Page 49 of Beauty and Her Beasts (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 1)

“Set Allana free, beasts!” The voice was none other than Allana’s stubborn ex.

I rolled my eyes. “Not this asshole again.”

I searched the crowd, quickly finding Gunnar and Declan with Allana, escorting her toward me.

“Remove the enchantment you have cast on my woman, and release her!” Collin’s voice rang through the night air.

“Collin is here?” Allana asked, surprised.

“Seems so,” Declan said.

“We’re just gonna have to teach him another lesson,” Gunnar said.

I nodded. “My thoughts exactly. Declan, take Allana and her father to your cabin and stay there until I send word.”

“What?” Allana said.

“You’ll be safest there,” I said and turned to Gunnar. “You ready?”

He nodded. “I was born ready.”

“Good to know. I want this over with as little bloodshed as possible,” I said.

“What about all the people?” Allana asked.

“Gunnar…” I said.

He stood up tall and sucked in a deep breath. “We are having technical difficulties this evening, ladies and gentlemen. If you would be so kind as to follow me to the dining room, a feast by candlelight awaits to dazzle your senses. We should have everything handled and running again by dessert.”

I nodded as he started for the door, grabbing a few candelabras and lighting them to guide the guests toward their distraction.

“Convenient,” Allana said. “You knew this could happen?”

I shrugged. “It was a possibility. We covered all our bases. Now, go. Be safe.”

She rushed to me and kissed me on the mouth. “Come back to me safe. You and Gunnar both.”

Declan coaxed Allana with him as I turned and faced the windows that overlooked the front courtyard. Shadows moved and bled through the trees.

He brought the fight to my door, and I was about to finish this once and for all.

19

ALLANA

My heart was in my throat. Collin had shown up. I couldn’t believe the audacity. There was clearly a level he wasn’t above. Nor did he seem to accept my no for an answer.

Declan led me by the hand toward the last place I knew my father to be. We found him standing along the wall on the farthest end of the ballroom. The second his eyes fell on mine, they filled with relief. He let out a sigh as he wrapped his arms around me.

“I’m so glad you are safe,” he said. “What is going on?”

“I’ll explain later,” I said.

At the same time, Declan said, “There’s no time. We have to go.”

My father nodded and followed us out of the east wing. Declan moved like a man on a mission, and I worried my father wouldn’t be able to keep up. But every time I looked over my shoulder, he was right there with us.

As we approached the back door that led to the garden, one of the heels of my shoes broke, forcing me to stop.

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