Taking Nicole (Vegas Mates Series)(#4) Read Online Free Page B

under his breath.
    “It’s fine, Mr. Katsaros.” Carlotta held up a hand to still both her mate and Aaron. “Renata is fulfilling her purpose. The Demakis family held too much power. It was a mistake on the Council’s part to ever let them gain control of the three main packs in the U.S.”
    “That’s it. Fulfilling a purpose? Is that what you call murder?”
    “The entire world you live in is built on the blood of others,” her grandfather added. “Would you rather your blood join theirs? Or would you prefer to go on living?”
    “Who gave the Council the authority of the gods?” Nicole shot back.
    “When the gods and the Originals stopped giving a damn.” The anger in her grandfather’s voice was clue enough the conversation was over. No point in arguing. If she wanted to know more, she’d have to ask one of the sources—Kate.
    ***
    Aaron kept his gaze lowered, never daring to make eye contact with either of the Antipas royals. His mind was spinning, trying to figure a way to keep his interest in their granddaughter hidden. His life and his sister’s were as good as over if anyone noticed the connection between him and Nicole.  
    It took every shred of his concentration to ignore the gentle brush of her thigh against his. The way her arm bumped his when the car jolted sent pulses through his body. His magick hummed in Nicole’s presence, but his cat still refused to speak to him. It refused to see reason. Though it loved his sister as well, it stood fast that she wouldn’t want him to lose a chance with a true mate.  
    Even though the bond between them was weak and still indiscernible by others, it was growing stronger. He could feel her irritation loud and clear. He could also sense her arousal. Her attempts to pull him in on the plane had nearly succeeded. With her and his cat working against him, he didn’t stand a chance in hell of resisting for long.
    Thankfully, after the little spat between the three of them over who was in charge, they all remained silent for the rest of the ride. Nearly a half-hour later, they pulled up to the front of the Antipas palace.  
    The property spanned hundreds of acres and the square footage in the main building totaled near thirty-five thousand. It had been daunting when he first arrived a hundred years before. His family had been slaughtered and his sister taken prisoner to force his undying loyalty. For a century he’d served as a personal slave to Reginald and Carlotta Antipas, always hoping one day they’d grant his precious sister freedom from what they teasingly referred to as their private zoo.  
    It didn’t even deserve to be called a zoo. He’d visited zoos owned by humans. Their animals were much better provided for than his sister and the other prisoners. The prisoner building sat a quarter mile back from the palace and housed dozens of animals—shifters trapped in animal form by a witch’s spell.
    They were kept in steel cages, fed once a day, and cleaned of waste once a day with a high-powered hose. Many of the prisoners had gone feral. Those who had were kept in a constant state of semi-consciousness via tranquilizers.  
    Some were like his sister and still had family who visited and talked to them. They were able to retain a balance between their humanity and the animal soul who’d been given control. There had been days, though, especially through the last few years when even his precious Sasha had become wild, growling at his hand and forcing him away from her cage in tears.
    Aaron opened the limo door and helped Nicole to her feet, and then Carlotta. Reginald exited from the other side. He caught the small hitch in Nicole’s breathing. The palace was overwhelming, and the look on her face showed it.
    “Come child,” Carlotta said. “It’s nearly time for the evening meal and I’m famished. The cook is making roasted pheasant—it’s one of her specialties. I requested it just for your arrival.”
    A surge of anger flowed through