Page 16 of Held By a Monster

I rolled in his arms and looked up at him, but he held me so close all I could see was the underside of his jaw. I curled my hand around his muzzle and pulled his nose down so I could look him in the eyes. “Then I’m the dumbest person alive, because I want you right next to me.”

His eyes closed and he shuddered.

I kissed the side of his snout and he ran his nose up the side of my neck, settling on top of my head. I yawned and rubbed my check across the velvet skin of his chest, marveling howsoft the skin was and how hard the muscle beneath. “Sleep now. Big day tomorrow.”

He gave me a brief squeeze and pulled a blanket over us both.

I slept better than I had in a year.

twelve

My ears were flatagainst my head, my feet planted in the doorway.

Kendal grunted with the effort of trying to move me, her hands wrapped around my wrist.

She laughed and rolled her eyes at me. “I can’t believe you’re being a baby about this.” She let go and waved at my body, doing an extra circle over my slit. “We’re filthy. Covered in cum. The fur around your slit is crusty, for Christ’s sake!”

“I will brush it.” I was being surly.

She laughed and shook her head. “Not gonna cut it. Get in the shower.”

I whined but let her move me an inch when she went around and pushed on my back with all her might.

She gave up and sighed. “Why are you so afraid of a shower?”

I shuddered and hung my head. “We were not allowed to bathe ourselves.”

“Oh, Drym.” I felt her move and then her face peered up at me, her eyes glassy. “What did they do?”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter.”

She grabbed my nose, her grip fierce. “It matters. What was done to you was wrong. Traumatic. And if you don’t talk about it, it will leave lasting scars.” She smoothed her hands up the sides of my muzzle and cupped my ears. “It will never be okay, but talking about it will make it better.”

She gave me a wry grin. “Trust me, my therapist tells me that every time I see her.”

I swallowed. Maybe she was right. “They sprayed us with a hose. It was powerful, and the water stung. They would throw buckets of soap flakes on us. If we were good and soaped ourselves as well as they thought we should, they would rinse us immediately. If they thought we missed a spot, they would let the soap dry on our skin and fur and repeat the entire process.”

I chanced a look at her. I needed to see her reaction, and at the same time, dreaded seeing disgust on her face.

Instead, I saw anger. “Those fuckers!”

She wrapped both of her small hands around one of mine and stared into my eyes. “Do you trust me?”

I shouldn’t. My trust should be broken beyond repair after the laboratory. We were all still wary of outsiders and went to great lengths to keep our existence a secret.

“Yes.” My voice was strong and sure. Maybe I was a fool, but I trusted her.

She slowly walked backward, stepping into the large square enclosure first. The room had filled with steam and my fur clung to my skin. My eyes flicked to the wall, where a steady stream of water flowed.

She directed my hand to her chest, flattening my palm against her breast. My fingers squeezed and she inhaled sharply. I focused on her, worried my claws had nicked her skin. As I watched, she slid my hand to her side and down to her hip, across her belly to the other hip.

Then she spread her legs. My mouth watered and I smacked my lips.

I flinched when the water hit my arm. I hadn’t been aware that she had backed far enough into the shower to be completely under the spray.

She turned my fingers down and slid them between her folds. She walked further back, until she pressed against the wall. Her head thrown back, she moaned as she used my hand to pleasure herself.

The water was hitting my chest. It was warm and soft. Soothing, not painful. I watched the drops fall and lifted my other hand, running my fingers back and forth through the water.

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