Page 12 of Mate of a Monster

The air above us whooshes again accompanied by a second shadow. Another one? I tuck Arabella safely behind my back, but before we can do anything else, London rushes forward.

“It’s just Ben!” She runs toward the dragon with both hands lifted, palms out.

The ground vibrates under Ben’s sudden landing. He lifts his massive foot as Kaia pops up from his back. The green-haired pixie wastes no time in sliding off Ben’s back and sprinting toward them. “What the hell happened?”

Creed raises a hand in warning, bringing her to an immediate stop. “He’s out of control. You go closer and die—that is your problem. Not ours.”

Steam huffs out of Ben’s nostrils, but Kaia agrees to the terms so that Creed will finally allow her to pass.

“Thyrix,” she whispers, recognizing the dragon. “Why is he shaking? Is that—”

“Demonic smoke.” Knight glares, gripping London by her waist and yanking her into him.

My brows pull in, and I know I’m not the only one confused, because everyone else here is sharing the same weird expression.

Demonic smoke doesn’t just restrain its victims; it’s absorbed by them—forcing them to face or live through their deepest fear.

“A nightmare,” Kaia whispers, sinking to her knees beside the beast’s snout.

Everyone stills.

Because dragons aren’t supposed to fear anything.

They are fear.

Yet this one thrashes like he is drowning in his own mind, tail whacking against the ground, wings twitching in uneven spasms, his breath coming in harsh, ragged steam.

The smoke clears enough to reveal a single eye, and as Kaia shifts closer, the thick rubber-like skin lifts and a blinding blue eye reveals itself, its pupil the shape of a diamond and tinted red.

“He’s fighting it.” Kaia scans the smoke as if she can see through the darkness into whatever horror it’s forcing him to face. “He knows it’s not real.”

No one can understand a dragon, but Earth pixies can at least feel their emotions.

Creed’s posture stiffens before he steps closer, his power attempting to press through the beast’s mind while it’s weakened. Whatever he sees, it melts the hardness from his features as he staggers to the side.

I step forward. What the fuck? “Creed?”

This motherfucker is always seeing some shit.

His eyes glaze over, unfocused as he continues reading the beast’s mind until his mouth snaps closed so hard I swear I hear teeth crack.

“What is it?” Knight asks, voice low.

“Release him.” Creed’s voice cuts through the air, firm.

We all snap to him.

“I said release him!” he demands, tone nearly burning with panic, his hands fisted at his sides. “Show the demonic smoke you’re going to yield. Put your magic away!”

Sinner acts first, followed by Knight and London—though not without a few cuss words. But mine still swirls beneath my skin.

I turn to Arabella. “Go inside.”

Her big blue eyes meet mine. “You’ll be alone.”

Does she not see my family all around me?

Stop that. She’s your mate. She’s worried about you. Be better.