Page 18 of The Werewolf Cowboy
“My name is Ninnea. I am Thannach, a Fae shifter. My shapeshifting form is what you saw, but I was cursed to remain like that by an evil Fae when I refused to be his lover.
“I am niece to Queen Morgan, the Dark Fae ruler of the Unseelie Court. I was taken a year ago from my home and brought here, cursed by the Fae who owns this brothel when I refused to give him my maidenhood.” Ninnea snorted. “Gerner is rumored to be a terrible lover. But he has much power.”
“So this really is a brothel? Why was I brought here? To be sold into sexual slavery?”
Ninnea frowned, hooking her arms around her knees. “I think so. Many females from this world have passed through this prison. You have the scent, and the stamp, of the earthly Skin world about you. Few Lupines of the Skin world can tolerate the Dark Kingdom without going mad.”
“Charles, from my pack, sold me. How did he get here?”
“I overheard him talking with Gerner. It seems Gerner has been searching for you for a long while, and when Charles visited the Dark Wing Gentleman’s Club on your world, Gerner recognized your scent.”
Troubled, she studied her new ally. “Why would Gerner want me? I’m nobody.”
The Fae tilted her head to one side. “You do not know?”
“Know what?”
“Interesting,” Ninnea murmured. “But first we must find a way out of here, before they come for you.”
“Do you know a way out?” Katy knew her powers were too feeble to stand up against the Dark Fae, and she didn’t have the slightest interest in hanging around to see how much bidders would pay for her virginity.
The Fae looked around the room. “I have been in this room several times. And killed a few who were imprisoned here.” At Katy’s shudder, she added, “Not women. Bad men who deserved it.”
“I imagine they tasted quite awful,” Katy tried to joke.
“Not as sour as wolf meat,” Ninnea jested back. Then the Fae stood, brushing at her gown. “If you can remove the chain from my leg, I believe I can free us from this room and this brothel. The chain is iron, and it burns.”
The iron chain didn’t look complicated. It had a pin through the cuff ringing the Fae’s right ankle. She removed the pin and the chain fell off Ninnea’s leg. Katy winced at the reddened flesh on the Fae’s ankle.
“Can you walk?” Katy asked. Ninnea nodded. “What else do you know about this place? Does the hallway go to an exterior exit?”
“The brothel is a maze, and the hallway leads in many directions, but I have been through them all. If you can think of a way to get us free from this prison, I can lead us outside.”
Katy didn’t know anything about Ninnea, but she had to trust the Fae. What other choice did she have if she were to try to survive in this new, odd world?
“How many guards do they usually have outside?”
“Only one.” Ninnea frowned. “I suppose there should be more, but you clearly have not come into your powers yet, so they do not fear you.”
Odd statement. Katy was fully Lupine. What other powers?
The oak door was thick, but she knew sound penetrated, for she’d heard footsteps when Charles approached. “I have an idea. Can you shift back into your Thannach form?”
“Why?”
“The only way we can get that door open is by tricking the guard. I’ll scream as if you’re torturing me, and that might work. If they are truly intent on selling my body, they shouldn’t want it damaged that badly.”
“True. They would want to leave you as unmarked as possible for your buyer to ravage,” Ninnea said matter-of-factly. “Fear of me attacking them is what keeps most prisoners away from the door, not an actual attack.”
The stench of rot and decay was grinding on Katy’s wolf senses. She had to get out of the cell before going mad. She nodded at Ninnea, who shifted back into her Thannach form.
Screaming, Katy pounded on the door. “Help me! It’s eating me alive, it’s tearing up my legs and it’s going to shred me to ribbons!”
Sure enough, footsteps pounded down the hallway. Signaling Ninnea to be ready, Katy stepped behind the door to hide.
Keys jingled and the thick door opened. She tripped the man, and as he stumbled and fell, shouted, “Now!”
Ninnea turned into a whirling buzz saw of teeth, sawing through the Fae guard like a steak knife through butter before he could utter a scream. Blood spurted and the slick, coppery smell made Katy’s wolf whine.
