Page 27 of Pleasured by the Panther (The Monstrum Kindred)

MIRANDA

Miranda took a quick shower and got dressed as quickly as possible.

She chose one of the dresses the Spider Monstrum had made for her and pulled it on, packing the rest in their tiny garment bag in her purse.

Before she knew it, Korrath was leading her silently back to the Docking Bay where rows of golden Monstrum ships stood waiting.

Her heart was aching as a massive Monstrum with the horns and bulk of a bull—a Taurus Monstrum , she thought hazily—prepared to take her back to Earth . Korrath stood a few paces away, his face shadowed.

“I care for you deeply, Miranda ,” he said at last, his voice hoarse. “ I hope you’ll forgive me in time.”

She clenched her fists and looked away. Her time with the big Monstrum had been a beautiful dream, but that dream was over now—broken by reality. And she couldn’t forgive him for giving Hanna so much unnecessary stress right before her wedding.

A wave of guilt swamped her—god, the wedding! She ought to be down there right now. She should have been there all along, supporting her daughter through this stressful time—not up here orbiting Mars and getting her fantasies fulfilled by a huge, anthropomorphic panther-man!

“I have to go,” she said tightly, barely looking at Korrath . “ Please don’t try to contact me.”

And then she turned away from him, climbing onto the shuttle, forcing herself not to look back.

It was over…forever. And she wasn’t going to let herself cry about it.