Page 13 of Her Vicious Beasts: The Beginning
“Why does he have headphones in?” I ask Savage quietly.
“Do you know where the term ‘berserk’ comes from, princess?” he asks, looking at his fingernails.
I shake my head, wondering where this is going.
“It comes from the people known as the Berserkers of old Northern Europe. They were like Vikings, a fighting and pillaging sort of lifestyle. But these people would run into battle and go into a trance-like state where they’d kill anything and anyone in their path. Including each other. So, Xander is kinda like that. Without his music, he goes nuts and tries to kill everyone.”
I raise my brows and glance over my shoulder again, where I’m sure the dragon, Xander, is listening. But he remains silent in his cell.
That explains why they’d allowed the music, but the thought of a beastneedingsuch a thing to control himself speaks volumes about the kind of life he’s had. Dragons are brutal beasts, but usually their youth are extremely well cared for.
Savage smiles at me as if he hasn’t just told me two completely murderous things in the last five minutes. I’ve never been on the receiving end of a smile likethisbefore. Not since I was child. It’s genuine, doting, almost honest, and it makes my heart do funny, unwelcome things.
I can’t help but return it. His eyes flick down to my lips, and I take a deep breath to calm my raging anima.
“Oh.” I remember, looking down at my hand. “Do you want some chocolate, Savage?”
“Mmm, say my name one more time.”
I glance back up at him in surprise, but he’s got his eyes closed. I take the opportunity to stare at his perfect, rugged face. The apex of my thighs isthrobbing.
Clearing my throat, I say, “It’s um… a Hershey’s Kiss.”
His eyes fly open, his hazel eyes no more than blown out, dilated pupils. “Yes, Lia, I’ll take a kiss from you.”
I sincerely hope there really isn’t any surveillance in this dungeon like Xander told me that first day because I lean forward, going on my knees, and pass him the small, foil-wrapped chocolate. I’m careful to give it to him without our fingers touching.
“Do they feed you?” I ask, glancing at Xander behind me.
“Sometimes.” With his big fingers, Savage unwraps the foil delicately, corner by corner, as if he’s trying to stretch out the pleasure of opening it. I stare at him for a moment before I look back at the dragon.
I’m nervous to ask but, hell, you only live once, right? And these males seem like they could use a bit of kindness. “I can put this in your mouth if you like, um… Xander?”
The dragon is silent for a moment, before he says as if it’s a challenge, “Go on then, hatchling, how good is your aim?”
Blushing at the term of endearment used for winged children, I don’t tell him that my aim is not good at all. I get to my feet, unwrap the second chocolate from its foil and re-wrap it in one of my speciality shields.
I’m powerful at my secondary power, healing, but I’m evenbetterat shields.
I make a show of tossing the chocolate towards Xander’s mouth, but in reality, I just levitate it really fast towards him. He shifts a little to catch it, but it finds its mark. Once the chocolate is in his mouth, he goes still. Apex predator still.
And I know he’s sensed the bubble shield I had around the chocolate.
He thinks I’m an eagle because of my healing powers. This is the narrative we’ve been weaving my whole life. I shouldn’t have this extra magic like I do. It’s not a known power toanyanimalia order.
It was a stupid, stupid risk, but heisa prisoner. Who’s he going to tell? And who would believe him?
Hastily, I shuffle away, and to my relief, he doesn’t say anything. The third chocolate is in my hand and I glance back at Savage. The wolf is concentrating deeply on his chocolate and I see that he’s only taken teeny bites from the corners.
My heart pangs in sadness a little.
“Will your brother take one, do you think?”
“Who, Scythe?” he says, eyes darting down the dungeon. “Nah, he only eats raw fish these days.”
“Ah, right.”
So the shark is a little more than feral. I sit down to start my work, goosebumps puckering my skin as I remember those ice-blue eyes sitting just feet from me.
