Beauty and the Brute [Werescape III] Page 13

  Wolf until I could shift back in to a more controllable form. Not long. Wolf tired from mating.

  Yawned. Settled back into the chasm a Shifter held within himself. I stared over a low branch clustered with leaves.

  At Beauty. She still rested upon the blanket. What did she think of me now? I lost my Wolf again. Almost bit her. But marking her would have been wrong. She still didn't want me to even though she seemed agreeable to the mating.

  She rose to her feet.

  What would she do?

  She walked straight to her clothes and dressed.

  Something soured in my gut.

  Intuition or not, I had to see what she was up to.

  She strode to Trance and began untying her backpack.

  What was Beauty doing?

  She skirted the stallion, who flicked her with his black tail, then she headed into the forest.

  What is she doing? Leaving? No. She wouldn't be foolish enough to try to go alone.

  Protect, Wolf growled.

  Shut up, stupid mutt. This is all your fault. She couldn't go. Couldn't endanger herself. I had to stop her. I ran to the pool's edge, dove into the dark water, threw hand over hand swimming, and leapt onto the sun-warmed grass on the other side.

  Her form was shrinking among the distant trunks.

  Not for long. The pool's cooling water drove the remnants of Wolf back into his chasm. But men still ran faster than women. I was behind her minutes later.

  She glanced over her shoulder, flinched, and burst into a run.

  Not to greet me. The opposite Gods-be-damned direction. Like she could outrun me. I

  stretched my stride, jumping in her path, meeting her resolute mask.

  She planted both of her hiking boots beneath her and lowered her chin a bit like a dog preparing to attack. “Let me pass, Brutus.”

  “No. You'll die on your own.” Truth was the best argument.

  Her sweet mouth pursed into a bitter lump. “I'm ready to give it a shot.”

  Was I so repulsive that she would commit suicide to continue without my aid? “You can't go alone.”

  “Stop making choices for me.”

  Someone had to. She wasn't a part of The Wild. “If I don't, you might get hurt.”

  “You already hurt me. So get the hell out of my way.”

  She knew how to hit a man below the belt. “I tried to apologize.”

  “When?”

  Her brow furrowed.

  Okay, I could piece together the answer. “Afterward.” I think I did. “Alright, maybe I tried to prove I wasn't an animal?”

  Her face twisted with confusion. “An animal? How about a bastard? You're just like every other man I ever met.”

  Second blow below the belt. But she was talking now. I'd just wait until she confessed everything. “Me? Like Normals?”

  She nodded with venomous contempt. “Yes. All you want is to get between a woman's legs.”

  Well, that was the way of nature. “How does that make me like Normals, Lorelei?”

  She froze, emotions flashing across her beautiful face until her eyes flared. “I'll be damned if

  I'm going to be any man's whore.”

  If anything were sacred in this world, supernatural or omniscient, maybe it would take pity on this pathetic Shifter and enlighten me with the wisdom to communicate with this woman.

  “You're not my whore, Lorelei.”

  “So, I'm just supposed to pretend the sex doesn't happen? I know.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I'm dreaming. This is all a nightmare. The placation plan, the killing myself to reach that damned barbed-wire wall and cut myself free, the extermination of New

  Pittsburgh, you saving my ass.” She sighed. “And the sex.” She smacked her lips.

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  * * *

  Chapter Nine

  How can Beauty be so obstinate?

  “This is a useless waste of good daylight.” She pivoted right and stepped toward a thick gnarled tree trunk.

  “I'm not finished.” I grabbed her elbow.

  She yanked it, futilely, glaring at me. “Let me go.”

  “You can't go. Gods-be-damn it. You're my mate.”

  Her body froze stock still.

  Why was Beauty glaring at me with a seething stare?

  “Your mate?” she snarled and snorted, then slid her gaze away from me.

  “I won't let you go. It's my job to protect you.”

  She snorted again. “Yes, we've already established that you're a Guardian. And, for some strange reason, you think I'm the Normal you need to guard.”

