Monstrous Intent, page 11
“No, Jameson and Roger have both known from the beginning. I made a deal with Jameson that I would help them out in exchange for him letting me camp there for a bit. I guess he thought our deal had run its course because he said that he didn’t need me anymore after he shot me. That he was just testing how this thing,” I lift my wrist up to show him, “worked on a chimera.”
“I take it that’s not a watch, then.”
“It’s not. It keeps me from shifting and makes me nearly human. Which is why I’m healing dreadfully slow.”
“Still faster than a human.”
“True.”
“What did you have to gain out of any of this?” he asks.
“That is the question.” A question I’m not quite sure I feel like sharing just yet. “Honestly, I thought I had more to gain out of it than I ended up having. Another part of me wanted to hide somewhere out of sight. I know this is hard to believe, but I accidentally have made a few enemies along the way.”
“Oh? Not with your charming personality.”
“Right?” I ask. “You get it. I don’t know how it happened either, but sadly, it did. These papers I came across thoroughly piqued my interest, and now I’m very curious what all Jameson did.”
“You mean the papers you bled all over and are one hundred percent unreadable?” Declan asks as he waves to the stack of rather crisp-looking papers. I pick them up and find that maybe cramming them down my pants wasn’t the best of my decisions.
“It’s fine. I have a phenomenal memory.”
“So what were they?”
Is it too late to admit that I didn’t get time to look through all of them before stuffing them down my pants? “You still have Roger?”
“I do.”
“As long as Roger doesn’t contact anyone, I don’t think anyone will know that I was involved. It’s Saturday, right?”
“It is.”
“I’ll go back into work on Monday like nothing happened. Roger and Jameson will be missing, but I’ll still be there. I don’t believe anyone else in the facility has the means to get down to B3 and no one else knows what I am, so they’ll have no reason to suspect me.”
Declan holds up his hands like something suddenly dawned on him. “Hold on. Why do I care?”
“Because you want to know what he injected you with, don’t you?” I ask.
“Yes, and you acted like you knew.”
“Well… I think I do, but I don’t have proof. I don’t want to steer my succulent… I mean sexy lover the wrong way.”
His eyebrow rises. “If you try to eat any of us, I will kill you on the spot.”
“Will you hold my dying body?” I ask as I hold a hand out.
“Absolutely not.”
“What about letting me have a little nibble?”
He smacks my hand away, likely regretting sitting this close to me. I can’t fathom why but he’s such a temperamental man, really.
“Give me your best estimate,” he says.
“I believe they tried putting chimera DNA in you to see if they could make you into a better hunter,” I say.
Declan starts laughing, like full-on delirious laughing. “There’s no way. That’s the stupidest shit I’ve ever heard!”
“Well… you are exceptional at fighting, your eyesight and hearing are better than any human I’ve met, and—”
His laughing turns back into a glower. “I said no.”
“Okay. Sorry, snookums. I didn’t mean to upset you. Come here, press your heart to mine and feel my love, I think it’ll heal you,” I say.
“I don’t want your blood on me unless I’m offing you.”
“We’re friends now! You shouldn’t want to off your friends. Unless you’re getting them off,” I say with a wink.
Declan sighs again and just slumps down in his chair in ultimate defeat. He’s so close to the bed his knees are nearly touching, but the room really didn’t leave any other place for a chair. I take the opportunity to lay my head on his lap and smile up at him.
“Get off,” he growls.
“Stroke my hair again.”
“You are a monster. A heartless, brutal creature who cares about nothing. Who kills just to kill. Hell, half of your kind kill for sport. You can’t even say they’re trying to feed because they leave the dead in their wake. Do you know how long I worked as a hunter? Do you know the brutality I saw?” he asks.
I refuse to move but I do fall silent because I know brutality quite well. And I can see the pain in his eyes. “Not all chimeras are the same.”
“That might be true but the majority feast on us like we’re cattle.”
