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  Oh God no. Filled with panic, she tried to struggle out from under his body weight but found her limbs unresponsive.

  “I always wondered it would be like to bag my girl’s best friend,” Erick whispered as his hand slid possessively up her inner thigh.

  “Please no,” begged McKenzie. “Erick, don’t do this. I don’t want this.”

  Erick laughed. “Who cares what you want?” He grabbed the front of her panties for emphasis, yanking them down. Fabric ripped. Then he began fumbling with the buttons on his shorts.

  Tears flowed down McKenzie’s cheeks as Erick’s hard member shoved against her thigh. This was it.

  Suddenly, the door opened, light from the hallway beaming in brightly, momentarily blinding Kenzie. Without warning, Erick let out a strangled cry and went flying into the wall with tremendous force, a sickening crack filling the room on his impact. He groaned once and then his head slumped over to the side.

  McKenzie wondered briefly if Erick’s neck was broken before a dark shadow fell over the bed, filling her with terror. She was about to let out a wild scream when a familiar face came into focus.

  It was Zack, and his normally blue eyes were a strange golden color, his face a mask of extreme anger. Reaching out his hand to her as she trembled like a shaken child, Zack said, “Come with me, McKenzie. I’ll take you home.”

  Her heart flooded with relief...and then she passed out altogether.

  Chapter 6

  Kat slowly shut the front door to the Headley home and stumbled inside, nearly falling on her face in the foyer. She was exhausted, half-drunk. Her back ached from all the dancing. She needed a new bra if she was going to keep doing this, she mused. One that preferably lifted her boobs up high and offered much better support. Damn. I danced my ass off tonight!

  She had to admit, it had been fun once she had gotten into it. But that wasn’t the only thing on her mind. Her mind was filled with lustful thoughts over handsome Liam, who had rescued her from that strange man in the trashy alleyway.

  Now come on, she told herself as she remembered to turn and lock the door behind her. You promised yourself you would be smart, and not let yourself crush on this guy too hard. You know he’s got to be a player. He’s too hot not to be. Too many women must be throwing themselves at him. And it doesn’t mean that you’re special to him just because he wants to fuck you.

  If that’s what his true intentions were. For all Kat really knew, he could have just been looking for a friend. But...no, that thought made her stifle a laugh. Not with the way he was looking at my body, he wasn’t.

  But the mystery of what Liam truly wanted from Kat would have to remain unsolved. Now, she desired rest...once she got a drink in her that didn’t involve booze. She was parched.

  She made her way into the living room and smiled when she heard a snore. His feet propped up, her father was laid out in his recliner, snoring loudly while the TV played infomercials in the background. Several empty bottles of beer lay on the stand beside him. Not wanting to wake the giant of a man, Kat quietly set her purse and coat down on the couch and tried to tiptoe her way to the kitchen.

  She was right in front of her father when the floorboards let out a loud creak. Crap. She cringed, frozen like a mouse caught in a cheese trap.

  Her father’s right eye winked open. “Did you have a good time?”

  Kat relaxed. “I think so. I know I sweated off ten pounds at the very least, moving my butt across that jam-packed floor.”

  Big Mike chuckled with amusement. Being big himself, the two often joked around about their weight to each other. “I should have gone. I could stand to lose a few pounds off this big ol’ belly myself!”

  Kat placed her hands on her hips and gave him a cynical look. “Except you’d probably scare away half the girls in there.”

  Mike laughed harder, his large belly jiggling with each chuckle. “Am I really that imposing?”

  Kat gave him direct look. “Are you kidding? With that beard, you could probably scare a grizzly away.”

  For some reason, at the mention of the word ’grizzly’, her father’s expression grew extra solemn and Kat was suddenly struck by guilt.

  She moved over beside her father’s chair, placing a gentle hand on his massive paw. “Listen, daddy, I’m sorry for yelling at you like that before I left. I’ve just been very angry for some reason. I did not mean to take it out on you.”

