16. Jytos

16

JYTOS

I carry Bella back to the cave, her small form cradled against my chest. The scent of her blood fills my nostrils and ignites a primal rage within me. How dare that fucking waira touch what's mine?

"You're safe now," I rumble, my voice raw with emotion. "I won't let anything hurt you again."

Bella whimpers softly in pain, her fingers clutching at my skin. The sound sends a jolt through me awakening both protective and possessive instincts.

Inside the cave, I gently lay her down on the soft moss that serves as our bed. The sight of her torn clothing and the gashes on her arms and legs makes my blood boil. I want to go back out there and tear apart every waira in the vicinity.

"Stay still," I command, reaching for the healing supplies I keep nearby. "This might sting."

As I clean her wounds, I can't help but marvel at how fragile she is. Humans are such delicate creatures, yet Bella's strength continues to surprise me. She grits her teeth, only letting out small gasps of pain as I work.

"You did well out there," I tell her, my tentacles gently wrapping around her arm to hold it steady. "Fighting back like that. You're tougher than you look."

Her eyes meet mine, a mix of gratitude and something else I can't quite name shining in their depths. "Thank you for coming for me," she whispers.

The words send a surge of pride through me. Of course I came for her. She's mine to protect, mine to care for. The intensity of my feelings during the rescue catches me off guard. I've never felt this way about anyone or anything before.

"I'll always come for you," I say, my voice low and intense. "You're mine now, Bella. Nothing in this world will take you from me."

I finish tending to her wounds, my touch as gentle as I can make it. It's a stark contrast to the violence I unleashed on the waira earlier. The memory of tearing it apart, of feeling its blood on my hands, sends a thrill through me. I would do it again in a heartbeat to keep Bella safe.

"How are you feeling?" I ask, running a tentacle softly along her cheek.

She leans into the touch, her eyes fluttering closed. "Better now," she murmurs. "Thank you, Jytos."

The sound of my name on her lips does things to me I can't explain. I want to hear it again and again, preferably screamed in ecstasy. But right now isn't the time for that. She needs some rest and recovery.

"Sleep for a little while," I tell her, my voice gruff with suppressed desire. "I'll keep watch. Nothing will harm you while I'm here."

As she drifts off to sleep, I settle myself at the cave entrance, my senses on high alert. Let any creature try to come near. I'll tear them apart without hesitation. Bella is mine, and I'll protect what's mine with every ounce of strength I possess.

I pace the cave entrance, my tentacles twitching with restless energy. The memory of Bella's blood, her pain-filled cries, gnaws at me. Fuck. I should've been there sooner. Should've never let her out of my sight.

A soft rustling from inside the cave catches my attention. Bella's awake. I move to her side in an instant. I scan over her for any signs of distress.

"How're you feeling now?" I ask in a low voice.

She winces as she sits up but manages a small smile. "Better, thanks to you."

I shake my head and say in a rough voice, "I shouldn't have let you go out alone. It was careless."

"No, Jytos," she says, her voice firm despite her weakened state. "You trusted me. That means more than you know."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Trust. Such a foreign concept, yet here she is, grateful for it. I reach out, my tentacle gently brushing a stray curl from her face.

"Still," I mutter, "I should've been there sooner."

She catches my tentacle in her small hand, her touch sending a jolt through me. "You came when it mattered most. That waira would've..." She shudders, unable to finish.

A growl rumbles in me at the thought. "Nothing's gonna hurt you again. I swear it."

As I look at her, something shifts inside me. The need to protect her, to keep her safe, it's more than just instinct now. It's become my fucking purpose.

"You hungry?" I ask, already moving to grab some food. "You need to keep your strength up."

She nods, and I bring her some dried meat and berries. Watching her eat, I make a silent vow. She's mine to keep. I'll tear apart anyone or anything that tries to take her from me.

"Thank you," she says softly, finishing her meal. "For everything."

I grunt in response, unused to gratitude. But her words warm something deep inside me. She's changing me, this small human. And for once, I don't mind.

