Page 22 of Faun Over Me

Warmth kindled in her chest as she deciphered that brief nod into the acknowledgment of a sort of belonging. She sat straighter, scanning her menu as her father and Troy continued their discussion from the car.

It was about a real estate deal; she had gleaned that much. The same one her father had mentioned on their call.

“We have three properties set to close in the next week,” Troy said. “And then I can get to work on the next batch of holdouts.”

“Excellent,” said Nathan. “I’m sure the fellas at the home office are pleased with the commission you’ll be bringing in.”

“They’re not upset, I can tell you that,” Troy replied.

“I was doubtful when Lunar Asset argued for 7%, but with the progress you’ve made, I can see your firm is worth every penny.” He cleared his throat, jovial tone dropping. “US Petrol wants us to present our first case in two weeks; if we secure the properties before then, we can use that to pressure the local congressman.”

“Y’all ready to order?” A heavily bearded waiter stepped up to the table. The Meander’s t-shirt he wore strained against a barrel chest and massive, hairy arms. Nathan leaned away from their waiter while Troy turned that wolfish grin directly on him.

“I’ll take the steak, rare, no potatoes, an extra side of au jus, and the house salad. Undressed.”

“And to drink?” the waiter asked, seemingly blind to Troy’s threatening smile and Nathan’s obvious disgust.

“Tea, unsweetened, if that even exists in Elkins. If not, water.”

“Unsweetened tea it is,” the waiter replied, his friendly expression unfaltering. Avery was impressed. Just listening to Troy’s order had her fingers trembling. She clasped them together in her lap, her head down to hide the angry purse of her lips. “For you, sir?”

“Club sandwich, bag of chips, bottle of water,” Nathan answered, throwing the menu down on the table when the waiter held out his hand.

“And you, miss?”

“Cheeseburger,” Avery mumbled. Her father cleared his throat, and she lifted her head. He glared at her from across the table, mouth turned down in a frown. “I mean, the cobb salad.”

Without missing a beat, the waiter smiled, revealing a row of blocky yellow teeth that identified him as an adolescent sasquatch. “I can do the cobb as a side for the burger instead of fries. Sound good?”

“I, um.” Avery glanced at her father, who shook his head. Heat built in her chest, and she sat up straighter, smiling at the waiter. “Yes, please. With blue cheese dressing, if you have it.”

“We absolutely do.” He grinned wider back at her, deep-set eyes twinkling as Avery reached across Troy to hand him her menu.

“Gluttony is a sin, Elizabeth.” Nathan clicked his tongue, shaking his head in the way of a disappointed father. “Once you’re home from Camp Cryptid, we’ll discuss your behavior.” Threat leveled, he faced Troy, effectively cutting Avery out of the conversation. It was a dismissal meant to make her feel small and useless, but to Avery, it was a relief. She let her eyes wander the street until their food arrived, and then she nibbled on her burger, watching the daily life of Elkins, West Virginia, pass by.

A man and a female-presenting naga wearing a baby in a sling crossed the street hand-in-hand. Outside the local bar, a mothman leaned against the wall, smoking a cigarette and nodding to people as they passed by. A young woman hopped up onto the sidewalk, and the mothman’s eyes lit up bright red, his smile widening as they embraced in a friendly hug.

“Wendy-something, they’re calling it,” Troy said with a chuckle, drawing Avery’s attention away from the street. He shook his head, a disbelieving grin crinkling his cheek. “Can you believe these backwoods hicks? Getting stalked and terrorized by a mystery cryptid; it kills their chickens and livestock, and still, they won’t sell. They won’t even admit they saw anything in the woods.”

“That’s the problem with these hillbillies,” Nathan grumbled through a mouthful of sandwich. “You saw that camp; they’d rather cater to monsters and bring them into the fold like we’re all one big, happy family than face the truth: this nation is being overrun. Look at my daughter—” He pointed his sandwich in Avery’s direction, frown deepening as his eyes landed on the half-eaten burger and untouched salad. “She’s had to sacrifice her upbringing and morals in order to get ahead.”

“Americans have no spine anymore,” Troy agreed.

“We need to push these monsters out and take our land back,” Nathan continued. “Not incorporate them into our society.”

Avery shrank in her seat. This rhetoric wasn’t new. Her dad had touted the same arguments for most of her life: America is for the Americans. This land was built by human hands. Why should they have to accommodate the arrival of monsters?

The one time she’d spoken up, arguing that they weren’t monsters, they just weren’t human, her father had slapped her across the cheek and sent her to her room for being impertinent.

“All it takes is a little push,” said Troy. His eyes followed a woman as she walked by. Scales clung to her temples and trickled down her neck, and she flicked a forked tongue before commenting to her friend how good the food smelled. “We have to remind these hillbillies how dangerous the monsters are, and they’ll sell. Once they do, Lunar Asset Management is poised to pivot directly into working with your client. Our team in DC is close to securing the votes we need to file for eminent domain.”

“I’ve got a direct line on Congressman Murray, as you noticed,” her father added. Troy smiled, a malicious light entering his eyes. “He’ll come around soon enough.”

“Your bill.” The waiter returned, waving a vinyl billfold between Troy and Nathan. Avery’s father grabbed it and, to her surprise, set the billfold down in front of Avery.

“Use the card I gave you,” he instructed.

“The emergency card?” Sure, it was his credit card. He’d given it to her when she went to college, but why would he have her pay for a business lunch?

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