Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
“So maybe it will be all right,” Andi whispered. “If the antidote you gave him takes the maximum time to take effect because of his size.” She drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. “Maybe he’ll come back to himself before he can…can attack me.”
“Maybe. But I’d say the odds are quite slim,” Goodie Bo-long told her.
“What should I do then? Fight him?” Andi demanded.
“Oh no, my dear—you have no chance in fighting off a Manimal that’s gone Primal. What you do is submit. Offer him your cunny and pray that he knots you instead of going for your throat.”
“But why would he do that?” Andi demanded.
“Because too much testosterone can send a Manimal into a fury,” Goodie Bo-long lectured. “A killing fury, if you’re not lucky. A breeding fury, if you are. Though I promise you, even if you get out of it with your life, it’s going to be a very rough ride. Don’t expect any sweet treatment—your Manimal is going to want to breed you as deep and as hard as possible and he won’t stop until he feels he’s planted a baby in your belly.”
Andi shivered at the thought. Cade was so huge—so powerful. Even in his Manimal state he’d always been gentle with her. But there was no doubt he could easily hurt her if he wasn’t being careful. And if Goodie Bo-long was telling the truth, being careful with her would be the last thing on the big Hybrid’s mind.
“At least you’ve only got one Manimal to deal with—albeit an extremely large one,” Goodie Bo-long pointed out. “I’m going to have to deal with two at once and Manny can be savage even when he’s not in a fury.” She shook her head. “I’ll have to work extra hard to keep them both happy so they don’t rip me apart.”
Andi felt sick. She curled up on the cot and wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. It was cold in the dank cell and she didn’t have Cade to keep her warm. In fact, if Goodie Bo-long was telling the truth, he was somewhere getting worked into a lustful frenzy that might end in her death! Oh God—what was she going to do?
A tear rolled down her face, followed by another and another. She turned her face to the wall, not wanting her sarcastic cellmate to see her cry. She wanted Cade and she wanted to go home—back to the Mother Ship! She wanted to leave this miserable, God-forsaken planet behind and never come back again!
But I’ll never get away—I’ll probably die here, she thought to herself miserably. Cade might kill me while he’s out of his mind—which would ruin his life, not to mention his career.
Plus the fact that she would be dead and would never see her friends and family again…
Andi had never felt so low in her life. Her body ached with unfulfilled need and her brain was in turmoil. She thought she’d never been in a worse position—being held captive by zealots who condemned her and thought she was deserving of death with no way to escape.
“Courage, daughter.”
The soft words, spoken directly into Andi’s ear made her jump. She looked around, staring at Goodie Bo-long who was still sitting on her cot in the other cell.
“Uh, did you say something?” she asked uncertainly.
“Certainly not. I thought it best to let you snivel in peace,” Goodie Bo-long said sharply. “By all means, go back to it. You seem to be exceptionally good at it.”
“Pay no attention,” the voice in Andi’s ear advised her. “Her fate is her own, but your fate will not be death.”
“It…it won’t?” Andi whispered uncertainly. She turned her face to the wall again, keeping her voice low for privacy. She didn’t know who or what was talking to her, but just hearing the soft but strong feminine voice seemed to put heart into her.
“It will not. It will not be easy, but you will endure. So take courage, my daughter. All will be well,” the voice told her.
And then, it was as though a pair of soft but strong invisible arms enfolded her and wrapped her in a warm quilt. Andi sighed and snuggled into the deliciously warm feeling. It seemed to ease a little of the ache inside her and she felt better. She still didn’t know who had spoken to her, but she felt grateful for the reassurance and kindness. And for the courage, which she felt flowing through her veins.
I’ll do whatever I have to in order to survive this, she promised herself. And who knows—maybe Cade will come back to himself and refuse to attack me.
It was a slim hope but it was all she had. Snuggling deeper into the invisible quilt, she closed her eyes and tried not to think.
53
ANDI
“You two shameless females stand accused of lewd and lascivious activity with a mindless beast—with, in fact, your own Manimals!”