Page 33 of Charming Her Monsters

Well, fuck.

I’m not crying, it’s just all the emotion floating in the room that gets in my eyes.

I snuggle back down between the two living heaters and get some more sleep.

10

MUFFINS

JADE

Iwake up to the delicious smell of breakfast. Only Arran is with me now, and I give him a soft peck on the lips.

His golden eyes open, and he grins at me like I’m his favorite thing.

“I’m fairly certain Maxum opened up a portal to the land of milk and honey in the kitchen,” I joke. “We should get in there before the bounty is all gone.” I jump out of bed… Okay, that’s a lie. I roll out of bed, then I head to the bathroom for a quick pee and mirror check.

“You’re perfect.” Arran catches me frowning at the mirror and races forward, throws me over his shoulder like I weigh nothing at all, and takes me to the kitchen. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how strong these guys are.

I’m finally allowed on my feet when we get to the dining table. It’s overfilled with several serving plates: muffins, scrambled eggs, fruit, home fries, bacon, some things I’m unfamiliar with, and, of course, sausages. Not just the guy kind…

“Whoa.” My eyes almost pop from my skull. “You guys eat a lot!”

“Actually, we don’t need to eat very much,” Maxum says, shaking his head with a smirk.

“Then… why the big spread?” I gesture at the table and sit down.

Standing in the kitchen, Flint, the quiet, nervous looking gargoyle, rubs the back of his neck. His face tints a peach color—his version of a blush, apparently. “When I heard humans need food several times a day, I realized we haven’t fed you enough.” With a coffee mug in hand, he races over, then slows down as he nears me. “They informed me you like morning bean tea.”

“Coffee?” I smell the tale-tell aroma of dark roast. “Yes, thank you.”

“Cream and sugar are right there.” His thick finger points in front of me.

My heart almost bursts from his adorable attempt to take care of me properly. I truly never expected this level of concern from anyone, but his urge to provide for me is giving me all the warm fuzzies.

The urge to hug-attack the gargoyle is strong, but I keep myself rooted in my seat.

“You should pick up the book,The Proper Care and Feeding of Your Human,” I say with a straight face.

Flint asks with eyes wide with interest, “Where can I purchase this book?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you a copy.” Maxum grins at me, mischievously.

“I appreciate all the thought and effort, but remember, I can only eat small portions at a time.” I point to Maxum’s plate with a reasonable portion of food. “I usually eat about that much. And honestly, I’m not great about eating three times a day. So please, don’t go out of your way just for me.”

Calder shuffles into the room, and his eyes widen at the sight of the spread. “Are we not allowed to eat for the rest of the month?” he jokes. He takes a seat, gathering up a huge portion of food. It probably took a lot out of him when he almost died.

I place a bit of everything onto my plate to show Flint that I appreciate his hard work. I take a large bite of a muffin.

The baffling burst of jalapeño causes me to choke.

“Are you okay?” Arran asks and rubs my back as I sip some water.

I feel my face turning red. “I just wasn’t expecting a muffin to be… spicy.”

“I thought you liked it spicy.” Flint glances innocently at Maxum and Arran. “Is this untrue?”

“Oh.” I clear my throat and take a sip of water. “I write what they call spicy books, but it has nothing to do with food. I’m sorry about the confusion.”

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