Page 10 of Virgo Queen
So I lurk behind sweet Mallory and I stare at the alluring angel’s wings tattooed in black and silver, spread across her delicate shoulders, as though she will take flight.
If I am not careful, this angel will fly away.
My werewolf snarls and lunges in vicious protest at the very thought. Fighting for control of my beast, my mortal will weakened by the waxing moon, I clench my fists until they burn. The joints of my fingers extend until the bones crack. Evil claws sprout from my fingertips and slice into my palms. Ribbons of my own hot blood trickle through my grip to splatter my bare feet.
While behind her I strain to contain my monster, Mallory gazes up at Draco’s scowling face and says cautiously, “Are you joking?”
Draco’s ferocious scowl deepens. “Do I look like I’m joking?”
“Chere, he never jokes,” I murmur, while my werewolf flexes his claws with hunger. “Believe me.”
“Well.” Mallory sucks in a sharp breath, then announces with firmness, “Thanks for the offer. I, uh, appreciate it. But it’s really not necessary.”
We are necessary!My wolf gnashes his terrible teeth and howls.
Draco glares down at this innocent creature and growls like a bear. “Don’t bother denying it. You’ve been making moon eyes at that fucking Pendragon since we were freshmen.”
“Moon eyes?”she repeats.
Draco jerks his chin in a curt nod. “He chose someone else. He and thatmannfjandidragon are not for you.”
“You meanMaxim?”she blurts.
“Like I said,” my Draco repeats, with stubbornness.
“Gosh, I never even thought about Maxim that way.” Poor Mallory, she sounds bemused. “Have youseenthat dragon when he’s shifted? He scares the heck out of m—”
“But you thought about Pendragon, didn’t you.” Now Draco looks even more forbidding. “Helvitis.I knew it. He’s totally fucking wrong for your harem.”
“Myharem?” Now Mallory sounds like she is choking. She hugs her elbows and her shoulders rise. It’s a defensive posture, this, which I find most intriguing.
“Yeah, but I’m… not a queen?” Her voice climbs an octave and her words spill out in a rush. “So I don’t have a harem.”
“Yet.”His big hands tighten on her little waist. Now, transfixed by his forbidding glare, she freezes in his grasp. “But you’re obviously looking.”
“Oh my gosh, I amnot.I’m not shopping for a harem. I’m not a queen, okay?” Mallory sounds much more defensive, anxious, even fearful than this conversation warrants. My huntinginstincts stir and my hackles rise. I swear, there is something she is hiding.
Still, she is fixated on the wrong thing.
Ah, Draco. Clearly, myamouis going about this entire hunt the wrong way. Discreetly I wipe my bleeding palms on my jeans (not for the first time,oui? My beast, he is hard on my clothes.) With care, I curl my clawed hands over Draco’s, so we are both holding our prey. My wolf flexes his talons in her ribs until she gasps.
While my beast rages and snarls in the cage of my skin, I lean forward to breathe my words in her ear.
“Our Draco, you make him jealous,chere.He wishes to be Ronin.”
“Uh… you mean he wants to be withZara?” Her head jerks toward the heaving tangle of bodies on the dance floor, where the Gemini queen and her two lovers are writhing half-naked against the wall, and clearly preparing to fuck. “No offense or anything, Draco. But I don’t think you’re top of mind for her.”
Ah, poorbébé.Her feelings are betrayed in her tone.
Our sweet Mallory, she misunderstood what I meant to say. She loves her friend, the Gemini girl, yet she fears no lover will ever see her—Mallory—where she hides in the shadows. She believes Draco, like all these other blind and witless fools, has overlooked her shy bookish beauty, eclipsed by the flamboyant Gemini queen.
Now she is hurt. But she pretends not to show it.
Me, I’m part telepath, so she cannot hide from me.
Or the monster who shares my skin.
My gaze lifts to Draco’s. This sort of candor, it is hard for him. So I nod to encourage him. He grimaces at my expectant face, then locks his arctic stare on the waiting Mallory.
