Page 4 of The Howl
“I’d much rather just be me than a killer anything,” I said.
Some of the humor left his gaze.
“Right. Sorry. I forgot for a minute.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing you’re here. I’ll keep reminding you. Nothing is safe here, Eugene. We may look human, but we’re not. That’s something you have to remind yourself of constantly.”
He looked around the room uncomfortably.
“I can’t believe you grew up here.”
“I didn’t. The Quills took me in when I was twelve.”
“They aren’t your parents?”
“No. My mother is currently living in New York, and my human father is in Arkansas, far away from this place.”
He watched me for a moment, probably thinking I was going to continue with an explanation of why I wasn’t living with my parents. However, since I knew why Mrs. Quill had invited him tonight, even if he didn’t, I didn’t want to encourage any kind of bonding between us.
“I get that you’re all scary monsters who want to feed on humans in some way,” he said when I remained quiet. “But that doesn’t scare me nearly as much as ending up back on the streets does.” His gaze went to the crystal wine glasses and actual gold utensils placed on the table. “This place looks so...”
“Ostentatious?”
“I don’t even know what that word means, but sure.”
“It means flashy and over-the-top.”
“Yep. Ostentatious. You’re lucky people with money took you in.”
Mr. and Mrs. Quill took that moment to enter.
“I believe Eliana called it a perverse way to flaunt one’s money when she first came to live with us,” Mr. Quill said.
“There was a lead up to that statement,” I said with a rueful smile. “And I’ve since realized the error in my thinking.”
Mrs. Quill chuckled and gestured to the table.
“Dinner is ready. Eugene, you may take the seat beside Eliana,” she said, not even glancing at the empty setting across from us. That could only mean that Adira meant to join us.
As soon as we were seated, Mrs. Quill started serving, using her magic to move whatever she’d cooked in the kitchen to our plates. Eugene was suitably impressed and asked questions until he took his first bite of her beef wellington, a favorite dish of Mr. Quill’s.
“I’ve died and gone to Heaven,” Eugene said.
“I hear Valhalla is the place you want to go for riches and endless feasting,” Adira said, suddenly appearing in her seat. “How are you enjoying Uttira so far, Eugene?”
He set down the fork which had frozen halfway to his mouth at her abrupt appearance.
“It’s great. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“Of course. How do you like attending Girderon Academy?”
“I love it.”
“Are you certain? It’s never too late to go back to your old life.”
“It is for me,” he said. “There’s nothing for me to go back to.”
Something about her line of questioning and the way she was studying him made me suspicious.
