He had to be joking. Maeleons were the chillest bunch of folks I’d ever met. I couldn’t imagine a Maeleon eating someone. Maybe this guy had a dark sense of humor. He was still grinning, after all.
“Very funny,” I said with a forced laugh. “But seriously, if you could just—”
He shoved a clawed finger against my lips, silencing me instantly. “You don’t tell me what to do, human. You will obey me.”
My nerves frayed. Was I hallucinating from all the blood rushing to my brain?
I shut my eyes and tried to calm my racing heart. I couldn’t panic. Years of training prepared me for a desperate occasion like this. I had to be diplomatic. Mutual respect was the best route to bridge the gap between us.
The red Maeleon removed his finger from my mouth as he deconstructed the snare. I took the opportunity to speak as calmly as possible.
“I believe this is a misunderstanding,” I said. “Why don’t we start with introductions? I’m Paz. What’s your name?”
He snorted, then ripped the thick wooden stake from the ground as easily as a toothpick. “My name?” He barked out a rowdy laugh. “Never before has my prey asked my name. You have guts, Paz.”
I shuddered at the way he growled my name. It managed to be both hot and terrifying at the same time. Mostly because he referred to me as his “prey.”
I breathed deeply to ease my frayed nerves. Freaking out wouldn’t solve anything. Staying present in the moment was the only way forward. The Maeleon was still talking to me. That was a good sign.
“You respect grit and guts, don’t you?” I asked.
The Maeleon paused, eyeing my face, then snorted a hot breath from his nostrils. “As much as I can respect my next meal.”
He wasnotgoing to eat me. There was no fucking way. But maybe if I played along, I’d get results.
Swallowing the nervous lump in my throat, I asked, “Since I’m your prey, can I at least know the name of my predator?”
The Maeleon grunted as he undid the last of the snare. My ankle was still caught, but he firmly grabbed my midsection with his tentacles and flipped me right-side up. I felt dazed as the blood rushed back into my body where it was supposed to be.
And as I saw the Maeleon’s face properly for the first time, my blood also rushed into places where it definitely should not have been.
Just like the other Maeleons, his snout was long and reptilian with rows of pointy teeth. But despite the imminent danger, I couldn’t stop myself from noticing how handsome he was. His jawline was rugged, his cheekbones high and sharp. His long, elfin ears were nicked in several places, adding to his scrappy vibe. His bull horns loomed above my head like thick twin skewers, and he glared at me with piercing scarlet eyes.
I had to admit, my captor was sexy.
“You want my name, prey?” he demanded.
I flashed an inviting smile. “Yes, please.”
“Hmph. My name is Kur’tok.”
I was pleased that I’d made progress. But seriously, Kur’tok? Even the guy’s name sounded menacing. It didn’t inspire the cool, calm feeling of Zat’tor, or the whimsical gentleness of Linn’ar. It was hard, rough, and intimidating.
And I was stuck in his tentacled clutches.
“What are you doing with your face?” Kur’tok snapped.
“Pardon me?”
He jabbed a claw towards my mouth. “This... curved thing.”
I realized he meant my smile. It made sense he didn’t understand since he’d apparently never met a human before. Maeleon smiles looked different than ours, given the stark variation in our mouths.
“I was smiling,” I explained.
“Why?” he demanded.
“Because we’re having a polite conversation.”
