Page 1 of Monsters In Her Head

Chapter 1

Contrary to what Ihad believed, there were actually parts of Mount Boyon that were warmer than others.

The drakes with their half-dragon side didn’t notice the cold as much as we full humans did. I’d said as much and Tat, my faithful guard, eagerly showed me this hallway near an underground hot spring. We’d spent many days there in the hallway much to Aryn’s and the king’s displeasure.

“No... that’s not right.” I threw my head back and laughed at Tat’s attempt to sign. I waved his hands down and showed him the correct way. “Fingers like this... and then you tap them together like that.”

Tat repeated the hand gesture for “meet you” once more.

“Perfect.” I clapped my hands together and smiled at him, signing as I spoke.

I’d gotten into the habit since Tat had asked me to teach him how to talk to me like Aryn and I did. At first, I was hesitant. It had to be some kind of trick from Ryu to intercept into mine and Aryn’s little world.

I didn’t know why I cared. Back home, once I lost my hearing, everyone made the effort to learn how to sign so they could interact with me. I was horrible and reluctant to learn at first. I didn’t want anyone to treat me differently, like I was broken.

Except... I had been. Physically and spiritually. I’d overcome the sickness but lost my mother and my hearing in the process. At that time, I didn’t know which one had been worse. Now, I knew losing my hearing wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

I’d give up all my senses to have my mother back in my life again. Because having her here was far better than not being able to hear anyone’s obnoxious voice again.

“Nice to meet you,” Tat tried again, dragging me out of my thoughts. “What did I say before?”

Showing him the signs as I spoke, I explained, “You basically said it was nice to have sex with me.” Tat’s eyes widened, my smile widening. “It’s easy to get the two mixed up. I just wouldn’t say that to Aryn unless you want to get smacked.”

Tat rubbed a hand over his face and shook his head. “I think I’ll hold off on signing with Aryn. She scares me.”

Giggling, I shoved Tat with a hand. Not that the massive drake moved at all. Why were all the drakes so big? I didn’t know how they could all fit under this mountain without anyone knowing.

A dark shadow covered us, and Tat scrambled to his feet. I glanced up from the large golden scaled feet to the thick calves and muscular thighs, lingering on the cloth covered waist far longer than I should have before sliding up the hard ridges of the abs I had an overwhelming need to lick and settling on the sharp chin and pillowy lips. The scar bisecting the pale yellow eye only added to the appeal of the king’s brother, Ira.

Unlike Tat, I didn’t scramble to my feet. I tipped my head to the side and blinked at him.

His lips moved in small, unreadable movements. Whatever he said made Tat stiffen and avoid looking at me.

That wouldn’t do.

I lifted my hand up to Tat, who immediately grabbed it and helped me to my feet. Ira’s lips moved again and Tat released me abruptly after I landed on my feet.

I shot a scowl at Tat before gesturing to him, “You left your spine on the ground.”

Tat’s brows furrowed and then they shot up as he deciphered what I said to him. His lips twitched, then flattened just as quickly. He turned on his heel without so much as a flick of his wrist.

Pursing my lips, I turned my ire onto the drake prince before me. “What did you say to him?”

Ira blinked his good eye at me. Not saying anything, he turned on his heel and walked away, his long red-orange hair brushing his back as he went.

Scowling at the prince’s back, I hesitated for a second before stalking after him. Ira didn’t bother to communicate with me as I walked beside him. His good eye slid over to me before moving back to the front.

We walked for a few moments like that, a few drakes passing by every now and again, their eyes sliding to me before jerking away when Ira glared at them. When we reached a tunnel with more light than the others, I grabbed Ira by the wrist, his spiked bracelet just inches from stabbing my hand.

“Enough with the mysterious drake act. What did you say to Tat? Where are we going?” I spoke and signed at the same time. Ira’s eyes darted from my lips to my hands every few words.

His lips ticked up on the unscarred side. This time he actually moved his lips precise enough that I could understand what he was saying. “That guard needs to learn his place. You are not friends.”

I frowned. “You don’t get to tell me who I am friends with.” I smacked my hands together hard enough to sting my hands. “You don’t own me.”

Ira crowded around me until my back hit the wall of the tunnel. My traitorous body tingled and heated at his proximity, half wanting him closer and the other telling me to push him away. The sharp points of his knee braces poked into the soft parts of my thighs. Ira’s hand wrapped around my throat, the tip of the claws pinching my skin.

Amusement glittered in his one good yellow eye, his face shoving into my hair. His words tickled my mind.My brother has claimed you. Thus, you belong to the drakes.

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