Beauty and the Brute [Werescape III]
Read Beauty and the Brute [Werescape III] Online
Authors: Skhye Moncrief
New Concepts Publishing
www.newconceptspublishing.com
Copyright ©2011 by Skhye Moncrief
First published in 2011, 2011
© Copyright by Skhye Moncrief, November 2011
Cover Art by Eliza Black, © November 2011
ISBN: 978-1-60394-580-6
New Concepts Publishing
Lake Park, GA 31636
www.newconceptspublishing.com
This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author's imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.
Thirteen years living the lofty life of a warlord's adopted daughter should have been enough time to wipe away the memory of a painful moment in my childhood. But I could still hear my mother's screams. Something terrible happened to her. Something that some higher force had spared me from experiencing by hiding me in a crawl space. But Lord Yale had done everything in his power to make me feel at home afterward. To help me forget all but those screams. So, I'd help him keep his daughter's behavior in check tonight. I yanked the shimmering copper-colored silk strapless bodice into place, shifted the fabric until the majority of my breasts were covered, and fumbled with the zipper's pull at my back.
What would mother think of me in this evening gown? She'd worn many similar dresses as a warlord's wife. But she'd never seen me dress like her. Never known I'd grown into the spitting image of her with my almost-blonde light brown hair twisted up onto the top of my head. I looked wealthy like Lord Yale's daughter. But two years older. Two years wiser.
So much wiser.
Maybe it was the loss of my parents that opened my eyes to the world? But the extraterrestrials should have done that with everyone since the invasion.
The door creaked open and clicked shut.
Now what? Who was bothering me during my last peaceful moments before the dance?
"Lady Lorelei, forgive me for barging in,” my step-sister's personal servant Ms. Taylor begged. “But Lady June is quite anxious to descend to the festivities."
My gut did a somersault.
Not good when June was involved. My intuition had a special knack for warning me of fun in my future. Not to mention, June's impatience was going to drive the middle-aged servants into an early grave. I turned to the graying woman's black hair, to her timid stance where her hands were humbly clutched before her long brown skirt beneath her pleading mask. “It's alright, Ms. Taylor. I'm almost ready."
She nodded a relieved smile.
But didn't budge. Why?
"You can't reach that zipper, Lady Lorelei.” Ms. Taylor glanced at the door as if contemplating departure but turned back to me. “Allow me to assist you."
Strange. Thoughtful. Edgy. The servant flinched into a trot on silent tiptoes with two fistfuls of brown skirt and halted at my side.
Always brave. Somewhat loyal in an odd way. I'd be a fool not to let her pass on the conspiratorial tidbit she was certain to cough up. Hinting at what she'd learned? Or meant for me to encounter on my own. As always. “Yes?” I whispered.
"Lorelei,” she barely spoke and fingered a turn-around motion.
My Shifter Guardian obviously stood outside the door. Listening. I turned, never relinquishing her insistent brown gaze.
"When you descend, make certain to watch who visits the library,” she barely mouthed.
A chill feathered down my spine.
A premonition? I'd learned long ago not to ignore one. I nodded.
The door creaked.
Titus, my life-long Guardian during my stay here with Yale. Probably checking on what delayed June's assistant. I threw my arms up to supposedly block the view of my potentiallyexposed breasts as Ms. Taylor jerked at my zipper's pull.
Titus’ brown gaze landed on the servant. “Lady June is calling,” the Shifter boomed the loud voice of a Shifter that amplified his overall indomitable package of shaved head and muscled body packaged in a combination of old military camouflage and leather.
Probably annoyed with Ms. Taylor's delay in that he had to nag her to leave in order to get the spoiled warlord's daughter out of his business.
Ms. Taylor patted the end of the closed zipper and smiled at me. “There now. You're ready for the festivities. Take care not to spill any food on your gown, milady."
Titus swung the door wide with a grip on the doorknob and waited with his back against the open door.
The Shifter's sheer strength in his broad chest and combat boots planted wide apart is probably what drove Ms. Taylor from the room in a bustle of brown cloth. Or his unflinching brown stare lit the fire under her brown shoes. Nobody crossed him for any reason. Or crossed me because of my Guardian.
He watched the older woman disappear through the doorframe and slid his stoic gaze back to mine. “Shall we go?"
"Of course.” I stepped toward the hallway.
He never commented on my appearance. But his eyes always softened for a fraction of a second. Long enough to compliment my clothing or hairstyle. Like an approving older brother.
Today proved no different. I just ignored his acknowledgement as he ignored everything about me that said he noted I was an attractive female, in his brotherly opinion. This little game we played spared our lives. Gave him a job. Saved his wife and children. After all, what kind of warlord would choose a foolish Guardian for an adopted daughter he treated like his princess of a child? Especially a Shifter when Normal women proved repeatedly to choose Shifter males over Normal males for mates. The choice was every bit one made by women choosing strong healthy mates who could protect their families. Albeit, every personality type from passive to aggressive existed among Shifters like with the Normal population. Shifters attempted to rear
their children with some sort of standard code of conduct. Something my tutors drilled into me. A thing that the priests couldn't eradicate when Normals depended on Shifter strength to perpetuate what the aliens left of earth's human population. Thank goodness Shifter code revolved around humans and humanity.
We entered the red passageway.
Lady June bullied out of her bedroom.
