![Beauty and the Brute [Werescape III]](/res/aob/book1.jpg)
to the coastal territories. And I know I'm only alive because of you. So, let's not discuss people in my past anymore. They're dead. My past is dead.” I stabbed at a lump of meat swimming in my dish's pool of dark gravy. “It's all gone."
"Well, I think we're all on the same page,” Octavius hummed.
"I'll tend to Trance while she finishes.” Brutus shoved up from the table and left.
The door squeaked and thumped.
"Boy, you've managed to unseat the only Shifter I've ever seen impossible to fluster."
Octavius watched his knife drag another long curl from the length of his carving. “That one never made much sense before. But,” he shot me a crooked smile, “I think you're going to make a man of him."
Men. “What?"
He snorted a chuckle and arched his brow, his eyes flaring the beginnings of a shift in gold.
"He's got to forget about his past. He won't be able to avoid the chore because you're such an exceptional teacher.” He winked.
Whatever. I shoved a bit of savory, um, venison into my mouth.
"You don't believe me?"
I chewed the lumpy remnants of a carrot and swallowed. “Mr. Octavius, if I thought he gave a hoot about me, I might. The man can't stand me. I'm useless. I can't do anything to help out."
He scoffed and waved a palm at me. “You don't know anything about men. Especially a man and his Wolf. Mark my words, he's more than happy to protect a little lady. And looks like he's found the one he wants to protect."
Why did all conversations with men have to turn down this road?
He turned his heightened vision back to his blade and stick. “Now don't get upset. You just need to know his Wolf's on the prowl."
Prowl? “For what?"
"What a man needs."
Me? Impossible. “That man hasn't had one thing nice to say. He hasn't even stopped glaring in his unique way the entire time I've known him. There's nothing about me he's even remotely cared to suggest is appealing to him.” Well, I wouldn't admit the steel pipe in his pants was a sign. “You're wrong."
Octavius nodded slightly and scraped the long object. “Sometimes, you've got to see what's inside a piece of wood before you can whittle away what you want from it."
Why was he changing the subject? Fine. I could just go along. “What are you working on?"
"A spoon. Nice and long. To stir the pot."
Octavius seemed the type to stir pots often.
The door swung inward presenting me with Brutus's unwavering standard expression. But he quickly flicked his gaze to Octavius. “I owe you for three days of oats for Trance. And, if you have any jerked meat—"
Octavius waved away the words. “You owe me nothing. Just see the little lady as far west as you can."
My Shifter looked about to grunt. But he managed a nod, apparently biting back an argument and turned to scan my plate.
Maybe I should have finished by now. But I was interrupted with the interrogation. I stuffed another scoop of deer stew between my lips.
"Sunrise then?” Octavius asked.
Brutus strode to the mantle, planting an elbow on the slab of dark wood, and focused on the dancing flames. “Yes."
"What did you leave behind?"
"New Pittsburgh. It's gone."
"What a pity. Lot of lives there. We need all the humans we can keep here on Earth."
Brutus didn't wince. “It's been coming on for years now. Would have happened sooner or later. The aliens don't give a shit about who they kill as long as everyone stays in line. With all the warlords bickering over water rights and game rights, it's amazing a few cities weren't cleansed."
"You're the drifter,” Octavius said. “You hear everything. Still no word of what the aliens want?"
Brutus shifted his shoulder blades to the mantle and flicked his gaze to me.
Watching me as if he wanted to mention how I was the placation piece in the grand game of
Normals pleasing the extraterrestrials.
His gaze flicked away to Octavius. “Do you think we'll ever know?"
The question was anything but a question. Brutus didn't want to discuss any
"Well, I think we're all on the same page,” Octavius hummed.
"I'll tend to Trance while she finishes.” Brutus shoved up from the table and left.
The door squeaked and thumped.
"Boy, you've managed to unseat the only Shifter I've ever seen impossible to fluster."
Octavius watched his knife drag another long curl from the length of his carving. “That one never made much sense before. But,” he shot me a crooked smile, “I think you're going to make a man of him."
Men. “What?"
He snorted a chuckle and arched his brow, his eyes flaring the beginnings of a shift in gold.
"He's got to forget about his past. He won't be able to avoid the chore because you're such an exceptional teacher.” He winked.
Whatever. I shoved a bit of savory, um, venison into my mouth.
"You don't believe me?"
I chewed the lumpy remnants of a carrot and swallowed. “Mr. Octavius, if I thought he gave a hoot about me, I might. The man can't stand me. I'm useless. I can't do anything to help out."
He scoffed and waved a palm at me. “You don't know anything about men. Especially a man and his Wolf. Mark my words, he's more than happy to protect a little lady. And looks like he's found the one he wants to protect."
Why did all conversations with men have to turn down this road?
He turned his heightened vision back to his blade and stick. “Now don't get upset. You just need to know his Wolf's on the prowl."
Prowl? “For what?"
"What a man needs."
Me? Impossible. “That man hasn't had one thing nice to say. He hasn't even stopped glaring in his unique way the entire time I've known him. There's nothing about me he's even remotely cared to suggest is appealing to him.” Well, I wouldn't admit the steel pipe in his pants was a sign. “You're wrong."
Octavius nodded slightly and scraped the long object. “Sometimes, you've got to see what's inside a piece of wood before you can whittle away what you want from it."
Why was he changing the subject? Fine. I could just go along. “What are you working on?"
"A spoon. Nice and long. To stir the pot."
Octavius seemed the type to stir pots often.
The door swung inward presenting me with Brutus's unwavering standard expression. But he quickly flicked his gaze to Octavius. “I owe you for three days of oats for Trance. And, if you have any jerked meat—"
Octavius waved away the words. “You owe me nothing. Just see the little lady as far west as you can."
My Shifter looked about to grunt. But he managed a nod, apparently biting back an argument and turned to scan my plate.
Maybe I should have finished by now. But I was interrupted with the interrogation. I stuffed another scoop of deer stew between my lips.
"Sunrise then?” Octavius asked.
Brutus strode to the mantle, planting an elbow on the slab of dark wood, and focused on the dancing flames. “Yes."
"What did you leave behind?"
"New Pittsburgh. It's gone."
"What a pity. Lot of lives there. We need all the humans we can keep here on Earth."
Brutus didn't wince. “It's been coming on for years now. Would have happened sooner or later. The aliens don't give a shit about who they kill as long as everyone stays in line. With all the warlords bickering over water rights and game rights, it's amazing a few cities weren't cleansed."
"You're the drifter,” Octavius said. “You hear everything. Still no word of what the aliens want?"
Brutus shifted his shoulder blades to the mantle and flicked his gaze to me.
Watching me as if he wanted to mention how I was the placation piece in the grand game of
Normals pleasing the extraterrestrials.
His gaze flicked away to Octavius. “Do you think we'll ever know?"
The question was anything but a question. Brutus didn't want to discuss any
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