Dead After Dark by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love, J. R. Ward, Susan Squires Read Free Book Online Page B

quietly.
    “Thank you,” Angelia said as soon as they were alone.
    “You’re welcome.”
    She rubbed her hands up and down her arms in an effort to dispel the chills his presence had left behind. “Is he always like that?”
    Bride covered her baby with a small blue blanket. “Actually, I’m told he’s a lot mellower now than he used to be. When Vane first met him, he really was suicidal and psychotic.”
    “And you think that’s changed . . . how?”
    Bride smiled. “Good point, but believe it or not, when hebrings his son over to play with mine, he’s actually very gentle with the two of them.”
    That
she would pay money to see. She couldn’t imagine someone that insane being paternal or tender.
    Pushing Zarek out of her thoughts, Angelia walked to the window to look out on the street below. It was so unlike her home. But she knew that Dare and Oscar would be looking for her. Dare was one of the best trackers in their patria. He shouldn’t have any trouble finding her and bringing help.
    May the gods have mercy on this pack when they arrived . . .
    “So . . .” Bride said, letting her voice trail off a bit. “Care to tell me what this weapon is that you guys have invented?”
    Angelia didn’t speak. The weapon was ingenious, and it was one they would die to protect. With it, they had proven that mankind was at the top of the food chain. None of the animals in the Katagaria would have ever been able to design it.
    It was the one thing that could protect her people from them forever.
    “It really makes you wonder what the animals did to be provoked, doesn’t it?”
Z’s words haunted her. Honestly, she’d never really thought about that before. All she’d ever heard was that the attack had been unprovoked and undeserved.
    She had no reason to doubt that.
    But what if it hadn’t been?
    “Why did Bryani attack you?” she asked Bride.
    “She claimed she was trying to save me from being mated to her monster of a son. Personally, I think she was just a little whacko.”
    That was an undisputed fact. Bryani had been the daughter of their leader. As such, her story was known by everyone. It was a story the mothers in their patria used to frighten misbehaving children. Given what the Katagaria had doneto the poor woman, it was amazing she had what little sanity she did. “They kept her in their den and repeatedly raped her. Did you know that?”
    Bride’s expression turned sad and sympathetic. It was obvious the tragedy of that event wasn’t lost on her. “Only Vane’s father did that, but yes. Vane has told me everything about his family.”
    “And did he ever say why they attacked us that night?”
    Bride frowned. “Don’t you know?”
    “We have theories. Everything from the wolves must have been hungry and smelled our food to they were rabid Slayers bent on drinking our blood. But no, no one knows why we were attacked.”
    Bride looked stunned by her words. Her expression turned from disbelief to disgust. “Oh, they know exactly what they did. They just don’t want anyone else to know. Those lying dogs . . .”
    Now it was Angelia’s turn to be baffled. “What are you talking about?”
    When Bride answered, her tone was rife with anger and disdain. “Not
one
male in your pack has ever confessed to what they did?”
    “We were innocent victims.”
    “Yeah, and I’m the tooth fairy. Trust me. The attack was provoked.” Bride shook her head. “You know, I will say this, the Katagaria at least admit what they do. They don’t lie to cover it up.”
    “Well, if you know so much, then please enlighten me about what happened.”
    “Fine. The Katagaria had a group of females who were pregnant and unable to travel.” That was common to both the Arcadian and Katagaria. Once a female was pregnant, she couldn’t shapeshift or use her power to teleport until after the children or pups were born.
    Bride folded her arms over her chest. “Since they were inmedieval England at the time