Page 72 of An Inheritance of Monsters

I hadn’t considered that maybe he would feel that he was too different forme.

“Hey. It’s okay.” I reached out and took his head, lacing our fingers together.

I do not wish for you to be disgusted by me.

“I wouldneverbe disgusted by you,” I said, offended that he’d believe such a thing, but his head was still turned aside.

I squeezed his hand. “We don’t have to kiss yet. I just want you to know that there is no part of you I find unappealing.”

Some of the orange faded from his rings, replaced with a calmer blue and dots of pink.

“She likes my fangs,” Rask said proudly. “She will like your face noodles.”

Zirin gave him a filthy look.They are tentacles.

“I like your facetentaclesa lot, Zirin,” I said, shooting Rask a look over my shoulder. “So when you’re ready to kiss… I’ll be waiting.”

The tentacled monster pulled me against him, swirling me through the bath to hold me with my back to his chest.

Thank you, little one. His mental voice was a mix of regret and relief.I would like to, very much… but…

“You don’t have to justify yourself to me.” I leaned back against him, propping my feet on the edges of the tub, and Rask eyed them.

I almost moaned aloud when he carefully pinched one between the pads of his thumb and forefinger, gently massaging them.

“Is this relaxing for you?” he asked, ears swiveling backwards.

“I am feeling very, very relaxed right now.”

With Rask massaging my feet, and Zirin’s rubbery tentacles stroking my back, rubbing all the tension out of me, I could fall asleep right here in the bath.

His suckers were like little cups, popping as they moved along the sides of my spine with a rhythm that had my eyelids feeling heavy.

As much as I wanted my monsters to usually beinsideme, it was pleasant to just lay here with them, enjoying their company.

The anger of discovering my Black Book had been stolen was lowering to a simmer, my blood no longer boiling.

“Do you have any bedtime stories?” I asked, not opening my eyes. Whatever Zirin was doing with his tentacles, he could make a killing as a masseuse.

“I will tell you a story, my Juno.” Rask’s deep voice filled the room, echoing off the walls. “Of a time long, long before, when theMlul’drawere the subjugators of worlds, the ravagers of planets, the annihilators of—”

Annihilation usually isn’t a good topic for bedtime stories,Zirin said dryly.

Rask’s eyes narrowed. “AllMlul’drachildren are raised on these stories. Then they grow to be strong conquerors.”

The only thing you’re conquering is the dust under Juno’s bed.

I had to bite my lip to hold in my laughter.

Rask growled at him, but resumed his tale. “We were the annihilators of the stars, moving through the Void as a powerful horde.”

Eyes heavy, I listened to his story of theMlul’drahorde, the massive beasts they raised as their mounts, the way the ElderMlul’drawere the most feared warriors in the universe.

They had met theV’uthliat the very edges of space and time, and together they had vanquished planets…

It was only when Zirin shifted and the now-cool water splashed on my throat that my eyelids fluttered open.

Go to sleep, Juno, he whispered, tentacles caressing my neck as the weightlessness of the Void door opened beneath us.

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