Page 69 of Beauty and Her Beasts (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 1)

I nodded. “I’m sorry. I have a good explanation for it too, but I don’t have a lot of time.”

King stopped mid-stride and turned to face me. “What is it?”

“Camelia. She’s after my head,” I said.

King pressed his lips together. “You sure do know how to pick them, don’t you?”

I smirked. “Aww, but I’m just as surprised as you having managed a woman yourself.”

“What do you need from me?” King asked. “You can hide here for as long as you like. She couldn’t find you here. Her or her goons.”

I nodded. “I never stay long. But a shower and some rest would be fantastic.”

“Say no more,” he said. “Follow me.”

One bath later, I sat on the sofa of a lounge in the east wing eating fruit, veggies, and a delicious roast from a silver tray resting on the table in front of me. King took the smaller of the couches, sitting forward, questioning everything.

“How did you make it out alive?” King asked.

I shrugged. “I’m still trying to figure that out.”

He shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re sitting in front of me. What took you so long to come here?”

“Believe it or not, staying on the run sort of keeps you from going to places where you know anyone. I may have put you in danger, but I need your help. I have no one else I can trust.”

King nodded, a serious glint in his eyes. “Name it.”

“Fight Camelia with me,” I said simply.

King gulped and then cleared his throat. “I don’t know if you noticed this, but I’m short an arm. That makes fighting very challenging.”

I nodded. “I see that. Care to explain?”

He leveled his gaze on me. “I tried to save your life before that building collapsed. My arm got crushed. Everyone was trapped within the rubble and died. Well, everyone else.”

Guilt flooded my system. “I’m so sorry. I wish I knew.”

“I still can’t believe you are right here, in front of me,” King said, shaking his head.

“Believe it, my friend. I’m here. Alive and in the flesh,” I said with a smile.

“What happened?” King asked. His brown eyes settled on mine as he leaned back into his seat.

“Woke up in a medical facility three weeks later, had no idea how I got there or what happened to everyone else. The following night, more of Camelia’s followers attacked me. I had been on the run since,” I said, recalling the memories. “I knew she was after my head. I just didn’t think she would so casually kill everyone else to get to me.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” King said.

He was a good man. I just hoped I didn’t get him killed in the process. Camelia was a woman scorned because I didn’t love her. I mean, sure the sex was beyond amazing, but I wanted something more than sex. That was something Camelia didn’t possess.

Of course, I didn’t think of that when her mouth surrounded my cock.

She was a witch. And instead of cursing me or plaguing me with whatever nightmares she could conjure up---of which I was sure she had plenty of---she wanted my head for her collection. Though she didn’t know I knew about that. And having my dome added to her collection was a fate worse than death.

“Thank you, brother,” I said. “I know I don’t deserve your help, but I appreciate it.”

King stood from his seat and smiled down at me. “And miss the chance to get the band back together? Never.”

A strange ball of excitement burned within my torso. The team was getting together? I might just stand a snowball’s chance in hell then.

---