Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Its fur was dark green streaked with rust-red, its horns long and curved like a bull’s. Its glowing red eyes locked on Lexi, and the growl deepened into a snarl.
“Oh crap,” she whispered. Her stomach dropped. The thing was massive—bigger than a grizzly bear, towering over her on thick legs. The baby whimpered and darted behind it.
Lexi realized with sick dread that she had just been petting this creature’s cub.
The mother pawed the ground, gouging deep furrows. Then she lowered her massive head and charged.
Oh my God—Ohmygod-Ohmygod-OhmyGOD!
Lexi screamed and ran for the nearest tree, heart in her throat. She grabbed a low-hanging branch and pulled, using her feet to scramble up the trunk as she hung on, trying to get higher. Her fingers were slipping on the slick bark as adrenaline surged through every part of her body. She hauled herself up onto a low branch just as the beast slammed into the tree with a bone-jarring crash.
The entire trunk shuddered and bark splintered beneath the impact. Lexi’s teeth rattled and she almost lost her grip.
“HELP!” she shrieked, clinging to the trunk for dear life. The creature backed up and rammed the tree again, her horns gouging deep grooves in the alien tree. Crack! The branch she was standing on was breaking!
Panic rising in her throat, Lexi climbed higher, scraping her knees and palms on the rough bark in the process. Tears of fear sprang to her eyes.
“Somebody, please—HELP!” she shouted again.
The branch she stood on wavered, groaning under her weight. Oh God, was she going to die here? Was she going to be gored to death by a mother grizzly-rabbit on an alien world light years from home?
It seemed like a distinct possibility.
Below her, the beast bellowed again, rearing back for another strike. Lexi didn’t know how much longer the tree could hold up. How much longer did she have? She should have told her Aunt and Uncle she loved them more often. She should have—
“Alexandra!”
The roar of Brandt’s voice cut through her panic. She twisted her head and saw him sprinting across the grass below, his golden eyes blazing, his black hair wild around his shoulders. He was shirtless, still wearing just his long sleep trousers and he looked both furious and terrifying—every inch a Beast Kindred.
“Jump to me!” he barked, holding out his arms as he reached the edge of the enclosure. “Now!”
Lexi’s stomach lurched. She glanced down and felt dizzy—the ground seemed a hundred feet away.
“What? Are you crazy? I’ll break my neck!”
Another crash shook the tree, nearly dislodging her. She screamed, clinging harder. The mother beast snarled, its stench rank with musk and rot. Lexi gagged. Her eyes watered from the smell and from sheer terror.
“Alexandra!” Brandt’s voice was thunder. “Jump for me right now. I’ll catch you!”
Her mind raced.
You can’t do it. You hate heights. You’ll fall. He’s strong but what if he drops you? What if you smash your skull on the ground?
The branch creaked beneath her feet, cracking sharply.
“Damn it, do it right now!” Brandt’s golden eyes locked on hers, his arms outstretched. His voice was fierce, commanding. “Trust me!”
Lexi’s pulse roared in her ears. The beast slammed into the tree again. The branch creaked beneath her. As a panicked cry tore from her throat, Lexi leapt.
Air rushed past her and her stomach did a sickening flip-flop of pure fear. For a heartbeat, she was weightless, her scream echoing in the morning air. Then—impact. Strong arms closed around her, solid as stone. Brandt caught her against his chest, his body absorbing the shock. He grunted, but didn’t falter.
Lexi clutched his neck, burying her face against his shoulder, trembling so hard her teeth chattered. The beast snarled behind the gate, pacing and giving her menacing looks, but Brandt only tightened his hold, glaring at the monster with fury in his golden eyes. Then he turned his attention back to Lexi.
“How in the Seven Hells did you wind up in a tree with that creature coming after you? You could have been killed,” he growled, his voice shaking with barely suppressed emotion.
Lexi couldn’t stop trembling. Her heart thundered, her breath came in gasps and tears were squeezing out of her eyes as the realization hit her—he was right! She’d come a hairsbreadth from meeting her maker.
I almost died—Oh my God, I ALMOST DIED!
The thought pounded in her head and she started to cry. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t answer any of Dr. Brandt’s questions. All she could do was cling to him desperately and try to believe that she was finally safe in his arms.
15
BRANDT
Brandt’s heart still pounded as he walked away from the meadow, Alexandra trembling in his arms. He could feel her tears soaking into his bare chest, her breath hiccupping in short gasps.
Poor little human. He felt a powerful surge of protectiveness and the wish to comfort her filled him.