Rage (Her Monsters Book One) - K.A Knight Page 0,6
legs until our knees touch. I find myself craving that touch more than I should, maybe it has been too long since another being touched me. Yes, that must be it.
“Yes and no,” I reply, not apologising for the rough, harsh quality of my voice, but she doesn't seem to care if the shiver of her body and tightening of her nipples are anything to go by. Interesting, it has been a long time since I had a human, but the unmistakable waft of desire from her has me clenching my fingers into the dirt, anchoring me.
“You have more than one?” she says, those lips curving up into a smile, which I can't seem to look away from. I would do anything for her to bestow another on me. I wonder if I would be lost if I heard her laugh. Would it wrap around me, weaving me in its spell? Maybe she is a witch, or a siren.
“Yes,” I reply.
She doesn't seem to care about my abrupt answer. “Can I see them?” she asks, her eyes burning with excitement.
“You would not like one of my other forms,” I warn, knowing it would cause this delicate creature to scream in terror and flee, and I don’t want that to happen just yet.
“What about the other?” she asks.
“Human.” I lower my head and watch her body, my eyes unable to look away even if I wanted to.
“Humans are so boring, I think I prefer this one,” she says and a tinkle of a laughter escapes, like the birds on the wind, the beauty unparalleled.
“Humans crave beauty, you would prefer me in that form,” I find myself saying.
She shakes her head. “Humans may be beautiful on the outside, but underneath there is only rot and hatred, it corrupts them and all that beauty is pointless.” Without waiting for me to reply she carries on, “What is your name?”
“Names have power,” I caution, knowing it was once used against me and I will not make the same mistake again, not even for this bewitching creature.
“I’m Dawn,” she says with a soft smile, as if trying to comfort a scared animal, is that what I am to her?
“The second most beautiful time of the day, when the sun burns through the sky, alighting the darkness and signaling another night survived.” I don't know why the words slip out, but I don’t take them back.
“I always preferred the night,” she replies with a laugh, she looks at her lap and sighs. “How am I alive and why am I not panicking more over the fact that I awoke in my own grave with a creature of the night pulling me from the soil?” she muses like she is talking to herself, and I do not have the answers so I don’t reply. I don’t know how she is alive, or what she is.
“You are not human,” I summarise, my ears twitching at the animal sneaking closer, obviously as curious about Dawn as I am.
She blows out a breath, making her cheeks round adorably. “I figured as much, humans can’t survive being gutted. Do you know what I am?” she asks, looking at me for help. Like a punch to my stomach, I find myself wanting to give her comforting words that other creatures seem to seek, but I will not lie to her. “I do not know. I have never met another like you, that feels or smells like you.”
“Well, at least you don't bullshit me,” she grins, her eyes focusing on the snake curling itself up my arm and around my shoulder to stare at her.
“It will not hurt you, it is curious,” I say, stroking its scaly skin.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispers, watching it. I look down and I have to agree, its scales are an iridescent green that seems to shine in the light, and its eyes are the colour of gold.
“Most deadly things are quite beautiful. Their beauty used to entice their prey,” I murmur as it slinks down my arms and curls in my lap, watching her as if bewitched as I am.
She watches the snake as I watch her, a frown tugging at those lips and crinkles appearing in her forehead. “I can’t remember how I died, or how I got here. Every time I try, a shard digs into my brain.”
“Of course, your mind is trying to protect you from the truth. It is a human sentiment,” I add, and unable to help myself I stroke the snake, catching