Moth (Monstrous, #5)

by Lily Mayne

Moth and I stared in silence as the Soul Eater filled the doorway, gripping the frame with blackened fingertips. He had his coat on, the hood up and his face completely obscured in shadows, but it was slung on over a bare, greyish-white chest absolutely covered in scars. And… were his pants undone? “Shut. Up,” he snarled, his ghoulish voice making my entire body break out in goosebumps.

“Shit,” I croaked, a second before there was a squawk of surprise from inside. “Wyn.” I recognised Danny’s voice. “Uh… what’s that?” “She’s friendly,” Moth blurted immediately. “She won’t hurt you.” “Really?” Danny sounded a little less freaked out, eagerness bleeding into his voice. “Aw, she’s kind of cute. Wyn—” “No,” he barked, then spun back and snarled at us, “Get that fucking thing out of our room.”

“Chuck,” Moth called immediately, his voice cracking. “Come here. Please.” She appeared, sniffing briefly at the Soul Eater’s knee and making him snarl down at her, before slipping past him and clinging to Moth’s leg. Danny appeared behind Wyn, shrugging into a shirt. “She’s so dang cute!” He stopped and blinked. “Oh, hey Charlie.” “Hey.” I smiled at him, then side-eyed Wyn as an evil thought came into my head. “Want to hang out with her for a little while?” Danny’s face brightened immediately. I could feel the Soul Eater trying to murder me with his eyes from the depths of his hood. “Really?” Danny crouched down and held out a hand. Chuck uncurled from Moth’s leg to edge forward, sniffing his palm. “Hey, girl. Chuck, right?” She chirped at him, and Danny’s eyes went big and soft. Wyn growled out a low, terrifying sound, but his hand was gentle when he rested it on top of Danny’s head.

“My sweet—” “Aw, come on, Wyn. Please?” Danny straightened and held out his hand to Chuck. “You want somethin’ to eat?” She slipped her grey fingers into his, and Danny melted. She loped into the room with him. “Thanks,” I said to Wyn, shooting him a big grin. “Real nice of you. We appreciate it.” He snarled as I shoved Moth away from the door, grabbing his hand to pull him further down the walkway. “Fucking camp,” I heard Wyn seethe before the door slammed behind us. “I...

“So.” I smirked at him, sauntering forward to slip my hand beneath his shirt and run it up his side. I traced over a little patch of scales. “You love me, huh?” He huffed. “Shut up.” “And you were gonna just leave without me,” I added, pinching his side and making him jump. “You ass.” He went pink. “Sorry.” “I’ll forgive you if you take me back to your safehouse.” I wrapped my arms around him and tugged him closer with a grin.

“I love you, Charlie,” he said quietly in his husky voice. My chest went tight, something inside me clicking into place. Finally. “I love you too.”

He cleared his throat. “By the way, uh… I’m pretty sure I can’t get… pregnant or anything. Because of my monster side. I think I’m too human for that. In case you were worried.” Jesus, I hadn’t even considered that. But I didn’t want to make it a thing, so I dipped my head to kiss his hair. “Okay. I wasn’t worried.”

I heard Edin’s booming laugh before he called someone an “old bastard”. The Soul Eater’s ghoulish, distorted voice followed, snarling something back at him.

“Will you teach me to read?” Moth asked quietly, laying his palm on the centre of my chest and stretching out his long, tattooed fingers. I nuzzled into his hair. “Of course.” “I tried, but it’s just… meaningless shapes. I can recognise numbers okay, but…” I remembered seeing the stack of books in his safehouse, and I’d been able to teach him poker. “I’ll teach you.” I kissed the top of his head, leaving my mouth pressed there so he could feel my grin. “Then I can leave you dirty notes.” He snorted, rubbing his nose against my shoulder before resting his cheek there and sighing. I pulled him closer, breathing in his scent as my eyes slipped shut. Finally.

Now that I knew what it actually felt like, I realised with perfect clarity that I hadn’t really been in love with him. I’d been obsessed with the idea of finding someone who accepted me. I’d latched onto him because he’d treated me no different to anyone else.

“Well…” Edin glanced down at Hunter, then gave us a sly look. “There may be somewhere we’re going before we return to the homestead. But it will require some work, so we’ll be here for a while.” Charlie’s brow furrowed. “What? Go where?” Hunter cleared his throat and sat up. “Danny and Wyn told us something. When they got here.” “Told you what?” Edin shot Hunter a look filled with so much love that I got embarrassed. I shifted awkwardly, my knee pressing against Charlie’s. He reached over and threaded his fingers through mine, lifting our hands to kiss my knuckles. Then the big purple monster’s eyes shifted to me. He grinned, fangs flashing in the sun. “Have you ever been to our world, Moth?”