Page 105 of Monster. Me.

Then I start to climb onto him. Maybe he can take me out of the airport on his back, and they won't shoot him that way?

But the police have other plans. They throw something else toward us… Smoke fills the air.

People run in every direction, and Fenn and I are swallowed by a choking, stinging cloud. My head starts spinning, my vision blurring, my hands loosening their grip on him…

…and then I lose consciousness.

The last thing I feel is Fenn tripping and falling as well, his body collapsing onto the ground.

For all his power… he’s still a biological organism, and he can still be put to sleep.

◆◆◆

I feel myself emerging from the darkness of unconsciousness. I’m lying in Rupert’s arms. He’s supporting my back and gently patting my cheeks.

"Open your eyes, Marlow. Open your eyes…"

Reluctantly, I do, because I already know what I’m going to see: his fake, candy-sweet face.

The moment I gather enough strength, I shove him away and sit up.

Interestingly, we’re still at the airport, although there’s no one around us anymore. I assume the plane has already left.

"Where’s Fenn Drax?"

That’s the first thing I care about.

My eyes are drawn toward the barely washed away stain of blood on the floor…

"Is he alive?!"

Rupert’s face twists into a grimace.

"That weird thing? That giant praying mantis?" He practically spits out the words. "Why would you care what they did with that monster? It was creepy and disgusting—"

I run toward the place where Fenn Drax’s body slammed into the floor, and I fall to my knees.

My fingers touch the ground that is still faintly pink with his blood.

"No, no…"

Rupert is right behind me, and he continues in a rather impassive voice,

"Actually, I’ve been thinking about it, and I guess I finally understand why he was able to activate fertility in everyone. He probably wanted to lay his eggs in them! A similar reproductive strategy exists in many insect species… It makes perfect fucking sense!"

"Shut up, Rupert! Just shut up! I only asked where they took him!"

Rupert shrugs. "How should I know? He just transformed back into his more humanoid form; they tied him up, and the police or whoever hauled him away somewhere."

I jump to my feet.

"I have to find him!"

"You’ve lost your mind, Marlow. You’re pregnant. We’re going to be parents, and he belongs in the past. You should leave him there—"

"No! I don’t want to be parents with you!" It’s a scream. "I don’t need you or your presence! You and I are simply never going to work! We’ll set up some damn visitation schedule so you can see the kids, but personally, I don’t want anything more to do with you. Don’t you understand?"

I turn around and rush away, leaving Rupert alone at the airport. Standing there with his mouth hanging open and a completely idiotic expression on his face.