Page 110 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck

Robin rushed to him. “Give me Demi. I can help heal her. Trust me, Drest. Please.”

Nodding, Drest kissed Demi’s head and smiled at her, tearing up.

She patted his chest, nodding too as Robin eased her from Drest’s arms.

Robin held her to him tenderly and Astria ran up alongside him.

Demi noticed her. “Astria!”

“Hey, girlie,” said Astria, crying fully, glancing at me. She inclined her head, and I knew then she’d watch over Demi too. And that she was making sure my daughter paid attention to her, not what was happening with me. “Let’s get you to safety.”

They headed right for Robin’s home.

The fighting outside of the dome had died down and it took me a second to realize why. Nearly all the enemy was neutralized.

Nile lifted me off my feet, one arm around my waist and another across my chest where he gripped my neck. He laughed wickedly. “Finally. It’s just us. As it should be.”

I closed my eyes a moment, trying to keep from falling back into old patterns where I let him treat me any way he wanted.

“I have the dress, Rachael,” he said. “The one I had made for you. You’ll be stunning in it. Frankenstein’s bride. Mine forever. We’ll never age another day. You just need to die first. It’s not that painful. I promise. I did it. I’ll make it quick.”

Drest roared and slammed against the energy dome. This time, he tumbled through it. He righted himself and grabbed Nile’s hand that was on my throat. He snapped Nile’s fingers back, wrenching me free.

The dome’s energy wall faltered and sputtered before dying out.

As it did, my uncle found himself surrounded by everyone who cared about us.

Arch was there, looking ready to kill, his iron pick in hand. Devil Dave was next to him, watching Nile closely. Bram and Elis were there as well.

Nile stared at them all. “You can’t hurt me. I’m invincible.”

Drest whistled to Arch.

I watched as Arch tossed him the iron pick.

Dave grabbed me, yanking me out of the way as Drest then spun around, swinging the iron pick, looking like a badass warrior from long ago.

The next thing I saw was my uncle’s disembodied head rolling toward me. I didn’t scream. I didn’t freak. Instead, I drew my foot back and kicked it like a soccer ball, letting my rage out as I did.

The head went flying into the air. The next I knew, Torid was springing up and over a mound of dead monsters, leaping high into the air and catching the head with his mouth. He swallowed it whole, landed and burped loudly. “Yummmmyyyy.”

I’d never been happier he had the world’s most disgusting eating habits.

“Are we too late?” asked a blonde woman with a singsong voice as she pushed through the wall of men. She was wearing a long flowing bright pink dress and more necklaces and bracelets than I could think to count. She was holding a bottle of lighter fluid and a box of matches. She saw me and smiled. “Rachael!”

I had no idea who she was or how she knew my name.

Austin emerged from the crowd as well. He had a squirrel on his shoulder.

That was something I didn’t see every day.

Bram gave him a hard look.

He cringed. “Hey, Jonathan was on Marcy babysitting duty. Don’t look at me. I can’t control the woman any more than you can, boss.”

“Marcy?” I asked. “The same one who has been emailing me?”

She beamed. “Yes! I’m so glad you’re here. Oh, I brought these for you.” She thrust the lighter fluid and matches at me. “Go ahead. Roast your uncle. It’s so therapeutic. But first, can I keep a finger or a toe from him? I have a really amazing recipe for skin cream that I want to try but no one will let me keep any body parts from the Frankenstein monsters.”

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