Page 27 of Monstrous

I clear a small space amidst the towers of boxes and Arc sets Vexx down on the floor to spread him out and get him comfortable. The bleeding hasn’t slowed. Surely he’s left a trail of blood, and I shoot a panicked look to Zane, along with a silent plea for him to fix this.

He nods once before heading out the door. The ward allows him to pass through it easily as he shifts into his shadow form.

I turn my full attention on Vexx, pressing both of my hands down on the wound like I can actually do something to help him. He groans at the contact and his eyes snap shut like he doesn’t want to see what might happen.

“Are you going to tell me everything, now?” I ask with a slightly feverish laugh. “You stayed behind to try and protect me.”

He nods, drawing in a harsh breath and holding it. Arc answers for him.Someone decided he needed to step in front of me to take a blow I clearly prepared to intercept. Like some kind of saint. And this happened.

Vexx shakes his head in automatic negation, his gaze now roaming over me. Taking in everything I’d much rather hide, from the top of my head to the fall of my heavy breaths and everywhere in between.You weren’t fast enough to get out of the way. This is your fault, Arc.

I love the way the two of them continue to banter with each other, although each bubble of laughter causes more blood to flow from the wound. Vexx doesn’t seem to mind. Outside of a slight groan, the chuckle of a smug monster asshole rumbles through me and makes my brain rattle.

My mouth feels like I’ve just had a cotton ball eating contest and won. I press blindly against the wound.

“What do I need to do? Is there anything?” Although it seems like a moot point now.

I’m human. I’m in my jammies, and I’m sleep deprived. Surely these monster men are able to take care of themselves much better than I’ll be able to.

Arc shifts, crossing through the maze of boxes and coming back a moment later with a stubby pencil and a piece of cardboard he’d ripped off. He hands both over to me, waiting until I remove my hands from the wound, covered in blood.

Here is what you can do, little love, he offers in a teasing tone.

“I’m not sure what you want me to do with these,” I say slowly.

I want you to draw. His voice is matter-of-fact as those gray eyes bore into my soul.

I shake my head as Vexx chuckles again, his smile somewhat flirtatious and out of place. I like seeing it anyway. “Sketching isn’t going to help anyone.”

Arc growls, frustrated with me and my hesitation.Will you trust us, please? We’re trying to show you the way. Stop doubting yourself and stop doubting us, he demands.

It takes me only a second longer to take the pencil and cardboard from him. Properly chastised because yeah, I have doubts.

“Well, what can I draw to help him?” The blood on my palm immediately leaves prints on the cardboard and my stomach flips. “Is there anything specific?”

Use your imagination. Lean into your intuition, Vexx tells me. And he’s staring at me like he has complete faith.

I’m not sure he should.

Sure, I’ve had my fair share of insane experiences in my life, culminating in tonight. But my drawings being able to heal? It’s unreasonable. It’s insane.

So is three shadow monsters giving me better orgasms than my vibrator.

Okay, so my subconscious makes a good point.

Today has done nothing if not shown me that the impossible is actually quite possible. So why not? What do I have to lose? It doesn’t hurt to try unless I count the wasted time.

Both of them stare at me, expecting me to do something. And if my drawings actually did summon Darkness to us earlier…then maybe I can help Vexx. It seems like one of those highly motivating personal posters urging me to just believe in myself.

Because this time, believing in myself might actually help someone besides me.

I draw in a breath, releasing it on a low sigh. Slowly gathering my courage and praying I’ll be able to draw something besides the little stick man. He won’t do shit to help Vexx. “Okay. Well, here we go,” I mutter.

I press the little pencil nub to the cardboard and pause for only a moment before letting the creative flow take over, closing my eyes like I really don’t want to see what comes out.

No thought. Only free form, letting the movement of the pencil dictate the design. Pushing my doubts and hesitations into a tiny space at the back of my mind and doing my best to ignore them.

Vexx groans from beside me and I try to tune him out, hoping I’m not hurting him, but determined to finish the drawing I’ve started. When I crack open my eyes, I see the sigil coming together in a swirl of black with diagonal lines slashing through the center. I finish it with another circle at the upper right corner with overlapping bands.

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