  “You are. Remember the placation plan?”

  She scowled. “How can I forget? I have no value to the Normals I thought were my family. And

  I certainly have no value beyond being a test subject for the extraterrestrials. The only value

  I have to men out here is sex and breeding. That's no different than what my family thought of me. It's quite obvious to me that if I set out alone it won't make a difference what happens to me. Some man will ultimately decide I am worthy of fucking or bearing his children. What have I forgotten, Brutus?”

  The woman wouldn't even look at me dead on. I could have done many things I'd do to a man who spoke so foolishly. But she was female. I grabbed her other arm and pulled her resistant body to face me squarely.

  She struggled to maintain her footing.

  But lost. “You've forgotten one thing, woman.”

  “What?” she snarled.

  “Wolf's already marked you. You're my mate.”

  She struggled to wrench her arms free of my handhold.

  Why wouldn't she stop? Please stop. Make her stop, world.

  Her body suddenly stilled. “Don't try to lie to me like I'm a foolish dolt. I know about

  Shifters. I know how they mate. I'm your whore. Admit it,” she snarled.

  “Lorelei, I'm about to toss your tight little ass over my shoulder and take you back to my bedroll where I'm going to ride that sweet little body of yours until you're too tired to complain or walk for a good week. Then you won't be able to bitch about me being the animal that tied you to my saddle.”

  Her knotted mouth, her sigh of exasperation, her kick to my shin noted she'd finished. “Who's the one standing butt naked in the woods trying to convince his whore she isn't a whore? I do believe I'm wearing my pants!”

  Okay. Enough. “Explain to me how you are not my mate.”

  Her gaze drifted off to the glittering pool, back the way we'd come through the trees.

  “Tell me, Beauty.” I tried to speak Gods-be-damned softly.

  Would she answer? Why wouldn't she? This was a ridiculous conversation. I'm standing in the forest, with my bare-ass cock hanging, holding my mate by both arms, and she wouldn't grace me with making eye contact. Females. Why do men bother mating?

  She cleared her throat.

  Maybe she knew my thoughts? Or that I wasn't paying attention.

  “You didn't mark me.”

  Those were the loudest softly-spoken words ever spoken.

  The fucking bite. What I'd feared she'd despise. I was the idiot here. So ignorant in my assessment of her reaction. Not anymore. I pulled her reluctant body to my chest and pinned her to my ribs with both arms snaked around her slim frame.

  But she still refused to look at me.

  Stubborn little mate. “Well, at least you'll listen.”

  She snorted again.

  Not a reaction I would care much for in our future. “Lorelei, the first time for a woman is painful. I wanted our first time together to be pleasant for you. Perfect, if at all possible. So I

  held back Wolf. I bit your clothes instead.”

  She turned her nose to my chest.

  Thinking. Piecing details together to form an understanding. “When a Wolf tells a woman she is his, he doesn't lie. But after I made love to you last night, you were so withdrawn. I knew

  I'd frightened you. Or Wolf had. S
o, I vowed not to bite you unless you asked me to. So you could take another Shifter mate who could protect you from Yale if he survived.” I needed to bite her. Once bitten, she'd never get away from Wolf. Crave him. Me.

  Her face tilted upward a little.

  Enough where I could see the whites of her eyes between her cracked eyelids. I took her velvet cheek in one palm and raised her gaze to mine.

  She studied me for two heartbeats. “But you despise Normals as much as you hate extraterrestrials,” she whispered.

  So much pain and disbelief swam in those green eyes. “When you told me of Yale's plan for you, I couldn't believe they'd toss you to the dogs. Not you. You're perfect.”

  Her eyes rimmed with glistening tears.

  Did she understand? “You were the only one worth saving in that snake pit.” I had to hurry.

  Mark her while she was distracted. I reached for her backpack strap at her shoulder.

  The tank top beneath could be slid aside. Quickly. The collarbone was the perfect place for the marking. The bone providing excellent protection of the thin skin pulled taut across its length. The bite wouldn't be deep.

