Page 10 of My Fated Minotaur Hero

"The village just got over another human’s appearance ... or is sort of in the middle of it. I don’t know ... but she’s not dead, so I guess you’re not in danger. I don’t think ...”

“You don’tthink!And she isn’t dead? What does that mean? Is that supposed to be a bonus!”

“Well, see Thokk put her on a leash right away, and I think that was key to her getting off on the right foot. You know, like it set the proper tone ...”

“The proper tone! Absolutely not!”

These are monsters! Barbarian monsters!

“Okay, okay, relax. Look, point is I can't have a human show up on opening night. It would cause an uproar. And could be dangerous. The town is still reeling ... it’s a long story ...”

As he guides me back down the stairs, my mind is reeling,trying to make sense of everything. But in truth, almost inexplicably, all I can focus on is the gentle pressure of his hand on my lower back, and the way it makes my skin tingle.

What is wrong with me? I’ve suspected I might be a bit repressed, but not like crazily desperate or anything. But here I am, in the middle of some kind of fantastical crisis, and all I can think about is how flipping hot this bull-man is?

A Bull-man.

I repeat the phrase in my head.

This is bonkers.

“You don’t have a maze, right?”

“What?”

"And I'll have you know I'm not a virgin," I blurt out.

Kalen blinks. His surprise seems genuine. “Uh, good to know? Look, we really need to—"

So, it seems the appetite for virgins and the maze are just stories of mythology.

At least he is nottheminotaur. That would definitely be bad.

Okay, so he’s probably not going to eat you.

See, things are looking up already.

But as we reach the bottom of the stairs, I can't help but steal another glance at him. Our eyes meet, and I feel that spark again. More than a spark. That connection. I feel like he can see right into my soul.

Among other places.

I just can’t explain it. Why do I just feel like he knows me? Like he sees right through all my carefully constructed walls, right to the woman I've always been too afraid to be?

Because this time you have had an honest to goodness nervous breakdown.

I have kind of always wondered what it would be like.

Apparently, it involves having encounters with uber-hot bull-headed men bound in muscles.

Who knew.

Vaguely I think, that had I known, I would have arranged for a breakdown a long time ago.

CHAPTER 4

KALEN

Istare at Olivia, this strangely alluring human who's suddenly appeared in my storeroom, and try to think.

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