Page 31 of Nanny for the Wolf Daddy

His accent seemed to fade away as he yelled into the microphone. Kelli wondered if it was his performance personality taking hold, like a psychopath putting on a mask of sanity.

Or if the mask itself had been the man who’d they first met all along.

“Now, if you aresobrave,” Archie continued, facing the shifters. “Let us observe them in their natural habitat.”

The people who had rolled the cage on stage returned, then unhinged the front of it with a dramatic swipe. The crowd gasped again, and Kelli felt like what they were experiencing was genuine fear.

“Be not afraid! For I have the power to control these beasts,” Archie announced.

The wolves, which looked at least double the size of normal ones, came out of their confinement, heads bowed in sorrow. The cage was then rolled off the stage and replaced by two giant hula hoops, which were attached to chains that lowered from the cave ceiling.

Kelli gazed at the henchmen next to her. Neither of them watched what was happening. She wondered if they were as disgusted as she was.

“Now,” Archie screeched. “Watch these bloodthirsty mangy animals leap through hoops for you. For theirmaster!”

The crowd gave a hesitant clap, unsure about what they were about to observe.

Archie moved aside with his spear in hand, leaving space for the wolves to take up the entirety of the stage. Music filtered through the cave, an old-style circus polka that echoed with a creepy ominousness.

“Watch them play.”

Archie poked at Elise and Nevel, who barked in pain, but moved forward into the pathetic form of entertainment. One after the other, they jumped through the rusted hoops, going around in circles a few times as the crowd erupted in applause.

“Yes, yes,” Archie screamed. “Watch them jump for you!”

Kelli’s stomach turned, an audible groan coming through. The cigarette man looked her way, still playing with the cigarette behind his ear.

“You feeling sick?” he asked.

Kelli shook her head. “Hungry, perhaps.”

The cigarette man looked at his feet, his eyes as humiliated and defeated as the wolves on stage.

When Kelli looked back, Archie had placed the wolves back into their cage. The crowd had started to line up, and her heart skipped a beat as the clown-like man leaped through the people toward her.

“It is your time to shine, missy,” Archie said.

He took her by the arm, and they traveled down the rickety steps toward the stage. Kelli was confused by what she had missed but couldn’t betray her feigned confidence.

“Oh, is it time to tame them?” she asked.

“It’s time to show your skills,” Archie said, eyes wide and excited as a lion at mealtime.

He pulled her to the back of the line as the audience members waited for their turns. She realized then that they were allowing the people to “pet” Nevel and Elise, which, once again, made her stomach twist.

“Ludo and Lassie,” Archie said proudly. “These two are going to be your first little pets to tame. They’re gonna be your best friends.”

Kelli swallowed hard, feeling Archie’s grip on her arm, feeling the energy of the enraptured crowd, and anticipating the shame in the eyes of the wolves, all at once. Her emotions were cascading inside her like a carousel gone off the rails.

“It all sounds as good as a tall glass of sweet peach tea on a hot summer’s morning,” Kelli said, hoping her voice didn’t betray her.

But Archie wasn’t listening. He was looking at the stage, his mouth nearly drooling. Eventually, he was able to take her up to the cage, still holding her by the forearm. He placed her right in front of them, and Kelli nearly vomited.

“Meet your latest trainer,” Archie said, glaring into the cage. “You three are to become the best of buddies.”

His twang had slightly returned, but he was far more rapid and energized than when they first met. Kelli had the urge to shove him off the stage, to let his neck break, and to set Elise and Nevel free.

But she wasn’t a violent person, and it could all go horribly wrong for her, as well as the two shifters that could be her family someday.

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