Beast (A Faery Story Book 2) Page 6

  He stood up, his muscular frame unfolding gracefully. Kaja took a moment to study him. He did not seem to require immediate compliance. He seemed a patient First. Perhaps it was why the others followed him. He was tall, perhaps a full head taller than Kaja. When she stood, her head fit neatly under his chin. She appreciated his lean build. He had taken off the strange clothing that covered his chest, and now she could admire the strong muscles found there. He was different from the males of the pack. He had no hair on his chest. She found she liked it. His skin was pale, almost luminous. There was no fat on his body. Only long, muscular lines. His stomach was covered in muscle that led to lean hips. His pants covered the part of him she wished to see. She was curious if he would allow her to look at his male parts. Were they as beautiful as the rest of him?

  He grinned down at her. “I’m glad you like the package, sweetheart. It’ll make things a lot easier between us. Now let’s get you cleaned up.”

  She gasped in happy surprise. She understood. He wanted her to groom herself. It was easier when she was in her wolf form, but she could do it if it pleased him. She nodded and decided to start with her hands. She licked one hand and frowned. She did not taste very good.

  “Whoa!” the First said. Kaja looked up. He seemed positively horrified.

  “Do you think she was raised by wolves?” The red-haired female’s eyes were wide as they studied her. Shame washed over Kaja. She was as stupid as the pack said. She did not understand even the simplest command. It must have shown in her eyes, because the female softened. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to offend. We don’t lick ourselves clean.”

  “Sometimes you do, lover. Beck often orders you to lick him clean,” the softer of the two dark-haired men said. It earned him an elbow in the ribs from the woman.

  The First frowned at his lessers. “Nice, guys. Make her think we’re all pervs.”

  “She’ll find out soon enough,” the man said and stepped back to avoid another elbow. His twin laughed aloud.

  The First sent them a dirty look. His eyes softened when he turned back to Kaja. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

  “Name?” She did not recognize the word. The magic they employed only worked part of the time. She still was confused by much of their talk.

  He patted his chest. “Dante. That’s what people call me. What do people call you?”

  The People called her many names. She flushed thinking of all the things she had been called. She had chosen her own “name” at the age of eight, though the members of the pack still refused to use it, preferring to call her “that creature.” She did not have to tell him that. She could hide her shame here. “Kaja. I am Kaja. I like it. It means pure.”

  She’d always liked the way it sounded.

  “Kaja, that is ironic.” The First laughed. Kaja felt a sweetness center in her chest. It was the first time she’d heard the word she called herself from another’s lips. The First stopped and smiled down at her. He touched his chest. “You are Kaja, and I am called Dante.”

  “Dante,” she said, trying the word out on her tongue. Dante, the First.

  “Come,” the First said. He held out his hand. Kaja let him pull her up. “Meg, do you have anything with you that will take the stink off her? I think there’s a pretty woman under here somewhere.”

  The female handed the First a square. It was pink, and Kaja could smell a pleasant floral scent. She hoped they didn’t want her to eat it. It didn’t look like something good to eat. The First held his square and began pulling her toward the water. Perhaps she was supposed to take a drink. She leaned over and smelled the water. It seemed fine, though it was a bit warm.

  “No, sweetheart,” the First said. “Get in. I want you to bathe yourself.”

  Her eyes went wide, and she pulled her fingers out of his hand. He wanted her to immerse herself in water? She’d seen two members of the pack fall through the ice into water once. They’d struggled and fought and finally went under never to be seen again.

  “No,” Kaja said, shaking her head.

  She would not allow him to drown her. She would not be put down. She’d done nothing wrong. She planted her feet to stop from coming one step closer to that small pool.

  “Yes,” the First sighed. “Look, this isn’t going to work if I can’t convince you to stay clean. Vampires are fastidious creatures. Heightened senses and all. Let’s get you cleaned up, and then we can talk. I have plans, you see, and you, darling, figure into them.”

