Page 61 of Beast

I turn my head, and Dante stands at the edge of the railing.Balcony. This is a balcony.

Dante turns toward me, his handsome face soft in themoonlight. The moon is so big. It is almost as though I can touch it.

“Come here, sweetheart,” he says, holding a hand out. “Iwant to show you something.”

I bite my bottom lip and force myself to be brave. I stepfully onto the balcony. It is solid under my feet. I walk toward Dante. He isdressed in a suit, the tie loosened and jacket discarded. His hair is back toperfection, and I miss the messiness of before. He looks unattainable again,like a man who never fought with claws and fangs. But he is still so beautifulto me.

“Look at it, Kaj.” He pulls me to the railing when I placemy hand in his.

The breath threatens to blow out of my body. It is stunning.Dante’s arms wrap around my waist, anchoring me. “It’s so high. Should we be sohigh?”

He chuckles, his breath warm against my head. “It’s the onlyway to avoid the pollution. You can’t see it at night, but there’s a cloud ofbad air that hangs over the surface. Instead of solving the problem, we builthigher. Don’t worry, you’ll never go to the surface in the city. We havewalkways and hovercars to take you from building to building.”

“You never touch the ground?”

I feel him shrug behind me. “On vacation, perhaps. There areplaces that have been kept clean. The further you get out of the cities, themore likely you are to be able to comfortably dirt walk. But this is our home.This city is called Dallas.”

Dallas. I taste it on my tongue. Odd-sounding name. And noforests. The balcony has a few trees, but they are rooted in pots, not theearth. The whole world around me looks foreign and alien. Beautiful, butbeautiful things can be deadly.

“I’ll show you everything tomorrow,” Dante murmurs. He turnsme around so I am facing him. “But for now, I don’t think we need to leave ourrooms. Are you feeling better?”

I nod and bury my face in his chest. I feel better here,surrounded by his scent. I feel safer.

“Excellent.” His hands reach down and hook beneath my kneesas he hauls me against his chest. “I have a few things I’ve wanted to do toyou.”

I shiver in his arms. “You’re going to spank me?”

It is what he promised. I violated direct orders. I am notafraid of Dante’s version of punishment.

He smiles down at me, but I do not catch that hint of fangsI love. “Not tonight. I think I would be a bit of an ass if I spanked you whenyou’re still tired due to blood loss. No, I’m going to take care of youtonight. But don’t think for an instant I’ve forgotten what happened out there.You will answer for your disobedience. I’m actually having a room renovated forthat very occasion.”

“There are more rooms?” This one seems so large. Far toolarge for the two of us.

“Yes,” Dante replies as the door on the far end of the roomswings open. “Susie and Colin are moving to the east wing. We’re taking overthis whole wing of the penthouse. We have ten rooms all to ourselves over threefloors. Of course, there are also common rooms.”

Well, of course.

“But I don’t want you to worry about any of it.” Dante setsme on my feet. I find myself in a plush room that seems to be made from smoothstone. I recognize one fixture. A huge bathtub dominates the room, but Dantewalks to a glass enclosure. He unbuttons his shirt as he stands next to it.“Shower. Thirty-eight degrees Celsius.”

A waterfall pours from a fixture in the ceiling. Danteshucks the rest of his clothes. With each piece he tosses aside, he sheds thecivilized man I do not understand. Somehow he becomes different without thetrappings of his culture on his body. He turns to me, and my heart races. Therethey are—the fangs I adore. I love how savage they make him look, how strongand powerful. I love the way they feel when he drinks from me. Without thought,I allow my neck to roll back.

He is on me before I can breathe, his hand tugging at myhair. “Don’t you dare, consort. Don’t you tempt me. I can see you want it, butthere will be none of that.”

Even as he says the words, his head leans down, and he runshis nose along my neck.

“I am fine.” I feel strong.

He growls. “No, Kaja. I’m beginning to think I should spankyou. I ate two meal pills so I wouldn’t feed from you. They taste like ass now.I only want you. You’re a fucking addiction. You’re also still recovering.”

I press my neck to his mouth. If he is addicted, then so amI. I never feel closer to him than I do when we are connected like that. “I amfine.”

He gently shoves me away. “Damn it. You are pushing me. I’vehad a rough couple of days. I want to be gentle with you. Fuck that. I want totear into you, but not tonight. You mind me.”

I soften against him. This is not about me. This is abouthim. He will feel bad if he is rough with me. I can give him that. I let myarms wind around his waist. His cock already presses against my belly. I hopehe does not intend to be too gentle. I can handle the fact that he will notbite me, but I need him to make love to me.

I press my mouth to his chest. “I’ll behave.”

He lifts my face up. “No, you won’t. But then that’s one ofthe things I lo—like about you. And you’re not completely off the hook, love. Ineed to explain the way relationships work here. I’m in charge of us,especially in the bedroom. I’m the one with the fangs. I’m the one who couldhurt you, so by the gods, you will listen to me.”