Page 25 of Captured By the Monsters
SERA
Strange dreams plagued me, snippets of The Below and The Above meshing together until I couldn’t tell what was what. I woke up frightened and dripping with sweat, but the sight of Axton and Sylan wrapped around me calmed my racing heart. Rowen was still nowhere to be found, and I wondered what that meant.
I blinked, trying to get the sleep out of my eyes and dispel any lingering images from the dream. The room was still dim from the glow of the crystal, and I couldn’t tell if it was day or night outside.
I wondered if this was different than it had been before the demise of the Queen, when the crystal lost its strength. They did say that it had been a much different climate, but how different exactly?
The hot spring was creating steam in the corner of the cave that beckoned, but I didn’t want to leave the warm cocoon of the bed my mates had created for me. Instantly, my mind fixated on the fact that I’d just called three monsters “my mates” with ease. I’d only spent one day with them and already was calling them mine multiple times over.
This did not bode well for me.
Clearly, I needed to find a way to get back home as soon as possible. For multiple reasons. The first being that I had to bring the truth of what I learned here back home, to change the way we were forced to live. The second being that I felt myself dangerously close to admitting that I would miss these monsters when I left.
Some distance was required to clear my head. Knowing this, I worked hard to not disturb Axton and Sylan as I eased out of the bed before creeping around the heated grotto.
“Going somewhere?” a voice asked.
Whirling around, I realized from the voice it was Rowen.
“I’m just looking for the bathroom,” I lied, holding my hands together as I attempted to not look suspicious.
Even though I couldn’t see his face, I felt like he gave me a knowing look that said he knew exactly what I was doing, and my heart thundered inside of my chest. Hitching a finger in the opposite direction, Rowen silently directed to the bathroom. I nodded sharply and quickly scampered off before he could stare into my soul and read my every emotion.
After I relieved myself, I came back out to find Axton and Sylan awake. There was no chance I could escape now. I would just have to think of something later—when Rowen wasn’t around. The guy was still hovering around as if trying to discern my thoughts.
It made me shift uncomfortably. I needed to get him off my back and the best way was to distract him.
Hiding my nervousness under a layer of snark, I questioned, “Is somebody going to feed me? I mean, do you guys eat something other than my orgasms?”
Sylan immediately moved to my side. “Of course we will get you some food, beauty. Do you have anything in mind?”
“Um…what are my options?” I wondered, curious about their food here but also assuming it wouldn’t be edible to the human palette—although, the food they fed me the night before had indeed been delicious.
Axton cocked his head as if to say he had something for me for breakfast. I could easily guess what it was. Grinning wickedly at him, I asked, “Something other than monster dick?”
My three mates chuckled and in turn my heart raced. I loved hearing their laughs.
“I’m sure we have some other options,” Sylan teased. “This way.”
Turning, he led me out of the bedroom and down a darkened hall. The walls were devoid of decoration, unlike those from The Above. I wondered if this was on purpose or just a nuance of their lifestyle. It was simple and showed they didn’t need frivolous items.
As we continued down, we passed a few stone archways without doors. I tried to peer inside, but the pitch black of the interiors didn’t tell me anything.
“Looking for something, Sera?” Rowen purred behind Sylan and me, and I tossed a scowl toward him over my right shoulder.
Insufferable, nosy man.
I was irritated at his question…mostly because he was right—I was looking for something.
A discreet exit.
“Just trying to look at my new home. I mean, it’s mine too, right?”
“Anything of ours is yours,” Sylan reassured with a soothing tone and my heart almost broke at the ease in which he said such sweet things while I was looking for escape routes. “We will give you an official tour after you eat. We wouldn’t want you to get hangry, after all,” he joked, as if proud that he knew a term like that from The Above.
I rolled my eyes at his antics but was thankful that he broke up the tension that seemed to arise every time Rowen spoke. Finally, Sylan stopped in front of a room that actually had a door. Turning the knob, he led me inside of a dimly lit dining room. At least, I assumed it was the dining room. There was a table, and it was set with food, making me question everything before me.
Who did this?