I gaze into her eyes and lose myself in their warm brown depths. The air between us crackles with sexual tension, thick and heady. My tentacles twitch, aching to wrap around her soft body and claim her as mine.

"Bella," I growl, my voice low and husky. "I need you."

She shivers, her lips parting slightly. "Jytos, I... I want you too."

That's all I need to hear. In an instant, I close the distance between us and pull her gently against my chest. My tentacles encircle her waist, holding her tight. She gasps and her small hands clutch at my arms.

"You're mine," I rumble, tilting her chin up with one finger. "Say it."

Her eyes flash with desire. "I'm yours, Jytos. All yours."

Fuck. Those words ignite a fire in my blood. I can't hold back any longer. I crush my lips to hers and claim her mouth in a searing kiss.

Her lips taste sweet, and it ignites a primal hunger within me. But this isn't about feeding a base desire; it's about connection, about claiming what's mine in the most intimate way possible.

"Careful," I growl against her mouth, my tentacles coiling protectively around her. "You're still healing."

Her response is a low, needy moan that goes straight to my groin. "I need you, Jytos," she breathes, her hands fisting in my hair. "All of you."

I pull back just enough to search her eyes, looking for any sign of hesitation. There's none. Only a fierce determination that matches my own. She's a wonder, this human – fearless in the face of the unknown, in the face of me.

My hands, so often instruments of death, tremble slightly as I undress her, revealing the soft, pale expanse of her skin. She's a canvas of scars and new wounds, a testament to her resilience. I trace each mark with a reverence I've never felt before, my touch as light as I can manage.

"You're sure?" I ask, my voice gruff with restraint.

"I've never been more sure of anything," she replies, her eyes locked onto mine.

That's all the permission I need. I claim her mouth again, my kiss fierce and demanding. My tentacles explore her body, each caress a promise of the pleasure to come. She arches into my touch, her body language as clear as her words. She wants this – wants me – as much as I want her.

I'm careful with her, mindful of her injuries, but she's having none of it. She pulls me closer, her lips trailing a path down my neck. "Don't hold back," she murmurs. "I can take it."

A growl rumbles in my throat, a sound of pure, unadulterated need. I roll us over so she's straddling me, her hair a wild curtain around us. Her eyes widen in surprise, but there's no fear in them, only a fiery hunger that matches my own.

"Ride me," I command, my voice a guttural rasp. "Take what you need."

She gently mounts my throbbing cock, and it completely fills her warm depths. She lets out a loud gasp of excitement and grabs my shoulders. She begins to ride me, her movements hesitant at first, then growing bolder as she finds her rhythm. I grip her hips, my tentacles wrapping around her to provide support and guidance. The sensation of her, hot and tight around me, is almost too much to bear.

Our lovemaking is a dance of give and take, a feral claiming that leaves us both breathless and shaking. Her cries of pleasure echo off the cave walls, a symphony of sound that stirs something primal within me.

I can feel the tension building inside her, her body coiling like a spring. I thrust deeper, harder, driving her over the edge. She cries out my name, her inner muscles clenching around me as she comes apart in my arms.

The feeling of her release triggers my own. I come with a roar, a surge of possessive triumph flooding through me. She collapses onto my chest. Her breaths come in ragged gasps. I hold her close, my heart pounding in time with hers.

We lie there in silence for a moment. The only sound is the crackle of the fire and our mingled breaths. I can feel the bond between us strengthening, a connection forged in fire and darkness.

"You're mine, Bella," I murmur, my voice rumbling. "Body and soul."

She tilts her head up to look at me, a small smile playing on her lips. "And you're mine, Jytos," she replies. "Monster and all."

I can't help but chuckle at that. "Monster and all," I agree, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

In this moment, with Bella in my arms, I feel a sense of peace I never thought possible. She's shown me that there's more to life than solitude and slaughter. She's shown me love, in all its fierce, protective glory.

And I'll be damned if I let anything take that from me.