Page 7 of Murgul
Chapter Five
GWENDOLYN
“Hello, bright one.”
Jerking away from him,I trip over my own feet in an uncharacteristic display of gracelessness before dropping into my chair in shock. Murgul’s hand is outstretched as if he took a step towards me to prevent me from falling on my butt. His“voice”is smooth and resonant with a seductive quality to it, and so jarringly different from his spoken voice that sympathy for what he’s suffered slices through me. His mental cadence is so alluring, I have to force myself not to shiver in response, just from the enthralling tone alone. The fact that he’s speaking to me INSIDE MY HEAD should be freaking me out more than this, but let’s be real.
Giant snake aliens abducted me, so my tolerance forwhat the fucksis pretty high right now.
This doesn’t even rank on the list of shit I’ve been through recently. An example of whatdoesmake the proverbial list is when I woke up in a puddle of foul-smelling green goop surrounded by evil beings who treated me like an object.Mentally shaking myself, I refocus on the intimidating creature in front of me. I can tell Murgul is waiting for some sort of response from me, and I notice that his electric blue eyes are almost… scared. The vertical pupil is dilated to where it’s more black than blue.
This being, one that looks like a plain old apex predator, is scared ofme…
It almost defies belief.
Something niggles at me, a sense of knowing, and then it hits me.
“It’s you! You’re the source of comfort I’ve been feeling when my anxiety spikes and my mind won’t stop spinning. Have you been doing something to stop my nightmares, too?”
My incredulous words shoot out of me like bullets from a gun. I should have known something was going on since I’ve slept peacefully since I met him, but who really expects something like this? This new life I’ve been thrust into is nothing short of a cheesy sci-fi movie. My flabbers have most definitely been gasted.
“You… you are not mad at me? Another female would not be pleased to know that her privacy had been invaded so intimately and without permission. Einar has drilled it into us that consent is exceptionally important to your gender and species. However, I will not ever lie to you. I am not sorry for my actions, nor will I ever be.”
“Did you do it with intentional malice?”
The question seems to catch him off guard for a moment before he bares freakishly sharp teeth and hisses before replying.
“Absolutely not! I did not even know such a thing was possible! Your terror called to me in the night after our mating bond partially formed. I followed it back to you and the seething mass of emotion that you were feeling while trapped in a night terror.”
He pauses for a beat.
“I may be a monster, but I am not evil.”
I’m not sure if he meant for me tohearthat last thought or not, and his melancholic tone tugs at my heartstrings. I’ve met monsters. Both human and non-human alike. Murgul may not be classically beautiful or meet any of the societal constructs that humans perceive to be attractive, but he is not a monster.
“Murgul, you are not a monster.”
My quiet, yet firm statement seems to be the straw that broke the camel’s proverbial back because he shoves away from the table, knocking his chair over in the process. Massive hands tunnel through alabaster hair as he grips his head in a harsh hold, pacing back and forth in front of me while his tail whips back and forth like an angry cat.
“How can you say that? Look at me, Gwendolyn. I am nothing like you, and there is no way I come anywhere close to resembling a male of your species. For frack’s sake, I do not even look like a Rukuhk! Then, to make matters worse, I was abducted by the Velgriddix, and what yousee now is the product of their torturous efforts. Then, to make matters worse, I essentially forced you to move into my personal quarters with me against your will!”
Easing to my feet, I hesitantly approach him one cautious step at a time until I reach his side.
“You’re right. You don’t look anything like a human man. But Murgul, I am not on Earth anymore, and if what Ruby, Rowan, and the others have said, my home planet no longer exists and hasn’t for a very long time. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t find you appealing, because I very much do. Furthermore, if I didn’t want to be in your personal quarters with you, I would leave. After the last few days, no part of me believes you would truly hold me against my will or wishes. I’m here with you because I want to get to knowyou.”
Murgul scoffs before interrupting me.
“How can that be true, bright one? LOOK AT ME!”
At his impassioned plea, I pause and take the time to really look at him from head to interesting toe, of which he has three on each foot. Peering closer, I note that each digit is tipped by a lethal-looking talon. His ankles hinge backward like a werewolf, which puts all of his weight on his toes. Then there’s his tail. Its sinuous length ends at a sharp point that looks like a sword.
Murgul’s skin is so dark green it’s almost black, which creates a startling contrast to his alabastrine hair and flashing blue eyes. Pitch black horns emerge from the point on his skull where forehead and hairline meet, covering most of his head before angling up and back until the wickedly sharp points curl to point up at the ceiling. I haven’t had time to investigate it yet, but fromthe brief moments of contact we’ve had, I think parts of his skin are textured, maybe even scaled.
Each hand has five fingers, which isn’t all that unusual, but when he sees where my gaze is fixed, freakishly long claws slide out before retreating into his flesh. What stands out most, however, are the scars, which cover his entire body; the silvery pale lines crisscrossing his hide are the only interruption the dark green color has. Two of the worst ones are on his face, where it appears as though someone attempted to rip his tusk out, but was unsuccessful. Surprisingly enough, he has a full mustache and goatee, the same alabastrine as his long-braided hair, framing a set of plush lips. The razor-sharp spines that line his shoulders and back are just the icing on the proverbial cake. I’ve noticed that he can manipulate them to either lie flat against his body or to protrude straight out as a form of defense.
Collecting my thoughts, I formulate my response carefully. I have one chance not to fuck this up. For the first time in my life, I have the opportunity to be loved for me, Gwendolyn Palmer. Not my breathtakingly beautiful face. Not my influential family name, or my supermodel skill set, or the fame that came with my former life.
Just me. Just …Gwen.