Shadow Guardians: The Beast
Chapter 9

Magnus’ thighs were burning like the fires of the Abyss. His legs ached, and his feet were cramping up. And he still couldn’t stop running on the treadmill. Mile eleven, and he was still going, this after bench pressing 512 reps of 320lbs until he had to put down the weights before he cracked his own ribs. And then he went for a round with the boxing bag, which he punched so hard that the chain nearly came off the ceiling. And he was about to go for that bag again because his legs wouldn’t hold him any longer if he kept running.

It was four hours after sunrise. He hadn’t slept a wink, but he felt that Katherine was safe outside and that he could try to burn off some steam. It wasn’t working. But he was sort of hoping for a miracle, hoping he could somehow bypass his own biology.

He switched off the treadmill and grabbed his third towel from the rack. His thighs barely supported him when he climbed off the darned thing.

And then, of course, his brother had to pass by for a midday snack and catch him, sweaty and panting, and...

At first, Draven yawned, narrowing his eyes to make sure he wasn’t seeing things, then he smirked cockily and leaned in the doorway.

He low whistled. “Man, take a look at that log... You’re not going to get rid of it this way, my brother. Exercise is not what that thing needs.”

Magnus rolled his eyes and turned away from him. Yeah, no kidding, it wasn’t working. The bonding period was all hell for a male, accompanied by intense sexual cravings. He ached fiercely, and nothing relieved the steadily building pain down there. He’d been to the bathroom, not to shower, nine times in the last four hours alone. That agony would continue to grow over the whole week of bonding time until he took the female or left the building to go far, far away.

The trouble was his instincts also told him to stay right here to watch over her, that she was fragile, and he couldn’t mount her like an animal.

“I’m trying to wear myself out,” he said, running fingers through his sweaty hair.

Draven shook his head. “I don’t envy you your torture... You know all you have to do is take her, mark her, and be done with it. And all that agony will be over and gone. I don’t think even Zachiel was this bad. You are one strung-out ball of sexual tension.”

Magnus shut his eyes. “Yeah, like I need the fucking reminder.” He couldn’t and wouldn’t sleep, and couldn’t eat either. “I can’t just take her. She’s not well.”

“So you want to exhaust yourself before you allow yourself to be around her?”

“Yes.”

Draven shook his head. “You’re not going to make it to tomorrow. I’m telling you now. It’s going to get worse with every passing hour. And I’m guessing you’re not into taking morphine.”

Magnus glared at him. He hated putting chemical shit in his body.

“Yeah. Thought as much. Well, I’ll just stay the fuck out of your way.” Draven smirked and left.

A spear of pressuring agony shot down his back. Magnus bent over and placed his hands on his knees. “Fuck,” he groaned. And hated his anatomy, and it wasn’t as if the beast’s lusting made it any easier. He marched into the bathroom and shut the door, trying for another futile release.

The garden in the courtyard was splendid. The grass was bordered by bushes, shrubs, and decorative rocks. Flowers competed for space and flecked the green with colorful dots. There was a large, three-tier fountain in the middle of the courtyard. There were some pots that were covered with blue and green mosaic. Sometimes Katherine thought she saw the sun reflect in an odd bright spot off the pieces of glass. She sat on the bench on the patio, just watching birds and listening to the trickle of water in the fountain. She’d been out for close to six hours.

Lizbeth came out with a bunch of folded clothes in her arms. “M’Lady? Mistress Ophelia has agreed to lend you some clothing until you go and collect your own.”

“Ophelia?”

“Master Zachiel’s wife. You two are about the same size.”

“That’s very kind of her. I haven’t even met her yet.”

“She said she would meet you once you go back inside. She’s in the recreational room. Sometimes her pregnancy keeps her up during sleeping hours.”

Katherine pulled a confused face. “I didn’t know vampires could recreate.”

Lizbeth smiled. “They can. Males can sense when females are fertile.”

She nodded lightly. “The sun is lovely out here.”

She didn’t know if she was willing to give that up. She loved the sun. Never being able to go back out in it again seemed so miserable, but then, so did dying. It had warmed her skin and returned a flush to her paleness. She was thinking of going back inside. She’d been out here for hours already.

“Shall I bring you something to eat now?” Lizbeth asked.

“Do you have Ensure?”

She frowned and shook her head. “No, Madam, but the porridge I made you earlier will not upset your stomach. The sauce has herbs and spices in it that will soothe.”

“And I suppose you have experience with upset stomachs in this house. Must’ve fed many who transitioned.”

“A few.” She smiled nostalgically.

Katherine felt light-headed, and the sun only seemed to have intensified the feeling. Perhaps trying to eat something wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

“Yeah, I’ll be right in. You can just put the clothes on the bed and push the trolley to the outside of the door.”

Lizbeth bowed. “As you wish, M’lady.”

Katherine waited a beat after she’d gone, and then she went in herself.