Mortis (Mayhem Manuscripts Season Two: Cryptids)

Here's Lily James's "Mortis." It's a novel in the multi-author series, Mayhem Manuscripts Season Two: Cryptids.

["Some beasts never wanted to be monsters.
The most dangerous ones always did.

For sixty years, Kael has survived by hunting anyone foolish enough to enter Barrowfell Woods. Bound to his inner demon, every meal leaves him drowning in guilt. When he finally refuses to kill again, desperation drives him beyond the treeline and into the world of humans.

Teddy Adler has spent his life surrounded by the dead. As the mortuary technician at his family's funeral home, corpses don't scare him. Demons, apparently, don't either.

Instead of running from the seven-foot cryptid he catches eating one of his clients, Teddy offers Kael a solution neither of them expected. One that lets him feed on the dead instead of the living.

But while Teddy teaches a demon how to survive without murder, a centuries-old cult is preparing to finish what its founders started. Their leader has spent a lifetime searching for the beast his family once enslaved, and he'll burn down an entire town to drag Kael back into chains."]

Prologue: scary as fuck demon satyr monster who sadistically hunts people in the woods. Chapter Three: soft as fuck demon within a demon who doesn’t like hurting people but has no choice and when confronted by a tiny human about his B&E (and past murders) shrinks in guilt and shame.

And then there's Beastie. Definitely the sadistic hunting monster. More demon than not. Threatens Teddy (at first) but smirks at his confidence and gull. Always there to remind Teddy (and Kael) that he's a demon with demonic needs. Also utterly and entirely dedicated to Teddy's safety and happiness and pleasure. 

Teddy. Oh my sweet boy. So kind. Soo sassy and confident and doesn't put up with anyone's shit. He cares about other people and ethics, but he puts them aside for a monster who hates hurting people, anything to make his Kael less guilty.

These two were utterly perfect for each other. Their dynamic was tiny mortal savior and adoring demon puppy...until it wasn't. That very first spicy scene? Dead. I died. Utterly fucking deceased. It was perfection on top of perfection. Kael and Beastie becoming one? Yesss.

I loooved Arlo. And I swearing to fucking god, if he doesn't get a book with Mammon, I'll riot. 

Trigger Warnings: consumption of human flesh by nonhuman, preparing and coking of human flesh, desecration of a corpse, detailed descriptions of embalming procedures, demonic cult activity, mention of off-page human sacrifice, blood, gore, kidnapping/captivity, non-consensual use of chloroform, murder, graphic violence, and more.

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