I walk up and throw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. I feel his warm, solid body go rigid like an ironing board. They probably don’t hug in Monsterland.
“What are you doing, Lake?” he says, his voice low.
I won’t say what I’m thinking—that I’ll always be grateful. That I’m going to miss him even if I don’t know him well. He’s the only person I’ve been able to trust since all this crap started. Also, he saved my life.
“Just giving you a human farewell,” I say.
“Well,” he gently pries me off, staring me down with his hard eyes, “where I come from, pressing your body against a male like that is a request for fucking. Aggressive fucking.”
“Oh.” I step back, my cheeks flushing with heat. “That’s not…” I can’t finish my words. How embarrassing. I just asked this guy to screw me. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
Gabrio flashes a quick smile that makes his eyes twinkle. “On the contrary. I will remember the moment fondly when the No Ones are gouging out my eyes and tearing into my testicles.”
“Okaaay. That’s, um—I should go now.”
He adds, “Also, it is very unbecoming of a woman of your stature to apologize. Never show weakness, Lake. You are Norfolk. You are a fighter. You do not snivel and ask forgiveness.”
He couldn’t be more wrong about me. I’ve never fought anyone, nor would I kill a person unless I absolutely had to. I believe in humility and being kind to others. It’s who I am. Not even Grandma Rain could get inside my head and turn me into a hater. And boy, did that woman know how to hate. It was like her superpower. She could find fault in anyone.
“Thanks for the advice.” I form a gun with my fingers, pull the trigger, and click my tongue.
He shakes his head. He probably has no idea what that means.
Gabrio opens the door and steps out ahead of me, grabbing two axes from the mess of crap on Bard’s porch. “Come, Master. Tell me where these bastards are hiding. I am hungry and would like to dine on fresh meat today.”
Gabrio’s going to eat them? Gross. “I thought you didn’t eat people.”
“They’re not people.” Gabrio marches past Dave towards the woods with Master.
If the bridge filters out anything that doesn’t belong here, then all that would be left of Benicio’s men are the human bits. Right?
I wonder if Gabrio really cares. Earlier this week, I watched him chomp down on a masterbeast. I don’t know the real name of the creature, but it had the upper half of a wolf and the lower have of a human male. Apparently, they get off on the scent of fear and have no qualms about jerking off while preparing to attack their next meal. Or raping whatever they’re munching on. Maybe I should rename the creatures Grim Rapers.
“Lake, what the hell was that?” Dave’s manscaped brows arch with deep concern.
Crap. Dave. I probably shouldn’t have mouthed off about Gabrio eating people. “Just a stupid joke. We should get out of here.” Before I start to bawl my eyes out.
I try not to watch Gabrio’s tall frame, with wide shoulders and powerful muscles, disappear into the forest just beyond the clearing around Bard’s cottage.
I don’t want this. I don’t want him to die. Is it because he’s so damned beautiful? Or because underneath his tough Wall Man exterior, he’s loyal, smart, and kind? Or is it because he reminds me so damned much of Bard?
Dave and I start marching up the hill, my eyes and ears on full alert. I don’t know who’s here or how lethal they are. It’s unnerving even if I trust Gabrio and Master to take care of business.
“You okay?” Dave asks.
Not even a little. I’m hungry and weak. My legs are pencil thin and shaking like crazy. But I’d never ask Dave to carry me. He’d take it the wrong way—kind of like the way Gabrio took that hug. An invitation for sex. “I’m tired but fine.”
“All right. My car is in front of the house. By the way, what happened to your place?”
“It burned down,” I reply bluntly.
“Yeah. I noticed when I went to knock on your door. What caused it?”
“Life.” I shrug.
“Well, I’m glad you’re okay.”
Okay is not how I’d describe myself, but Dave doesn’t need to know that.
“Hey,” he adds, “where’s the man who used to live here, Bard?”
He was in the hospital after I accidentally hit him in the head with a sledgehammer, and the No Ones came for him. I just wish I knew what he did wrong. What vow did he break?
“Bard is dead,” I say. “Don’t want to talk about it.”
“I’m sorry,” he says like he couldn’t care less. Probably because Bard threatened to take an ax to him a few times. Bard always detested Dave.