Page 14 of My Monster's Keeper
I don’t press my luck but vanish into the darkness, perching high on a support beam and stare down at them.
She cradles her hand to her chest and shouts, but I tune out her words. I lick my lips, trying to get any taste of her and bring it inside me.
More. I want more.
“Puppy. If you do that again, I’ll freeze your tongue.” The princeling calls out.
I look down and find him staring up at me. Interesting that he can find me when most can’t. Am I getting lax? No, my abilities are beyond compare. He must be good. But I’m better.
“All right. Let’s move her,” Diablos says with a clap of his hands. “Hartley, I’ll go with you and her. You four can’t follow us.”
I watch them walk away and get in the steel contraption. They drive away in a cloud of noxious fumes. I sneeze and grunt in reluctant admiration. The metal beast is a worthy adversary, the fumes it spills out are a toxic combination that makes my head ache.
The other three don’t wait, and neither do I. Chasing is what I love to do. I follow it by racing along the sides of buildings. My claws catching and holding deep into the concrete as I fling myself from building to building.
The car pulls up, but I follow the faint scent of her and enter through an open window. I go through dens and up and down vertical tunnels until I find the den that reeks of her. Her nest draws my attention, and I go to it, compelled despite myself. I snap my teeth and let my tongue out to taste the material. Hmm.
I hear footsteps and growl, lunging forward and rolling in her furs. I roll until my scent is so strong that no one will question my claim.
Then I lay down on my back, shift to human, and close my eyes.
Her scent hits me like a wave. I force myself not to react, even though I desperately want to smile. My meal's scent is spicy with temper.
To her credit, though, she ignores me, pretending like I don’t exist. I must say, I disapprove of this tactic. It takes my enjoyment out of it.
I follow after her, staying right on her heels as she packs a few things. As she puts each thing in the bag, I pull it out, sniffing it over before dropping it on the floor.
Wilder growls.
I pull out a scrap of shiny black fabric that feels like water and toss it over my shoulder. Wilder growls louder. I suppress my amusement and do it twice more, my entire focus on the pissed off Faeling.
It takes four more items before he launches across the room and slams into me. I tilt my head back and let out a barking laugh and roll with the Fae into the cupboard. It collapses on us.
I throw us the other way, and the bed splinters apart. Around and around we go, throwing punches, kicking, growling. He’s frustrated, but he’s holding back.
Interesting.
“Well, there you go. We don’t need to stage a break in,” Diablos says with his usual happy charm.
Idiotic moron.
We’re rolling towards her. I don’t even hesitate. I want to know what she’s going to do. We get close.
“Stop!” she snaps.
We keep going. She holds up something and presses a button. Liquid sprays out and burns. Oh, my dark fuckery, what is this hell? Argh!
I hiss and scramble for the roof, but I no sooner get up there than I fall, landing heavily back in the cloud of vapor that’s still hovering in the air.
I go to swipe at her, but she holds up the bottle again, and I hesitate, I, Grim the Devourer, hesitate before this pink sack of splintering bones. I turn away, hating myself and hating her more.
My meal has secrets and tricks. I’m impressed and offended, but at least devouring this one isn’t going to be boring.
Wilder throws himself towards the bathroom, spitting and cursing. He ends up getting inside and gets into the shower. I follow, sticking my head in the water and trying to get my eyes to run clear and stop burning.
“What the fuck is in that can?” Wilder snarls.
“Poison. Our new pet is very tricky,” I mutter darkly.
