Page 14 of Monsters in My Bed
I glance back at my father, another example of who I don’t want to be like. He snorts like an enraged bull, pulling his head down as if to charge. I hope he ends this ridiculous farce of a fight soon. I want to check in on Alexis and Roxy to make sure they’re alright—that the babies are alright—and I experience the same sensation of disbelief knowing the two women that I care for more than the world are going to become mothers.
So many memories and emotions jumble together in my mind that I miss my father pivoting to run. This time, the bastard does hit me, his chest clashing with my own as our monstrous claws scrape at one another. His teeth are at my neck, and I crane away to keep him from ripping out my juggler.
Irritation fills me, and I pick my father up before tossing him over my shoulder. The man might know this world better than me, but my monster is bigger, faster, stronger—angrier. And I don't have time for him any longer. I crack my neck, preparing to do the inevitable as I walk toward my sire. I lean down to pull his head for his shoulders, but his blue gaze bores into me, searching.
“It doesn't have to be this way,” he whispers persuasively. “We could form an alliance.”
I bark out a strange laugh that becomes trapped somewhere between my throat and the sharpness of my teeth, sounding nothing like my human humor.
“I will never join you. We are nothing alike, and we do not want the same things.”
“Do we not?” he challenges. “You just want to protect your mate—”
“And you stole your brother’s and inevitably murdered her!”
“Or did I? She is not here to tell you that she turned to me, pushed away by my brother and his base emotion.”
The bastard is manipulating me, and I refuse to be drawn down his path of lies. For his wretched actions, he must forfeit his life. I am his judge, jury, and executioner—and I find him guilty as charged. With this thought, I raise my claws high into the air, poised to strike, when something sweet tickles my nostrils.
Fuck.
It's a scent I would know anywhere. It arrests me, freezing my limbs from action, and against my will, I turn towards the tantalizing aroma of my mate. Even though I know it's her, my breath still catches at the sight.What is Alexis doing here?Like every horror story gone bad, time slows to a crawl as my father uses my inattention to wiggle free.
I rush to my mate’s side, the monster riding me hard as I prepare to fight for both of our lives. But when I turn back to face the deadly threat, my father is gone. I curse, grinding the jagged points of my teeth together. Beside me, Alexis squints into the darkness, trying to find where the False King fled, but I no longer sense his presence.
Whether it's being his son or simply being Vasurian, I’m connected to The Fallacious and can feel when he is near. Dread pools in my stomach, and I wonder if I should go after him, but Alexis would just follow. There's no convincing her to go back to the safety of the hidden tunnels. I pause to scan the arena, surprised to find her other monstrous mates are not here.
“Where are Vizruk and Osz?”
Alexis blushes, her cheeks filling with blood that has my cock doing the same. Fuck me, my monstrous side wants to tackle her to the ground and claim her all over again, but the more logical side knows that my father is still out there and that Alexis is hiding something.
This is neither the time nor the place for me to be thinking with the head between my legs. Tamping down on my raging lust that seems to coincide directly with this monstrous form, I cross my arms over my chest and glare down at my mate.
“Where are they?”
“Um…they're back in the hidden tunnels with the babies.”
Even though she doesn't say it, I know she means she left without telling the twins, and I can imagine how anxious and furious her other mates are, but her words give me pause.
“Babies?”
I glance down at her stomach in confusion. “You gave birth? Did Roxy? Is everyone ok?”
As I’m new to this world, I don't want to make any human assumptions. Clearly, this monstrous species is nothing like what I'm used to seeing. If Alexis says she had a baby, there's no reason for me to doubt her. A growl of frustration crawls up my throat. I should’ve been with her instead of fighting my father.What if something had happened to her?Alexis is my life. I rake a hand over my smooth scalp, waiting for her to answer.
“No, Roxy hasn't given birth yet, only me. Vizruk and Osz took me to the sinqol pools.”
I wrinkle my nose. “What’s sinqol?”
“I don't really know, it's… this substance that can heal anything. It erased all my marks that you guys scratched into me, and it's how The Fallacious got rid of my first mating marks.”
She pauses, taking a breath. A lot has happened in so little time, and I note that my X over her heart is gone, as are the ones from her stomach, but Vizruk’s and Osz’ are both on her biceps. The very sight arouses me.
“It seems you have much to tell me, but first we should get back to safety. I don't know where my father went nor when he's coming back, but you shouldn't have come out here—especially not alone. What were you thinking?”
A smug smirk twists Alexis's pretty lips. “I was going to fight The Fallacious.”
I raise an incredulous brow. “What makes you think you can fight him when so many have already tried?”
