Page 2 of Held By a Monster

“I found her. She’s…mine?”

“Right, I can see that. I’m not asking you to give her up, just on how you came by her. Will she be missed?”

The one carrying me shifted from one foot to the other. “I don’t know.”

The other sighed and pinched his snout between his eyes. It was such a human thing to do, to pinch the nose in thought.

“Does she speak?”

“She is able, but I believe she has been running for some time. She needs water, food and rest.”

One of the others moved then, one with blue eyes, and stalked toward me with the grace of a cat. The arms around me squeezed and they moved back a step. I grunted as the air was crushed out of my lungs and immediately they released.

The blue-eyed one stopped several feet away. “She is injured, Drym. I only seek to render aid.”

“Don’t touch.”

The snarl stunned me. These were obviously his friends or family. Why was he so protective of me? Was I like a treat he didn’t want to share? Was he going to eat me?

My heartbeat sped, thumping against my chest. The crack and crunch of bones sounded in my mind and my panic spiraled out of control.

Finally, the darkness closed in and sucked me under.

two

“You scared her, Cavi!”I snarled and snapped my teeth at my brother. If this female weren’t in my arms, I would sink my teeth in his belly.

“Drym!”

Kragen’s sharp voice turned my head to him.

“We are not the enemy. We will not hurt your female. It’s clear she needs care. Let us help you.”

My arms pulsed. They were right, of course. I needed to let them help, but some instinct wanted to keep them away. I shook my head, my tail thrashing behind me. My words came out as a whine. “I know she needs help. I just can’t. I can’t put her down.”

I dropped my head in shame. This female needed help and I was keeping her from it.

We had always worked together, the six of us. We were made at the same time and grew at the same rate. We learned quickly that each of us had a skill that complemented the others. As a team, we were unstoppable.

Kragen nodded in understanding. “Okay, we’ll work with that, but Cavi needs to get close to look her over.”

I growled louder; the sound bouncing off the walls of the cave.

Kragen’s patience snapped. “Her blood coats the air, Drym!”

My growl stuttered into a whine.

Kragen’s eyes flicked over my shoulder and he dipped his muzzle. I felt the sting of a needle and sighed in relief. A sedative wouldn’t affect me long—no medicine did—but it would calm me enough to let Cavi see to her.

Cavi was in front of me in a blink and gently took her from my arms. My limbs were heavy but I tracked his tiniest movement. He laid her on the table, scanned her quickly, and then barked orders.

“Quin, grab a suture kit. Some of these cuts are deep. Thurl, start cleaning her feet.”

Kragen stayed next to me. Lending me support, but also there in case I needed to be restrained. Cavi started at her head and cleaned her wounds as he came to them.

“Scratches, mostly.”

“She was running through the woods, panicked,” I told them what little I knew. “There were men and dogs after her.”

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