Land of Monsters (Savage Lands #8)

Chapter 14

“Master Ash said to stop licking her.”

Chirp!

Voices dragged me from sleep, a strange sensation, like sandpaper, running over my hip.

“Don’t yell at me. I didn’t order you. Master tree fairy, with golden hair and a dick the size of a tree trunk, did.”

Chirp! Chirp!

My eyes jolted open when I felt the same sensation again, expecting to see Ash teasing my skin. Instead, I saw a tiny bald creature with big bat ears, its long tongue flicking over my naked hip.

“What the fuck?” I bolted up, two tiny figures tumbling as I yanked the torn sheet up to my chest.

“How many times do we have to ask you to warn us before you do that!” What I knew to be a house brownie huffed, climbing onto his feet, straightening out his bizarre outfit of leather lederhosen with a biker emblem on the front. An even tinier creature was next to him, in a leather diaper and a choker.

Chirp! The thing put its three-pronged fingers in the air, and I swear it was flipping me off, its expression narrowed with anger.

“What the hell is that?” I blinked down at it.

“Have you never seen an imp before?” The brownie motioned to it.

“I guess not.” Imps were exceedingly rare. The queen before my mother had let them be hunted almost into extinction for their healing body fluids.

“This is Bitzy.” He motioned to the imp, who made a chirping sound, flipping me off again. “And I’m Opie.”

“You live and clean here?” Uncle Lars had a brownie in his house, Sinnie, but she barely showed her face to people, always cleaning and dressed in a traditional brown dress.

“Clean?” Opie screeched, his hand going to his chest. “Does it look like I clean in this outfit?” He motioned down to himself. “This is a work of art. Not rags to clean in! Stereotype much? Just because I’m a brownie doesn’t mean I clean. I mean… I did when I was living in the prison. But I hated it! Though… I also hate mess… but I’m not going to clean it or anything. Especially this place.”

My eyes flickered to the neatly piled clothes at the end of the bed he was straightening.

“Well, I folded those because Master Mushroom just flung them on the bed all willy-nilly. And the pillow was flat and wrinkled, screaming to be fluffed.”

My stomach twisted, noticing the empty spot next to me. He was gone, his side of the bed cold. Did he regret it? Would it be awkward now? Did we just ruin everything?

Chirp!

“Not that kind of fluffed!”

Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!

“That is a lie!” The brownie huffed.

“Master Mushroom?” I interrupted, sitting up.

“Master Ash,” Opie responded to me. “He ran out of here about thirty minutes ago, probably having to deal with the mess you guys made.”

“He ran out?”

Clearly, he regretted it, not wanting to be here when I woke up. While I ached with disappointment and hurt, I craved him even more.

I still buzzed with the connection, the magic that made me feel I could reach out and find him wherever he was. My mind couldn’t rectify the unbelievable pleasure he pulled from my body the moment he sank into me, destroying me for everyone else.

We knotted…

No. Impossible, especially with a tree fairy. Only dark dwellers had that type of connection with other dark dwellers. And it was a rarity. Something like one in a thousand ever experienced it.

The idea was ridiculous.

Nonetheless, I couldn’t let the thought go. All the feelings I thought I had for Wyatt when we had sex paled in comparison. And it not only scared me but had me choking on guilt.

I had murdered someone over my heartache, been so devastated by the loss of Wyatt, I had to be sent away. I hadn’t returned home in a year because I couldn’t face him and Piper together. Yet in one night, Ash leveled me, flipped me so completely sideways, I doubted everything I ever felt for the boy I grew up loving.

I always thought Wyatt was my mate, my future, but nothing made sense anymore.

What would happen if Ash rejected me… or someone hurt him? What was I capable of then?

Needing to see him, to at least know what he felt, I slipped out of the bed, yanking the sheet with me.

“Damn…” Opie let out a whistle, his attention on the space I just vacated. Looking over my shoulder, my eyes widened at the deep claw marks puncturing the bed. “Which one of you was the beauty and which one was the beast?”

“We are the monsters, dziubu?. The only thing you need to bow to is me.”

My beast struggled to listen to my father, and he was my alpha, the leader of our pack. Yet she bowed to Ash with glee, like she finally found a worthy adversary.

Snatching the clothes off the bed, I headed out the door, my heart pounding in my chest. The truth floated at the edges of my mind, but I tuned out all thoughts of last night as I climbed into the shower. Everything we said and experienced, I blamed on the heat of the moment. Ignoring even more the fact my beast could still pick up his scent in the shower. My mind pictured him in here, almost like I could taste his emotions, feel him.

