Taming the Beast

“You got that right,” Sheldon murmured. “Okay. Give me a minute to see who I can get in touch with over at the mansion. I don’t have Maggie’s number, but the queen’s executive aide, Lora, would certainly have it. I just need to… Ugh. Need to figure out how to put you on hold. I’ve got a new phone system and don’t know all these damn buttons yet. Ugh. Oh! Here it is.”

He must have hit the right button, because playback began of a cheerfully recorded marketing spiel about Sheldon’s services.

She switched her phone to the other ear and leaned rightward.

Andreas had given up his perch at the window and, just as quickly, she’d lost him to the room.

“Where’d he go?” she murmured. She turned hear hearing outward to the big storage space and listened for sounds of movement, but there were none.

She hated not being able to sense him. Having taken the wolf form, he’d gone completely off her psychic radar. She’d never heard of anything like that happening amongst their kind, and she wondered what other kinds of long-suppressed magic people were hiding for fear of conflict.

Sheldon came back on the line. “You got a pen?”

“Yes.” Mary quickly rooted one out of her tote along with one of her pads.

He gave her the number. “She said she’ll be expecting you to call.”

“Great. Thank you so much!”

“Oh, I’ll just consider this advance pay.”

She furrowed her brow. “Pardon me?”

“Signing bonus?”

“Sheldon.” Sighing, she pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Ah, come on. You know you wanna.”

“I’m still thinking about the move. After so long in Vegas, I figured I’d stay in Fallon for a while. I’ve got memories here.”

“The memories won’t go away if your scenery changes. Maybe they’ll even become more precious.”

She considered that. He was probably right. All of her good memories of Fallon were of her father, and she’d never forget him, no matter where she went.

“I’ll let you know,” she said quietly.

“Okay, then. Don’t be a stranger. And hey! Pick up the phone when you can and let me know you survived.” Chuckling, he hung up.

Mary immediately started dialing Maggie Gilisson’s number. She’d gotten to the eighth digit of the sequence when the hairs on the back of her neck prickled.

She forced down a swallow and raised her gaze slowly.

The wolf was in front of her, sitting back on his haunches and staring at her dead-on.

Oh shit.

For an animal, the creature’s eyes seemed far too intelligent. That frightened her even more than his size—big as a man, but made more imposing with all that fur and those sharp teeth. He looked at her like she needed to be watched. Like he meant her harm.

She didn’t know if he did yet. She didn’t know if that animal and Andreas were one in the same. In spite of what Andreas had done to her—drugging her unconscious and carting her to his basement—she didn’t want him harmed. Had she been in his shoes, she might have done the same thing he had.

“Andreas?” she whispered.

If the animal recognized the name, he didn’t give any hints thereof. He just stared.

“Are you in there? Is your mind still there? How do I get you back?”

Of course, he didn’t answer. Just stared.