Page 21 of Love & Monsters
Knox’s fingers curled into my shoulder as he pulled me back. “What the fuck are you doing? We can’t bring her!”
In an instant, I was on my feet and snarling down at Knox. My lips curled and revealed my fangs as I hissed at him. A low growl rumbled from Knox in response, but he backed down, breaking eye contact as his head whipped away to stare at the floor.
“We will do as I wish, and I will bring the little one with me.” Looking back over my shoulder, I nodded at Mina still cowering in the bed. Forcing my growls down, I managed a softer tone for her. “Get dressed, Mina. We’re leaving now.”
Mina hesitated to get up. Her eyes went to the dress and then to Knox. Then I realized she didn’t want him to see her naked, and my immediate thought that followed was that I didn’t want him to see her bare, either. I knew it took a lot of courage for her to uncover for me, and I didn’t want to share that.
“Go watch the door. We’re right behind you,” I ordered Knox without looking at him. Mina held my attention, and I saw the red around her eyes and tremors in her body. And I could smell her fear, potent and alluring.
“Please hurry,” was all he said before stomping away, the sword on his hip clicking against the drake-skin armor he wore.
“Mina,” I began, but she interrupted.
“What’s happening, Vadric?” Her fingers tightened on the blanket. Another wave of her fear hit me, and the smell was awakening a primal instinct to chase her down and devour her.
“There’s no time to explain, little one. You can either come with me and get out of here or stay in this dungeon, not knowing what will become of you.” It was then I decided that if she stayed, I was going to wrap her in the blanket, toss her over my shoulder and take her with me, regardless.
A sudden desire to protect her was swelling in my chest, and it was bizarre. She was just some unfortunate human that fell through a portal into my realm, but she tasted divine, and I was enjoying the feeling of her skin when I had the chance to touch her.
“I don’t know what will happen to me if I go with you either,” she claimed, but her eyes went to the dress.
“Can you trust me?” In our few days together, I could tell she was growing accustomed to me. Still wary, but her fear in my presence was fading with each illicit encounter. That didn’t mean she trusted me.
“I don’t think I have a choice right now.” Resigned to her fate, Mina lowered the blanket and pulled the black fabric over her head.
I glimpsed her supple breasts and pink nipples, pebbled from the cold. Even as she got out of the bed and the dress fell over her curves, I couldn’t look away from every delicate inch of her while it was exposed. My groin ached at the memory of having that delicious body squirming against me as she came.
No, I couldn’t leave her behind.
“Come on.” I put my hand out for her as she stood from the bed. I saw her eyes widen as she placed her dainty little hand in mine, and as I curled my fingers around her, I had to be careful not to accidentally crush the fragile bones under her skin.
The door to the dungeon was wide open, and we moved quickly up onto the stairs leading back into the manor. But Mina was so small, while she could keep up running toward the door, she couldn’t on the stairs. I turned back and growled as I snatched her off her feet and cradled her in my arms.
Mina gasped and buried her face against my chest. She was so light. It was easier to carry her in my arms up the stairs than it had been having her run behind me. There wasn’t time to stop and think about the way she felt in my arms, either. I knew I enjoyed it.
Knox was at the top of the stairs. He rolled his eyes again when he saw the human in my arms, but I didn’t care. He’d taken Mina from scavengers in the market as a pet for Rykan, hoping to distract him, so I knew it annoyed him. His feelings on the matter weren’t important, even if he was my friend.
I needed to keep the human woman with me, despite how strange that desire was.
Thanks to the time of night, the manor was silent. Most of the city would be asleep and if Knox planned everything correctly, we should have a clear path out of here. The little one stayed cowered against my chest as we raced silently through the dark, quiet halls I knew like the back of my hand.
Knox was in the lead, checking around the corners with his sword at the ready. I lumbered behind, holding Mina tight and feeling her fluttering heart racing beneath her skin. We were so close to the back entrance where the servants unloaded the deliveries.
Then the elevated double wood doors for the delivery entrance came into view as we rounded a corner past the kitchens. Once through those doors, we’d be further from the miserable dungeon and another step closer to some semblance of freedom.
“Halt!” A guard in red armor stepped into our path. A growl rumbled through me as rage flared to life within me. Knox cut the guard down in an instant, but his shout had alerted the others.
Soon enough, I heard the pounding of boots on the floor as more guards rushed to block the door. Knox and I slowed, counting and calculating as six red clad guards blocked our exit.
“We’re sorry, but you must not leave!” The highest-ranking guard in the middle called out to us, where we halted. They crouched, weapons at the ready. “Lord Rykan has us under orders.”
Mina was utterly trembling in my arms, and I silently cursed. Swiftly setting her on her feet, I pushed the little one behind me and withdrew my sword.
The smell of her fear combined with the coming chaos of a fight has my blood pumping fast and I was itching to throw myself at the first guard in my way. My teeth ached to bite and my claws needed to tear.
“And I order you to step aside. Else you’ll find what happens to those who cross me. You’re already traitors for donning red armor.” I passed Knox, closing the distance between us and the guards. One on the end wavered, lowering his sword as he watched my hand curl around the pommel of my weapon.
“We hold fast and obey the orders of the Lord. Whoever that may be.”
