Page 24 of Monstrous Hunt
Bracing myself, I allowed my gaze to drift lower on my body. I expected to be covered with scrapes and scabs, but everything had healed thanks to Snryx. The previously infected cut on my thigh was almost gone except for a pink scar. My skin glowed pink from the bath, glistening with droplets of water. Maybe that was why it seemed so luminous. And my body…
I’d always been a curvy girl, especially my hips and thighs. I’d hated being so short and thick at the same time because pants never fit me right. By the time I found jeans big enough in the thigh, the waistband gaped, and I’d trip on the extra inches in the length until I got them hemmed.
A few weeks in the jungle hadn’t turned me into a supermodel by any means, but now I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt exactly how strong I am. I ran through a jungle, lost and scared, and lived to tell about it, even after being taken hostage by smugglers. I survived being swallowed by a T-rex and locked up in a cave prison with only MREs to eat. I jumped out of a helicopter and swam out of an underground river with injuries that would have made me curl up into a ball and sob just a month or two ago. And now…
My right hand settled on my lower stomach. I carried a baby. Only a few weeks old, but I could see a several-months-old baby bump curved where it lay inside me.
Kroktl’sbaby, I amended as his arms came around me. He didn’t pull me against him so much as drape his body around mine. His fingers entwined with mine over my stomach, while his other hand gently cupped my breast. Full and heavy and tender to the touch. Preparing to nurse our baby that I’d soon hold in my arms.
“You are so fucking beautiful.”
For the first time in my entire life, I actually believed him.
* * *
Kroktl easedme down into a lounge chair, propped up just enough so I could eat outside in the sunshine. An umbrella overhead made the heat enjoyable instead of brutal. Combined with the breathtaking view of the ocean and the breeze off the water, I wasn’t hot at all or worried about sunburn, even without clothes.
It dawned on me that I was stark naked—and had been for days—and didn’t even realize it. My cheeks flushed hot but after a few moments, my embarrassment faded. The guys were too natural and casual about nakedness despite their alien physiques for me to be worried about showing a little—or a lot of—skin. They all stared at me, but it didn’t make me feel icky. They weren’t ogling me at all. It was more like they were studying me, trying to read my smallest, most insignificant facial changes or physical cues so they could leap into action.
I wasn’t on their grid. They couldn’t hear my thoughts like they could hear the squad. I glanced over at Rizan, and he practically vibrated with intensity, hovering at my side, ready to go. “Have you been able to find a way for me to be on your grid?”
“I’m working on it.” He grimaced, his long, gangly body shifting in an awkward shrug. “You want to be able to communicate fully with us, which makes it more complicated. Earth technology hasn’t advanced enough, and I don’t have access to Sirian cells.”
I wasn’t sure what that was but I smiled at him, trying to lighten his mood. He looked miserable—like he’d failed me. “That sounds complicated. Never mind—”
“No, no,” he said quickly. “I’ll figure it out eventually.”
“There should have been cells in the other squad.” Axxol. I stiffened, refusing to turn my head and look at him. His low voice carried a familiar thread of violence, but he sounded at least ten feet away. “Why the fuck didn’t you scavenge for parts?”
“We did.” Rizan didn’t move but he seemed thicker and wider. It took me a moment to realize his feathers had ruffled up around his upper body, giving him more bulk. “But the comm cells disintegrated while we were following you.”
They’d followed Axxol—to find me. Just thinking about the dark, damp cave made my stomach quiver with dread, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead. Worse, though, was the thought of having parts from a dead alien stuck inside me. If that was the only way for me to be on the grid, then oh well. I didn’t want it that badly.
Lohr squatted beside the chair and offered a plate loaded with food. “Snryx suggested we increase your iron levels, so we included lots of red meat and spinach.”
Kroktl set a flat pillow in my lap so I could manage the plate without burning my unmentionables. Squatting on my other side, he seemed fully relaxed, his attention on me like usual. Though I couldn’t help but notice the red glow in his eyes. Without a word, Rizan moved slightly away—closer to where Axxol must be—so Snryx could drop down beside Lohr. The squad might be complete again, but they were clearly still divided four against one.
I risked a quick glance around the patio so I could mark Axxol’s location. On the opposite side of the patio, he sat on a rocky outcrop, staring out at the ocean with his back to me, as if he couldn’t bear the sight of me either. Electric blue shimmered around his shoulders and down his arms. I wasn’t sure why. Did he plan to try and grab me again, whisking me away to some horrid prison?
Instinctively, I edged closer to Kroktl, pressing my shoulder against him for support.
“Do you want me to feed you, baby?” He asked in his deliciously rumbly voice.
“No, that’s okay.” I picked up the fork before he could and scooped up some of the sautéed spinach with a creamy sauce. “This looks delicious. What is it?”
“The food service called it spinach au gratin with prime rib beef and roasted garlic mashed potatoes,” Lohr replied. “I asked for venison since it has a higher iron content, but they didn’t have any.”
Axxol made a rude noise under his breath that carried across the patio. As he intended.
Ignoring him, I sampled the prime rib. I usually didn’t like my meat so rare, but it was so tender it practically disintegrated on my tongue. Before I knew it, I’d eaten every single thing on the plate. I even contemplated licking up the last bit of pinkish potatoes though I caught myself before I dipped my head.
Fuck. What was wrong with me? I usually hated it when my potatoes got stained with the bloody meat juices. Even though I knew the pink wasn’t blood, my mind always revolted. Until now.
“Would you like more?” Lohr asked with such a hopeful lilt in his voice that I didn’t feel like a pig. “We have plenty still warming inside.”
“Yes, please. Thank you.”
His wide, proud grin allowed more of his tongue to dip down against his chin. Taking my empty plate, he moved with surprising speed back to the house.
