Page 73 of Land of Monsters

Somewhere along the way, I found solid ground under my feet. This journey changed me. I was no longer the spoiled, naïve girl who would put up with shit. And I would not put up with Ash’s.

When I made to stand up to go after him, Daciana slipped into the seat across from me, her hand grasping my wrist.

“Don’t go.” Her demon eyes locked on mine. “I wanted to get to know my guest a bit better.”

Alarms instantly rattled in the back of my neck.

“I mean, it’s strange. I allow you with open arms into my place, and I don’t even know your name.” She patted my hand, letting go, but an underlying threat sat me up straighter, my gaze sliding to the door where both Ash and Dzsinn had disappeared.

My mouth stayed closed, taking notice of the other people in the bar, all at her beck and call.

“No?” Her red lips parted in a heartless smile. “Then let’s cut to the chase, shall we?” She dropped a newspaper in front of me. My attention lowered to the headline of the international paper, once again sensing the ground under me breaking into pieces.

PrincessRavenMissing! Queen Kennedy and King Lars

Launch Worldwide Search for the Lost Princess.

A huge picture of me at one of the last diplomatic events stared back at me. That girl was a far cry from who I am now, her hair done perfectly, make-up precise, lavished in jewels, and wearing an expensive designer dress.

“How coincidental…” Daciana‘s finger traced over my image, her eyes staying on me. Locking away any expression, I kept hold of her gaze, not letting her see the panic simmering under the surface. “There is a missing princess out there, who can I say is the spitting image of you, while a mysterious guest arrives, needing the protection of my club.”

Silence from me.

“Wondering what kind of reward they are offering for just a tip on their sweet princess’s whereabouts?”

In my peripheral, the man whose room we took, Uta, stood up, his massive chest flexing under his muscle, inching closer.

“Though, I’ve also heard the Russian mafia has been looking for this same girl. Wonder who will pay the most for her?”

“And I wonder the consequences for going back on your word with a genie?” I replied, my voice even.

“I said I would give you two a place to hide out for a few days from those hunting you. I never said anything about not turning you in myself.” She smirked. “It’s all in the fine print. And when an opportunity drops in my lap like this…” Her hand went backto my picture. “You understand? It’s nothing personal.” She nodded to Uta, a few others moving with him, coming for me.

“You sure you want to do that?” My nails dug into the chair. “If you know who I am, then you knowwhatI am, who my father is.”

“A dark dweller?” She shrugged one shoulder. “I think my Uta can handle you.” She nodded back at him, my head swinging to the huge-chested man, his shirt ripping as his body shifted, horns growing out of his skull, his head becoming bull-like, teeth elongating and sharpening as he gripped a cleaver in his hand, huffing in violence.

Holy fuck.

A Minotaur. Their population was lessening as our kind was, and they were just as feared.

The chair fell backward as I stood up, my defenses rising, a growl vibrating in my throat. “You kill me, and you lose all the money.”

“Oh, I’m not going to kill you, Princess. But I will hurt you if I need to.” Her skin turned white, thinning like parchment, her eyes going black. I had seen my uncle lose his temper to the demon plenty of times, and it always scared the hell out of me.Please, she’s a minimal demon. She can die like the rest of them. My obscurer whispered in my head. “In this world, it’s eat or be eaten.” She stood up, with both her, a handful of fae, and the Minotaur coming for me.

My teeth snapped together in long daggers, the pressure of the blades in my spine pushing through the clothes, my nails becoming claws.

Let them come,my obscurer replied gleefully, starving for blood. To kill anything trying to hurt me. The dark dweller rumbled in response as more came for me, weapons in their hands. The Minotaur stomped toward me, his axe backward, ready to knock me out, not kill me.

There was no difference to my monsters. A threat was a threat.

Light came through the door. Ash burst into the room, panic on his face as if he had felt the danger from afar, had heard my silent cry just for him.

Our eyes met across the room, one of the fae turning to him with a gun, ramming it to his forehead.

It would only take one shot, and he would be lost to me.

I saw red. It smeared my vision, bled into my bones, and dripped in my veins. The dark dweller thundered with fury, moving across the room with a roar.

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