Page 17 of Kael (Monsters & Mates #2)

CHAPTER

EIGHT

The temperature’s dropped by at least fifteen degrees, which wouldn’t be so bad if I was dressed for a visit to Tasmania in winter. In fairness, I had no idea it would be so cold, especially since we’re truly not that far away from dry heat.

I’ve given up all pretence of handling the cooler temperature and am full-on snuggling against Kael’s back. While his armour is uncomfortable, it’s warm from his body heat, and my teeth have somewhat diminished chattering.

“We’re not far.” Kael’s voice is strained, whether from my discomfort or his own, since I’m clinging to him, I don’t know.

But he hasn’t pushed me away or asked me not to strangle him.

What he has done is picked up the pace, which seems like a hell of a feat since he was likely already going a good 40 kph.

Needless to say, I’ve never been in these parts before. The way to Iris’s home is simply in my head, a descriptive route I committed to memory before she left Dathanor—something I promised I’d do so I could reach her if needed.

“A little higher and we’ll camp.” Kael jumps over a gap in the increasingly jagged rock, making my teeth rattle.

I grunt in answer. It’s all I can manage.

The wind howls as the temperature plummets further, cutting through my clothes like icy daggers. The first flakes of snow swirl around us, lighter than back home, almost luminous as they catch the dim light. It’s beautiful in a way, but I’m too busy focussing on not freaking out to appreciate it.

Kael moves effortlessly, muscles flexing beneath me as he scales the uneven terrain. I try not to look down, but a gust of wind makes me sway, and my stomach lurches. Definitely a mountain.

Shit .

“Hold on,” he warns, his voice a steady anchor against the storm. “I will keep you safe.” His sigh is soft, as are the words “Now and always” that follow, but I hear them all the same.

The words shouldn’t mean so much, but they do. They settle into my bones, a promise I desperately want to believe in.

I bury my face against his shoulder, squeezing my eyes shut as he lunges forwards, leaping onto the next ledge. His grip is sure, his body a force of nature as he clutches the rock face with one hand before swinging his other arm up to secure us.

I’m clinging to him so tightly, I’m probably cutting off his air supply. “Please don’t let me die,” I mutter.

Kael grunts, the sound almost amused. “You won’t.”

To distract myself, I start talking—nonsense, mostly.

Stories about home, about Sydney’s blistering summers, the scent of eucalyptus in the air, the chaotic energy of city life.

I tell him about the beaches, the sand that burns your feet, the weird wildlife that could probably kill you just as easily as whatever’s out here.

Kael hums in response, a low vibration beneath me. He’s listening.

“You sure I’m not distracting you?” I ask after a moment, my voice tight with nerves.

Another grunt, this one more deliberate. “Your voice… helps. Keeps me focussed.”

That startles me into silence, but only for a second. “Really?”

He exhales sharply, and it almost sounds like a laugh. “Yes.”

That tiny, unexpected response warms something in my chest, pushing back against the cold.

Then it happens.

He reaches for the next ledge—a solid rock, or so it seems. But the moment his fingers curl around the edge, it crumbles. I scream as we lurch downwards.

Kael reacts instantly. He twists midair, shoving off the wall to avoid the falling debris. The movement slams me tighter against him as the chunk of rock crashes down, striking his arm before shattering below.

He grunts, but he doesn’t let go. His grip is iron, his body straining as he finds another hold and pulls us back up.

My heart is hammering so hard, I might pass out. “Kael! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he says, but his jaw is clenched. His breathing is heavier, controlled but rough.

I glance at his arm—no visible blood, but the way he flexes his fingers makes me suspicious. “That rock hit you pretty hard.”

He doesn’t respond right away, just keeps climbing. When he does speak, it’s quiet. “It’s nothing.”

Bullshit. But what can I do? We’re dangling off the side of a bloody mountain. So, I have no choice. I believe him.

The cold is relentless as we continue up.

Not even being pressed against Kael’s broad back does much to keep me warm anymore.

The wind howls through the jagged rock formations, carrying flurries of snow that sting against my exposed skin.

My toes are completely numb, and I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever feel them again.

“Iris didn’t mention how fucking cold it would be up here,” I grumble, my voice muffled against Kael’s armour.

He doesn’t respond immediately, just keeps moving with that same unwavering determination, but I don’t miss the way he checks I’m still secure with every other pull up, keeping me safe as he climbs.

