Page 35 of Monsters of Midlife

The Victorian house had a tower where Ryder had put me, but unlike Rapunzel’s tower, this one offered 180-degree views of the bay area. It would’ve been spectacular if I didn’t feel like I was completely trapped.

I slipped off my clothes and turned the shower on, staring out at the view. Without thinking I stepped into the walk-in shower, screaming as the boiling water scalded my skin.

A loud thudding thundered through the house.

I screamed again waiting for the burn to die down as I huddled just outside of the water’s heated spray.

“Caroline!” Ryder burst into the room.

I hastily clutched a towel against my bright red skin, dripping wet as I tried to cover myself. “What the fuck?” Ryder snapped at me.

“I could ask you the same question,” I said. “This is my room, I thought. Or because it’s your house you have rights to walk into any room you want to?”

“Just trying to find out if everything is all right.” Ryder demanded.

“I’m fine,” I grunted, trying to find a bigger towel. The redness of my skin now was due to embarrassment rather than the hot water. How could I be caught here in nothing but a slim towel that certainly didn’t cover my curves or shadowy parts?

Ryder closed his eyes and turned away.

Of course.

He wanted nothing to do with my body anymore.

Asshole.

“The water is too hot,” I said. “I’m sure it’ll be fine in a minute.”

“Right, okay, fine then.” He grunted and turned his back. “Let Sophie know if you need anything else.”

“She’s fine.” I shook my head. “She’s not my servant. Or are you paying her to hang out with me?”

That would suck but I needed to know.

“No.” Ryder choked back a grunt and turned around, slamming the door behind him.

***

The next morning, I slipped into jeans and a t-shirt and went down to the modernized kitchen where Sophie was waiting for me.

“Is Ryder gone?” I asked not sure what I wanted the answer to be. I wanted to be around him all the time. I just wished he wanted to be around me.

“Yes.” Sophie said.

Clearly, he did not.

“These digs are pretty nice,” Sophie continued. “It’s a pity you can’t enjoy them more.” She ran a hand along the top of the gray cement countertop.

“I’d enjoy them more if I wasn’t afraid someone was trying to kill me,” I pointed out. “Then there’s the added complication of being a banshee.”

“Yeah, that’s really weird, isn’t it?” Sophie glanced up at me.

“What do you actually know about banshees?” I asked.

Sophie shrugged. “Well, I don’t know a whole lot. I didn’t exactly study hard in school.”

“All right, well what do you know about banshees?”

“They’re Fae, so it means you’re Fae for a start,” Sophie explained. “You’re a very special type of Fae, one that heralds death.”

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