Page 53 of Charming Her Monsters

Why is itmoresexy when he has no clue what he does to me?

16

FLOOFING

CALDER

Staying in this house with the witch here is pure torture. I might as well be in prison. I’d probably be happier if I was locked up.

To hear her sucking Maxum’s and Arran’s souls out of their cocks is maddening. My entire existence is at war. My dick loves the sounds, but my mind revolts.

Even if she is innocent of Osen’s death or all the other stuff that we’ve uncovered, she is still a witch.

To add to my suspicions, Osen hasn’t shown up after the alleyway. Is she suppressing his spirit, so she isn’t found out?

Ugh. The more I watch her, the more I realize it’s likely she’s just an ignorant witch. However, even an ignorant witch can cause a lot of problems.

I’ve been taking care of her magical creatures. Their warden of sorts, although they don’t realize it. Sure, they all say Jade didn’t know what she was, but there’s something off. I just can’t place my finger on what is wrong.

I can’t shut Trouble up—incessantly talking, that one. And the rabbit, Sage, doesn’t seem to be a schemer. Simple yet wise, much like her namesake. But that’s animals for you. They carry their own kind of wisdom. Maybe superior in some ways.

And Floofer…for all that is sacred.

Could Jade have picked a more ridiculous name? I don’t think he would have chosen that moniker, had he been given a choice. But what do I know? He barely speaks. I’ve only pulled out one-word answers from the hamster. Maybe he is a bit touched. Not all magical creatures are blessed with intelligence.

Hell, not all supernaturals or humans have been blessed with smarts, either.

That’s what nags at me, I suppose. Jade is smart—smarter than she acts sometimes. She spaces out and often looks lost when I’ve been around, but then she can allegedly write books, making up entire worlds and magical systems all on her own. Yet she also appears to be perceptive and insightful. So I think the ditsy spacey shtick isn’t real.

I suppose both could be true. She can lack focusandbe extremely hyper focused other times.

I just… have never met someone like her.

To be fair, I don’t get to know many people. At least, not since I died at the hands of that cruel witch. I’m not friendly or social anymore. Why should I be? The world is just out to rob me of any joy I have.

Losing Osen is just one example of that. In my last incarnation, I couldn’t even enjoy his touch anymore. Now that he’s dead, I will never have an opportunity to get over my pain, or help him get over his.

I’ve been tossing and turning in bed, trying to not eavesdrop on Jade and Flint in the kitchen. Except her voice is like a siren’s call, and Flint’s voice rumbles like an earthquake’s incoming wave, ready to decimate the landscape.

Drawn to their conversation, because of course, I must know everything that damned witch does. I get up and crack the door to better hear them.

Sounds like Flint is falling under her spell, too. He’s yearning to bond with her in any way his broken spirit can. Why is it so easy for my pack to reveal their hearts and souls to this blasted woman? What am I not seeing?

Could I be jealous that she doesn’t appear to want to catch me in her devious net? Or will I be her last conquest since I’m holding out and being a proper asshole to her?

Frustrated, I throw myself on the bed again and cover my head with my pillow. Not that it helps to block out the world. I chant a spell Maxum taught me to soothe my turbulent, broken soul.

“Birdman!” Trouble shouts, breaking my attention on my chant and the ugly train of thought I’m still riding.

“What is it?” I snap and spin to glare at him. He knows I hate it when he calls me that.

“Floofer is gone! He just ran out.”

“What the fuck?” I feared something like this would happen. I hated to keep them cooped up in their cages. This is what I get for trusting them to stay in my room.

Another fear rises… one that I kept pushing down. What if the creatures aren’t what they appeared to be?

I need to find him and discover what he is up to. I don’t have the amazing sense of smell that Arran does. But my eyesight will do, even at night or before dawn, as it is now.

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