Page 28 of Isabel and the Werewolf Beast

“What about the octopus?”

“I rescued him from captivity. He didn’t want to leave me. Hence the pond. He’s just stronger than normal with the curse.”

“And a killer now too?”

“I suppose yes. Although I haven’t seen him kill anything. It’s not his fault. It’s the curse affecting him.”

I rubbed my chin. She was right, this curse was affecting everything inside the castle and grounds. Whoever placed the curse had a lot to answer for. “So the bird? How is he different?”

“She isn’t. She’s a bird, but she attacks my face whenever I go inside. Her beak is sharp and so are her claws.”

I tapped my finger against my lips. “When she attacks you, how bad is it?”

“She flies around squawking and pecks my face. How bad do you think it is?”

“But you make it out in one piece.”

And from what I’d read vampires had amazing healing abilities. Bird pecks might hurt but she’d heal from them. It wouldn’t be like the poison maze.

“What are you getting at?”

“I don’t want to suggest this, but what if you’re the decoy to distract her, I run in and grab the clothes then we run out together?”

I didn’t want her pecked by her pet again, but it was a good plan. Even the thought of one tiny wound on her made my beastly urges try to claw their way to the surface.

“Can she follow you out of the room?”

“I’m not sure. The door always shuts for me.”

“This castle is so weird.”

“Don’t talk about my castle like that. I love this place.”

“It’s a building, Isabel,” I said, an amused smile tugging at my lips. This woman loved it so much. So much that I hungered to know what her love was like.

The castle walls vibrated as though an earthquake rumbled through the earth. I placed my hand on the doorframe and the other around Isabel’s waist, but my hand passed through her. She stood near my side as though she fit perfectly into my werewolf form.

“What was that?” I asked.

“Just a building throwing a tantrum,” she said, stepping away from my side and smoothing back her hair.

“I have to ask. Was it like this before the curse?”

“No.” She laughed.

“The curse changed the castle too?”

“Yes, but at least that’s not trying to kill me.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. The castle turned her into a ghost every time she walked inside. In my eyes that was the building trying to kill her, but I didn’t dare say anything else about the castle. Who knew what would happen?

“All right. I’ll open the door. You rush in and distract the bird. I’ll grab your clothes. Wait. Where are they?”

“Run to the left and you’ll find the wardrobe. Grab anything you can in five seconds then leave.”

“Five seconds?”

“Yes. Bird beaks hurt.”

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