Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“Uh…I think I saw it once or twice when I was younger,” Abbey said doubtfully. “Before I lost my sight. My Aunt Rose loved that show.”
“My mom too!” the girl said excitedly. “Well, if you remember the Beast guy—Victor, I think his name was, or maybe Vincent—anyway, that’s who this Monstrum looks like. Only with horns.”
“So he looks like a lion with horns?” Abbey whispered. “Does he have fangs too?” She felt a fresh shiver of fear run down her spine.
“Well, his teeth are kind of sharp—I mean, they’d have to be, you know? But he also has these gorgeous golden eyes. Honestly, he’s really handsome if you’re into the whole Beauty and the Beast thing,” the girl said. Clearly she took her descriptive duties seriously. “He’s got broad shoulders and he’s really muscular. But not in that gross body-builder kind of way with all the veins sticking out everywhere. More like a hero in one of those Marvel Movies. Like Captain America, you know?”
Abbey vaguely remembered getting to see the movie the girl had mentioned before her fine vision had gone completely. She nodded and then remembered that the phone was turned away from her.
“Thank you,” she said, turning it around again so the girl could see her face, even if Abbey couldn’t see hers.
“Is he there to Claim you?” the girl asked in an excited whisper. “Oh my God, you’re so lucky—he’s hot!”
“I don’t know what he wants,” Abbey said, though she was afraid that wasn’t true. “I work in a florist shop—probably he just wants some flowers,” she added.
“Oh, that’s too bad.” The girl sounded disappointed. Then her voice brightened. “But if it turns out he is there to take you up to the Mother Ship, you’re in luck. I mean, it’s like you won the Monstrum husband lottery! And do you know all the sexy things they do to you once they get you up there?”
“What…what sexy things?” Abbey asked, her throat going dry.
“Well, we’re not supposed to know, but my best friend’s big sister got Claimed by a Beast Kindred and she told us all about it!” The girl giggled. “They divide it into weeks. There’s the Holding Week, and the Touching Week, and the Tasting Week—I bet you can guess what happens then!”
Abbey didn’t want to guess.
“Thank you for your help, but I really need to go now,” she heard herself saying.
“Okay…well, call anytime,” the girl chirped. “I love this app!”
“Me too,” Abbey said distractedly. “Bye.”
She hung up without saying anything else.
Her heart was still pounding and her throat felt dry. He was here—the Monstrum from her dreams was in the shop. And he wasn’t just here to buy flowers—she knew that. Deep in her bones, she knew he was here to collect her—to take her back to the Kindred Mother Ship, like the girl had said.
But if he takes me with him, he’ll have me up there all alone! And he’s so big—he’ll be able to do anything he wants to me!
Memories of that awful night with Henry came rushing back. The man she’d thought was so nice and kind until he suddenly wasn’t anymore. And then before that, what had happened in high school…
No—I can’t let that happen again! I can’t let him take me away someplace where he can get me alone! I can’t let him take me at all!
But how could she stop him?
Abbey didn’t know—she only knew she was scared to death of the huge Kindred warrior and she felt trapped, like a tiny mouse confronted by a large, hungry cat.
Oh God—what was she going to do?
6
SOLON
Solon waited patiently as the older female finished picking up the fallen flowers which were strewn all over the floor. There were a few near him she might not see—he bent and gathered them, handing them to her as she thanked him. There was water and shards of green glass on the floor as well—clearly some kind of accident had occurred right before he walked into the small shop.
Just as he straightened up again, he heard a door open near the back of the room. Looking around, he sucked in his breath.
Coming out of the back was the most beautiful human female he had ever seen. She had flushed cheeks, wide, pale green eyes, and dark brown hair that flowed around her shoulders in a long, silky waterfall. She was shaped like an over-full hourglass and had the figure of an Elite—a female the Goddess has blessed with extra full curves.
Though he had no reason to believe this was the mate he had come seeking, somehow Solon knew it was so. This was Abbey, the human female he’d been Dream-Sharing with for so long. The one he had come to Claim.
“Abbey,” he said, taking a step towards her.
“What…what do you want?” She was clutching something to her chest—cleaning implements, he saw. A broom and a long-handled dustpan—possibly to clean up the shattered glass on the floor.