Page 77 of Beast

“I already have men on it,” Taggart promises. “They’rewaiting at the door and will make sure the kings get to the Dellacourtbuilding. We’ll make arrangements to protect them.”

“I picked my side of this fight long ago.” Lodge nods towardthe door at the end of the hall. “I’m related to the Unseelie king. He doesn’twant the true Seelie kings dead. Torin killed his daughter, my cousin, Gillian.We’ve been looking for revenge ever since.”

“And I just think Torin is an asshole and we’re way betteroff with the twins on the throne,” Taggart adds.

“Good, then please go and protect them. I know you’ve gotmen on it, but I want to know you’re watching out for them.” I don’t knowTaggart’s men. I want the best.

Taggart looks from me to Roan. “You going to kill my newhire?”

So that’s why Taggart is really here. “No. He’s safe. But mycousins aren’t.”

Taggart nods. “I’ll make sure your cousins make it tosanctuary.”

Lodge watches him leave before turning to me. “Now, comeinto my office. Roan here has some things to go over with you. Your night isgoing to be rough, I’m afraid.”

Roan straightens his clothes. He looks odd out of camos, asthough street clothes don’t quite suit him. “I took a job I shouldn’t havetaken. I made a mistake, but I’m here to make it right. What do you know aboutChalen Palgrave?”

“I know he’s a douchebag who can’t run a company.” Why arethey worried about someone like Chalen Palgrave? We face much bigger problems.

“He’s a douchebag who’s trying to kill you, your wife, andyour cousins. He’s the man who hired me.”

Then he will be the man I kill. “Tell me everything.”

I follow Roan and Julian into Julian’s private office.

ChapterTwenty-Seven

Kaja

The lovely blonde woman passes me another drink.

“I don’t know if I should.” I giggle just a bit. The drinkis doing strange things to my head. I know I really shouldn’t drink more. I ambecoming intoxicated. Yes. That is the word I am becoming. Drunk. Funnyfeeling. Still, when the glass is pushed in front of me, I lean forward andtake another sip.

“Oh, live a little,” my new friend says. “Come on. It’s onlytwo. Julian doesn’t allow anyone more than two drinks here. Although, we mightbe able to get the bartender to sneak us one more.”

I focus on the bartender. He is an attractive young vampirewith dark hair and a slender body. Jeremy. He introduced himself asJeremy. Well, Jeremy might be attractive, but he has nothing on my Dante. MyDante is the most beautiful man in the world. He is kind and gives a very goodspanking. He has all the best sex toys.

I giggle again. I am losing it. “I don’t think I can handleanother one, Ashton.”

“It’s Amanda, sweetie,” the woman says. “And I’m surprisedyou’ve made it this long. You have some kind of crazy metabolism.”

I am unsure what the pretty blonde is talking about, but sheseems so nice. Everyone is being nice to me here. “I will have to tell themachine at home that I like these drinks. And when it is rude to me from nowon, I will make it pay.”

Amanda regards me. “You should. Those machines can reallyget you. Today, my mirror told me my hair didn’t look good. Bastard. Badprogramming. It’s supposed to be supportive. It’s supposed to tell me I lookgood.”

“You do look nice,” I offer. In the few weeks I have been onthis plane, I noticed that women like to be told they look pretty. I like itmyself. “My mate tells me I look nice.”

Amanda smiles, but it seems a bland thing. “Does he? Henever really noticed with me.”

“He tells me often, though mostly when I am naked. He likesme to be naked. A lot. He gave me the option of coming to this place naked. Idid not think it was a good idea. You vampires seem extremely concerned withclothing. Alana is always trying to buy me more. And shoes. I only have twofeet.”

Something Amanda said skitters at the back of my brain. Whatdid she say?

Oh, my mind is foggy. It felt good just a minute before, butnow there is a queasy feeling in my stomach.

“I thought she had four.” Jeremy, the bartender, is staringat me. He does not look so nice now. There is menace in his gaze. “I saw thepress coverage of the freak.”

“Shanimal,” Amanda says with a frown. “She’s a shanimal, nota freak.”