Mine .

No . I shook the thought from my head. I had loved Wyatt all my life. That was real love, not this. This was lust set in intense circumstances.

Dressing, I left my hair wet and ran downstairs, needing air.

Voices came from the bar area, but I turned out a side door, following an instinct I didn’t even second guess… until I opened the door.

Ash stood on the other side, his hand reaching for the handle to come in.

“Oh.” Air sucked in sharply, my stomach jumping like a rabbit. “Hey.”

Awkward. Yet, I still felt myself exhale, like I could breathe again, though I felt anything but relaxed.

“Hey.” His throat bobbed, swallowing.

Oh gods, he totally regretted it. He was going to tell me any moment that this had all been a mistake, while every inch of me could feel him, alive under my skin, making himself at home, marking me forever.

Locking my expression down, I pushed up my chin. An ingrained response when I had to disguise my feelings in front of a crowd or heads of state.

“I was coming in to check on you.” He shifted on his feet, not quite looking at me.

“Oh.” I clenched my teeth, trying not to show the heartbreak I was feeling. My dweller growled at my thoughts, the obscurer brushing up my throat. I swallowed them down, forcing all the training I had to take over and become the princess I was raised to be. I cleared my throat. “About last night—”

“Yeah, I was gonna—”

“I think we can chalk last night up to high emotions.” My tone sounded formal. “Let’s just forget it. Like it never happened.”

“Forget it?” he repeated, his brows creasing. “Like it never happened?” His mouth parted. “Are you fucking serious?”

“You two are finally up.” Dzsinn came from around the corner, jerking us to him. “Good.” He brushed by me on his way into the clubhouse, giving no notice he interrupted our conversation. “We need to talk. Now.”

Ash’s expression lost all emotion, his jaw twitching, his head nodding in acknowledgment. Turning me back inside, he pressed his hand to my lower back, making my lids shut as sparks danced down my spine. Seemingly unaffected, he prodded me into the bar area, following Dzsinn to an empty table in the corner.

Dzsinn sat facing the door, forcing Ash and me to sit next to each other, though we made a point not to touch.

Dzsinn’s gaze went over us, and I suspected he saw much more than he ever let on.

“Let’s get to the point.” Ash leaned on the table, accusatory eyes on the genie. “Why didn’t you tell me you knew Sonya?”

“Wait, you know her?” I asked.

“My past with her makes no difference.”

“Seriously?” Ash’s palms pressed on the table. “I think being related to her is very important information.”

“Related?” I sputtered.

“We’re not blood related.” Dzsinn’s lip lifted.

“How do I know you aren’t somehow working with her now?” Ash continued on.

“Believe me, I want her dead as much as you do. And I’m sure she feels the same about me.” He scoffed. “She stole what is rightfully mine.”

“The necklace?” Ash wasn’t really asking a question.

“The stone in the necklace.”

“Start explaining,” Ash barked.

Dzsinn let out a long sigh. “Sonya and I were raised together, along with my brothers. Her mother, Anastasia, had attached herself to my uncle.” He cupped his hands on the table. “Anastasia was the local beauty. Stunning, charming. She had that thing that made men, fae or human, fall to their knees and give her anything she wanted. Which worked in her favor. Anastasia was a gold-digger, and my uncle was kind and giving with his money, a perfect mark for a widowed mother who was looking for someone to take care of her and her daughter. He pampered and adored them, not seeing the manipulative bitch she was, totally taken in with her fake charm and beauty. Anastasia made Sonya in her exact image. When Anastasia died, Sonya stole our family heirloom and disappeared, knowing its worth and power.” He rolled his shoulders back with irritation. “I have been hunting her for a long time but could never get close enough. You provided the opportunity. If I had told you of our past, you wouldn’t have trusted me.”

“The stone she took was the Cintamani stone,” Ash noted.

“The Cintamani stone?” I peered between them. “Wait. That’s the jewel known as the ‘wish-fulfilling’ gem.” I recalled reading about it in one of my fae history classes. “You can get almost anything you wish for.”

“It has limits, like genies do, but it gives you the luck and opportunity to achieve anything,” Dzsinn said. “A source of nature’s energy, it also prolongs your life, heals any ailments.”

“It’s why Sonya has gotten so far, and become so powerful with very average fae magic.” Ash sat back in his chair. “How she’s been able to attach herself to very powerful leaders—climb in power, escape unscathed in war, and probably why President Lazar folded to her so easily.”

“And she will continue to grow and conquer, as we’ve seen.” Dzsinn’s eyes darted to me. I shifted in my seat. I hadn’t let myself think about what had happened in that cave or what could’ve happened if Ash hadn’t come for me. “Unless we stop her.”

