Page 14 of Her Christmas Monsters

“Get the hell away from her,” Ethan roars as the door swings open. He barges into the room just as Soren’s hand wraps around his throat.

“Ethan?” I scream as he struggles against Soren’s hold. I leap out of bed, about to get between them but pause, my brain finally catching up with my body as I notice something strange about my friend.

“You know him?” Soren asks as he lifts Ethan by the throat.

Ethan.

The figure that burst through the front door sounds like the man I know, but he sure doesn’t look like him. Massive grey wings stretch out behind him, and his normally warm brown eyes are a soft grey like the rest of him. Gone is his auburn hair, now replaced with smooth stone. But it’s still him, I can feel it in my heart.

“Yes,” I breathe, still in shock despite my brain beginning to put the pieces together.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Ethan hisses as he pulls in a deep breath and glares up at Soren.

“I could ask you the same thing. Were you stalking me?” I ask, my mind still reeling.

“Of course not,” Ethan says, his eyes widening in panic. “I’m a gargoyle. I turn into stone at nine exactly, which was why I had to leave when you spotted the grey patch on my arm. So I use the time to guard over your apartment on the ledge there.”

On the ledge there.I glance out the window at the empty space along the stone ledge. He just casually admitted he watches over me at night from the ledge there like it’s not a big deal whatsoever.

“Why?” I shake my head, wondering how this became my life. He just casually admitted he’s a gargoyle and sleeps outside my window. A. FREAKING. GARGOYLE.

“Why do you seem to know each other?” he asks, suspicion lacing his tone as he looks between us, ignoring my question completely. “How long has this been going on?”

“An eternity,” Soren says wistfully.

“I saw him in my dream before, but he just came through a rift tonight or something. I didn’t even know he was real before,” I exclaim, raking my hand through my hair.

“You just came through the rift?” Ethan asks incredulously.

“Of course I did,” Soren scoffs and wraps his thick arm around my shoulder. “She’s my mate. Wouldn’t you pass through the rift for your mate?”

“I would,” Ethan whispers, his gaze locking with mine as his throat bobs. Soren looks between us with a look of understanding lighting his golden eyes.

Does he mean …

“Can someone please explain what the hell is going on?” I shout and back away from both of them, causing Soren’s arm to drop from my shoulder. “What is this rift, and why are you both calling me your mate?”

“The rift is how I got here, and I’m calling you my mate because you are,” Soren says with a shrug.

“Ethan?” I huff out in exasperation. That was definitely not the explanation I was looking for.

“The rift is a tear that goes through our realm and yours.” Ethan’s shoulders slump slightly.

“So let me get this straight,” I say, feigning a calmness I don’t feel. “You’re both from a different realm that’s full of monsters, and you came over by this rift.”

“Technically yes,” Ethan agrees. “But my family has been here for centuries, and the only world I’ve ever known is the human one.”

“Right …” I say slowly, hoping my brain can process all this information flying at me with the little sleep I’ve been able to get tonight. “Now back to the mate part. I’m both Soren’s mate and yours?”

“Apparently.” He frowns at Soren who just shrugs again. “It means we share a soul bond. You’re my perfect partner and I’m yours.”

“Mine too,” Soren adds.

“And when were you going to tell me this?” I ask, propping my hands on my hips.

“Never,” Ethan admits. “There’s no way you would’ve believed me.”

“I’m believing right now aren’t I?” I shake my head, exhaustion sweeping over me all of a sudden as my heart finally calms its frantic pace. “We can all talk about this in the morning, but right now I need to get back to sleep.”

---