7. The Creature

7

THE CREATURE

It wasn't a spider.

That was Pinks' only consolation. The creature was shiny-metallic with a compact, box-like body and four twig-thin legs pointing straight down, and it made all his hair stand on end.

"Fuck!" Galent grabbed Pinks by the arm and began running.

It was all Pinks could do to keep his arms around Zarrie.

When he peeked over his shoulder, he found the creature closing in on them, its shapeless mouth gaping as it tried to... suck down the air they left behind. Or whatever it was actually doing. Pinks screamed, running as hard as he could.

Galent lengthened his strides and pulled Pinks along, heading to the far end of the parking lot where there were several empty spots. "Fuck, I need to fly us out of here."

"It's too dangerous!" Because of the curse, and because dragons shouldn't be seen in public, because they could get hunted. Unlike Galent, Pinks was a wolf, too common a species for anyone to give a damn.

"What do you propose we do, then?" Galent snarled, his eyes flashing red.

"I don't know!"

They reached the end of the parking lot, boxed in by moving vehicles on the street. Galent spun around, shoving Pinks behind him. Pinks peeked out from Galent's side just to have an idea how they would die.

The spindly creature slowed down and surveyed them with beady silver eyes. It skittered closer, snapping its maw.

"Any last words?" Galent asked.

"Please don't turn into a statue again."

Galent snorted, backing away from the creature, still shielding Pinks with his own body.

Out of nowhere, their shopping cart slammed into the creature, unraveled TP trailing behind it like a superhero's cape.

The creature fell over and struggled, its top-heavy body thumping against the asphalt. Galent leaped at it immediately, grabbing its legs and snapping them off.

Pinks would've felt bad if the creature hadn't just threatened his baby.

Then, Galent hissed. His hand was bleeding—blood had smeared against one of the creature's still-kicking legs. "Don't come close. These are sharp."

"You're hurt!"

Galent breathed out. "Fuck. I have to kill it now. It knows the scent of my blood. If I don't, it'll regrow its legs and follow us back."

"Kill it," Pinks growled.

Galent took the creature's legs and shoved the pointed ends into its mouth, piercing its insides. It shuddered and went still, twitching occasionally.

Pinks couldn't move closer. "Is it really dead?"

"Yeah. Let's go." Galent wiped his hands on his pants, smearing blood everywhere. He grabbed some of the fluttering TP and wiped his blood off the dead creature, too.

"Why're you cleaning it? To get rid of evidence?"

"So no one can use my blood against me," Galent said, his eyes narrowed. "The last thing you need is me becoming a threat to you, too."

It was... oddly touching. Pinks relaxed slightly when Galent pulled him close, wrapping one arm around his shoulder. Zarrie tried to grab Galent's shirt again; Pinks had to wrap her blanket around her to trap her arms. She scrunched up her face and made an unhappy sound. "Awwhh!"

"I'll let you play with your toys when we get home," Pinks promised, bobbing her in his arms. She babbled more and squirmed. "Hush, Galent isn't a toy."

The giant snorted. "Yeah? I don't mind crawling around like a horse if she wants to sit on my back."

"Really?"

"When I'm not cursed," Galent said dryly.

"Oh. Yeah." Pinks sighed. He'd give so much to see Galent pretending to be a horse. Galent was still bleeding too much for Pinks to be comfortable, though. "You should wrap up your hand, or you'll bleed everywhere."

Galent grabbed one of the new shirts, but Pinks was faster.

With a quick look to make sure no one else was nearby, Pinks set Zarrie in the cart and hooked his leg through its metal base so it couldn't rush off. Then he took the shirt from Galent and carefully tied up his hand, making sure it was tight enough to slow down the bleeding. "Put some pressure on it."

Galent was watching him closely. "Do you do this all the time for other people?"

Pinks flushed. "Just the people I need to keep around to protect Zarrie."

Galent grinned. "Thanks."

Pinks' face was not growing hotter.

