Page 18 of Wishing Upon a Monster (Monster Brides Romance #40)

Olan

I t was a delicate dance of manners, behaving for min s?de skat.

I didn’t fall into a neat box for her colleagues and her family.

They wanted me to act monstrous, for my insides to match my outer flesh––never mind that if I were to return home, I would not have this shape.

Even in this restrictive form, I was more than they assumed.

If they knew the breadth of my abilities, I doubt they would let me access my treasure as easily.

For she was a treasure, her moods, her laughter. The way the light seemed to follow her, even though she said she possessed no magic. She was something beyond the paltry powers of her kind. She was mine .

I was greedy. I waited after her shifts, stealing her away in the night to markets, dinners, and walks under the stars.

The internet said women of today loved gifts, good food, wine, and company.

So was our life for three weeks, until min skat finally impressed the Banshee enough to join her peers on the night shift.

“I want to celebrate finally passing Irene’s Banshee Bootcamp tonight after work,” she said, tilting her head to the side to accept my kiss on her temple after I delivered her French toast with whipped cream and blueberries.

“Where do you wish to go, min skat ?” I asked, walking back to my empty plate. “It will be early morning in Tokyo, and the cherry blossoms are blooming. I have discovered an Oni cafe where we can dine amongst the flowers.”

I slid a few slices of French toast onto my plate, topping them to match hers.

She swallowed a bite of her breakfast, a hum of pleasure on her lips, “Mmm, we could; I definitely won't say no to seeing that one day. But tonight, I was hoping,” she licked a bit of whipped topping off her fork as I battled to keep my thoughts in a northern direction, “that we could go out to a little Italian spot I know called Il Boccone Bestiale. It’s owned by a dona de fuera named Fortunata. Her Spaghetti Carbonara is one of my favorite dishes, and... I’d like to share it with you. ”

I blinked at her, shocked. “You want to take me to a restaurant called The Beastly Bite for pasta to celebrate?”

“Well, yeah,” she chuckled. “You’ve been taking me all sorts of places you enjoy or thought I would. It’s time I returned the favor, don’t you think?”

My stomach soured. Returning the favor?

I knew this would take time. Time is something we have. This is a positive turn of events, truth be told. But I could perhaps help her rephrase?

I picked up my breakfast, walking the meal not to the spot across from her but one seat over, closer to where she sat. Small gestures. Small movements designed to not spook my bride.

“To understand... you want to take me out?” I questioned lightly, knowing, thanks to MagiTube, that ‘taking out’ is another way to phrase going on a date. Perhaps another small step– –

“Yes! I’ll pay too; you always end up paying or calling in favors when we go out. I should start pulling my weight in this relationship, unless your old-fashioned sensibilities won’t allow you to let me?” she sassed, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

I extended my hand, caressing her arm, “Our relationship, min s?de skat ?”

“Well, yes. I mean, every being you talk to on a daily basis is in a relationship with you. Sashimi is my pet, so we have a pet and cat mommy relationship. And Rocio, Cece, Selen, Vickie, and I have a friendship.” Her cheeks turned red as I took her small hand in mine. “And, uh...”

Her mind started to overthink; her nervousness became palpable.

At first, I thought it was because she was afraid of me.

Even after she came so beautifully for me in the conference room, she had drawn back.

She was shy, yes, but it felt like more.

I could feel, judging by her emotions, that she was considering.

Hopefully, considering us —as a couple. I’d been trying to follow her cues, but I wasn’t sure she knew what signals to give me.

So now, I pushed, just a little.

“My old-fashioned sensibilities are fine with you paying if we are engaging in current courtship rituals,” I agreed, squeezing her hand before pulling mine away.

“Yes,” she whispered, her face red as she looked down at her plate, “that’s... yes.”

My heart beat a little faster, and hope soared in my chest. “Then I accept. I will pick you up after your shift––”

“Uh, you could, or we could try something a little more...It’s a restaurant that is exclusively open at night for magical beings, so we could meet there? ”

Like a date. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks in response. “I would like that very much, min skat.”

She took a deep breath and looked at me with a grin. “Then it’s a date.”

