Page 66 of Beast

“You think I don’t go a little crazy around Colin?” Susanasks. “I know royals try to hide the way consorts make them feel, but it’sstupid. It’s love. It’s how we love. The sharing of emotions and sensations ishow we love. They don’t prepare you for it.”

I let a beat of silence slip by before I say, “I can seeKaja’s memories.”

Susan leans forward, surprise clear on her face.“Seriously?”

I know I shouldn’t talk about it, but the temptation is toogreat. I don’t have Beck and Ci to talk to. And I don’t trust anyone else.“It’s like I’m there. It’s like I’m her. I live out her memories when we’reconnected.”

“Wow. That must be her power.” Susan contemplates thesituation for a moment. “It must be because she’s different. I don’t getanything like that from Colin. I get a lot of thoughts about how hot I am andhow much he loves me, but I don’t ever become him. I’m kind of glad about that.I don’t think working on a farm would be an experience I’d look forward toreliving.”

I sit back, inexplicably tired. “Yeah, well, being anoutcast in a wolf pack hasn’t been awesome.”

“Outcast?”

I hope I’m not telling my sister something Kaja wouldn’tshare, but I feel like Susan should know. They are getting close. “Her parentsare dead. Her siblings were killed because her father tried and failed to bethe leader of the pack. She was spared because she was a baby, but they treatedher like shit. The pack leader’s son raped her and then threw her out of thepack when he was done with her. They expected her to die.”

“Gods, I had no idea. She’s so open and loving.” My sister’shand is over her heart. She doesn’t think less of Kaja. Susan loves her all themore for how resilient she is.

“Yes, she’s strong,” I say. “She didn’t let it kill herheart. That’s why I cringe at the thought that she needs to be fixed. She couldteach the people of this plane a thing or two.”

Susan nods. “I understand. Let me work with her. You’ll see.She’ll settle in. She’ll learn our ways.”

I hope so. “Please make sure the tutor is a kind woman.”

“I actually was thinking about a man,” Susan begins.

“No.” I’m not leaving my lovely, strong, interesting consortalone with some man.

Susan smiles as though she was testing me and I passed.“Fine. I’ll find a very nice woman to teach our Kaja. Colin can help, too. Helikes her. And mother wants to throw a big party for her next month. She’sinviting everyone, including the press. We’ll polish her up, show her off, andthen she can go back to being herself.” Susan leans over and hugs me. “But youshould think about slowing down and giving a lot of consideration about whatyou want. Dad talked to me about what he thinks is going on with ourgovernment. You know damn well Beck and Ci won’t run. I’ll do anything I can tohelp, but I’m strictly financial. You can help them in other ways. Mom and Dadwill try to tell you to be safe, but you’ve never been safe. It’s who you are.It’s why I love you.”

I’m shocked at the tears in my sister’s eyes when she kissesmy cheek and stands to go.

“And I need those reports tonight, Dante.”

The doors closes behind her, and I have a lot to thinkabout.

ChapterTwenty-Four

Kaja

I stare at the machine. Like everything else on thisplane, I find it confusing and difficult.

“What would you like to drink, mistress?”

Though the machine has no face, it still speaks. It stillasks questions I am not sure how to answer. Everyone does that here. Everyonehas questions. I can still feel the press of the people called reporters fromearlier in the day. I was out with my mother-in-law shopping, and the reportersfound our vehicle. When Alana and I got out, there was a rush to surround us.To my shame, I changed out of sheer fear.

I can still hear the shocked shouts and see the flashes asthe reporters took pictures and video.

Dante’s mother was horrified. Oh, she pretended to be angrywith the reporters, but I heard her calling someone known as a lawyer.

I caused this family an enormous amount of trouble. It istime to seriously consider moving on.

“Mistress? Have you changed your mind?”

No. I am still thirsty. I simply don’t know what I want. Itis very much how the last few weeks have gone. I am stuck in limbo, trappedbetween loving Dante and facing the knowledge that I do not fit in to his worldand never will.

“Tea.” Alana often has tea. I watched Dante’s mother speakto the machine so I know a little.

There is a short hiss, and the machine goes into motion. Istare at it, but I don’t really see it. I see Dante in his perfect suit as hecomes home from work each night. He always comes in and tries to talk to me,but I don’t understand half of what he says. He asks about my tutors and myclasses and seems very pleased that I am rapidly learning what he callsacademics. But the rest seems to elude me.