Wyn (Monstrous, #3.5)

by Lily Mayne

I couldn’t even bring myself to consider what would happen when he was no longer here, and I was left alone again. Without him. I was used to being alone, but this would be different. This would ruin me. I already knew it.

“So I would be near indestructible and live a really long time.” He squeezed my fingers. “With you.” I swallowed, the ache of longing in my chest almost overwhelming me for a moment. “It isn’t conditional upon you staying with me, Danny. I would still… Don’t think that if you accept, you have to stay with me. I would still give my time to you. I still want you to have it.”

If you just want to live your normal human life, I swear I will protect you for all of it. And I will treasure every moment I get to spend with you.” He watched me for a long moment. “But then, when I die, you’d be alone again.” I flinched. I hated when Danny talked so casually about his human mortality, or his inevitable death. “It would be worth it. For the time I had with you.”

You’re getting the raw end of the deal here. You’d be…”—he swallowed—“halving what’s left of your life. For me.” That made me wheeze out a grating laugh. “Trust me, Danny, I am not getting the raw end of the deal.” I wrapped my arms tight around his middle, pulling him closer. “I get you.”

“I think you are the only being alive who would ever consider my voice anything other than hideous.” “Hey.” Danny’s hand smacked my side weakly, and I wanted to smile at his indignant defence of me—even against myself. “Nothing about you is hideous. You’re the best.”

I wasn’t sure he would appreciate me just killing them all so the path was clear. Maybe I’d gently suggest it when we were closer.

There was a reason I had reacted to Danny so strongly when I first saw him, despite him looking like every other human soldier that day. A reason why the very essence of me had strained for him, desperately reaching out the moment I had seen his face for the first time. I had imprinted on him without conscious thought in that moment, my blood pounding for him. He was mine. He was always supposed to be mine. I had just needed to wait for a long time to find him. But the wait had been worth it.

“She had only just been infected. They’ll never even know.” Danny squeezed my hand. I could hear the grin in his voice. “That’s great.” He swayed closer to me as we walked. “Admit it. You secretly love humans.” I wheezed. “You’re funny.” He laughed. “I’m not joking!

“My sweet human. You know I love you, yes?” Danny looked uncertain—and a little suspicious. “Um, yes. I love y—” “But you were a terrible soldier,” I cut in, trying to keep my voice gentle. He stared up at me, lips parted in disbelief. “What—No, I wasn’t!” He grimaced, even as his face flushed. “Okay, maybe I was.” “It’s just not your calling,” I told him, stroking his cheek. “There’s no shame in it.” “Oh, really? Because it feels like there’s shame in it right now.”

I always assumed that one day you and I would procreate, Wyn. I was just waiting for you to express that you were ready for offspring.” “Wait, what?” Danny began, looking between us. “Are you—” “When have I ever given any indication that I wish to procreate, let alone with you?” I said to Orlith, and his shoulders stiffened in offence. “Why wouldn’t you?” he countered sulkily. “It’s not like any of us have many options left. And I am the youngest, and the best looking.”

throat. “So… Orlith,” he began, and I wanted to squirm as foreboding clenched my insides. “Have you two ever…” Fuck. “Yes,” I grated at length. I couldn’t lie to Danny. “But the last time was several hundred years ago, Danny. And it was only a few times. He’s an irritating, self-centred prick.”

he was still sweetly naïve. And unflinchingly loyal to me, trusting me implicitly. It made me forever grateful that he wanted to be with me, because the thought of him falling prey to anyone who would take advantage of his gentle nature made me want to murder things. All the things.

The realisation that I might get to have this for the rest of my life made my throat ache. I held him closer and pressed my nose and mouth to the top of his head, content to breathe him in for the hours that he slept.

Edin was barely an adult when I met him, and he was definitely an asshole. He still is.”

“I don’t give him shit.” Danny laughed again. “You know what I mean. He teases you and you get all grumpy about it.” My fingers twitched, and I resisted the urge to tap them one-by-one against my thumb. “That is untrue.” I despised how sulky my voice came out. Danny snuffled with laughter, and even though my fearsome reputation would be compromised if one of the usho saw, I let him sway closer and kiss my jaw within the depths of my hood. “He should respect me,” I couldn’t help but blurt out. “I am his elder.” I had practically raised him through his early adulthood. Insolent brat. “Wyn, you’re everyone’s elder.” I huffed at that and fell silent.

I would never admit it out loud, because he would gloat, but this was more than nice. This was… wonderful. There had never been—and never would be—another being in the universe who I could be this relaxed and content around. Not even Edin, who I trusted with my life. Danny made me feel peaceful.

“I feel bad. We’re getting spunk in the pool.” Danny’s voice was worried and sheepish. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Who gave a fuck? “Don’t feel bad. Just consider it an offering to the gods.” Danny choked on a breath. “What?” He gave my shoulder a weak smack. “You said these pools weren’t sacred!” He poked me in the stomach. “We just fucked in a religious place? You had your tongue up my ass on sacred ground?” I huffed and pulled him closer to drop a kiss in his hair. “My sweet, it was a joke.” I would just have to make sure he didn’t see the shrine when we left.

“If you’re sure you want to do this…” “Yes.” Danny let out a hard breath and started walking, tugging on my hand. “I’m going to make sure you’re stuck with me for the next four thousand years.”

I was just being a sentimental fool, but it suddenly felt like my life, my existence, had more meaning. More purpose. It was for him.