"You too, cart. You did great." Galent grabbed the shopping cart's handle and patted its side; it shivered and rolled closer to Galent's leg.

"It likes you," Pinks said, scooping Zarrie back into his arms. "You should give it a name."

As they began the brisk walk home, Galent gave Pinks a sideways glance. "Naming it means we're keeping it around."

"I said you, not we. "

Galent huffed. "Are you trying to make it sad, Pinks? Are you that cruel?"

"It likes you. "

"I'm fairly sure it likes you, too. You kept it around while I was a statue, didn't you?"

Pinks scowled, needing to get in the last word. "It's not coming into the house with us."

"Do you want someone to kidnap our cart and use it as bait?"

Pinks hesitated. Kidnappers were dangerous. Who knew what they'd do to an innocent cart? "Fine. I guess it can come in with us. But it's not allowed near Zarrie."

"That's reasonable."

Even though the threat had been neutralized, Pinks couldn't help glancing around, jumping at every new sound. The last time he'd been alone with Zarrie, he'd been kidnapped.

"Hey, we'll be fine. You're safe." Galent squeezed his shoulder.

"Only if you don't get stuck as a statue."

"Cart here is a superhero," Galent said proudly. "It'll roll in to rescue you every time."

"You can't call it Cart," Pinks spluttered.

"You said I can call it anything I want. What about SuperCart?"

Pinks opened and closed his mouth. "That's a terrible name."

Galent's smile was only too smug. " You name it, then."

"Limesicart," Pinks said. When Galent raised his eyebrows, Pinks explained, "Like limesicle, but a cart. It was the first word to pop into my mind."

"You're no better," the giant said, pleased.

"Uh, no! I'm way better than you!"

"Of course. And I think we should speed up our journey home." Galent swept Pinks into a bridal carry and began to run.

Pinks squawked. "It's so high up here!"

"Close your eyes, then."

The trees and buildings flew past them. Galent was taking big strides, fast, and Pinks could only huddle against his broad, solid chest. By the time they made it back to the safehouse, Galent wasn't even panting. He deposited Pinks and Zarrie gently at the door, then lifted the cart onto the porch and kicked the dirt off its wheels. Galent ran his hands over the cart to make sure it was unhurt.

"It's like you've been waiting to have your very own pet all your life," Pinks blurted.

Galent grinned. "What can I say? Being around you makes me want to care for things."

"Sweet talker."

"It's not sweet talking if I'm speaking the truth." Slowly, Galent added, "If you need another massage... all you have to do is ask."

"You haven't even finished the two-hour one. And you're hurt!"

Galent glanced at his hand. "I'll just put a glove on."

"You need stitches!"

"Are you going to help with that?"

Because Zarrie didn't need anything right now, Pinks grumbled, "Fine."

He followed Galent into the house and made sure the giant locked the door. With Zarrie back in her playpen and strict instructions to Limesicart not to crash into her, Pinks grabbed the first aid kit from under the bathroom counter.

Galent was seated at the kitchen table. When Pinks reached him, he straightened, holding his hands out in boyish excitement. "I washed them. You don't have to do much, just stitch it up."

"I've never seen anyone get so excited about an injury."

Galent gave a secret smile. Pinks eyed him suspiciously. But he scrubbed his hands with soap and got out the suturing needle and thread, carefully cradling Galent's large, warm hand in his own. Galent didn't even flinch when the needle went in.

"Do you get injured a lot?" Pinks asked warily. "This doesn't hurt you."

Galent shrugged. "I used to get into scrapes frequently, as a dragonet. This is nothing."

" This is nothing?" Pinks scowled, his insides twisting when he imagined the giant being hurt worse than this. As a child!

"You are incredibly lovely," Galent murmured. "You take my breath away."

Pinks squinted. "Are you saying that to get in my pants?"

Galent smiled again.

Pinks closed the wound up, stitch by stitch. He wiped off the blood with a clean rag, then snipped off the excess thread. "Don't do anything strenuous with that hand for a while."