I followed her directions to the letter. She had texted a small map to what she called the supernatural entrance. Il Boccone Bestiale was enchanted to look like a traditional human restaurant, with an entrance that led to the front of house dining area, with the kitchens in back.

The truth, Aurora explained earlier, was that the kitchen was situated in the middle with an exit to the human side at the front and an exit to the monster side in the back.

The back exited into the trees, which provided cover and camouflage for the restaurant’s more unique diners.

I was also pleased to find that there was a connected well on that part of the property.

Being that this was an Italian establishment, the likelihood was that a Pettenedda was the reason why.

We Br?ndmands were not the only creatures to use wells as a means of transport.

I leaned against a lamppost a few yards away from the entrance. The hostess said I could wait inside, that min s?de skat had made reservations, and I could wait at the table. But I preferred to enter with my wife.

Shortly after I got my phone, I was approached by the group, Rocio, Vickie, Selene, and Cece.

They explained that I would likely need help navigating the world as it was today, and offered me their contact information, telling me to message them if I needed anything.

They had been correct in their prediction.

Humans had their rules, and at times, it was baffling.

I texted them earlier asking about the dress code for this establishment.

I already knew pants were required. Cece sent me pictures of button-down shirts because she said I couldn’t walk around bare-chested.

It ‘wasn’t that kind of establishment.’ She never answered my question about what sort of establishment allowed you to be topless.

I tugged on my black button-down shirt, which I had fashioned, like my pants, from shadows. It felt restrictive. The things a being did for love.

My phone chirped in my pocket. I hoped it was a text from Aurora, and I was sad to see it was from her eldest brother, Aiden Aurum. It had to be against the rules, how her family had gotten my phone number. I never gave it to them, and I doubt min lille skat did, either.

I harrumphed at his text warning me to treat her right, or else. Where were they when she dated that fool Kenton? Did they threaten him with their paltry displays of power?

I sighed. Humans’ valuation of family was a concept that I was still adjusting to. Br?ndmands were created, not born, so family was a concept we learned after we found partners. I sent back a simple, “Yes, sir.”

The dots appeared, then disappeared, then appeared, then disappeared again. I smirked. I put my phone away and watched the woods, waiting for min skat .

She emerged from the shadows dressed in a way I had not seen before. Her coverings were varied; the uniform for work was splotched to conceal her in the forest, while her charming dresses and forest-themed accessories were reserved for days at home or running errands. This was different.

I felt the blood quicken in my veins as I pushed myself off the lamp post, drawn to the vision that was my wife.

She wore a long deep-purple satin gown, her toned physique on display in a sensual way.

Never had I considered that clothing could enhance the way I felt towards another being.

Or maybe this was one of the magical things about Aurora.

“You look stunning, min elskede .” I trailed a finger along the golden skin of her shoulder, where only a thin strip of fabric held her dress to her body.

The urge to rend it, to tear the soft casing away to expose her skin to my gaze, was warring with my desire to have this date.

To take things at the speed she wished us to.

This dress shredded my patience. I used my shadows to discreetly shield the erection I now had from view.

She blushed prettily, the color sliding down her throat and across what I could see of her chest. “Thank you. You look very formal,” she said, reaching out to tug on my shirt.

“This seems to be a formal place,” I responded, trying to clamp down on my lust.

“It is, but I uh... I didn’t know you did shirts.” She took my hand, giving it a squeeze before walking forward.

I walked with her to the door, enjoying that they had taller entrances than the enforcer’s command center or our little cottage; I needed only to duck a little to come inside.

The restaurant was very intimate, the lighting dim, with high-backed cushioned benches set in ‘c’ shapes.

White tablecloths with jars of fairy lights decorated each table, the glow soft and inviting.

Large mosaic murals were placed throughout the restaurant, depicting famous monsters like the gorgons.

It was very Italian and yet not all at once; such is the effect of living in the New World.

“I have a reservation for two under Aurum,” min skat said to the Dona de fuera I had spoken with earlier.

“Oh yes, this way,” she said, picking up two menus. She swept us along around the tables, her red dress flowing behind her. I could just see the fur of her cat feet as she walked .