9. A Change of Heart
NINE
A CHANGE OF HEART
Syasku
She is back. The taps of her shoes are unmistakable.
It is not another one of Ursula’s females—it is her .
I grind my teeth, tense with anticipation. Coiling my tail as my gaze strays to the door, my frustration grows. It has been hours since the telltale clips of her shoes sounded outside the glass and woke me. The longer I am forced to wait, the more suspicions arise as to why she is here now after all this time. Could Ursula be tricking me? I intend to find out.
Vivian did not come alone. As easily as I could hear her steps through the glass, I could hear Ursula’s voice better.
Hissing, I spit venom and slide my eyes away from the door and back to the glass.
I do not care if this is a trick. If she is using Vivian to get to me, I need to prepare for it. I know I want her and I suspect what I will have to do to get Ursula to give her to me. I may be weak, but I have not lost my senses.
Watching the glass, I can discern the barest outlines of those behind it. Since the females’ arrival, several others have joined them, and if I listen closely I can hear their muddled voices. The male, Pierce, is among them.
Another joins, one with a lower, deeper voice I recognize from the few times he has been present. The others defer to this male, even Ursula, and I can only assume he is their alpha. Or someone close to them.
Their conversation grows heated, fast. My ears prick when Vivian speaks, and my jaw tenses, unable to hear her or anyone clearly. The metal piping crisscrossing the ceiling above me muffles them with wind.
The longer they argue, the more restless I become. Yanking my chains to their end, I reach the middle of the room and no farther. I have tested them before, and I will test them again now, not caring that they are watching me.
Let them watch.
Let them study me. Let them take my blood, sweat, and venom. As long as I get Vivian, I will be… amenable. It is almost pitiful how easily Ursula will break me. If she offers Vivian, I will give her my voice, I will speak. A growl tears from my throat.
The arguing outside stops.
My chains jerk and pull into the wall, drawing me back and pinning my body to it. I do not fight it, yet every muscle in my body goes taut with anticipation. Hands fisted with my claws digging holes into my palms, blood rushes through my veins. I lick the roof of my mouth, sliding my tongue over my teeth and the sharp points of my fangs.
I hear Vivian’s footsteps approach the mirror and the alpha at her side. If we were on Earth, I would fight him and rip his spine out, and take the female of my choosing as a reward. Afterward, I would take over.
I sense her eyes on me, scanning me from tailtip to brow.
Does she like what she sees? Is she afraid?
She may be small and frail and would have a hard time surviving in my world, but then I remember…
We are not in my world. We are in hers.
I search for her gaze, to meet it one last time, so I might warn her what her future holds if she comes in here. If she has that choice.
Me.
Only me.