"Including this?" Galent curled his fingers into a loose fist and jerked them up and down.

The image that popped into Pinks' mind was... wet, lewd, and utterly sinful.

"You have another hand!" Pinks hissed, his cheeks burning.

"Or my tail," Galent agreed.

"Y-you don't... use your tail... to do that. "

Galent raised an eyebrow. Holy crap!

"Granted, my tail isn't quite as... flexible as my fingers," Galent said. "It works better going into holes."

Pinks choked.

"You've never even considered that, have you?" Galent murmured in surprise. "I guess not, since your own tail is covered in fur. Maybe if you put a condom on it."

"What the hell," Pinks spluttered.

"My tail is covered in scales, so cleanup is easy."

"I never thought I'd talk about tail sex, " Pinks whispered, glancing out of the kitchen at Zarrie like she would understand their conversation.

Galent smirked. "Think about it."

"No!"

"I'll continue your massage when Zarrie takes a nap."

Pinks froze. His imagination took Galent's words and ran with them: Galent pressing him down into the mattress, strong fingers working over his bare back, down his sides, kneading his asscheeks and spreading them open. Maybe massaging inside, too, hooking his fingers against the best spot until Pinks gasped and writhed.

"You're not going to turn into a statue, are you?" Pinks asked suspiciously. "Actually, do you have an off button? Like maybe somewhere on your body, there's a spot I can push, and you'll stop being a statue?"

Galent rubbed his chin. "You mean, to undo the curse temporarily? I hadn't considered that. But you're welcome to try."

"What if it's a weird spot?" Pinks cried. "Like in your mouth? Or... Or..."

A smile spread across Galent's face. "Or...? My cock?"

"I already tried that one," Pinks muttered. "You broke my phone with it."

"Did your phone touch my tip, though? Or maybe my balls? Maybe I need to be stroked?"

"Maybe your nipples need to be pinched. Hard," Pinks grumbled.

"Both at the same time, while you do a sultry dance." Galent's eyes were laughing.

"Oh, gods. That's like playing Twister on your body."

"You have my blanket permission to experiment."

Pinks shook his head. "You don't know what you're saying."

"On the contrary, I think I do." The giant grinned. "I trust you, Pinks."

"Well, you shouldn't." Pinks wasn't sure how to react to any of this, so he took the coward's way out. "I'm going to feed Zarrie and see if she needs a diaper change."

He scrambled away, snatching Zarrie out of her playpen and hurrying to his bedroom.

"Sorry," he told her. "I got distracted by a—a very annoying man."

In the kitchen, Galent snorted.

"A very annoying man who is eavesdropping, " Pinks muttered. He ignored the squeak of the chair as Galent stood, the heavy footsteps out of the kitchen into the living room, where Galent began speaking quietly to the shopping cart.

Nope. Pinks was not going to be a hypocrite.

He hefted Zarrie into the air to make her squeal, then blew a raspberry on her little tummy. When she giggled, he melted, dropping kisses all over her face.

He changed her diaper and cleaned up, before settling with her in bed, his bare back against the wall. Zarrie nursed hungrily from his chest. Instead of eavesdropping like certain questionable giants, Pinks began singing lullabies to pass the time.

Galent stopped in the open hallway, raking his dark gaze over Pinks.

Pinks frowned. "What do you want?"

The giant leaned against the doorjamb and crossed his ankles. "Just to look."

Too late, Pinks remembered that he wasn't wearing a shirt. And that his other nipple had begun leaking when Zarrie started nursing.

Galent had noticed that, too. He prowled into Pinks' bedroom like he owned the place, dragging his tongue over his lips.

"What're you looking at?" Pinks growled.

Galent's smile grew.

Suddenly, this wasn't just about nursing, or watching. Suddenly this was about the hunger in Galent's eyes, like banked coals ready to flare into raging heat.

"I wonder," Galent murmured, closing the distance between them, hooking one thick finger into Pinks' pants, next to the spot where Pinks' milk had soaked into the waistband. "You're leaking."