  She was surprised when she saw complete understanding reflect in her father’s eyes. Grasping her hand, and rubbing on it affectionately, her father said, “It’s okay baby. I understand what you’re going through completely.”

  Kat smiled, happy that her normally grouchy father was letting her off the hook. “At first I thought it was about Kevin breaking up with me, but then I realized I’ve been feeling this deep-rooted anger for a long time. I can’t pinpoint exactly when, but I think it started just before mom left us.” Kat paused, trying to think. “It’s like I’m mad all the time for—”

  “No reason and you don’t know why? And nothing seems to assuage your anger. It only seems to get worse the harder you try to control it.” He gazed at her seriously, but not unkindly.

  Kat’s mouth dropped open with shock. “How did you know that?”

  Her father’s look was grave, but also hopeful. “I told you...I know exactly what you’re going through. But don’t worry, it will pass.”

  Kat did not know how her father could be so sure. The problem seemed to be getting worse each day.

  “Just don’t worry about it Kat,” he reassured. “It will be alright.” Then he shifted in his seat and gave her a questioning look. “Why did Kevin break up with you anyway?”

  Anger surged up through Kat as she summed up their breakup. “He told me he was cheating with that fake-tittied blonde at the cafe and wanted to break up. But he decided to blame me for it as a parting shot. He said I was too overweight.”

  Instantly, Mike’s brow furrowed with anger. “Then I’m happy you two are no longer together. How dare that sorry sack of shit insult my daughter after everything you did for his ass?”

  “It’s okay daddy,” said Kat. “He’ll see what he’s missing soon enough.” At least I hope he does.

  Mike rubbed at his beard and grumbled, “Ain’t that the truth.”

  Kat looked around, noticing who was missing. “Where is McKenzie?”

  Mike nodded off in the direction of his youngest daughter’s room. “Went to bed hours ago.” He let out a loud yawn, stretched his arms and then climbed to his feet. Mike towered over his daughter by a foot, reminding Kat just how imposing he was.

  “Speaking of which, I think I’ll head off to bed right about now.” He bent down and pecked Kat on the cheek. “I love you, baby girl.”

  Kat froze, her heart jumping. She hadn’t heard her daddy say those words in a long time. She wondered why he chose to say them now.

  “I love you too, daddy,” she whispered.

  Her dad stared at her for a moment, his eyes brimming with a strange pride. Then he left off to his bedroom.

  That’s when Kat remembered how thirsty she was.

  In the kitchen, she was suddenly hit by a ravenous hunger as well. She opened the fridge looking for something to eat. Her eyes fell on several dairy products, her favorite, but for some reason, she wasn’t in the mood for them. She wanted something more...meaty.

  She closed the fridge and opened the freezer. Several stacks of ribs that sat alongside a tub of vanilla ice-cream greeted her. Her stomach grumbled at the sight of all the delicious meat.

  “Daddy is going to kill me,” she muttered as she pulled out several packs of ribs and brought them over to the grill her father kept next to the sink.

  Big Mike absolutely loved meat, and always kept the freezer packed with all cuts of beef, chicken, pork, salmon and assorted game. She did not want to be around when he found out that she had stolen from his stash. But right now, it didn’t feel like she could help herself. She didn’t e
ven bother with sauce.

  Ten minutes later, she was on the couch watching late night TV, savoring the juicy grilled meat. “Mmm,” she groaned with pleasure. “This tastes so good.”

  It dawned on her minutes later, as she stared down at a pile of stripped ribs, that she had never been much of a meat lover. Normally, she would have gone for the tub of ice cream in the freezer, not the ribs. Her sudden desire for meat was very unusual.

  Maybe it’s just because I’m craving man meat, she thought, her thoughts turning back to the hot Liam.

  Kat started when she heard the front door opening and closing. A second later, McKenzie walked into the living room in a black club dress like her own, her hair in disarray. Her face was a complete mess, with mascara running down her face.

