Page 31 of My Monster’s Keeper

Becky

A kiss from Puppy is terrifyingly erotic.

It’s like jumping off the side of a cliff while you’re unsure if you have adequate safety gear.

There’s danger and beauty and so much sensation.

It’s a high that’s addictive. I open my mouth, and his tongue invades, pressing in.

Much bigger and thicker than a humans. I suck on it, and he thrums, his chest vibrating.

Abruptly, he peels away and darts out of the room, leaving me rolling in the hammock to peer below.

A moment later, the doorbell rings.

I jump from the hammock down to the bed, grab one of Wilder’s huge shirts, and pull it on while I race for the door. I don’t even know what to think of what happened or how melty my mind is right now. But what do they say? Saved by the bell? Sure, I’ll take it.

“Do not eat anyone, Puppy,” I shout as I see him beat me to the front door.

He glances back at me and slams the door open. On the other side, Diablos glowers.

“Becky, we need to talk,” Diablos says.

Hartley pushes him aside and slips into the kitchen. He goes to the kitchen cupboard, flips the kettle on, and starts opening and closing doors until he has six mugs and a jar of instant hot chocolate. He checks the fridge, finds a block of plain chocolate, and starts chopping it up.

Stix walks into the room and surveys what’s going on. I can see he isn’t pleased, but he’s hesitant because of Hartley. Humans for the win!

“What are you doing here, Diablos? I thought we had an understanding,” Stix says coldly.

“Yeah, yeah. I heard your understanding. I knocked on the door, as was proper. Then I waited to be admitted to the kingdom. I followed all the instructions.”

Hartley hands a cup to Frost. My Fae prince raises an eyebrow at me from where he leans against the wall. I nod. He takes a sip, and his eyes light up. Wilder takes the second cup but puts it down. I cross to him, pick it up, and put it back in his hands .

“Try it.”

He grunts but obediently sips. That encourages Puppy, who takes his cup and downs it in one go. Within seconds, he’s back, stealing the chocolate that’s left in the wrapper. We all pretend not to notice.

I take my cup and Stix’s, handing it to him, while Hartley hands Diablos his mug. Hartley gives me a slow nod of approval, and I realise I’ve done something right without even being aware.

Tension de-escalation, I believe the force called it.

“I have another assignment for you,” Diablos glowers at Hartley and glances back at Stix, “Your Highness.”

“Plural,” Stix snaps. “We are all kings here. You will use our honorifics when you come to beg forgiveness for invading our territory.”

Diablos rubs his forehead and then his horn. Which makes me think of Stix and his horns. I find myself looking at that spot. Wilder nudges me, and I jolt, breaking away from where my thoughts are heading.

“I am sorry for invading the property that I gave you,” Diablos snaps.

“Yes. Ours. You do not seem sorry,” Puppy hisses. “Grovel, horned one, or face my endless hunger.”

Diablos appears to be lost for words. His frown snaps down, and his fists clench as he drags a foot back in a way that is far too reminiscent of a charging bull. “You ungrateful, assholes.”

“Wait!” I cry, getting in between them. “You both have a point. Let’s just, uh, settle this in a way that we can keep the decor.”

Stix lifts his chin and lets out a deep sound, half-way between a growl and a snarl. “Outside then, and I shall hear your apology.”

Hartley groans. “There’s a couple of your kind living in the river. We’ve heard they are talking women off the path. It’s an ambush trap.”

“Ugh! What is it about water?” I stand up and set my cup in the sink, shooting a ‘help me’ look at Hartley. “Right, let’s go.”

“I think not,” Frost says icily to me. “You will garb yourself properly.”

I look down at my bare thighs and snicker. “Is there a problem, Frost?”

He stalks towards me, and I find myself backing up.

Jeez, he’s tall. He reaches out, slowly, gently, and puts his hand on the wall beside my head.

He’s not touching me when he leans in, his lips beside my ear.

I’ve lost sense of the rest of the room.

All there is are those white and black eyes.

His fair skin has almost a shimmer that is hypnotic.

But it’s the broad chest and shoulders that almost enclose me to the wall that makes me melt.

“You will go and get dressed, my flame.”

I gulp and tremble. “My flame?”

“You’re my flame,” Frost whispers. “Now, go get dressed so we can go play.”

I blink a couple of times and then slip out from beside him, inching my way along the wall until I reach the door frame. I hesitate.

“Don’t do anything. Just stay here and wait.” I turn away and then turn back. “No fighting. I mean it.”

I go back to that big room but stop because my clothes aren’t here. I’m not sure where they are. Wilder knocks on the door. I whirl around, and he passes me a huge suitcase.

“Diablos had these brought for you,” Wilder scowls. “I’m sorry we did not think-” I cut him off with a hard kiss.

“Thanks,” I whisper.

I quickly go through the suitcase, and when I realise Wilder’s not leaving, I pull off his t-shirt and quickly pull on my own clothes.

I know he’s watching me. I kinda love it and take extra time, pulling my jeans up over my ass.

“Are you done?” Wilder asks when I stand up from putting my boots on.

“Yep.”

“Did you enjoy that?”

I bat my lashes. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Wilder grabs my wrist and spins me back towards him as easily as if I were floating. I hit his chest, and his hands capture my ass, slotting us together. His cock is hard, there’s no hiding it, he’s just too big.

“I enjoyed your show,” Wilder murmurs and squeezes. I stand up on my tiptoes, tilting my hips and gripping his shoulders.

“Wilder,” I moan.

