Hidden Monster (The Monsters Among Us Book 1)

by Amanda Strong

  I heard him approaching. The whoosh from his wings reverberated off the walls behind me. The air pressure changed with his flight pattern. Strange, but I could almost sense his movements from behind. When he turned to the side or angled down or up, I felt it within me. Like a sixth sense, I opened myself to it completely. Feel him. Follow his movements. Track him.

  I only wished it worked as well with me. I couldn’t sense the tunnel at all and, concentrating so much on the bug, I’d left myself too open to error. The impact of my skull smacking rock dazed me. My wings kept going, but I suddenly couldn’t tell which way was up or down. My wings dragged my body haphazardly across a wall that felt like sandpaper before I could refocus on his movements. Once I felt his location behind me, I pressed forward.

  “This is better than I’d hoped for, Samantha!” he yelled out to me. “Makes it so enjoyable.” A wicked laughter flooded the tunnels.

  He’s so close! I darted to the left as my body grazed solid rock, trying to navigate the underground maze.

  “Do you like it here?” he asked, his voice right behind me now.

  I shrieked and he continued, each word sounding closer than the last. “I’ve always wondered what lay under abandoned mines. The outposts look so foreboding. Like rundown shacks with ghosts and goblins. Imagine my delight to discover the underground labyrinth. Home sweet…” Sharp claws grabbed at me, slipping off my arms, leaving gouges in their wake. “Home.”

  It happened fast, his body overtaking mine, wrapping me in his clutches from behind. His legs snaked around me, and my arms were instantly pinned, my wings crushed by his chest. I thrust my arm down, trying to spear him with my small dagger.

  I hoped to hear a wail, but instead, the rumble of his laughter shook my frame. My weapon clattered to the ground, apparently bouncing right off his tough hide.

  “Nice,” he purred into my ear. “Now, let’s get you back to my room for some fun.”

  Chapter 37

  I fought him the whole way, but he was easily four times my size. By the time I saw the light from his opened door, I’d stopped struggling, trying to conserve some energy. Once I could see better, maybe I could figure a way out of this.

  We went through the opening, and I was blinded by the light. I squinted, and then pinched my eyes shut when his enormous head rotated down to peer at me. Those black eyes would haunt me for the rest of my life. That’s if I live long enough to even have a nightmare.

  Then to my surprise, he let me go, shoving me to the ground. My eyes opened in time to catch my fall, bloody hands smacking the ground. I braced myself for the attack. Surely, he would do all that he’d promised to do, right? Have his fun… eat me for all I knew.

  I waited, staring at my hands. I’d rather watch my blood pool on the ground than face him.

  He breathed hard, his panting loud.

  What’s he waiting for? Maybe he wants to talk to me first…

  I forced my neck to turn and absorbed all his horrid details. He had a barrel chest with scars decorating his skin, as if something used his body to sharpen its claws. His face was mostly human, albeit his features were out of proportion, eyes bug-like and positioned too far to the sides, small nose, enormous mouth, and brown hair spattering his skull in patches, not quite enough to cover it. His wings were horrifying and captivating. They started at his shoulders and dusted the floor with their ends. Instead of translucent with brilliant colors, they were mud brown, thick, with corded veins running through them. He stood over me, his chest heaving up and down.

  Looking behind him, I took in my surroundings. It appeared to be a bedroom, if that nasty pile of cloth, springs, and feathers counted as a bed. Looked like a mattress after a tiger had gotten to it. There were a few metal, folding chairs, but nothing else.

  I didn’t know if it was stroke of genius or insanity, but I blurted, “You promised I’d fall in love with you, but I’ve never even met you.”

  His head cocked to the side, his eyes ogling me. “You may not know me, but I know you. You’re all I heard about for so long,” he growled. “Guess that’s why I had to come see you myself. So you see—it’s really his fault, not mine. He should’ve known better.”

  The monster roared and glanced away from me. “Just shut up! I don’t want to talk! I want to enjoy her!” Still facing away, he sputtered, “But she should know why this is all happening. It’s only fair.”

