Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark, #2)

by Pepper Winters

I ache to see your flesh bleed, scream for me, give me what I need, let the rivers run, the monster inside has won...

I thought I would be her nightmare—her terror and darkness. I wanted to be. I needed her more than food or sunlight. Only when she came into my life did I start to live—intoxicated by her taste, screams, and joy.

Naked and restrained, this darkness cannot be contained, you, my esclave, have been claimed...

I may be a controlling bastard, but the moment Tess stalked into my life I lost my balls to her.

Goddammit, she said I scarred her soul...would she let me scar her skin?

“It’s time you began your initiation into my world, esclave.”

I relish the snap, welcome the burn, don’t stop yet it’s still my turn. Tighten your grip, make me bleed, this is a hunger I need to feed...

“I said I’d fight for you. That you deserved to be fought for. I didn’t know then, and I still don’t know what I need to finally get through to you—” I leaned forward, trying to get close enough to kiss him. He stiffened and his hold gave no room for movement. “—but I’ll never stop. I was right. You’re worth every fight. Every argument and bump in the road. I’ll fight because I’m falling for you, Q.”

“I couldn’t stop it. I had to taste you.”

“And banish those thoughts from your head, esclave. No matter what I say, you are enough. Too much. Trop pure et parfaite pour un homme comme moi.” Too pure and perfect for a man like me.

“Drink me if that’s what you need. Fuck me if it will help you believe. Je suis à toi.” I’m yours.

“You’ll never be free of me. I’ll never be free of you. It’s fate who decides, and fate gave us each other.”

“Nous sommes les uns des autres.” We are each other’s.

“You’re my wings. You made me fly.”

“You stole my loneliness. I may have given you wings, but you've become my gravity. I’ll never be free of your force.”

“Don’t hate me for what I need,”

“J’aime te marquer.” I love marking you.

“I want you to hurt me, but I also want you to care for me,”

“Jusqu'où tu me laisserais aller?” How far would you let me go?

“You’ll never be free again. Je te garde pour toujours.” I’m keeping you forever.

“I didn’t mean to take control away from you. I wanted to give you pleasure. I wanted to show how much I care, how much I believe in you.”

“Pourquoi tu dois me pousser comme ça?” Why must you push me so? “Because I need to break you to make you mine.”

You call me maître but I am the esclave—slave to inflict the pain I crave...

Save me, enslave me, you will never cave me. Taunt me, flaunt me, kill what haunts me...

“Esclave, you’re not one of them. If you even think of giving up and dying, I’ll hunt you for eternity.”

“This isn’t you, esclave. My Tess wouldn’t be this weak.” I giggled, rolling in the fog, letting it cuddle me in its chemical embrace. “I’m no longer your Tess. I’m nothing anymore.” “Don’t say that. I’m coming for you. Fucking fight. Don’t waste my journey to find you.”

“Si vous me l’enlevez, je le jure devant Dieu je vais ... Je vais ...” If you take her from me, I swear to fucking God I'll... I'll...

You’re my obsession, I’m your possession. You own the deepest part of me...

Darkness yowled inside, swarming thick and fast; I let myself be consumed. This is for you, Tess.

“They don’t have h—hearts. I want to see if it’s true.”

“Je suis pire.” I’m worse.

Leave your mark, scar my skin, I will bow down to you, my king.

You crawled into the darkness, set my monster free, so scream, bleed, call out to me, but never say stop, never flee...

I lost the fighter and been given a broken fucking bird and I honestly didn’t know what that meant for me.

Tied to a rack or down on my knees, it’s you my master I long to please. Own me, take me, you can never break me...

You told me you were strong enough. You told me you were brave. Yet now you lie next to me and all I can do is save. I’m here for you. I’m there for you. I’ll help you with every fight. But no matter what I do for you, I see no end in sight.

“So go ahead, esclave. Take my life as I’m not fit for anything anymore.”

Whimper and moan while I sit on my throne, we can be monsters together so we’re never alone...

I’ve fallen in love only for it to end so fast.

You’re my esclave, my soul mate, each other we own, you’re mine forever, my bird flew home...

“She’s your other half, Q. She lives for the sharp pleasure of pain and you live to give it to her. If there have ever been two people who belong together, it’s you.” He stood, hauling me to my feet. “So you’re gonna do something about it.”

She needs to own me to find her way back.

Save me, enslave me, you will never cave me. Taunt me, flaunt me, kill whatever haunts me...

You crawled into the darkness, set my monster free, so scream, bleed, call out to me, but never say stop, never flee...

“Tu ne sauras jamais ce que ça me coûte.” You’ll never know the cost of this,

“I’m sure. Je suis à toi, tout à toi.” I’m yours. All yours.

I fucking loved this woman. Not just for now. Not just for tomorrow. But always. Now and forever, I was hers.

“I give you myself, Tess. If it doesn’t make you come back to me, then this is it. This is the last time I’ll have you close, and I want to see passion in your eyes one last time.”

“Je t'aime, Tess.” I love you. “Nous sommes les uns des autres.” We are each other’s.

Own me, take me, you can never break me. Choose me, use me, you will never lose me...