Page 118 of Bosse
Beast had shifted more into a man than an animal, but he was still no human anyone would recognize. The four shifters Bosse and Justin battled blocked his exit to the front doors.
Moving with stealth, Beast turned left and headed for the rear exit that Alifair had only discovered the day she’d picked fruit and vegetables for Kylie.
Beast paused at the bottom of the steps and raised his unholy gaze. He opened his mouth in a sickly smile, showing off fangs as long as her fingers.
Her body froze with fear.
One of the animals fighting screamed. Alifair didn’t think that was how a grizzly or Titan would sound. She couldn’t move her eyes from Beast.
She gripped the railing as a lifeline.
Running upstairs would not save her.
If she yelled for Bosse and distracted him, he’d be vulnerable to attack.
Her heart slammed into her chest. Another animal made a horrific sound she couldn’t identify and would never escape her mind. Would Beast jump in to kill Bosse if he caught Bosse focused on another shifter?
No, he stayed at the bottom of the steps, staring at her with putrid orange eyes.
He wanted her.
She had accepted her upcoming death but never wanted to die as Beast’s prey.
He lifted his chin at her as if to say, “Next time.” Then he was gone.
She folded to her knees and had to sit down.
All the sounds blurred into a fog of droning noise. She couldn’t think or speak. She shook so hard her teeth clattered. One thing became crystal clear. She’d thought she was ready to die but had never really faced that reality until just now.
“Alifair,” whispered into her fog. “Alifair, are you okay?”
She fought her way back to full consciousness to find Bosse squatting in front of her. He touched her face with his fingertips. “Are you hurt?”
“No, I just... uh... Beast... He escaped.” She blinked, trying to bring her brain back online.
“Shit.” Lowering his hand, Bosse said, “We got lucky all the shifters weren’t turned loose.”
Still breathing hard, she said, “A guard snuck down to release them, but I don’t think he lasted thirty seconds. Beast probably got him before he could open all the cages.” She finally noticed Bosse was naked. “You need clothes.”
He let out a loud sigh. “Naked is not a new experience for me,” he joked.
Happy to see him no longer angry, she glanced around and said, “Your friend Justin needs clothes, too.”
Bosse’s head snapped to his left. “Justin, turn around.”
“Why?”
“Just do it!”
Justin noticed Alifair and walked away, shaking his head.
“Don’t look at him,” Bosse ordered.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” she snapped right back. “I’ve seen naked men here for a month.”
“I don’t want to hear that. No more looking at naked men.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “When will you learn that I don’t like orders?”