In the brightest long blue gown I'd ever seen. More like a draped swath of silk. She'd undoubtedly chosen it to assault noble males tonight with nothing more than her curves.
"I don't care who is waiting, Ms. Taylor. This is my evening to dance and dine. I will not be bothered,” June snarled.
Typical June. If the three men she was interested in dancing with were late, we were all in for a miserable evening.
June spotted me. “Hurry, Lorelei,” she bubbled. “We're late."
As if I had caused the delay. At least I wasn't being chastised for what appeared to be Ms.
Taylor's fault. All sanity at New Pittsburgh hinged upon June's happiness. Tonight, I preferred peace. It wasn't every day Lord Yale threw a ball and invited nobles from other cities. Guests meant a break in mansion monotony. With the city walled in to keep invaders out, life at the mansion rarely offered anything of interest.
Titus followed me down the hall where I joined June and matched her hurried stride toward the intensifying music ascending the stairs.
"How do I look, Lorelei?” June's questioning gaze demanded honesty.
From the pearl pins holding her red hair up in a twist to her silk dress’ sleek fitted waistline that curved down over the swell of her hips, June couldn't have improved a thing for the spectators below. “Perfect as always.” June did. If money couldn't buy a warlord's daughter everything, his friendships could.
"Do you think Father is hoarding all the perfect bachelors in his study?” June whispered.
"I wouldn't put it past him.” I couldn't help but giggle a camouflaged snide little sound.
June grinned. “Maybe I should check on Father,” she announced.
Of course. Anything to parade herself before the men she baited with her slim curves tonight.
And Titus kept his opinions to himself.
We took the stairs one by one, June casually sliding her fingertips along the slick dark wood of the winding handrail.
Faces below turned up to us.
Men. Their wives. Their mistresses. Whoever had yet to enter Lord Yale's grand hall attached to this entry watched June. Thank goodness. I never liked drawing their attention. And who could with June demanding the full brunt of the crowd's focus amid the violin's cry and dim light from the enormous chandelier. Thank goodness I was merely a shadow to June's presence. The sooner I could slip away from June, the better. I'd just sneak through the lady's room into the library through two closets. Discover today's secret safeguarded by the floor-to-ceiling shelving loaded with books. A party definitely offered a secret or two.
Brutus hated these pompous displays of Normal wealth. There wasn't a good Normal anywhere on Earth. Having to mingle with them at their ridiculous parties only proved I had made the mistake of accepting a Guardian position with my uncle's clan when I should have headed west like a wise Shifter. Into The Wild. Eking out an existence among The Conquered proved just that. Eking.
The whirling dancers in the room stilled in a heartbeat, facing the entrance from the entry. A
redhead wearing a blue gown and a hoity smile slinked into the room.
But she couldn't have been the woman the crowd studied. The most beautiful woman on
Earth walked two steps behind her, followed by their Shifter Guardian. Dressed in copper, the beauty's perfect posture dictated everyone should treat her with nothing but respect. Unlike the spoiled warlord's daughter whose expression demanded everyone view her as rich and powerful. Normals. They always left a bitter taste on the tongue. I'd been stupid for working east of the Mississippi. Although, New York seemed a good rung lower on the pompous scale.
My Lord Drake wasn't the fool to waste his money on a spoiled daughter.
Yale's daughter headed straight for his private study. Yet, the beauty continued across the room to a group of elderly wealthy Normal women where she nodded and turned her back to me.
Play, my Wolf growled where he lurked deep inside the chasm in my chest where all Shifters kept their wolves.
Her Guardian turned, snaking his arms across his chest, and scanned the crowd, his gaze locking on mine.
Well, even if I wanted to dance, I wasn't going to with Titus safeguarding the beauty. He and
I met eight years ago.
Play, Wolf snapped.
Quiet, Wolf. I could probably take Titus. But didn't want to cause a scene. The man had a good six years on me. But age didn't make him faster or stronger. I nodded at him.
Titus returned the note of recognition.
His lingering stare warned me to stop looking at his charge. I turned my shoulder to them and searched for a stiff drink.
One drink couldn't dull a Shifter's senses.
Not when dinner was coming.
The music kicked the throng of people back into a dancing flurry. The pulsing crowd forced me against the golden wall and the females clinging to the painted surface. Some woman eyed me from head to toe with the hungry look many felt when facing a Shifter. They could save their self-serving favors for another Guardian. I wanted nothing from them but a clear pathway to the door.
My skin prickled with gooseflesh.
Probably too damned many Normals. I squeezed past two elderly Normal males and headed into the buzzing three-story manor's entry hall.
A place where many Normal males hid from dancing. Who could blame them with the way their mates ogled the Shifters forced to attend the party? Alas, when your Lord told you where to shit, you produced. That was the way of things after the extraterrestrial invasion,
AEI. I turned my back to a dark corner and pressed my shoulder blades into the shadows as everyone carried on with the evening's activities.
After three dances with June's eighteen year-old cousin, the gorgeous Jack, I left his sparkling grin among a circle of giggling teenagers who had plans to keep him from bothering me for a few songs. It was the least I could do given I had some snooping to do. Besides, young Jack had always been extremely kind to me. Maybe he planned to ask Lord Yale to marry me. I'd feel awkward in that situation being five years older than a boy who just seemed to sprout peach fuzz on his chin. I skirted the ring of spectators encircling the dance floor and began to plot the quickest route to the library.