They assumed I’d be a viable breeder, my Druid body popping out monsters like them, but it would’ve been a huge disappointment.

My brother came out ideal. I came out fucked up, a glitch in my makeup, which left me barren. I found that out when I went through fae puberty—I would never be a mother.

As if Ash could sense my dark thoughts, his hand reached for mine, then stopped. Pulling it back, he sat up in his chair, keeping his focus on Dzsinn.

“She will hold all the power until we get the stone back,” Dzsinn said. “You get it back for me…” He took a breath. “And your favors are paid in full.”

Ash’s head jerked, his spine going rigid, staring at the genie as if to make sure he was in earnest.

“Okay.” Ash swallowed, his head bowing. “How do we get it back from her?” He clasped his hands, like he wanted to keep them far from me. “Cut off her head?”

“Not as easy as it looks.” Dzsinn sighed. “She has all the luck and magic on her side.” He tilted his head. “I have a connection I think can give us an in, plus others I’d like to contact. I will need a week or so to reach them.” Dzsinn stood up from the table. “Daciana said you can stay here until I return.” He tapped at the table, lifting an eyebrow. “Though she asked you to stop drawing attention to this place.”

“Drawing attention?” Ash shifted, peering up at him, perplexed.

A rare smile hinted on his mouth. “And tone down the sex. Stay out of trouble until I get back.”

The man walked away, his figure slipping in with the bikers and disappearing as if he never existed.

Ash rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes still staying off me, the tension growing like weeds between us the moment Dzsinn left us alone.

“You owe him favors?” My voice came out more unsteadily than I wanted. “What for?”

He let out a dark laugh, his head wagging, bitter amusement crossing his face. “The price of revenge.” The chair screeched back as he stood up. “And you.” His tone was contemptuous and annoyed. He turned away, stomping out of the bar, not able to get away from me fast enough.

I stared after him, anger simmering inside my chest, hating that his dismissal dredged up my deepest insecurities.

A failure in who I was born to be, not loved enough by the one boy I loved more than anything. My brother was the one everyone adored, his talents easily praised while mine were hidden away. My parents were too scared of how the world would react if they knew the princess was a dark dweller and obscurer in one, not able to control her powers. Druids were hated enough, but an obscurer, even in the Druid world, was a detestation.

Something that shouldn’t exist.

My parents raised me to be strong; their love and support were never the problem. It was outside the family bubble that was all pretend. The media bought into the image of me, the reserved, pampered princess. And after a while I bought into it as well. Shopping, lunches, parties—but having Wyatt by my side kept me grounded, reminded me of who I really was.

Until he was no longer there, and the ground vanished from under my feet. For so long I’d felt I was falling, with nothing to hold on to. Scared of what I was capable of, not trusting or believing in myself, hiding behind the bracelet on my wrist.

Somewhere along the way, I found solid ground under my feet. This journey changed me. I was no longer the spoiled, na?ve girl who would put up with shit. And I would not put up with Ash’s.

When I made to stand up to go after him, Daciana slipped into the seat across from me, her hand grasping my wrist.

“Don’t go.” Her demon eyes locked on mine. “I wanted to get to know my guest a bit better.”

Alarms instantly rattled in the back of my neck.

“I mean, it’s strange. I allow you with open arms into my place, and I don’t even know your name.” She patted my hand, letting go, but an underlying threat sat me up straighter, my gaze sliding to the door where both Ash and Dzsinn had disappeared.

My mouth stayed closed, taking notice of the other people in the bar, all at her beck and call.

“No?” Her red lips parted in a heartless smile. “Then let’s cut to the chase, shall we?” She dropped a newspaper in front of me. My attention lowered to the headline of the international paper, once again sensing the ground under me breaking into pieces.

Princess Raven Missing! Queen Kennedy and King Lars Launch Worldwide Search for the Lost Princess.

A huge picture of me at one of the last diplomatic events stared back at me. That girl was a far cry from who I am now, her hair done perfectly, make-up precise, lavished in jewels, and wearing an expensive designer dress.

“How coincidental…” Daciana‘s finger traced over my image, her eyes staying on me. Locking away any expression, I kept hold of her gaze, not letting her see the panic simmering under the surface. “There is a missing princess out there, who can I say is the spitting image of you, while a mysterious guest arrives, needing the protection of my club.”

Silence from me.

“Wondering what kind of reward they are offering for just a tip on their sweet princess’s whereabouts?”

