Page 32 of Monstrous Hunt
“That’s right,” Krotkl replied. “You’re finally getting it.”
Axxol snarled as his thick tail began to sprout, lashing back and forth across the patio. “You want a fight, Red? Let’s fucking go.”
“No!” Natalie roared out a surprisingly loud shout, startling even Axxol. “No fighting. You’re a fucking squad, so fucking act like it.”
Her words seemed to rebound between us all, reverberating with more impact than a BGR+ bellow of rage.
Tension melted away. My implements dropped down against my shoulders like usual. Rizan’s shoulders softened as his beak shortened, the razor-sharp teeth receding. Axxol’s tail curled back into his body, though his mouth sagged open with shock.
Lohr tipped his head back and laughed, not a mocking sound but the deep belly chuckle of pure amusement. I recognized it—even though I’d never heard such a sound from him—or any of us, for that matter—before. “I believe that’s what humans would call a catch-22.”
Natalie gave him a bewildered look. “What?”
Kroktl stroked his hand over her hair soothingly but the look he shot at Axxol was pure gratification. “Our mate has spoken.”
Her head snapped around toward his. “Yourmate.”
“Right.” Unbothered, he kissed the top of her head. “Is there anything else my mate requires of the squad at this time?”
“I want to do something to help.” She tipped her chin up, her shoulders squaring. “I’m tired of lying around and sleeping.” Her cheeks pinkened and she muttered, “Among other things.”
“You’re healing,” I said, while Lohr added, “Growing a youngling is a formidable task.”
“You’re helping us simply by existing.” Kroktl palmed her lower stomach. “You’re impossible to replace, baby. We must protect you at all cost.”
I couldn’t help but stare, hoping I didn’t look as hungry and desperate as I felt. She was so small against the bulk of his body. A fragile, delightful treasure of soft flesh and millions of mysteries that I couldn’t help but investigate. The medbot nestled on her uterus’ fundus, providing a steady stream of rich data. The rapid development of cells forming tiny organs. Her blood’s incredible composition that fed such growth. But the medbot also captured the flash of electrical signals from her nerves to the youngling’s and back to her central nervous system. Her entire body focused on providing sustenance for the developing fetus.
The glowing, vibrant network of braided cables and junctions captivated my attention. Her neural network sparkled like a trillion stars, brighter than ever. A wondrous miracle that I still didn’t understand. I’d never forget the way her neurotransmitters had blinked out. Dark, empty, and silent.
Shuddering, I gave myself a shake.Never again. I can’t bear it.
15
NATALIE
Isat crisscross applesauce on the bed, propped up with pillows and a notebook on my lap. Correction, the notebook was on a pillow across my stomach.
My ever-growing stomach.
I didn’t know how many days we’d been here, but from the alarming girth in my midsection, it looked like months had passed. Pretty soon, I’d be doing the pregnancy waddle around the property in my daily walk. Snryx insisted that I keep my strength up with load-bearing exercise for my injured knee, even though Kroktl paced around me the whole time in rapid circles, scowling but at least allowing me to walk on my own.
Every day that passed, they tightened their security around me. If Kroktl wasn’t draped all over me, he was carrying me, while Rizan flew overhead. Snryx and Lohr took turns leading or following us so that we were always surrounded. Thankfully Axxol kept his distance. I saw him on the fringes every day that I went outside but I’d never seen him step foot in the house after that first day. I didn’t think Kroktl had forbidden him access but I wasn’t sure.
Good riddance. The man obviously hated breathing the same air as me, and I was more relaxed when he wasn’t in sight.
Rizan dropped down to his knees beside the bed. “What do you have on the list today?”
It’d become a sort of game between us. Each day, I did a brain dump of everything I could think of that we might need for the baby. I’d even gotten better at asking for things for myself, like clothes, hair products, or even the latest novels by my favorite authors. We’d been making lists for so long that now I tried to challenge him with interesting or unique items that would be harder for him to acquire.
Then I got to sit back and wait for the deliveries. Definitely better than Christmas.
At first, I felt guilty. All this stuff must have cost a fortune, and we still didn’t know if we could stay here. How would we even transport all the diapers and blankets and clothes and books to the nest?
But each time I tried to protest or raise concerns, Rizan merely kissed me on the top of my head and dashed off with the latest request, giddy as a kid in a candy shop.
My latest acquisition was a silky “rich-widow-murderer” robe. Hot pink and ridiculously extravagant with feathered trim, billowing full skirts of tulle, and a long hem that dragged on the ground with huge bell sleeves. It made me smile every time I put it on.
“I can’t really think of anything else,” I finally admitted, feeling like I’d spoiled our game. “I haven’t finished the books you got last week, and I have everything else I can think of.”
