Once they were done, Rhian pulled the core out of the monster's chest cavity.
The moment it left the body, a thick squelch echoed through the area. He held it up, covered from the neck down in green, slimy blood. His gloves were soaked.
His hair clung to his forehead. He looked more like a monster than the one they just killed.
He turned to Ash, deadpan. "I'm still taking your bed."
Ash gave him an exaggerated shrug and a grin. "Well, it didn't blow up. So technically—"
"You're disgusting," Aras cut in, his voice flat. "We should find a lake or a stream. Wash the blood off. This thing stinks. If there are more monsters nearby, we'll draw them like flies."
Ash rolled his eyes. "Isn't that what we want? More monsters, more cores? Let them come."
Rhian stepped closer, his arms still dripping with green gore. He smiled innocently as he stretched both arms out toward Ash's perfectly clean shoulder.
Ash backed up immediately, eyes narrowing. "Don't you dare—"
