Page 2 of Mate of a Monster

Leaning back on my hands, I look up to the sky, to where the portal clearly spat me out. I hate the fucking sky now. And the ocean.

I even hate the scales of Thyrix purely because of the similarities to his eyes, and they’ve always been my favorite.

Thyrix flaps his wings, sending a sandstorm over my head. Moody bastard. He’s never going to forgive me for leaving.

I shove to my feet, squinting through the sand as it finally begins to clear. “You’re a real dick, you know that!”

Steam blows from his nostrils before he lands in front of me with two thousand pounds of force, knocking me off balance.

He brings his face closer to mine in a plume of brimstone and smoke. It’s hard to ignore his beauty this close, especially with the sun catching every palette of blue in his eyes.

Just like his eyes.

I clench my teeth and turn away. That’s probably why he sent me back here instead of locking me in some fancy dungeon. So I can be triggered by the sky, the ocean, the fucking eyes and scales of my favorite dragon. I don’t care if he didn’t know about Thyrix. He can take the blame for that too.

Just another twisted way for fate to fuck its least favorite child—give me a fake mate with eyes the color of everything that surrounds me. Bullshit.

I stomp my way down the rocky terrain—the farthest point to travel on the island. Clearly, not far enough.

Thyrix huffs at my back and I stop, turning over my shoulder with a sigh.

“I get it! You’re pissed, same, my guy! Same. But listen!” I tilt my head. “It wasn’t my fault. Can we do this later? After I’ve killed a beast, slept, drank, and found Zev?”

Thy huffs, shifting his feet until dust kicks up between us and he launches back into the sky.

“I guess that’s a yes?” I mutter, turning back onto my path with Thyrix hovering above the trees, but still following. So nonchalant, Thy…

Thyrix is on edge more than usual. I can’t really blame him. The dragons guard the island. One of their main jobs is to keep us or anyone else from pointless escape attempts. The fact that I was gone for weeks doesn’t help, since this whole ordeal has probably put the whole flock of them on high alert. But again—I didn’t make that fucking choice. Not to mention, out of everyone on this island, I am the only one who has the random ability to leave it, not that anyone knows that.

Well, I’m sure the dragons do deep down. They know everything. But still, I’ve never tried to outrun exile because where the hell would I even go?

Okay, so maybe I snuck out with London that one time and yes, I can see now in hindsight that was the literal worst mistake of my damn life.

If I hadn’t freed her from this place, I never would have met Legend fucking Deveraux: the baby prince I’d gut if I got a second chance.

The moment I picture the gloriously gruesome act, my stomach dips and my legs give out. My chest caves in and every breath feels like my lungs can’t expand.

What the hell?

“Fuck!” I clench my eyes closed, panting. Slowly, the feeling fades, leaving my lungs starved and limbs aching. “Fucking really?” I push to my feet. There’s obviously some weird lingering bond juice left inside of me. “Can’t even daydream about kill—”

I stop, a chill spreading over the ladder of my spine. Someone is watching me and they think I don’t know, which is either a compliment to their skills or an insult to mine.

Seconds spread as I scan every shaded area I can see. Maybe I’m still paranoid, or maybe I’ve turned into a precious little Rathian.

Shaking it off, I pull myself together and continue through the thread of trees. I’ve hunted, run, and known this island like the back of my hand, and no amount of time spent away will change that.

Shifting a large branch out of my way, a smile spreads over my face at the sight of something familiar. The boulder sits right at the center of the flattest section, and I squeeze between the bushes surrounding it, ignoring the bite of thorns that graze my skin as I come out the other side.

I cover the scratches with my hand, cleaning the drops of blood away when that same feeling drifts through me like a ghost in passing. The hairs on my neck raise as gasoline and smoke weigh the air down with a scent that doesn’t belong here. It’s not the same kind of smoke that the dragons smell of, this is…heavy, dirty. It sticks to the back of my throat and refuses to leave.

Cautiously, I step fully into the clearing, reaching for my hidden dagger on instinct only to find the spot on my hip empty.

My jaw snaps shut. Only two things could have happened to my favorite weapon. It could have fallen during my scuffle with the beast. Though that’s unlikely. I made that sheath myself. Or—he took it before he tossed me out.

Yeah, bet that’s the case. He wanted to make sure I had nothing I loved when I got back here.

Ice runs through my veins and my ribs constrict around that word.