Page 78 of Beast

I hate that word. The room is starting to spin. “I am not ashanimal. I am Kaja. I am Dante’s.”

He said it. I am his. I am not going to let these vampiresmake fun of me. I am the consort of Dante Dellacourt, and more than that, I ama good person. I am worth respect, with or without my fur.

“Yeah, I know that’s what he told you.” Amanda sits forward.“You’re different than I thought you would be. I’m actually sorry this ishappening to you, but you should know that I’m Dante’s mistress.”

I feel a growl deep in my throat, but I can’t force it out.“You are not.”

She pulls out one of the tablets that vampires seem toalways have on their persons. “I’m sorry, but this is who your husband reallyis.”

A video starts. There is my Dante and this woman. He liesback and allows her to service him. His cock gradually becomes long and thick.He finally orders her to climb on top of him.

“He never lets me do that,” I grumble. “I told him it wouldbe fun.”

Amanda’s mouth drops open in apparent surprise.

“This was before we were married. I can see the date stamp.I know when we were married.” And beyond that, it is so obvious that Dante isnot engaged in the sex. Oh, Amanda is attractive, but he did not even tie herup. He cannot be too involved. This is how Dante has sex when he is not inlove.

Dante loves me. Some silly video is not going to make mequestion that. I feel it in my bones.

“Fine. How about our afterglow? Maybe that will convince youhe isn’t what you think he is.” Amanda turns the volume up.

They are talking. It penetrates my brain. They arediscussing Dante finding a consort. His father demanded it. Amanda tells him tofind someone unsuitable.

I turn and smile at Amanda. “Oh, I know this about myhusband.” I grope for the proper words. What did Susan call him? It seems likethe right word for him now. “He is a dumbass.”

He is. He was caught in his own trap. He sought out aconsort who would horrify his family. And I managed to do that. He sought aconsort so unsuitable no one would question him when he set her aside. He foundthe perfect one. No one will say a word against Dante if he finds me someplacefar away to live.

He can never let me go. I am half of him.

I bet he never expected that.

I try to get to my feet. It is time to find her gorgeous,sexy, dumbass husband and explain a few facts of life to him. I want to be ontop from time to time. It looks like a nice position, and I refuse to acceptless than his ex-mistress. “I do not know why you seek to hurt me, but thiswill not work. I know he makes foolish plans from time to time. I was the oddplan of his that worked out for the best. And I will fit in here. I will makesure of it. You should understand that if you come near my husband again, youwill find out how quick I am on four feet. I am not allowed to eat anythingthat speaks no matter how stupidly it speaks, but Dante never said anythingabout maiming. I will maim you.”

Of course, I will have to be able to walk first. I grab ontothe bar, trying to hold myself up. Where has Dante gone? I cannot feel himanymore. I cannot focus long enough to even make the attempt.

“How much did you give her?” Amanda asks. Her voice soundsfar away. “Gods, Jeremy, if you’ve killed her, Chalen will have both ourheads.”

Amanda’s arms go under my shoulders. I struggle to move. Iam beginning to understand that I am in trouble. “I do not want to be killed.”

I feel so weak. What is happening? Did they talk to thedemon? Did they give me his elixir? It made me weak before, but now it makeseverything fuzzy, and my limbs are limp and useless.

“I’ll take her. I’m stronger than I look.” Jeremy picks meup. “And I’ve carted more than one druggie out the door. Security won’t thinkanything of it. I want my payout in cash. I’m going to have to leave Dallas. Ifmy boss ever finds out what I did, he’ll pull my fangs out of my head, and thatwill be the nice part of my day.”

My world upends. My mind seeks Dante’s but finds only fog. Istart to drift in and out of consciousness.

When I open my eyes again, I am being placed in a largehovercar. A man with cold, dead eyes looks down at me.

“Hello, Mrs. Dellacourt. My name is Chalen Palgrave. I thinkyou’re going to like your new accommodations. Well, until the vivisectionbegins. Then you might not think it’s so nice.”

The car takes off, but I sink into darkness once more.

ChapterTwenty-Eight

Dante

I feel older as I walk out of Julian’s office. I wasonly in there for an hour and a half, but I swear I aged ten years.

It’s really happening. After all these years, the fight isfinally here. Torin will come after Beck and Cian, and he’ll have the VampireCouncil’s support. Well, maybe not their support, but they’ll look the otherway if it means royals once again gain full access to consorts.