Page 11 of Monster's Naughty List
Rez’s black brows rose as he shook his head lightly, “I suppose that’s the closest comparison to what we are, but we don’t need to ask questions to understand you like therapists do. Sometimes, we have to prod with more aggressive emotions, like pushing your fears to the surface.” His eyes volleyed to Del as he said that.
“Sometimes, humans need to face their fears to be able to move on and accept the truths we already know to get them where they want to be in life. Some people need help overcoming fears, others need help finding their sexual desires, while a select few want to know how to become successful. It varies with everyone, but the outcome is always the same: we set them up to achieve what they want.”
“The path to liberation,” Del murmured so softly, I almost missed it.
The wheels of my brain turned as I mulled it all over. “You feed our inner demons, bringing them to the surface, but not with malicious intent. However, it benefits you because you get to feed on those emotions,” I explained out loud, needing to fully work through the process to understand it in its entirety. “But in the end, you’re freeing them from those issues and helping them find peace and the path they’re seeking?” I asked, looking at the tranquil monster holding my feet.
That’s how his kindness fit into the equation. He brought desires to the surface. Not the sexual kind, but our aspirations and dreams that would bring us peace in the end.
“That sums it up, baby girl,” Oz answered, “But make no mistake, we aren’t angels.” The usual bite to his cheeky statements wasn’t there, though, giving me pause.
For some reason, I felt the front he was putting on in that statement, as if he didn’t want me to think they were kind. Maybe we weren’t as different as I thought. We were all hiding from something in order to avoid being seen and hurt.
I felt like the veil had been completely lifted on how I perceived these three Algeah in my apartment. Glancing at all of them, I admitted, “That’s kind of beautiful, the way you help people.”
But there was one question circling in my head, which I desperately wanted to ask: Who helpedthem? We all needed a safe place to feel like we could expose our souls without judgement or fear of being hurt, and I had a feeling these monsters were no different.
I wanted to be that for them, despite how insane that sounded. I couldn’t deny how true it rang in my soul, though. It wasn’t influence from them that made me feel so strongly about wanting to peer into the dark crevices of their minds and hearts and show that I could accept them and that they weren’t alone.
It was clear they had a tight knit bond, but there were still definite walls between them.
Del’s deep voice took over, “As we said, everyone’s needs are different, and the summoning seal reads each person’s intent, summoning the proper team to them. Some need more emotional prods and, therefore, feeders. The simpler tasks are given to the smaller groupings, like ours.”
It made me pause and wonder what they were here to help me with. I guess there was no time like the present to ask exactly that.
“So, now that I know your history and understand your role in this…” I trailed off, still finding it odd to say, “summoningI accidentally did, can you tell me what my question or issue is? What did I call you here for?”
Rez’s hand stopped rubbing circles in the sole of my foot, and the intensity of all three of their gazes landed on me. The silence stretched, and the fireplace popped loudly, making me jump.
Shifting uncomfortably beneath the weight of their stares, I tried to pull my feet from Rez’s lap, but he gripped them tightly, not letting me move. “I think fate somehow brought us to you for what you’re seeking, sweetheart.”
“I…I don’t understand,” I stammered, my heart beginning to race as I waited for a real answer.
Looking to Del, hoping he would expand, I watched as he nibbled on his bottom lip before offering, “Yours is a matter of your heart and soul.”
I barely contained a frustrated growl. Could anyone give me a straight answer? It was slowly driving me mad trying to infer what they meant.
Shockingly, it was the owner of the black and white speckled eyes that had captured me first who provided that answer. Oz searched my face, as if trying to get a read on how I was feeling, before sighing and stating, “Your heart wants to know how to be happy and fulfilled.”
He said it as if that was no big deal, but it was to me. That would mean becoming intimate with them on all levels.
I didn’t react for some time after he said that, instead pondering how the hell I was going to be able to find the answer to that question easily. It was a question some people spent the entirety of their lives searching for the answers to.
A thought crossed my mind: If I didn’t find those answers quickly, would they be stuck with me as their charge until I did? If so, I could extend this for a while, keeping them here with me in the way I felt myself wanting.
Breaking the silence, I queried a bit cheekily, “How long do your summoning’s usually take before they are complete?”
The sadness bleeding into Del’s emerald eyes said it all before Rez spoke the answer, “Twenty-four hours.”
Damn, they were good at their jobs.
My heart splintered at the idea of them being gone tomorrow, but that was insane, right? They had been in my life for barely a blip in the span of my existence, so why did it feel like my life was just beginning since meeting them?
It was becoming abundantly clear to me that I couldn’t prevent myself from being drawn to these three monsters. So, I’d have to find a way to keep them around until I figured out what I wanted to do about it.
Chapter Six
OZAMAN
