Page 49 of Her Rabid Beasts

Scythe laughs. And it was the second most unsettling thing to happen inside my head.

As Aurelia narrows her eyes at me, my temper rises again, hot and hard at fate’s continual defiance of what the fuck I want. “You might not be heir to the Serpent Court anymore,” I say, “but you still have the attitude of a princess.”

She hisses, “By the Goddess, I hate you.”

The need to punish her for those words makes me clench my fists. Instead, I smirk at the memory that flashes through my mind. Her lioness’ head nuzzling against my thigh. Her animalovesme.

“What?” she snaps, eyes flashing again.

The light in them is good. Anything is better than the dull, dark awareness of the past four weeks.

“Watch your tone,” I say, even as a thrill runs through me.

Eyes narrow and her voice is deep with disgust, never for a moment backing down. “If I’d told you what I was, you would have treated me the same way as every other time I told you the truth. With dismissal.” She points at the ground to mark her point. “With contempt. With… idiocy! You’re terrible at your job.”

I blink down at her face, defiantly upturned to mine. Henry is huddled against her neck, so I know her emotions are running rampant.

Heat suffuses my chest. I’m forced to lower my voice to the soft tone I used to use with her anima. “You don’t know that.”

But it has the opposite effect of what I intended.

“Do you know what, Lyle?” she hisses with so much venom I just stare. “Fuck you, and fuck your school, your rules, and everything. I’m going to make you regret the day youevercame after me.”

With that, she storms out. I can feel her power crackling like a sheet of living lightning in her wake.

Relief pours through me. And it’s a relief of multiple parts. I run my hand through my hair, pulling it out of its ponytail as I do.

I sit back down at my desk and shake my mouse to wake up the screen. Aurelia’s long list of purchases stare back at me boldly.

It shouldn’t satisfy me so much that here is another thing she’s not aware that I know. But there is a lot more I need to know about her. And by the gods, I will find out everything there is hidden in the mind and body of Aurelia Boneweaver.

Chapter 22

Aurelia

Damn it. Fucking damn it.

With heat scorching my insides, I grab Henry from my shoulder as I storm back to the elevator. I breathe heavily as it dings back open, and luckily, neither Lyle nor Georgia come after me.

I completely lost it in front of that arrogant, awful, asshole lion. My arousal almost took over, and when I shoved it back down, it just made me angry. Is there such a thing as a lust rage? He probably thinks I’m even more pathetic now. And the fact that he had the nerve to be smug about me not remembering all he said to me in myownnest?

And Scythe.

I sensed the nimpins under your jacket. You did well.

You did well?!

He’d known I was up to something. And even when I’d released the nimpins, he’d just stood there and cocked his head like he was challenging me.

There is a strange and awful satisfaction unfurling in my chest at his final words.

Fucker. Absolute fucker! I’d been on death’s door and he’d wanted toseewhat I would do?

You did well?

“Urgh! These men!”

Henry squeaks in agreement as we make our way back to the dining hall. I’m not going to return to class, not in this state. I’m too riled up. Waiting in the dining hall for lunch seems like the best option for me, so I can take time to cool down.

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