Page 9 of The Monster Inside Me

His mouth dropped open in shock, a small grunt trapping in his throat as he spied a very familiar figure dangling from a wall, a translucent emerald dress draping her curvy body.

He hadn’t expected to find his mouthy human clinging to a vine several feet above him, but now Ezul was too enraptured by the view to stop her ridiculous antics.

What was she doing?

He should stop her, or help her back up before she fell, but he was frozen in place, watching her backside appreciatively as she moved.

The sight of Cordelia scaling a wall clad in nothing but a see- through gown caused an odd stirring within Ezul, all of his previous notions of leaving the human alone fleeing as her delectable ass taunted him from high above.

From his advantageous angle, he couldn’t help but stare in absolute hunger as the globes of her ass bounced with each move, teasing him. Taunting him until he took a step toward her. His cock hardened painfully, and Ezul adjusted himself, his gaze transfixed on the sensual woman above him.

His black mist reached out of its own accord, moving quickly until it covered the distance between them, cupping Cordelia’s ass to help guide her down the vines. Ezul was unable to prevent his mist from sliding provocatively over her, fingers flexing as if he was touching her supple skin himself.

As his mist was a part of him, Ezul felt the threadbare caress of her flesh against his fingers, and his mouth watered at the thought of doing more than just feeling her with a phantom’s touch. It was enough to cause his already throbbing erection to swell in size, desperate for relief.

Cordelia shivered, pausing to look behind her as he caressed her again. Emboldened, Ezul’s mist swept over her thighs, licking at her skin.

Ezul was so focused on the sway of her hips as she landed gracefully on her feet that he didn’t realize how odd it was for his gift to react so tamely while interacting with Cordelia.

As a warrior, Ezul had been gifted with a few abilities from birth. He could produce lightning, though it typically drained him to harness it in vast amounts, so it wasn’t ideal for more than short bursts. Mist was his most utilized asset. He could produce it at will, control it to the point where he could solidify it, mold it, and even use it to slaughter his enemies.

He could also merge with it once formed, becoming some sort of larger, more terrifying version of himself. A mist-encased monster. Which was how he had initially met Cordelia before she fed him to the leilings. In that form, he could travel quickly, becoming transparent, in a sense, using the droplets of moisture in the air to essentially fly.

She turned in his direction and, not wanting to be discovered, Ezul launched himself toward the darkest part of the courtyard that was within reach, hoping her inferior eyesight had allowed him to go unnoticed.

Ezul’s hands clenched into fists, and his mist shot back to his side as he watched Cordelia wander into the building, walking right past him as he blended in with the darkness, mist covering his body and making him one with the shadows.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Ezul wondered what she would do next. It would be foolish of Cordelia to flee the capitol, but why else would the little menace scale down a vine at night wearing essentially nothing?

Anyone could have witnessed her descent, could have caught her ridiculous attempt to break free, and disciplined her. Ezul rumbled slightly at the thought of punishing that little menace with a firm hand to the generous curve of her ass, stopping the noise that rattled in his throat before it was detected.

Ezul clung to the shadows and followed her inside, watching her attempt to open a door that was only accessible for members of the capitol court. He relaxed. She wouldn’t be leaving that way.

An alarm sounded and Cordelia jumped before turning and fleeing back into the courtyard, rushing past Ezul once more. His mist shot out to trail after her, but Ezul forced it back, refusing to budge until he’d gained control over himself once more.

Cordelia wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was he if his mist did notbehave.

After a few minutes of reigning in his wayward ability, Ezul trailed behind Cordelia. He followed her sweet scent, eager to see what she planned to do now that her attempt to escape had been foiled.

Only, when he made it into the courtyard, she was gone.

His heart stopped as he looked around quickly, hoping his eyes were deceiving him. Surely, she wouldn’t be irrational enough to actually leave the safety of the capitol!

She was to serve a year in the harem before she was allowed to return to her home planet. To do so now could result in severe punishment, incarceration, or worse.

What had the little menace done?

She’d done it!

Cordelia had actually climbed that big ass wall full of vines, worked around the giant spikes at the top, and escaped! The only casualty was her dress, which now had a large split down the side from her hip all the way to her feet.

Not that she gave a shit. She was free!

Cordelia glanced back at the capitol building as she ran headlong toward the wilderness of Aragnok, avoiding the city in favor of the mountainous terrain where, out there,somewhere, Delilah lived. The government building was lit up behind her among the darkness like a beacon, and she never wanted to see it again.

She’d been free of her prison for half an hour at least, barely slowing to take a few deep breaths before continuing at her breakneck pace.

She only wished her shoes were better equipped for a daring escape as opposed to the ripped mess she was dealing with now. They’d torn at the seams almost immediately, the slippers doing practically nothing to protect the soles of her feet.

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