Page 25 of An Invocation of Monsters

“Please don’t eat me,” I begged, just as the tentacles lifted me up from the ground. “I wouldn’t taste good. I’d probably be stringy and get stuck in your teeth.”

The tentacles handled me like a doll, turning me around to face the monster’s gaze. I felt massive clawed hands on my ass, holding me in place as the tentacles got a firmer grip.

His eyes narrowed even further.

I am not going to eat you, a deep voice boomed in my head. It sounded… displeased.

I swallowed hard, begging my sanity to hang on for just a few more minutes.

He had spoken to me. In my head.

“That’s good to know, but maybe next time start with that,” I whispered, grabbing a tentacle as it snaked down my stomach towards my bikini bottoms.

Then it occurred to me that the monster really hadn’t hurt me at all. He supported me carefully in his oversized hands, and his tentacles, although exploring a little too enthusiastically, hadn’t squeezed me to pulp or ripped the flesh from my bones.

He was warm like Toth, his skin texture unusual but certainly not disgusting—silky and warm, still damp from the lake. A tentacle caressed my cheek, then moved upwards to glide through my hair.

The monster cocked his head as he examined the lock of wet crimson wrapped around his tentacle. He made a rumbling noise deep in his chest, one that vibrated right through me and made my teeth rattle.

Then I felt a tiny snap as a tentacle slid under the elastic of my bikini top, curling around my breast. One of the delicate suckers on the tip enveloped my nipple, squeezing rhythmically.

To my shame, it hardened immediately, followed by a flush of heat low in my belly.

“Hey, now,” I snapped, grabbing for the tentacle. Unfortunately (or fortunately? He squeezed again, caressing my breast gently) it was firmly suctioned in place. “I didn’t give you permission to grab me.”

The monster’s eyes widened a little. You are clearly prepared to mate, he told me.

“To mate?” How the hell had I gone from terrified to flabbergasted this fast?

You are displaying for me. There was a note of uncertainty in his tone, which shocked me. How could a monster sound so… relatable?

The colored lights embedded in his skin lit up brightly, this time flashing in tones of hot pink and crimson.

I felt a slight tug at my scalp, and understanding struck like lightning. He believed my hair color was a mating call.

I had to stifle a laugh. “That’s just my hair. If I was trying to mate, I’d be… well… okay, never mind.”

I was going to say I’d be standing there naked, waving my arms like an air marshaller towards my vagina.

But given my current state of undress, in the world’s tiniest bikini, he might take that as the green light.

What would you be? he asked curiously.

His tentacles hadn’t released me, and in the last thirty seconds, I’d somehow adjusted to thinking of them as a very comfortable, slightly writhing hammock holding me twelve feet in the air.

“Um… usually I like to know someone’s name before I tell them about my sexual proclivities.” A tentacle crept across my lips as I spoke, and to my surprise, I wasn’t disgusted.

What was wrong with me?

Drazan, he said immediately. I am Drazan, the Elder Klee of this lake.

“What is a Klee?” I shifted again as another tentacle wrapped around my thigh, managing to free one hand long enough to nudge it away.

You answer first, Drazan said smugly. A question for a question.

“Okay, fine.” I couldn’t believe I was bargaining with a monster. “I don’t actually know what I’d be. I’ve only had sex—mated—once in my life, and it wasn’t great. I actually spend most of my time actively avoiding it. So, no. I have no idea.”

You didn’t want to mate? Drazan asked. His tentacles tightened, but not enough to hurt.

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