Page 219 of Monsters in Love

Why would a creature like this need to smell nice? Is it a pheromone used in finding mates or a deterrent from being eaten?

I don’t know what he keeps saying, but it isn’t like I could comprehend his language now. Still, the sound of his voice is pleasant to listen to, and honestly, he could call me hideous. At this point, I like the way it sounds. From this height, the trees don’t seem to be able to get us, which I’m highly thankful for.

At least for now.

This hideous creature nearly got itself killed. It has no wings nor exo to keep it safe from the Amae’sil. We heard the loud, thunderous noises from our position in the grove, and, of course, I could not keep myself from investigating. Curiosity has always put me in detrimental situations before, but it’s who I am. My hunting party knows me well enough at this point not to question my desire to find trouble.

I barely had a moment to do a single thing before I heard the scream cut through the forest. TheAmae’silhad wrapped its vines around this tiny thing’s throat, and its maw was already open, waiting to consume it.

Such a funny-looking thing. The more she screamed, the angrier she made the forest, and now that we are in a better position, I can finally take in her appearance. Two legs and arms hidden by shredded garb offering no protection. Two tiny eyes with black balls inside of a slate-colored circle. There is a high bridged snout to her face, and her russet hair is wild and untamed. Her body has a curvy shape, and she’s so very short that she comes to my middle. She has notunsajkeither, so it’s no wonder she appears clumsy on her feet. How has she survived?

“Ken yu lek me dwun?” Her legs continue to tremble as she peers down at the ground.

She has not stopped speaking since I picked her up, but if she is sentient, then I cannot in good conscience leave her to die.

TheKugitauriwill know what to do, especially if there are more of these creatures. They clearly cannot mean us any harm the way they are now.

“Settle yourself,otoki; there is nowhere you can go.” Even if she wanted, there is no way down from here without me.

She shakes her head. “Icnt undrsztd yyuu.”

When the thing steps forward once again, I snort. The legs she stands on still tremble, and I swear she looks down every few ticks to see if the ground has gotten closer before she will swallow loudly and look at me again.

“It will do you no good to look down.” Trying to hide my snicker, I force myself to swallow it down. I will need to take us to the swamp lands to findverjimaso we can communicate, because I will be damned if I am forced to hear her speak gibberish.

A noise sounds in the distance and catches my attention. It’s a light beating of wings and feet hitting the tree branches. We are too close to the Sagath boundary for my liking, and with this imbecile screaming, catching everyone’s attention, then they will come bloodthirsty as ever to investigate.

While my back is turned, I feel a brief caress against my wing, enough that it sends a shiver through my entire body. Tender fingers brush against it one final time, delicate and soft, before I hear her say, “Iz so sft.” I shudder, releasing a tense breath as my body tingles at the touch.

Turning on my heels, I wrench her hand away, hissing like a mad beast. Grasping her small wrist in my hands, looking down into her deep eyes, I realize she has no clue what she’s just done. Does she not understand how indecent it is to touch me there? Of course not, but the feeling of tiny fingers brushing against my scales has my heart racing.

“Do not touch.” I speak to her as if she is a child, enunciating every word and syllable so she might understand.

All it seems to do is cause her mouth to gape open and her eyes to blink up at me. Being this close to her, I can taste her scent on the wind. She is like nectar, though there is a hint of something akin tolampfyr.

My tongue darts out of my mouth to get a taste, finding the shell of her ear. A tiny little flick, just enough for me to know. It’s amazing. Like flowers and sweetness. I want so badly to give in to the desire that now has mytirskaextruding and take her against my aching body. She shudders, batting my tongue away, and her face contorts into confusion.

It’s been so long since I’ve been touched this intimately, I forget my manners and how rude I’m behaving. I battle with all my strength to force the indecent thoughts away.

Her hands fall away with one final hiss of annoyance before I hear a Sagath battle cry. “Vittar!”

I grab her in my arms and press her closely. “We need to leave.”

Leaping off the tree limb, I manage to dive just in time to see one of them out of the corner of my eye. The long white wings and swirling horns over his head prove this is a warrior. He’s decorated in full war gear, which is nothing butyuanjiskins and bone chest plates.

A shrill scream sounds through the air as I dive even closer to the ground, so close that theAmae’silcome to life. Their bright blue and pink flowers begin to light up, and their vines slowly begin to unfurl.

“That is it! Scream again,otoki!” The louder she is, the more they will wake from their slumber, and the Sagath will fall into the trap I’m setting. They are far too bloodthirsty for rational thought.

I dive again, and when I do, she lets out a loud yell. All at once the forest glows brighter. My arms are close enough to the ground that if I reach out, I can touch it, but I don’t. I wait until I hear our pursuers behind me, then I zip up into the air.

Looking down, I see a Sagath with its larger wingspan and horned head barreling upward with sheer determination. Unfortunately for it, the tendrils of vine lash out, grasping it. I pause for a brief moment to watch as two of the vines rip the beast’s arm off, feeding it into its waiting mouth.

The sound of the warriors’ scream is drowned out by the trees’ leaves rustling, but the small thing in my arms clutches on to me tighter with a whimper.

My fingers grip her hair, loving the way my fingers filter through it. “Shh, quiet. Now we must go.”

The mothman clutches me to his chest, holding my head against him so I can’t see anything. Horrifying screams of pain ricochet through the forest. It’s brutal and terrifying to hear, but it’s over so quickly, I hardly have time to register anything is wrong before we’re flying through the air again.

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