Page 12 of Land of Monsters

She would hate me, but it was the only wise thing to do. I had to return her home. She didn’t belong in this world. She didn’t belong with me.

Though her ex was a moron for not seeing how incredible she was, she should be with someone like him. Someone part of the royal world. I was about as far from that as you could get. She deserved someone who wasn’t on a death crusade.

I froze, realizing I had just put myself among her suitors.What the fuck?

“She should not exist.” A deep voice jerked my head to the side. The tall African Druid stood a short distance down the path, the shadows hiding him in the shrubs.

I pushed off the wall, staring at him, anger building up my spine.

“You are a tree fairy.” His African accent was more noticeable. “You know this to be true. Black magic goes against nature. It is evil and should be cut out like a disease.”

“Is that a threat?” Stepping closer to him, I kept my tone even, but every muscle in me tightened, ready to fight. “You layone finger on her, and you will find out who the evil one really is.”

His dark eyes went to me, his face expressionless, but I could feel the surprise. Tree fairies were known to be pacifists, to love all—literally and figuratively. We were peace-not-war types.

I wasn’t normal either.

He stepped back, his gaze still intently on mine.

“She will not only be your downfall, butours,” he clipped. “Leave now.” At his last words, he barreled away, leaving me vibrating with fury.

My emotions were already wrenched high. I felt like crawling out of my skin, ready to combust. There were only two ways I could relieve energy like this.

Sex and/or drugs.

The thought of the first one had me struggling to breathe, imagining taking every one of my fears and stresses out on someone so fucking ruthlessly they begged me to stop.

Not someone.

Her.

“Fuck.” I squeezed my lids shut, my cock becoming stone as I pictured walking back in and what I would do to her over every countertop, every surface.

She’s a princess, Ash! And like a little sister…

My depravity laughed right back in my face, shoving the vision of her fucking that kid into my head. Her tits bouncing, her head back, groaning, while he bellowed under her, his hands kneading her naked flesh. The high they must have felt right before. Raven riding him so hard he probably already felt like he died in utter bliss.

My body shook with need, craving it more than air. The intensity, that thrill. It was why I usually had more than one person. What I desired wasa lot.

I forced the memory of meeting the dark dwellers, her father, out of my mind, trying to remind myself she wasn’t some girl I met in a bar, a random fae who got tangled up in my life. She was the daughter of someone important.

A royal princess.

Producing a strangled grunt, I forced myself away from the tent, not trusting myself if I walked in. I needed something to bleed me of all this magic building inside.

“Looks like you could use some of this,” a sensual voice purred in my ear.

I turned to see Celeste lounging on a bench by the main fire, her see-through t-shirt doing nothing to hide her hard nipples or the fact she wore nothing else underneath. Her half-lidded eyes were hungry on me, a rolled joint between her fingers. “Think it will ease the tension.” She took a hit, then held it up, offering it to me.

Oddly, my first instinct was to say no, to go back to Raven, but I stopped myself.Why?I wasn’t with Raven, nor did either of us want me to be. We were just stuck together until I could get her safely back home. Celeste was exactly what I needed. Uncomplicated sex. A release of energy, and it would help me heal. Win-win.

Except I still hesitated.

“Come on…” She jumped up, strolling toward me with a suggestive grin on her face. She tapped the end of the joint between my lips. “It will make you feel so much better.” She rose on her toes, her teeth grazing my neck. “And I can make you feel better too.”

I took a hit off the roll, the herbs instantly billowing a cloud in my head, easing my shoulders.

“See?” Celeste grinned, encouraging me to take two more drags. Stress slid off my back, my head feeling wobbly, and I identified the sensation. Mushrooms.

---