By the time we reach a clearing—a small, flat stretch of ground nestled against the cliffside—the temperature has dropped even further.

The snow is coming down thicker, obscuring everything beyond a few metres.

Kael slows and then stops. Without a word, he removes me from his back, setting me down before bundling me towards the cliff wall, away from the deadly edge.

His grip is firm but careful, as if he’s mindful of how frozen I probably am.

“Wait here,” he orders.

A spike of panic lances through me. “What? Where the hell are you going?”

His glowing gaze meets mine. “I’ll be back.”

The snow swirls around us, making it nearly impossible to see. I can barely make out the tense set of his shoulders, the way he scans our surroundings like he’s searching for something.

“Kael—”

Before I can protest further, he pulls something from the pack at his waist—a thin blanket-coat made from some kind of rough, insulated material. He wraps it around me, adjusting it carefully, making sure my neck is covered. It’s light but surprisingly warm.

We’re close. Closer than we’ve ever been. Well, face to chest, since he’s so damn tall.

He dips his head lower, ensuring the blanket is tucked properly, and I catch the faint glow of his markings beneath the snow dusting his skin. The moment is almost tender. My heart leaps, my mouth suddenly dry, making me momentarily forget the brutal cold threatening to make my dick drop off.

Then his gaze snaps to mine.

Shit .

Right . He can feel what I’m feeling.

He hesitates, his breath visible between us in a thick cloud, and fuck if I don’t wonder what it would be like to kiss him. To be his.

But then he steps back. The moment shatters. Immediately, the cold rushes in like a vengeful god.

“I won’t be long,” he says. And then he’s gone, disappearing into the blinding snowfall.

I stare after him, my mind turning against me with every passing second. What if he doesn’t come back? What if he loses his way? What if something happens to him?

Why does the thought of that squeeze at my heart so painfully?

I pull the coat tighter around myself, shifting my frozen feet, trying to keep circulation going. The snow thickens, and I lose sight of the path Kael took. My pulse quickens. Then—movement. A towering shadow emerges from the storm.

For a split second, my panic spikes. But then I recognise the broad frame, the glowing eyes beneath the ice-caked ridges of his skin. Kael looks like a damn abominable snowman.

A laugh bubbles out of me, sharp and almost hysterical. “You look fucking ridiculous.”

He stops, snow slipping from his shoulders, and stares at me. He really stares at me—deep, searching, like he’s peeling back every layer of my soul.

And then he smiles. Not a smirk. Not a brief, amused exhale. A real, blinding, breathtaking smile.

My heart stutters.

“Come,” he says. “I’ve found somewhere out of the storm.”

He extends his hand. Three deep blue fingers, palm up. Waiting.

I hesitate for only a fraction of a second before I take it. His skin is cold, but the warmth beneath is unmistakable. He swallows hard, his throat bobbing, before he pulls me closer, wrapping an arm around me to shield me from the wind as he leads me forwards.

We stumble through the snow, Kael’s massive frame breaking the worst of the storm’s fury. Then I see it—a cave. Different from the last one, as it’s properly out of the elements. It’s small, barely big enough for four people if they squeezed together. But it’s dry.

Relief crashes over me as I all but stumble inside. Kael follows, bending low to get through the entrance. His shoulders almost brush the narrow walls as he straightens inside, his markings casting an eerie, mesmerising glow against the stone.

I sag against the wall, exhausted. “I never want to see snow again.”

Kael exhales a short, amused breath. “You say that now.”

I roll my eyes. “No, I mean it. If I make it out of this alive, I’m retiring to a fucking desert.”

He rumbles a low chuckle, and I realise something—I feel warmer already, even though I’m still freezing my arse off.

The cave is dry, but that’s about the only good thing I can say about it.

The air is thick with cold, pressing in from all sides.

I huddle deeper into my blanket-coat, but the chill has settled into my bones, and no amount of fabric is going to fix that.

Kael sits beside me, still dusted with snow. He exhales, a warm gust of air against the frigid space between us. “There’s no wood for fire.” His gaze flicks to me, assessing. “But I can warm you another way.”

I blink, immediately suspicious. “Uh-huh.”

He doesn’t react, just continues, “Energy manipulation. I can transfer warmth through touch.”

My brows lift. “Oh. All right, then.” I pause. “Wait. You have to touch me?”

His glowing eyes remain steady. “Yes.”

I narrow my gaze. “Uh-huh. And this isn’t some elaborate excuse to get your hands on me?”