Page 2 of Monsters (Vengeance #3)

“If you wanted to know what the fuss was about,” he purred gently, “I could have just shown you.”

I bet you could have.

My pulse jumped as he easily stretched my gathered wrists above me. A tremble worked through my system. I let out an eager gasp as his lips found my neck and he trailed soft kisses along my carotid. His knee separated my legs. I absolutely loved being pinned like this. By Rhodes specifically.

“Rhodes.” I made a soft noise. “Stop teasing me.”

He chuckled against my skin as goosebumps broke across my entire body. The man with pale green eyes pulled back and I saw his jaguar break through, just a bit, as gold grew more apparent.

“I’m not teasing,” he grinned. “I would gladly tie you up, kitten. You just aren’t ready for what that would mean between us.”

“You don’t know that,” I muttered, as a strand of golden hair fell from his sexy man bun. Words I thought I’d never say, I might add. His golden, shadowed beard and strong jaw looked especially hot this close up. It really didn’t help that the man had a crisp English accent.

“I do.” He grinned. “Because when not if, I claim you as my mate, it’s forever. I’m going to bury myself deep inside your tight body and mark you, head-to-toe, with bites. ”

My breathing ceased as I struggled to hold in a moan. His primal declaration had me squirming and feeling flushed.

His lip twitched. “Just say the word, though, and I’ll trust you’re ready.”

“Bastard,” I muttered. He was right. I saw them in my future, all five of them, and it wasn’t going to change. I wasn’t na?ve, though. I knew that we were still working through things not only from my past but theirs as well. It didn’t stop me from falling in love.

Ignore that.

Love? After all, what’s love? I don’t love anyone.

Lie.

I totally do. I was completely and hopelessly falling in love with them. Every last one of them.

Gross.

A small meow had me chuckling as Rhodes sighed, hiding his amusement, as a fluffy white fuzzball trotted out across the forest floor.

She was so sassy. Lunatic’s golden eyes narrowed at Rhodes as he scoffed.

He shook his head. Despite acting like she hated Rhodes, she followed him around nearly as much as Adyen.

I leaned down to pick her up. She curled around me and fixed him with a glowering stare.

“She thinks you’re her mom.” He rationalized humor in his tone.

“How do you know that?” I kissed her head as she purred in this small humming noise.

He chuckled. “I’m a feline shifter, kitten. Of course I can tell what our kitten is thinking.”

Got him.

“ Our kitten, you say?” I grinned. He grunted at my catch. “I had no idea you thought of her as ours. I like that, Rhodes. Although, you should have asked me to marry you or something to make it official. Make an honest woman of me and all.”

He put his head skyward as if the Maker would help.

“Meow,” Lunatic stated emphatically as I tried to not bust out laughing.

“I know!” He snarled quietly at the small cat.

“What did she say?” I tilted my head.

The man’s ears turned pink. He shook his head. “Not important. Come on let’s go back.”

I gasped as I trailed after him. “Rhodes! You can’t do that. I need to know. This is every cat owners' dream! I have to know what she is thinking at all times. Is there a way for me to talk to her? Please, Rhodes! Tell me!”

“Sorry, love,” He grinned, firmly aware he had regained some degree of control. “Can’t do that.”

Lunatic huffed and stretched across my shoulders as I pet her. My plan was to annoy him more but as we reached the clearing behind my private quarters, I was distracted.

What in the ever living hell?

“Bobby?” I tilted my head as he met my gaze. Marabella stood between him and Palo as the two men exchanged low, harsh words. I’d never seen my lady-in-waiting and friend look so frustrated.

“Will you both stop!” She yelled, her dark eyes flashing as that crimpy, wheat hair blew out of its up-do.

It was sort of glorious. The shy woman was slowly becoming a total badass and it looked awesome on her.

Just today she’d finally, after much convincing, tried on a pair of leather riding pants. Bitch looked fabulous.

“What is going on?” I frowned as Lunatic sighed. Yes, sighed.

True cat, or opinionated small person in a feline body? The jury was still out .

“What’s going on is that he’s being purposefully obtuse!” Bobby exclaimed, motioning to Palo.

Maker. Some heavy vocabulary for this early in the morning.

“Explain.” I looked at my friend.

“Palo,” Marabella drawled, staring accusingly at Taylor’s brother.

The demon was nearly ethereal looking - lean muscular body, crimson hair, and black eyes.

Eyes that were possessively trained on the woman he’d crushed on for years, but regrettably had done little about it.

