Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
That threat has her talking. “It was just a little raid. You don’t understand, Sir. Palgrave Medical is running horrible tests on bunnies and monkeys. I snuck in and freed a few of them.”
Julian hauls 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 argues.
“You were in the medical facility?” I ask, making connections. “Is it mostly white? With cages?”
Vampire Meg nods. “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.” Julian sighs as though he’s gone over this with her before.
Tested on. That fucker has my consort in a cage. Chalen Palgrave means to treat her like a beast to experiment on. My heart races, but something dark opens inside me. If Chalen Palgrave wants a beast—I will give him one.
Megan takes a step back. “Is he going to hurt me?”
Julian puts a fatherly hand on the woman’s shoulder. “No. But I suspect I can’t say the same thing about Palgrave.”
Meg smiles 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?”
I turn without speaking. Roan falls in beside me.
“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 calls out.
There’s the click-clack of stilettos as Meg races to catch up with us. She has Julian’s dark shirt wrapped around her body like a robe.
“This should be fun. I know the best way into that building.” She walks on like we’re going on a 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.”
I growl her way as my car is brought from the garage.
I want the real Meg back.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Kaja
I come to in fits and starts. The world is a weird mix of past and present. I dream of my home, but this time I run with Dante at my side. I am on four legs and he on his two powerful ones. He runs, as naked in his skin as I am in my fur, his fangs and claws on display. It is full summer, and the forests are alive with prey. Deer and stag and moose all flee in terror at our approach, but it does not matter. We will select the fattest and feast. We are unstoppable. Stronger because we are together.
I reach out to him.
I’m coming, love. I’m coming.
He is not coming. He is here beside me. As it should be.
Then it is white, so white. When did the snows begin? The world is coated in white and silver and cold. So cold. I shiver despite my fur.
Where is Dante? I want Dante. I do not want to be alone again. Dante?
Hush, love. I’m coming.
But he is not here, and I am sick. I feel it in my brain. I am ill and in pain. Dante!
Kaj! Calm down now.
The voice in my head takes on a distinctly domineering tone, and I respond to it. I force myself to stop. My head is muddy, but I can move. The ground beneath me is cold, but it is not soft and wet like snow. It is hard and unnatural. Metal. I open my eyes and close them quickly. Too bright. Far, far too bright.
“I think it’s awake.”
The voice that speaks is cold as well. Through slitted eyes, I look up. I am in a cage, though not one as nice as the gnome’s cages. This is utilitarian. Metal bars and cold floor beneath me. There are two men standing beside a long metal table looking down at me. One is in a white coat that reaches his knees. He wears a dress shirt and slacks underneath, and has strange gloves covering his hands. The other wears a suit much like Dante’s.
“Funny how she changed when she lost consciousness.”
“I don’t think so. It’s disgusting. She’s a fucking dog. How does Dellacourt make himself touch that?”
I know the second voice. It is the man who was in the car. Why did he take me?
I am in my wolf form. I know why I changed. My body needed to heal, to dispel whatever illness the drink gave me. I am physically stronger in this form. Already I feel better, though still so weak.