Page 16 of The Monster at the End of This Courtship

"She did?" I hadn't noticed any invasion.

"You're still acting like you're a little stoned, or maybe in shock. That's Odessa." Lark shrugged. "Once we reach your destination, she'll let you think on your own again."

"I'm acting stoned?" I laughed. No wonder I couldn't stop staring at the scenery and comparing it to Ignitas. I took a bite of my sandwich and groaned. "This tastes better than usual, too."

"Oh, yeah. She's definitely enjoying it through you."

"Gross!" I laughed again. I followed up every bite with a potato wedge. They weren't as tasty as I remembered. "I take it she doesn't like potatoes."

"No, but I do. This is better than most," Lark said. "I think I'll stop for more on the way back. Punky and the kids will want some, too. Do you want me to grab you another, or maybe one for Tuft?"

I blinked. I hadn't thought of Tuft once since we'd arrived. To be fair, I hadn't thought of my fiancée, either. "He would like that," I said. I knew he ate meat, at least. I hoped he would like a burger. It would be nice to stop by and talk to him when we returned. No matter what I learned here, Tuft deserved to know.

"Did you question if Punky was your fated mate?"

Lark grinned and shook his head while he continued to chew. "No," he said when he could talk. "I knew from our first dance. Your situation with Tuft is a strange one, but I think we can find you some answers today."

Once we finished eating, Lark pulled out of the parking lot and Odessa continued to my apartment building. Once there, Lark asked which apartment was mine and teleported us into my bedroom. I'd thought the ride here had been disorienting, but after teleporting, I was lucky I didn't puke on the carpet.

"Are you all right?" Lark whispered from somewhere to my right. I couldn't see him. Shit, in the dresser mirror, I couldn't see me!

"Yeah. Are we invisible?"

"Yes, but if anyone is home, they'll be able to hear us. Be as quiet as possible. Do you want anything in here?"

I spent a few minutes showing Lark what was mine and what was Rosanna's. I pointed out only the small things I wanted for the next few weeks, since I still planned on coming back here as soon as I learned enough magic. As I pointed to my must have items, they disappeared, teleported back to Lark's van.

We were in the bathroom, sending my shower gel and toothbrush to the van when we heard the main door bang open and plastic bags rustle. Rosanna must have been out shopping. I pulled Lark over to the accordion doors of the walk-in closet and shut them behind us. Through the doors, we heard voices. Rosanna had someone over. A man. The way they talked was familiar, almost flirting.

I glanced at the phone charger on my side of the bed. My phone was still there, displaying the time. I wouldn't have been home from work yet. Rosanna worked the early shift at the bank, so she always arrived home before I did.

"He's still not home?" the flirty male voice asked. The door to the bedroom opened, and in walked Rosanna's best friend James. He tugged off his t-shirt and unzipped his pants before I registered what was happening.

"No," Rosanna said from the other room. "It's the strangest thing."

"Do you think he's on to us?"

"That boy is the dullest lightbulb in the toolshed." Rosanna stood in the doorway in a lacy bra I'd never seen before. When she unzipped the back of her skirt and let it fall to the floor, she wore a matching pair of lacy underwear. Her belly had rounded just enough to push out over the top of the lace, the only sign of the baby growing inside her.

She was beautiful, but the words coming out of her mouth brought me crashing back to Earth. "I could mix more metaphors, but he's not worth the time."

James hooked his thumbs in her waistband and started to pull the panties down. She kissed him with a passion she'd never had for me.

I reached for the accordion door. I didn't have a plan for what my invisible ass was going to do when I reached them, but I couldn't stay here in this closet.

The world spun again, and I was sitting back on the passenger side of the van, dry heaving onto the floor mat.

"Sorry. We can't risk being seen or heard," Lark said. "Are you all right?"

"Did she … is he … what the fuck?"

"Humans and kobolds can't reproduce," Lark said. "It's physically impossible. Meanwhile, she's about four months pregnant, from what I can tell."

I nodded.

"And he's human. It's easy enough to assume he's the father of her child."

"But why would they lie to me about it? Why did she want to marry me?"

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