Page 70 of Warrior

My shift back to human was seamless, leaving me naked from the waist up, my shredded shirt hanging in strips past my waist.At least now, my clawless fingers were able to unlock the door.

The moment I opened it, Mila launched herself into my arms, her sobs muffled against my shoulder despite the blood staining me.

“Oh, God, Marinah, I thought you were dead.They tortured Kara.They killed her,” she cried, then looked around before turning back, staring at the blood coating my skin.“What happened?Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, and there’s no time to explain,” I said urgently.“We need to get Landan and Skylar out of their cells.”

“We’re here!”Skylar’s voice rang out from farther down the hall.

I took Mila’s hand before she could run toward Skylar’s door.“Don’t panic,” I said, locking eyes with her.“I can keep us safer in beast form.”

Her expression twisted with confusion, but there was no time for explanations.

I pressed the keys into her hand and stepped back.Ms.Beast surged forward, taking control once more, the transformation just as seamless.I’d had no idea I could go back and forth so quickly either, but again, Ms.Beast knew exactly what we were capable of.

To Mila’s credit, she only backed up a few feet during my transformation.Her wide eyes, which seemed like they might pop out of her head, were filled with wonder, not revulsion.

I opened my jaws, letting my deep, raspy voice fill the space.“Meet Ms.Beast.She won’t eat you, I promise.”

Mila closed her mouth with a snap, took a few steady breaths, then let her gaze travel from my clawed feet to my elongated snout.Slowly, she accepted what she was seeing.

“Cool trick, Marinah.You’ll have to teach me sometime.”

With a flippant grin, she spun on her heel and sprinted toward the other cells.“Skylar!Landan!Where are you?”she called, her voice echoing off the cement walls.

“Here,” they both shouted in unison.

Mila rushed to the third cell on the right and unlocked the door.She glanced back at me before her mouth formed a small grin.“Don’t mind my new friend,” she said, jabbing her thumb over her shoulder at me.“She assures me she won’t eat us.”

Shocked green eyes met mine as Skylar stumbled into the hall, looking like she was about to scream loud enough to shake the ceiling.

“If you yell, it’ll hurt my ears,” I said.

“Marinah?”she whispered.

I held out my fur-covered, oversized arms, the edges of my claws gleaming.“In the flesh.Don’t mind the hair.I didn’t have time to shave.”

To my surprise, Skylar ran at me and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist, unable to reach my shoulders.Ms.Beast growled softly in protest, but I ignored her.

“Sorry, I can’t pat your back,” I said.“I might accidentally slice something.Still learning to manage these babies.”

I wiggled my claws, earning a chuckle from Mila.

If I’d known growing several feet taller, sprouting fur, and turning into a walking weapon could be this amusing, I might’ve done it sooner.

When Skylar let go, she grabbed the keys from Mila and dashed across the hall to another cell.She unlocked it and threw the door open before kneeling beside her husband.

He was curled on the floor, his back to us.

The sharp scent of blood hit my nostrils, and my snout twitched at the coppery tang.

Focus,I told her firmly, though part of me couldn’t help wondering if Ms.Beast might secretly be part vampire.

Skylar’s husband groaned as she rolled him onto his back.His face was a mess of swelling, blood, and bruises, but he was alive.

“Landan,” Mila called urgently.

“This one, I’m over here,” came his muffled reply from another cell.

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