Page 33 of Becoming Monsterous

"We don't even know how much freedom they'll give us—"

"Brute House wants their own in-between realm," one of the Reptilis guards announces, translating for his people. "They feel Occult and Greymark House have gotten more than their fair share for too long."

"You think slavery is a privilege?"

"We should discuss killing the girl again. Maybe Kincaide was right—"

Renoire calls out, "We already made that decision! The power of Aphrodite should be ours,canbe ours. Once it is, anything is possible."

The shouting starts to layer so much that it's impossible to make out any particular words. I slide over to Ellie, reaching out to put my hand on her upper arm and soothe her. She shoots me a grateful smile—but I can feel her tension, can almost hear the fast beating of her heart.

She deserves so much better than this. I want her to feel safe. Protected.

"I have a proposal." Dorian's voice cuts through the crowd. I wish I could do that. "We should pick a representative from each of our houses and have them debate the issue together."

The temperature in the room seems to lower at this.

"I will, of course, be the representative from Occult House. Greymark House?"

"I will represent us," Mera declares, which is no surprise. "As our alpha."

The banstrike is chosen as the Magna House leader, the Raiju from Anima House, one of the Reptilis from Brute House, and a Machine from Osseus House. Each are the most even-tempered of their kind. Hopefully that will be enough to sway things in Ellie's side.

"Good—it's decided. We have two weeks. In the meantime, Ms. Blackburn..." I don't like the way Dorian looks at Ellie. "Let's stay out of trouble, yes? You're one of Occult House now, with a triumvirate to prove it. No more unplanned trips to the Shadow World or accidental summonings of gods."

I stiffen. There's something about the edge in his voice that makes me want to choke him to death.

I don't like it. But Ellie goes along with it.

"I'll stay out of trouble. I want to earn your trust. This is one way to do it."

The general meeting comes to an end, and the summoners return to open the portals and dismiss the summoned monsters. We watch them go, the building trembling beneath the heavy steps of the giants.

We go back to our rooms. Morpheus peels off into his, claiming he needs to wash the Shadow World off. Aleron says he's going to stick pins in his voodoo doll of Dorian. That just leaves me.

And her.

She smells... so fucking good. Her lips are soft and plump. There's a shine in her green eyes that wasn't there before she accepted Medusa's powers.

I want her. Always have, always will.

As I escort Ellie into her, I have a question for her that I can't resist asking. One that makes my cock throb, even though it shoulder know better.

"Ellie..." I trail off as she looks at me, wide-eyed innocent in that once-mortal gaze of hers. "Did you mean it when you said that you want to be with me?"

Chapter25

Ellie

Icould lie.

Dance around the issue.

Claim that I'm not ready.

But this is what I've been waiting for. What I've fantasized about and touched myself while I'm aroused.

Angus is an impossibly kind, generous... andenormousman. I want to know what it feels like to have all of him—monster, man, and everything in between.

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