Page 40 of The Monster's Mate

“I think we make each other feel better, don’t you?”

I nod. “Maybe we do.”

“There’s no maybe, pretty female.” He pulls me close. “Now, are you going to work tonight?”

“No, actually. They’re working on the rafters at the church so I’m off for the week. We do have plans for tonight, though. Sam’s coming over and bringing Kalrian and Mejak. There’s something I want you to know… something they already know. But I think it’s best to bring it up with all of us together, okay?”

He takes a step back to search my face. Whatever he sees there must reassure him, but he nods. “I’ll wait. As long as you need me to.”

Chapter Eleven

Skiden:

“Aww, look at this cute couple,” Kalrian says as he sweeps in the back door. “By the look of that eye, Lucy showed you your place.”

His idiot friend laughs like a loon. But I don’t miss the awareness in Mejak’s gaze. He knows something happened back home, something that had me swallow my trepidation and jump back to Earth, where one person makes me happy.

I have Lucy clasped to the front of me, my arms around her waist and my appendages dancing around her legs. She giggles at Kal’s words as Mejak ushers Samantha in, and then she closes and locks the sliding door, drawing the curtains closed.

“Look at the cute threesome,” I respond, watching Samantha blush.

“How did you two end up together? Not like we had a chance to get home and tell you the coast was clear,” Mejak says, obviously thinking I’ll admit that he and Kal got me and Lucy to admit our love for each other.

“Was easy enough when you two took up with my ex,” I tease, watching Sam’s face turn redder.

Lucy pokes me in the side. “You’re being bad.”

“You are,” Samantha agrees. “Anyway, I brought the paper.” A look passes between her and Lucy.

So this paper is what she wishes to discuss then.

We make our way to the living room. Lucy comes last, bringing a box of more newspaper clippings.

“Let me catch Skiden up. I didn’t tell him last night since you all were coming today.” She takes a deep breath and turns to me. “These letters written in the paper for the world to see are addressed to me. My father is searching for me and he’s riled up the whole countryside with fear over me and… my name. Essentially, it’s made it impossible for me to get a job, or at this point, to even change my name. Because now people will be watching for me, and my new name will be leaked out as soon as the paperwork clears. I’ll be traced wherever I go.”

“If we’d have known better, we would have changed it the very day we left the orphanage,” Sam says. “By the time they’d have found out, the paperwork would have been destroyed and it would have been too late.”

“But what’s wrong with Lucy?” I ask.

“It’s not just Lucy.”

Lucy opens the first letter and begins to read. It’s addressed to Lucifer’s Daughter. And the second one is. And the next. The one after that. Each clipping is designed to taunt and stir hatred with others… but meant to instill fear in her.

When her throat finally goes raw, Samantha pulls out the newspaper and spreads it on the coffee table, then takes over with reading.

Lucifer’s Daughter,

I’ve given you sufficient warning and now you’re starting to piss me off. You’ve ignored my clues as if I’ll go away. I won’t but you, a danger to all in society, will.

It’s time for me to flush you out. Let’s see which hospitals will treat you. Which reporters will flock to your room when they hear of your name. Which churches will denounce you… and your friend.

Lucy sucks in a breath, her gaze flying up to her cousin. “You think he knows it’s Isabel?”

Samantha nods. “I do. It’s not a coincidence that he calls her your friend, that he associates the church where she—and you—work.”

“But she’s safe. She’s in Pimeon and she’s not coming back,” Lucy says.

“I know she’s safe, sweetie. It’s you I’m worried about. If he knows where she works, he knows where to find you. Maybe he just thinks he’s stalking her but soon he’ll see your face and he’ll know how you’ve been hiding.”

---