The Hollow Moon (Downworlder Series, #2)

Chapter Eighteen: Glitter and Gold

My wolf paced beneath my skin, dwelling in the growing agitation that came every time we had to be separated from our female. I had to continually remind the incessant beast that she was safe up in our penthouse den. Not only had I returned her metal claw to her, but I had high tech locks installed on the all doors. I would not leave the safety of my Queen to chance and I would spare no expense to guarantee it. I was taking every precaution I could think of to make sure she was safe from those that wished to harm her.

I had gutted most of MacIntosh's operation for my little Emily. I did not want her to be forced to see the ghosts of her past. I knew I couldn't take them from her mind but I could banish them from her physical reality. It had taken everything in me not to go after the worthless male's corpse again after I walked through and saw the true condition of those kept in his harem. Half of them had been completely out of their minds, too broken and drugged up to know their own fucking names. I was a beast who liked to play with my prey, to hear their screams, to smell their overwhelming fear but what fun was there in killing such a broken creature? I had found no pleasure in spilling their blood. It had been an act of mercy.

My wolf and I did find our pleasure, however, in killing all that had enjoyed the company of MacIntosh's mongrels. They were no better than the master they had served and therefore they had earned the same treatment. I had them strung up in the streets where the rats had been waiting like hungry scavengers to feast. Still, I hungered for more. It would never be enough pain, enough blood, enough death to make up for what had been done to my Queen.

I slowly swiveled my chair back and forth, examining the two idiots that stood before me. The room was quiet except for the small creaking of the leather under my subtle movements, "One little..." I pointed a finger at the male who was staring straight ahead with a disinterested expression. I swung my gaze to the stockier male beside him, "Two little..." the door banged against the wall as it was throw open, causing them both to flinch. The sound of struggling had me lifting my gaze with interest, "Three little monkeys..." I sang as I watched third member of the fugly triplets enter the room, dragging a flailing mongrel behind him.

The little rats were amusing in how much fight some of them had in them. The third monkey released a heavy snarl as he tossed the mongrel towards my desk, "You're late." I remarked as I pushed up from the chair in a fluid motion.

"I brought you the damn mongrel you were after, didn't I?" The monkey replied in a tone that had my wolf bristling. What a foolish little Monkey. I clicked my tongue off the roof of my mouth as I eased myself around the desk. The mongrel watched me with wide eyes, body trembling like a leaf in high winds as I passed him. I let my gaze roll over him, I had other more pressing priorities at the moment.

The monkey stiffened as I got closer to him, eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. None of these men trusted me, and for good reason. They had seen what I had done to their master, what I had done to their friends. They only followed me because they were afraid of the alternative. That was fine by me. Fear was a powerful motivator. It could make men do interesting things, even sometimes against their own nature.

"That remains to be known." I proclaimed as I began to circle around him, locking my hands together behind my back. The male continue to eye me warily, "You did bring me a mongrel which is more than I can say for your friends."

I let my hands slip free, falling to my sides as I stopped moving, "You should know every second that I spent waiting for you, my female spent waiting for me. I told her I would be back by four o'clock, which is why I told you to be back by three." I stared into his eyes with a blank expression, "Tell me, what time is it?"

He looked tense as he gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, "I don't know. It's gotta be like only five after."

I ground my teeth together as my wolf stretched forward. He was ready to kill everyone in the room if it meant getting back to Emily. I, however, needed to correct the bad behaviors of my pets, "Is that your final answer? Would you be willing to stake your life on that?"