Stonebound: Shifters Forever Worlds (Skeleton Key) Read Online Free Page B

distaste was replaced with a blank expression.
    “H—H—How—”
    “How did I know?” The green in her eyes had a dangerous glint.
    He nodded. Why was his tongue paralyzed?
    “You look exactly like him. What else could you be? And you are a lion shifter. Were a lion shifter.”
    Were? What did she mean? He opened his mouth but no sound came out.
    “Your lion is taking a long, long nap, Cristiano Carrera.” She rose, her dress swishing as she took angry stilted steps, pacing about the room. “What makes you think I want an interloper ruining my plans?” She was holding a key, made of glass, about the length of her palm, with a skeleton’s head and two teeth.
    Tino watched the key, transfixed as it caught and refracted light.
    He was becoming disoriented. Her words were fading in and out as Tino struggled to remain focused.
    Iniga knew about him. Knew about his lion. Then he realized. She’d sent his lion away. It was as if he—
    Fuck. Fuck.
    Tino tried to reach out to his lion. Nothing. No luck at all.
    She’s a witch. That’s why my lion is gone.
    “You fool—” She whirled around. “You will not ruin this. No.”
    Tino couldn’t focus. She was a fast moving, fast talking blur.
    And just like that, in the blink of an eye, before he could react, though he had no idea how he’d have reacted, Tino was gone.
    He was there. He could see her but…
    Everything faded to black.

Chapter 7
    T ino came to with a start . Except there was a problem. He was…
    He tried to move his hands, arms, legs, they moved. But he went nowhere.
    He opened his mouth.
    Spoke. “Hey.”
    Sound came out.
    But…
    Confusion set in.
    A roar in his head.
    His lion.
    Glad you’re here.
    The lion chuffed a soothing sound, but Tino could hear the anger in his tone.
    “I can’t move.”
    The sound of his own voice was comforting.
    A noise came from nearby, Tino glanced around, recognizing the surroundings.
    He was in Marco Ricoletti’s sitting room. But…
    It took Tino a moment to put it together. He could move about in a small area but he couldn’t leave.
    The sound came again. Soft laughter.
    Suddenly, Iniga appeared in front of him.
    “You should not have come. I won’t kill you and risk Marco’s ultimate wrath should he ever find out, but I will keep you here forever.”
    “Where’s here?”
    Her face was unmoving. Was it possible he could hear her and she couldn’t hear him?”
    “Are you awake, lion shifter?”
    She can’t hear me. Can’t she see me?
    “I know you can hear me.” She paused, a look of uncertainty on her face. “If you’re awake.”
    Tino beat his hands against the stone prison he pummeled the wall.
    A frame fell off, smashed into several pieces with a loud crack.
    Iniga laughed. “You are awake. You are!” She clapped her hands, as if she’d accomplished something major.
    “Enjoy your new home, lion shifter.”

    * * *
    T ino was stuck . He was stuck in the walls of the villa, traveling about the mansion within the old stone walls, a captive to the witchery that put him there.
    This can’t last forever, can it?
    His lion was silent.
    A shadow crossed the room.
    Iniga.
    “Since you won’t behave, I’ve taken your lion away. If you show me you can be trusted, you can have him back. Otherwise enjoy some alone time.”
    “Iniga.” A deep baritone voice came from the other room.
    She whirled around.
    “Coming, my love,” she called out, then turned back. “You behave,” she whispered.
    “Where were you? I’ve been gone two days and you don’t seem very excited to see me.”
    Tino caught the glimpse of a man, broad shouldered, olive skin tone, before the man vanished from sight.
    Tino’s acute hearing picked up their departing conversation.
    “Of course I’m excited to see you. Let’s go to the back veranda for some tea.”
    Frustrated, Tino beat on the wall, causing a large painting to fall and crash into a small table, sending it flying.
    “What the hell was that?”
    Loud