Sophie Oak - Beast

“Yes, and you, you clever and bratty little sub, know just how to get around that, don’t you? You know how to get in and how to do it very quietly, so no one knows you’re coming.”

Her auburn hair shook. “I am not allowed to do anything illegal. I remember everything you said to me after the last time you bailed me out of jail. I am a very good girl.”

No, she wasn’t. She was lying. Even Dante could see that.

“You’re a masochist is what you are, Megan.” Julian gently pulled her head back. “If I didn’t already have a couple of beloved slaves, I would take care of your discipline on my own. I’ll leave it to Master Leo. It’s not going to go well for you, but I might tell him to allow you to come if you fess up right now. Otherwise, you’ll be on the cross for hours with no relief.”

That threat had her talking. “It was just a little raid. You don’t understand, Sir. Palgrave Medical is running horrible tests on bunnies and monkeys. I just snuck in and freed a few of them.”

Julian hauled her up from her slave position. “Megan here is a bit of a protester and part-time criminal.”

“I am not a criminal. What they do to those animals is criminal,” she protested.

“You were in the medical facility?” Dante asked, making connections. “Is it very white? With cages?”

Vampire Meg nodded. “It’s a terrible place. They keep it so cold. They don’t even understand that animals need soothing colors, too.”

“I don’t think soothing colors mean much to animals who are being tested on, Megan.” Julian sighed as though he’d gone over this with her before.

Tested on . That fucker had his consort in a cage. Chalen Palgrave meant to treat her like a beast to experiment on. Dante’s heart raced, but something dark opened inside him. If Chalen Palgrave wanted a beast—Dante would give him one.

Megan took a step back. “Is he going to hurt me?”

Julian put a fatherly hand around the girl. “No. But I suspect I can’t say the same thing about Palgrave.”

Meg smiled brightly. “Oh, good. He’s a horrible person. I’m a pacifist by nature, but I will totally help get him in the building if he’s going to kill that man. You’ll let me keep the bunnies, right?”

Dante turned without speaking. Roan fell in beside him.

“I’m going to call some of my contacts in the police force. We’ll keep it quiet. I wouldn’t want Palgrave to destroy evidence, if you know what I mean,” Julian called out.

There was the click-clack of stilettos as Meg raced to catch up with them. She had Julian’s dark shirt wrapped around her body like a robe.

“This should be fun. I know the best way into that building.” She walked on like they were going on a fun shopping trip rather than into battle. “And now that I have a minute with you, Mr. Dellacourt, I can talk to you about organic meal pills. There’s this rancher who has come up with a way to organically produce meal pills that doesn’t even kill the cow.”

He growled her way as his car was brought from the garage.

He wanted the real Meg back.

Kaja came to in fits and starts. The world was a weird mix of past and present. She dreamed of her home, but this time she ran with Dante at her side. She on four legs and he on his two powerful ones. He ran as naked in his skin as she was in her fur, his fangs and claws on full display. It was full summer, and the plains were alive with prey. Deer and stag and moose all fled in terror at their approach, but it wouldn’t matter. They would select the fattest and feast. They were unstoppable. Stronger because they were together.

Kaja reached out to him.

I’m coming, love. I’m coming.

He wasn’t coming. He was here beside her. As it should be.

Then it was white, so white. When had the snows begun? The world was coated in white and silver and cold. So cold. She shivered despite her fur.

Where was Dante? She wanted Dante. She didn’t want to be alone again. Dante?

Hush, love. I’m coming.

But he wasn’t here, and she was sick. She felt it in her brain. She was ill and in pain. Dante!

Kaj! Calm down now.

The voice in her head had taken on a distinctly domineering tone, and Kaja responded to it. She forced herself to stop. Her head was muddy, but she could move. The ground beneath her was cold, but it wasn’t soft and wet like snow. It was hard and unnatural. Metal. She opened her eyes and closed them quickly. Too bright. Far, far too bright.

“I think it’s awake.”

The voice that spoke was cold as well. Through slitted eyes, Kaja looked up. She was in a cage, though not one as nice as the gnome’s cages. This was utilitarian. Metal bars and cold metal floor beneath her. There were two men standing beside a long metal table looking down at her. One was in a white coat that reached his knees. He wore a dress shirt and slacks underneath, and had strange gloves covering his hands. The other wore a suit much like her Dante’s.

“Funny how she changed when she lost consciousness.”

“I didn’t think so. It was disgusting. She’s a fucking dog. How does Dellacourt make himself touch that?”

Kaja knew the second voice. It was the man who had been in the car. Why had he taken her?

She was in her wolf form. She knew why she had changed. Her body wanted to heal. It was stronger in this form. Already she felt better, though still so weak.

She would not drink again. Her mind sought the connection to her husband.

“I wouldn’t know, Mr. Palgrave. I don’t understand the lure. I would much rather discover how she ticks. I’d like to start with some stimuli to see if I can get her to change back to her human form.”

Dante. I am afraid .

I know, baby. But I’m coming. I won’t leave you there. How many vampires are around you?

Kaja pulled her head up. Weary. She was so weary, but she looked around. She opened her senses and let the sights and smells of the place wash over her.

Two men. One woman. Ashley. She thought the name with a sneer .

Dante seemed to get the message. His next thoughts were hesitant. Um, I can explain about her, love. You see…

Kaja growled.

I love you, Kaj.

She would see about that. For now, she had a job to do. I’m in a small cage. I can smell three others, but they are outside the door.

And then Kaja forgot to breathe, the pain was so great. It came up from her paws and radiated through her body, sending fire through her veins. Her lungs felt tight and breath was impossible. She howled with the ache that went on and on and on.

“It doesn’t seem to be doing anything,” the man in the white coat said. Kaja watched as he took his hand off some form of button.

Her body sagged as the pain stopped. Her legs shook. She had no control.

There was a kick to her cage that sent the whole thing rattling. The man in the suit stared down at her, disgust apparent on his face. “Hey, dummy, change. We want to see your human form. Do you think it has a brain in this form?”

White Coat frowned. “I believe so. That was only a medium setting though. Perhaps we should try one higher. I don’t want to push it, Mr. Palgrave. The higher settings tend to kill off the subject or at least fry its brains.”

Kaja, what the fuck was that? What are they doing to you?

Dante’s panicked voice was screaming in her head. It was too much. They wanted her to change, but she couldn’t risk it. She could handle more in this form. If she changed and they turned on the machine, there was a huge chance that she could die. She needed time. Dante would come. He would come, and she needed to be alive when he got here.