Page 26 of Guarded By the Phantom

“HELP! Am in lust with someone and it makes no sense. She’s not even my type. Send me some drugs that will kill my libido.”

The librarian produced a map of the building, explaining something to Barbara with growing excitement that made his freckled face all red while she leaned closer to look at what he showed her. The monster in my gut stirred, urging me to knock out the creep for daring to engage her attention that way.

My phone pinged.

“Your libido is drug-resistant. What’s the problem? If she consents, you can satisfy that urge.”

The librarian touched Barbara’s elbow, explaining something with breathy eagerness. She stayed put, but there was something wrong with her smile. Radiant before, it seemed fixed. My monster growled, but I had to at least try to be objective, didn’t I? If I killed every man who was attracted to her, there would be a bloodbath.

“She definitely won’t consent and I can’t fuck her. HELP. ME. It’s dire. I gave her my jacket when she was cold.”

That was the first moment when I acted unlike myself, now that I thought about it. I didn’t know her at all then. It made absolutely no fucking sense.

“Observe, don’t react,”came the unhelpful reply.“Our appointment is next week. We’ll figure out a coping strategy then.”

I raised my face to observe as the nerdy librarian pushed his glasses up his sweaty face. He’d walked around his desk and stood by her side, having his arm around her shoulders while he pointed down a corridor going off the main hall.

She clutched a plastic card in her hands, her knuckles white. When he leaned closer, bringing his face level with hers, she discreetly turned in my direction and mouthed what I was pretty sure was, “Help me.”

My phone pinged again. “And don’t do anything rash.”

Well, it was too late for that. I was already striding over to my principal. Before the librarian realized what was going on, I pushed his hand off and had my own arm around her, giving him an unhinged grin as I pressed her close with possessive menace.

“Did you get everything you need, kitten?” I asked, sliding my hand down her arm in something akin to a caress.

Barbara huffed angrily, but the librarian didn’t notice. He was too busy staring at my face with his mouth open, sheer terror painting his features. I let my grin grow as wide as it could, tucking her closer while her nostrils flared with fury.

“Now, don’t go flirting around, my cutesy little bear. You know what happened to the last guy you gave your number to, eh?”

The librarian took a step back, and Barbara tried to throw me off, but to no effect. She was in my clutches now, and I wouldn’t let go.

“W-what?” the librarian asked. “What happened to him?”

I turned to give him my full attention, and he paled so much, his face looked completely bloodless.

“Let’s say he lost his head,” I said with a mean little laugh. “Now, are we done here? You got everything, sweetie?”

“Yes,” she growled, trying to get away.

I gave the librarian one last grinning look, and he hastened to get behind his desk, watching us with wide eyes. And no wonder. We must have looked so grotesque, with me all in black, my head a horrid skull, while she was obviously a ten, even without makeup and with casual clothes on.

Well, for the next few moments, I would pretend she wasmyten, even though I was fully aware that sort of thing was beyond impossible.

As soon as we were out of sight in a corridor leading to the Psychology Reading Room, according to a placard hanging under the ceiling, she stopped abruptly and turned to me.

“What was that? Have you lost your mind?”

I almost purred. Here she was again, my furious little kitten. My drug-resistant libido cheered.

“I lost my mind a long time ago,” I answered her question. “This here is full of hedonism and a healthy dose of blood thirst.”

I tapped my temple, indicating my rotten brain, and she stomped her foot in anger. “Why can’t you be serious? Is everything a joke to you? God, I can’t believe you’re the one thing standing between me and death. What did I do to deserve this?”

“Something very naughty, no doubt,” I said with a grin, my spine tingling from her proximity.

She stood very close now, her upturned face filled with delicious anger. Oh, damn, if I just lowered my head a bit, I could kiss her.

That thought sobered me up. I didn’t kiss. Not even with the most fetishistic human girls who legit begged me on their knees, throwing away their pride and self-respect just to get a kiss from an abomination.

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