Page 11 of Beasts

“You three,” the man’s voice booms, demanding their attention. “Where were you?”

“Out with Oliver,” Richard replies.

“But he’s not as fast as he thinks,” Hendrik adds.

“He disappeared in a blink,” Niles concludes.

“How long ago?” the man inquires.

“Like, three minutes ago?”

The man hums in response before announcing his departure, “Alright. It’s late. You should all get some rest. I’ll see you all at the end of the month. I’m still looking for a new leading lady to teach you all some manners, so I’ll be back when I find her.” The door opens and closes, signaling his exit.

I’m still processing the strange encounter when Hendrik pops his head around the corner. “You can come out now.”

As I follow him into the living room, I find all the guys casually lounging around, masking any sign of the tension that had just filled the air. Nolan and Hugh approach me with apologetic expressions.

“Sorry about that,” Nolan says. “Glad you weren’t here for it, though.”

“Who was that?” I ask, still trying to make sense of everything.

Nolan glances at Seth, who nods, giving him the go-ahead to explain. The air is thick with unspoken understanding and secrets, and I brace myself for whatever revelation is about to come.

“Let’s go upstairs,” Nolan suggests, and without hesitation, I follow him. Hugh is right behind me as we enter my room. I take a seat on my bed while they both sit opposite me. To my surprise, Oliver follows us but remains in the doorway, leaning against the threshold without crossing it. I briefly wonder about the vampire myth of needing an invitation to enter, but I decide it’s not the right moment to ask.

“So,” Nolan starts, “that was William Pierce. He owns this house and, of course, knows about our true nature.”

“I see. Is that why I was hiding in the kitchen?” I ask, trying to piece things together.

“Partly. Mr. Pierce isn’t fond of humans. He’d be very upset if he knew a human was aware of our existence and we hadn’t acted on it. Different demons and clans have strict rules,” Nolan explains.

“What would he expect you to do about it?” The question slips out before I can stop it.

Hugh interjects, his tone serious, “Amelia, we wouldn’t ever do what they expect, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

But I press on, feeling a need to understand the full gravity of the situation. “No, I think I need to know exactly what you’re supposed to do.”

Oliver, his voice devoid of emotion, answers bluntly from the doorway. “They would expect us to kill you and dispose of the body where it wouldn’t be found.”

I swallow hard, a mixture of gratitude and discomfort at his honesty. “Thanks... for your honesty?” I question, unsure why Oliver is even part of this conversation.

Nolan gives Oliver a sharp look. “Not that we would, right, Olly?” Oliver merely rolls his eyes in response, not exactly reassuring me.

Feeling overwhelmed, I suggest, “Maybe I should just leave the house.”

“No.” The objection comes from one of the triplets peering around the threshold.

“No way,” the other twin chimes in. Startled, I jump as a cat suddenly leaps onto my bed, transforming into Hendrik.

“We can protect you while you’re here. You don’t need to worry,” he assures me.

Grateful yet conflicted, I respond, “Thank you, but I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You’re not,” Nolan and Hugh say in unison, both smiling. Oliver, however, simply turns and leaves the room.

I’m left wondering, “Why are you all happy to have me here? You don’t really know me.”

Nolan shares a knowing look with Hugh. “Seth told us everything we need to know about you.”

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