Page 31 of Monsters Within (The Creatures We Crave 1)
Lucien
As we followed the vampire chick with the weird changing eyes down flights of stairs, I clenched my fists and took deep breaths as Alexandra chatted with her ahead of us. They’d quickly fallen into conversation when we had exited the Headmistress’s office. As much as I tried to play it off like I was calm and collected, on the inside I was coming undone at the seams. Apprehension, rage, and even a smattering of fear poured through me endlessly.
Snapping the dean’s arm and smashing his face into the ground hadn’t been enough to sate my bloodlust for his vile actions, not just against our girl, but to who knows how many other victims. Then, to top it off, my fear for my Angel’s safety when we were being chased by those strange men had made it a thousand times worse.
Now we were in a place, it seemed, that even our girl didn’t know, full of people who could hurt her. They were even bigger threats than humans, with the different supernatural creatures and their powers at play.
All of this combined made me a ticking time bomb, itching to lock Alexandra in a room and throw away the key. I had no doubt we could keep her occupied.
Once more, I found it odd how this knowledge about the supernaturals in this world just came to me. Facts like this kept popping into my head ever since I’d come in contact with what was seeming more and more like an alternate version of the Alexandra we knew.
She was more complex and real. It was hard to describe, but there were so many more layers to this version of her, and I, for one, wanted to peel them back, revealing her soul to me, as badly as I wanted to peel her clothes off.
We’d consider it a two for one special.
“Fuck this,” I growled out as we descended the last flight of stairs and approached the doors to exit, my mind made up. There was no way I was going to let her be an open target out there. Not on my fucking watch.
Lengthening my strides and pushing past my brothers, I crouched to grab her under her knees and arms, pulling her tightly to my chest in a cradle as she squeaked in protest. “Lucien! Put me down!”
“No.”
“Great, another alpha male with control issues,” Victoria muttered as she held the door open for us to pass through. “We’re going to work on that in our sessions. Perhaps I’ll start a club for all of you and do joint workshops.”
Her eyes were silver as they had been when she initially entered the office, and I had to wonder if this was her real personality shining through. It seemed to be a more informal tone, and somewhat teasing, versus the way she had spoken before.
A deep rumble spread through my chest as I called my powers to me, needing to see if even an ounce of red flared up in her aura. I didn’t like her fucking tone, and despite initially thinking she wasn’t an enemy, I was going to have to confirm that by judging her soul.
Running my eyes over the length of her as I passed by her and out of the door, I let out a huff as I saw the beautiful purity shining around her like a full-body angelic halo.
She was off the hook, but that didn’t mean everyone else here was.
It was rare to not detect a sliver of hate, anger, or wrath—the emotions that I had the ability to sense in someone—seeing as those emotions could come and go based on someone’s mood or a passing situation. It was somewhat normal to encounter someone struggling with anger, wrath, or a hatred of someone or something. It was the ones who were overrun with it, blinding them from all logic, that I had to be on the lookout for.
A smack on my chest had my brows furrowing as I glanced down at my angel. Pursed lips and a scowl met me. “First you pick me up like a caveman, and then you check out another woman!”
Victoria let out a chuckle, which she quickly muffled with a cough when I glared at her. As my brothers followed us out and Victoria led us through an open courtyard-type area, I scanned the vicinity for any possible threats while answering Alexandra. “I’m offended that you think that’s what I was doing, angel. I only have eyes for you.”
Thankfully, I didn’t see another soul in sight, and my bloodlust began to fade out, a small semblance of peace for her safety forming. This was still an unknown territory, though, so I wasn’t letting my guard down just yet.
Dropping my gaze, I smirked as she crossed her arms across her chest and her nose scrunched up in an adorable manner. “Then what were you doing? Hmm?”
I was seriously shocked that I had to explain this to her.
“Getting a read on her soul to see if any darkness of anger or hatred shrouded it, angel. I will be doing that to everyone at this damn school to ensure no one slips through our defenses to get to you.”
“Oh,” was her short response as she looked away.
By the way she cleared her throat and refused to make eye contact, I could tell she was slightly embarrassed, but there was no need for that. I’d explain my actions to her as many times as she needed to reassure her that I’d never betray her trust or her heart.
I wasn’t blind to who or what I was, and I knew that I could come across as a fucking maniac to others, but what I also knew for a fact was that I’d rather cut my own heart out than to make my girl question my feelings or intentions with her.
Victoria was prattling on in the background about the pavilion area we were currently in and how a dome of fog obscured it from the rest of the five sectors on our right. Apparently they were only accessible by a gate, pointing at each as she spoke of their coordinating species.
Knowing that Elwin and Kylo would be soaking in the new information like sponges, I focused back on Alexandra.
Reaching out, I gripped her chin lightly as she tried to tuck her face down. “Angel,” I cooed softly. “Talk to me about what you’re feeling.”
As she let out a sigh and stopped fighting my hold on her, she raised her beautiful purple eyes to mine and answered, “It’s ridiculous. I sound like a jealous and insecure girlfriend, and I hate it, okay?”
