Make Me Soar (Monster Match season two)

Chapter Seventeen

P erry stood at the spot where Menut had stood for a split second, then ran over to the window. He could see Menut’s shadow as he flew away, and he slapped a hand over his mouth when he was about to shout Menut’s name. He wanted to call him back. Wanted to feel his arms wrapped around his body, but Menut had been right. They couldn’t work like this, and it was easier to let this fizzle out now than to have this connection between them that kept pulling them back to one another. Perry refused to live in Menut’s world and Menut wouldn’t leave his, so how could it possibly work between them?

Pain rippled through him and Perry dropped to his knees, his arms wrapped around his chest. It shouldn’t hurt this much. The pain shouldn’t make him fall apart like this. They’d both agreed it would be better for them to separate, but Perry had never felt this pain before. It cut him deep, made him struggle to catch his breath. Watching Menut leave devastated him, left him with a gaping raw wound inside. “Menut,” he whispered, his voice hoarse with unshed tears. He blinked, his eyes burning, and he leaned forward until his forehead touched the carpet.

He’d walked away before and it hadn’t cut him deep like it did now. Left feeling like he’d been eviscerated, his insides exposed for all to see. Lifting his head, he let the tears fall and reached out to touch the connection between them, but it was barely there and feeling stretched thin, like it could break at any second. Shoving a fist into his mouth, Perry sagged, cried out, his body shaking.

“Menut.” Shaking his head, Perry tried to stand, staggered to the side but remained upright. He’d agreed to this. Knew they’d made the right decision. Perry hardly knew Menut and had met him under extreme circumstances. It would never have worked between them, so how could his leaving make Perry feel like he was dying inside? No, he had to strand strong, stand firm. This was the best decision for both of them.

They were different. Different species. Came from different worlds. It would never work between them. Neither could bend enough for the other. Neither could live in the other’s world. That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt to watch Menut leave. Perry knew he would never see him again unless he went to Menut’s world and sought him out, and Perry wouldn’t do that. To see him, then walk away again…

Turning away, he made it to the bed before slumping on it. He reached for his phone and held it before bringing his contact list up. Finger hovering over Aled’s number, he licked his lips then pressed call. Aled answered, groggy with sleep, and Perry murmured, “He’s gone.”

“Who is?”

“Menut. He came here. We talked.”

“And then he left?” Perry heard the rustling of bed covers as Aled moved. “Was that all that happened?”

“No,” Perry whispered.

“Okay. Did he bite you again?”

“No.” Perry closed his eyes, tears trickling down his face. “He can’t live here.”

“Some monsters can’t. Too much going on, I guess, or it could be the way our world smells or a million other reasons. What are you going to do about him leaving?”

“Nothing. My life is here, Aled. My family, you guys. I wouldn’t last there away from everyone I know.”

“But you want him to do that to be with you.”

Perry sucked in a breath, held it. Releasing it slowly, he whispered, “I guess I do. I don’t get it. I hardly know him. We only had a few days together and then I came back home. I don’t understand this need I have.”

“It’s the bite, but he didn’t bite you tonight when you fucked.” Aled groaned. “I need coffee. Put the machine on and I’ll come over. Give me fifteen minutes.” Aled hung up and Perry sucked his lips in, wet them, then went to the bedroom to dress. By the time he was dressed, and the coffee machine had finished, Aled had arrived.

Pushing past Perry when he opened the door, Aled made a beeline for the kitchen. “Ah my beauty.” He picked up the coffee Perry had made him and took a sip, sighing after he’d swallowed. Perry arched an eyebrow, shook his head, then picked up his own drink.

Sitting on the sofa, he sipped his coffee and waited for Aled to speak. It took him a while and another coffee before he was able to talk. “He didn’t bite you, so I would guess he thinks this is over.” Aled shrugged. “I don’t know that much, really. Just know it’s important. That the first bite is important for mating then further bites keep the bond going, or something. I don’t really know.” Aled shrugged. “What are you going to do about it?”

“I told him I couldn’t live there, that my place was here.”

“Is that how you really feel? That you couldn’t live on his world and come to visit us here?”

“Everything on his world wants to either hunt me or kill me or eat me. I told you what I saw there.”

“I think Menut would keep you safe and let others know you were his.” Aled shrugged again. “Doesn’t matter now. You can still go on your date with Stacy, right? Date women again and have a good time. Just like before. In time you’ll forget about him, and he’ll be one of those ‘did you know’ kinda moments you tell people when they talk about their past.”

“I guess.”

“It’s still the weekend. We can go out to the bar tonight and have a few beers. They have this fit blonde behind the bar. Might see if she’s single.” Aled grinned. “I wouldn’t mind getting her naked.”

“What happened to…. Er, Susan?”

“Sonia, and we split up. She wanted to be exclusive when she’d been the one who wanted to be able to date other people.”

“You agreed to her dating other men?”

“And women and be there as well. Two hot women in bed with me? You think I was going to say no to that?” Aled licked his lips. “All that smoking hot pussy? I’m a man who loves women, so of course I agreed.”

“Until she wanted to be exclusive.”

“I’m not ready for exclusive. You know me. I like to spread my love,” Aled grinned and threw his arms wide. “I like to give to those in need.”

