Page 12 of The Monster's Mate

“Well, it is,” she agrees.

He carries on, rather dramatically, if truth be known. “And they’ve always been jealous of the youngest.”

“Let’s not push it.” River takes the spatula from Isabel and smacks his chest.

“You know Bronan pulled his, ‘I am the leader of the entire peoples of the planet,’ routine and then Tiran, poor besotted little brother that he is, agreed with him. Fool can’t think on his own.”

“Hey,” River scowls, upset that he’s insulting her man.

“Sorry,” Skiden says, and yanks her to him with a tentacle. She lands on his lap, and he kisses her head while she hugs him briefly, and then jumps back up to stand with the women, facing him and brandishing the spatula again.

Aww, it’s kind of sweet. They really do love the annoying one. And because I’m embarrassed about the kiss, I interrupt the scene.

“Shouldn’t someone tie his tentacles?” I ask. I mean, he’s just reaching out for everyone everywhere, rubbing them across my ankles when he can.

Isabel shrugs. “There’s just so many of them.”

“Hey! I don’t make hurtful comments about your appalling lack of appendages,” Skiden says, eyeing her legs.

She grabs the spatula from River and pokes him again.

“Bel, you were my best friend,” he moans. “What happened to us?”

“Which is why I’m going to let you stay in my house instead of out in the backyard,” she says. “Where the sprinklers will come on.”

Wait, what? She’s already on the sofa, while the others take her room. Where will he go?

“We’re kind of tight,” I say. “You’re on the couch. River and Maman have your old bed.”

“And where do you sleep?” Skiden asks.

I gasp again. This male is completely appalling. “Why, my own bed, sir.”

“And what size do you have?”

Isabel gives an unladylike snort and River and Maman fail to hide their grins.

“Both of our beds are large enough to house a full-grown male and place pillows down the center to divide the mattress for another person. I brought them from my old house.” Isabel leans in as if confiding a secret. “And my ex wasn’t a small man.”

I can’t help but shudder when I recall the stories she’d told me.

“Eww,” Skiden says. “Now it makes sense why you’re interested in my ugly eldestkishling.”

Now that makes me giggle.

“What? But I’m not—” she stops talking suddenly, as if unwilling to lie.

That’s telling.

“We can still kick you out,” River threatens him.

“And you’re interested in the other ugly one.”

“I think I know why your brothers sent you,” I say. “They wanted a night off, didn’t they?”

“Lucibel, you wound me.”

I freeze. His words hit too close to home. “My name isn’t Lucibel,” I mutter. In fact, we haven’t been introduced at all, despite sharing a rather intimate moment.

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