Page 98 of Misfit Monsters
We walk on, taking a winding route between the trees. An owl hoots somewhere in the distance.
Mirage speaks up again, this time without stopping or looking at me. “When I was captured, it was different than for you. The people holding me wanted to poke and pry at me, taking ‘samples’ and testing my reactions. Scientists.”
I shudder, my grip on his arm tightening. “That’s horrible. Why would they do that?”
“I don’t know. They wanted to understand shadowkind nature better, but not for good reasons. So they could get rid of us, I think.”
“I hope someone got rid of them instead.”
Mirage gives a faint chuckle. “Someone must have. One night the building collapsed and the cells they were keeping us in burst open so we could break free. I’ve never heard of them again. The Company of Light, they called themselves.”
My forehead furrows. “I’ve never heard of them either. So maybe they are gone now.”
“I just…” Mirage’s voice wavers. He ducks his head. “I don’t like to talk about it. I try to run in the opposite direction. But what you said about how the sorcerer used you—ithappened to me too. They’d mess with my mind to get me to conjure illusions that would help them lure other shadowkind in.”
I stop and turn to face him. “That’s awful—of them, not you. You’d never have wanted to do it.”
Mirage leans forward and nuzzles my temple. “Not any more than you would have. But that doesn’t make the regrets go away, does it? I wanted you to know… in case maybe it’s easier to forgive yourself if you see how easily you can forgive me.”
“There isn’t anythingtoforgive you for,” I start indignantly before his point hits me over the head. “Oh.”
Mirage chuckles again, more relaxed this time, and dips his head lower so his lips brush my cheek. “You shouldn’t feel bad aboutanything. Out of all the beings I’ve ever met, mortal and shadowkind, there’s no one else who shines with goodness like you do.”
A blush flares across my face. “I try. So many times it doesn’t work out. How can I feel good about having my powers if I can’t use them without causing all kinds of problems?”
Even picking up on emotions has bothered the beings I wanted to help at least as often as it’s encouraged or comforted them.
Mirage teases his fingers over my hair. “You’re getting better at controlling them. You only gave me a little scrape this afternoon, but you sent that stinking sorcerer running. I bet he’s afraid of you now instead of the other way around.”
My throat tightens. “Maybe. Sometimes I still feel like I really am just a pipsqueak.”
As Mirage makes a scoffing sound, another voice rumbles out of the darkness. “You’re much more than that, Glowbug. No one will dare call you a pipsqueak when you finish learning how to wield your power.”
Raze emerges from the shadows—he must have crossed paths with us on his patrol.
His words send a pang through my heart. “I don’t want to scare anyone.”
He shakes his head fondly. “Of course you don’t. That’s how I know you’ll keep improving your control.”
Mirage tips his head to nip the shell of my ear. The spark of pleasure propels a gasp from my lips.
The fox shifter grins at me and then Raze. “Maybe she needs a reminder ofallthe power she can wield. I know she’s got me under her spell. We were very rudely interrupted this morning…”
A thrum emanates from Raze’s brawny chest. He steps closer to sling his arm around my waist. “You’re right. She deserves a reward after all of today’s stresses.”
He presses a kiss of his own to the crook of my jaw. “There aren’t many beings who can overcome a basilisk, you know.”
The stroke of Mirage’s hand across my hip and the slide of Raze’s mouth leave me breathless, but I can’t restrain a protest. “I haven’t reallyovercomeyou?—”
“Of course you have,” Raze says. “My heart beats faster whenever I look at you. My whole body heats up when you’re near. There’s nothing I want to do more than talk with you, protect you, pleasure you…”
My heart is just about jumping out from my rib cage at his words. I set my hand against his chest, soaking in the sensation of his muscles flexing beneath his shirt. “As long as you know that you have the same effect on me. I’m never afraid of you. I like knowing how powerfulyouare.”
Raze exhales roughly, and then he’s tugging me around to claim my mouth. His fierce kiss sets off a rush of desire that condenses between my legs, as fiery as Mirage’s hair.
Before I can fret that the fox shifter might feel left out,Mirage’s hands settle on my waist. As Raze kisses me again, Mirage strokes his fingers up and down my sides and then around to cup my breasts.
I whimper into Raze’s mouth. Mirage pinches my nipples as if in reward, sparking twin pulses of pleasure.
