Page 63 of Monsters Within (The Creatures We Crave 1)
“And here I was worried you’d think it’s weird that I have multiple,” I admitted, pulling a laugh from her as she gestured at herself like something should have been obvious from her looks.
“I’m a hybrid with legit eight dads.”
Kylo let out a low whistle. “Damn. How does your mom handle all of them? I feel bad for Alexandra having to put up with just us three sometimes.”
A grumble came from Alora before she tapped the top of her head, seemingly reluctant. I was startled as a crown appeared above her horns. “I guess I should get this out of the way now, but please don’t think of me any differently,” she pleaded. “I just want to be normal.”
“Of course,” I assured her, because damn did I understand that. All I wanted was to fit in and feel accepted somewhere.
“My mom is the Queen of Hell. She has enough fire in her to handle all of my dads and the realm,” she admitted, a proud little smile coming to her face before it dropped and she looked at me full of worry.
I was trying really fucking hard not to freak out, because that meant her mom was Queen Ama… The one that I admired from the small glimpse into their realm that I’d read.
Play it cool, Alexandra.
“That’s pretty sweet!” I answered, before looking around the space, trying to find a way to switch the topic so she’d know I wasn’t going to dwell on it, even though I had about a million questions for her right now. “So, where is my room?”
It was like someone connected her to a super-charged battery, the way she perked up. “I’ll show you! I was hoping you’d want to do a girls night together tonight before classes start tomorrow?” she asked. “I brought a bunch of face masks and have some fae wine in the fridge.”
My heart melted into a puddle in my chest at the excitement and hope that radiated from her. It was so clear she was looking for a friendship just like I was, and I loved how she didn’t cower from going after it from the start.
“I’d love that,” I said with complete honesty, before turning back to look at my guys. I was hopeful they wouldn’t object too much to sharing me with my new roommate. I kind of liked her a lot and wanted to give the budding friendship the energy it deserved.
Shockingly, they seemed to feel the exact opposite of how I thought they would.
“We’ll drop these off and leave you girls to it,” Kylo offered while raising the boxes a bit.
“We can meet up tomorrow morning to go find our classes together,” Elwin suggested.
Lucien remained silent, but his lack of immediate objection spoke volumes enough.
“My parents walked me through the entire sector today multiple times over to make sure I could find my classes in my damn sleep,” Alora tossed out. “If you don’t mind company, I can show you.”
Spinning on her heel, she began to walk towards the back corner of the house on the opposite side as her room. “Your room is back here on the other side of the kitchen.”
Opening the door that I’d initially thought was a big pantry due to its location, she stepped aside and gestured in before announcing she’d be in her room if we needed anything in the meantime.
After thanking her, we made our way to the room, and my toes curled in delight as I squealed. It was fucking gorgeous, the complete opposite as the room at the guesthouse. Matte black walls covered three sides, with the first wall to the left when you walked in featuring three windows, displaying the forest. A wicker chair hung from the ceiling in the back corner by the last window with a fluffy cream pillow at the base of it.
A lightly stained wood was the theme of the furniture, topped off with white bedding and multiple plants around the room that I assumed were fake from their unnatural shine.
As the guys dropped boxes next to the closet door, I spun around in a circle, taking it all in. Spying a black candle burning on my nightstand, I took in a deep breath, loving the pine scent wafting from it.
I’d have to ask Alora if she’d lit that for me.
Facing back towards the window, I sighed in contentment as I felt arms wrap around me from behind, showing whoever it was had changed forms. Lucien’s voice purred in my ear, “I can think of some exciting ways to use all the windows in these homes, angel. Can you?”
With a sharp inhale, a mental image came to mind of me pressed against the windows naked as he stroked inside of me. “Yes,” I answered with a shaky breath. “I can.”
A moment later, he howled and let me go. “Ow!”
Glancing over, I saw Kylo, who had also returned to his human form, literally dragging him out of the room by his ear. “Let’s go and give the girls time to get to know each other.”
“I need a goodbye kiss!” Lucien protested and broke from Kylo’s grip, running back to me.
After giving them all goodbye kisses and a promise to find a way to sleep in the same bed tomorrow night, they left me standing alone in my room, unable to stop smiling.
Because damn—my life kept getting better by the day.
