Page 79 of How to Seduce a Slender

Dahlia stepped up beside her as the illusion broke for all of them. The fur of the creature was sewn to the body with crude chicken wire. The tail flitted back and forth, where the fluff flopped like it was an empty sock rattling around a metal pole. Its hands twitched in front of it. Wide eyes that began to cry bloody tears.

“Kevin, remove it from the yard.”

Before Kevin could lurch back from the creature, it screamed. Jaw unhinging, massive fangs barred at them. Out of instinct, Melody grabbed the front of her skirt and flew forward. As the creature began to transform, her foot landed on the side of the belly. It was way too squishy for her comfort...but the creature flew through the air.

“Nice kick!” Kayla cheered.

Dahlia snapped a finger. A third eye bursting open on her forehead. The beast reached just past the top of the fence and exploded into a hundred pieces, splashing against the ground. Melody stared with wide eyes as it sizzled, plumes of sickly yellow smoke rising off the bits and chunksS before they all went out. Inch by inch, Melody turned to face Dahlia. The blond elf’s shoulders softened. Her third eye closed and she dabbed it clean with a handkerchief.

“Well,” Dahlia cleared her throat. “It seems our friend is trying to bait us.”

“Our friend?” Ophelia snorted, looking around the farm behind the yard. “Do you think Elyth is upset that you all are living in her house?”

“It’s not her house,” Dahlia snapped.

“Not anymore, but you know what I meant,” Ophelia huffed, shooting the same glare Dahlia’s way.

“Hmm,” Dahlia frowned.

Melody watched the three toss ideas amongst themselves and she realized something key to Dahlia. Even though she’d said it, it didn’t sink in until that moment. Dahlia was just a prickly person, a grumpy soul, but she was lovely and loyal. And Kayla, Ophelia, Sebastian, they all showed her that her prickles didn’t phase them.

“What do you think?” Dahlia glanced at Melody, ripping the werewolf from her thoughts.

“Huh? Sorry, I, uh, didn’t catch that,” Melody flushed, scratching behind her head.

“We were discussing what point there is in poisoning Carl or trying to destroy Kevin?” Dahlia arched a brow.

“Well...maybe she’s trying to disrupt our food. She knows Carl protects the yard, probably makes her creatures try to steer clear. Up until that one could talk with Kevin, Carl keeps the yard free of things... and well, Kevin takes care of the food. We’d be forced to go into town. Maybe she’s hoping to infiltrate the house?”

Dahlia’s eyes widened. “The fucking book.”

“The who-and-what-now?” Melody blurted out.

“It’s always the fucking books with this place, I swear to the dragons above! Sebastian!” Dahlia snatched up the front of her dress as she stormed back toward the house. Ophelia, Kayla, and Melody shared a confused expression. Then Ophelia made an ‘o’ face before nodding.

“The journal, the Grayskull journal. It was the key last time.” Ophelia crossed her arms under her chest.

“Wait, I missed this, is there a new book?” Kayla whirled from Melody to Ophelia back to Melody again.

“I kinda awakened her weird, possessed journal.” Melody grimaced.

“Oh, pfft, who hasn’t!” Kayla waved it off. “I can’t tell you how many evil books I’ve accidentally opened and summoned some eldritch horror or shenanigans event. Happens to the best of us. You think she’ll let us eat that pie while she and Sebastian do their book thing?”

“ooh! Yes! It smelled so good when we got here,” Ophelia giggled.

The werewolf watched them with bafflement as they scrambled after Dahlia. When she glanced back at Kevin, he was scratching his brain with his trowel.

“Kevin?” She stepped toward him. His shoulders were slightly slumped. His face, drawn low in a sad frown, was pointed to the hay he shuffled with the toe of his boots.

“Well, I thought I helped,” he sighed.

“Hey, Kevin, buddy, you help all the time.” Melody and Carl dove close to him, trying to catch his hollowed gaze.

“Carl didn’t like him, but I saw him, this big ole’ squirrel and told Carl it was fine. I should have let him follow his instincts. Like you do. He’s got that big ole’ nose. Like you. Is that a dog thing? Are you and Carl a pack now?” Kevin pouted, snubbing his boots against the ground.

“Absolutely,” Melody beamed at Carl before looking up at Kevin, “But you know, three’s a pack, right?”

“Who’s the third one?” Kevin blurted out.

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