Beauties of the Beast (The Yellow Hoods, #4): Steampunk meets Fairy Tale Read Online Free Page A

before he’d shot her, he’d looked different. His hair was now a mess, his face unshaven, and his grey suit was dirty and stained. His pistol was strapped to his leg, but hung there as if he had no idea it existed. 
    As he turned, Elly saw the once piercing green eyes were now emerald windows to a shattered soul. He was a man undone. A strange smile crossed his lips as he and Elly made eye contact. “It is… good to see you are alive,” he said, his voice was oddly hesitant. His eyes darted away, bouncing around the room before settling on the window. “Elly… You must fix Tee. She’s taken my wolf, but she’s using it. I can’t get it back until she’s fixed. I need it back, because without it, who am I?” He rubbed his cheek, confused. “Who am I?”
    Elly felt Tee tense. “Tee, is he insane?”
    Tee turned and glared at LeLoup. 
    LeLoup recoiled at her gaze. “No! No ! Give me back my wolf! Please, don’t eat me. Please!” He covered his face and looked out the window again. “You need to get well, and then I will take it back. You can’t keep it.”
    Elly saw the fragile look in Tee’s eyes and nodded. She couldn’t imagine what had happened—why he was there, why Tee had that look—but Elly knew it was now her turn to be the defender. “Go,” she said to LeLoup.
    “One day I will find you, Tee… And… and I will become me again,” he said, leaving.

CHAPTER FOUR

Da Boss
     
    The tea cup took off out of Franklin’s grip and smashed on the wall. “YIG!” he cursed, glaring at the fading spasm in his hand. They’d been coming and going ever since Tee had shocked him, and were strong enough to shake him awake in the night. Every spasm added fuel to his fiery temperament.
    “That’s four cups, kid. You’re getting expensive,” said Stefano, annoyed, rubbing his dark, stubbly face. The henchman’s arms and neck were as thick as they were hairy. “Don’t throw the rest of the breakfast, okay? I’m still working on it.”
    Franklin glared at the newly shattered cup through his long blond bangs, which hid the black eye from Elly. He turned from the plate of dry toast, the plate of sausage, and finally to the tea pot. No matter how many cups he destroyed, the pot wouldn’t care.
    “Hey, hands off the pot,” said Stefano, knocking Franklin’s hands back. “You were doing that mumbling nonsense thing again, kid. I heard you say that girl’s name this time. Geez kid, look, she zapped you. She zapped all of us. You’ll get better.”
    “And if I don’t?” asked Franklin angrily. “I’m an inventor . I need my hands, and no distractions. I can’t be flailing about like an idiot. I have every right—”
    “Hey!” yelled Stefano, slamming his hand down on the table rattling the dishes. “ You listen up now, kid. I’ve had enough of your whining. Suck it up, or put your anger to use, that’s what my Ma used to say. The other option is I just snap that neck of yours like a… like a… a twig. Either way, get quiet—and quick.”
    Franklin was all ready to unleash whatever fury he had in him when he realized that Stefano was right, in his own simplistic way. There was no point seething with anger and twisting himself up more and more, especially when there was no Tee around to direct it at.
    Stefano pointed with his thumb at the tea stains. “You better hope that LeLoup shows up, because let me tell you, Franky, Ruffo and I, we ain’t paying for jack.”
    Franklin frowned. “Does jack mean nothing? Did you just imply you were going to pay for everything? ”
    Stefano’s fists made a noise like tightening leather just as Ruffo walked in. He was bigger than Stefano. His face was clean shaven and his shoulder length brown-red hair was a wet mess. Like Franklin and Stefano, he was dressed exactly like he was the day before, just more wrinkled. “That crackpot LeLoup here yet?” he asked.
    “No,” said Stefano, disgusted.
    Ruffo cursed, looking at the breakfast. “The