Page 12 of Ladybirds

There’s no way.

Ansel’s claws prick her bare skin as he struggles out her grasp and leaps from her arms—sprinting behind a stack of boxes in the living room. She takes a step back, then another. The edge of the countertop digs into her lower back. “This can’t be real.”

“Can’t it?” His eyes flick to the blood running down her leg. “I suspect it must, at the very least, feel real.” When she doesn’t answer, he rolls his eyes. “Come now, you’re acting quite ungrateful.”

She trembles, the shock of it all settling into her bones like ice. Her sock is becoming warm and sticky, saturated with blood.

“Honestly,” he grumbles. Another snap, another blink, and he reappears in her wingback—leaning his pale cheek against the heel of his hand. “I’m not here to hurt you. What would be the fun in that?”

Sara finds her voice, tucked somewhere between her hammering heart and the ball of lead in her stomach. “Why are you here?”

He shrugs, gesturing to the room with an open hand. “This is home sweet home now, is it not?”

A small laugh, as manic as she feels, leaves her. The shock thinning into disbelief. “So, what? You broke into my apartment to congratulate me?”

He holds up a finger. “Ah, no, actually. I invited myself into our apartment. I’m sure you can spot the difference.”

Her breath leaves her. “Our?!”

“That’s how this works,” he hums. His arms spread in a wide, grand gesture. “Your home is my home. I go where you go, more or less.” He nods toward her leg. “Now, honestly, will you please take care of that? I don’t fancy stains.”

“Wait, you can’t be serious! I never agreed to this!”

“You did, actually. It’s hardly my fault you never requested details.”

“But—” A knock sounds on the door, interrupting her.

“Police. Is anyone home?”

The man draped over her armchair hums. “My, isn’t that inconvenient? Perhaps you can convince him you spotted a spider? Something big and hairy.”

“Hello? We’ve had some noise complaints from your neighbors. We’re just here to make sure you’re alright.”

Sara slides along the wall, towards the door—mouth opening to call back.

“Ah, I wouldn’t.” He places a finger in front of his lips. “Tell him something, but say nothing about me. Unless, of course, you’d like your little life to go sideways in a hurry.”

Sara licks her lips, heart pounding against her ribs. “I’m coming,” she yells, backing towards the door. Her fingers fumble with the deadbolt, hand turning the knob.

The officer looks old enough to be her father; salt and pepper hair buzzed short. He’s already glancing over her shoulder. “One of your neighbors called saying they heard screaming. Is everything ok in there?”

The source of her troubles walks up beside her—in full, unapologetic, view. “Why yes, officer. Everything is lovely. Thank you terribly so for asking.” His voice, the way he rocks back on his heels, is mocking.

Sara waits for the obvious, but the officer doesn’t spare him a glance—gives no indication that he’s even heard him. In fact, if anything, the stare he pins her with only grows more suspicious. Sara’s stomach sinks.

“Miss?”

She swallows thickly, a sad attempt to control the bubbling anxiety rising in her throat. “I, um, yeah. Yes. I just, I thought I saw someone else in the apartment and got scared.”

It takes every ounce of willpower to keep herself from looking when the man—no. Not a man, she reminds herself. He’s something else. Something inhuman. “Should have gone the spider excuse,” he admonishes. “Honestly, who taught you how to lie? You’re abysmal.”

The officer’s expression hardens. Apparently as unimpressed by her poker face as the devil at her back. “Why don’t I come in and take a look for you?”

“Sure.” Numbly, Sara opens the door wider. From the other side of the narrow entry, her intruder gives an I-told-you-so smile as the uniformed man walks past them.

Sara waits, pulse erratic, as the officer checks every room. She doesn’t dare take her eyes off the grinning face across from her.

“It’s good to see you have some sense,” he hums, his hands planting in his pockets as he leans against the wall. “There have been a handful of others who proved to be rather lacking in that department.”

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