A Collection of Monstrous Short Stories, Vol. 1

A COLLECTION OF MONSTROUS SHORT STORIES VOLUME ONE MONSTROUS LILY MAYNE Copyright 2023 by Lily Mayne All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Beta-reading and editing by Kate Wood Proofreading Warning: These stories contain explicit sexual content and are not suitable for young readers. The introduction for each short story contains content and spoiler warnings specific to that story. Main content warnings include explicit sexual content, non-human genitalia, mentions of death, injury and violence, restraint and mentions of past trauma, but please check the warnings specific to each short story. Contents Author’s Note Moth and the Rycke The Adventures of Danny and Wyn – Part One The Adventures of Danny and Wyn – Part Two A Monstrous Christmas on the Homestead Ghost and Aury Take a Trip Charlie and Moth’s Safehouse Honeymoon Moth and the Soul Eater Have a Bonding Experience Hunter and Edin Pay the Nebraska Base a Visit The Adventures of Danny and Wyn – Part Three Moth and Wyn Visit a City Charlie and Moth Do the Elf Thing Gloam Worships His Hardworking Firebrand Lor and Jugs Get a Pet The Orlith Chronicles Correspondence Orlith Tries to Seduce Wyn Orlith Tries to Seduce Wyn (Again) Orlith and Faralin Ruke Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Ruke Author’s Note Monster Index Human Index Books by Lily Mayne About the Author Author’s Note This is a collection of short stories for the Monstrous series that were first (for the most part) published on my website. They are arranged in this book in sequential order of the events of the series, and each short introduction contains content and spoiler warnings specific to that story. There is also a bonus novella at the end! A short and sweet 20k-word story about two new characters, Ruke and Jamie. If you are up to date with the series, you may remember Collector Mary’s pet shulc vanishing into a tiny town that Rig briefly explored in Gloam (Monstrous: Book Four) and returning with a dark green arm, freshly removed from a poor beastie. Ruke is that monster! I had the idea for his and Jamie’s story while I was writing that scene. I hope you enjoy their sweet little romance. There are a few exclusive short stories in this collection that haven’t been read by anyone before! One is for our newest (at the time of publication) Monstrous couple, Lor and Jugs. And, of course, I thought it was only fair to give you all more Orlith, so we have The Chronicles of Orlith, which includes a new story from his perspective. I hope you enjoy this collection! I’ve called it Volume One because there will undoubtedly be a new batch of shorts going up on the website in the coming year. Hopefully, we will one day get a Volume Two. And maybe more. “I choked on an incredulous breath. Volume 25? What could that evil sicko possibly have to say that would fill twenty-five freaking journals? God, she was such a self-centred asshole.” —Rig Gloam (Monstrous: Book Four) Moth and the Rycke This is a little 2k-word short set at the end of The Rycke (Monstrous: Book Three) when Moth goes to find Aury because he can’t bear seeing his unrequited love (Ghost) so miserable. Content warnings: Bad language, mentions of violence Spoiler warning: Set during the events of The Rycke (Monstrous: Book Three) First published 2022 by Lily Mayne All rights reserved MOTH I had no idea why the fuck I was doing this. My heart was pounding as I made my way slowly through the forest, sword in hand even though I was fully aware that if the rycke decided he wanted me dead, I’d be ripped in half before I even had time to take a breath. But fuck. Ghost was so sad. I’d never seen him like that—like he’d just given up. He’d always been quiet and closed off, even when we were growing closer, but now it was like the spark in him had gone out. I hated it as much as I wanted to take his pain away. Why does he want him? I couldn’t help but think bitterly as I traipsed through the forest, looking for the terrifying monster Ghost had chosen over me. I slashed viciously through a bush with my sword even though it wasn’t in my way. He’s a true monster. He’s uncontrollable. At least my face looks mostly human. At least I don’t have giant wings and sharp spikes and big, taloned bird feet. I cut through another bush with too much force, watching with disinterest as a wanuk squealed and scampered out from under it, disappearing behind a tree. I’d been searching for a few hours, and I hadn’t sensed the rycke yet, but I knew he’d be close. He was mated to Ghost now—the thought made bitter jealousy churn in my gut—so he’d want to keep an eye on him. He’d want to make sure he was safe. He wouldn’t be able to bring himself to go too far. How the fuck was I supposed to compete with that? With that kind of all-consuming possessiveness and want and longing? How was I supposed to compete with slaughtering and destroying an entire camp of raiders to keep him safe? I would’ve done it, if I’d known that was what it would take for Ghost to fall in love with me. I would’ve killed anyone he wanted. But I knew if I’d done that—if I’d