clutched her around the middle.
Just enough to show Elise had ample curves and a slim waist. Just enough to make my Wolf pop back into my eyes and ears. To listen to her rapid steady heartbeat. Why is this beauty worried? Did she fear leaving the protection of a warlord? The man had nothing here in The Wild. Nothing but a few Normals who fancied what remained of the shadow of what he had once been, powerful enough to cling to.
"You can have all the money I brought as well," Langston added with slow calculated words.
Measured for my benefit. Expressing his desperation instead of tempting me.
My mount shifted his front hooves.
Noting money isn't what we'd need. Smart horse. The females would require their own mounts to travel.
Langston's confident demeanor began to fade.
Probably because of the redhead trying to wrench her arm free of his grasp once again. Why should the other two suffer because of the crazy sister. Sherry should think of her siblings. Her family. "I don't need your money."
Langston perked up.
Did he have enough horses though? "They'll need horses."
"No," Sherry howled. "I won't go." She flailed against his whitening knuckles.
The dark-haired hunter shut his eyes as if deeply disillusioned.
Noting even more the issue was more the redhead would be too much trouble for us on the trail. "I don't think she's capable of traveling with us."
Sherry stopped fighting.
Like she'd secured her safety and would be remaining with her sire.
Langston's brown eyes pinched slightly. "Take all three or no deal. You can have horses. Hard tack. Ammunition. A gag and rope," he added, jerking Sherry's arm.
She glared at her sire.
"Anything you need." Langston clamped his jaw tight.
Set with determination. Muscles moving in his cheeks, grinding his teeth in frustration. Or willed me to agree.
"Bring the horses," Tacitus boomed. "If you want them to go with us. We've no time for this display."
He was right. Always right. The reason why I always brought him along.
"Get the horses and load them with supplies," Langston muttered to the other hunter standing beside him before uttering the inevitable. "Which one, then, Lucius?"
Neither older daughter missed the lingering question.
"What have you done?" Elise carefully asked.
Langston's stare never relinquished mine, ignoring the sane daughter. "Bought you safe passage to a place far from here. Now, mind your tongue."
But marking an unknowing and unwilling female seemed barbaric. The females didn't need to feel threatened. "We'll take them. You have my word. Back to--"
"I don't want to know," he interrupted my declaration. "Just hide them away. Any place is safer than with me."
"Father?" the youngest called. "Please don't send me away."
Something flickered in the man's eyes.
Maybe pain. He had balls. Enough to protect his children. I had to give him credit for assuming the ultimate responsibility.
"Elise, then," Langston announced. "She attracted most of the attention in New Boston."
Red burned up Elise's neck, into her cheeks.
"She's young. Never married," Langston began to barter. "I couldn't just give her to any warlord. Not Elise."
Her face drained of all color as if her father slit her throat and stood there while she bled out. But she never looked our direction.
"Elise," Langston called.
She gulped so loud even the average Normal's hearing had to hear the pop.
"Come here, Elise." Langston's words slowed with warning.
Poor thing. Who could watch this drama unfold and not pity her? How old is she? No more than twenty-four. Too old never to have mated. Strange. A warlord's daughters are mated early for political or economic power. Maybe the redhead's unrestrained behavior kept suitors at a distance.
Elise managed to do as instructed, dragging the clinging girl along.
"Let go, Violet." Langston
Just enough to show Elise had ample curves and a slim waist. Just enough to make my Wolf pop back into my eyes and ears. To listen to her rapid steady heartbeat. Why is this beauty worried? Did she fear leaving the protection of a warlord? The man had nothing here in The Wild. Nothing but a few Normals who fancied what remained of the shadow of what he had once been, powerful enough to cling to.
"You can have all the money I brought as well," Langston added with slow calculated words.
Measured for my benefit. Expressing his desperation instead of tempting me.
My mount shifted his front hooves.
Noting money isn't what we'd need. Smart horse. The females would require their own mounts to travel.
Langston's confident demeanor began to fade.
Probably because of the redhead trying to wrench her arm free of his grasp once again. Why should the other two suffer because of the crazy sister. Sherry should think of her siblings. Her family. "I don't need your money."
Langston perked up.
Did he have enough horses though? "They'll need horses."
"No," Sherry howled. "I won't go." She flailed against his whitening knuckles.
The dark-haired hunter shut his eyes as if deeply disillusioned.
Noting even more the issue was more the redhead would be too much trouble for us on the trail. "I don't think she's capable of traveling with us."
Sherry stopped fighting.
Like she'd secured her safety and would be remaining with her sire.
Langston's brown eyes pinched slightly. "Take all three or no deal. You can have horses. Hard tack. Ammunition. A gag and rope," he added, jerking Sherry's arm.
She glared at her sire.
"Anything you need." Langston clamped his jaw tight.
Set with determination. Muscles moving in his cheeks, grinding his teeth in frustration. Or willed me to agree.
"Bring the horses," Tacitus boomed. "If you want them to go with us. We've no time for this display."
He was right. Always right. The reason why I always brought him along.
"Get the horses and load them with supplies," Langston muttered to the other hunter standing beside him before uttering the inevitable. "Which one, then, Lucius?"
Neither older daughter missed the lingering question.
"What have you done?" Elise carefully asked.
Langston's stare never relinquished mine, ignoring the sane daughter. "Bought you safe passage to a place far from here. Now, mind your tongue."
But marking an unknowing and unwilling female seemed barbaric. The females didn't need to feel threatened. "We'll take them. You have my word. Back to--"
"I don't want to know," he interrupted my declaration. "Just hide them away. Any place is safer than with me."
"Father?" the youngest called. "Please don't send me away."
Something flickered in the man's eyes.
Maybe pain. He had balls. Enough to protect his children. I had to give him credit for assuming the ultimate responsibility.
"Elise, then," Langston announced. "She attracted most of the attention in New Boston."
Red burned up Elise's neck, into her cheeks.
"She's young. Never married," Langston began to barter. "I couldn't just give her to any warlord. Not Elise."
Her face drained of all color as if her father slit her throat and stood there while she bled out. But she never looked our direction.
"Elise," Langston called.
She gulped so loud even the average Normal's hearing had to hear the pop.
"Come here, Elise." Langston's words slowed with warning.
Poor thing. Who could watch this drama unfold and not pity her? How old is she? No more than twenty-four. Too old never to have mated. Strange. A warlord's daughters are mated early for political or economic power. Maybe the redhead's unrestrained behavior kept suitors at a distance.
Elise managed to do as instructed, dragging the clinging girl along.
"Let go, Violet." Langston
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