The Beast Within (The Elite Series) - By Jonathan Yanez Page 0,40

reason, giving in to his inner beast. Randolph grabbed him and half dragged, half carried him out of the room, disappearing into the damp night.

Connor trembled with pain and fatigue. He was no doctor, but he knew the wounds he received were life threatening. As he lay motionless on the floor, he heard a scream that marked the end of their last enemy.

At least he was able to save them. He could take comfort in that. Now if he could only see her one more time. His eyes flickered open.

“Oh, Connor. No. No. You’re going to be okay.”

Connor was fading fast. Laren looked like a shadow now. Her green eyes were the only thing bright enough for him to focus on. He could tell Laren and Lu were talking about him, but their voices were muffled. He was losing control of his senses.

“Connor, stay with me. I’m going to save you. I know you’re one of us. You have to be. But I need you to know this is going to get worse before it gets better. I’ll be here for you, but to save you, I’m going to have to put you through more pain. I just need you to know.”

Connor managed a weak smile and an even weaker, “Sounds great,” before a wave of coughing savaged his body.

Laren held his shaking frame until the coughs passed, then held him once more at arm’s length. She was different.

Laren changed. In place of her sparkling green eyes, yellow moons stared back at him, and where her perfect smile was before, a dangerous set of fangs greeted him.

Too weak to do anything else, Connor felt his body being lifted towards this being. She hugged him firmly, brought her mouth to his neck, and clenched her jaws around his jugular.

It was a feeling unlike any he ever experienced. It was as if life flowed both out of him and into him, as if an inner part of him he always knew was there, had awakened.

With each passing second, he felt stronger; his vision cleared, his shoulder and chest ceased to hurt, and breathing came easier. Still she bit him, a steel trap, her jaws wrapped around his neck. Just as he was about to push her off , the real pain started.

This pain wasn’t like the pain in his shoulder and chest, and it wasn’t like a broken bone or gash. This pain came from deep inside, as though an animal was tearing its way out. It was blinding, consuming, breathtaking. It steadily intensified until Connor didn’t know if he could handle anymore. A cry escaped from his throat completely on its own. Was it a cry or a roar? He didn’t know. All he knew was that his body was alive with power, with rage, with intensity.

There was a beast awakening inside him and the beast wasn’t happy someone had disturbed its slumber. It was tearing its way out. The power was overwhelming, intoxicating. The last thing Connor remembered was bone-crushing pain and then… nothing.

CHAPTER 10

CONNOR OPENED HIS EYES; HE was trying to recall a dream. Was it last night or the night before? He couldn’t remember, all he knew was that it was the nicest dream he’d had in a very long time. It was on the verge of his memory, playing with his consciousness. He redoubled his effort but all he could recall was a warm sun and the presence of someone watching over him who loved him very much.

Unable to bring the details of his dream to the surface, he took in his surroundings. He was in a large bed with white sheets in a gigantic room. The room was decorated elegantly with expensive paintings and rich carpets. A large window allowed light and clean air to breeze through.

The air was sweeter than he remembered. His ears perked up as he caught a variety of noises. Birds chirped outside, faint voices met his ears, and the wind even made a light, whooshing sound. He rose from his bed and walked to the window, the thick rug hugging his feet in warmth. He was shirtless and dressed in long white pajama bottoms that weren’t his but fit him nonetheless.

He opened the dark red curtains. Connor stared out the window, startled with the scene that lay before him. The familiar houses and streets of suburban New York were gone. The trees and buildings he’d become so familiar with were nowhere to be found, instead open fields met his eyes. He