Page 98 of Grotesque Love
“Of course we want to be with you, Ari!” Jas cries, his eyesfilling with tears, making me pause. Can monsters cry? Jas clambers onto the bed beside me, pulling me into his chest, wrapping his arms and huge wings around me protectively.
“Jas…“ I whisper, clinging to him as my own tears threaten to spill. “Do you feel…warm?”
“What?”
“You feel…warmer than before. And there’s a tear on your cheek. Do grotesques cry?”
“N-no.”
Sax and Mal exchange a surprised glance as Jas hesitantly brushes a hand over his cheek, staring at the glistening tear in confusion.
“I... I don’t understand,” Jas mutters, his voice a mixture of wonder and disbelief as he gets to his feet.
“Could it be?” Mal murmurs, stepping closer to inspect Jas’ face. “Is this part of the curse lifting?”
Sax reaches out a hand, his fingers trembling as they touch Jas’ cheek. A jolt of electricity seems to pass between them, and suddenly, a subtle colour blooms on Jas’ grey skin, spreading like wildfire. His grotesque features soften, taking on a more human-like appearance with each passing moment.
I watch in stunned silence as the grotesque before me transforms into something softer, something more human, but still monstrous. Still the same form, but different. Something ‘other’.
“Sax,” Jas says in a voice that is no longer gravelly but soft and full of emotion. The tears continue to flow down his face, but now they are tears of wonder. “I feel...I feel alive.”
Sax lets out a choked sob and pulls Jas into a tight embrace, holding him like he’s afraid to let go. Mal watches on with a mixture of shock and awe, before stepping forward and flicking out his tongue to taste one of Jas’ tears.
As the final traces of the curse dissipate, revealing three monstrous men, a sense of warmth envelops my heart. “So you’re free of the curse. Not tied to the moon anymore. And you can…you can cry and blush, and feel warmth. This is?—”
“Astonishing,” Mal murmurs, turning his clawed hands over, as he examines the muted colours that have replaced the shades of grey.
“Perfect,” Jas says. “Don’t you see? This is another sign that Ari should stay with us. Sax, you were worried about condemning her to a life of isolation but it doesn’t have to be like that.”
Sax stares at Jas, then at me, hope flickering in his eyes.
“Ari…” he begins, his voice tentative. “We will never be human. Do you still wish to stay with us now, knowing the risks and challenges that come with it? Knowing that the curse may have been lifted but our past still haunts us?”
I nod vigorously, tears of relief streaming down my face. “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I want to stay with you all, no matter what. I love you all so much. A life without you in it, is no life at all.”
A sense of unity washes over us, binding us together in a way that feels unbreakable. Sax pulls me into a tight embrace, his heart beating strong against mine. Mal claps Jas on the back, a rare smile gracing his lips. Jas simply looks at me with an expression of pure adoration, his soft transformation still sinking in.
“We are stronger together,” Sax declares, his voice filled with conviction. “We can rebuild the manor and make it ours. But first, I need to reassure myself that you’re okay, my love.“
“I’m fine,” I reply, just relieved that I get to stay, that we can be together.
“Please, love. Let me see you?” Sax implores.
He reaches out to touch my cheek gently, his eyes searching mine for any sign of discomfort. With a soft smile, I nod silently, giving him permission to check. Sax’s hands move with care, inspecting the bruises from the ropes and scratches on my skin. His thumb brushes over Carver’s already fading bite mark on my cheek. As he tends to me, I can’t help but marvel at the tenderness in his actions, his love a balm to my wounded soul. The three of them are meant to be monsters, but they’ve shown me more human compassion and love than anyone else has for along time. I feel so blessed to have found them. To have found love.
Sax captures my chin in his large hand and draws my attention back to him. “Ari, love. Pay attention.”
I blink. “Wh-what?”
His lips meet mine in a gentle, reassuring kiss, but it quickly heats up when Sax groans into my mouth.
All my doubts and fears melt away as I lose myself in the kiss, surrendering to the passion that ignites between us. Sax’s hands move possessively over my body, pulling me closer, as if he never wants to let me go. Fire courses through my veins as our connection deepens, a primal need awakening within me. I respond eagerly, my hands wrapping around his horns as I press myself against him and tug him closer.
A crash reverberates through the room, startling us apart. My heart races as I look around, remembering that we are not alone. Embarrassment floods through me, but Sax only chuckles softly, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“No need to be shy now,” he murmurs, his voice husky with desire.
Heat creeps up my cheeks and I glance at the others. Do they feel left out? We’ve always been together, but Sax and I…we’ve never…