Page 31 of Their Pretty Little Monster

His smile is dangerous, and his fingers move up to my chin, his thumb dragging across my lips.

“You have no idea how tempting you are to us. You smell of innocence, of sweetness.”

My heart thuds painfully against my ribs.

“The three of us, the Pack…” His voice drops to a husky whisper. “We share everything.”

Fates help me. His implication lights up my body. With it comes the fear that I’m in way over my head.

I shove the door open, hurrying into the sanctuary of my room.

“Good night, Killian,” I manage.

His laughter follows me as I shut the door.

Collapsing onto the bed, I try to calm myself. The idea of sharing twists through my mind, alarming, yet it’s sparking a curiosity in me I never expected.

I’m left considering the possibility that I no longer know who I’ve become…

Chapter

Eleven

SAGE

Sleep still clings to me as I rush down the corridor at an ungodly morning hour.

“Hurry up, girl,” the lanky monster grunts, his skin the color of faded purple, almost bruise-like in the dim corridor light. “We can’t be late to the Veil Ritual.” The monster moves fast on his spindly legs, every now and then glancing back at me as though worried I’ve fallen behind.

“It’s Sage,” I correct him, stumbling down the corridor after being woken up by a loud banging on my door. “And did we have to do this so early? I’ve never slept so soundly in my life.” For the first time in forever, I experienced no nightmares—no world ending, no falling to my death—and I wanted that to last.

“Grimm,” the monster states as he turns a corner, staring at me with a face that has no nose. It’s rather disturbing to look at, but I don’t want him to see me cringing, so I smile at him. “Grimm’s my name, and you shouldn’t grin so much. It will make others think you are weak.”

“Oh,” I murmur, almost tripping over my own feet in our hurry. For some reason, everyone’s always rushing on this vessel. “Grimm,” I ask. “Can you tell me what exactly happens at a Veil Ritual?”

He curves around a corner, and I rush after him down the dark corridor with the occasional light fixture on the wall that resembles some kind of shell creature with tentacles. Its cone-like shell shines with bluish light.

“It’s a test,” he finally answers. “To ascertain if you truly belong to your mate.”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I go silent, trying to process his words. “I’m certain I don’t,” I answer almost instantly. I’m a human; he’s a monster.

I follow him up a set of spiral metal stairs, where he pauses halfway and waits for me to catch up. “Human, I understand you are frightened, but being afraid will kill you faster. Once a Shadowfen has laid claim to you, your fate is sealed.”

My heart stutters, hating the sound of that.

“Then why bother with a stupid ritual?” I groan, my hand on the metal railing as I drag myself upstairs behind him.

“Because there’s something about you that Lord Killian doubts.”

He doubts me? Why? My shoulders pull back. “Am I in danger?”

“You should be worried,” he continues. “Those who aren’t of interest to our Lords don’t remain with us for long. The best way to hide a body out here is in the ocean.”

I gasp, leaning in closer. “They kill brides?” How many other brides came to this world or other monster realms and died? Fear spreads through my chest at what I’m getting myself into.

He shrugs, and the space on his face where there should be a nose scrunches up. “It’s been known to happen.”

My legs weaken beneath me as I force myself to keep moving. Suddenly, I don’t want to be here or attend the ritual. An overwhelming panic tightens around my chest because so much remains confusing, like why he selected me as his Bride Offering in the first place.

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