![Beauty and the Brute [Werescape III]](/res/dh/book4.jpg)
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Authors: Skhye Moncrief
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bring myself to mention the flames attracted insects. Nor could I argue the futility in spending time and energy constructing more fires. I just sat near her ass like another hearth and studied the swell of her hip.
Her back faced me.
"Thank you, Brutus,” she mumbled.
Pathetically. So, I'm an asshole. “Try to sleep.” I'll be up all Gods-be-damned night with this pinched hard-on. Wolf breathing down my neck. But an asshole deserved the torture.
* * * *
Lorelei tried to sleep on the cavern's dirty hard surface. Tried to forget about the cave floor crawling with insects. But Yale's mansion never had such an infestation. Unlike the crawl space on that fateful day. Where I hid when my parents were killed. How I choked down my own screams when my parents were slaughtered was miraculous.
And now I live because of another miracle. Because my intuition told me to run. Lying here in the dirt was just what my intuition needed me to do. To be strong. To survive because of
Yale's lies. And then I behave like a squealing girl. What a fine way to thank the Shifter who saves me. Why hadn't Brutus tossed me out of the cave? A wise man would have.
Something popped behind me.
Probably a joint popping from him stretching his arms. Iron arms. He'd been rough with me, holding my body against the wall while yanking my hair. Or maybe he'd been firm. Careful.
The way he'd been with his horse, checking its legs. The way he was each time he helped me down from the saddle. Yes. He was just helping me. This Shifter who others feared proved time and time again that he wasn't the barbarian rumor claimed him to be. Maybe a little demanding. But I didn't dare begin believing the wildness in his commanding gaze reflected anything other than his distaste for Normals. Me. I was merely another Normal thorn in his side. And, for some reason, duty obligated him to help me. Or he helped himself to whatever end he could picture for his efforts in salvaging my life. And he damned sure had an end in mind with the steely shaft he'd pressed against my belly. Most likely an end that didn't keep
a squealing female underfoot.
God, why do I keep thinking these depressing thoughts?
Just close your eyes.
Go to sleep.
He built the extra fires. So, the man was accommodating. Not evil. Just male. Thankfully not a groping asshole like Yale's men. If I hadn't had a Guardian of my own for years, I would have been misused by Yale's animals. Ruined. Forced to have abortion after abortion like
Yale's servants who chose not to give birth, raise, and feed starving bastard children. But that was the way of life AEI. A woman's life. I studied the flickering golden flames.
The fluid heat held a beauty all its own.
Silently bending and uncurling. Like a ballet I'd seen two years ago when the wandering troupe stayed for two months in Pittsburgh. But they moved on. Fortunately for them. On to live another day. Or year.
I want to live. My gut keeps pushing me in the right direction. And for some reason, Brutus kept me alive. Safe. Yes. Safe. Just go to sleep. I closed my eyes.
* * * *
Luckily, I'd learned how to sleep sitting many years ago, even without a surface to lean against. After Beauty's heart had finally quieted and she had drifted off to sleep, I then allowed myself the luxury. Some sleep was better than no sleep. Especially when a man had to keep his carcass and a clueless female alive as well as ignore her wiles.
Yes. She had to be seducing me. For what? She obviously knew who I was.
The dawn's intensifying sunlight caused the cave's entrance to glow with pale light.
She rustled to life near the glowing coals and shoved up with one arm and shot me a questioning look.
Time to go. “Let's go.” I rose.
We rode Trance west. Into the darker interior of what used to be the United States where the once easily-defined states had merged into not-so-clear-cut Territories and their small pockets of human refugees. Civilization? Maybe to some. Snake pits to
Her back faced me.
"Thank you, Brutus,” she mumbled.
Pathetically. So, I'm an asshole. “Try to sleep.” I'll be up all Gods-be-damned night with this pinched hard-on. Wolf breathing down my neck. But an asshole deserved the torture.
* * * *
Lorelei tried to sleep on the cavern's dirty hard surface. Tried to forget about the cave floor crawling with insects. But Yale's mansion never had such an infestation. Unlike the crawl space on that fateful day. Where I hid when my parents were killed. How I choked down my own screams when my parents were slaughtered was miraculous.
And now I live because of another miracle. Because my intuition told me to run. Lying here in the dirt was just what my intuition needed me to do. To be strong. To survive because of
Yale's lies. And then I behave like a squealing girl. What a fine way to thank the Shifter who saves me. Why hadn't Brutus tossed me out of the cave? A wise man would have.
Something popped behind me.
Probably a joint popping from him stretching his arms. Iron arms. He'd been rough with me, holding my body against the wall while yanking my hair. Or maybe he'd been firm. Careful.
The way he'd been with his horse, checking its legs. The way he was each time he helped me down from the saddle. Yes. He was just helping me. This Shifter who others feared proved time and time again that he wasn't the barbarian rumor claimed him to be. Maybe a little demanding. But I didn't dare begin believing the wildness in his commanding gaze reflected anything other than his distaste for Normals. Me. I was merely another Normal thorn in his side. And, for some reason, duty obligated him to help me. Or he helped himself to whatever end he could picture for his efforts in salvaging my life. And he damned sure had an end in mind with the steely shaft he'd pressed against my belly. Most likely an end that didn't keep
a squealing female underfoot.
God, why do I keep thinking these depressing thoughts?
Just close your eyes.
Go to sleep.
He built the extra fires. So, the man was accommodating. Not evil. Just male. Thankfully not a groping asshole like Yale's men. If I hadn't had a Guardian of my own for years, I would have been misused by Yale's animals. Ruined. Forced to have abortion after abortion like
Yale's servants who chose not to give birth, raise, and feed starving bastard children. But that was the way of life AEI. A woman's life. I studied the flickering golden flames.
The fluid heat held a beauty all its own.
Silently bending and uncurling. Like a ballet I'd seen two years ago when the wandering troupe stayed for two months in Pittsburgh. But they moved on. Fortunately for them. On to live another day. Or year.
I want to live. My gut keeps pushing me in the right direction. And for some reason, Brutus kept me alive. Safe. Yes. Safe. Just go to sleep. I closed my eyes.
* * * *
Luckily, I'd learned how to sleep sitting many years ago, even without a surface to lean against. After Beauty's heart had finally quieted and she had drifted off to sleep, I then allowed myself the luxury. Some sleep was better than no sleep. Especially when a man had to keep his carcass and a clueless female alive as well as ignore her wiles.
Yes. She had to be seducing me. For what? She obviously knew who I was.
The dawn's intensifying sunlight caused the cave's entrance to glow with pale light.
She rustled to life near the glowing coals and shoved up with one arm and shot me a questioning look.
Time to go. “Let's go.” I rose.
We rode Trance west. Into the darker interior of what used to be the United States where the once easily-defined states had merged into not-so-clear-cut Territories and their small pockets of human refugees. Civilization? Maybe to some. Snake pits to
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