8. Jytos

8

JYTOS

I finally loosen my grip on her. My tentacles soon unwind from her soft, warm body. She slides to the cave floor, her eyes still wide with terror. The scent of her fear is intoxicating, making my mouth water instinctively. But I resist the primal urge to devour her. There's something... special about this human.

"Why am I here?" she asks again, her voice trembling.

I cock my head, studying her closely. Her brown curls frame a face that's both delicate and strong. Fascinating. "Your people left you for me," I growl, my voice rumbling through the cave. "A gift, I assume. So, I brought you here to my cave."

She flinches at my words, pressing herself against the cave wall once more. Good. She should be afraid. I am not to be trifled with.

"I'm... I'm not just some gift," she stammers. "I'm a person."

I laugh loudly, the sound echoing off the stone walls. "A person? You're prey, little one. Food for the taking." I lean in close, inhaling her scent. "But I find myself... curious about you."

Her breath hitches, and I can hear her heart beating loudly. It's music to my ears. I've never been this close to a human before, never had the chance to truly examine one. And this one... she's exquisite.

"What do you mean, curious?" she asks, her voice low.

I reach out, running a tentacle along her cheek. She shivers but doesn't pull away. Interesting. "I mean, little human, that you intrigue me. Your kind usually runs or fights. But you... you're different."

She swallows hard, her eyes darting nervously around the cave. "I... I don't have anywhere to run to. My village... they sacrificed me."

Her words stir something inside me. Anger, perhaps? At her village for discarding her so easily? Or possessiveness, at the thought of anyone else claiming what's now mine?

"Then you belong to me now," I growl, my tentacles curling around her waist once more. "And I protect what's mine."

I notice that she's still trembling, and it stirs something deep within me – a desire to comfort, to protect. Fuck, what's happening to me?

She looks up at me timidly as I hold onto her. Her lips part slightly as if she's about to speak, and I can't help but follow the motion with my eyes. Her mouth is a tender fruit, ripe for the taking, yet I rein in the impulse. My desire to possess her wars with the unfamiliar urge to understand her, to learn what makes her tick.

"You must be hungry," I growl gently. I reach for a nearby sack, pulling out some dried meat. "Eat."

She hesitates, eyeing the offering warily. "It's not... human, is it?"

I can't help but chuckle at the thought. "No. It's duskbear. Tough, but filling."

As she takes the meat, my tentacles move of their own accord, brushing against her arm. Her skin is so soft, so warm. I can't resist tracing the curve of her shoulder, down to her elbow. She flinches but doesn't pull away.

"I... thank you," she murmurs, taking a small bite. Her discomfort is palpable, but there's something else there too. Curiosity, perhaps?

"You're welcome," I rumble, unable to take my eyes off her. My tentacles continue their exploration, sliding along her forearm, circling her wrist. She shivers but doesn't protest.

"Are you..." she starts, then pauses, swallowing hard. "Are you the god they spoke of? The one they... sacrificed me to?"

I laugh again, the sound harsh and grating. "A god? Is that what those fools think I am?" I lean in close, my breath hot on her neck. "No, little human. I'm something far more ancient, far more dangerous."

Her eyes widen, a mix of fear and fascination swirling in their depths. "What are you, then?"

"My name is Jytos and I am Umbrath," I growl, my tentacles coiling possessively around her waist. "The last of my kind. We ruled these lands long before your ancestors crawled out of the muck."

She looks up at me strangely, her body tensing against mine. "Umbrath? I've never heard of..."

"Of course you haven't," I snap, frustration bubbling up inside me. "Your kind has forgotten so much. You cower in your villages, afraid of shadows, while true power walks the earth."

My tentacles tighten around her, pulling her closer. She whimpers but doesn't struggle. Smart girl.

"But you," I continue, my voice softening slightly. "You're different from the rest. You face your fear. You interest me greatly, little human."

She gasps softly, and I can feel her heart racing in her chest. It's exhilarating. I run a tentacle along her cheek, continuing to marvel at the softness of her skin.

"What... what do you want from me?" she whispers, her voice barely audible.

"For now," I rumble lowly, "I want you to stay here with me. To be mine."

