Page 10 of Isabel and the Werewolf Beast

“Do… you?” he stuttered.

“So many questions.”

“Sorry, I can’t help it. My mind is always asking questions. It’s why I read so much.” A deep grove of his frownformed between his eyebrows.

A bookworm werewolf. Dante kept getting more interesting the longer I talked to him. If he shared an interest…

“I have something you might like to see. Follow me.”

I strode past him, not bothering to glance back to see if he followed because he was trapped in this curse now and there was no way out. If he ran, if he hid, my heightened sense of smell would find his werewolf stench long before I found him.

A moment later, his footsteps echoed on the path behind me.

Smart man. Let’s see how smart he was.

Chapter six

Dante

Isabel’s scent was sweet, which surprised me. Knowing she was a vampire and lived off the blood of others, I imagined she would have smelled like the coppery tang of blood. Perhaps she hadn’t fed recently? I inhaled deeply. She almost smelled like what was it… lemon balm. Yes, there was a citrus tang to the aroma drifting from her hair as the wind rustled her long, black tresses.

Her hair was so thick, I longed to run my claws through it. I shook my head. Where had that thought come from? According to Asher, I should fear vampires and not find herbeautiful. She was, though. Her skin was pale but not in a deathly sick sort of way. It almost shone with vitality under the moonbeams. Was her skin as tender as it looked? I curled my claws into my palms to stop myself from reaching for her.

She had a sharp tongue, which made me want to silence her with a kiss.

Good grief, I needed to get a hold of myself. My werewolf side didn’t want to listen to reason. He wanted the vampire with a single-minded lustful purpose. I punched a tree to snap my wayward thoughts away from the curve of the vampire’s ass walking in front of me. The sway of her hips beneath the skirts of the white ballgown…

Isabel’s head snapped around. Her eyes narrowed to slits.

“Why are you damaging my tree?”

“Sorry,” I said, dragging my thoughts away from ravishing the gorgeous woman in front of me. “I still struggle with this form.”

“Great,” she muttered. “Now I’m stuck in here with a rabid beast. I should put you out of your misery and be done with it.”

Ice skittled down my spine. Her words held an amount of truth to them that made me pause and reconsider the beauty of the woman before me. The deadliness of the vampire now staring into my eyes with death on her lips.

“Wait,” I pleaded. “Give me a chance.”

“I suppose,” she said, flashing her fangs in a warning.

I didn’t need to be told twice.

She turned, all grace and poise, but with the speed of a vampire, she walked toward the building. As she approached, the massive wooden door flung open to the castle.

I peered over her shoulder. No lights glowed. Dust motes fluttered in the moonlit air streaming in through the doorway. I couldn’t even hear the scurry of a mouse.The castle was like an icy tomb. One she wanted me to walk into. With her by my side, after she just threatened to end my life, I had my brother’s life to consider. It was never just mine.

“Follow me and close the door after you.”

She stepped over the threshold. Her dress lightened, and so did her skin. The ethereal glow she had about her turned into a delicateness that faded into a vision. She shimmered, almost translucent. She appeared as a ghostly apparition as she glided across the floor. I hesitated on the doorstep and scrubbed my eyes, unable to comprehend what had occurred before them.

“What’s going on?”

“A curse, remember.”

“But… you’re…” I couldn’t believe I was about to say this. “Almost see-through now.”

“I was wondering if that’s how I’d appear to you.” She turned around and placed her hands on her hips.

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