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I turn to where my mate stands at the edge of the shadows. “Knock him out.”
“Certainly.”
“Wait—” Mr. Roberts rises seven feet off the floor, and my mate flings him against the wall.
When he falls to the floor with a satisfying thud, I deliver a hard kick to his side. Mr. Roberts doesn’t even grunt.
“By the way, why did you turn off the light?” I ask.
“This is my most powerful form.”
My brows pull together. “But you’re as strong as a human with invisible tentacles.”
He pauses for a moment, and my stomach tightens. I’ve only known him for two days, but when he’s in the dark, he always hesitates to tell me what he believes to be a disconcerting truth.
“We’re mates, right?” I walk around the desk and place a hand on his cool, damp tentacle.
“Of course.”
“Which means I’ll accept you no matter what.”
“You may not when you discover what I wish to do.”
“Tell me now.” I give his tentacle a gentle squeeze. “There’s no point in holding back when I can ask you the same question in the light of day and get a candid answer.”
He blows out a weary breath. “My kind cannot survive long in other dimensions without feeding.”
I nod. “You explained that to me last night.”
“The only way to stay here permanently would be to absorb another human in their entirety—not just their fear.”
“You mean eat them?” I ask.
“I wouldn’t put it in so many words, but if I can wrap my shadow around another being and consume what makes them human, I will no longer have to keep feeding on terror.”
My throat tightens. “Mr. Roberts would die?”
“I would break down his components for my own consumption, and there would be nothing left of him but skin.”
Different scenarios play through my mind, and my breaths quicken. If we let Mr. Roberts go, he’ll run straight to the police or some other high authority and tell them he got attacked by a talking tentacle man. And he’ll point the finger at me for harboring him.
I could ask my mate to escape to his dimension, but he would refuse. And he’s already absorbed too much humanity to return safely. Going on the run would be impossible with no money, and the authorities would catch up with us anyway.
But does my boss deserve to die? Under any other circumstances, I would say no, but keeping him alive will certainly cause us more trouble than we deserve.
“Mate?” he asks.
“Do it,” I say.
“Are you sure?”
“It’s the only way we’ll be together.”
“But you will come to fear and revile me.”
“I won’t,” I say from between clenched teeth. “That bastard stole four years of my dreams, making me believe nobody wanted my art. He also spent that time profiting from my work, while keeping me here as cheap labor.”
“Very well.”
