundlike my own. Beck freezes. The sword in his hand hangs in midair. The entiretent seems to still as though time itself is taking a short break. I stare atmy prey. “I will handle her.”

The woman looks between me and Beck. Her eyes dart betweenus as if she can’t figure out who is the bigger threat.

“I can’t let her go,” Beck says quietly. Every bit of Beck’sfocus is on the woman. “Meggie and Ci are out there. I won’t take any chancethat she hurts them.”

I understand. If there’s the smallest chance that Meg or Cicould suffer a moment’s discomfort, Beck will kill her without a secondthought. My cousin loves few people, but those Beck does love have his wholeheart. My cousin will kill for me, too. But I need something more than mycousin’s sword this afternoon.

“I will take care of her.” I have to speak carefully.Forming the words around fangs feels alien, but I force them from my throatanyway. She is my responsibility. She has been from the moment I heard herplea. I’m the only one who understands she’s intelligent, and I’m the only onewho can save her now. Though she might not like how I do it.

Beck snarls, frustration pouring off him as he lowers hissword. “See that you do, and quickly.”

I know how hard it is for my cousin to stand down. Thewarrior king is used to taking charge. Beck’s eyes are narrow and focus solelyon her. He’s waiting and watching for her to make a single wrong move. I haveto be careful. Beck nods my way and moves to block the entrance to the tent.