Who the Monsters Are by Nadine Little

Author:Nadine Little [Little, Nadine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little Publishing

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“He really doesn’t like me, does he?” Julian says in a quiet voice, the mattress bouncing as he rolls out from behind me.

I drag my gaze from the black outline of the door. Julian props himself on his elbows, the murky grey light shining in his eyes and tracing the smooth path of his collarbone. I command my heart to quit thrashing around but it pays me no mind.

The foundations of my life are sinking and taking me with them.

“I wouldn’t take it personally,” I say, the words tinny and distant to my ear. “If you were human, he still wouldn’t like you.”

But he’s not human, is he Raine?

Shut up. It doesn’t matter. I didn’t stop loving him after I learned he was a Drakul. Why should I stop loving him once I see the proof of what I already know?

Because maybe I’m fooling myself, like a child hiding under the bed. If I can’t see the monster, it’s not real.

A sob slips out. I swallow the next one and it hurts. I duck my head, an awful clawing sensation tearing at my gut.

“Raine,” Julian whispers, anguished.

His arms slide around me and cradle me to his chest, my head tucked under his chin. His heart thumps against my cheek and, dammit, it’s comforting. He’s solid and warm. I want to cuddle closer and forget about everything.

Why couldn’t he be human? Then he’d be perfect.

“Nate can’t force you to go, can he? Your friends won’t let him.”

I shrug in his hold. “Sofia would threaten to leave or leave with me if it comes to that. Dustan and Fabian might argue but they’d stay. Rick is clearly going to be on Nate’s side. And Nate’s right—if the Vanatori ruling body expel me, it doesn’t matter what anyone else says.”

Part of me is relieved Julian thinks I’m only unhappy at the potential banishment and destitution. The other part snarls at my cowardice but it’s too much to worry about right now. First, there’s the problem of keeping Julian alive and unharmed in the same building as Nate, not to mention the danger posed by Julian’s family.

Evelyn Romanov is an issue for all of us.

Julian sighs into my hair and hugs me harder, tight enough to squash my ribs. He releases me before I get woozy and slips out of the bed. His pale shape stoops to gather his scattered clothes.

“What are you doing?” I say.

He pauses, his back to me, the sweep of his spine and the curve of his butt not enough to distract me. The silence lengthens. The tearing in my gut spreads to each organ, leaving me hollow.

“I’m—” He clears his throat. “I’m going to go.”

I blink. My mouth drops open.

“But I don’t want you to go.”

Christ. I could’ve said, “Where?” or, “Why?”

“The people in this house are your family. They love you.” Another heavy sigh. “Family is the only thing I’ve ever wanted. I can’t take it from you.”

I toss the sheets aside and plant myself in front of him, my back to the window.

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