  Kat jumped up with surprise. “McKenzie? What on earth are you doing dressed like that? Dad said you were in your room sleep.” Kat paused, staring hard at her baby sis. “Why have you been crying?”

  Instead of answering, McKenzie moved past her into the kitchen. Kat followed on her heels, burning with curiosity.

  “Kenzie?”

  McKenzie walked over the fridge and grabbed out one of her father’s beers. Snapping the cork off, she titled her head back and chugged the entire thing down before tossing it into the wastebasket.

  Kat frowned, walking over to grab her sister on the shoulder. “McKenzie what’s wrong—”

  “Don’t fucking touch me!” McKenzie hissed with venom.

  Kat recoiled with shock. Her sister’s eyes were blazing with unbridled rage. While the two often got into spats, they were never without a reason. This misplaced anger was totally unlike McKenzie.

  “I’m just trying to figure out what’s wrong with you. Did something happen?”

  McKenzie glowered. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. Now just leave me the hell alone.” She turned and stomped away to her room, leaving a confused Kat to wonder what could be the matter.

  Later that night, Kat dreamed about Liam.

  She and her new boyfriend were holding hands, walking through a beautiful Medieval town. The cobblestoned streets were filled with the bustle of happy people going about their daily business, the women gossiping about the latest fashions the nobles were wearing, while their children ran amok through the streets.

  Kat was dressed in a tight-fitting corset and earth-brown skirt, while Liam was the epitome of handsomeness, dressed in a black hose and splendid white jacket, a red rose tucked into the lining of his collar. She felt a crown of damp petals across her brow. Liam had just got done picking and weaving flowers for his love, and they were enjoying the fresh air.

  Everything was going beautifully until a strangely familiar-looking blonde with unnaturally perky tits came up and made a comment about how desirable Liam was. But she did not stop there. She blocked their path, going on in detail about how she wanted to be bent over and fucked hard by such a hot stud.

  When Kat could take no more of listening to the details of the girl’s slutty fantasies, she exploded with rage, yelling and screaming at Liam’s admirer. “Find your own man, you stupid slut!”

  The girl instantly turned sheet-white and ran off screaming for her life.

  Well that was easy, thought Kat.

  Pleased that she had run the tramp off, Kat turned to Liam but was surprised to see him staring at her with horror.

  “What?” growled Kat. “The bitch deserved it.”

  She might as well have been speaking in another language.

  His face twisted in fear, Liam let out a strangled yell and began running down the cobblestoned road, yelling to the townspeople, “’Ware, ‘ware, it’s a beast! A monster has killed my lady and taken her place!”

  Kat ran after him, utterly confused. “Liam, what are you talking about? Why are you running from me?”

  Instead of answering, Liam picked up speed and began sprinting away like a track runner, tossing fearful glances over his shoulder at her.

  “Liam!” Kat cried as she raised her skirts and tried to keep up, her lungs burning from the effort. “Stop!”

  But he was gone.

  Kat bent over, gasping for breath. That’s when she noticed townspeople running all around her, screaming at the top of their lungs as they cast frightened glances her way.

  “What’s wrong with you people?” she cried with confusion. “Why are you all afraid of me?”

  No one would answer her, instead, they were screaming and running for their lives whenever she turned to them. Up ahead, she caught sight of Liam, who had finally stopped running. But now, he was carrying the horny girl that had come up to them earlier, looking for all the world as if he intended to take her off to some secluded field and take her up on her offer.

  Rage burned through Kat. How dare he!

  She grabbed the nearest person running past her, which happened to be an old white-haired man dressed in dun-colored hose and doublet. “What is going on?” she demanded, only to see him stare up at her in trembling horror. “Snap out of it and answer me!” Snarling with rage, she backhanded the man across the face to try and shock him into a response.

  Expecting the man to simply recover from her slap, she was shocked to instead see his head separate from his body and sail over the heads of the townspeople, hitting a running woman in the back, knocking her to the ground.