“Many think that it’s the only way to survive. But the issue with your kind is that you lump us all together. It’d be like me hating all mammals because a large percentage of mammals eat meat. But you’re not like a tiger at all, are you? Well… you might growl like one.”
“Chimeras are all the same no matter the level of their intelligence.”
“Hmm… I’ll admit many are ruthless and brutal but there are some who just want to live their lives not wondering every day if it’ll be their last.”
“And then there’s you who waltzes into a hunter facility,” he says.
I grip onto his knee as I close my eyes. “Maybe it was the safest place for me? Maybe it was the only place I had left to hide. Or maybe it’s because I was hoping to run into you—the legendary hunter who is going to stroke my hair.”
“I’m not touching your hair.”
“Stroke it.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Come on. Tell me I’m a good boy, then. Tell me your heart swells when you think of me.”
He completely ignores me and proceeds to push against my head.
“Ow,” I say, even though nothing actually hurt. He instantly stops pushing me and lets out the granddaddy of all sighs as he submits. At least I think he does until he pulls out his knife and gently taps my forehead with the flat part of the blade.
“You, monster, are acting too familiar. I don’t want you to forget that I can kill you. Leaving a monster like you to roam could result in multiple innocent deaths. While you might seem kind and caring now, I’ve been fooled in the past and promised to never allow myself to be fooled again. Do you understand?”
He flicks his blade up and cuts a chunk of my hair before dropping the hairs down on my face.
I wipe them away before grabbing the back of his neck. The speed with which I do it makes him tense, but he doesn’t slice my face off right then and there. Nah, he’s not easily spooked. He’s smart and wouldn’t let his fear drive him to do something rash.
I pull him down just a little, so he’s forced to look me in the eyes. “I do! But I’m going to promise you something, Mr. Big Bad Hunter. You’ve never met a monster like me,” I say as I smile at him.
“I’m sure I haven’t.”
God, I want to kiss those lips. I want to pull him down and taste him. I want to make this hunter mine and do things that will make his toes curl. I want to hear him moan my name as he buries himself deep inside me.
He leans down, almost like he’s reading my thoughts, almost like he wants exactly what I do. Then he grins at me. “You’re not good enough to snag me, demon.”
I grin back at him. As I let go of his neck, I trail my fingers down his cheek before trying to stick one in his mouth. He bats it off before pushing me onto the bed. “You’ll cave,” I decide.
“It takes more than a pretty face to make me cave,” he says as he flicks his knife at me with impressive speed. I grab it out of midair, seconds before it stabs me, and he gives me a wink. “Cut yourself out of that bag when you’re done lazing around, we have Roger to torture.”
“Ooh, now you’re speaking my love language.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
DECLAN
What.
The hell.
Am I DOING?
Hunter kills monster. That’s how this story goes. Hunter doesn’t get drawn into monster’s stupid ideas and theories because he’s an irritating yet smooth talker.
I’ve seen monsters like him before. Ones that know how to get you to drop your guard until you cave, until you give them your trust, and then they use that trust to destroy you. I can’t ever let that happen again.
Right now, I’m simply using him. I’ve used monsters in the past. They were nowhere near this compliant and definitely weren’t trying to get in my pants, but I still used them. But this time… this time everything is fine because I will remain in control. I will.
“Declan! Declan!”
I turn around to find Lake standing in the hallway butt naked, everything out for all to see. He’s bled through his bandages, but my eyes don’t even register that until they’ve dropped groin level before zipping back up.
“You didn’t leave me any clothes,” he says as he leans against the wall in what I’m guessing is supposed to be a sexy look.
Emma comes around the corner and an unusual noise leaves her lips as she takes it all in. “Oh!”
Lake narrows his eyes at her, like her mere presence is enough to anger the generally bubbly man. “I see you’re here.”
“I… am? Is that an issue when my family owns it?” she asks. “Hold on.” She hurries off before returning with clothes she’d found for him.
