Page 84 of My Monster's Keeper
“Oh! F you!”
“F me?”
“Yes, you! Frost, control your mate.”
The slip falls into the air between us. Frost sits up, his hand accidentally touching mine.
Mate? Is that what we are?
Am I willing to risk it now?
I feel like it’s inevitable.
I glance sideways at the Fae beside me.
“I don’t control her,” Frost says slowly, with a tiny lift of the corner of his lips.
I smile back. A secret, understanding smile.
Puppy goes bounding past us again. This time, he’s got an actual deer following him, and the thing…well, it kinda does look like a zombie deer. It lets out this horrible bleeping sound.
“Everyone just saw that, right? I’m not imagining it?” Diablos whispers.
“Oh, no, we saw it,” Hartley says and pulls out another beer. “Every minute I spend around you guys gives me another grey hair.”
Diablos sits down heavily. “This world is crazy. It’s just packaged with insane. Why is the deer playing with the Grim? What’s wrong with the deer?”
“Puppy made a friend.” I shrug, but it has me thinking. He gets along with animals so much better than he does people. Maybe…that’s how I reach him.
Frost’s fingers are still on mine. I feel like we’re doing something illicit. Secretive, something that’s just ours. I want to kiss him.
Fuck.
Diablos downs three beers, and, within minutes, it’s clear that was a grievous error.
He stands up and starts spinning, turning into his other form and stomping around.
“Oh. My. God.”
They all look at me.
“Our infamous leader, the demon from his hellscape, is actually a secret lightweight who can’t handle his brew.”
“Shhh,” Diablos splutters, spitting all over himself. “I’m great at brew.” He bursts into giggles and looks at Hartley. “I brew you, too.”
UGH.
“Uh?”
Hartley sighs. “Things are hard at the moment. There are a lot of people here needing him, and he’s feeling overwhelmed. I keep trying to teach him about this planet, but everytime I start more of them come over needing help. He’s not stupid, not by a long shot. He’s doing the best he can.”
For a long second, I feel sorry for him, but then I realise the implications. The single horrifying thought that has me feeling like the world just shifted beneath my feet.
You can’t be serious!
“Are we his friends?” I ask aghast.
Hartley smirks. “You have won a demon friend for life. Lucky you.”
