Page 55 of Feral Attraction
“Like a hack.”
“No, you know what I mean.”
“Oh, you mean ‘feeling’ in bold and all caps.I feel the same as I felt yesterday and the day before that and the week before that.”Not a lie.Not exactly.“You’ve asked me the same question every day for seven years.Find a new conversation starter.”
“I’m your father, Braelyn.I love you.”
Her breath hitched as she brushed an unbidden tear from her cheek.“I know, Dad.I love you right back.”
“Are we still on for dinner this weekend, or do you have a better offer?”
“Of course, we are.You’re the only man for me.”
“About that, you need to get out more.Meet friends.Go on dates.”
“How can I when I’m off to Cincinnati?”
Though she hated keeping secrets from her father, it was too soon to tell him the tumor had returned.She needed space.But she also needed the comfort of his untroubled eyes before they dulled with the news.
When the familiar bug shimmied along her spine again, she peeked over her shoulder.Since no psycho was about to cram an ether-soaked rag over her nose, she turned into Post Alley, taking a shortcut to the office.Braelyn cleared her throat.“While I head your way, give me the newsflash version of the crazy...”
****
Scath, Present Day
Rein blended into the shadow of a large tree, rage washing over him.If he had arrived five minutes earlier, he could have saved the female.
Now, he eyed the Kallikoi wilding who had drained her blood.The hairy killer stretched out on his back in the grass, sated, naked, resting his crossed arms on his chest, his lids closed.He propped his feet on the young witch’s body, avoiding her mauled, savaged neck.
When Scion Firebrand Rein stepped from his shelter, the heavy-lidded tunnel creature sat up, fear in his eyes.He pushed off the ground.Too slow.
Too bad.
Rein bare-handed his revenge, snatching the murderer mid-air before he could run.Holding the Kalli by the throat in one fist, he allowed the creature’s legs to scissor in a fruitless attempt to escape.
Let him suffer.The witch had.
He squeezed.Tighter.
The wilding clawed at Rein’s fingers, his raspy voice a grating plea.“Please.Please.”
Rein laughed, staring into the terrified eyes of the tunnel-dweller.If the creature was looking for mercy, he was begging the wrong male.Killing was a rush, a perk when the death was sanctioned.
As the murderous wilding’s hands dropped to his side and his legs stilled, his seven-foot-tall body sagged.
KIA.
Rein took a moment to savor the feel of a lifeless form before he got down to business.
Breathe.Breathe.Control.
He tapped the D-chip embedded in his wrist to call Chay.“I’ve got a dead witch here along with an equally dead Kalli.Since it takes more than one to bleed out an Aeternal, a partner is nearby.Find him.”
Rein bent to scoop the female gently into his left arm.As the Scion Firebrand muscled through high, tangled vines, cradling her against his chest to protect her from scattered thorns, he fisted the Kalli by his tusk, whipping his corpse back and forth, yanking it along behind.
Most of the year, these rangy, sentient wildings lived a peaceful existence underground in tunnels that spanned the realms of Darque and Scath.
Until mating season.