  I stared in a stupor, as he clenched his fists and faced me again, “She needs to know why we hunted her. Let her understand that at least. Please.”

  We stared at each other, me too terrified to move. I wasn’t sure which part of him had won the argument, and I wasn’t sure if it even mattered either way. I was dead. I could see no way out of this.

  He grumbled under his breath and then spat, “Fine.” Reaching down, he hauled me to my feet. I didn’t have time to react because he was throwing me at a chair. “Sit down. Guess I have to tell you some things.” He let out a stream of profanities.

  Then, after he’d made sure I stayed in my chair, he grabbed my arm and, to my horror, ran his long, skinny tongue along my wrist. I tried to recoil, but his grip was iron. “Then, my dear, you’ll be all mine. How I will savor finding out what makes you tick.”

  Think, Sam, he wants to talk… I tried to focus on what I could control instead of his repulsive actions. Get him talking.

  “Why don’t you change back—show me who you are? I will understand things then,” I said, straightening my back, trying to be brave.

  “You trying to trick me?” he growled.

  “No, it’s just I didn’t think bugs… err… the ones Tonbo changed so long ago could morph. That means you are extra special, strong.” I had no idea if these things ran on ego, but it was worth a try.

  “Tonbo changed? Tonbo didn’t do this to me.”

  “He didn’t? Weren’t you a super soldier?”

  “Soldier?” he roared, laughing. “I’m no soldier. He gave it to me, and I took it. Played me like a fool, but nothing’s going to change that now. Besides,” he purred, “I like what I am.”

  “Who gave it to you?” I asked, hoping to keep him on topic.

  He moved toward me, his arms reaching out. Maybe I’d run out of time. Maybe that was all I was getting. Then, to my surprise, he began morphing back. The creature collapsed down into the man I’d seen before. Only this time, I saw his face.

  Brown eyes. Kind, brown eyes. Memories tugged at me. I tried desperately to place them. I’d seen them before. At the time, I’d been feeling terror and his eyes brought me comfort. This time, I could only gawk at them. My mouth dropped open.

  “You’re the EMT!” I finally croaked, remembering all too clearly that day. I passed out after running too long, and woke up to see those eyes.

  The man’s shoulders slumped. “I only get a minute with you. Then it’ll take over. I’ve lost the battle. Don’t talk. Let me.”

  I nodded, realizing that this might be my only time to escape too. I saw the open door in my peripheral.

  “You were all he ever talked about. I knew how much he loved you, watched over you, and I assumed he’d never change you. He swore he wouldn’t. So I decided I would change, become like him, so he wouldn’t have to be alone,” he gasped. Then he growled, “Oh, get on with it! Don’t give her your whole damn story!”

  I bit my lip. Should I bolt? How much longer would this man be here?

  “Fine,” he muttered to himself. “We were together when he heard you’d been taken. I’d been trying to get the courage to tell him what I’d done, but I was too ashamed. I realized the thing within me had taken control already. Something was wrong… my transformation wasn’t the same as it was for others. But I couldn’t tell him all that then; he said he had to find you. I wasn’t sure why he kept up the pretenses, but I was hiding things too, so I didn’t push. I told him to go, and I decided to find you myself.” He sighed heavily, like he was resigned in his defeat. “Trust me, Samantha, I never meant to hurt
you! To hurt anyone! I did all this,” he struck out his chest, “for Blake!”

  A thousand questions ran through my head. He changed into a dragon for Blake—why?

  Who is he?

  “So you changed me and then let me go? You were only doing it to help Blake. You knew he wouldn’t do it, so you did, right? I’m sure Blake will understand—”

  “No! He won’t! I’ve done horrible things! I’m a monster! I tracked you down; your smell was so strong. Please believe me, I really only wanted to help. I found you tied up in the cabin. You were sleeping. I didn’t want to scare you. I was worried if I woke you up that you’d think I had done it. I didn’t want Blake to think that. So I untied you, got rid of the ropes, and waited outside the cabin for you to come to. About an hour later, you stumbled out. I stayed in camo and followed you for a few hours. Then I made an anonymous call to 911, saying I thought I’d found you. After that, it was easy. I joined the search team and led them to you. You see, I did it all for Blake. I want… wanted you both to be happy.”