  She wouldn’t be able to talk. She would drown. She pulled back and tried to change. A growl of frustration started low in her throat. Her limbs would not change. She was weak in this form. Why, oh why, could she not change? She tried to pull away from the First’s hold on her. She wanted so badly to run. She would run and never come back. She would find a place with a forest. She would live alone forever.

  “Stop fighting me,” the First said, sounding tired. He wrapped his hand around her arm and tried to haul her to the pool.

  “Tell her, Dante.” That came from the dark-haired man with the sword.

  The First refused to give up his hold on her. They were at an impasse. She struggled against him. “I just did that, Beck.”

  “No, you didn’t. You were polite. That’s not what she needs. She didn’t respond to you until you forced her to submit, and then she followed you like a sweet girl. Dogs are like that. They fight and bite until you show them you’re their master.”

  “She is not an animal.” The First sounded irritated.

  “Neither is Meggie, but trust me, our lives got easier once I took control,” Beck offered.

  The red-haired girl snorted. “As if.”

  The one called Beck stood too close now. He stared at the First. “Tell her what to do. If she doesn’t do it, make her do it. She needs it. She’s scared. We have no idea where she came from or what she’s been through. She calmed down once she realized you were stronger than she was. It makes her feel safe. She needs dominance first and then kindness. Take control or I will.”

  Kaja fought harder. She didn’t like the look of that one. He was larger than the First and probably cruel. What was this kindness he spoke of? The word did not translate. Why would the First let her close and then kill her? Tears formed in her eyes. She hated them. Helga used to slap her every time she cried. It was weakness. She growled low in the back of her throat to cover them up.

  “No.” The First growled right back. “You will do as I say. Don’t make me hurt you. I don’t want to do that, but I will if it means keeping you alive. If you get away, Beck will hunt you. Do you understand?”

  His words were too fast, and she wasn’t truly listening. The man—Beck—had his hand on his sword again. Meg was pulled behind the soft one. Kaja kicked out, trying to hit the First in the groin again. She was surrounded and she couldn’t change, but she wouldn’t go down without a fight.

  The First roared at her, and she was on the ground once more. She felt the hard dirt against her skin and his hand on her neck.

  “You belong to me,” the First snarled at her, his breath hot against the back of her neck. “You will do as I say. If you don’t, we’re going to have a problem. I might not have played at BDSM, darling, but I assure you I can spank that sweet ass of yours if I have to.”

  Kaja went limp. The tears began, and they wouldn’t stop this time. Perhaps it would have been better if they’d left her to die after her father’s betrayal. She’d been a newborn babe. She wouldn’t have cared. She would have given in to the snow sleep and never woken up.

  “Damn it.” The First pulled her up. His arms wrapped around her. She was filled with his scent once more. She didn’t struggle. He was warm and smelled so good to her. She cried and let him settle her on his lap. “Why are you fighting me, sweetheart?”

  “I do not wish to die,” she said quietly. She didn’t know why. Valhalla had to be better, but she worried she would be given to Hel.

  The First’s face was wide open. “What?
I’m not trying to kill you. I’m trying to get you clean.”

  She stared up at him, sensing no lies. “Other pack members have drowned when they have fallen into the water.”

  His hand caressed her cheek. “I promise, I won’t let you drown. Here’s what’s going to happen. You’ll get in the tub and wash the filth away. Reeve is already preparing water for a fresh tub. We’ll haul away the grimy water, and I’ll soak with you for a while. Would you like that?”

  She didn’t see that she had much of a choice in the matter. He was the only thing she’d found to cling to in this odd world. If he betrayed her, at least it would all be over. But if he was not lying, perhaps she had found something good.

  When he got up, she followed.

  Chapter Four

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Dante?”

  Dante forced himself to turn around. He didn’t want to. He was enjoying the picture that Kaja made as Meg soaped her hair. It had taken Kaja a while, but she was finally settling in to the business of getting clean. He’d had to stroke her and hold her for the longest time. It was the only way to calm her. Her bright, blue eyes had pleaded with him to keep her safe, and he couldn’t deny her. He’d felt his heart tugged by the sweet whimpers she’d made as she’d tried to adjust to the water. He’d let her know how pleased he’d been with her for being so brave. He hadn’t been joking or sarcastic. It really had taken a lot for her to get into the tub.

