Tempting The Beast(84)

women that were brought to him to breed, then killed when he refused. The horrendous pain he suffered

in their punishments when he refused their orders. Only a twisted, evil mind could even consider that he

should have gone back. Only a monster could have killed the woman who helped raise him for trying to

secure their safety, such as Dayan had done to Maria.

“You weren’t strong enough to lead, evidently,” Merinus bit out. “Only an animal would have suggested

he do such a thing. How did they create you, Dayan? How did they manage to finally succeed in the

creature they were after? Perhaps Callan should have sent you back.”

Pain and fury vibrated through her body. Callan had nearly given his life countless times for this bastard,

only to have him turn on him, betray and deceive him.

“Oh, they succeeded beyond their wildest imaginations,” Dayan laughed. “Only, they have no idea how

well they did succeed. I’m their dream child, Merinus, and once the Pride is under my control, Sherra

and Dawn breeding my cubs, then I’ll let them know. They will agree to my every demand in exchange

for the services I can provide for them.”

Merinus stared at him in disbelief.

“Dayan, what makes you think you can do this? The breeding isn’t voluntary; you know that from Callan

and me. It’s hormonal. If Dawn or Sherra were your mates, you would know it by now.”

“No.” He shook his head, a maniacal smile crossing his face. “See, I know something you don’t. The

women don’t go into heat like you did, Merinus. They don’t mate like Callan mated you. When they

ovulate any bastard can breed them, your brother and Sherra proved that.”

Merinus blinked. “What the hell does my brother have to do with this? Which brother? Dammit, I have

seven of them and every one of them will skin your ass alive and tack your hide on their wall for a trophy

if you don’t stop this shit. That is if Callan leaves anything left of you.”

He smirked at her, the gun never wavering.

“Brother Kane was a soldier at the labs, Merinus. He was chosen to rape her when she went into heat

the first time, and he did an admirable job. Even planted a cub inside her. I, of course, had to rid her of it.

I can’t tolerate another man’s offspring within my Pride.”

Merinus wavered in shock. She felt her knees go weak.

“You’re lying,” she gasped. “Kane wouldn’t do that. He would never hurt an innocent woman.”

Dayan shook his head in pity.

“But he did Merinus. Didn’t you ever wonder how Kane knew about a supposedly Top Secret

experiment before your father received Maria’s box of evidence? How he knew when everyone

associated with that lab was dead? He survived my attack somehow. Survived my rage. But he’ll pay for

it soon enough, for good.”

“I don’t believe you.” She believed Kane might have been there, but not for the reasons Dayan said, and

sure as hell wouldn’t believe he had raped anyone. She knew her brother too well for that.

He frowned at her darkly. “I have no reason to lie.”

“You have every reason to lie,” she told him angrily. “You’re a traitor to your own people, Dayan,

there’s no honor in you. You couldn’t be trusted to give the weather accurately.”

“You have a smart mouth, bitch,” he snarled. “If I weren’t already determined to kill you, I’d kill you for

that alone.”

“And you’re a fucking prick with some real faulty illusions of grandeur.” She glimpsed Callan’s shadow

moving slowly along the steps from the corner of her eye. “The others will take you apart themselves.

You won’t be able to hide the scent of Callan’s blood on your hands. Their senses will pick it up, Dayan.

They’ll know.”

She saw the glimmer of uncertainty enter his eyes.

“They won’t know,” he bit out, but his protest wasn’t as strong as it should have been.

“They can smell blood. They know the scent of their own, their DNA ensures it. Do you think you can

wash away the scent of their deaths from your body? Do you really think they won’t know?”

“Only Sherra and Dawn will be left.” He shrugged. “I’ll kill Taber and Tanner myself.”

Merinus laughed at him, shaking her head as Callan moved closer. She had to keep his attention on her.

“You won’t get within a mile of any of them,” she told him mockingly. “They’re smarter than you are—”

“Callan wasn’t,” he denied. “I caught his woman.”

“Have you?” she asked, jerking back, falling to the floor as Callan’s roar sounded through the room.