The lion has to stay outside" "He won't like it" The lion shook his mane. I looked at Curran. The lion melted. Skin stretched, bones twisted, and human Curran straightened. He was completely nude. Gloriously nude. "Well," Hrefna said. "I always wondered why you went all shapeshifter. Explain things.

Only poor people are weird. Rich people are eccentric.

An evil spark flared in his eyes. "Trade: raccoon for some answers.

The phone rang. I picked it up. "Kate Daniels" "It's me," Curran said. "I—" I hung up.

Curran is the Beast Lord. Tremble.

Bad days, good days, ‘I’ll cut you if you look at me the wrong way’ days. I’ll take them all.

I'm counting to ten in my head." "Is it helping?" "No." "It doesn't help me with you either. I used to life weights to alleviate frustration, but someone blowtorched my weight bench. How did you do it, by the way?" "I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you.