Page 53 of Beauty's Monstrous Demons

“Well aren't you?” she asks. I can hear the blankets rustling, and then there are tiny feet beside my leg on the ground. “Am I really so repugnant that you can’t look at me?”

Taking a deep breath, I growl under my breath. This girl is going to make me insane. I’m staring at the ground because she’s naked.

“Alecto is a gentleman when he’s not strangling you,” Samael says wryly.

Fuck. Phenex growls as well, and I’m waiting for him to punch me. Samael already got his in.

“You’re naked, beautiful,” Phenex reminds her. The squeak she makes is adorable, and I chuckle under my breath as someone tosses her something to pull over her head. “Please restrain yourself from making my mate upset, Alecto. I’m going to get some food going.”

Glancing at my watch, I see that it’s two in the morning. Time doesn’t much matter when heats break, as omegas and their mates still need to eat.

“You’re just the shit head who jumped the gun and bit her first,” Samael grumbles as they walk out.

“I’m dressed now, since being naked is so offensive to your eyes,” Lorelei pouts.

Glancing up at her, I see that she’s in a shirt that isn’t hers.Would it be too much of a caveman move to bring her some of my clothes to wear?

It doesn’t much matter to me that she’ll drown in them, I still want to do it.

My hand grabs her waist, careful not to hurt her, and tumble her into my lap. Her gasp is perfection.

“I said nothing of the sort,” I murmur, enjoying her widening eyes as she feels how hard I am under her ass. Her legs are bare underneath the shirt, and I have a feeling her cunt is as well. “I came over to see you because you’ve been on my mind.”

Her skin is clear of any bruises, and I retract my claws so I can rub her throat.

“So you’re not planning to kill me for some contrived reason?” she asks, her eyes sparkling.

Such a fucking brat.

“There was a reason, and it wasn’t contrived,” I murmur, my eyes drifting to her pouty, swollen lips. Breathing in her scent only makes me want to kiss her more. “Typically, monsters only get one fated mate, and that’s it. It’s possible that they’ll never meet that other person, or that they’ll end up rolling the dice to start a relationship with someone else, only to have their scent match come into their lives.”

“That’s terrible,” she says. “How do you make that choice to leave the person that you’re building a life with?”

“Sometimes, people don’t, and they make the best of it in a polyamorous relationship,” I explain. “It’s normal for monsters, though the sharing dynamic can be difficult for some.”

She gives me a knowing look, making me laugh.

“I’ve been alone for a long time, Lorelei. Sharing is not my forte,” I say. “I’m willing to work on it, though.”

“Why?” she asks, her hand on my chest as she tries to get more comfortable. Smirking, I push her hand away so that she drops against me. Raising my legs and wrapping my arms around her waist, I rub my thumb over her side.

“Because you’re worth it,” I say simply. “Your existence is one I could never have imagined. I didn’t handle it very well when I realized what it all meant. One moment I was simply pulled to you and enjoying our conversation, and the next, all I could smell was cherries and fucking cream.”

Lorelei blushes fiercely, probably imagining that it was because she perfumed for me. While she did, I would have been able to figure it out sooner or later. It was just a shame that it happened somewhere like the chemistry lab.

“I just found out what an omega is,” she says. “I think Samael and Phenex are waiting for me to freak out.”

After her prophecy yesterday, I think she’s not the only one likely to lose their shit.

“You’re nineteen, right?” I ask. I’m changing the subject, but I’m caught on the words she spoke before.

“Mmhmm. Are you worried about the age difference?” she teases me. Her head is against my chest, and she’s slowly relaxing against me. I could get used to being around her.

“No,” I say, smirking. “I’m thinking about something you said. Do you remember what you told me last night before you passed out?”

Her flush among her skin extends slowly below her shirt, and I can tell she’s remembering what she was doing when I poked my head into the room.

“Yes, I’ve seen every inch of your gorgeous body,” I rumble. “However, I want to have your consent the next time I see it.”

---