  The man’s headless body dropped like a sack of potatoes at Kat’s feet with a dull thud.

  The screams of the townspeople intensified as several women fainted at the sight of the decapitated man. She stared down at the body, shocked. I killed him. How could I kill him with one backhand? She was vaguely aware of a group of men armed with pitchforks cautiously making their way towards her, their faces grim. But she was too stunned to react.

  Shock and horror ripped through Kat as she looked down at her hands, and gasped. Her hands were covered in fur and had long claws attached to them.

  What the hell?

  The young men with pitchforks reached her, advancing almost timidly. “Murderous beast,” one of them shouted. His grip on his pitchfork was tenuous, and his hands shook violently as if he had some wasting disease. “You shall pay for your crimes!”

  “I-I-I didn’t mean to do it,” Kat stuttered. “I don’t know what happened.”

  The men ignored her words, surrounding her in a tight circle. Kat spun around, staring into the accusing, but frightened faces. What were they going to do to her? Better yet, why were they looking like they wanted to kill her?

  Then she saw it.

  One of the pitchforks the men were holding was made from a polished metal, and it gave her back her reflection.

  Instead of the curvy young woman Kat had come to know whenever she looked in the mirror, a huge, brown bear that stood on two feet stared back at her. What?

  “Die beast!” The shaking young man lunged forward, driving the pitchfork into Kat’s heart.

  Kat awoke with a gasp, covered in sweat. She glanced down at her hands, frantically checking them over. No fur. No claws. She sighed with relief. The dream had seemed so real...but now it was over.

  After her heart calmed down she laid back on her bed, resting her head on her silk pillow. “It was just a dream,” she whispered.

  Then she rolled over and went to sleep.

  Chapter 7

  Liam sped down the highway to the Greyson Manor with one hand resting comfortably outside his window, the sunroof of his white Porsche down, the cool wind ruffling his golden mane.

  His thoughts were on the curvy woman he had met that night and had saved from being a blood bag for that hungry fanger. Katerina. He had been instantly smitten when he laid eyes on that voluptuous beauty. There was something about her...something special.

  She was everything that Crystal was not—full figured and curvy where Crystal was all bones and claws, friendly and frank instead of cruel and manipulative, fun-loving instead of sadistic. Just the thought of her made the blood pump through his veins. Below, he
felt a strain, as his throbbing cock pitched a tent against his jeans.

  The blare of a horn snapped his gaze around as a car sped alongside him. He had veered off into another lane while daydreaming of Kat.

  “Watch where you’re going asshole!” a young woman with dark hair screamed at him while simultaneously giving him the finger. Then she sped off. He stared after her...and then chuckled and shook his head at himself. I’ve got it bad, he thought as his mind went back to Katerina and their time together dancing and flirting. He did have it bad. And it felt very, very good.

  Liam pulled up the long cobblestone driveway to the Greyson Mansion and stopped behind his father’s Aston-Martin. He jumped out of his vehicle, briskly walking across the well-maintained lawn whose grass was the color of jungle green even in a drought. He glanced around as he did so, taking in his favorite details.

  Several marble statues of wolves following an elderly woman garbed in swirling robes stood in front of the marble fountain that was erected in the middle of the yard. Liam muttered a brief prayer when his eyes fell on the woman’s face before entering the large house.

  His footsteps squeaked across the gleaming floor as he walked through the elegant foyer. Sitting at the edge of town, hidden beyond the mouth of a rich, wooded area, the Greyson Mansion was a place of wealth, refined marble floors with opulent Victorian furniture splashed with dark colors and shades of gray. It had been featured in House Beautiful twice, though his father had refused a spot-on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, declaring the show “lurid”.

  From a young age, Liam had always known wealth. His parents were the proud owners of an international meat packing company and currently were counted among the world’s billionaires. With no other siblings, Liam was heir to their entire vast fortune. Considering that, he wondered what his mother would say about his risky act out on the highway.