Page 52 of Hot Monster Summer

Lily’s breath quickens as our hands work simultaneously. Her skin flushes pink, and not from the sun. I catch Kaelen’s eye over her shoulder, and for once, we share a moment of perfect understanding.

We’re driving her wild, and we’re enjoying it.

“There,” I say eventually, reluctantly pulling my hands away. “All protected.”

“Thanks,” she says, her voice slightly higher than usual. “That was… thorough.”

We spend the rest of the afternoon lounging in the sun, talking, joking, and, miracle of miracles, not trying to killeach other. I tell stories of the lake's depths and treasures I’ve collected over centuries. Kaelen speaks of running through forests under the full moon. Oren describes watching saplings grow into ancient trees through the passage of time.

“You’re all so ancient,” Lily says, “and I’m just a blip in your existence.”

“No,” all three of us say simultaneously, then glare at each other.

“You’re not a blip,” I tell her, a tentacle gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You’re a comet—brief but brilliant, changing everything in your path.”

“Poetic for a water-dweller,” Kaelen mutters.

“But can extend life. If Lily desires,” Oren rumbles with a soft smile.

As the sun begins to set, we move to the fire pit. Kaelen lights the fire while Oren arranges logs for seating. I retrieve the food we’ve stashed nearby: hot dogs, buns, and marshmallows, the essential ingredients for any human camping experience.

Lily’s eyes light up at the sight of the food. “Is this a monster cookout? Because I am so here for it.”

We roast hot dogs over the fire, Lily laughing as Kaelen burns his to a crisp.

“I like it that way,” he insists while Oren roasts his with precise patience.

Mine is perfect, naturally.

The sky darkens, stars appearing one by one. The fire casts a warm glow over us, softening edges, creating an intimacy that feels comfortable and charged with potential. Lily sits between Kaelen and me on one log, with Oren on a log opposite us, his large form silhouetted against the flames.

“Marshmallow time,” Lily announces, reaching for the bag.

We each take turns roasting marshmallows. Kaelen, predictably, sets his on fire. Oren roasts his to precise goldenperfection. I get impatient and eat mine raw, which makes Lily giggle.

“You’re supposed to roast it first,” she says, demonstrating by slowly turning her stick over the flames.

“Too slow,” I reply, stealing another from the bag. “I prefer immediate gratification.”

Her eyes meet mine across the fire, and something hot and promising passes between us. “Do you now?”

Kaelen’s growl is soft but unmistakable as he picks up on the shift in mood. Oren straightens slightly, his mossy brow furrowing as he watches us.

Lily pulls her perfectly roasted marshmallow from the fire, blowing on it gently before sliding it slowly off the stick with her teeth. All three of us watch, transfixed, as her lips close around the sticky sweetness, a small moan of pleasure escaping her.

“It’s better when you wait,” she says, licking her fingers clean.

The tension around the fire thickens. I can feel Kaelen’s heightened awareness beside me, can see the slow unfurling of new flowers blooming along Oren’s arms.

“Lily,” I say, my voice dropping lower, “you’re playing with fire.”

She looks around at all three of us, a mischievous smile curving her lips. “No, I’m playing with monsters. Much more dangerous.”

She stands up, stretching deliberately, her body silhouetted against the flames. “It’s getting hot,” she says, and pulls her top off in one fluid motion.

The sight of her bare breasts in the firelight sends a surge of desire through me so strong that my tentacles writhe involuntarily. Kaelen makes a sound between a growl and a moan.

Oren breathes, “Beautiful Lily”.

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