Page 11 of Mated to the Enemy
“Klaue? That’s your name?”
“Yes?”
She was looking at him dubiously. “Is that paw, over there? And haunch, maybe? Flank, is that her name?” She pointed at the Queen, who overheard them both, turning away from her talk with other members of the House
“I am Kaelyn, Queen of High House Ursa,” she corrected.
The woman gasped. “Oh, shit.”
Klaue snickered. “Still want to make fun of my name?” he muttered under his breath as the stranger fumbled all over herself to apologize.
“Shut up. Who names their kid after a claw on an animal?”
“Ever heard of Santa Claus?” he fired back. “Nobody ever gives him grief about his last name being a plural of mine. Besides, it’s spelled differently.” He spelled it out, but she didn’t seem convinced.
“If you say soK-l-a-u-e,” she said, putting a bit of sarcasm into each letter as she mimicked him.
“Do you have a name, or should I just start calling you Prisoner 88?”
Teeth snapped together as she went silent for a second, his threat becoming obvious.Show a little gratitude for saving your ass.That’s what he hoped she was getting out of it, at least.
“I’m Jessica,” she said, fighting through some obvious reluctance.
“Well, Jessica, the food’s inside. I’m sure we can find something you’d like.” He looked right at her, trying his best to come across as trusting. “You’re safe with me. I promise.”
To his surprise, she gave him a long look, and either decided he was telling the truth, or she was just too hungry to care. Either way, she fell in step next to him and they walked in silence to the kitchen.
“Are you hurt at all?” he asked as they placed their orders and sat down.
The kitchen within Ursidae Manor was staffed at all hours of the day. With several hundred bear shifters living on the premises or visiting, it wasn’t just a good idea, it was a necessity.
“No, I’m fine. Well, my ankle’s a little twisted, but it’s nothing serious. Already mostly better,” she said with a mild grimace. “Thank you again for saving me, by the way.”
“Yeah, no problem.” He studied her carefully, trying to sort out the puzzle. She was human. He detected no trace of magic or shifter about her at all. Completely human according to his eyes and nose. “Can I ask you something?”
Almost immediately she tensed, and Klaue thought she was going to bolt. He consciously told his muscles to relax, wanting to appear as calm and unintimidating as absolutely possible.
“What?” she asked after a minute, eyes still darting around, counting the exits or something like that, he was sure.
“Well, you’re human.”
“Yes.” She relaxed slightly as their drinks were brought over, then suddenly went stiff again.
Klaue sighed. “Listen, if we wanted to drug you for some reason, we would just inject you, okay?” He reached over, grabbed her drink and took a sip. Then he drank his own. “Happy?”
She clamped her lips into a thin line. “You want to know why I’m not freaking out right now.”
He leaned back in the chair, able to fully relax, knowing they were meant for people with his size and bulk. At six foot seven and somewhere north of 270 pounds of mostly bone and muscle, Klaue had long ago learned to enjoy the comforts of a chair that wouldn’t explode when he relaxed into it, like he was doing now.
“Yes,” he said simply, taking his time to respond. Jessica was sharper than he’d expected.
“I know about the shifter world. Werewolves. You’re—” She waved at the room and, by extension, the building around them. “This is Ursa. You’re bears. I know all about you.”
Klaue wondered where the distaste in the word “you” came from. What had they done to her? He didn’t recognize her, and she didn’t seem to know anybody. How were they already in her naughty books, then?
“How do you know about us?” he prodded, trying to get the full picture.
Jessica just watched him, brown eyes staring over the lip of her glass. She made no move to respond, to elaborate.
