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I had terrible table manners, apparently. My laugh was too loud in movie theaters. My crutches were always in the way of things when I wasn’t using them. I could never stow them in a place that wasn’t a problem for him, though he swore he wasn’t embarrassed of me when I was using them.
But he was. I could tell he was by the way he was always apologizing for me when we were around other people. Like in this cringey way. Oh sorry, he would say, his cheeks coloring a little if I knocked into something in a crowded restaurant, she’s disabled.
Like it isn’t fucking obvious.
And like it is anything to fucking apologize for.
I don’t know why it has taken me this long to get so furious about it, but sudden, white-hot rage fills my chest.
I’m not even that angry at him. I mean, I am. He’s a prick. A pretentious, privileged, ableist bastard for whom I was always way too good for. But it’s me I’m really furious at. For putting up with that. For believing for a fucking second he was all I deserved.
As absurd as it is, the monster has treated me better.
Yes, he wants me on my knees while he feeds me, but at least it is out in the open. He calls me his consort to my face. Even the queen of England called her husband her consort.
And in the bedroom, unlike Drew, the beast gives as much as he takes. God, does he give. My cheeks heat with the memories even as tears fall down my cheeks.
And he is the one who gave me my miracle. Even if I haven’t kept up my side of the bargain.
Because I’ve run away, like a scared, selfish little girl. And now I am here, with nowhere else to go.
Shit.
What if… I’ve made a mistake?
But those monsters in the basement!
Now that I’m finally not running, though, I think through what happened. One of them spoke to me. The handsome one… well, before his head twisted around, anyway. I shiver and clutch the blanket tighter.
Before he turned, though, he spoken to me. He called me consort. He knows who I am, and told me to run.
What if they are locked up down there for a reason? Or was I just trying to justify my monster’s bad behavior?
They were terrifying, that was sure. But did any creature deserve to live down there chained up like that? Could anything justify this?
Running is the right decision, I try to tell myself. At least after I opened that door, anyway. But did I really need to go down there and open it in the first place? I shake my head. I’d needed answers…
I shove my face into the musty couch pillow. I don’t know what’s right or wrong anymore, though I’m starting to have a sneaking suspicion deep in my guts that I… that I’ve done wrong.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
MONSTER
I stomp through the ground floor of the castle. Apparently, I’ve arrived here right on time, because Thing is just crawling up the staircase from the dungeon below, chains still rattling from his arms. He obviously broke his chains from the wall but hasn’t bothered to shake them free.
And by the way his eyes have gone full red, he’s pissed.
Well shit.
But it turns out that’s not even half the problem.
Because right behind him comes Remus. Romulus is sleeping. Remus is in full control, looking maniacal as ever. He pets Thing’s head as he grins, smile stretching too wide for his human-shaped lips. His eyes burn red with angel-spark, too.
Fuck. My hackles rise, and my claws sharpen.
“Consort decided to come play,” Remus taunts.
Thing opens his jaws and roars. His face is human but the proportions are slightly wrong. And then there’re the fangs. Plus, his blue skin is so caked with filth now, he looks more monstrous than me, even without considering his multiple, huge arms.
“If you touched her, I’ll—” I start.
Remus cackles. “Oh, she ran away before we got free. She was just a curious kitten, come to see what lurked in the big, bad dungeon, but she left the door open.” Again the grin splits his face almost from ear to ear.
Creepy fucker.
“And now that I’m home, you’ll go straight back where you belong,” I growl.
“To hell?” Remus says with an arch of his eyebrow. “Too late, brother. We already live here.”
“You’ll have to get past me,” I growl.
“I’ve been looking forward to this.” His tail rises behind him and his wings flare out. But then he stretches his neck with clenched teeth.
I smile at that. With all my teeth.
It’s a tell. Romulus is waking, and he’s fighting him. Always an eternal battle within themselves.
Remus grimaces in fury, knowing that I know. And then he yells, “Attack!”
Thing launches forward, and I crouch, ready for it.
