Page 45 of Monstrous Hunt
His implement dropped from my arm, but his forehead remained wrinkled with concern. “Are you sure about jumping again? You nearly died.”
“Is everything back to normal now?”
Sighing, he nodded. “Honestly your neural network is even more vibrant than before. All your brain activity is higher than any reading I took from the first night.”
When I’d had a concussion. That felt like years ago.
“I won’t need as many jumps to protect our trail this time.” Axxol was in the door again, waiting, close, but not quite willing to come into the room. Certainly not willing to join the pile of bodies on the bed. “I’ve recalibrated my system to use less energy, and I took a page from Rizan’s playbook.”
“How’s that?” Rizan asked.
“I’m using the Sun’s natural gamma rays to conceal my own electromagnetic waves. My jumps are fucking invisible now as long as I have a source of gamma rays to cloak my movements.”
“And the youngling?” Kroktl asked, palming my ginormous stomach. I swore its girth had doubled again overnight. “The last thing I want is for her to go into labor alone in that fucking cave.”
I couldn’t suppress my shudder. Talk about a fucking nightmare.
“As far as I can tell, her body is not preparing for labor. Her cervix is slightly effaced from the weight of the youngling pressing on it, but I don’t detect any contractions.”
I tightened my inner muscles.Good. Stay put, little one. Just for a bit longer.
Rizan dropped a huge bag at his feet. “Are we ready, then?”
I forced a bright smile and lifted my arms. Immediately, Snryx and Lohr took my hands and gently pulled me to my feet. I stepped into some fuzzy Crocs to keep my feet warm and protected from the rough stone. Pulled on a warm, thick robe just because it was cozy—and I didn’t want to leave it behind.
Speaking of which… “Are we coming back here?”
Kroktl wasn’t tense exactly—just laser focused and intent. “That depends on how good Axxol’s invisibility trick is.”
“I’ve got your laptop and backpack just in case,” Rizan added. “If there’s anything else you want me to grab...”
“No,” I said quickly. “You’re carrying enough already.” I took a deep breath. Another. In and out, slow and controlled. No panic attacks allowed. “I’m ready.”
Kroktl tucked me tightly against him. “As much as I’d love you all to crowd close and protect her, I think it’ll be best if we land shifted.”
The warmth of his skin changed, shimmering into a blistering heat, and then solidifying into the leathery scales of his raptor. I was too up close and personal to get a good look at him, but I was pretty sure he’d doubled in size again too. He pulled me tighter against his chest, tucking his neck over my shoulder, his chin against my back.
The raw, wild scent of his beast filled my nose, making my mouth water. And yeah, my pussy clenched, my need for him rising. I clutched his neck and rubbed my face against him, trying to take his scent with me. If I could lay in that cave and smell him, I wouldn’t be so scared. A downside to being dressed, because I couldn’t ask him to come on me so his scent was fresh in my nose.
I couldn’t help but let out a nervous giggle. I’ve come a long way from the scared woman running for her life in the jungle.
The burn of ozone filled my nostrils as Axxol came closer. Kroktl snapped his jaws, a sharp clang of teeth. A warning, I assumed.Be nice.
Feathers fluttered over my cheek. Lohr’s tongue wrapped around my biceps. Snryx had several of his implements pressed against me, ready to work his magic if the jump went badly again.
Electric blue filled my vision, searing my eyeballs in a flash that left me blind. Panting, I tightened my grip on Kroktl’s neck, focusing on the loud, steady beat of his heart against my ear. The floor dropped away, and my stomach plummeted. Shaking, I bit my lip, trying not to cry out. Another flash of blue, darker this time but still bright and hot, even though I had my eyes squeezed shut to protect them.
Burning blue on my retinas. Ozone. Prickling my nape, making me shiver even wrapped in my cozy robe.
Flash. I staggered, trying to keep the heaving floor beneath my feet. Falling away, ripped from Kroktl’s grip. I cried out his name, opening my eyes despite the burning indigo light, but I couldn’t see him. I couldn’t feel him. A black hole opened beneath my feet and I threw out my hands, desperately clawing at something to hold onto. Something to slow my fall.
I jolted against a thick concrete wall. A wall that moved against me, pulling me in. Setting me on my feet. Ozone still filled my nose and blue marred my vision, but it was more like a memory, branded into my eyeballs. Arms carried me. Somewhere. Blinking furiously, I tried to see.
A rough growl against my ear. “Be still.”
Axxol.
Dread shimmered through me. This didn’t smell like the cave. “Where’s Kroktl?”
