Page 84 of Charming Her Monsters

I giggle with him because he’s so sweet and innocent that he doesn’t even know that it’s an old joke. “You are catching onto my humor quickly,” I praise, because he is. None of the sexy stuff came naturally to him before me, apparently. I’m still coming to terms that I’m someone’s only flame, especially when it’s someone as wonderful and thoughtful as Flint is.

And it appears he’s an extreme case of a demisexual—that he’s only sexually turned on by someone he truly likes.

I’m honored and humbled that I’m this special person to him. Out of all the people he’s met in four hundred years, I’m the one he wants.

* * *

We are still making googly love eyes at each other when Flint carries me downstairs. It seems I might never have to walk again. I glance out the windows and see that it’s almost dark out. I begin to worry since Maxum and Arran should have been home by now.

Sitting on the floor of the kitchen, Calder gives us a strange look when we arrive. Trouble and Sage are keeping him company and literally eating out of his hand. Sage is adorably munching on a carrot stem, and Trouble is blissed out of his mind with his banana slice.

“So, you two have officially mated?” Calder asks, his tone lacks any of his usual indignation. If anything, he sounds depressed.

“Officially?” I ask.Did we? Are we?I know nothing about real supernatural bonding, but I thought Maxum and Arran needed to bite me.

“Yes,” Flint answers confidently.

Shiitake mushrooms. Did I just accidentally mate Flint for eternity? I don’t regret being with him, but I hope we haven’t rushed this.

“I am courting Jade, and our bond will soon solidify,” he continues. “She has heard my thoughts, and I have heard hers.”

Nervously, I fidget and hope to shield my nerves from Flint.

Calder glances over at me and reads me clearly with just a look.

Bless his soul, Calder doesn’t draw attention to my fretting, but diverts it to another subject. “We should talk about Floofer.”

“No.” Flint sets me on the countertop and pulls out a variety of cheeses and freshly baked bread from the fridge and pantry.

“You don’t even know what I’m about to say,” Calder huffs.

“I’d like to hear him out,” I announce. Flint needs to understand he can’t make my decisions. Not that I’d expect him to. I know he’s just trying to protect me.

He captures my hands and kisses my knuckles. “You’re correct. I just don’t want to put you in harm’s way unnecessarily.”

“I know, sweetheart. But harm’s way is already my road.”

“Truer words and all that,” an unfamiliar voice says from the back patio door.

“Fuck!” Calder shoots to his feet and places himself between me and the intruder.

When I spin around from my perch on the countertop, I see not one, but three intruders. The first is a mousey looking male who I sense is Floofer in his human form.

Of course, one of them is Rob, and the other one is a woman. I’m guessing she’s a witch.

Flint shifts back to his larger gargoyle form in anticipation of an attack.

“I hear you lost your trinket.” Rob strolls inside, swinging a locket on a gold chain from his finger, as if he were attempting to hypnotize me. I can see from here that it isn’t the same one my grandmother gave me.

“You didn’t get me jewelry when we were together, so I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to accept any now,” I sass.

“Oh, yes, I hear you are creating a little coven of supernaturals. But now, you are coming with me.”

“Hmm, I don’t think we’re the right fit for each other,” I say, like this isn’t a standoff. “Trying to kill me was kind of a red flag that I can’t quite ignore. Plus, you’re a douche on top of being an abusive jerk, an idiot, and a lousy lay.”

“You’re the idiot who stayed here when you must have known I would be coming for you,” he counters. “And did I really ever try to killyou? Or did I only try to rid you of the psychic parasite? You should be thanking me for that.”

I think about what I know about his attacks. Rob might haveaccidentallygone too far when trying to exorcize Osen both times. Maybe he hadn’t meant to kill me. Not that he gets points for that. He still did all the other horrible things, and he’s been using me for years to interrogate ghosts.

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