  Now her eyes were closed as she allowed Meg to rub her scalp. There was a dreamy look on her face. She seemed to enjoy the contact. What a sensual little thing. If she liked having her hair washed, how much would she like a massage? He would like to rub his hands across her soft flesh and feel her respond.

  “Dante.” Beck’s voice pulled him out of that fantasy. “I asked you a question. What are you thinking buying that woman? Have you lost your mind?”

  He took a deep breath. Yelling at his cousin would only scare Kaja. “I bought a consort, cos. Vampires do it every day. Do I need to remind you that you bought Meg in this very tent?”

  “I fought for Meg,” Beck corrected. “As you should be forced to fight in a tourney for Kaja. The reason you aren’t fighting is that no one else is willing to take her. That should tell you something.”

  It was traditional for the gnomes to collect an entry fee for the tournaments they held. The prize was a consort. A large tournament could attract twenty to thirty combatants. He kind of thought it was a plus that he didn’t have to get his clothes dirty. He didn’t mention this to his warrior cousin.

  “I agreed to pay a measure of gold equal to ten tourney fees,” Dante assured him. “Reeve will be able to give the demon a proper cut. This solves the problem for everyone. Stop worrying.”

  Beck’s mouth tightened. “I wasn’t worried about Reeve. I’m worried about you. You can’t seriously believe she will make you a fit consort. She didn’t even know what a bath was.”

  “Meg wasn’t from this plane, either,” Dante pointed out. He was rapidly getting irritated with his cousin. It was irrational. He should be thrilled. It was exactly the reaction he was hoping for. She was spectacularly unsuitable. He couldn’t have dreamed up a less suitable candidate if he’d tried. Yet Beck’s assessment of her rankled.

  “Meg is highly intelligent,” Beck said in a wholly lofty voice, the arrogance of it setting Dante on edge. “She might have come from a different plane, but she had a working knowledge of the creatures around her.”

  “Yes, that’s why she nearly let a kelpie eat her,” Dante shot back. It had taken Meg a while to get used to her new home.

  Beck shrugged, his eyes straying to his wife. “I didn’t say she always used it intelligently. She adapted quite nicely. She’s making an excellent queen. This Kaja is never going to adapt. She’s practically feral. How is she going to live on the Vampire plane? Do you honestly think she’ll be happy in your penthouse, going to teas with other consorts, and attending charity balls?”

  Again, that had been a part of the plan he’d formulated to get around his father’s edicts. He struggled to see her sitting in the penthouse’s large, elegant parlor having drinks with his parents, sister, and her consort before the consorts were called in to dinner. He would sit with his father and sister and discuss business while she was led to the sumptuous dining room and did whatever consorts did while they ate. More than likely they talked about fashion and the latest DLs. She wouldn’t know what a DL was. He wasn’t sure she knew what clothes were.

  “You see my point?” Beck asked, not unkindly. “Look, Cian talked to me about what Uncle Don is doing to you. You might not like to hear this, but I think he’s right. You do need to find a consort. It’s far past time, but Kaja isn’t the right one. I’ve discussed the situation with Reeve, and if your family will pay her fee and put a hefty down payment on the next suitable consort to come through, Reeve will give you the first look. He’ll make it a private sale contingent on your father’s acceptance of the female. I’m sure your father will agree to it. It isn’t a deal Reeve would make with another vampire family. I’ll take Kaja and find a place where she’ll be happy. You’ll get your consort, and Kaja will be free.”

  His claws popped out as the words from his cousin’s mouth sank in. His hands twitched with the need to wrap them around his cousin’s throat. A righteous sense of possessiveness swept across him. It was primal and like nothing he’d ever felt before. “I bought Kaja. I paid her full price. I used my own fucking money to do it. I signed the paperwork not ten minutes ago. Is Reeve threatening to revoke her sale?”

