Page 41 of Isabel and the Werewolf Beast

“Then you don’t comprehend if we’re the same. During the curse, there was a monster in the pond.”

“A monster in the pond. Come on,” Asher scoffed, kicking his foot on the ground at the same time.

“He was an octopus before the curse. Silas’s curse warped things in here, but that’s changed now. I hope it has. He removed it, didn’t he?”

“Yes. We made a binding blood deal. He’d remove the curse if I fetched him her head. What would he want with her head?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll find out as soon as I place Isabel’s body in her bedroom then we go hunting.”

I slid one arm under her shoulders and the other under her lower back and rolled her body toward me as I stood. The fact she had no head made my eyes wet with tears as I tried not to look at her neck. It made me sick seeing her like this. Tending to her while she’d been recovering from the poison had been a worry, but this stressed me beyond what my pounding head could take.

“Open the door for me.”

Asher walked to the front door and opened it. I stepped over the threshold half expecting Isabel to turn into a ghost again. She didn’t. Instead, the sound of music emanated from the ballroom. Voices too. Were there people inside? Vampires? Ones who’d kill us if they saw us. Isabel had warned me about the ballroom. How it would be my death, but I couldn’t leave her outside. Vulnerable. Alone. At least in her bedroom, she’d have a beloved pet by her side while I couldn’t be there.

“Asher,” I whispered. “Run to the forest now. As quietly as you can.”

“Dante,” he whispered back. “Come with me.”

I lifted Isabel higher and tighter to my chest. “I’ll be right behind you after I take her upstairs.”

Asher’s gaze lifted to the staircase and his eyes widened.

I placed a finger over my lips and then pointed behind him and mouthed the word now. He scowled but turned and raced across the grass. I made my way toward the staircase, placing my feet slowly, one at a time so as not to make a sound. I recognized the way up the stairs to Isabel’s bedroom, and once I approached the landing, I hastened my steps. Clasping the doorknob, I said a silent plea that Nemisis wouldn’t squawk the moment I opened the door. I rushed inside and closed the door behind me. The raven sat on the windowsill and watched me with its beady eyes.

“Hey Nemisis,” I whispered. “Isabel will be fine. I’ll make sure of it.”

I placed her on the bed, then thought better and covered her with a blanket. Her form molded to the blanket and the fact her head was missing was obvious still. My stomach churned. The door burst open behind me. Before I reacted, hands wrapped around my neck hauled me off my feet from behind and dangled me in the air.

“Werewolf,” a deep masculine voice spat the word. “How dare you come into a vampire’s home?”

I dug my fingers into his hands but he wouldn’t let go.

“I should rip your heart out and feast on your blood, but this isn’t my home so Isabel can have the honor of killing you.” He dropped me to my feet. “Isabel?” He glanced at her then reached out and dragged my face to his. “What did you do to her?”

“I didn’t do it,” I rasped out through my sore throat.

The vampire curled his top lip revealing his sharp fangs. It should be one of these ‘life before your eyes’ moments but all I thought about was how I’d get out of here and get Isabel’s head back.

“Lies,” he said.

“Why would I lie? Why would I carry her body up here?”

His gaze flicked around the room. “Where is her head?”

“Silas took it.”

“Silas?” He sneered.

“He cursed Isabel first.”

“Werewolf. I don’t believe you.”

“Believe me so I can get her head back and fix her.”

His head tilted to the side. “You want to help a vampire? The ones who hunt and kill your kind?”

“I understand nothing about that, and I don’t care. All I care about is Isabel.”

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