Page 71 of An Invocation of Monsters

I know you are not, I said softly, stroking her shoulders. I cradled her as I swam towards safer waters, keeping Elle’s head above the surface. She was trembling slightly, both with exertion and the aftershock of terror. Your independence appeals to us. It is not a flaw. But neither do we wish to see you dead. You must realize that all you must do is call, and we will come for you.

We were close to the ruins. I would send Elle home through a safer door; I did not know where she had come through, but she had clearly found a deadly breach.

Few living things approached the rift in the cliffs above. It was a bad place, a dead place.

I do not wish to fight with you, my Elle. We know that you will do what you please. I merely wish you to know that you have been chosen, and we are here for you.

My tentacles drifted over her hair, luxuriating in the silky softness of it while simultaneously stroking her, soothing her.

With her small torso pressed against mine, I felt her rapid heartbeat, like a fluttering bird trapped in a cage. As we drifted, it finally began to slow; I hummed under my breath, never relenting in the soft strokes down her head and back.

“We have to do something about that thing, Drazan.” She propped her chin on my shoulder, her muscles slowly relaxing. “That creature. I’m not the only one in danger from it.”

I agreed, if only because the fact that she wished to remove it meant that she was no longer holding us at arm’s length.

This could mean that she wished to remain here.

None of us were in danger from it; the creature was quick and sly, but it seemed to be aware it was heavily outmatched. It avoided our presence.

Elle was the one who called to it. She was full of fresh, living human blood.

I will speak with the Zizhatl, I told her. One of us will hunt and destroy it.

But she didn’t hear me. Her heartbeat was steady now, but her eyes had drifted shut. In the aftermath of shock, she had finally been pulled into sleep, or had passed out entirely.

I was content to drift and let her rest on me. My tentacles moved over her, delicately massaging the tension out of her muscles. Her legs felt as hard as stone, the muscles overworked.

As we neared the ruins, Kiraxis melted from the forest, his six eyes narrowed as he scented the air.

It is in the rift, I told him, rolling onto my back and supporting Elle on my chest. She snuffled in her sleep, then went limp again.

“I will find it and rend it limb from limb,” the M’luldra growled, keeping his voice low. “I will present its head to my mate for daring to even think of her.”

His gaze flicked towards Elle, the raw fury in his eyes softening when he saw her sleeping form sprawled out across me.

On all six limbs, he prowled down to the beach, settling himself on his haunches like a sentinel.

Time had no meaning. I was content to lay there, drifting on the gentle waves, feeling my mate’s heartbeat and steady breathing against me. But when she finally began to stir, cracking her eyes open, of course she asked the human question.

“How long was I asleep?”

I thought about it. Several of your hours, I believe.

Elle sat up, straddling my abdomen and pushing back locks of flaming red as she made a face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pass out on you like that.”

There is nothing to apologize for.

She looked much better after sleeping, no longer pale, the violet bruises under her eyes faded to a more normal tone.

I wracked my mind for what a human needed. Rest, water… food. Humans needed to eat constantly to remain alive.

You must acquire food for her, I told Kiraxis. Unless… you wish to try fish?

Elle froze in place, midway through rubbing sleep from her eyes. “Ummm… I can go get something to eat, it’s not a problem.”

“No, I will get your food,” Kiraxis growled. “The little man will bring me a feast if I peer at him for too long.”

An unwilling smile twitched across Elle’s lips. “Please don’t frighten him into an early heart attack. I’m really quite fond of his cooking.”

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