He tenses his fingers and slowly lifts me up. His muscles bulge, and I stare at them, rapt, until I end up looking in his eyes, our faces on the same level.

“Kiss me,” I plead.

I don’t know why I’m so desperate, so achy, so needy, but I can barely think straight. What’s wrong with me? As soon as that thought appears, it vanishes and is forgotten .

I’ve barely gotten the words out when he presses his lips to mine. In two seconds, I’m wrapped around him. His hands lift to cup my cheeks as I open my mouth for more. But then I tear away, looking down. What?

His hands aren’t holding me up anymore. Vines have locked us together. As they tighten and flex, they move my body against his, joining us tighter.

Holy crap. This is way cool and so fucking hot.

I feel like I’m on fire when I look back into Wilder’s eyes.

“We have to go,” Wilder says regretfully. “But we will finish this later.”

“I’m gonna hold you to that,” I murmur.

I can’t hide the smile or the happy feelings that are flowing through me. I’m freaking floating. Let’s go kick some creature's butt so I can come back here and do that again.

The vines curl over me and lift me away from him. As soon as my toes touch the ground, they retract and vanish.

Wilder puts a hand on my lower back and guides me back to the kitchen.

“Oh, look, everyone’s alive,” I say with a happy grin.

“I liked you better screaming,” Diablos snarls.

“That’s what Stix said,” Frost intones with a wink in my direction.

My cheeks flame while Diablos groans like he’s in pain.

“Please, spare my delicate ears.” He looks around wrathfully. “The river. Go. Work.”

Puppy snaps his teeth, and Diablos shudders.

“Hartley, my love, let’s leave these heathens to go earn their keep,” Diablos says, and I swear to all that is insane on this planet, the demon pouts and sticks his nose in the air as he prances out.

Hartley gives me an exhausted wave and follows his lover out of our back door.

“I hate water,” Puppy says darkly.

“Why?” I ask.

Puppy considers me for a moment like he’s pondering whether to answer me or not. “They tried to drown me.”

Blood drains from my face. I edge closer to the Grim. “Who tried to hurt you?” The murderous urge to kill everything that looks at my Grim wrong tries to take over my sensible mind. I fight it back but only partially succeed.

He frowns and turns human, dropping into a neat crouch. “It doesn’t matter. I ate them.”

I watch as he walks out the door, my heart constricting my ability to think .

“When?” I ask in a harsh explosion of breath.

“He was young. A pup. He’s lived alone since that day. Grims are dangerous, even amongst our people. By the time I heard, he was gone.”

I whip around. “He’s been living alone since then?”

Stix takes hold of my shoulders. “The Grim would not allow anyone to come close. Not for comfort, not for kindness. He has been alone all this time.” Stix frowns. “Until now. Until you. He followed you here to this place.”

It hurts to swallow. All I want to do is go and find my Grim and cuddle him, then hunt down anyone who looks at him wrong.

“Let's go kill river monsters,” I whisper.

Stix smiles at me and squeezes my shoulders before letting go.

Frost pulls me to him. “You’re coming with me.”

As soon as he touches me, white wraps around us, spinning faster and faster. Cold hits my face, making my skin tingle. Frost takes a huge step, and the white fades, leaving us standing on a hill, looking down at a filthy river.

That was actually really cool. I hold Frost’s hand, loathe to let go of the tenuous connection between us.

It’s thick and brown, the waters moving fast but not in a rough way. I don’t like it at all. There’s rubbish caught in the reeds, and, on the other side, a chain-link fence. It’s just really desolate.

Puppy snatches up my hand and sinks his teeth into my palm. I gasp but don’t pull away. The pain is sudden and exquisite. He lets go and catches my eye with eyes that glow yellow.

He doesn’t say another word as he changes shape and trots down to the river’s edge. Stix appears on the other side of the river with Wilder.

“I like this divide-and-conquer thing you have going on. So, what’s here?” I mutter.

“Feels like something from my world,” Frost whispers absently. He takes three steps towards the river. His face sharpens with concentration.

“Frost?”

“Shh.” He holds up a hand, turning his face sharply.

He takes a step, and, between the space, his humanity melts from him.

A crown of ice and fire sits in his ghost-like hair.

He’s taller, his cheekbones more prominent.

He only vaguely resembles a human. But, he is beautiful.

So gloriously stunning that he takes my breath away.

Never mind about his silver and white armour .

He lifts his hand, and a glowing white staff of clear crystal and silver metal appears in his hand. It’s as tall as him with a ball of glowing light on the top, with a net of metal holding it to the stick.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a weapon,” Frost says like I’m stupid.

I stare at him back until he turns and lifts an elegant alien eyebrow.

“What?”

“What does your weapon do?” I speak the words slowly and sharply.

“It kills things,” Frost says and shakes his head. He’s obviously perplexed, and I decide that it’s not worth it.

I’m looking at Frost when, out of the corner of my eye, I catch sight of something moving in the water. Puppy isn’t watching. He hasn’t seen it.

I spring into action and race down the bank on a diagonal. My legs pump as I watch that shape get closer and closer.

Stix and Wilder look up, drawn by my movement. I keep hurtling myself forward, baring my teeth.

I’m not going to make it.

If I make a sound, he will look at me and lose valuable seconds. I will him to turn. To sense it. To do something.

Tentacles break the surface, long and thick. Puppy doesn’t stand a chance. He’s flicked into the middle of the river and goes under.

“Like fucking hell!” I snarl and dive into the river after my Grim.