Monster's Toy: A Dark Fantasy Monster Romance by Anne Hale & Celeste King

Author:Anne Hale & Celeste King [Hale, Anne & King, Celeste]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Protheka Publishing
Published: 2023-10-02T16:00:00+00:00

17

TANIA

There’s blood everywhere, and corpses too, some still shuddering in their last moments. And in a gust of feathers, Kiath is at the center of it all, tearing one of the settlers’ heads off. A strange sense of relief washes over me, but I know I need to stop this massacre before he kills them all because of Thomas’ actions.

But before I can make a move, an arm comes around me and yanks me back. “We have to go!”

Jennifer.

She’s got such a good heart, and I don’t blame her for being terrified about this whole situation. If I hadn’t seen what he was capable of on the mountain, I’d be more afraid too. But I know him, and I think I can quell his rage and save the rest of them.

I struggle in her grip before tearing away. “You don’t understand!”

Someone’s head flies past us, spurring Jennifer into action. She grabs my hand and drags me further away from the carnage Kiath is wreaking on the settlement.

“Stop!” I shout, freeing myself again.

Jennifer skids to a stop and looks at me with panic in her eyes. “That thing will kill you!”

“You don’t understand,” I repeat. I shake my head in a warning not to follow, then bolt in the opposite direction, towards the source of all this upset. These are good people who don’t deserve what he is going to do to them.

“Kiath!” I call as I run to him.

He’s hunkered over a corpse facing away so I can’t see quite what he’s doing to it. Blood is leaking from his latest victim, a woman who’s choking on her last breath as he claws her open and samples her flesh.

He truly isn’t himself right now, and he will continue to rampage until his energy is spent if given the opportunity. My heart aches for all of them. For Kiath. For me.

“Kiath, stop! Please!”

He doesn’t hear me, lost to his bloodlust.

I approach with more caution, getting near enough to touch one of his outspread wings. I almost do, daring to take another step forward. And suddenly, he’s up again, bolting forward to take out a man with a bow.

Everything seems to go in slow motion. The man’s eyes widen, the bow is knocked from his hand, and Kiath rends him to pieces with his wicked claws. The man doesn’t even have time to process that he’s already dead, his breathless mouth opening into a silent scream.

I swallow hard, stepping over the dying body. “Kiath, please…”

Someone runs into one of the cabins and slams it shut behind them. This causes Kiath’s predator’s instinct to reflexively chase their movement. But the door is made well and gives him trouble. He roars at the obstinate thing, clawing at it feverishly with little to show for his efforts.

“Kiath.”

Nothing. No sign he can hear me.

I stumble forward, knowing that I risk facing those claws on my own. But I can hear children screaming on the other side of that door. If I don’t do something now, he will bathe this whole settlement in their blood.

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