“I can’t clothe myself,” he says like he thinks I’m going to waltz over and start dressing him. What he doesn’t expect is that Emma doesn’t hesitate. She pops his head through a shirt and starts gently guiding his arms through it even though I’m positive his arms work. They worked well enough to cram a dead man in a cupboard.
“There we go,” she says before holding pants out before him like he’s a toddler.
When she’s done dressing him, he pets her head a little. “I might not eat you yet. You seem useful.”
She appears highly confused by this as I shake my head and continue toward the kitchen. I pull three plates out just as the timer goes off, telling me the pork is done.
“You’re feeding me too?” Lake says. “You truly are the best husband.”
“I am no one’s husband,” I remind him as I fill Emma’s and my plate with care before slapping his stuff down without a care in the world.
He’s excited as he waits with a fork in one hand and a knife in the other. He looks so happy that I glare at him in the hopes of squishing at least a smidge of it. Oddly enough, that seems to thrill him even more, which was most definitely not my plan.
“Thank you for going shopping for us, Emma,” I say.
“You’re welcome.”
“So you’re Declan’s girlfriend, huh?” Lake says as he scrutinizes her.
She looks reasonably confused. “No? I thought you were his boyfriend.”
I ignore both of them as I merely eat my pork.
“You’re not?” Lake asks, looking delighted. “Oh, thank god. I don’t have to eat you now. Did you hear that, Declan? I don’t have to eat her.”
“That’s good,” I say as I keep eating.
“Is she your pet then?” he asks.
I’m not sure how he jumped to that conclusion. “Nope. Coworker and friend.”
“Ah. I’m Declan’s friend too. He loves me. He just won’t admit it yet because he likes playing hard to get.”
“I… see…” Poor Emma has given up trying to figure out what is happening in her life. Honestly, I don’t blame her.
“Do we get to torture Roger after this? I always do love a good dessert,” Lake says.
I smile because the idea of torturing Roger does sound fun. “I mean, we might as well.”
Emma is quite concerned as she looks between us. “Declan, you’re so different when you’re around children.”
“I bet he’s adorable!” Lake says with a blissful look. “He’s adorable, isn’t he?”
“He’s really good with them. They absolutely adore him,” Emma says.
“I bet he’ll do a good job with our children then,” Lake decides. Not sure how he managed to decide that, but I continue to ignore him, which I seem to have gained a knack for.
Emma just watches us uncertainly while eating. She’s probably second-guessing her decision to be here, but after hearing her dreadful life stories at the bar, it’s apparent she needs a bit of excitement in her life, and Lake and I seem to have just the thing.
But if she’s here for Roger’s torture, I have the feeling that she might go running to the police, so I turn to her and ask, “Would you do me the huge favor of getting some stuff from the store for me?”
“Uh yeah, sure,” she says. “What do you need?”
“I’ll make you a list,” I say, since I’m not quite sure yet.
Lake looks a little more rejuvenated after eating, but it’s clear I should have made more food because he’s eyeing what’s left of my pork chop with pure longing in his eyes. Grudgingly, I cut off a piece and slide it over to him.
“You’re so sweet,” he says before devouring it like a starving feral beast.
He’s not a big guy but he can still outeat me with ease, likely due to his monster side. I have to assume having two forms requires more calories. It’s too bad he can’t shift because if he did, I could at least tell what level I’m dealing with. He’s highly intelligent while also a mix of ridiculous, telling me that his level is likely around three, possibly four. Fours are rare though and to have one plop himself right in my lap would be quite surprising.
When we’re finished and Emma is sent off on her errand, I turn to Lake.
“Are you going to live?”
“Your caring and sweet nature has revived me.”
Not quite sure what gave him that impression, I ignore that comment and turn to the next one. “What level are you?”
“Level A for amazing. And you’re a level F for fantastically fuckable. Well… you ready?” he asks.
