Inferno by Bianca D'Arc Page B

quietly after he’d closed the swinging kitchen door. “But from what?”

    Duncan turned from placing the clean plates on the draining board. “From you, I think. At least at the moment. You’re overwhelming the poor lass, my friend, and I have to wonder why.
    She’s were . She’s not for you.”

    “She’s only half were , Duncan,” he argued before he thought better of it.

    “And what’s her other half? Human? Or some mongrel mixture of human and something else?
    Even I can’t tell yet.” Duncan sighed. “It’ll come clear in time, I think. In the meantime, we need to keep an eye on her.”

    “Agreed.” He ground his teeth in frustration. “Can you sit with her for another hour or so? I have to check a few things.”

    “Sure. I’ll catch a nap later. Take all the time you need.”

    “Thanks.” Dante stalked from the room, avoiding the living room, and headed for his office. He had work to do.

Chapter Four
    An hour later he was no closer to discovering where Megan had come from or exactly what she was. He had checked his messages however and discovered he’d been summoned. A summons from the Mistress wasn’t something he could ignore. He RSVP’d for himself and Megan. Maybe taking her out in public would rattle a few cages and elicit more information. It was worth a shot.

    He put out feelers with a few old friends, but it would take time to get a response. For now he was at a dead end. He could find no record of Megan anywhere. That in itself was suspicious.
    Then again, the few lone wolves he’d known in the past had been good at covering their tracks and hiding their presence from affiliated weres .

    He placed a few calls and ordered some items to be delivered. An hour later, his plans were set, and he had only to collect his date for the evening. He swept into the bedroom after only a perfunctory knock, a bulging garment bag in one hand, another bag containing matching shoes and accessories in the other.

    “Put this on. We’re going out.” Dante opened the garment bag and a swirling mass of fabric drifted out over his arms. It spilled to the foot of the bed where he spread the fabric before setting it down. When it settled, Megan realized it was a deep emerald ball gown—the kind she’d imagined in fairytales but had never seen in real life. It was something out of another era.

    “You’re kidding, right? Where do people actually wear something like that?”

    “At an honest-to-goodness vampire ball. I hope you know how to waltz.” The devilish smile that accompanied his words made her tummy flip.

    “No way.”

    “Way. Get dressed, tiger. If you’re good, I’ll teach you how to promenade old school.” He went out the door, grinning as he closed it behind him.

    Megan wouldn’t miss a chance like this for the world, regardless of the miserable duty she had to fulfill. She’d always been fascinated by the gentility of past centuries and couldn’t pass up the chance to dress in a silk gown and go to a ball with a man who had probably waltzed in the ballrooms of the haute ton .

    The dress was a dream, and it fit her like a glove. Dante had no doubt guessed at her size, and he was a very good guesser. Of course, a sexy man who’d lived for centuries no doubt picked up a thing or two along the way about women’s clothing. She’d bet he’d undressed more than a few women in his many years.

    The thought rankled but nothing could dampen her spirits once she got a look at herself in the gorgeous silk gown. She felt like Cinderella at the ball. She’d never worn anything so exquisite.
    She twirled and giggled like a schoolgirl only composing herself before she went out the door and descended the grand staircase.

    Dante waited for her at the bottom, a long, slim, black velvet box in his hands. Her breath caught at the look in his eyes when he saw her dressed in the gown he’d selected for her. She floated down the stairs to stand before him.

    “You are a vision, my