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Thick red hair waved down my back, complementing my amber eyes and tanned skin, and I had the same hourglass shape as my sister. My looks were enough to draw attention from some of the men and women of the village, so I was hoping that was a good sign. Even if they called me a freak when they were with their friends.
Unlike them, I refused to accept my fate. Refused to accept my sister,Cara’s,fate, and I think that scared them. I wasn’t going to waste my time with useless skills like basket weaving and sewing like the other girls. I’d dedicated most of the last ten years to learning how to fight, training, and pushing my body to its limits. Cara was still alive, I could feel it, and I was going to save her. After she had been taken, I’d only had my father left, and he’d never said anything about me wanting to fight. I’m not sure if he really cared.
But the monsters were picky when they selected us. I didn’t have some of the features they had seemed to favor in the women who’d been chosen in the past—hair as straight as a dagger and the color of midnight. No, I had…The ability to stab a person in the eye from twelve feet away? Great. You’ll definitely be chosen.
I knew if anyone was sure to be selected, it would be Lana, with her straight black hair, porcelain skin, and breasts the size of coconuts. Lana towered over the two girls on either side of her further up the line, her white dress pulled so tightly against her that it looked three sizes too small. Everyone wanted Lana, and I couldn’t blame them.
It was twisted, getting chosen. It was a major compliment to be selected—it showed you were the most beautiful and coveted—but at the same time, no one wanted to die.
Lana ran her fingers through her hair for what seemed like the thousandth time, then smoothed her hands down the front of her dress. It would be a huge blow to her ego if she wasn’t chosen. Maybe she was as insane as I was and wanted to be selected as well?
Chief Shaasi stopped in front of me then, and I straightened as the old woman examined my appearance. We’d never had a great relationship, and I’m sure a part of her hoped I’d get chosen just so I’d stop being the pain constantly plaguing her. The oddity in her neatly organized village of sacrificial lambs. Well, for once, we both wanted the same thing.
I grinned at her innocently as she looked up and down my body. Her gaze lingered on my unruly hair, and she sniffed in disapproval before moving on to Yasmin, who stood next to me.
Turning away, I stared at the cave mouth before me.The mouth of Procus.I tried to swallow, but my throat was too dry. Possibly from all the training and running, or more likely because I felt as if I was peering into the giant eye of death.
The entrance was huge, at least the height of three average villagers and just as wide. Frowning, I stared into the darkness of the cave mouth, confused by the sudden appearance of six more lights.
Chief Shaasi shouted something from her position back in front of the line, but I didn’t make out her words. I stood frozen because those weren’t lights buteyesstaring back at me—three pairs, to be exact. The glowing orbs moved toward me, becoming larger with every moment, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.
The Katakin monsters had arrived.
CHAPTER 2
~ Raine ~
Violet,gold,andblueeyes advanced toward us steadily, the glowing lights dancing in the dark. My hands gripped the sides of my dress, and I wished I were holding one of my knives instead. Shifting my leg slightly, I was comforted by the weight of the small dagger I’d strapped high up on my thigh. But I didn’t grab it out. I couldn’t risk them seeing it. Not yet.
Where’s the fourth monster?Everyone knew four monsters always appeared for the Night of the Offering. I strained my eyes, trying to make out the dark shapes, and as four forms emerged from the cave mouth, I realized why I hadn’t noticed the last monster. Unnatural onyx-colored eyes with no white surrounding the pupils stared back at me, cold and predatory. Everything about that gaze screamed he was a hunter, a destroyer, and I clenched my jaw as I resisted the sudden instinct to run.
Power radiated from the four monsters and thickened the air as they advanced toward us, striding into the moonlight side by side. My knees shook, but I forced myself to assess the monsters with a sweeping gaze.Pull it together, Raine.
In the elders’ tales, the monsters were grotesque, with horns thicker than a mountain goat’s, pig snouts for noses, and bodies the height of giants. I blinked. While these four were all abnormally tall, they did not at all look like the monsters I’d always pictured in my mind. There weredefinitelyno pig snouts.
Lifting my chin, I glared at the monster with the black eyes. His dark gaze was roving along the lineup, his full lips twisted into a cruel smile. Moonlight gleamed off his short raven-colored hair, the color contrasting against his pale, white skin. Huge black wings were folded behind his back, the skin leathery like giant bat wings, and a long sword was strapped to his side.
Arrogance oozed from the male, and his hands swung as he walked, his razor-sharp claws almost catching on the sides of the black leather coat covering his lean, muscular body. My stomach dropped as I imagined those claws easily shredding through flesh.Myflesh.I think I’m going to call you Asshole One.
My gaze then went to the monster striding beside him, the one with glowing violet eyes. Small curved violet horns protruded from his shaggy coffee-colored hair, and a forked violet tail flicked behind him.
Easily the largest of the four, this monster was built like a boulder. Every inch of him was covered in sculpted muscle that bulged against his dark shirt and leather pants.I’ll definitely break my wrist if I punch that one. Right, blades only.Axes rested on the sides of his hips, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. It was obvious he wouldn’t need them with us puny humans.Hello, Asshole Two.
The third monster kept the gray hood of his cloak pulled low over his face, so I couldn’t make out much besides his glowing blue eyes and the five silver stars pinned to the leather belt that crossed his chest.
His build was similar to the first monster’s—lean and powerful. A lock of silver hair waved down the side of his neck like a glittering snake trailing along his collarbone. I had no doubt the monster was hiding some terrible secret beneath that hood, and I wasn’t looking forward to finding out what it was.I’ll name you Asshole Three.
The monsters came to a stop before our line, and the huge muscles of the fourth monster,Asshole Four, flexed as he folded his arms over his broad chest. He wasn’t quite as bulky as Asshole Two but easily more muscular than One and Three.
His dark brows were pulled low, and furry pointed ears protruded from russet-colored hair. Narrowed golden eyes fixed their gaze on Chief Shaasi with a hatred that seemed to roll off him in waves, but despite the stern expression, he was easily as attractive as the other males, with a square jaw, tan skin, and an appealing slight cleft in his chin.
I looked at all four monsters again. Despite their unnatural height and some of their physical attributes, they looked almost human. Well, you know, if humans looked like they could shred you into ribbons or rip out a tree with one hand. The monsters were…beautiful. It was as if their bodies had been sculpted by the Goddess, Falia, herself and they had just walked down the steps from her haven.
Keep your head straight, I internally chastised myself.These monsters are coming to lead you to your death. They’re not taking you to their beds.A low snort escaped me as I thought of the monsters taking the chosen villagers to their beds instead of to torture and death. Heck, no one had ever returned after leaving with the monsters, so for all I knew, the chosen might have been about to walk into a full-on orgy.
I nearly laughed outright then at my own outrageous thought as I imagined a disgusting amount of slippery bodies romping with these godlike monsters, but I managed to beat the sound back down, with only a strangled cough escaping me.
I thought the noise was quiet enough that no one would have heard, but I was wrong. Burning copper eyes fixed on me, holding my gaze, and the male monster’s nostrils flared as if he was scenting the air.Fuck.I quickly lowered my head and stared at the ground. When Asshole Four didn’t start lumbering toward me, I let out a slow breath.Seriously? You want them to choose you, not slaughter you where you stand.
