Page 70 of Wrapped in Their Arms

The middle head leaned in, yellow eyes gleaming.

“Now then, my little piggy-wigs,” it chortled, voice thick with glee.“We’rehere at your new home.Whydon’t you come and see?”

Bright felt a knot form in his stomach, hard and heavy as a stone.HesqueezedNoelle’shand, forcing a smile.

Whatever happens next, we face it together.

WithBurnat his side andNoellebetween them, he stood, head held high, and stepped into whatever nightmare awaited them.

38

NOELLE

The moment the three of them stepped out of the shuttle,Noellefelt like she’d wandered straight into a nightmare fairytale—one of the old, scary ones she’d read as a child, where giants ate people and castles had teeth.

TheTrollox’s“house” wasn’t just big—it wasmonstrous.

The structure loomed above them like a fortress built for gods—or for things that had once devoured gods and left their bones scattered in the back garden.Massivestone pillars lined a broad walkway paved with stones the size of hovercars.Thefront door alone was three stories tall, carved from a single slab of dark wood, etched with swirling runes she didn’t recognize.Thedoor handle was as large as aKindredtorso.

The grounds were equally oversized.Whatshe had first mistaken for long rows of decorative hedges were actually towering bushes twice her height, their leaves as big as dinner plates.Strangeflowers—huge, pulsing blossoms the size of serving bowls—unfurled in the dim evening light, releasing scents that made her nose twitch as she breathed in the fragrance of sweet sap, damp earth, and something musky and alien that made her cheeks feel warm.

Even the stepping stones on the garden path were each large enough to serve as a table for six.Shefelt tiny walking besideBurnandBright, as though she had shrunk.

But the exteriors weren’t half as intimidating as theTrolloxhimself.

He lumbered ahead of them, his three heads bobbing like grotesque, shaggy jack-o-lanterns.

“Come in, come in, my piggy-wigs,” he called, each head speaking a fractional beat out of sync.Hishuge feet—each one about half the size of a twin mattress—thudded against the stone steps as he approached the colossal doorway.

Burn pushed ahead first, shoulders tense and jaw set.Brightstayed close toNoelle’sright side whileBurnguarded her left, and she walked between them like precious cargo they refused to let theTrolloxtouch.Theirprotective closeness made her feel safe…but it didn’t erase the fear trembling through her bones.

Inside the house, the scale only grew more surreal.

Everything—everything—was twice as big as anythingNoellehad ever seen.

The living area opened before them like a cavern.Acouch stretched along the far wall, its cushions as wide as queen-sized mattresses.Noellethought a singleKindredcould curl up in the corner of one cushion and still have room to spare.Amatching chair sat nearby—more like a throne—with an ottoman larger than aKindredbed.

Huge tapestries hung on the towering walls, their embroidered scenes showing battles between creatures even larger than theTrollox.Theimages were unsettling—beings ripped in half…flames raining down…massive alien beasts with multiple heads or writhing tentacles fighting each other, bleeding and dying.

“Welcome to my humble abode,” theTrolloxmiddle head said with a bow that made the floor tremble.“Youmay sit on the furniture, little piggy-wigs.Justdon’t make a mess with your shoes.”

The right head snorted and muttered something incoherent, while the left one giggled to itself.

Noelle hugged her arms to her chest—well, tried to—and immediately winced when the collar shocked her hands for daring to brush against her own skin.

“Ow!”she gasped under her breath.

Her stupid breasts felt so full and heavy andpainful—the nipples were tight and aching and even the slightest movement hurt.Shewished she could cover them—or rub them—oranythingto relieve the pressure.Butthe collar made even scratching her nose impossible.

She watchedBrightabsently rubbing his chest and felt a sharp pang of jealousy.

Why do their collars let them touch themselves while mine punish me for every little thing?MadredeDios, it’s crazy-making!

“Andthisis the recreational den,” theTrolloxsaid cheerfully as he led them onward.

They stepped into another colossal room featuring an entertainment screen the size of a building wall.Itstretched from the massive hearth at one end to a pile of enormous lounging pillows at the other.Acontroller—bigger thanNoelle’storso—lay discarded on the floor.

Burn’s low whistle echoed in the vast room.