  She reached and slid the pack off her shoulders.

  Yes, perfect. I took the bag, sliding an arm around the curve of her waist, leaning to press my lips against her sweet mouth.

  She opened her mouth to me.

  Accepted my story. And Wolf and I. Maybe she should have thought things through better?

  Because my hand thrust into the hair at the base of her skull, turned her head to slant the moist cavern of her mouth, and gently slid my palm down to her tank's strap.

  She just sank deeper into the kiss.

  Wolf rose, shaking as if waking from a nap.

  Good boy. Get your mangy carcass ready. I planted quick kisses along her cheek, down the soft skin of her neck, across the hard length of her clavicle, hooking my thumb under the strap, pulling it aside.

  She moaned a little woman sound of happiness.

  Just in time.

  Wolf's fangs dropped.

  Careful, Wolf. Just enough.

  Wolf sank his teeth into her soft skin.

  Her body stiffened.

  But she didn't fight. She must have realized it's what she wanted.

  The salty metallic tinge of blood flowed across my tongue.

  Let go, Wolf.

  He didn't whine or growl. He just returned to the chasm.

  I kissed my way over her hard edges of curves en route back to that green gaze. Back to see if the pain still pooled in those green gems.

  The bright-eyed realization she had what she wanted filled those wide eyes.

  “So, Beauty, can we go back and find my pants? I'm feeling kind of vulnerable out here with my ass hanging out.”

  She grinned.

  The only thing capable of enhancing her beauty.

  She took one of my hands and turned to the pool.

  Not many steps later, Beauty grabbed my ass.

  Nice to see she's in a better mood. But we didn't have time to play. “What are you doing?” I

  swatted her hand away.

  “Just checking. I've been wondering if it's as firm as it looks.” She smiled.

  Gods no. We'd spent more than an hour here already. I arched a brow and attempted to scold her with a glare.

  “It is.” She winked. “Let's find that quilt.”

  A mate could completely unravel a man. “Woman, we have a schedule.”

  “Unexpected things happen.” She goosed my butt again.

  And I thought Wolf was the uncooperative one. I grabbed her waist and tossed her over my shoulder. “Now behave.”

  She giggled.

  Women.

  Two hands grabbed my ass.

  Well, Wolf and I chose her for a reason. Probably to keep me from being bored. And the way she trembled and moaned in my hands, it only seemed fair that she wanted me to do the same in hers.

  Often.

  * * * *

  Hours later, Lorelei leaned her cheek into her Guardian's upper back. He'd played with me hard after I fondled his meaty ass. But now I know the perfect way to get his attention. I

  chuckled.

  He shot a glance over his shoulder. “Aren't you listening, Lorelei?”

  “Yes.” All I could do was rest here and listen to whatever he felt like explaining. At least, he felt like talking.

  Trance plodded forward through branches of every height, tree trunks of every color and thickness.

  “The countryside is riddled with Shifter outposts. At least one per Territory. We'll reach one every couple days,” he whispered.

  But Yale's maps showed land so broad how could we ever reach the Mississippi? Wouldn't it be safer to stay at a Shifter sanctuary? “I've seen maps. How far can Trance travel each day?”

  “Walking? Fifty to sixty miles. A story before AEI speaks of a man riding fifty-eight miles a day from the Texas Territory to far beyond New Pittsburgh. I know it's possible. Trance and I have made the same pace before.”

  Would the one question I really wanted answered set off my Shifter's fierce indecipherable brute of a facade? “Why west of the Mississippi?”

  “Yale would be a fool to follow you there.”

  Not Yale again. He's got to be dead. “You really think he's coming?”

  “If Yale's alive, he's not a warlord to give up because of a chase.” His whisper faded into nothing. “Yale rode out with Glover and Titus that morning, Lorelei.”

  A chill shook my shoulders hard.

  “Glover's an animal.” I tightened my arms around my mate's steely waist.

  “You say that like he's turned on you.”

  “I saw what he did to women. Then, whenever he'd get close enough, he'd whisper what he'd do to me if he ever caught me away from Titus.”

