Page 49 of Monsters of Midlife

I couldn’t even look up to see if she listened to me, but I knew Sophie understood the laws of the supernatural world and would do what was necessary to protect Caroline. Even if Caroline didn’t know what was best for her in the situation.

The only way I could be sure they had gone was because the sound of the hellhounds diminished. Now there was nothing but the sound of fire and water all around me as the monsters slammed into me. I took a deep breath, inhaling gulps of air before I dove under the water. The monsters would have to follow me. It would put their fire capabilities to the test. Fire monsters were highly unusual and unlike demons they could still fire underwater, but it dampened their capabilities.

I hoped they followed me, but I noticed it only three did. That meant the rest were going after Caroline. I turned around, pulling out my large talons and made short work of the three demons following me, tearing their arms from their bodies and putting long bloody wounds down their front and their backs in swift motion.

I looked up, coming out of the water in a surge of motion. I saw Caroline perched upon a shelf with a monster grabbing at her. She was kicking out at it but just as I approached, the monster grabbed her leg and pulled her under water. The hellhound yelped behind her in abject misery as Caroline disappeared.

Every muscle in my body strained to get closer to where Caroline was. Pushing me farther and farther hoping to get to her before the monster drowned her or worse, took her across the rift. If they got her to the other side of the rift it would be almost impossible to find her. They would be able to hide her there for lifetimes.

My heart lurched in my chest as I raced forward, grabbing Caroline’s wrist just as the monster entered the rift. Turning to kick around, I swung her away from the monster and placed my foot squarely in his chest, kicking him into the rift and then saying the incantation that would close the rift behind him. The hellhound jumped in the water, cooling himself off, and Caroline collapsed into my arms. She didn’t care I was in my monstrous form.

“Ratchet, get us out of here,” I said, and immediately a portal opened up in front of me. I stepped through it. It took us to the tower in the house in Alameda. The portal closed behind us, as Ratchet and Sophie lurched out of the room.

Caroline shivered, clinging to my body. I desperately needed to feel the security of her body and make sure she was really there and safe, held tightly in my arms.

Chapter 30

CAROLINE

His arms encircled me, and my head rested against his chest when I came to. My body was soaking wet and shivering as he held me I could feel the heat of his body slowly warming mine. Even though we’d gone through what I could only imagine was a portal of some sort, we transferred directly from where I thought I was certainly going to die back to the safety of my room in Alameda. His arms around me reminded me of our time together, how he always used to call me and hold me when I had the worst days. I found myself murmuring into his chest and leaning in, looking to be consoled.

Abruptly he put me on the ground, feet first, and took a step back.

“What the hell were you doing?” he asked, his body rigid and his face angry. Hard lines of irritation drew his mouth down.

“I went to the temple,” I said, my body still shaking from the cold and my teeth chattering as the warm of his body heat dissipated, I wrapped my arms around myself to preserve as much residual heat as possible.

“I told you not to leave here. I told you not to leave here at all.”

“You’re not the only one who gets to make decisions about my life,” I said, angrily stepping toward him. “I’ve just found out a few things about my life that I need to sort out. This isn’t all about you.”

“None of this is about me,” he said. “I can handle myself just fine. This is all about you and trying to keep you alive when someone is clearly out to kill you. You don’t even seem to get that or care.”

“Oh, I get it now,” I said, petting the hellhound who’d made it through the portal and was pressing up against my leg. “It might’ve taken me a couple of chances, but my house just disappeared into a hell hole, and I almost got drowned in a train under the bay! It’s now perfectly clear my life is in danger and there’s not a lot I can do about it.”

“Yes, there is. You can stay put exactly where I told you to stay put.” Ryder stood towering over me, his body a dark shadow in his monster form. He grimaced at me, his fangs showing as his gaze darkened.

I didn’t care that he wasn’t human. It didn’t matter that he was frightening. He had black hair, black skin, black talons, and black horns jutting from his head. Large fangs protruded from his mouth as he yelled at me. None of it fazed me. In fact, I hated to admit it, I found the whole thing entirely sexy. I couldn’t help wondering for a second what changes the transformation had made to his manhood.

“Take off your clothes,” he said.

“What the fuck?” I asked, staring at him.

“You’re freezing,” he said. “The wet clothes aren’t helping. Take them off and I’ll grab you a blanket.”

“I’m still perfectly fucking capable of taking care of myself,” I said, pushing past him and going to the bathroom.

He moved past me, opening the bathroom door and stepping inside it.

“How the hell am I supposed to change my clothes if you’re constantly everywhere I am?”

“It’s not like I haven’t seen you completely naked before a time or two,” he said gruffly. “I’m just making sure there’s nobody in the bathroom about to attack you.”

“I thought this place was supposed to be safe. Isn’t that what you said?” I asked.

“Yes, it’s supposed to be safe but after what just happened with the hellhounds and Sophie, I’m just making sure.”

“Where is Sophie?” I asked, lifting up my shirt and taking the wet things off. If he didn’t care about me being naked, why should I? We were clearly done and there was nothing going on between us, so what did it matter if I change my clothes here or there? I knew the shivering had to stop. I dropped my panties and my pants and my bra quickly onto the floor. He didn’t even look at me. His eyes were averted. He turned and walked out of the bathroom. Not surprising since he didn’t have any interest in me whatsoever.

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