  “You can still give that to us! Just let me go! Blake and I are very happy—”

  He groaned and held his stomach. “No… I can’t. You don’t understand. I let it see you, smell you. It won’t leave you alone. It’s made me follow you, watch you.”

  Goose bumps covered my arms. My instincts were right. He had been hunting me.

  “And then when that wasn’t enough, I gave it… others to keep it satisfied.” His face fell before me.

  “Like Cally? You were in that tree with me,” I said, realizing I’d been right.

  “Yes. It wanted to grab you then. I was lucky some dragons were in the area and wanted to show off. They hadn’t realized they’d picked a fight with Blake until it was too late. I fought the beast in me, made it take off. But I had to give it something in return.” He swallowed hard.

  “Where is she?” I asked, scared of the answer.

  “She didn’t last long,” he whispered, his face contorted in pain. He held one shaking hand out toward me. “Samantha, I’m sorry. It’s obsessed with you. I can’t go on like this. I’ve tried everything I know of to rid myself of this thing, but it just gets stronger! I’ve tried to kill myself a thousand times, but I keep on living!”

  The scars on his chest made more sense now. He groaned and then cackled. He was losing his inner battle.

  I began thinking about the other girls’ fate. He can’t die? And he won’t stop killing until he gets what he wants. This needs to end. I gazed back at him, knowing there was only one way for that to happen.

  “I understand. Can I ask you a question before?” I couldn’t say the words.

  He nodded and licked his lips. I could see energy stirring behind his brown eyes.

  “Did you tie me up in that cabin? Was it all you?” I had to know, even if that was the last thing I heard before I left this world.

  The brown widened and then he winced, doubling over. “No, I’d only injected myself weeks before. Like I said, I kept trying to find the right time to tell Blake, to let him know he wouldn’t be alone anymore. That his big brother would always be there for him.” He groaned, his eyes turning black, his shoulders and back growing right before my eyes. He was morphing.

  But I could only gape at him. Big brother? “Jaxon?” I gasped.

  The man nodded. “I never would have injected myself, if I’d known…” His hands shot out as he groaned. His wings emerged, sounding like a cracked whip.

  “Known what, Jaxon? Known what?” I shouted, jumping to my feet. The monster was here. I’d wasted my time, but I had to know.

  “That he was going to change you after all!” he roared, the transformation complete. He grinned and lunged forward. “And I’m so glad he did!”

  Chapter 38

  I didn’t have time to think about Jaxon’s confession, that Blake was my monster, because the real monster was on top of me, knocking me to the ground with his claws.

  “Stop! Jaxon! You can fight this!” I screamed out, my hands pushing back against the dead weight climbing on top of me, squashing my body with his. I didn’t know what his intentions were—he didn’t touch my dress or my body. Maybe he’s not going to rape me first; maybe I just get to die! I hoped beyond hope. Let it be quick.

  The weight of him on me was enough to end me; I had a hard time getting air in. Then his tongue began licking my face, and I convulsed. Maybe I’d been wrong about what he would do. If only I could get some leverage, do something! But my arms were pinned to the ground underneath him. He was literally smashing me to death, smothering me.

  That’s it! I stopped thrashing. I held perfectly still, letting my eyes roll back, just in case he watched my face. I stopped breathing, willing myself to think of my own metabolism slowing down.

  He didn’t seem to notice. His tongue was on my neck, his claws sinking into my arms as he held them down. Then he stopped abruptly. His weight lifted. A sharp pain seared my face. He’d slapped me, and I did my best not to flinch, letting my head fall to the side.

  His hand fumbled with my wrist, and then his enormous head landed on my chest.

  “No!” he barked. “You don’t get to die yet!”

  Don’t breathe… don’t breathe….

  His fists pounded my chest. And then, to my horror, he tore my mouth open and his nasty lips landed on mine. It took all my willpower not to scream. He blew his foul air into my mouth. I wanted to puke. When he followed that with pounding on my chest, it dawned on me. He’s trying to resuscitate me!