  Brutus’ back stiffened for a moment, and he touched his chin to his shoulder, eyeing me with his profile. “If the Normal shows up, the bastard won't get a chance to make another promise he can't keep.”

  Oh, if I wasn't in love with my big Shifter now, it wouldn't be long the way he made my heart warm into a patter.

  He grinned and turned back to the path the big stallion forged through the sea of foliage.

  All smug. And sparkling with his stunning grin in profile. If he kept up talking and smiling, I'd be one happy little mate of his.

  “You're quiet,” he whispered.

  “And you're talking a lot.”

  “Wolf stopped pestering me. I can think about things other than mating again.”

  “I'd rather you think about mating.” I squeezed his big chest. “And if you didn't have that ass of yours planted in that saddle, I'd squeeze it for good measure.”

  He chuckled, softly. “You're a wicked woman, Beauty.”

  “It's all your fault. You pin me down and have your way with me.”

  He growled and kicked Trance into a trot.

  Something was out there. “What's wrong?”

  “I'm going to beat my nuts to death so I don't have to get out of this saddle and teach you a lesson about appropriate travel topics.”

  The huge man had literally shifted into a humorous talkative man. A drastic change from how he'd been just this morning before our little bathing excursion. But he deserved to be teased.

  “It would be torture to mate a man who never spoke. And that stare, Brutus, could kill anyone who glances your direction. I prefer you talking and grinning. And teaching me what life is all about.”

  “I suppose I'd be foolish to argue with my woman.” He pulled Trance back to a walk.

  “Although, men say mates talk too much.”

  Oh! “Men. Don't make me tell you about men!”

  He tossed me another glance and grin. “I can see you've been sent to improve my sanity.”

  Good. He'd better just get used to being social. Until he got used to the idea, he could explain more about where he was taking us. “Now, west of the Mississippi, what's there?”
<
br />   He sighed. “You are curious about our future, aren't you?”

  Maybe he'd take pity on me and answer my questions. Discuss things kept from those who need to know. “It's been pretty damned boring sitting back here the past few days, Brutus.”

  “We're going to one of the most reclusive groups of Shifters.”

  Reclusive? “There are Shifters more reclusive than a wandering warrior who despises Normals and those of the infamous outpost of Death Summit?”

  His chest shook with silent laughter again. “Yes, Beauty. Few people know of the Black Hills clan or their ferocity. So, I'm taking you there. If we don't make it as far west as I'd like by autumn, we'll stay there.”

  “If they're as reclusive as you claim, will we be permitted to stay?”

  He chuckled again. “Oh, yes, Beauty. You are the wise one. Don't worry. The Lakota always welcome thogktekA misunka oyumni. It is said to bring bad luck upon their clan to turn me away.”

  “What do those unusual words mean?”

  “My name?” He turned his arched brow to me.

  I nodded. “Experienced warrior brother who wanders.” He blinked. “Warrior Who Wanders in short.”

  Probably winked, the enormous smug brute. But those were his qualities that would undoubtedly keep me alive. Besides, I never cared for the weak men born into power anxious to perpetuate their ties to Yale. Even if that meant marrying his daughter. No, a witty Shifter who loved to lavish me with his affection whenever he felt frisky is certainly the man I

  needed in my life.

  “Okay, listen up, Beauty. We're headed for the Missouri River west of New St. Louis,” he suddenly announced. “If we're lucky, we can reach a Shifter outpost outfitted with a boat that can shuttle us upriver faster than Trance can travel. Easier for all of us, at least. What do you think?”

  “I'm going wherever you go. Since you know all about this part of the world, your plan sounds good to me.”

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  * * *

  Chapter Ten

  Thirteen days later, Wolf hadn't raised his mangy head once outside of policing the area since

  marking Beauty. Not even after she declared she would go wherever we went. That she'd follow. You'd think the dumb mutt would get all sentimental and freaking territorial over her declaration. Not once. So, we kept moving onward to the shifter outpost, The Divide, on the