Page 20 of The Howl
“Yep. I hung out at Megan’s for a while to let my embarrassment fade.”
“Embarrassment?” Adira asked. “Over what?”
“Maybe the fact that the aquatic loving student majority saw my bra, thanks to the inadequate clothes in my closet,” I said in a calm and even tone.
“Hardly inadequate. It did its job. Had you lingered, you would have had your pick from your classmates. Any number of them would have happily had sex with you and fed you.”
I fisted my hands in my lap, furious beyond speech that everything came back to sex and feeding. There had to be more to life than sex and food. Passions outside of…well, passion. Books. Movies. Music. Art. There were so many other things out there. Things I hadn’t even explored because they were busy trying to force-feed me their agenda.
“I’m sixteen. I don’t know what I want. I especially don’t knowwhoI want. And I resent that all the adults in my life are pushing me to make a decision I’m not yet ready to make. If my lifespan is as long as my mother’s, why does everyone insist on rushing me? I will take things at my own speed. If my welcome here has an expiration date because of that, please just say so. It won’t offend me. I realize how much all of you’ve already sacrificed for me, and I’m very grateful for it.”
Mrs. Quill’s expression turned to concern.
“You’re welcome here for as long as you’d like, sweetheart. No one is pushing you to leave our home, only to find a steady source of food. We just want you to know that we understand your needs and that you’re welcome to bring a boy or girl or both home with you any time you’d like.”
I wanted to hit my head against the table. If they truly understood my needs, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
“If I’m truly welcome here, stop pushing me. Please. You’re only making things worse.”
Mrs. Quill flinched like I’d slapped her, and Adira’s expression hardened.
“I would hardly attribute our concern as a damaging factor to the situation in which you find yourself,” she said.
Mr. Quill’s phone buzzed.
“You’re right. Your concern isn’t damaging. Your meddling is. It didn’t help the situation with Megan. Why do you think it will help me? I didn’t appreciate you inviting Eugene for dinner yesterday, and I don’t appreciate you purposefully putting him in my classes. Classes that will not benefit him in any way.”
Adira opened her mouth to respond, but Mr. Quill interrupted.
“Adira, I could use your counsel on a matter of importance.”
She closed her mouth and nodded serenely. I watched them both leave the room. Whatever message he’d received had to be important to pull him and Adira away from dinner.
Picking up my fork, I took a bite of the now cold potatoes and looked at Mrs. Quill.
“They really are delicious.”
She smiled sadly at me.
Adira and Mr. Quill never returned to the table. I helped Mrs. Quill clean up then went to the entertainment room where I paced and watched the door. It wasn’t like Adira to forget about a conversation that involved my lack of feeding. That she hadn’t yet tracked me down to resume her lecture was beyond odd. It was unsettling. As was the way Mrs. Quill had disappeared into Mr. Quill’s office the moment we’d finished cleaning up.
I thought of Oanen and Megan and what they were doing in New York then started to worry. Adira and the Quills were always trying to shield me from anything that might impede my progress toward becoming a full feeding succubus. What if something had happened to Megan and Oanen in their mission to find who was killing the trolls, and everyone was keeping it from me?
The temptation to sneak to Mr. Quill’s office and listen at the door coaxed my feet into the hallway. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t ignore the feeling that they were keeping something important from me.
Fear curled into a ball inside of me, its weight settling in my stomach as I hurried down the hall. The low murmur of concerned voices coming from Mr. Quill’s office drew me to the door. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the tones of their voices sounded like they were disagreeing.
Barely breathing, I pressed my ear to the wood.
“You risk angering her mother,” Mrs. Quill said. “Are you prepared for the consequences?”
“I’m confident that Megan will be able to control the situation,” Adira said.
I frowned. Since when were they more concerned about Megan’s mom than Megan?
“And if we push too far and anger Megan again in the process?” Mrs. Quill asked.
“I agree with Anwen, Adira,” Mr. Quill said. “We are fortunate Megan is still willing to help with the investigation in New York. With the latest report from the Flagstaff Council, we need to understand the purpose behind these deaths. Three Nemean lions isn’t coincidence; it’s ritualistic.”
