Page 13 of Monstrous Truths


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“Please, Cato,” I beg, despite my fear. “She needs my help.”

He stands. “I will go and see if I can find her. If I can’t, I’ll come back. Is that acceptable?” I nod, and he points at me. “Do not leave this room. Outside of this room is my tribe. The building is filled with them. They won’t hesitate to kill you, do you understand?”

A building filled with monsters? “Yes,” I croak out, and he watches me for a moment before snarling again.

“Stay here. I will not be long.” He strides to the door and rips it open, and then I hear it click shut. I sit where I am, shocked. What is happening?

I haven’t had a moment to breathe since the tiger attack, and now I’m locked up with a monster who just left me in a building full of them. I almost laugh before I slap my hand over my mouth. Despite what he said, I need to get out of here, find Aria, and get back over the wall. But how will I do that?

I start by standing up, ignoring the ache in my body from running, the burning of my eyes from crying, and the drying blood on my skin as I hurry around the room, searching for anything to help. I blink in shock when I open a fridge to find some of the missing research.

Motherfucker… The monsters took the research.

Why?

I hesitate, but I don’t have time to ask questions, so I shut the fridge. My search only turns up more and more research and notes that intrigue me. Whoever it is, they are a very capable scientist. Could it be a monster?

But why?

Blowing out a breath, I focus on the only door in the space. I have to go out through there. Rolling my shoulders back, I storm over and unlock it. When nothing happens, I peek my head out, and when I still hear and see nothing, I slide one foot out, but then there’s a roar of laughter before there’s one of anger.

It’s so loud, it slams through my heart, sending instant terror coursing through me so hard, I stumble back through the door. I desperately grab the closest thing—which happens to be a chair—and I push it in front of the door, but my panic consumed brain knows it’s not enough, so with all my strength, I push a desk in front of it and scamper back to the corner of the room, grabbing a blade I found on the side.

My lungs scream as I hyperventilate, and my body shakes from adrenaline.

When nothing happens, I slump slightly, suddenly exhausted as the adrenaline leaves me cold and shivering. That was dumb—really dumb. Who did I think I was, trying to waltz out of a monster den?

Okay, so I can’t just walk out there. For some reason, the monster, Cato, didn’t want to hurt me. In fact, he seemed appalled at the idea, but that doesn’t mean it won’t change. However, I can work with that for now, because the monsters out there want to hurt me just like he said. Better the enemy you know and all that jazz.

I’ll stay here until he gets back, and then I’ll wait for him to sleep, wait for them all to sleep, before I make my grand escape into daylight. That’s the only reason I tell myself I’m trusting this man, even though it’s a lie and my heart aches at the idea of leaving.

How absurd.

EIGHT

CATO

Iknow the other human isn’t in my territory, but I couldn’t deny Talia. She looked so scared, but she was still determined to race into the city of monsters to find her friend. That loyalty? Yeah, it did strange things to my heart, until I found myself agreeing to go look for her. I shouldn’t have left Talia alone, but I didn’t have much choice. My dread that something could happen to her has me searching as quickly as I can for her friend, but when I reach the border of Akuji’s land, I know I have no choice. I cross it, sticking to the shadows and moving quickly. I was taught by his people, so I know their locations, what to look for, and how to stay silent.

It works, and I don’t run into anyone, but when I reach the square that haunts me to my dying day, the place I both hate and love, I smell it.

Blood.

There is a lot of it, and it is not Talia’s. Her friend? It has to be. Aware I’m putting myself in danger, I step out into the open and follow the blood trail. I form lies in my head. Akuji might let me get away with it, but some of his people ache to fight, ache to enforce their laws and impress their reigner. They wouldn’t hesitate to try and kill me, and then I’d have to kill them all, which would start a war we don’t want or need.

Just for her, my Talia.

She is mine. The feeling is undeniable. I’m not sure why, but I won’t look at it too closely. I’m running on instinct, my heart clenching at having to tell Talia her friend is badly hurt. Suddenly, the blood trail veers to a dead-end alley, and I freeze, smelling Akuji. It’s strong. He’s either still here or was here not long ago, so despite the fact that Talia needs to find her friend, I get the hell out of there. I will not risk a war between our people, not even for her.

I guess some of my intellect still remains, although the rest of it fled when I laid eyes on her. The closer I get to my land, the more my nerves increase and my steps hasten. I don’t think my people will enter my rooms without being called, but if they heard her, or worse, she tried to leave?

A flash of red fills my head before I push it away. Once back at my den, I take the stairs in one leap. I rip open the door, blinking in shock when I watch a desk, a chair, a whiteboard, a box, and some cloth bits fly across the room from where they were behind the door.

There’s a squeak, and my eyes land on Talia. She’s in the back corner of the room, her eyes wide as she watches me with a scalpel in her hand. The terror in her gaze instantly has guilt filling me, so I close my eyes and breathe through my panic and anger, relieved to find her okay, even if she is scared. I shut the door and hold my hand out to show her I mean no harm, then I slowly move across the room.

The closer I get to her, the faster her heart races, the stench of both fear and relief filling the air. I ignore it as I stop before her and crouch. “It’s okay, it’s just me.” I reach for the blade, not liking the fact her hand is shaking and she might cut herself, but she mistakes my intention. I must move too fast, even though I try to slow down and hunch to make myself smaller. Her instincts kick in, and she lashes out. I don’t even feel the tiny butterfly cut, but she freezes and her eyes widen as fear explodes through her. Slowly, I extract the blade so she doesn’t hurt herself and pocket it. When I stand, she jerks back with a squeak that makes my heart hurt.

“Talia, it is okay, it’s nothing. I will not hurt you,” I repeat, and then I retreat to give her room to think. My eyes stay on her as I sit. I feel a small cut on my cheek, but I ignore it. I watch her, worried about how pale she is.

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