Also regrettably, he wouldn’t let her move onto anyone else either.

“Is refusing to hear Robert out.” Marabella continued.

She referred to my familiar who held her arm gently as if she was a precious treasure.

I considered the role my familiar played in my life.

Honestly, he was one of my best friends.

I suppose it is different for everyone. Some fall in love while others train together.

Robert and I were good friends. If he liked Marabella, I was supportive of it.

Wait. Robert?

Ewwwwwwwww.

No. His name is Bobby, I refuse to adapt. Hell, I’m the Queen. I can make that a thing.

“About?” I forced the issue.

“She’s my mate.” Bobby stated, his brown eyes and warm complexion filled with more emotion than I’d ever seen from him.

Oh, shit.

“I don’t give a fuck!” Palo swore and my eyes rounded. Well, that is a first.

“I do!” Marabella shot back with a scowl. “Stop acting like children. If you want to talk this out, I will be in the gardens. And don’t kill one another. I won’t clean it up! ”

I watched her stalk away and without a word both men followed after.

“Well...” Taylor offered a cheeky grin. “That was more entertainment than I expected for this morning.

“When did that happen?” I frowned curiously, as Rhodes began to absently pet the cat on my shoulder. She purred loudly. I nearly rolled my eyes. Told you they liked one another. Adyen was stretched out on the grass, his eyes closed.

Taylor stretched his arms above his head, flashing me his lean abs and marble-like skin, before winking at where my attention went.

I wasn’t even embarrassed because my demon was just sexy.

There was no way around it. His emerald eyes, dancing with hellfire, lit up as he drew closer.

A small playful smile tugged on his lips.

Over a foot taller than me, I could barely see the crimson texture of his messy hair which was a damn shame because I loved his hair.

In fact, I could do a lot of things involving holding his hair…

Focus, Gray.

“Baby girl,” he chuckled in a rough voice, “keep thinking like that and I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

I hummed innocently as if I didn’t know what he was talking about.

He sauntered across the clearing and I tried to ignore the curl of desire that was exploding from my center.

Today he wore a tight, fitted tank top that showed off his extensive tattoos and a pair of dark pants.

Personally, I found it to be far too many clothes.

“What’s she thinking about?” Rhodes questioned his lips on my ear. I felt my body light up as I leaned against the jaguar shifter’s chest. Lunatic trotted off towards Adyen leaving me.

Tiny little traitor .

Taylor moved closer. His smile grew bigger as a flush took over my cheeks.

“No you don’t.” I wiggled my finger away from him. His dangerous allure, a soft haze of raw power and red smoke, wrapped around me gently.

“Don’t do what?” he teased. “Rhodes, am I doing anything?”

Rhodes nipped my ear and I jumped. He groaned. I couldn’t help the small whimper that escaped as he grew hard against my ass. Taylor totally heard it.

“You look flustered Gray.” The demon whispered, lifting my chin up, “What’s wrong baby girl?”

Absolutely nothing with you this close.

The fucker let out a bark of laughter. Mind reading happened to be his specialty. Fuck my life.

“What’s so funny?” Athens chirped as he walked through the stone archway from the castle with a massive handsome smile on his face.

“You,” I quipped back. A dangerous light entered those metallic silver eyes.

He didn’t even bother to glamour his tattooed form anymore.

The form was an expression of his full power and it made it so that his dark fade was now tinted with metallic highlights and his dark rich skin was patterned with silver runes.

It was beautiful. A stunning masterpiece.

“Oh, yeah?” One eyebrow arched high as he strode closer. “I can show you funny, Gray.”

Taylor laughed. He shook his head and gave a mocking chide. “Gray is just all sass today.”

Rhodes distracted me with his light touches and kisses. Normally, the man was so serious and stoic. Except where I was concerned. I think it was partially his animal because lately he’d been extra physical. I was completely into it .

“Sassy? Am not!” I put up a hand to my chest dramatically.

“Somehow, I find that hard to believe.” Athens’s coconut scent, the smell of summer, effectively pushed out Rhodes's expensive cologne and the subtle hint of leather from Taylor. I breathed it in as he challenged me with a gaze.

“I’m an angel.” I stated, with wide eyes. “Why would I ever act sassy?”

Athens moved to respond but I was gone in an instant. Neo, his brother, had managed to steal me from both men. He had me enveloped in his cool icy shadows and mint scent nearly twenty feet away. His chest rumbled with contained laughter as he nuzzled my neck.

“Well, good morning to you too,” I smiled affectionately.