Page 44 of Monsters of Desire and Nightmares of Passion

He kisses the spot that he bit a few hours earlier. My body vibrates under his sweet touch. I want so much more.

“Where’s Powder?”

“Relax,” replied Khal. “He’s in the back. Don’t worry, he’s safe.”

“Was everything real?” I ask. “I mean, did Pegg and Dr. Martin really try to kill me?”

“They almost succeeded,” Khal whispers, pain filling his eyes.

“I’m so sorry I was scared of you, Khal. I should have recognized you sooner.”

“Ivy, don’t you know I’d kill a thousand men to protect you?”

My stomach growls. I change the topic. “Do you have a Coke or something? My stomach isn’t well.”

“We have supplies at the house,” Mrez assures me.

“We do?” Khal asks, surprised.

“Yes, we do,” Mrez assures me again, stretching out one of his tentacles to pat my knee and move it up my thigh.

“Thank you for saving me.”

My heart hurts. I now realize how much I missed these guys. There’s something in my soul, a spot that was always empty before I remembered my guys.

A few moments later, the woods open and a large lake that stretches as far as the eyes can see appears before us. A thick fog covers the lake and, when the headlights strike it, the area takes on a gloomy vibe. The sun rises on the other side of the lake, bathing the mansion in the first light of a new sun. Everything is beautiful and amazing. The forest is a mix of green pines and other trees that are barren.

Mrez parks in front. We all climb out of the BMW. I stare at the mansion, astound. “Is this my house? It isn’t a cabin. Just saying.”

“Your parents called it a cabin. And yes, it’s yours.” Draw stands behind me. He’s tall, even in his human form. He moves his body close to mine, keeping me warm with his multiple arms wrapped around my chest. There’s something so wonderful about being close like that to such a large man.

Mrez steps between Draw and Khal. “Hm, guys. I don’t want to be a spoil sport, but what are we going to do with the dude in the trunk?”

“I forgot about Powder.”

I head for the trunk, but Mrez positions himself between me and the car.

“Let me bring him in for you. You go inside with Khal.”

Khal takes my hand, his large fingers pressing gently on my small hand as he guides me to the entrance.

“I don’t have a key. Sorry,” I say with a smile.

“No worries. Give me a second.”

Khal turns into a woosh of darkness, enabling him to walk through the closed door and inside the house. A few seconds later, the large wooden door with the glass window opens. He steps outside. His shape is somewhere between human and Shadow. It’s hard to say exactly what he is right now. His image flickers between this handsome bald man and his true form. He leads me inside the mansion. I pause in the foyer and glance around.

“Does it seem familiar?” Khal asks.

“Yes. Right after Pegg poisoned me, I had a dream about this place and remembered everything. This hallway, the stairs, the fireplace. It’s exactly the way it was in my dreams. Are my parents...?”

I can’t finish the sentence. A lump forms in my throat. The last thing I want is to start crying. Crying gives me a damn headache. It might be liberating for some people, but not for me.

Khal smiles and changes the subject. “It doesn’t smell musty at all. We’ve kept it ready for you.”

My stomach growls. “I’m hungry.”

I walk instinctually toward the kitchen. The fridge is where I dreamt it would be. I open the door. There’s food inside.

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