Page 119 of The Tenth Muse

“I said we’re closed today!” I scream out frantically just as my bedroom door opens.

I’m on my hands and knees, blood, guts and chunks all over my extremities, splattered over my face and bedroom walls when my eyes fall to the cutest leather Mary Jane’s. Perfect schoolgirl shoes with two silver, heart-shaped buckles on the outside of them and lace-frills socks that run up to her mid-calf.

My gaze is pulled up just from the sight of her legs, the muscles drawing up her knees where the few inches above her flesh is left to my imagination. A pink pleated skirt covers thick thighs and cinches at her waistline where a white, button-up shirt struggles to stay tucked in.

A ponytail matching the color of her skirt cascades down the front of her shirt over her shoulder, and falls just above her breast with purposeful shiny waves. There’s a lustrous gloss to her lips, perfectly full paired with eyelashes so long and darkthey don’t need mascara. She bats those pretty things in awe, her mouth parted, shock setting in as she takes the room before her.

I’m one hundred percent freaking out about hiding the obvious remnants of a murder scene that I haven’t even bothered to say anything aside from “Get out!”

However, the adorable stranger is already inside, and I’m left wondering if I’m going to be forced to feed her to my plant for dessert.

“Holy sh–!” She shouts, ocean-blue eyes clearer than crystals dilating.

“The shop is closed!” I yell again, standing to stop her from coming any further into my space.

I’m breathy, panting, gasping for air as I try to push her through the door back into the storefront but her gaze remains locked on Chewbacca. “What the hell is that?”

“Get out!” I scream, shoving her out of the supply room I’ve made my bedroom.

“You put the notice up about needing a plant … doctor … person … right?” She’s still trying to get past me to get back in the room.

“Your timing couldn’t be worse.” I’m sweating from every single pore in my body, my skin so damp from perspiration that when I lift my hand off from her arm, there’s a leftover imprint of dried blood from the night before.

Her eye stays on it for just a second, before Chewie’s burp brings her attention back to the door.

“No way.” She whispers. “Did that thing just?—”

I don’t get a chance to deny it, Chewbacca’s next burp is so violent it actually pushes the door open, the pungent smell of rotting carcass hitting us both in the face before it closes again.

“Wicked.” She sounds more excited than scared, which I think should be a good thing but instead it puts me on-edge.

Mostly because I’m still covered in evidence.

Sure, notmycrime, but I don’t think the police will be taking into custody a carnivorous plant instead of the person feeding it the overly-pushy college guys.

The girl tries to shove past me again but I block her, “Come back tomorrow, please?—”

She groans a frustrated sound, “Did I miss her feeding? Ugh.” She slumps to the floor. “How often does it happen? I can come back right before the next one!”

It actually looks like her eyes are tearing up. I’m so confused by our entire interaction that it takes me an extra second to realize that she probably thinks I’m feeding Chewie an animal of some sorts.

I laugh awkwardly, wiping the blood from her arm as best as I can, “I haven’t quite figured it out yet, she just kind of lets me know when she’s hungry.”

“She lets you know?” Her expression is nothing less than a child walking throughWilly Wonka’sfactory, and she hasn’t really even laid eyes on the plant yet.

I sigh, remembering that above all, Chewie needs help, and the majority of the actual man bits are gone and digested now, so there’s a good chance I can get away with this. “She’s not quiet,” I gesture over to the room.

“America.” The girl sticks her hand out for introductions, “I saw your post, for the plant. I was hoping I could maybe try to help?”

“Runa,” I take her hand. “I forgot that it was still up, didn’t get a single reply.”

It’s pointless to try to open the door slowly because America practically breaks her way into my bedroom, nearly collapsing on her knees in front of Chewie.

“Where the heck did this thing come from?” She can’t control her volume, her excitement is uncontainable.

I shrug, “She just kind of called to me, she was in the middle of a batch of flytraps at the grocery store, practically dead, so they gave me a good discount. I figured I’d try some spells and see what would come of it and the eclipse was as good a night as any to try.”

Meri snaps her head back to me, “That total eclipse four months ago?”

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