Perry laughed. “I know how much you like to give. I’ve heard.” Perry coughed to clear his throat, then put on a woman’s voice. “‘Aled! Fuck me harder! Yes! Right there!’ We’ve all heard you.”

“Don’t be jealous cause I know where the clit is and how to use my tongue.”

Snorting, Perry said, “I’ve never had any complaints.”

“And now you know how to suck cock. Hey, you can fuck men too. Best of both worlds.” Perry looked away, rubbed his chest. “Shit man. Forget I said anything.”

“No, it’s okay. Maybe I will in time. I need to move on from this.”

“I’m gonna go. Meet us later in the bar, yeah?”

Perry stood and waved when Aled left, then tidied up before crawling into bed. Sleep. He needed to sleep and maybe, just maybe, he’d feel better when he woke.

Perry sat at the table with Dennis and Judd, watching Aled trying to chat with the new woman behind the bar. When she shook her head and pointed away, they all hissed. “Ouch. Did you see the look on her face?” Judd watched Aled put a hand on his chest, then drop his head and walk away. It was all an act. He only looked like he’d been hurt, hoping she’d change her mind. When she shouted something to Aled, he laughed and came back to their table.

Sliding into the seat, he grinned. “She likes me.”

Perry snorted. “Yeah, we could all see how much she liked you when she said no.”

“Give me time. She’s mine.” Aled smiled and waved at the bar, and Perry watched her turn her back to Aled. “See. She can’t take her eyes off me.”

“I can’t stay long. I’m meeting Tash later.” Dennis took a mouthful of beer.

“How long have you been seeing her for now?” Perry asked, aware that he hadn’t been paying as much attention as he should have over the past few weeks. Adjusting to being back home, accepting what had happened, and the loss of Menut had kept his mind occupied.

“Six months. I’m planning on taking her away soon. A weekend away somewhere.”

“Nice, and you’ll have plenty of alone time.” Perry grinned as Judd pushed him.

“What he means is you’ll have time to do plenty of fucking.” Judd grunted when Perry hit him. “What was that for? We all know what Dennis means. Tash still lives with her parents, so a weekend away means plenty of sex.” Judd glanced at Dennis. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

“I’m not going to talk about whether I have sex with my girlfriend or not, but we will. We will have plenty of sex.”

Perry almost choked on his beer, coughing then wincing when Judd slapped him on the back. “Dennis.”

“What? We all have sex. It’s a natural part of life.”

Perry swallowed, then took another mouthful of beer. “I have my date with Stacy.”

“Hey, you might get lucky. I’ve seen the way she looks at you.” Aled smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes, and Perry knew why. Aled wasn’t sure about what Perry had done where Menut was concerned. When he’d left that morning, he’d called a couple of hours later, asking Perry if he was certain he’d made the right decision to let Menut leave.

Rubbing his chest, he smiled when Dennis nudged him and told him to take condoms. “Yeah yeah. I’m not that stupid. I don’t want kids yet.”

“Hey, did you hear that some of those monsters can get men pregnant?” Judd leaned forward on the table. “Imagine having sex with one and then bang, you’re preggers.”

“That’s only if you take it up the ass. We’re fine.” Aled flicked a quick look at Perry, who exhaled heavily and shook his head. Nope, he wasn’t going to talk about it. “Some of those female monsters are cute.”

“Er which ones? Did you see the one who looked like Medusa? Ain’t no chance I’m getting close to one of those.” Dennis shuddered. “Imagine trying to kiss her and those snakes on her head are trying to bite you.”

“You have a vivid imagination. Isn’t Medusa from Greek mythology?” Perry asked.

“Yeah, she is, but who knows what monsters exist? We’re seeing new ones all the time.” Judd sipped his beer. “They seem alright. Mostly. I wouldn’t want to annoy a werewolf or a vampire or anything like that. Or the one Perry had that date with.”

Perry hissed and shook his head. “Never. I am never going to go back to that world. I had enough while I was there. I almost died. One visit was enough for me. My feet are staying firmly on planet Earth. I know what will try to eat me or kill me here.”

“You left the safe zone, so it’s your own fault.”

Perry narrowed his eyes at Aled. “I don’t need reminding, thank you very fucking much, Aled. I know I left because some monster wanted to eat me and I’m not talking about her sucking my dick. The things I saw…” The things Menut had showed him, too. Nope, not thinking about him. Perry ignored the tightness in his chest and glared at Aled. “Never going back.”

“Never?” Aled murmured.

“You heard me.” Perry took another mouthful of beer and refused to look at Aled, even though Aled still looked at him. It had hurt deep inside when Menut had left, but since then, Perry had had the chance to sit down and think. He still believed he’d made the right decision and knew he would never return to Menut’s world. They would never have met if he hadn’t gone on the date from hell.

Time and space would help sever what little connection they still had between them. Yes, it would hurt, but it was for the best. Perry had made his decision, and he was going to stick to it. He had a date to look forward to with a woman. An actual human woman. Menut was in the past now. Whatever they had shared was the past, and that was where it would remain.

Judd laughed at something Dennis said, and Perry refused to look at Aled until he was good and ready, and when he finally did, he saw the frown Aled shot him. Ignoring it, he stood and got another round of drinks in. It was time to move on, and he’d ignored the ache in his chest until it eventually disappeared. His life was here on this world.