Page 17 of Monsters in My Bed
A giddy bubble of laughter wells up inside of me as my body lights up. It's only the snort that comes from behind us that gives me pause. Rastorj and Roxy are on the couch, each holding one of my babies. I push past my twin mates to go see them. They're still in their human forms, slumbering peacefully. I frown, looking around the room.
“Are they going to be hungry for human food?”
Rastorj shakes his head. “No. They feed off our emotions like true Vasura. Even though they are mostly human, our genetics overpower yours. They can eat human food for sustenance, but emotions will fill them better.”
“Then why have they kept to their human form?”
The purple-eyed man shrugs. “They can choose either, just like I can choose to be Vasura or in shadow form. The babies have the option of all three, but they clearly are most comfortable right now in this form.”
Accepting this, I sit down next to Roxy and take my daughter from her, both because I need to touch her and because my best friend looks a little tired. “How are you feeling?”
“Okay.”
I glance back at Mark, who frowns at Roxy’s blasé answer. “I'm going to find some pants, and then I’m coming back to check on you.”
Roxy waves at him dismissively, clearly not caring what he finds. He could tell her that she's dying for all she cares. It saddens me beyond words that The Fallacious stole the very spark of life from her—something that living in the hellish land of The Bowels didn't even do. I’m scared because I don’t know how to get that fire back. I don't know if I can—if anyone can.
Mark comes back out dressed in some odd-looking trousers, and I wonder if they were the true king’s since the fabric speaks of a different time and era. Mark doesn't seem to mind, though. He kneels before Roxy, checking her pulse and other things. His final assessment is that she's healthy as a horse, except anyone with eyes can see that there's nothing healthy about my friend.
The depression is nearly crushing her.
After making sure she's alright, Mark excuses himself to clean up some of his wounds, and Rastorj offers to help. The purple-eyed man passes my son to Vizruk, who settles onto the couch, too. Next to me, Roxy falls into a fitful sleep as whispers drift down the hall to my ears. I look over at my twin mates, knowing they can hear perfectly.
“What are they talking about?”
Osz shrugs indifferently, and I poke him in retaliation, but he doesn’t relent. Finally, I give up and decide to be patient. At least until Mark returns—then I can grill him—but when he does come back, he's with Rastorj, who scoops up Roxy.
“I'm going to take her to the bedroom.”
“That's a good idea. Make sure she's settled for the night.”
At Mark's words, Osz leans over and gently takes my daughter from my hands. “Hey, what are you doing?”
“Shhhh!” Mark admonishes. “Come on, come with me.”
“But I wasn't done holding her—and I haven't held my son!” Mark cuts me off as he drags me down the hall to another room. “What were you and Rastorj talking about?”
“Devising a plan to get Roxy to those sinqol pools.” I open my mouth to ask even more questions, but Mark puts a finger to my lips. “But until then, I need to claim you again. It's important for the safety of all of us that our bond is in place.”
I scowl at him. “Is now really the time to have sex?”
He quirks a brow playfully. “Do you not want to?”
I glare at him. Being part Vasura, he can smell my need—taste it, even. “I'm not going to answer that because you already know.”
Mark shoots me a wicked grin. “Then let’s get started. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you can return to the babies. Besides this, Vizruk and Osz asked me to do something.”
At this, I swallow thickly, my body starting to tremble because I already know what my twin mates want. This isn't just Mark’s reclaiming.
It's to be my punishment, too.
eight
ALEXIS
Thesecondeverythingclicksinto place, my legs turn to jelly and I melt into a puddle of compliance. Mark groans at the sight as I recline back on the giant bed swathed in black silk, my thighs parting of their own accord. His eyes shine brighter than a jack-o-lantern’s, a savage flash of light in the darkness of the room rife with intent.
“I wasn’t expecting you to fall into line so quickly. I’m unsure if this makes me happy or not.”
