Changing Beauty (Book 2) (The Deadly Beauties Live On) by C. M. Owens

understands. We’ve been around a long time and lost inside our skin. He understands what they can’t.
    The silence stretches on until I finally commit to my plan. “Zee, how strong would your bonds be to someone you sired?”
    “I don’t know. Never sired anyone. Never plan to. Why?”
    “You can’t be serious,” Ella growls, slapping my arm hard enough to make me wince. Damn, she’s strong.
    “You can’t honestly say you didn’t see this coming,” Gage says to her, unaffected by my plan. He gets it.
    “I won’t sire her,” Zee says adamantly.
    “Not even for me?” I drawl, charmingly of course.
    “Hell no. The bonds would be intense, and Roslyn would even think she’s in love with me for at least a while. Do you think you could take that? Because I’d rather not be your punching bag after doing what you asked.”
    Hadn’t thought of that shit. He’s right—I’d fuck him up if she started trying to seduce him because of the bonds.
    “Then Sierra can do it,” I say, shrugging. “Lycans don’t bond like that.”
    “You’re a selfish, arrogant son of a bitch,” Amy growls, reminding me that she’s within earshot. “How could you even think of doing that to her?”
    “Just because you didn’t appreciate being turned doesn’t mean everyone would be that way. If Roslyn and I get close enough, it would only make sense to turn her.”
    Amy snarls, but Sierra shrugs. “Let me know if you want it done. I don’t mind.”
    Amy turns a fire-breathing glare on her, but Sierra acts unaffected as she squats to examine the ground closer.
    “Don’t just have her turned. Give her a choice.” Ella’s threatening and scolding glare is concentrated on me, but it doesn’t make me feel bad in the least for what I want.
    “Can’t. She might say no. Besides, after she realizes she won’t age, she’ll be fine with it. I can help her leash the inner beast.”
    Gage laughs, but smothers it quickly when Kimber turns a warning glare on him. He’s so fucking whipped.
    “Look at Amy,” Ella reminds him. Of course Amy still looks like she’s plotting my death. “She hates this life. She wants to be human. She never wanted any of this. What if Roslyn is like her?”
    She wouldn’t be. Amy was turned by a ruthless killer that just wanted a mate to mount. I want Roslyn for many other reasons, even though it’s all a little murky to me. I actually hate being away from her right now.
    “Amy and Roslyn are two different people.”
    “She could end up hating you as much as I hated the monster who turned me into this,” Amy growls.
    I roll my eyes. She’s such a drama queen.
    “You constantly point out that we’re not human,” Ella says, bringing my attention back. “But Roslyn is. You have to treat her like a human with human views. She doesn’t understand the ways of our world.”
    My mouth opens, but Sierra speaks before I can come up with any sort of rebuttal.
    “I hate to interrupt, but, Gage, I need you to lift this soil. This entire section has been disturbed recently,” she says, still ignoring Amy.
    Gage does it without hesitation, while Amy, Kimber, and Ella all shoot daggers at me with their eyes. But all attention goes to the disgusting sight Gage’s magic unveils the second the top of the soil is gone. There, in a deep pit, lies at least thirty dead bodies.
    “Holy shit,” Gage says on a gasp, kneeling in front of the mass grave.
    The bodies are all crumpled on top of each other, legs and arms entwined awkwardly from their careless placement. They look like they’ve been dead for years, but the grave is a few days fresh, judging by the look of the dirt before Gage removed it.
    “What the hell?” Zee asks, getting closer.
    “I’m calling Dray to see if he’s close by,” Sierra says, worrying her lip between her teeth as she pulls out her phone.
    But there’s something missing. “Why the hell can’t we smell a grave of rotting corpses?” I ask.
    “Because these are night