“My sweet.” I cupped Danny’s face, trying to keep my voice as patient as possible. “I wanted this more than anything in the universe. To be with you always.” I leaned in and kissed him. “You haven’t taken anything from me. You’ve given me a gift.”

“Am I going to spend the next four thousand years as a tiny, wrinkly bag of bones?” I coughed to mask the wheezing chuckle that tried to escape. “No. You will still age, but it’s like…” I tried to think of how to word it. “It has stretched to match your lifespan, and for me, it has contracted. Our lifespans have aligned to match perfectly.” I wrapped my arm around his shoulders to pull him closer. “We will be tiny, wrinkly bags of bones together when we are old.” Danny grinned up at me, resting his cheek briefly on my shoulder. “Is it weird how happy that makes me?” No. It wasn’t. Because the thought of it made me disgustingly happy too. I kissed the top of Danny’s head. “For once, you’re not being weird.”

“You have rulers?” Danny looked over at me. “Like monarchs?” “A bit.” I shrugged. “They only really have dominion over the towns and cities. Moric Lor doesn’t care about what happens out in the wild lands, where I nest. Where the tear is.” “Moric Lor? Is that the ruler’s name?” “His name is Lor. His title is Moric. Like king.”

Humans kind of suck, huh?” I swayed closer to him as we walked. “Some of you are nice.” He grinned over at me. “Some of us?” “One of you,” I amended. “One human. You.”

“You’re spoilin’ me, Wyn.” Satisfaction flowed through me when I heard the spoon scraping the bottom of the bowl. Danny added, “What if I start demanding this kind of treatment every night, huh?” “Then I’ll give it to you,”

“Maybe one day? We could find somewhere here, somewhere quiet. Just me and you.” The stab of want that hit me was so sharp, I almost physically flinched from the force of it. “Yes,” I rasped, voice hoarse, leaning over again to kiss his ankle. “We’ll do it. I promise.”

“They are definitely something more. I can see why people think they’re gods.” I leaned back, resisting the urge to purse my lips in disagreement. “I’ll take your bowl back downstairs,” I said, standing up to grab it. Danny barked out a laugh. “Don’t sulk, Wyn. I promise you’re the most intimidating. All humans piss their pants when they see you. Except me and Hunter. And maybe his friend.” “I’m sure I could make Edin’s human piss his pants if I wanted to,”

“I love you, Wyn,” he said, voice slightly hoarse. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I’m so glad I met you. And that I get to spend the next few thousand years with you,” he added, grinning up at me. My throat ached. I swallowed convulsively, wishing I still had my coat on and my hood up to hide how vulnerable I felt as I stared back at him, unable to control the naked adoration that I knew was showing on my face. “I love you, too.” I wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him tighter to me. “You were always meant to meet me. You’re mine.” Danny grinned again and kissed my chin. “I never really believed in fate, or soul mates, but… I think you’re mine.” “I am yours,” I said, tone domineering as I dropped my hands to palm his ass. Danny choked out a laugh and circled my neck with his arms. “Okay, fine, sorry. You are my soul mate.”

I loved him. In that moment, it hit me that I would have him—I would have this—for the rest of my life. Our lives.

I would have him forever.

I like your scars.” I huffed in disbelief. “I do.” Danny wiped his palm on his pants and wrapped his arms around my waist, tilting his head back to grin up at me. “They’re sexy.” Humans were very strange. Or maybe it was just Danny. “Well, at least we know that the tether truly worked.” I cupped his shoulders. “Now I won’t have to panic every time you trip over your own feet.” “I don’t trip over my own feet!”

I’d never even thought about it before but… I like the idea of being married to you. In whatever way that is. Is that stupid?” “No,” I rasped immediately, stepping closer and cupping his face in my hands. “I like the idea of it too. Whatever we want to call it. Joined. Tethered. Married.”

I’d already felt closer to him than any other thing in the universe. But it did feel different now. Like we were vital to each other. Well, more vital. He’d already felt vital to me.

I did want to get back so we could go and find Edin. I was positive Hunter would have stayed with him. It had been embarrassingly obvious how smitten he’d been with Edin, when I was pretty sure he hadn’t even realised it himself. And I wanted Edin to be happy. If he was with Hunter still, he deserved to have him for as long as he could. Plus, it would mean I’d get to tease Wyn for literal centuries about having Hunter as an almost-brother-in-law.

“So, you’re gonna buy me a big, fancy house one day in the distant future, huh?” I teased as the inne we were staying at came into view below. “Yes.” I chuckled at his serious tone. “Why don’t we just go take over that little stone cottage we stayed in our first night here? It was abandoned anyway.” Wyn snorted a derisive sound. “I am giving you a better house than that.” “I liked it!” I protested. “It was cute. Plus it was deserted, in the middle of nowhere—your favourite. And it wasn’t all that far from the hot springs.” I lowered my hand to slip it beneath his shirt, trailing my fingertips over thickly scarred skin. “We can go visit whenever we want.” Wyn’s hood tilted toward me. “I will give you a house with your own private hot spring, my sweet. And proper indoor plumbing.”

ORLITH If Wyn got to have a human pet, I wanted one too.

Also, I need to stop writing side characters who I then immediately want to write entire books for. Orlith—obviously. That bratty thief telyth who pines for Wyn and is super jealous of Danny. Ara and Hag. (Two giant monstrous god-like beings fuck-fighting? Uh. Yes. Because all those loud, thunderous sounds that shake the land are definitely from them “trying to kill each other”, right? Right.)