Page 29 of Insidious Monsters
“Don’t know what?”
“Eldritch that get called in don’t get to go home. The first of every breed we come across is heavily experimented on. It’s our only way to understand how they operate.”
Ice trickled down my spine. “They kill them?”
“An unfortunate side effect of the testing.” There was an edge of bitterness to his tone. “Look, kid, just hand it over.”
God, I’d been so naive. Of course the Order’s priority wasn’t preservation of eldritch life, it was protection of our world, and as much as I understood that, something visceral inside me disagreed.
The creature in my arms shuddered, almost as if it understood its fate.
“Yes, newbie, they kill them, so getting attached is a bad idea.” He sighed. “Look, I get it, the thing is cute, but our job is to keep this world safe, and those things do not belong here. Those things are dangerous.”
But the creature in my arms wasn’t dangerous, it was frightened and needed protection. “I’m sorry, I can’t let you take him in.”
“Him?” He made a sound of exasperation. “You can’t humanize these things. Look, I get it, you’re new. This whole thing seems barbaric, but it’s what’s allowed us to survive against the invasion for as long as we have.”
“There is noinvasion. They don’twantto be here. They’re lost. We should be focused on helping them find their way home and finding a way to seal up the rifts permanently.”
“Great, tell your handler that. But mine expects results.” He strode toward me. “I’m no longer asking.”
Shit.
The eldritch let out a squeak. I looked down at it, deep into its sad brown eyes, and then it vanished.
“What the hell?” I scanned the room.
“Fuck!” The rift walker dragged a hand down his face. “Thanks a lot. That thing’s residue is invisible while it’s invisible. It’s been a bitch to track.” He tucked his blade hilt into his belt. “But I’ll find it, no thanks to you.” His eyes narrowed as he bridged the distance between us. “Trust me, I’ll be reporting this to the Order. You can’t just interrupt a hunt and get away with it.”
“Hey, get away from her,” a female voice I recognized demanded.
I peered around the rift walker’s bicep to see Nandi striding toward us. “Oi, are you deaf?”
Rift walker dude frowned, mouth turning down as if he couldn’t believe anyone could speak to him in such a tone.
Nandi came to stand beside me. “You ever heard of personal space?” She stepped into his and he took a step back. “See, not pleasant when someone does it to you, is it?” She stepped forward again and he backed up.
“He’s a rift walker,” Archie said from the doorway. “Check out the pack.”
“You okay, August?” Nandi asked, her gaze still fixed on the rift walker.
“I’m fine. Professional disagreement.”
“You just lost me my target,” the rift walker said. “There will be consequences.”
“I hope those consequences involve you showering, because dude, you stink,” Nandi said.
His jaw ticked. “It’s called manual labor, but I don’t suppose you know much about that, do you, princess?” He raked her up and down.
“A princess who’ll kick your ass,” Archie said. “If I don’t do it first.” He situated himself between Nandi and the rift walker. “Damn, you do stink.”
The rift walker shook his head and backed away. “You’ll be hearing from the Order over this. Be prepared for a reprimand.”
He stalked out of the room.
“What just happened?” Nandi asked.
I smiled, loving how she jumped to my defense first and asked questions later. “I’ll fill you in over lunch.”
