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We watch each other for a moment, wariness and interest sparking in his eyes. I am sure the same curiosity is in my gaze as well. After all, it’s not every day you see a monster. We were told nothing but horror stories about them, yet here one stands, a monster who not only saved me but also nursed me back to health and protected me from those he thought were hunting me.
Maybe the monsters are not as evil as we were taught to think. The humans I know were certainly more cruel than I ever thought they could be.
Maybe everything was a lie.
I do not know how my sister survived here and how she went from distrusting the monsters to loving them. It is her strength, I realize. She has always been so strong, so sure, and she can withstand anything. I am not like her, and I never have been. Darkness closes in around me, a reminder of what I was trying to escape.
I would be better off dead.
It would be easier.
Then, for a moment, aqua eyes pierce that fog, and a deep voice pulls me back in. “What is your name?”
“Kai, Kai Black,” I murmur, focusing on him to fight off the tidal wave of pain waiting to pull me under.
“I am Kaito. It is nice to meet you, Kai.”
I swallow as I stare at him, unsure what to say or do. He turns away, tidying up before moving to my side once more and smiling down at me softly, revealing rows of sharp teeth that cause my eyes to widen.
“Rest now, Kai Black. I will protect you.”
But who will protect me from him?
Chapter
Three
KAITO
The human, Kai, is different from the others.
She looks at me with fear, but not revulsion or disgust, and she spoke to me, not just around me, as if acknowledging I am a living being. It has been far too long since I conversed with anyone, either human or monster, and I find I like it. She needs to rest though. Her body is still healing. She had many broken bones, a deflated lung, and a cracked skull. It is a miracle she survived, or it would be if not for my magic, which was given to me by humans.
I am a curated creature, not a real monster like the other beings, but I am also not a man. Still, how could I ever be bad when I have the ability to save such a beautiful, pure creature and snatch her back from the brink of death?
I do not know, but I hover outside of my cabin, not wanting to disturb her since she seems unsure and fearful in my presence. She flinches when I draw too close, though I am unsure if she knows she does so. I make a note to move slower and not touch her without asking permission first, even if it is to sit her up to eat or drink. I guess I got used to her being out cold,where I could infuse her with my magic at regular intervals to speed up the healing process and pull her back from death.
Now that she is awake, she will need nutrients as well as time to heal. She will also need my protection here in the Dead Lands from those that would do her harm. It is clear she is . . . raw, which is the only word I can think of to describe her emotional state.
I check on her a few times, but she seems to be sleeping, which is good. Her body needs to rest, so while she slumbers, I move away from the cabin and the water, which is calling my name, and toward the woods that grow around my little sanctuary. The trees reach into the sky, blocking out the sunlight above me. I hear echoes of other monsters in the distance, but I ignore them. None ever venture this deep. They say it is home to a terrible creature.
They are not wrong.
Hunting is easy when you have talons and in no time, I have some smaller animals I can skin and make into a soup for her to ingest. I also harvest some plants to make a salve for her bruises and a tea that will stop any sickness or pain. I’m just heading back to the cabin, fearful of leaving her too long, when I see tracks.
They circle the perimeter of the trees, and they are too big to be caused by a lesser monster. No, this is something else. Crouching, I gather some of the dirt and sniff, wrinkling my nose at the smell. Yes, definitely a monster. Worried for my little human, I lay some traps that will alert me if others draw too close. It’s long and tiresome work to circle the perimeter, but it will ensure her safety.
I am just setting the last trap when a scream pierces the air—a very human scream. Birds soar into the sky, silencing the forest around me. I race back before I can even think, hurrying through the door of the cabin, ready to defend Kai . . . only no one isthere. Blinking, I carefully shut the door and frown. She thrashes around on the dining table I made into her bed, kicking at the furs. Her mouth is open in a continuous scream, and her eyes are clenched tightly shut.
She is going to hurt herself.
When I draw closer, I realize she is still asleep.
She is having a nightmare.
I carefully lay my hand on her head and push some magic into her, soothing her fighting soul. “Shh, Kai, I am here. You are safe,” I tell her.
It takes some time, but she finally settles, breathing heavily as her eyes blink open. When she sees me, looks around, and understands what is happening, she crumbles. Water begins falling from her eyes and down her face as wounded noises escape her throat. The noises go straight to my hammering heart and rip it open.