  Beck took a step back, his eyes wide as he glanced down at Dante’s hands. “Not at all. Look, cos, no one is telling you that you can’t have a consort. One comes through every couple of weeks. Be patient.”

  His cousin patted him sympathetically on the shoulder, and without a thought, Dante batted his hand away. Beck held his fisted hand by his side, but Dante could see the impulse to fight in his cousin. Part of him hoped the big Fae gave in to it. He was sick of being treated like an idiot. “Stay out of my marriage. If you won’t accept Kaja, then get your ass back to your kingdom. I’ll take care of my consort.”

  He turned and noted Meg’s white face. She watched the confrontation with a worried air. Kaja’s eyes had come open, but she didn’t look worried. She was watching Beck with narrow eyes, as though prepared to attack should he take a step toward Dante.

  “It’s all right, sweetheart.” He took a deep breath and calmed a bit. She didn’t need more drama tonight. She needed to see that he was calm and in charge. The gnomes were coming in with the second tub. The water she’d cleaned herself in was grimy. She needed a bath from her bath. “Beck isn’t going to hurt me. He’s leaving.”

  “We’re leaving?” Cian asked, walking in with a bucket of hot water.

  “No,” Beck replied with a frown. “Dante is being unreasonable.”

  Meg got up and fetched a towel as the wee ones made the clean tub ready. Kaja stood up.

  “Hey,” Dante said, quickly covering her in the towel. He hadn’t thought much about her nudity before. She’d been covered in filth. Now that her pale skin was clean and glowing like a pearl, he had problems with it. “We have guests.”

  She nodded. “Yes, I can see them. Meg, Cian, and Beck.”

  She smiled as she pointed to each and seemed pleased to have remembered their names.

  “Yes, and the men have no need to see what belongs to me,” Dante muttered. “They should leave.”

  “You see what I mean?” Beck asked, looking at his brother. “Unreasonable. He won’t listen to me, Ci. Talk to him. She’s wild. She needs to roam. She needs a home with lots of land and places to run. I was thinking of the woods outside the village. As long as she promises not to attack our villagers, it would be perfect. There is plenty of game in the forest. Would you like that, Kaja? Would you like to be alone in the woods?”

  Dante felt her small hand slip into his. She clutched the towel a
round her. Her smile had disappeared. “The First does not want me?”

  “First?” Beck asked.

  She inclined her head toward Dante. “Yes. I thought the First wished to mate with me. He allowed me intimacies. Do I not understand? Does he already have a mate? Our First is allowed to mate with any of the women. I am clean now. I will stay clean if that is what you require.”

  Her big eyes were killing him. What was it about this petite woman that kicked him in the gut? And the cock. Damn, she was beautiful. She was utterly different from any woman he’d met before.

  He put his hands under her arms and lifted her out of the water. The gnomes immediately took the filthy tub away. The new tub was ready. Dante could see everything he had asked for, including his Scotch. There was a glass of water for Kaja. “I do have a mate, though we use the word consort where I come from. You are my consort, Kaja. I signed the papers a few moments ago. You legally belong to me. Do you understand?”

  Her smile was back, and this time there was a bright happiness to her face. Her chestnut brown hair was starting to curl up, and he couldn’t help but stare at the graceful line of her neck. “You claim me?”

  He gave into the temptation, touching her porcelain skin lightly. “I claim you. I’ll take care of you.”

  “You don’t know what you’re saying,” Beck interjected.

  “Leave it, brother,” Cian said in a firm, authoritative voice. “Dante knows what he’s doing. If he doesn’t, he’ll figure it out. He’ll take care of her.”

  There was a long moment between the twins. Dante was surprised to see Beck back down. He nodded briefly. “All right, then. We’ll leave you to your wedding night. We’ve been given a tent next to this one. You only have to call out and I will come.”

  “I don’t need you to save me from a woman,” Dante winced. It sounded whiny even to his own ears.