Page 16 of Beast

“We’re leaving?” Cian asks, walking in with a bucket of hotwater.

“No,” Beck replies with a frown. “Dante is beingunreasonable.”

Meg gets up and fetches a towel as the wee ones make theclean tub ready. Kaja stands.

“Hey.” I grab a towel, covering her. I didn’t think muchabout her nudity before. She was covered in filth. Now that her pale skin isclean and glowing like a pearl, I have problems with it. “We have guests.”

She nods. “Yes, I can see them. Meg, Cian, and Beck.”

She smiles as she points to each and seems pleased toremember their names.

“Yes, and the men have no need to see what belongs to me,” Imutter. “They should leave.”

“You see what I mean?” Beck asks, looking at his brother.“Unreasonable. He won’t listen to me, Ci. Talk to him. She’s wild. She needs toroam. She needs a home with lots of land and places to run. I was thinking ofthe woods outside the village. As long as she promises not to attack ourvillagers, it would be perfect. There is plenty of game in the forest. Wouldyou like that, Kaja? Would you like to be alone in the woods?”

I feel her small hand slip into mine. She clutches the towelaround her. Her smile has disappeared. “The First does not want me?”

“First?” Beck asks.

She inclines her head toward me. “Yes. I thought the Firstwished to mate with me. He allowed me intimacies. Do I not understand? Does healready have a mate? Our First is allowed to mate with any of the women. I amclean now. I will stay clean if that is what you require.”

Her big eyes are killing me. What is it about this petitewoman that kicks me in the gut? And the cock. Damn, she’s beautiful. She’sutterly different from any woman I’ve met before.

I put my hands under her arms and lift her out of the water.The gnomes immediately haul the filthy tub away. The new tub is ready. They’vebeen thorough, giving me everything I asked for, including my Scotch. There’s aglass of water for Kaja. “I do have a mate, though we use the word consortwhere I come from. You are my consort, Kaja. I signed the papers a few momentsago. You legally belong to me. Do you understand?”

Her smile is back, and this time there’s a bright happinessto her face. Her chestnut brown hair is starting to curl up, and I can’t helpbut stare at the graceful line of her neck. “You claim me?”

I give into the temptation, touching her porcelain skinlightly. “I claim you. I’ll take care of you.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” Beck interjects.

“Leave it, brother,” Cian says in a firm, authoritativevoice. “Dante knows what he’s doing. If he doesn’t, he’ll figure it out. He’lltake care of her.”

There’s a long moment between the twins. I’m surprised tosee Beck back down. He nods briefly. “All right, then. We’ll leave you to yourwedding night. We’ve been given a tent next to this one. You only have to callout and I will come.”

“I don’t need you to save me from a woman.” I bite back awince. I sound whiny even to my own ears.

Beck studies Kaja carefully. “I hope that’s all she is, cos.Come on. Let’s go settle our wife in for the evening.”

Cian grins brightly. “Aye, she definitely needs somesettling.”

Meg shakes her head but throws her husband an affectionatelook. She crosses to me. “Are you sure about this?”

“You, too? Don’t think I can handle her, do you?”

“No, I was thinking of her, actually. She seems oddlyinnocent.”

Kaja frowns. She seems to be trying to figure something out.“The First told you to leave. Do you not fear the First?”

Meg has the audacity to grin. “Fear Dante? Only if I were acat. Or a bottle of Scotch. He can tear through that, if you know what I mean.”

Kaja shakes her head. “I do not.”

Meg sighs and steps back. “I know. I’ll see you in themorning, Kaja. If you need anything, we’ll be in the tent next door. Goodnight.”

Kaja lets the towel drop the minute the others are gone.There is no exhibitionism in it. She simply seems comfortable with her nudity.I’m not comfortable with my state of dress. My cock is trying to tunnel out ofmy pants.

“You should beat them more often. I do not think theyproperly fear you.” She leans over and sniffs at the Scotch. She wrinkles hernose and moves to the water, drinking it down.