Page 56 of Sacrificed to the Mountain Demon

I spot a tusked boar rooting in the underbrush. It's massive, easily twice Bella's size. Perfect. With silent grace, I stalk closer, my tentacles twitching in anticipation.

The boar senses me a moment too late. I launch myself at it and my claws sink deep into its hide. It squeals and thrashes, but I've already won. My teeth find its throat, and I taste the coppery rush of blood.

As the beast's struggles weaken, I feel a familiar thrill of victory. But it's tempered now by thoughts of Bella, of sharing this kill with her, of seeing pride in her eyes when I return.

I hoist the carcass onto my shoulders, already imagining Bella's reaction. She'll pretend to be disgusted, but I've seen the way her eyes light up when I bring home a worthy prize.

The journey back to our cave is swift. My steps are light despite my burden. As I approach, I hear Bella humming, a habit she's picked up since coming to live with me.

"Honey, I'm home," I call out, my voice a rumbling growl of satisfaction.

She emerges from the cave and her eyes widen at the sight of my kill. "Wow, Jytos! Did you wrestle a mountain?"

I drop the boar at her feet, puffing out my chest. "Just a little something for dinner. Thought you might be hungry."

She laughs and shakes her head. "You're impossible. And amazing." Her hand reaches out and brushes my cheek. Her touch sends sparks through me. "How are you feeling?"

"Strong," I reply, pulling her close. "Unstoppable." I nuzzle into her neck, inhaling her scent. "All thanks to you."

She wraps her arms around me, and I feel something inside me settle. This is home. This is where I belong. With her.

"Come on, mighty hunter," she says, tugging me towards the cave. "Let's get that thing cleaned up before it attracts every predator in a ten-mile radius."

I follow, my tentacles curling possessively around her waist. As we work together to prepare our meal, I'm struck again by how much she's changed me. The solitary beast I once was seems like a distant memory.

Before long, I tear into the succulent boar meat and savor the rich flavor. Bella sits beside me, her small frame dwarfed by my massive bulk. She's eating more delicately, but I can see the hunger in her eyes. Good. She needs to keep her strength up.

"Fuck, this is good," I growl. "Nothing like a fresh kill."

She smiles, a bit of grease on her chin. "You're right. I never thought I'd enjoy boar meat, but... well, things change."

Her words stir something in me. I lean back, and say, "Things do change. But some things stay the same."

She looks at me curiously. "What do you mean?"

I take a slow, steady breath, memories flooding back. "This land, Protheka. It's always been wild, always been dangerous. But it wasn't always like this for my people."

She leans in, her warmth against my side. "Tell me more about it."

"We were kings once," I say, my voice low. "The Umbrath. We walked these lands without fear. From the Crimson Deserts to the Whispering Woods, we owned it all."

I can see it in my mind's eye. The vast expanse of Protheka, untamed and beautiful. "We had cities that would make your human villages look like ant hills. Towers that scraped the sky, built from living stone that pulsed with our magic."

Her eyes are wide. "That sounds incredible."

"It was," I nod, a mix of pride and bitterness in my voice. "We were magnificent. The other races looked at us with awe and fear."

I pause, remembering the glory days. "There was this place called the Obsidian Citadel. It was our greatest stronghold, right in the heart of the Shadow Mountains. The walls were so high, they say birds would fall exhausted before reaching the top."

She laughs softly. "That's hard to imagine."

"It was a sight to behold," I say, my tentacles tightening around her. "But more than that, it was home. A place where every Umbrath could feel safe, powerful."

I look down at her, my green eyes meeting her brown ones. "That's what I want to give you. That feeling of safety, of strength. You're mine now, and I'll be damned if I let anything threaten what's mine."

She blushes, but I can see the spark of desire in her eyes. "I feel safe with you, Jytos. Safer than I ever felt in my entire life."

I growl with satisfaction, pulling her closer. "Good. Because I'm not letting you go. Ever."

---