  Was it Jaxon, the doctor within him, trying to save me? Did I come back to life?

  Holding my breath was painful now. He was filling my lungs with air and then pounding them free. I had no choice; he was forcing me to stay alive. Yet, I kept my lungs still as I could, letting him do all the work and forcing my mind to drift away. Picture you’re under that tub again… picture you are lying in Blake’s arms…I cringed and prayed he hadn’t noticed. But he was too busy bruising my sternum with his clumsy attempt at CPR.

  Blake changed me? Could that really be true? At the moment, the terror over that paled in comparison to the fact that a deranged monster was trying to save me or kill me, I wasn’t quite sure at the moment which. Either way, it was painful.

  What do I do? Just wait until he gives up? Then the lips landing on mine felt softer. I almost opened my eyes to see who it was out of surprise, but I heard, “Let me save her! Just leave me alone while I do this!”

  Jaxon morphed back to save me! Maybe he could be reasoned with. His hands were now on my chest, applying rhythmic compressions. This is it. Take it or leave it.

  I took it and began coughing. At first, it was for show, but it felt so good to clear my full lungs that it quickly turned genuine. I tried to roll to my side as I coughed. His hands remained on me.

  I opened my eyes, hoping to see kindness in his brown gaze. He was kneeling over me.

  “Samantha! You’re alive!” He sounded thrilled, but his eyes were already clouding over. “I shouldn’t have saved you… it would have been better—”

  “Jaxon, I know you don’t want to hurt your brother, and I know you don’t want to do this. Let me go! Let me go now!”

  I didn’t wait for an answer, shoving him back with my arms and forcing my wings into action. Surprised by my sudden movement, he fell on his back. I didn’t wait to see if he was following, I shot out the door, flying hard.

  This time, the tunnels were familiar, even in the blackness. It was like my body remembered its flight pattern from before. I didn’t hit anything, all I felt was cold air slapping my skin. I dipped and zigzagged with its twists and turns. I didn’t hear anything from behind. Maybe Jaxon was fighting himself, not allowing the bug in him to follow me.

  I could only hope.

  I didn’t slow when the terrain felt new. I was getting farther than before! I pushed my wings harder, feeling the occasional graze as the tunnels narrowed. Then the scent in the air shifted, becoming fresher and clea
ner. That was when I saw the hazy light above me. A way out! I changed directions and shot straight up. The light grew brighter, and my surroundings took shape. I was definitely in some kind of old mine shaft. The old timbers supporting the solid rock around me creaked and groaned. I spied a small staircase winding along the wall, up and up. A large, wooden door was at the top.

  I made it! I zoomed toward it, my hands outreaching, desperately wanting to grab the handle. I was mere feet away from it when I heard the whoosh of wings from behind.

  My instincts took over, and I swerved to my right. I felt his body graze me as he shot past, not expecting my sudden turn. I rotated around and aimed for the door again. I heard him growling out swear words as he reoriented his wings and doubled back at me.

  He grabbed my ankles; I thrust my foot forward, kicking him hard in the head. I heard him grunt as his hands grappled for me again. The door got closer; I pushed my wings to their limit. My hands reached the handle and, to my horror, I discovered it was locked. It was the extra second he needed.

  He wrapped me up in his clutches and chortled, “Think I’d leave my front door unlocked? Now, stop fighting this! No one’s saving you. You are all mine!”

  He shoved me down on the torn mattress. I sobbed uncontrollably, trying to fight him as he fastened my wrists and ankles together with duct tape. Then he retrieved ropes from the corner of the room and wrapped them around my torso, shoving my wings down. It was painful.

  When he’d finished, and I was completely bound, something inside me shattered. My hope had been broken like a bone snapping in half. I’d given it everything, but he’d won. No one knew about this place. I knew of abandoned mines between Silverton and Ouray, Colorado, but this was Jaxon. He lived in California. I might be in Nevada or the Dakotas for all I knew.

  Blake! My heart ached. Please find me! At this point, I didn’t care what he’d done to me in the cabin or why. I wanted out of this place. I wanted to live.