In my peripheral, the man whose room we took, Uta, stood up, his massive chest flexing under his muscle, inching closer.

“Though, I’ve also heard the Russian mafia has been looking for this same girl. Wonder who will pay the most for her?”

“And I wonder the consequences for going back on your word with a genie?” I replied, my voice even.

“I said I would give you two a place to hide out for a few days from those hunting you. I never said anything about not turning you in myself.” She smirked. “It’s all in the fine print. And when an opportunity drops in my lap like this…” Her hand went back to my picture. “You understand? It’s nothing personal.” She nodded to Uta, a few others moving with him, coming for me.

“You sure you want to do that?” My nails dug into the chair. “If you know who I am, then you know what I am, who my father is.”

“A dark dweller?” She shrugged one shoulder. “I think my Uta can handle you.” She nodded back at him, my head swinging to the huge-chested man, his shirt ripping as his body shifted, horns growing out of his skull, his head becoming bull-like, teeth elongating and sharpening as he gripped a cleaver in his hand, huffing in violence.

Holy fuck.

A Minotaur. Their population was lessening as our kind was, and they were just as feared.

The chair fell backward as I stood up, my defenses rising, a growl vibrating in my throat. “You kill me, and you lose all the money.”

“Oh, I’m not going to kill you, Princess. But I will hurt you if I need to.” Her skin turned white, thinning like parchment, her eyes going black. I had seen my uncle lose his temper to the demon plenty of times, and it always scared the hell out of me. Please, she’s a minimal demon. She can die like the rest of them . My obscurer whispered in my head. “In this world, it’s eat or be eaten.” She stood up, with both her, a handful of fae, and the Minotaur coming for me.

My teeth snapped together in long daggers, the pressure of the blades in my spine pushing through the clothes, my nails becoming claws.

Let them come, my obscurer replied gleefully, starving for blood. To kill anything trying to hurt me. The dark dweller rumbled in response as more came for me, weapons in their hands. The Minotaur stomped toward me, his axe backward, ready to knock me out, not kill me.

There was no difference to my monsters. A threat was a threat.

Light came through the door. Ash burst into the room, panic on his face as if he had felt the danger from afar, had heard my silent cry just for him.

Our eyes met across the room, one of the fae turning to him with a gun, ramming it to his forehead.

It would only take one shot, and he would be lost to me.

I saw red. It smeared my vision, bled into my bones, and dripped in my veins. The dark dweller thundered with fury, moving across the room with a roar.

Mine.

Words hissed from my mouth as I tossed men out of my way. With a lash of my tongue, the Minotaur stopped in his tracks. Pain burst through my head, his size and strength fighting against my powers.

Warm liquid dripped from my nose. Grunting, I spat out the spell and watched Uta’s eyes inside the beast widen, his hands bringing his cleaver back to himself.

My legs dipped as he fought and wrestled against my magic, a bellow breaking from him. Gritting down, I struggled to force out every word.

The blade sliced across his thick throat with a gurgled cry. A scream filled my ears, blood spraying the room, drenching me. His head hit the floor with a thwack, his dark eyes wide, his mouth open in a cry.

“Raven! Stop!”

The name no longer meant anything to me, though the voice tugged at something deep in my core. It drew me in like a tide, breaking me across rocks to get to it.

Bodies dropped as my teeth ripped through them. The flick of my tongue gushed blood from their mouths until nothing more came at me, my body heaving, searching for more blood to spill.

One by one, they fell at my feet, blood garnishing the walls and soaking the floor.

“Raven!” Hands cupped my face, green eyes finding mine. “Look at me.”

I fixed on his gaze, which held no fear—not of me, anyway.

Those eyes were my ground. My air. What made me burn with life, and what calmed the monsters like cool water.

“Ash,” I croaked, my body shaking as I returned to myself, dots impeding my vision.

“I’m here, mroczny. ” His voice made me feel safe. He was the rock I could cling to. So I was no longer falling.

A moan pulled my gaze from him. Daciana‘s throat was slashed, but her chest moved up and down. Some were still alive, their shallow breaths wheezing in the room, but so many were dead. A bloody trail leading right to me.

“Ash…” Emotion clogged my throat.

“No. Look at me.” He kept his hands on my face, making my attention return to him. “Keep your eyes only on me.”

“I killed them…” Darkness took more of my vision, blood dripping from my nose and eyes. Terror fizzed up, a core fear of what Ash would do when he found out what I truly was. What I was capable of without thought. “Please, don’t leave me,” I begged, clinging harder to him.

“Never, mroczny. ” His words were barely a whisper before everything went black.