Page 70 of Monstrous Baby
“Somewhere to sit outside,” Rizan mused. “Either a large porch or patio area, preferably both. Are the mountains verdant with trees and bushes, or are they starker and rocky?”
“Verdant. I don’t mind seasonal temperature changes but if I’m going to be naked most of the time, I’d rather not freeze to death.”
Only two pictures remained. A sprawling low house set into the mountainside with a long porch of weathered wood. Faded turquoise shutters lined the large windows. The other house was a modern two-story with dark gray concrete and black steel.
The first one was perhaps a bit too rustic…
But the second one looked more like a military command than a home.
Rizan clicked on the rustic ranch-style house. “These are the views from the front porch.”
I gasped. A deep-looking lake cradled by mountains on all sides. “Is that Lake Atitlán?”
“It is. Have you been there before?”
“No, never, but I’ve seen pictures during my research. The Tz’utujil and Kaqchikel peoples live in the area. The lake itself formed from a volcanic caldera so it’s extremely deep. Some of the Maya people believed it was the center of the world.”
“The house itself is on the upper slopes of Volcán Tolimán.” Rizan flicked through several pictures of the landscape. “Below the property, the humans grow coffee but it’s not heavily populated. Though there are certain areas we’ll want to avoid during the daylight hours when hikers and tourists may be in the area.”
“Snack time,” Kroktl said. Though when I elbowed him in the ribs, he laughed. “I’m kidding. Mostly.”
“The house itself is surrounded by nature preserves and cloud forests providing plenty of wilderness for us to roam and hunt. If the house is too rustic for your taste, we can always update it, but it has all the modern conveniences including a private natural hot spring for long soaks under the stars.”
Rizan flipped through pictures of the interior, and the rustic charm was growing on me. Natural wood finishings, terracotta floors, thick cozy, colorful rugs, and tons of windows providing views of the lake from nearly every room. It even included a small cottage so Holly could have her own space yet still be close enough to walk over for coffee and meals anytime she wished.
“I love it.” Though as soon as I said the words, my anxiety spiked. “Unless it’s very expensive. We can keep looking?—”
“No need.” He cocked his head to the side. “It’s yours. Simply waiting on the final transmission.”
I couldn’t resist throwing my arms around him. “Are you sure we can afford it?”
“Don’t be a Cheapasaurs Rex,” he chided, making me laugh. “Money is just another form of frequency. It’s an easy thing for me to manipulate, along with generating simple documents to transfer ownership.”
The downy feathers sprinkled down his neck and chest smelled like the lush, green jungle around us. I breathed him in while sinking into his presence on the grid. He’d been injured last night…
Though I couldn’t detect any pain or inflammation in his injured shoulder. “Snryx did a good job.”
He arched his back and shoulders over me, creating a warm, safe haven beneath his long arms. “It wasn’t Sn who healed me, though I agree he always does a good job.”
“Me? Or rather the mrions. I’m glad they were able to help you.”
“You did more than heal me. You gave them permission to work inside me however they wished. I can feel the layers of DSC engineering shearing away, breaking their strict coding like chains weighing me down. I’m becoming more me than ever thanks to you. The me I never could have developed into after hatching in their breeding grounds.”
I rubbed my cheek against his downy chest. “I’m sorry I marked Lohr ahead of you.”
“I don’t mind in the slightest. You needed to be able to hear him better until you could escape the jump ring.” Rizan chirped softly, mixing with a very human-sounding chuckle. “As long as Axxol goes last.”
RIZAN
“Where wouldyou like to mark me?” The husky timbre of her voice rolled over my inner membranes, creating the perfect resonance. The frequency of her voice was enough to turn me on, providing a delightful mental and biological scratch deep inside me that no one had ever touched before.
“Anywhere I’m allowed.”
Her head tipped back so I shifted backward to meet her gaze. “You’re allowed to mark me wherever you want. Right, Kroktl?”
Still casually stroking her leg, her primary mate flicked his red eyes up at me. Unconsciously, I braced for his denial. Even an attack. Yes, I’d shared their bed before, but he could change his mind anytime he wished. He had enough power now to rip my wings and head off. Effortlessly.
“Right,” he drawled lazily. “As long as his mark doesn’t touch mine.”
