Page 52 of Monster's Melody

“Well, I’m not going to judge.After all, I have a very nosy leopard constantly interjecting her thoughts and opinions about what Elliot and I are up to.”

“Seriously?”She hadn’t shared this before.

“Oh, yeah, sometimes it’s awkward, sometimes it’s funny and sometimes it’s just adorable.I can’t tell you how many times Elliot and I have been going at it when she says something that has us laughing hysterically.It doesn’t really ruin the moment, just maybe delays it a little.Is it like that with his snakes?”

It was not at all like that.“Well.”I paused, not at all certain what to say.

Kasi snickered.“I’m guessing that’s a no.”

“The Hissies don’t talk much,” I said.“They communicate in other ways.”Excellent ways.

“The Hissies?”Mikaela exclaimed.

“That’s what Vorzak calls them.”

“That is so cute, I can’t stand it.”

“Speaking of cute,” Kasi said, “Vorzak and The Hissies were wrapped all around you when Jahrdran and I sneaked through this morning.We could barely even see you, they had you so covered.”

“That’s… sweet?”Mikaela said it like a question.

“Of course, it’s sweet,” I exclaimed.

“It’s just—they’re snakes!What if they bite you?”

“Well.”I grinned.“I actually like it when they bite me.”

Kasi let out a hoot of laughter while Mikaela shuddered in revulsion.“I do not understand you at all, Jasmine, but Iamhappy for you.I know how long you’ve wanted this.”

Instead of napping, we spent the next hour comparing what it was like to be mated to some of the scariest and most possessive monsters at the Academy.

Eventually, we challenged ourselves to come up with a single word or phrase to describe the situation.

“Sublime,” Mikaela decided, a goofy smile on her face.

“Breathtakingly beautiful,” Kasi said, “and terrifying.”

I knew exactly what she meant.

I was on a precipice, about to hurtle off that final cliff, plunging deep into the abyss that was the terror of endless love and I wasn’t sure I was ready.

“What about you, Jasmine?”Mikaela asked.

“I don’t know.It’s everything both of you said.It’s the beauty and terror of having all your dreams come true.It’s the hope and the fear, all of it wrapped up in this haunting mix of desperate love.”

“Wow,” Mikaela said.“I think you broke the rules with all those words, but that was really profound.”

“I guess terror brings out the poet in me,” I said.

We both chuckled.

“Uh, hate to break this up,” Kasi said, “but Jahrdran is texting, demanding to know where we are.”She held up her phone.“I guess we’re late for dinner.”

I snickered.“We’d better get going or he’ll be invading any second.”

“You think you’re joking, but he really will.”Kasi leapt to her feet.

Laughing, we headed for the cafeteria, where Vorzak lit up when he caught sight of me.