Page 222 of Monsters in Love

Surely she knows. “As I said you were intimate with me, so I have repaid the favor,otoki.”

I tip her chin with one of my nails, forcing her to finally gaze at me. Her face blossoms into a richer shade of red and she bites her bottom lip. “Why do you keep saying that to me? Are you cussing me out?” Her brows knit together.

I cannot help it; I bark out a laugh. “Oh no, it is but a name to call you as I did not know yours.”

“My name’s Echo, not otokee?” She completely butchers the word, forcing me to swallow another laugh to spare her the embarrassment.

“Eu-toh-ki,” I pronounce for her.

Her eyes roll in her head, showing me the whites of her eyes. Is she intending to show fear? “What’s your name, if we’re going to be giving them? It’s better than calling you ‘Moth.’”

“Xakiras.”

She hums a little. “Can you take me back to my camp? My people were attacked, and I need to find my crew.” She hesitates a moment, chewing at the bottom of her lip. “Please, Xakiras?”

I should lie, tell her I will take her to wherever she needs, but I know it will be of no use to give her false hope. “I cannot. Not yet.”

I feel saddened by the defeated look she takes on because I cannot take her anywhere but to the capital. We cannot allowukolistalone to die or perhaps destroy our lands.

“What is your plan then? I’m only trusting you because you haven’t tried to eat me yet. You did kiss me—” Echo pauses, and her eyes dart away again. “I’ve been with aliens before, but they usually ask me first.”

She speaks so quickly that I find it hard to follow her train of thought. “I am taking you to theKugitauri. As for the rest, you touched me without my consent first, so, I have every intention of finishing what we started.”

My fingers trace the edges of Echo’s face again, but her hand slaps it away.

“Nothing will happen from this point on between us. You can take me back to the camp right this second. I need to find my crew as soon as possible, and the Imperium needs to know where I am.” Echo’s lip pokes out in a pout, and she crosses her arms. There is a simmering fury lingering behind her eyes that flickers likelampfyr. She will be stubborn about this, I see.

“I have been flying much of the day and need rest. We will speak more on the matter of taking you back the way we came then. For now we should seek shelter.”

Echo sighs, those stormy eyes of hers downcast. “There were large scorpions that attacked us. I don’t know what they were; they had four legs and exoskeletons, but the upper half of them were humanoid. I need to go back.”

Then it is too late for them. The Krel leave nothing alive; how did Echo make it out alive?

When I am to my feet, I finally answer her. I keep the information to myself, knowing that for now, we are far too out in the open. She will be inconsolable when she realizes they are all likely gone. “We will continue this conversation when we are in shelter. I am certain you do not wish to smell the bog any longer than necessary.”

Echo shakes her head, her brows knitting together. “How long will we be gone? Just take me back.” She crosses her arms, widening her stance. “I refuse to go with you.”

Echo is trapped here, unable to keep herself safe unless she is with me—with all of the Nocris.

“Otoki…you will go back when I say you may go back.” I step closer to her, looming over her, and yet she doesn’t back away. The defiance sparkles anew, and I wish things could be different than they are. “Now do you wish to be taken against your will, or shall you come with me willingly?”

Echo’s lip pokes out a little bit further than usual, and she looks up at me defiantly. “You wouldn’t dare!”

I snort, unperturbed by her because I will take her to safety whether she wants it or not. I will try to be kind, however. She is, after all, in a new place, where she clearly does not understand anything.

“Echo, I will do what I must to ensure your safety. Please do not make me treat you like I would a child.” My patience is growing thin with her. I grab her, pulling her small body to mine as I have multiple times.

“Let me go! I don’t want to go with you; I need to get back to my camp!” Echo pushes against my chest, wriggling to get free. The more she struggles and screams, the harder I hold her.

“Quiet! Do you want the Sagath to hear you?” I grit through my teeth, jerking her up closer to me.

“Go fuck yourself.” She brings her foot down on mine, sending a wave of pain through my body.

I hiss in pain, grunting and baring my teeth at her assault on me. My anger boils, and without warning, I grip her tighter and rise into the air. Taking care to miss the tendrils from the great tree, I fly faster and harder than I have before. I intentionally refuse to speak, and the faster I go, the more she screams.

“Otoki,quiet! Do you want every predator in this forest after us?” I lean in closer to her, close enough to smell her. I really do not understand why she smells so delicious when, by all rights, she is the most hideous and annoying creature I have ever come across. Tempted by her scent, I lick at the strange little nubs on the side of her head. Her perspiration is salty and sweet.

Her body tenses, and finally she quiets. I can hear a noise gather in the back of her throat. “Stop that,” she says with defiance as she squirms.

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