Page 18 of Strongest Souls

I glare at him. I want to thrust my fingers into his chest and tear out his heart. That would make a delicious snack, and attacking might cause the appendage to shrivel.

However, if I lose it, then I will never feel that pleasure again. I’m not ready for that, not when I’ve only tasted it once.

“Did you lose the fight?” he presses, forcing me to compound my lie.

“No. Why do you think that?” I step closer to him. “I do not need to prove my abilities to you.”

He puffs his chest and opens his mouth to bare his teeth. I have fought him before, for the queen’s pleasure. His skin is rough and damages everyone it touches, and his teeth are sharp enough to cut through my scale.

His hands curl into fists.

I lift mine, ready to defend. I will not attack him first, but I will make sure that this is the last time we fight. I dislike his arrogance, or the way he looks at the monsters in the cell. If I hadn’t been here, would he have tried to force them to fight? Or would he have eaten the partially changed man?

Something, or several somethings, pound through the tunnel.

Did he lead them here? “What have you done?”

He turns as the horned beast clatters around the corner. Its massive body fills the tunnel, and its horns catch the roof, creating a shower of sparks. Then it sees us and stops.

There is no way past it, and only the cell behind me.

Oh no.The unchanged woman in the cell must be what it’s after. I must protect her for the queen.

11

Michael

Ibreathe in the scent of the two monsters in front of me. One smells like blood and the other sex. Both seem like they want to fight. Behind them, I can smell Julie.

Did she replace me already? For a moment, I can barely think from the heat of the rage pumping through my veins. Jealousy scours my heart and I snarl, not wanting to think of her with either of these monsters. They are proper center monsters, big and equipped to fight and kill.

I glance at my clawed hands on the ground. It’s easier to run on all fours than walk. I had to fight my way here because I wasn’t protected by Theo’s shadow. I watched them be taken by these two and led into the castle, then I had to bide my time and pick my target so I could break in. Once inside, it was easy to follow her scent, but I did not expect to find her captors protecting her. Out of the three of us monsters, only one of us has a dick and it’s not me.

Bitterness joins the rage and jealousy.

I can’t even fuck her now. I want to blame Julie and Joe, and even Theo, but they didn’t cause the changes. I did. And I have caused the new ones too. At first, I followed because I wanted to be the one to kill them, not some other monster.

Now, I’m not sure. I didn’t expect this.

They are behind bars, trapped and unable to reach the spire to escape—if that is indeed the way out. I could turn and run, but my feet and hands will not move.

Have I changed so much that she will not have me back?

Do I want to be a part of that again?

A part of me wants her to myself. Why should I share?

Why is Joe sharing her with Theo?

I don’t understand it, but I can’t stay away even though it is tearing me in two. I lower my horns, ready to attack. The hard green one takes a few steps back like he is afraid of fighting. Is he scared about what he will become?

I used to be, but I found something worse to fear.

Being alone.

The toothy one grins. “I’m going to kill you and eat you.”

“You can try.” I tilt my horns.

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