Moth (Monstrous, #5)

by Lily Mayne

Seemed like it wasn’t just Hunter chasing monster dick, then. Well—and Danny. I’d only met him briefly, but he had apparently decided on the most monstrous dick of monster dicks. The Soul Eater was… terrifying.

“Hunter’s not an introvert,” I said cheerfully. “He’s just an unlikeable asshole.”

Everyone just fucking loved the new human in the camp. Edin’s surly human lover didn’t really speak to anyone or make an effort to ingratiate himself with the raiders, but the one with dark hair and grey eyes—Charlie—seemed to effortlessly draw attention and make people want to flock to him. With his big, stupid smile and smooth, low voice with a southern accent.

When the echo of her heels had faded, I’d crept forward and snatched up the bracelet. I’d curled back up clutching it, pretending it had belonged to my mom. Pretending I had something of value in the world, even though it was just a cheap bit of metal.

My face burned as Hunter and Edin fussed over me like I was their only child getting ready to go on his first school field trip.

He rolled his eyes, nose wrinkling slightly. I tried not to stare at him. He was a moody asshole, but he was a fucking beautiful one.

Yeah, I was attracted to Moth, even though he was an asshole most of the time and in love with a raider. And I was pretty sure that he was attracted to me too, even just a little. I was also pretty sure that he hated it.

Try and think of him like you do Edin, my brain suggested, and I almost physically cringed at the idea. I couldn’t. Mainly because I definitely did not want to fuck Edin—I’d seen what he was packing beneath that kilt; there was no way in hell I’d ever let that baseball bat anywhere near me.

But when I looked at Moth, I could never decide if I wanted to strangle him or start tearing off his clothes. He was infuriatingly attractive. His face was like a work of art—almost too perfect to be real. Definitely too perfect to be human. Didn’t stop me wanting to punch it, though.

It was stupid to be hurt by it. Edin was friendly when we came across one another, but he was friendly to everyone. He was still a monster, and all monsters hated me. They saw me as a freak they couldn’t trust because I was half human.

If people looked at me the way they all looked at Moth, I’d go around cutting off body parts with a sword.

Charlie, who’d made me feel truly desirable for the first time in my life. Who’d told me that he loved every part of me. Who didn’t care that I was half monster, who didn’t sneer with instinctive revulsion at the sight of my face.

“I don’t… I don’t think I was ever actually in love with Ghost,” I croaked to Chuck. “I think I just convinced myself I was because he didn’t seem to care about my monster side. Because he didn’t immediately look at me with disgust. I just clung onto him.”

“You’ll find someone,” I croaked. “Someone who’ll see how amazing you are.” I do. I see it.

“Even though you don’t feel the same, I…” God, I needed to shut the fuck up. “I think you’re perfect just as you are. You don’t need to change or hide any part of yourself for someone else, Moth.”