Page 28 of The Monster's Desire

My stomach chooses that moment to make a rumbling sound. Echo sighs like a ninety-year-old man who realized it rained on his newspaper.

“Let’s go,” he says. “I’ll feed you after our audience with the council.”

“Please be careful.” Shelby pulls me in for a hug before stepping away from Echo with a disdainful frown plastered on her face.

“I’ll try.” My mind is still focused on eating, and for whatever reason, my thoughts fly to the alpha wolf in the woods. A shiver slides through my entire body as I recall the warmth of his body pressing against mine as I fed from him.

Echo takes a step toward me as his nostrils flare, breathing in my scent. My cheeks heat, but then I realize that reaction wasn’t for him.

I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.

Obviously, he should be embarrassed...

Who wants an overly sensitive nose?

Echo waits patiently as I say my final goodbye. He guides me out a different hallway than the one I entered through. Right outside the back door is a corridor that has several back staircases leading up to the second-floor apartments.

The exposed brick is rough against my skin as he cages me against the wall.

My eyes widen as he leans in close. “I think you’ve got some confusion about where my personal space bubble ends,” I say coolly.

“Does that brain inside your pretty little skull function properly?” he hisses, his dark eyes turning milky white.

“Um, what the hell?” I push with both palms against his chest.

“You obviously have a death wish,” the vampire murmurs, a little too close to my throat. “Why else would you willingly come to a town where every other ward sealer that’s tried to replenish the barrier has been murdered?”

My jaw falls open.

I blink at the still-white eyes that stare into mine. The look on his face says he’s not lying or bullshitting me just to get a rise.

“Obviously, I had no clue about that, but I have no interest in following in their footsteps.”

“None of them intended to die, either,” he whispers.

“Were you their guard too?”

He scoffs. “They’re all dead. You think the leaders were lenient toward their lackeys who failed to complete such an important job? Fuck, no. Meaning, if I don’t successfully keep you alive, then I’m staring down my final death.”

I blanch. “Yeah, that sucks for you.”

“You’re goddamn maddening.” He wraps a clawed hand around my throat, squeezing tightly. “Listen to me when I say this—I am not ready to cease to exist. If I tell you to do something, then it is in your best interest to obey.”

My girlie bits love the sound of that. Damn submissive tendencies. My knees try to clench together, but Echo is too close. His lips fan over my cheek as he shakes his head.

“You’re quite the mystery, baby darkling.” He releases me, moving to yank on his sleeve. “Come along. Do not unnecessarily piss off the town council. Nothing is as it seems. Remember that and the rest of my advice.” He takes off down the long corridor, and I have no choice except to follow.

I need to speak to Octavia and plan my exit from this shit show of a town. Immediately.

If the poor human needs help safely delivering her half-elf babies, then she can come stay in Haven for a few weeks.

Echo wasn’t joking. There’s something very wrong with this place.

ChapterTen

Echo

Nadia is going to hate me before this day is over.

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