Page 24 of Their Fierce Little Monster

Somehow, I’m laughing, which is a sign that I’ve gone mad. “I watched the pain on Corvin’s and Kazak’s faces, and I prefer not to be mauled by a beast.”

“It’s an instant of pain, then it’s gone.”

I want to scream at his words because this isn’t what I want to get used to. “Sure. Is this what being a monster is like? Constantly in pain and facing death?” I stagger toward the tree, feeling safer to have the trunk at my back.

“Sometimes,” he admits. “Other times, it’s fucking exhilarating to do anything you want and have others be terrified of you.”

“Sounds pleasant,” I say sarcastically. A chirp from overhead has me flinching.

Something flashes behind Lian so fast I barely register it, but the creature is at his side and strikes his thigh.

He’s laughing, head thrown back, as his leg is being chomped on. He’s a lunatic, and my eyes are bulging at the sight. In seconds, they’re both gone with only the vapor left behind.

I shove my back to the tree, the bark pinching into my shoulder blades. “Gods, why do I have to be the last one?” I have no idea how long I stand there, chasing my breaths, but then movement from my left seizes my attention.

I twist my head in that direction. And it’s back, sliding out of the woods, teeth bared.

A whimper spills past my lips, a scream pushing forward. I’m trembling violently, watching it prowl closer as though it’s purposely making this worse for me.

“Hey, you,” I whisper. “How about no biting today?”

It’s feet from me now, snapping the air between us, teeth clashing.

I flinch back, a small cry pouring out of me.

Animals can detect fear, and this thing must be swimming in mine.

Then the thing leaps.

I scream and fling my arms out in front of me. Teeth pierce my arm, the weight of the creature drawing me forward, and the crunch of bone sounds. I shriek, tumbling to my knees as the feral thing grinds down, the pain so savage that I see stars. I swing my fist at its face.

Then darkness swallows me so fast that one second, I’m fighting for escape, and the next, I’m thrown to the ground in the farmland, screaming. I land on my knees, grasping my arm.

Except there’s no blood or torn flesh.

The Viscount laughs at me, pointing. “Stupid girl.”

Frustrated with this damned experience, I shove myself to my feet and march over to him. “I’m so sick of today.” Then I slap him hard across his face, having lost control of myself. But it feels amazing. “And you started all of this.”

Lian howls in laughter, doing a slow clap. “Oh, you’re full of surprises. Do it again.”

The Viscount pauses for a moment, stunned, and one of the Barons gasps. His expression sours, staring at me as if daring me to keep going. My anger pushed me so fast I didn’t have time to think, but now, it feels incredible.

He raises his fist. “You bitch.” He swings, and I duck, pulse racing, but Corvin’s at his side in a flash, snatching his wrist before it comes down.

Kazak and Lian are right there too.

For a second, Corvin just glares at him, while the Viscount whimpers. “Please, my lord.” But Corvin sneers and wrenches his arm backward, then twists. It makes a horrible crunching sound.

My stomach curdles, and I recoil.

The Viscount’s face drains of color, and he yells out, his body buckling sideways. Corvin releases him as he tumbles to the ground, where he moans. He cradles his broken arm and hisses air in through clenched teeth.

A chill races down my back.

Corvin stands tall, lowering his gaze. “Put your hand on what’s mine again, and I’ll rip it off completely.”

There’s no thread of fury on Corvin’s face, not a smirk either. Just a terrifying calmness as though breaking the Viscount’s arm is an everyday occurrence. It should scare me, but instead a thrill unfurls within me to finally see that asshole on the ground, whimpering.