She lets out a horrified shriek that pierces the stillness of the cave. I growl in frustration. My tentacles coil around her trembling form instinctively in an attempt to settle her. Her fear, once intoxicating, now grates on my nerves. Why the fuck can't she see I mean her no harm?

"Stop shaking," I snarl, my patience wearing thin. "I've given you food, shelter. What more do you want?"

She pulls away from me, backing up against the cave wall. "I-I'm sorry," she stammers. "It's just... this is all so..."

"So what?" I snap, looming over her. "Frightening? Overwhelming? Grow a fucking spine, human."

She whimpers, and I feel a twinge of... something. Regret? Impossible. I'm Umbrath. I don't regret. Why can't she see I'm trying to be… what? Kind? Fuck, I don't even know anymore.

"Look at me," I demand, cupping her chin with my hand. Her brown eyes, wide with fear and hopelessness, meet mine. "I am not your enemy. Your village cast you out. I took you in. Remember that."

She swallows hard, her pulse racing beneath my touch. "I know, but... you're so... different. I don't understand what you want from me."

I bare my teeth in frustration. "What I want is for you to stop cowering like a frightened rabbit. You're here now. You're mine. The sooner you accept that, the better off we'll both be."

Her breath hitches. "I'm trying," she whispers. "It's just... I've never seen anything like you before. You're... very intimidating."

I can't help but preen a little at that. "Good. I should be. I'm the last of the Umbrath. The most powerful creature you'll ever encounter."

She nods, her curls bouncing with the movement. It's... oddly endearing. Fuck, what's wrong with me?

Her eyes trace the lines of my body, from the tentacles that move with a life of their own to the black skin that covers my muscular form. There's curiosity there, beneath the fear, and it ignites a spark of satisfaction within me. She should fear me, but it pleases me that she also seeks to understand me.

My tentacles soon twitch with the urge to explore the soft skin of her body again. But every time I try and reach out, she shies away. Fuck. This isn't how I wanted things to go.

"Stop that," I growl, frustration building in me. "I'm not going to hurt you."

I turn away, unable to look at her anymore. Why is this so hard? Why can't she just submit to me? I've never had trouble dominating others before. But this fragile creature, she's really getting under my skin in ways I don't understand.

She inches further away from me, backing herself into a corner. "I'm sorry, I just... I can't help it," she whispers.

I run my hand over my face. My claws scrape against my rough skin. This human is driving me utterly insane. I want her so badly, but I can't have her if she's terrified of me. The thought of forcing her makes my stomach turn for some odd reason. What the fuck is going on with me?

"Fine," I snarl. "I'll give you some space."

I stalk towards the back of the cave, my tentacles lashing behind me in agitation. This is going to be more challenging than I thought. But I'm not one to back down from a challenge. I'll make her see. I'll make her understand. The cool, damp air does little to calm my racing thoughts. I can still smell her fear, her uncertainty. It's beyond maddening.

"Eat the food I gave you," I call over my shoulder. "I didn't bring you here to watch you starve to death."

I hear her shuffling behind me, probably reaching for the dried meat. Good. At least she's not completely stupid.

I start to pace the back of the cave. My claws scrape against the stone floor. What am I doing? I'm Umbrath, the most feared creature in these mountains. And here I am, fretting over some human girl like a lovesick pup.

But I can't deny the pull I feel towards her. It's more than just hunger or lust. There's something about her that calls to me, something I can't explain.

I turn back and watch her from the shadows. She's nibbling on the duskbear meat, her eyes darting around the cave nervously. Even in her fear, she's simply beautiful. Her brown curls catch the dim light framing her face like a halo.

"Is it good?" I ask from afar, my voice louder than I intended.

She jumps at the sound, nearly dropping the meat. "Y-yes," she stammers. "Thank you."

I nod, satisfied. At least she's eating. I won't let her die, not when I've just found her.

With that, I stride out of the cave, leaving her amidst the shadows that have been my only companions for so long. But as I step into the moonlit night, I realize that the darkness doesn't feel as absolute as it once did. There's a warmth in my chest, an ember kindled by the presence of the human I've claimed as mine.