![Beauty and the Brute [Werescape III]](/res/aob/book1.jpg)
of it. Surely because of me.
Octavius rose, skirting his chair to place his tools behind him on a long high table in the shadows. “I've got a large pot of water boiling out back. It the little lady would like a bath, we can prepare the tub."
Yes. Please. The man was a saint. “Yes."
"She needs to sleep,” Brutus snapped.
What? How could he stand there and look so damned right? I guess trying to keep my sleeping butt on his saddle tomorrow wouldn't be easy. I dabbed the end of my biscuit at my brown gravy.
"Come now, Brutus. You're breaking her heart."
"Which lodge do you want us in?” Brutus asked.
"Take the extra one here, in the main lodge. It's no trouble. Lorelei can eat her fill. You won't have cooked food unless you have nothing else to eat.” Octavius strode into black shadows in a dark corner. “If I don't see you in the morning, good luck. There's no way in hell any of us will tell anyone you've passed through here."
A door thumped.
* * * *
Beauty wouldn't look at me. Damn, Octavius for his interference. Why mention the bath? I
had to get her out of here as soon as possible. To The Wild. Not floating in a tub of bubbles.
Yes, Wolf yapped.
The stupid mutt would want her nude. Curves dipping down beneath the frothy surface just enough to make my blood drain to my groin. Like now. And she slumped like her world had just ended.
Play, Wolf whimpered.
A Wolf playing with a woman only ended up one way. And I wasn't ready to make that mistake.
The door squealed with a vengeance.
Marcus sauntered into the firelight.
Blond and tan, the Shifter attracted females from distant shores.
"Evening, Brutus.” Marcus managed a straight-lipped smile. “Augustus said you were looking for a knife for your charge?"
Yes, everyone think of an excuse to parade his hairy carcass in front of my charge.
Mine, Wolf growled.
Sit, Wolf. I nodded.
Marcus had enough sense not to skirt the table and sit beside her. But he really pissed me off when he stood with his back to me where I couldn't see the seduction in his eyes that he surely used to draw her attention.
"Thank you,” she chimed.
The half of her face I could see sported a beaming smile.
Why did she grace him with such a display of happiness? I hadn't lured any smile out of her.
And her heart just kicked into a trot for him. “It's time to go, Lorelei."
Her gaze slid to mine.
Would she argue?
She rose, gripping a biscuit, the knife, and spork, and joined me.
The lazy way she blinked at me wasn't going to smooth over she'd been flirting with another
Shifter. Females and their games.
Marcus slapped on a frown of a smile and bowed slightly like a warlord's servant. “Sleep well."
Rip his throat out, Wolf snarled.
I'd fix Marcus’ good wishes. The smug son of a bitch coming onto my Beauty.
Kill, Wolf growled.
Marcus’ eyes flashed golden.
Sensing my change in demeanor. Too late. I lunged for him.
Lorelei jumped into my chest.
Too Gods-be-damned foolish. She'd pay for it later. I grabbed her slender curve of a waist and tried to shove her behind me.
Her arms slithered tightly around my chest. “Brutus, what's wrong?"
"Let go, Lorelei,” I spat through grated teeth.
"No! He didn't do anything. What's wrong?"
Women.
Octavius burst from his back room into the firelight and stood between Beauty and Marcus.
"Nobody is endangering your charge, Brutus,” he said calmly.
"Like hell! You weren't here,” I growled.
Her curves sank into my chest, her heart thrashing out a staccato, as we wrestled, one clinging, the other attempting to shake loose of the other's hold.
Her lips brushed my chin. “I'm alright, Brutus,” she whispered. “Let's just get some sleep."
Her hot breath stoked up a rash along my jugular.
Or my Wolfen hairs were sprouting. Sleep. Forget sleep with those curves branded upon my memory. A room alone with Beauty meant mating.
"She's a wise little lady, Brutus,” Octavius said, pushing Marcus toward the exit. “Go
Octavius rose, skirting his chair to place his tools behind him on a long high table in the shadows. “I've got a large pot of water boiling out back. It the little lady would like a bath, we can prepare the tub."
Yes. Please. The man was a saint. “Yes."
"She needs to sleep,” Brutus snapped.
What? How could he stand there and look so damned right? I guess trying to keep my sleeping butt on his saddle tomorrow wouldn't be easy. I dabbed the end of my biscuit at my brown gravy.
"Come now, Brutus. You're breaking her heart."
"Which lodge do you want us in?” Brutus asked.
"Take the extra one here, in the main lodge. It's no trouble. Lorelei can eat her fill. You won't have cooked food unless you have nothing else to eat.” Octavius strode into black shadows in a dark corner. “If I don't see you in the morning, good luck. There's no way in hell any of us will tell anyone you've passed through here."
A door thumped.
* * * *
Beauty wouldn't look at me. Damn, Octavius for his interference. Why mention the bath? I
had to get her out of here as soon as possible. To The Wild. Not floating in a tub of bubbles.
Yes, Wolf yapped.
The stupid mutt would want her nude. Curves dipping down beneath the frothy surface just enough to make my blood drain to my groin. Like now. And she slumped like her world had just ended.
Play, Wolf whimpered.
A Wolf playing with a woman only ended up one way. And I wasn't ready to make that mistake.
The door squealed with a vengeance.
Marcus sauntered into the firelight.
Blond and tan, the Shifter attracted females from distant shores.
"Evening, Brutus.” Marcus managed a straight-lipped smile. “Augustus said you were looking for a knife for your charge?"
Yes, everyone think of an excuse to parade his hairy carcass in front of my charge.
Mine, Wolf growled.
Sit, Wolf. I nodded.
Marcus had enough sense not to skirt the table and sit beside her. But he really pissed me off when he stood with his back to me where I couldn't see the seduction in his eyes that he surely used to draw her attention.
"Thank you,” she chimed.
The half of her face I could see sported a beaming smile.
Why did she grace him with such a display of happiness? I hadn't lured any smile out of her.
And her heart just kicked into a trot for him. “It's time to go, Lorelei."
Her gaze slid to mine.
Would she argue?
She rose, gripping a biscuit, the knife, and spork, and joined me.
The lazy way she blinked at me wasn't going to smooth over she'd been flirting with another
Shifter. Females and their games.
Marcus slapped on a frown of a smile and bowed slightly like a warlord's servant. “Sleep well."
Rip his throat out, Wolf snarled.
I'd fix Marcus’ good wishes. The smug son of a bitch coming onto my Beauty.
Kill, Wolf growled.
Marcus’ eyes flashed golden.
Sensing my change in demeanor. Too late. I lunged for him.
Lorelei jumped into my chest.
Too Gods-be-damned foolish. She'd pay for it later. I grabbed her slender curve of a waist and tried to shove her behind me.
Her arms slithered tightly around my chest. “Brutus, what's wrong?"
"Let go, Lorelei,” I spat through grated teeth.
"No! He didn't do anything. What's wrong?"
Women.
Octavius burst from his back room into the firelight and stood between Beauty and Marcus.
"Nobody is endangering your charge, Brutus,” he said calmly.
"Like hell! You weren't here,” I growled.
Her curves sank into my chest, her heart thrashing out a staccato, as we wrestled, one clinging, the other attempting to shake loose of the other's hold.
Her lips brushed my chin. “I'm alright, Brutus,” she whispered. “Let's just get some sleep."
Her hot breath stoked up a rash along my jugular.
Or my Wolfen hairs were sprouting. Sleep. Forget sleep with those curves branded upon my memory. A room alone with Beauty meant mating.
"She's a wise little lady, Brutus,” Octavius said, pushing Marcus toward the exit. “Go
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