Free Master of Shadows by Angela Knight Page B

served it to guests. For God’s sake, he’d known her for a thousand years.
    But not really. Yes, he’d run into her at parties and served on the High Council with her, but there’d always been others around. And she’d been a court seducer, a job which had both kept her busy and encouraged him to keep his distance.
    Besides, she’d always reminded him a little too much of Isolde, another beautiful blonde who’d been adored by every man who met her. He’d assumed Belle would have Isolde’s darker edges, too.
    So he’d steered clear. Until last month, when Morgana had forced him to accept Belle as a partner, after Belle had suddenly acquired an inexplicable need to work field missions.
    He’d quickly realized she was far more dangerous than Isolde, magic notwithstanding. Yes, she had the same bright and flashing charm, but she also had a strength and intelligence Isolde had never possessed.
    He really should have anticipated that. Belle was, after all, a Maja, while Isolde had failed Merlin’s tests.
    Isolde had also been a the traitor who’d left his soul in bleeding desolation.
    Tris was coming to want Belle every bit as much as he’d ever wanted Isolde. Remembering the look in her eyes as she realized how the taste of her affected him was enough to get him hard all over again.
    “It’s not a good idea to become lovers with your partner,” he’d told Davon. And it wasn’t.
    But he didn’t always follow his own advice.
    He was planning Belle’s seduction when sunrise stole his consciousness.
     
    The creature that had been Dice Warren snarled, sounding like a chainsaw in the confines of the cavern.
    Warlock circled him warily. Dice was huge, easily the size of an Indian elephant. The wizard had been forced to gate them both into the largest cavern in the cave network for this little exercise. He wanted to give his monster room to learn who was dominant.
    Warlock was looking forward to this. He hadn’t had a really good fight since the battle with Smoke and his little werewolf whore.
    Nothing made him feel as alive as spilling the blood of something that could kill him.
    Dice could definitely do the job. The beast looked like a cross between a wolf and a tiger, with a long muzzle and triangular, upright ears. Yet his body was catlike, with thick, powerful legs that were proportionately shorter than a wolf’s. Each of his forepaws was the size of Warlock’s head, while his retractable claws were the length of daggers. His fur was long and bushy like a wolf’s, in a shade of rich, dark sable that contrasted with the yellow glow of his eyes. He was both beautiful and terrifying.
    Now all Warlock had to do was tame him.
    “What have you done to me, you bastard?” Dice’s voice sounded deep, growling. He also had an incongruous lisp, since he hadn’t yet learned to speak through his carnivore’s fangs.
    Warlock gave him a taunting smile. “I’ve made you my perfect weapon.”
    Yellow eyes narrowed. “You made me a monster. And I’m going to rip you apart.”
    Warlock smirked and gestured. A snaking length of blue light appeared in his hand, spilling to the ground to curl around his clawed feet like the lash of a whip. “Come on then, boy. Try for me.”
    “I ain’t a boy.” Black lips lifted off white teeth. “I ain’t even a man.” And he charged.
    Fortunately, he wasn’t used to his massive body, and inexperience made Dice slow and awkward. Warlock stepped aside like a matador teasing a bull. A flick of his wrist sent the spell whip flashing out to bite into Dice’s shoulder. The creature yelped in startled pain.
    Dice wheeled and struck out with a clawed forepaw. If he’d connected, he would have ripped Warlock’s head off his shoulders.
    The wizard was too fast and experienced for that. Ducking, he sent his whip licking out to curl around Dice’s foreleg. This time the creature’s cry of pain was more howl of rage. He spun toward Warlock and gathered himself, narrow yellow eyes