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Roan elbowed him with a shake of his head. “Take another look. She doesn’t glow, Dellacourt.”
Fuck him. Roan was right. This girl looked like Meg, but she didn’t have Meg’s glow. This Meg was a vampire. It was so odd to see her like this, but it was only fair. After all, according to Meg, she’d met Dante’s human self when she was on the Earth plane.
Julian placed a hand on Vampire
Meg’s head. “Sorry, Megan, he’s taken. But I will pair you with a Master when I find the right one. I need your help for another reason. I need to know how to get into the Palgrave Industries building.”
Her familiar face went blank, and her eyes cast down. “I’m sure they’re closed at this time of night, Sir.”
“Yes, and you, you clever and bratty little sub, know just how to get around that, don’t you? You know how to get in and how to do it very quietly, so no one knows you’re coming.”
Her auburn hair shook. “I am not allowed to do anything illegal. I remember everything you said to me after the last time you bailed me out of jail. I am a very good girl.”
No, she wasn’t. She was lying. Even Dante could see that.
“You’re a masochist is what you are, Megan.” Julian gently pulled her head back. “If I didn’t already have a couple of beloved slaves, I would take care of your discipline on my own. I’ll leave it to Master Leo. It’s not going to go well for you, but I might tell him to allow you to come if you fess up right now. Otherwise, you’ll be on the cross for hours with no relief.”
That threat had her talking. “It was just a little raid. You don’t understand, Sir. Palgrave Medical is running horrible tests on bunnies and monkeys. I just snuck in and freed a few of them.”
Julian hauled her up from her slave position. “Megan here is a bit of a protester and part-time criminal.”
“I am not a criminal. What they do to those animals is criminal,” she protested.
“You were in the medical facility?” Dante asked, making connections. “Is it very white? With cages?”
Vampire Meg nodded. “It’s a terrible place. They keep it so cold. They don’t even understand that animals need soothing colors, too.”
“I don’t think soothing colors mean much to animals who are being tested on, Megan.” Julian sighed as though he’d gone over this with her before.
Tested on. That fucker had his consort in a cage. Chalen Palgrave meant to treat her like a beast to experiment on. Dante’s heart raced, but something dark opened inside him. If Chalen Palgrave wanted a beast—Dante would give him one.
Megan took a step back. “Is he going to hurt me?”
Julian put a fatherly hand around the girl. “No. But I suspect I can’t say the same thing about Palgrave.”
Meg smiled brightly. “Oh, good. He’s a horrible person. I’m a pacifist by nature, but I will totally help get him in the building if he’s going to kill that man. You’ll let me keep the bunnies, right?”
Dante turned without speaking. Roan fell in beside him.
“I’m going to call some of my contacts in the police force. We’ll keep it quiet. I wouldn’t want Palgrave to destroy evidence, if you know what I mean,” Julian called out.
There was the click-clack of stilettos as Meg raced to catch up with them. She had Julian’s dark shirt wrapped around her body like a robe.
“This should be fun. I know the best way into that building.” She walked on like they were going on a fun shopping trip rather than into battle. “And now that I have a minute with you, Mr. Dellacourt, I can talk to you about organic meal pills. There’s this rancher who has come up with a way to organically produce meal pills that doesn’t even kill the cow.”
He growled her way as his car was brought from the garage.
He wanted the real Meg back.
* * * *
Kaja came to in fits and starts. The world was a weird mix of past and present. She dreamed of her home, but this time she ran with Dante at her side. She on four legs and he on his two powerful ones. He ran as naked in his skin as she was in her fur, his fangs and claws on full display. It was full summer, and the plains were alive with prey. Deer and stag and moose all fled in terror at their approach, but it wouldn’t matter. They would select the fattest and feast. They were unstoppable. Stronger because they were together.
Kaja reached out to him.
I’m coming, love. I’m coming.
He wasn’t coming. He was here beside her. As it should be.