More like F for fool. I have to be a fool to allow this. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I say as I head over to the butcher block and grab a pair of kitchen shears. I already have my knives, but one can never have too many instruments of torture when threatening someone.
Lake gasps.
“What?” I ask.
“You’re so sexy! It makes my heart pound with unbridled desire. Yessss, baby.”
I ignore him as I head down the stairs into the basement, even though it’s quite hard to do when he follows me while trailing his finger down my back and whispering, “Sexy hunter, wanna hunt the beastie in my pants?”
In the bedroom across from an entertainment room, Roger is bound to a chair. I taped each arm to the arms of the chair and his legs to the legs of the chair in preparation for Torture Time. There’s been some attempt to escape because the chair is currently lying on its side with Roger wallowing around.
The moment he sees the two of us, he starts struggling with renewed vigor. His fingers are dancing all around, like he thinks they’ll be of use in this endeavor.
“Look! He’s excited to see us,” Lake says.
Grabbing his chair, I pull him up onto all four legs before ripping the tape off his mouth.
His eyes lock on to mine, even though I’m the one holding the instruments of torture. “He’s a monster! You’re letting that monster twist your thoughts, Declan!” Roger says, like he thinks he’s going to reveal something huge to me.
“I’m aware,” I say.
Roger hesitates. “Then why are you still working with him? What the hell are you doing?”
Lake stomps his foot down on the small space between Roger’s legs, just inches from stomping his groin. “We ask the questions around here, not you.”
Roger lets out a noise of displeasure before he takes a deep breath and starts screaming for all he’s worth. Lake smacks his cheek, almost immediately shutting him up.
“First order of business. What the hell are you and Jameson up to? You two are into some shit,” I say.
He shakes his head wildly. “Is that what this thing told you? And you believe him?”
“I don’t have to ‘believe’ him. I can see it with my own eyes. I know that whatever you guys are doing, it’s not right. And then don’t forget that I was done with this. I’d washed my hands of this whole thing, yet I was being dragged back into it.”
Roger shakes his head even more frantically. “Jameson was, not me! I had no interest in bringing you back. I don’t give a flying fuck what you do, Declan. Hell, let me go and I won’t even mention a single thing about Jameson or this.”
“You’re an awful liar, Roger,” Lake says as he takes the kitchen shears from me and starts examining them. “Tell us what’s going on.”
“I don’t know anything!” Roger yells.
Lake steps in close to him while pressing the point of the shears against Roger’s neck. “You want to know something, Roger? Being a chimera doesn’t only give me better skills—it doesn’t only make me faster, hear better, and see better—I can also read humans better than anyone in this room. I know when you’re lying to me. I know you’re playing dumb, but I don’t think you and Jameson realized how well I hear. There was nothing that Jameson planned without you right by his side. Without you feeding ideas into his mind. Jameson might have had the pull and power, but you had just as many ideas.”
There’s a minor hesitation in Roger’s expression that seems to just feed Lake. I’m not even sure I’m needed as he gets right up in Roger’s face. Appearance-wise, Lake doesn’t look threatening. He’d be classified as cute before scary. While his hair is a bit wild from the past day’s events, and he looks pale compared to his usual appearance—which should make him appear weaker or more fragile—there’s still something about him. Something about his aura that fills the room, making me question just how strong this man is.
Roger looks horrified as he stares at Lake like he’s seeing a whole new version of him. He watches him closely as Lake opens the kitchen shears in front of him and snaps them closed.
“I’m not going to ask again,” Lake says, and there’s something in my own body that’s going “This monster isn’t messing around.”
Roger doesn’t seem ready to talk as Lake grabs one of his fingers, immediately setting Roger to action. Surprise ignites in his expression as he tries to pull away but being taped to the chair, all Roger can do is jerk his hand around. “No, no, stop! Declan, stop him!” Roger says as Lake holds Roger’s finger between the blades of the shears.
